04.29.21 West Orange Times & Observer

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

Observer Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland

IN THIS ISSUE:

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APRIL /MAY 2021

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VOLUME 88, NO. 17

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

Dramatic return West Orange thespians will take the stage for ‘Freaky Friday.’ SEE 15.

MIRACLE OF LIFE

Brown Fertility, which opened its 10th clinic last year in Winter Garden, is in the business of helping couples become parents. Inside, meet two women who realized their of becoming a mom thanks dreams to the work of Medical Directo r Dr. Samuel E. Brown and his team.

Finishing touches Rudy Zubricky, the last woodshop teacher in Orange County Public Schools, is saying goodbye after 35 years at West Orange High School. SEE PAGE 4.

Amy Quesinberry

DREAM TEAM

Venom Allstars families rally around gym owners.

PAGE 3.

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City OKs Habitat donation The city of Winter Garden will donate the land at 275 Center St. to West Orange Habitat for Humanity.

SEE PAGE 2.

SPORTS

Students in Rudy Zubricky’s fourth-period class are grateful for the skills they learned from him.

POWER PLAYERS In its first year, Foundation had five weightlifters qualify for states. SEE 19.

YOUR TOWN OAKLAND SWINGS WITH JAZZ CELEBRATION The town of Oakland will celebrate International Jazz Day with live jazz music from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, April 30, on the porch of the Healthy West Orange Arts and Heritage Center, 126 Petris Ave., Oakland.

In partnership with the HAPCO Music Foundation, saxophonist Jordan Bolds will serenade visitors before they step into a gallery full of paintings, historical photos, artifacts and more — all featuring Oakland as its centerpiece.

Visitors are welcome to sit on the center’s porch, picnic tables and benches, or bring their lawn chairs and listen to the music from the grass next to the West Orange Trail. Center capacity will be limited to 10 people at a time. Visitors should maintain social distancing, observe local mask mandates and use hand sanitizer upon entry.

AUDUBON TO CELEBRATE WILDLIFE DRIVE

Orange Audubon Society will celebrate the sixth anniversary of the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive May 1.

From 9 a.m to 3 p.m., volunteers will be stationed at the pavilion near the historic pumphouse, two miles from the entrance, to help visitors better identify birds seen along the drive and how to safely spot alligators, bobcats, otters and other wildlife.

For more, call Orange Audubon at (407) 637-2525.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

Winter Garden OKs land-donation agreement The city agreed to donate land at 275 Center St. in East Winter Garden to the West Orange Habitat for Humanity to develop more affordable housing.

DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

West Orange Habitat for Humanity’s newest affordable-housing community is another step closer to reality after city commissioners approved a land-donation agreement for it.

Commissioners approved the agreement during their April 22 meeting, helping to pave the way forward for affordable housing in east Winter Garden.

The city owns the property at 275 Center Street and has been working with West Orange Habitat to develop four new homes there.

“This prop-

FINANCING AVAILABLE

erty’s been approved to build four new homes on it, and Habitat is working right now to finalize the plat,” Community Development Director Steve Pash said.

West Orange Habitat broke ground on the property in November. The four-home community will be called Criswell Court, named for Bill Criswell, a founding member and longtime supporter of West Orange Habitat.

This particular project is the result of a partnership between West Orange Habitat, the city of Winter Garden, Polis Institute, 321 Works and the residents of east Winter Garden.

“Habitat has done a wonderful job on these homes,” City Manager Mike Bollhoefer said of the plans for Criswell Court. “They’re gorgeous. (West Orange

Habitat Executive Director Marilyn Hattaway’s) worked hard with several groups pre-qualifying people for the homes, and they’re very successful.”

“This is in the heart of where we’re really trying to start this whole redevelopment plan,” Commissioner Mark Maciel, who represents east Winter Garden, said.

Criswell Court will consist of two one-story cottage homes with 900 square feet, two bedrooms, one bath and a porch.

There also will be two garden homes with three or four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The houses will be energy-efficient and will be home to four families who, according to West Orange Habitat, have demonstrated a housing need and qualify for affordable housing.

Hattaway thanked the commission and city staff for their partnership and willingness to help tackle the issue of lack of affordable housing.

“I just want to thank you all

for your demonstrated help with us and partnership with affordable housing,” Hattaway said.

“We have been working with stakeholders and residents in East Winter Garden … and other people who are entrenched in that community to preserve this historic and culturally diverse community. That’s what we want to do. But I do want to put out a special thanks to not only the commission and commissioners but also the mayor and also the staff. You’ve been so helpful through this. … It has really been a a pleasure to work with them, and they’ve worked so hard.

“We want to thank you for believing that everyone deserves a decent place to live,” Hattaway said. “That’s kind of where we are, and that’s our place. While other Habitats struggle with their municipalities, we have such an open-door policy, and I just can’t thank you all enough for that.”

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IN OTHER NEWS Commissioners tabled a resolution that would adopt a downtown golf-cart district, which would further designate streets upon which it would be safe to use golf carts.

Commissioners also approved site plan for a .41-acre parcel of land at 646 E. Plant.

St. This would involve redevelopment of the parcel, including demolishing a portion of the existing warehouse, renovating the interior of the remaining building, and constructing a new addition along East Plant Street.

City leaders also approved three ordinances pertaining to 0.487 acres at 859 S. Lakeview Ave. The ordinances involved annexing the land, changing its land-use designation from Orange County Low Density Residential to City Residential Neighborhood Commercial, and rezoning it from Orange County R-2 Residential to City R-NC Residential Neighborhood Commercial District.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

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ALL-STAR RESPONSE Venom Allstars cheer gym owners Khang and Cici Nguyen were involved in a serious car accident, but their families and cheer community rallied to ensure they had nothing to worry about.

DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

V

enom Allstars may be a small cheerleading gym, but the heart that goes into it is

huge.

That was more than proven just a couple of weeks ago, after the Winter Garden gym’s owners were involved in a head-on collision on State Road 429.

The owners, Dr. Phillips residents Khang and Cici Nguyen, were on their way to ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World Resort on Thursday, April 15, to turn in paperwork for that weekend’s UCA Nationals cheerleading competition. For Venom, it is among the biggest competitions of the year.

The Nguyens sustained serious injuries, and although that was a primary concern, it wasn’t their only one. They also are parents to three girls under 3 years old. On top of it all, the accident happened just days before the competition for which they had worked so hard preparing their teams. #VENOMSTRONG K+C

“After that initial accident, our big thing was, ‘Who’s going to take care of the girls? Who’s going to break it to them?’” Khang Nguyen said.

“For them to come together and to do all this — it was probably one of the greatest human moments we’ve ever witnessed.”

— Khang Nguyen

“They’re so young. … Our next concern was, ‘Who’s going to take care of the gym?’ UCA Nationals is the biggest competition in cheerleading next to Summit, one of the biggest of our regular season. …

We’re a small gym, so it’s just me and my wife and two other staffers taking on six teams at the gym.

“That was our main concern: How are they going to compete without us?” he said. “Especially with COVID and all the restrictions going on with it, for us in our heads it was like, ‘There’s no way this is going to happen, and there’s no way we’re going to make it.”

The Nguyens were worried, but the Venom cheer family and their two other staff members — Sandy Long and Gabriella Pace — already were steps ahead of them.

Khang and Cici Nguyen’s families immediately stepped in to take care of their daughters, and even older Venom members were clamoring for the chance to babysit and help.

Then, there was the gym. Not only was UCA Nationals that weekend, but also, the paperwork still had to be turned in to ESPN Wide World of Sports by Friday, April 16. That’s when the magic and hustle happened.

Long and Pace took it upon themselves to go to the gym in the middle of the night after the Nguyens’ accident to print new paperwork. The next day, some of the gym’s members went to work going house to house with the paperwork for members to fill out.

“They drove to individual people’s houses — and we have (more than) 70 members at our gym — so they could get it in a timely manner, and they handled all of that,” Khang Nguyen said. “By Friday, those kids and the staff had already got all the paperwork together.

Then all our parents said, ‘Hey,

HOW TO HELP

Courtesy photo

you know what ... we’re going to come to the gym and make these T-shirts.’ They made T-shirts that said ‘#VenomStrong K+C,’ which is Khang and Cici. The parents and staff, they came together, and we didn’t have to worry about a thing.”

‘THEY RALLIED’

And it was all worth it. Three of Venom’s five teams ended up winning the competition in their respective divisions. Even the other two received second and third place.

“Those kids — they came together; they rallied,” Khang Nguyen said. “The older kids took on responsibilities, and they went to competition and said they were going to do it for us. … It lifted such a huge weight. That’s our gym, that’s our baby, and we started that gym with 16 athletes. … We had two teams our first year, and now we have six teams. It was incredible what everyone was able to do.”

Not being able to be there for

their teams on one of the biggest weekends of the year was crushing, especially for Cici Nguyen.

Khang Nguyen said Venom is her dream, and it’s what she’s always wanted to do. Luckily, their staff and cheer family came together to ensure they didn’t have a thing to worry about.

“Cici and I are simple people,” Khang Nguyen said. “All we want is to be coaches and train theses athletes and teach them good things so eventually they take on those core principles and be good people, be good humans and help out the world. For them to come together and to do all this — it was probably one of the greatest human moments we’ve ever witnessed.”

‘IT’S BEEN INSANE’

One of the gym’s first members, Sarah Ergle, started a GoFundMe to assist the Nguyens with upcoming medical bills. The accident was serious, and although the Nguy-

County updates Ocoee on intersection upgrades Four problematic intersections in city limits will be getting upgrades to make them safer and more efficient.

TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

The topic of road safety — especially when it pertains to intersections in the city — has been a big topic of discussion among the Ocoee city commissioners.

In the commission’s most recent meeting Tuesday, April 20, commissioners heard from Humberto Castillero — the traffic engineering manager for Orange County.

Castillero updated the city regarding four-different intersections: (1) Dressage Drive at Apopka-Vineland Road; (2) Ingram Road at Clarcona-Ocoee Road; (3) McCormick Road at OcoeeApopka Road; and (4) McCormick at Apopka-Vineland/Clarcona Road. The numbers next to each given intersection were used to represent their priority.

“Unfortunately, this area — Central Florida — we’re No. 1 not only in the region, but in the state and in the nation in terms of fatalities,” Castillero said. “I believe that is not a title that we do not want to hold for so long, so we must be doing something.”

The process of putting in new signals and revamping an intersection is done in three phases.

The first is a signal-warrant analysis, which generally takes 12 weeks and costs $8,000 to $12,000. That is followed by a six month-design stage that costs between $45,000 to $60,000, before the final stage of construction begins.

Construction alone requires about nine months to attain all the necessary materials — costing about $350,000 to $450,000.

Luckily, Orange County has two construction contracts running

to make things easier. It also takes six months lead time to receive the mast arm poles, Castillero said.

At Dressage Drive at ApopkaVineland Road, the signal-warrant analysis and design costs for the T-intersection ($48,500) already are complete, and the next phase is working with contractors to receive a quote before anticipated construction begins this summer and ends in early 2022.

Meanwhile, the intersection at Ingram Road a Clarcona-Ocoee Road also has the first two steps complete — the design cost was $52,212 — and has a construction cost of around $328,000. For this intersection, the county is drafting a Joint Participation Agreement that will be reviewed by the city. If approved, the cost would be split 50/50, and the anticipated construction would begin in the fall.

Castillero noted the intersection of McCormick Road at OcoeeApopka Road has had the most issues with accidents.

“You have two gas stations, you have the Dollar General, you have the Subway shop and you have Ocoee-Apopka — that’s a major part of the corridor to some of the other roads, so there is a lot of traffic happening there,” he said.

The design cost for the full intersection was $45,000, with an estimated construction cost of $200,000 — it is set to begin construction in the spring of 2022.

Originally, the county planned left-turn lanes, but because of the $1.4 million price of attaining the needed right-of-way, the county decided against it.

Finally, the signal-warrant analysis determined the left turns at the intersection of McCormick

The best way to assist the Nguyens right now is through their GoFundMe page at bit.ly/3vm0uDC. As of press time, the GoFundMe has reached $12,111 of its $50,000 goal.

ens are on the road to recovery, it’s going to take a while to fully heal.

“At that point we were just focused on surviving and making it through this,” Khang Nguyen said.

“As childish as it sounds, we didn’t really think about those bills and all that stuff. … All of a sudden, that GoFundMe started, and we started receiving all these phone calls and text messages from all my friends, all her friends and all our parents and families about how much they want to help us. It’s been insane.”

Khang Nguyen said there’s no way he can thank Long, Pace and the Venom families enough for what they have done.

“I don’t see any other community or group of people being able to do what they did,” he said.

“They just all care about each other so much ... and all they wanted was for Cici and I to get better. …

It’s amazing how incredible these people are and how lucky and blessed we are to have surrounded ourselves with these people.”

IN OTHER NEWS The commission heard the first reading of an ordinance for an amendment for the FY 2020 budget. The possible change would add additional appropriations to the general fund, stormwater fund, transportation impact fee and the water/wastewater fund.

The commission heard the first reading of an ordinance amending Articles 136-1, 1362 and 136-3 of Chapter 136 of the city code relating to sexual offenders and sexual predators.

and Apopka-Vineland/Clarcona Road need to be widened. Design costs came in at $110,000, and the construction estimate totaled $1 million. There is no funding available for the project, but Castillero said it has been submitted to the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s project priority list.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

Observer

Longtime woodshop teacher to retire

“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 President and CEO / Matt Walsh, mwalsh@yourobserver.com Editor and Publisher / Michael Eng, meng@OrangeObserver.com Design Editor / Jessica Eng, jeng@OrangeObserver.com Community Editor / Amy Quesinberry, amyq@OrangeObserver.com Sports Editor /Troy Herring, therring@OrangeObserver.com Associate Editor / Danielle Hendrix, dhendrix@OrangeObserver.com Multimedia Advertising Executives / Ann Carpenter, acarpenter@OrangeObserver.com Iggy Collazo, iggy@OrangeObserver.com Cyndi Gustafson, advertising@OrangeObserver.com

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

L

ongtime industrial arts teacher Rudy Zubricky feels satisfaction when he learns his former West Orange High School students have made a career out of working with their hands.

Students such as Dino Angry, who owns a boat-repair business; or Vince Ragone and Bryan Emond, who run a landscape company; and Paul Watson, whose business exports pressure-treated lumber.

Another student, highway patrol officer Quincy Linan, built his own home in Groveland with the help of friends and Zubricky.

After more than three decades, Zubricky, who also has led the school’s bowling team to numerous victories in 28 years, is retiring. His last official day with OCPS is June 30.

In 1986, Orange County Public Schools offered Zubricky, then living in Pittsburgh, a job leading the industrial arts program at one of four schools: West Orange and Boone high schools or Meadowbrook and Robinswood middle schools. WOHS hired him, and that is where he spent his entire teaching career.

HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE

Zubricky said he grew up using his hands to build some kind of contraption or work on his car. After he graduated from high school, his mother, an English teacher, pressed him to choose a career and suggested he become a shop teacher. He enrolled in the local college in Pittsburgh and earned a degree in industrial arts education.

After his graduation, OCPS had recruiters in the area; Zubricky had interviews in Pittsburgh and Orlando and was offered the position at all four schools. He landed at WOHS. “I’ve taught the same thing all these years,” Zubricky said. “The position was technology education, specifically the materials processes, which is basically woodshop. And I’ve done the same thing, (although) I tried to change with the times.”

Zubricky said he instructs students on how to make many of the same projects he taught several decades ago.

“I tell the kids now, 10, 20, 30 years from now, you’re going to have some of this stuff and you’re going to be proud,” he said. “You know when you give this thing to your parents, they’re going to think it’s the greatest thing since sliced cheese. Some of the parents don’t know how to do this stuff.”

Students leave his classroom with the knowledge of how to build checker boards, step ladders and tables out of wood and how to weld a waterproof box or stool.

Courtesy photos

Rudy Zubricky coached West Orange’s boys and girls bowling teams for 28 years.

As equipment changed and improved throughout his career, Zubricky altered his teaching methods.

“Probably the biggest change has been the CNC machinery, computer numerical control machines,” he said. “If you had a router, there’s a router and a computer controls it. … The table saw has what we have ‘saw stop’ — it has a little computer. There are people with 10 digits because of that machine.”

Many “mishap” stories have floated around the shop classroom in three-and-one-half decades, and no matter how many safety talks Zubricky has had with students, there were bound to be those who wanted to test the system.

One student threw his hand into a blade to see if the “saw stop” would actually work. Another put his head in a vise, and still another tried to stop a router blade with his thumb and forefinger. Each of them earned a place of “honor” on the Wall of Shame, an area in the woodshop class with about 30 students’ names carved into wooden plaques and hung to serve as a lesson for the rest of the students.

“The Wall of Shame was a good teaching tool, and it made me remember how to teach certain things,” Zubricky said. “I would see that name and remember, ‘He cut his left finger cutting like this,’ so I taught it a different way. … If it prevents an accident — the kids’ safety is the No. 1 priority.”

Students respected Zubricky, and it is evident in the messages he receives from many of them.

“I still get texts from kids that say, ‘Hey, Z, check out this boat that I Fiberglased,’ ‘look at what I made,’” he said. “I get a bunch — kids (who) have graduated that do a variety of different things and they text me. Of course, you remember the kids who had talent and they show that they still have it. I have students who graduated in the ’90s come back and visit.”

THE PERFECT GAME

Zubricky said he is most proud of his years coaching the boys and girls bowling teams.

“I coached 28 years, and I think I have the most wins in West Orange history,” he said. “I got over 400 wins in 28 years. I’m an avid bowler. When Orange County decided to put varsity bowling into athletics — at the time our (athletic director) was Albert Saour — he said, did anyone know anything about bowling and I raised my hand.”

Both of his daughters, Emily

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The West Orange Times, West Orange Times & Observer and Southwest Orange Observer are published once weekly, on Thursdays. The papers can be found in many commercial locations throughout West Orange and Southwest Orange.

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.

TO ADVERTISE Rudy Zubricky taught industrial arts, which included welding, for 35 years at West Orange High School.

“I still get texts from kids that say, ‘Hey, Z, check out this boat that I Fiberglased,’ ‘look at what I made.’ … I have students who graduated in the ’90s come back and visit.”

— Rudy Zubricky

and Madelyn, bowled for the Warriors, mastered their craft under their father’s coaching and went to Kentucky colleges on bowling scholarships.

And although he had just the two daughters at the high school, Zubricky said working at West Orange was like gaining another family.

“When people say family, it was a very tight-knit family,” he said.

“With the Keneipps, (Ron) Lopo, all that old crew, the Mulligans, Rick Stotler, Gary Daughtry, Pat Moran — it was a very tightknit group. And that stayed for such a long time. … All the teachers had each other. We knew each others’ spouses, we knew each other’s kids, all the teachers had their kids go to West Orange. … You don’t have that anymore.”

Zubricky is grateful for his long and successful career at West Orange, but he said he’s looking forward to retirement.

“I saw many teachers over the years stay around and never get to enjoy retirement,” he said. “I don’t have a specific plan, and I’m OK with that. I have some projects around the house. I like to build hot rods, like muscle cars, I have a 1970 Firebird, I have a 1969 AMX, and I have a 1923 Ford T bucket, along with some boats. I like tinkering on the vehicles.”

His wife, Joanne, has three more years of teaching before she retires.

“Somebody said I should open my own maintenance store or handyman service,” Zubricky said.

“I don’t ever want to smell another piece of sawdust for the rest of my life.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

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FACILITIES Facilities Management Supervisor PARKS AND RECREATION Training Available For Entry Level Positions Public Service Worker 1 - Parks PUBLIC SERVICES Training Available For Entry Level Positions Public Utilities Worker - Stormwater Collection Field Technician I, II, and III Distribution Field Technician I, II, and III Superintendent - Collections, Wastewater, & Stormwater Wasterwater Plant Operator Class C Solid Waste Worker I and II Utilities Operator III 356768-1

Medical Insurance - 100% City paid employee BENEFITS $1,454.24 annually to your account. only coverage Retirement – Pension with 5 year vestingyearly Vacation and Sick Leave & 10 paid holidays BENEFITS Health Savings Account - The City contributes Medical Insurance - 100% City5 year paid employee Retirement – annually Pension with vesting Educational Reimbursement $1,454.24 to your account. only- 100% coverage Medical Insurance employee City paid Life Insurance & paid Disability Vacation and Sick Leave & 10City paid holidays yearly Health Savings Account The City contributes only coverage Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Accounts & Other Educational Reimbursement $1,454.24 annually your account.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

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When a phone number is a security blanket

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

T

he landline phone number 656-5000 has been a part of my life since I was 1 year old.

(Prior to that, if people called the Quesinberry house, they dialed CY3 5279 — but because I was an infant, I really didn’t get any calls.)

The “five thousand” number belonged to our family in the span of four different houses. Last year, though, it was time to say goodbye; we canceled the phone number that had been the family’s connection to the rest of the world for more than 50 years.

I don’t know how many people actually cry when they disconnect a phone number, but this empath sure did.

In the 1970s and ’80s, area codes weren’t necessary to make local calls. If someone was calling us long distance, they used the original area code, 305. It was switched to 407 when new area codes were needed in the late 1980s, and mandatory 10-digit calling started in 1999.

My earliest memory of 5000 is calling Daddy to supper. Literally.

Our house on Highway 50 included barns and a separate office space. After working all day as a general contractor, Daddy would piddle around in what would now be called a giant man cave.

When supper was almost ready, we picked up the light blue phone hanging on the wall in the kitchen and called our own phone number — making the circular finger-dialing motion for what felt like 100 zeros.

It rang maybe three or four times before a recording came on: “You have reached a party on your own line. Please hang up and allow the phone to ring several times before lifting the receiver to talk. This is a recording.”

Daddy knew to listen for the ringing phone and picked it up, knowing already what the call was for. And when he answered the call — usually being made by one his children — he always answered it on a tall, thin telephone with the dial under the bottom. A big, red button protruded beyond the base of the phone to hang up the call; my memory says the phone was orange.

As I got older, the ringing phone at dinnertime meant something else. It was a disturbance of precious family time.

Without fail, it seemed, someone would call during supper, wanting to talk business with Daddy.

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And without fail, I said, way louder than a whisper, “Pass the salt!” I wanted to make sure the caller was aware of how rude he or she was. (Insert eye roll here.)

Those family dinnertimes were sacred to me, and I didn’t think about the importance of those calls. Daddy was always ready to talk about blueprints or trusses or framing at any time. He built houses for a living to put food on the table for his family.

Daddy had an office, but there was no one there to answer the phone. Instead, during the day, calls came to the house and Mother answered the phone with “Quesinberry Construction.” She took down any messages and gave them to Daddy either on his lunch break or at the end of the day. He got his first cell phone well after he retired.

When my younger sister and

I became teenagers, Mother and Daddy added a second line, 6565005, so they could make and receive phone calls now and then.

Jeni and I had our own phones in our bedrooms, and I don’t recall us ever fighting over the use of the line. Most likely one of us slipped into the master bedroom and used 5000 if the other was on 5005.

They kept that second number even after the kids were grown and had moved out. Mother and I even devised an unofficial system — if I called 5000 and the line was busy, I dialed 5005, let it ring once or twice and then hung up. That was Mother’s cue to call me back when she got off the other call.

I remember people being surprised that Daddy included his home number on his “mayor of Winter Garden” business cards.

He told them he wanted to be

an accessible mayor, and I think residents appreciated that.

This number was my security blanket, my “In Case of Emergency…” contact, my ICE. Mother and Daddy were always on the other end of the line.

If I needed a bit of advice or help with something, I called that number. If I wanted to share good news, I called that number. If I needed an emergency babysitter, I called that number.

I don’t know who has this phone number today, but I imagine they get the occasional call from people looking for a Quesinberry. The number remains in my cell phone as my ICE — and will stay there, even though I will never call it — because it’s a comfort to see it at the top of my “favorites” list.

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When supper was ready, we called Daddy in his backyard office from the light blue kitchen phone.

The back of this photo reads: “Talking to Daddy. 15-andone-half months.”

If I needed a bit of advice or help with something, I called that number. If I wanted to share good news, I called that number. If I needed an emergency babysitter, I called that number.

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Horizon West lobbies for library branch Local leaders and community members are urging Horizon West residents to stay engaged in the process of securing a much-needed library branch for the area.

DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

For a couple of years, Horizon West residents have been lobbying for their own library branch, and the idea has progressed through the Orange County Library System through the last few months.

The system’s Board of Trustees approved a resolution during its Nov. 12, 2020, meeting that selects the Horizon West east parcel — 5600 Tiny Road — as the preferred location for the Horizon West branch. In January, the board approved committing to purchase a parcel of land there, near the northeast corner of the upcoming Horizon West Regional Park.

However, the deal is not done.

Lake Nona — another rapidly growing area of the county — also has been lobbying for a branch of its own. The problem is OCLS can build only one new library branch at a time.

Kristopher Shoemaker, CFO for OCLS, said in March that the library system currently has funding for one location to be complete in fall 2025. However, a second location wouldn’t be possible for three to four years after that, depending on economic conditions and construction costs.

“These dates are estimates given current procurement processes, economic conditions and construction costs,” Shoemaker wrote in an email. “Any changes to the cost assumptions will alter the timetable.”

Shoemaker added OCLS is continuing its due diligence regarding purchasing the property at Tiny Road and Hamlin Groves Trail.

With two rapidly growing areas vying for the next branch, data has been paramount. Orange County District 1 Commissioner Nicole Wilson said the OCLS Board of Trustees took into consideration data presented to them regarding growth upon their initial vote.

“They really did a great job of even coming back and showing

STAY ENGAGED, HORIZON WEST!

The next Orange County Library System Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Thursday, May 13, at the Orlando Public Library, 101 E. Central Blvd., Orlando. The agenda will be posted closer to the date of the meeting.

For more information on the board and to view agendas, packets and past meeting minutes, visit ocls.info/board-trustees/ board-meetings-minutes.

sort of the data-driven reasoning behind their vote,” Wilson said.

“Horizon West was growing at twice the pace as the Lake Nona area, and they actually exceeded the population projections … and there was a piece of property that was available and reasonably assessed or appraised (in Horizon West).”

According to an OCLS presentation of demographic information comparing Horizon West and Lake Nona, the difference in population is vast. The presentation states that more than 25,000 people call Horizon West home, with an estimated projected population of 100,000. Horizon West is expected to have more than 41,000 housing units when complete, and the area is responsible for 47% of the county’s single-family home permits pulled in 2020.

Meanwhile, nearly 18,000 currently live in Lake Nona, which has an estimated growth population of more than 43,000 should a planned development amendment go through. It is expected to have more than 18,000 units when complete.

Additionally, the presentation stated, about 55,000 Lake Nona residents would be located within a 5-mile radius of the library service area. For Horizon West, that number is nearly 92,000.

That’s why Wilson said she was surprised to attend an OCLS Board of Trustees meeting in March and learn Lake Nona representatives were pushing harder for their branch, despite the fact that Horizon West had been given priority.

When the board met in April, speakers from both Horizon West and Lake Nona were present, and discussion ensued on the possibility of OCLS moving forward with the Lake Nona branch at the same time as the Horizon West branch.

Horizon West resident Christine Kirby presented a petition to OCLS Library Director and CEO Mary Anne Hodel to ensure the next library branch is built in Horizon West. That petition has garnered more than 1,100 signatures.

Now, Wilson and Horizon West residents are concerned the Horizon West branch could be delayed with the new efforts discussed regarding alternative forms of funding the Lake Nona branch.

“I guess there were more Lake Nona properties being evaluated or put forward, which that’s fine,” Wilson said. “If they can figure out how to do the financing for that and they can do that, that’s great. ... But there are competing interests, so we just need to stay engaged.”

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The townhouse at 6034 Ashleaf Maple Way, Winter Garden, sold April 22, for $296,080. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 1,582 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $187.16.

Days on market: 127.

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Days on market: 35.

The home at 912 Johns Point Drive, Oakland, sold

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HAMILTON GARDENS

The home at 16387 Taliesin St., Winter Garden, sold April 22, for $525,756. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,027 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $259.38. Days on market: Zero.

per square foot is $245.20.

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HORIZON WEST

April 20, for $1.7 million. Built in 2006, it has five bedrooms, six baths, a pool and 6,065 square feet of living area.

The price per square foot is $280.30. Days on market: 155.

These are the highest-selling homes in each community in West Orange.

The townhouse at 15655 Orange Harvest Loop, Winter Garden, sold April 22, for $322,500. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,012 square feet of living area.

The price per square foot is $160.29. Days on market: Two. INDEPENDENCE/ SIGNATURE LAKES

The home at 6752 Point Hancock Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 19, for $581,000. Built in 2011, it has four bedrooms, two-andone-half baths, a pool and 3,207 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $181.17.

Days on market: Two. The home at 15706 Signature Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 23, for $430,000. Built in 2011, it

SNAPSHOT Total Sales: 58 High Sale Price: $1.7 million Low Sale Price: $115,000

has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 2,566 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $167.58. Days on market: Three.

LAKE BURDEN SOUTH

The townhouse at 11433 Brownstone St., Windermere, sold April 22, for $315,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 1,910 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $164.92. Days on market: 61.

LAKE REAMS TOWNHOMES

The townhouse at 12973 Langstaff Drive, Windermere, sold April 20, for $284,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 1,480 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $191.89.

Days on market: Three.

PRESTON SQUARE

The home at 6915 Helmsley Circle, Windermere, sold April 20, for $405,000. Built in 2008, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,782 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $227.27. Days on market: One. SEE REAL ESTATE PAGE 10

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

The home at 972 Robin Holly St., Ocoee, sold April 22, for $263,105. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 1,566 square feet. The price per square foot is $168.01. Days on market: Zero.

REAL ESTATE

STOREY GROVE

The townhouse at 14029 Title Way, Winter Garden, sold April 23, for $325,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 1,636 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $198.66.

Days on market: Zero.

MCCORMICK WOODS

The home at 547 Sky Top Drive, Ocoee, sold April 21, for $434,500. Built in 2013, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,877 square feet of living area.

The price per square foot is $112.07. Days on market: Three.

SUMMERLAKE

The home at 7773 Purple Finch St., Winter Garden, sold April 23, for $422,000. Built in 2016, it has six bedrooms, three baths and 2,626 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $160.70. Days on market: 49.

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SUMMERLAKE GROVES

The townhouse at 8051 Sweet Orange Ave., Winter Garden, sold April 22, for $323,000.

Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,691 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $191.01. Days on market: Two. WATERLEIGH

The home at 16025 Pebble Bluff Loop, Winter Garden, sold April 22, for $415,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 2,216 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $187.27.

Days on market: 10.

WATERMARK

The townhouse at 9660 Emerald Berry Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 21, for $305,000.

Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,626 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $187.58. Days on market: Three.

The home at 912 Johns Point Drive, Oakland, sold April 20, for $1.7 million. It was the largest transaction in the Winter Garden area from April 17 to 23.

WEST LAKE HANCOCK ESTATES

The home at 7523 Lake Hancock Blvd., Winter Garden, sold April 20, for $519,900. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 2,937 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $177.02. Days on market: 27.

WINDERMERE SOUND

The home at 7343 Ella Lane, Windermere, sold April 20, for $370,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 1,982 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $186.68. Days on market: Five.

WINCEY GROVES

The home at 5221 Wincey Groves Road, Winter Garden, sold April 20, for $547,467. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,687 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $203.75. Days on market: 43.

The home at 5016 Breezy Acres St., Winter Garden, sold April 20, for $526,451. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,718 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $193.69. Days on market: 144.

The home at 8752 Powder Ridge Trail, Windermere, sold April 23, for $500,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, threeand-one-half baths and 2,931 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $170.59.

Days on market: Zero.

WINDERMERE TRAILS

OCOEE

The home at 9275 Outlook Rock Trail, Windermere, sold April 19, for $520,000. Built in 2016, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,250 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $160. Days on market: Five.

The home at 8967 Lookout Pointe Drive, Windermere, sold April 20, for $515,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four baths and 3,227 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $159.59. Days on market: 27.

ARDEN PARK NORTH

The home at 2920 Atlas Cedar Drive, Ocoee, sold April 23, for $334,735. Built in 2020, it has five bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 2,215 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $151.12. Days on market: Seven.

GREENS AT FOREST LAKE

The home at 976 Robin Holly St., Ocoee, sold April 22, for $285,255. Built in 2021, it has three bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 1,808 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $157.77. Days on market: Zero.

The home at 1838 Farnham Drive, Ocoee, sold April 20, for $450,000. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,508 square feet of living area.

The price per square foot is $179.43. Days on market: Six. The home at 2046 Donahue Drive, Ocoee, sold April 21, for $403,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 2,781 square feet.

The price per square foot is $144.91. Days on market: 19.

REFLECTIONS

The home at 1148 Turtle Lake Court, Ocoee, sold April 23, for $315,000. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,884 square feet of living area.

The price per square foot is $167.20. Days on market: Two. RESERVE

The home at 1918 Saint James Court, Ocoee, sold April 20, for $360,000. Built in 2000, it has four bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 2,911 square feet. The price per square foot is $123.67. Days on market: 12.

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The home at 516 Saddell Bay Loop, Ocoee, sold April 23, for $305,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,639 square feet of living area.

The price per square foot is $186.09. Days on market: 53.

WESTYN BAY

The townhouse at 650 Fortanini Circle, Ocoee, sold April 23, for $246,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 1,492 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $164.88. Days on market: Two.

WINDERMERE

KEENE’S POINTE

The home at 9216 Tibet Pointe Circle, Windermere, sold April 21, for $1,350,000. Built in 2006, it has five bedrooms, three-andone-half baths, a pool and 4,418 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $305.57.

Days on market: 322.

LAKE DOWN COVE

The home at 2532 Hempel Cove Court, Windermere, sold April 20, for $965,000. Built in 2006, it has five bedrooms, four-andone-half baths and 5,928 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $162.79. Days on market: Seven.

WATERFORD POINTE

The home at 12816 Water Point Blvd., Windermere, sold April 22, for $1,398,000. Built in 1993, it has five bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 4,433 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $315.36. Days on market: 19.

WATERSTONE

The home at 11755 Waterstone Loop Drive, Windermere, sold April 22, for $1,075,000. Built in 2012, it has five bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 3,654 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $294.20. Days on market: Five.

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The home at 791 Canopy Estates Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 20, for $935,000. Built in 2020, it has five bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 3,929 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $237.97. Days on market: Five.

COBBLESTONE OF WINTER GARDEN

The home at 313 Country Cottage Lane, Winter Garden, sold April 22, for $425,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 3,307 square feet. The price per square foot is $128.52. Days on market: 123.

SEE REAL ESTATE PAGE 12

11

APRIL SHOWERS

The home at 11423 Willow Gardens Drive, Windermere, sold April 19, for $621,000. Built in 1993, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,846 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $218.20. Days on market: 118.

The home at 12220 Grandmere Court, Windermere, sold April 20, for $729,000. Built in 2004, it has five bedrooms, three-andone-half baths, a pool and 3,156 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $230.99.

Days on market: 81.

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The West Orange Junior Service League is excited to host the

11th Annual Run for the Roses fundraiser on May 1st

The silent auction is available online this year and you’re invited to participate!

All silent auction items will be available for pick up at the conclusion of the silent auction starting at 8:30 p.m. If you are a bidder that is NOT a guest attending the event, you will be required to PAY FOR YOUR ITEM within 30 minutes of the conclusion of the auction. You will be able to PICK UP your item from a league member on Monday, May 3rd between 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at Heller Hall (Winter Garden Heritage Museum) 21 E. Plant Street, Winter Garden, FL 34787 behind the yellow train, downtown Winter Garden. In the event that this pickup timeframe does not work for you please reach out by email to wojslcorrespondence@gmail.com to make arrangements to have your item picked up.

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Scan the QR code or visit www.32auctions.com/R4R2021 to get started. For more information on the West Orange Junior Service League, please visit www.wojsl.com.

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REAL ESTATE

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First Baptist Church Pastor Tim Grosshans 125 E. Plant St, Winter Garden (407) 656-2352 Sundays: 8:30 AM Traditional 9:45 AM Bible Study 11 AM Contemporary Wednesdays: 6 PM Awana 2nd Campus: First Baptist Church @ Horizon West 15304 Tilden Road, Winter Garden Sundays: 9:45 AM All Ages www.FBCWG.org Starke Lake Baptist Church Pastor Jeff Pritchard PO Box 520 611 W Ave., Ocoee (407) 656-2351 www.StarkeLakeBaptist.org Victory Baptist Church & Christian Academy 1601 A.D. Mims Rd, Ocoee FL 34761 (407) 656-3097 www.VBCOCOEE.com Sunday: 11AM & 6 PM Wednesday: 7 PM

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CHURCH OF GOD

The home at 13437 Bellaria Circle, Windermere, sold April 20, for $1.7 million. This home, the largest in Bellaria, is situated on a 1.23-acre lot and features a saltwater pool.

Ocoee Church of God Pastor Thomas Odom 1105 N. Lakewood Ave.,Ocoee (407) 656-8011

COVINGTON CHASE

STONEYBROOK WEST

The home at 343 Mossyrock Ave., Winter Garden, sold April 23, for $348,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,696 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $205.19. Days on market: Four.

The home at 15125 Masthead Landing Circle, Winter Garden, sold April 22, for $328,000. Built in 2004, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,602 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $204.74. Days on market: Two.

The home at 575 Copperdale Ave., Winter Garden, sold April 21, for $570,000. Built in 2013, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,250 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $175.38. Days on market: Four.

EPISCOPAL

Church of the Messiah 241 N. Main St., Winter Garden Services: 8, 9:30, & 11 AM., 7 PM www.ChurchoftheMessiah.com

METHODIST

First United Methodist Church 125 N. Lakeview Ave., Winter Garden (407) 656-1135 Services: 9 AM Contemporary 11:15 AM Traditional Viewable on YouTube

DANIELS CROSSING

The home at 224 Daniels Pointe Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 23, for $267,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,016 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $262.80. Days on market: 13.

NON-DENOMINATIONAL Purpose Church Orlando 13640 W Colonial Dr. Ste 110, Winter Garden (407) 654-9661 Sunday Service: 10:05 AM Sunday Brazilian Service: 7 PM Saturday Service: 6 PM www.purposechurchorlando.org

GLYNWOOD

The home at 13856 Glynshel Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 23, for $601,000. Built in 2003, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,538 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $169.87. Days on market: Six. The home at 13748 Glynshel Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 21, for $595,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,481 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $239.82. Days on market: Two. JOHNS LAKE POINTE

The home at 15043 Egret Hammock Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 22, for $423,500. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths, a pool and 2,005 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $211.22. Days on market: Two.

For those ready to take advantage of our Moving Forward Program, the following is a partial list of assistance available through our Program.

Moving Forward Program Offerings

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The home at 708 Marsh Reed Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 19, for $387,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 1,985 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $194.96. Days on market: Four.

The home at 15219 Harrowgate Way, Winter Garden, sold April 19, for $290,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,296 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $223.77. Days on market: Two.

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The condo at 1578 Scarlet Oak Loop, Unit B, Winter Garden, sold April 19, for $225,000. Built in 2010, it has three bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 1,544 square feet of living area.

The price per square foot is $145.73. Days on market: Zero.

VILLAGE GROVE

The townhouse at 472 Sand Lime Road, Winter Garden, sold April 19, for $115,000. Built in 1984, it has one bedrooms, one-andone-half baths and 798 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $144.11. Days on market: Three.

WATERSIDE AT JOHNS LAKE

The home at 16761 Rusty Anchor Road, Winter Garden, sold April 19, for $785,000. Built in 2019, it has six bedrooms, four-and-onehalf baths and 4,451 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $176.36. Days on market: Six. WESTFIELD LAKES

The home at 620 Westhampton Court, Winter Garden, sold April 19, for $475,000. Built in 1999, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,529 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $187.82. Days on market: One. WINTERMERE POINTE

The home at 2665 Grove View Drive, Winter Garden, sold April 22, for $555,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,520 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $157.67. Days on market: 10.

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The home at 1302 Selbydon Way, Winter Garden, sold April 21, for $364,000. Built in 2002, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,902 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $125.43. Days on market: Four.

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Sharon Hunt and Stephanie Vickers arrived ready to take in the beauty of the gardens.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

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Artist Stephen Withers was happy to be outside painting.

Daniel Longman worked on some paper artwork.

Nehrling Gardens blossoms with annual fundraiser

Members of the 11-piece Nehrling Brass band played “Stand By Me.”

I

t was a beautiful morning for perusing nature Saturday, April 24, as Nehrling Gardens hosted its Caladiums, Canvases & Coffee fundraising event. With COVID-19 protocols in mind, staff and volunteers changed up the event this year from an evening art-and-wine walk to a morning stroll complete with coffee, mimosas and breakfast items.

Guests had the chance to meet and chat with various artists as they explored the gardens, as well as place bids for artwork in a silent auction.

Additionally, various caladium bulbs were available for purchase.

— DANIELLE HENDRIX

Above: Heather Lorenz was hard at work on her piece.

Left: Liz Carey showed off her art piece in progress.

WEST ORANG E HISTO RY

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

THESE OLD TIMES

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION

APRIL 29, 2021 First National Bank of Winter Garden, located on downtown Plant Street (now home of The Real Estate Collection and other businesses) placed an ad in The Winter Garden Times to let customers know of its new banking system.

Instead of paying bills by driving to each destination and waiting in line, customers could drop a check in the mail and “let your postman make those payments.”

They could save gasoline and wear-and-tear on their vehicle, and they reduced the risk of theft because they always had a stub and canceled check as proof of payment.

85 years ago

Lakeview High students Alice Roper, Marie Smith, Ruby Shepherd, Clara Jean Denmark, Dora Vining, Harr Scott, J.D. Rutledge and Frank Kannon were candidates for the countywide high school debating tournament to be held on radio station WDBO.

80 years ago

The Ocoee Trade School had added many new courses to the curriculum, including carpentry, aircraft welding, aircraft woodwork, electric welding, auto mechanics. The school had trained 119 men at this date and had placed them in employment.

70 years ago

Mrs. Jimmy Hendrix gave a dessert bridge party in honor of Mrs. Everett Farnsworth on her birthday. High score was held

by Mabel Thompson; second high was held by Barbara Roper.

FROM THE ARCHIVES Sixty-one years ago, on April 29, 1960, entrepreneur Hoyle Pounds received this certificate from the Tavares Chapter of the Future Farmers of America. This modest “Degree of Honorary Chapter Farmer” doesn’t begin to address the man’s accomplishments. In addition to patenting a device that streamlined a tractor’s tasks by allowing rubber truck tires to replace its metal wheels, Pounds came up with dozens of inventions and modifications that made farming less difficult. A citrus grower, he also found time to serve as chief of Winter Garden’s volunteer fire department for 41 years.

His shop and offices, constructed in 1926, were housed in the two-story Pounds Building located at Lakeview Avenue and Plant Street in Winter Garden.

The mission of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation is to preserve the heritage and architecture of Winter Garden while creating new cultural experiences. The Foundation also preserves the material culture of West Orange County, using it to educate the area’s youth on the community’s rich history.

50 years ago

Dock Reeves tried to tell Charlie Root a joke while he was getting a haircut. Trouble was, Charlie had told him the same joke two weeks earlier from the newspaper’s Editor’s Notebook column.

An editorial in The Winter Garden Times encouraged residents to contribute to Winter Garden’s beautification effort, citing noticeable shortcomings in appearance.

THROWBACK THURSDAY

40 years ago

Nathan and Martha Dykgraaf bought land on Maguire Road south of State Road 50 to construct a roller-skating rink, to be called Skate Town, U.S.A., with plans for a separate game room called Game Town, U.S.A.

The traffic jam of the year and the thrill of a lifetime occurred Sunday. Many thousands were not deterred from making a return trip to Cape Kennedy to witness the first space shuttle launch after it was scrubbed Friday.

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20 years ago

Gotha residents were pleased to learn that the long-sought traffic signal at Old Winter Garden Road and Hempel Avenue was close to being finished.

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The ol’ switcheroo West Orange High theater students are thrilled to be back on stage this weekend for their production of the musical ‘Freaky Friday.’

DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Imagine being a teenage girl in those formative years, juggling the task of testing out your newfound independence with simultaneously feeling misunderstood by your nagging mother.

Now, imagine a life-changing moment happens, and you and your mother suddenly switch bodies and get a taste of each other’s lives.

That’s the premise of “Freaky Friday,” originally based on a 1972 novel by Mary Rodgers. It’s also the next show West Orange High theater students are gearing up to bring to life April 28 to May 2.

The musical is West Orange’s third this season, but it’s the first that will allow an in-person audience, even if reduced to 25% capacity. Theater Director Tara Whitman said “Freaky Friday” was on her radar this season for the spring musical for several reasons.

When choosing the spring musical last year, Whitman also didn’t know whether the department would be cleared to have a live audience at all. This particular show would have allowed livestreaming capabilities if necessary. Budget was also a concern.

“We have to rent every microphone, all of the lights, we have to purchase all our own lumber,” she said. “I needed to do something I

knew we could manage the bills for, so I was specifically looking for something modern, familyfriendly and upbeat after the year this was. My students really enjoy doing something that not every other school does. … ‘Freaky Friday’ is a show that hasn’t had a whole lot of stage time here in town.”

Things look a bit different, of course. Students perform and rehearse the whole show in masks — even when singing, dancing or building sets. Cleanup protocols are stricter and take a bit longer to wipe down all surfaces. For Whitman and her students, though, it’s worth it to be back on stage, and with an upbeat musical at that.

“It’s about a mom and a teen daughter, and they don’t quite see eye to eye,” Whitman said of ‘Freaky Friday.’ “Somehow, they end up changing bodies, so their spirit enters each other’s body, and both of them get to live a day in each other’s shoes, so to speak.

It’s a really strong message about family and understanding, and they get to experience the other side of the situation.”

Seniors Isabella Crosby and Peyton Brown, both 17, get to take unique roles with this production.

Isabella plays the mom, Katherine, while Peyton plays the daughter, Ellie. However, because of the situation with switching lives, they both play two characters.

IF YOU GO

“FREAKY FRIDAY” WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 28, through Saturday, May 1; 2 p.m. Saturday, May 1, and Sunday, May 2 WHERE: West Orange High School auditorium, 1625 Beulah Road, Winter Garden TICKETS: $12 to $15 at teachtix.com/wohs INFORMATION: Purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended to ensure you have a seat, because the auditorium is limited to 25% capacity. Additionally, no cash will be accepted at the door because of COVID-19 protocols.

“We are incredibly thankful to be friends outside of the theater department, and being able to go on stage and have this actual family relationship with Isabella has been amazing,” Peyton said.

“We just go together — our humor bounces back and forth, so the

West Orange Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Business West Orange Chamber of Commerce Welcomes The Rebuilt Woman WOCC Ambassadors were on hand to welcome a new business to Winter Garden. The Rebuilt Woman is a mental health practice that specializes in the unique needs of women. Owner, Traci Powell, psychiatric/ mental health nurse practitioner, is a certified trauma professional, who helps women heal from abuse and trauma, rather than simply learn to cope with the symptoms, in order to transform lives. Sub-specialties include sexual abuse, depression, anxiety, PTSD, & complex PTSD.

To learn more about The Rebuilt Woman, visit www.therebuiltwoman.com/

West Orange Chamber of Commerce Celebrates 5 Years for The Vineyard Wine Bar Deborah Linden and her team are celebrating The Vineyard Wine Bar & Healthy Bistro’s fifth anniversary this month. Located in The Grove, The Vineyard has unique wines from around the world. Their scratch kitchen features fresh tastes from land and sea as well as vegan options. The Bistro also has a Wine Club, special events, live music and original art for sale from local artists. To learn more visit www.thevineyardorlando.com

Edgewood Children’s Ranch Celebrates 55 years Edgewood Children’s Ranch is a non-profit organization offering behaviorally challenged children and their families a fresh start through a Christ-centered approach to education, behavioral training and spiritual development. Children age 7-17 live and study on our picturesque campus. Their mission is to return children to their homes, school and society as emotionally healthy young people.

To learn more visit www.edgewoodranch.com

The West Orange Chamber Offers 4 Networking Groups:

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Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Horizon West To learn more and to register participation visit wochamber.com/ChamberGroups or call 407-656-1304

The musical numbers in “Freaky Friday” are fun and upbeat.

Danielle Hendrix

chemistry is definitely present on stage. Basically we are playing two separate characters — but also the same characters — so we had to learn to make it believable so when do switch.”

“A lot of communication is involved, so the transition is almost seamless,” Isabella said.

“That way, when I become the teenager, I’m the same teenager that Peyton was before, and we’re carrying that character through the entire show, and they’re always present no matter whose body they’re in.”

A lot of hard work and dedication goes into being able to play two characters. The same can be said for the entire theater department, Whitman said.

“The highlight ... is just seeing students’ dedication,” she said.

“We’re moving and grooving, we’re joking, we’re laughing, we’re working hard, and the full production is just the highlight. Getting to

do a show and being able to send my seniors off with a show after losing their spring musical last year — and then every trip we normally go on, every dance — all of these things that are special for seniors are just gone. To give the seniors in theater something to look forward to is really wonderful.”

That extends to the band members, too. Some of them will be accompanying the theater department with a live set.

Then, there are the technical elements of the production, and everything is designed and built by students.

“I really put an emphasis on that because the quality is so unbelievably high that I feel people do not believe me when I tell them students designed them,” Whitman said. “The work is getting done by their hands and their creativity, and that’s really important to me.

That makes it so highly impressive.”

INFLUENCER OF THE WEEK

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

CHRISTY REQUEJO, THE FIRST ACADEMY Christy Requejo has taught at The First Academy for 15 years, and she loves getting to watch her students grow throughout their academic careers.

Recently, Requejo was one of four staff and faculty members at TFA to be voted a Christian Educator of the Year by the school’s families. “They have supported our Royals through a memorable and historic school year,” TFA staff said of the award winners.

What brought you to your school?

I grew up in a private Christian school and wanted to be able to teach in a similar environment.

their way out, and sometimes, the struggle is hard, but keep in mind, the struggle is what produces the most beautiful butterfly wings.

What do you love most about your school?

There’s so much to love about TFA. When you are here, you are loved. This school has a way of teaching the whole student that impacts students on a personal level.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

In my spare time, I enjoy watching my two teenage boys play their sports, and my husband and I swing dance together.

What is your motivation?

My motivation in teaching is all about those moments when the students’ passion for learning comes alive. Hearing a student say, ‘I just can’t wait to get to class,’ is one of the best things and motivates me to be my best for them.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Being in a private school, you are able to see the process of growth in students all the way through 12th grade. I love seeing who they become and how they grow in every facet of their lives each year.

They are like butterflies breaking

REPORT CARD ROLE: Middle school science teacher TIME AT SCHOOL: 15 years

Who was your favorite teacher when you were in school? Why? My favorite teacher in high school was my government teacher. She made class enjoyable and encouraged us to push hard in our projects. It never felt like work when we were in there.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Why? I truly had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, but the Lord guided my direction every step of the way to where I am today.

Who would you say is your biggest inspiration and why?

My biggest inspirations in life are my parents. They have a never-

ending attitude of selfless service to others. Even now as they are retired, their mission is how can they serve and they are busier than ever. That’s who I want to be.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Love. I think especially now, kids and adults alike need to know that someone cares about them. Teenagers especially want to know that they fit in and are loved. So a never-ending supply of love would be awesome.

If you could only listen to three bands or artists for the rest of your life, what would they be and why?

I can’t pick when it comes to music! I seem to float around and change my mind all the time, but praise and worship music is what fills me up, with disco a close second.

— DANIELLE HENDRIX

NOMINATE YOUR INFLUENCER

Do you have an “unsung hero” at your school? If so, please nominate him or her for our Influencer of the Week feature. Nominations can be sent via email to contact@orangeobserver.com.

A LIVING WONDER Middle school students at Windermere Prep spent two months collaborating to create a coral-reef art installation made almost entirely from 4,200 plastic bottles.

DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The ocean may be an hour away, but Windermere Preparatory School students created their own coral reef right on campus.

“Coral Reef: A Living Wonder” is a collaborative effort between WPS’ middle school visual-arts students and those in the environmental club. The installation — which took two months of work and trial and error from all involved — is comprised of more than 4,000 plastic water bottles and has been on display in the atrium of the Cypress Center.

“The environmental club and the art club … had an idea to create an artwork that was basically addressing climate change,” said Damon Boardman, the middle school visual-arts teacher.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

OBSERVER SCHOOL ZONE

Danielle Hendrix

‘Coral Reef: A Living Wonder’ is a creative approach to raise awareness of the effects of plastic on sea life. From left: Sasha Vallabhaneni, Mia Sanchez Grisales, Damon Boardman, Clare Sinoff and Catherine Cole.

“Originally, they said they were going to get some water bottles around campus, collect them, and we were going to build some art with it.”

They decided to make it a contest among all the middle school homerooms to see who could collect the most plastic water bottles to contribute to the project. After one week, the final tally was 4,200 — a sight to behold, Boardman said.

“We started thinking about ideas of what we wanted to do,”

he said. “After a meeting or two, we came up with coral reef and sea life. We see the images of the plastic floating on top, but a lot of us don’t actually get to see what’s happening down below due to pollution and carbon dioxide, which is creating global warming. … We’re trying to show the beauty of it, but we’re also trying to raise awareness of what’s actually happening to it.

It’s choking the ocean and contributing to the death of so much sea life.”

Eighth-grader Sasha Vallabhaneni, president of the environmental club, said the first major obstacle was the cleaning process. The students borrowed plastic kiddie pools from one of the science teachers, filled them with soap and water, and cleaned each bottle over the next two weeks.

“At the beginning, with 20 water bottles, it wasn’t that difficult to wash, clean and dry them,” she said. “But once we got to 4,000, it was like, ‘How are we

going to clean all of this on campus?’ Seeing all the water bottles was so overwhelming. … It was almost like we weren’t sure what to do with it. … At some point, we were all ready to just recycle them, but we had to keep going.”

Even with some anxiety on the front end of the project, Boardman said, there was a deadline looming: This project was to be entered into a Nord Anglia Global Campus Art Contest in collaboration with the United Nations. Contest winners will have their projects presented on the big screen in front of the United Nations.

“It was far more than we expected, so it was really important to me to lead them through this process … and make sure we did as much as we could with the time we were given so we could stand behind it at the end and say we did our best,” Boardman said.

The students also had to figure out how they would turn the clean bottles into the sea life.

It ended up being a huge team effort.

“Everyone in the middle school that had art class contributed to the project,” said seventh-grader Mia Sanchez Grisales, member of the National Junior Arts Honor Society. “We stayed a lot of lunches, homerooms, Laker labs, all of our free time.”

“I think a big part of the reason this was able to happen at all was because of the whole collaborative effort,” said seventh-grader Claire Sinoff, vice president of the NJAHS. “It was all about

strength in numbers, I think, and everyone just experimenting and seeing what worked, what didn’t and what they liked.”

The piece is three-dimensional, and every part of each water bottle was used — from the plastic to the wrappers and caps. The bottlenose dolphin, in fact, has a nose made of bottle caps.

“We experimented with different things to hold it up, like fishing wire, and we did metal wire and also stapled and hot glued things to gather,” said eighth-grader Catherine Cole, president of the NJAHS. “It was just a bunch of, ‘Oh, I think this will work,’ or, ‘Let’s try this’ to try to get it to stay intact.”

Time and teamwork were on their side, as they had the installation complete and submitted to the competition with five minutes to spare.

“The collaboration is just amazing,” Middle School Director Mary Beth Davies told the students. “It’s about being artistic and creative, but you used that to make a statement for something you care about and take a stand about. It’s so well done.”

“I’m really proud of everyone’s accomplishments — coming together and working together to make something this big,” Sasha said. “I still can’t believe that it’s up here and it looks like this, because in the beginning we just had a whole bunch of plastic bottles, and this is what we turned it into.”

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Making moves Windermere High junior Evan Mathura is looking to bring chess to OCPS students with a new fundraiser to donate boards to schools.

Fewer games have stood the test of time quite like chess.

By its very nature, chess requires critical and logical thinking, and requires the two opponents going head-to-head to plan out their attack several steps ahead. In other words, it’s a challenge worthy of appreciation from those who play it.

That’s why Windermere High School junior Evan Mathura is hoping to raise enough money to donate 500 high-quality chess boards to students around Orange County Public Schools before the start of the 2021-22 school year.

“When I was younger, I used to play chess — and I still play chess now — and it has done so much for me, so it became, ‘give back and give chess boards to play on,’” Mathura said. “That can really spark a love for chess to people everywhere and that’s a good thing.”

At the beginning of the year, Mathura approached OCPS — which has a chess initiative —

HOW TO HELP To donate to Evan Mathura’s GoFundMe fundraiser, visit bit.ly/2Qvp46j.

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and told them of his desire to help get more students involved with the game. After getting a list of schools that were in need, Mathura got to work.

As Mathura began to fundraise, he found a wholesale website with a company out of Alabama that offered him 20% off because of the nature of his endeavor.

So far, Mathura has donated 20 chess boards — made of which he said was a nice vinyl material — to Bridgewater Middle School, Meadow Woods Middle School and Jones High School.

The reaction so far from students at varying schools has been overwhelmingly positive, Mathura said. Despite the age of the middle-schoolers, the centuriesold game still clicks for them.

“I remember when I brought the chess boards, they were like, ‘Thank you,’” Mathura said. “And we played a game, and this one girl — she is in middle school — was like, ‘That was the most intense game I’ve ever played.’ So it’s like, though it may be an old game — I would say timeless — even these middle school kids still enjoy the game. I don’t know what else you could compare that to.”

For Mathura, sharing and teaching this old game is especially rewarding. Mathura first started playing chess at age 9 after his father introduced him to it. What followed was match after

Courtesy photos

Evan Mathura has donated chess boards to three Orange County schools thus far, and hopes to expand before the start of the new school year.

match of losing to his dad. However, one day, something clicked, and Mathura found himself absolutely enthralled with the game.

“We were playing a game by the beach, and I finally won,” Mathura said. “That was really a turning point for me. After that point, I started to train a lot harder, and I started to practice more, because it’s really satisfying when you work hard and you win in chess.”

Since that first win, Mathura has participated in a variety of chess competitions — and even earned a third-place finish at the OCPS District Championships his freshman year. He also has served as the president of the Chess Club at Windermere High School the last two years. In that role, Mathura has helped teach

LET’S SPLIT DESSERT! by Steve Mossberg; Edited by David Steinberg

31 Transports to an island, say 34 Sis, for one 35 Hockey goal parts 36 Shed many tears 37 Interested in a single person? (last 4 letters + ...)

41 Pacific Northwest airport (... first 2) 45 Bird with a Carolina variety 47 River in the Passover story 48 Karaoke singers read them 50 Harvard’s rival 51 Like a lit lantern

53 Motown founder Berry 55 Quebec native 56 Jar cover 57 Know what everyone else knows (last 2 letters + ...)

59 Restful asana in yoga (... first 3) 62 Leaves on a plate?

63 Onigiri-wrapping seaweed 65 Gave for a while 66 Deep bodies of water 67 Like a party pooper 68 Corrosive liquids 70 “Old gray” animal of song 71 Painting and sculpture

72 Made all better 73 Eyes-on-the-prize mentality (last 3 letters + ...)

77 What late students receive (... first 4) 82 PC key in combinations 83 “Sad to say ...”

84 Formal agreement 85 Colorful chip brand 86 Royal Detective in a Disney Junior show 88 Close up again 90 Places to feed giraffes 92 Let go of 93 Tree with a thick trunk (last 3 letters + ...)

95 One may break a board

(... first 2) 98 Online chitchat, briefly 99 Versatile blackjack cards 101 Sold-out show letters 102 Sits up suddenly 104 “You ___!” (“Of course!”)

106 Short-term workers 108 “Livin’ La Vida ___” 109 Award for the biggest watermelon, perhaps (last 3 letters + ...)

111 “Dig in!” (... first 3) 116 ___ baby (fluffy pet, to its owner) 117 Iron deficiency 118 “Fingers crossed!”

119 Infamous emperor 120 ‘Do for Esperanza Spalding 121 Repetitive exercise 122 Round peg 123 Ideal location

the game to other members and also has hosted tournaments.

Like any good chess player, Mathura is working several steps ahead for his donation project.

Although he already has handed out 20 sets, he has raised enough money to start handing out 100 more.

Between the GoFundMe page and the website he’s working on now, he still is hoping to achieve that ultimate goal of getting 500 chess sets to students before the next school year. While getting the boards into students’ hands is important, the real prize is the benefits that chess can offer, Mathura said.

“A lot of people will see chess like, ‘Oh, that’s cool,’ but they never really understand that chess

39 Sand dollar, for instance 40 iPhone assistant 42 Falcon’s catchers?

43 Group of top celebs 44 Give up, as land 46 “Still thinking ...”

49 Anime collectible 52 Harpoon user 54 Orchestra supporters 58 Pointy-eared being 59 Pizza bases 60 Hardest to outfox 61 Hawked 64 Much of the time, poetically 66 Prefix with “pub” 67 Symptom of motion sickness 68 Car stereo port 69 Exclaim 70 Sasha Obama’s sister 72 Thieves 73 Baby sheep DOWN 74 Unlikely to catch up 1 Trans counterpart 75 Cheer in Colombia 2 Concert blaster 76 Bourbon barrel 3 Part of a judo beginner’s 78 Wood-shaping tool outfit 79 Peeved 4 Sub system?

80 ___ code (discount 5 Cliffside trail concern source) 6 Green New Deal rep.

81 Weakens 7 Palindromic cluck 84 It may be set before bed 8 Bit of hydrogen 87 Ease up 9 Sainted Mother 89 Repertoire 10 Encouragement for a 91 Surgeon’s tool certain kid 94 Capital of Ghana 11 Angler’s spool 96 Offer that wins an auction 12 Org. for narcs 97 Blackpink genre 13 “Yeesh!”

100 Cavalry sword 14 Held inside 103 Public commotion 15 Diggs of “All American” 104 “View” from a bullet train 16 Word said to a coffee window server 105 Continental currency 17 Pole in a boat 106 Work hard 21 First-class 107 Trendy NYC neighbor24 Quad residence hood 26 Test of one’s metal 109 Person u always text 29 In a faint way 110 Composers’ rights org.

31 Smith’s workplace 112 “By yesterday!”

32 Tough nuts to crack 113 Gibbon or chimpanzee 33 Improvised on a jazz tune 114 Outrage 36 Free stuff 115 Great weight 38 Beginning of an idea

can really help you in your life,” Mathura said. “I think my duties with donating these chess boards is it is not just a game in that you can play and you leave it. You also live it, because it teaches you to think logically, and it teaches you patience, and it instills so many values that are important.”

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.

“F VTKSO LZBU WUZ DTG YTAF LFWPIUSS TG PSUZA IUG PZG, ZAXWIFAC WT EU FA WIU HWKOFT ZAO VZWPI IUG VTGB.” – HIUUAZ UZHWTA

“L’RM XAVXCY FKLMJ FG JG OC RMKC PMYF, XZJ L VXZF FG PM FTM RMKC PMYF XEM, VTXFMRMK XEM L

– XZZ-OXKEKMF

XO.”

Puzzle Two Clue: A equals L

SPORTS EDITOR

Puzzle One Clue X equals Y

TROY HERRING

© 2021 NEA, Inc.

SUDOKU

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

©2021 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

04-29-21

APRIL 29, 2021

HIGH

SPORTS

Windermere High weightlifter Amer Amer recently won the state title in the 219-pound division. Page 20.

1

5

The First Academy’s girls tennis team defeated Windermere Prep 4-1 to win the regional championship Thursday, April 22. In the win, the Royals saw victories from Lines 1 through 4: (1) Reagan Parker defeated Christine Wu 6-3, 6-3; (2) Reece Parker defeated Carissa Ruiz 6-1, 6-3; (3) Cameron Koon defeated Genesis Jay 6-4, 6-2; (4) Hope Russo defeated Samira Hamdan 6-1, 6-1.

2

In Foundation Academy baseball’s 18-10 victory over Trinity Christian Thursday, April 22, Lions infielder Braden Holcomb exploded at the plate; he went 5-for-5 with a home run, double, seven RBIs and four runs scored.

Freshman Luke Ranaudo added to the offense for the Lions by going 3-for-3 with two RBIs and five runs scored.

3

In Windermere Prep softball’s 1-0 win over Montverde Academy in eight innings Thursday, April 22, Madison Workman was clutch at the plate. She drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Workman finished the game going 2-for3 with that single RBI. Meanwhile, in the circle, Gracie Wallace pitched all eight innings for the complete-game shutout, striking out 17 while giving up only three hits.

4

The Dr. Phillips girls flag football team beat rival Windermere 21-0 to claim the Class 2A, District 5 championship Thursday, April 22. In the win, quarterback Olivia Cadiz threw for three touchdowns and three successful extrapoint attempts. Two of her touchdown passes went to Michelle Levitt, while each extra-point attempt was caught by Chloe Matthews-Boultbee.

5

In West Orange softball’s 10-0 win over Harmony Wednesday, April 21, Katie Eversen led the way at the plate for the Warriors.

She went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer. Hannah Yetter also had a big afternoon going 2-for-3 with a double, while Jailey Seymour and Lexi Scalzo combined to pitch for a no-hitter in the victory.

TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

Troy Herring

Donovan Branch, Edward Byrd, Reggie Jean and Bryan Thomas were four of five lifters sent to states

by Foundation Academy in the first year of the school’s weightlifting program.

MAKING WEIGHT A successful first season of competitive weightlifting saw five members of the Foundation Academy weightlifting team — all of whom are also football players — qualify for states.

I

n most cases, success requires both patience and time.

Just as Rome was not built in a day, neither are sports programs — which often suffer through tremendous growing pains in their infancy.

But, if you’re the Foundation Academy weightlifting team, hard work pays off immediately.

In their first competitive season in school history, the Lions already have won the Class 1A, District 12 title and had five lifters compete in the state competition after an incredibly successful showing in the regional meet.

All of the immediate success has been a fun surprise, said Andre Walker — the school’s head football coach, who also serves as a coach for the weightlifting team.

“It was shocking, but not so much too shocking, because everybody on the team worked diligently and very hard — it’s just surprising in the sense that it’s our first year,” Walker said.

“Now, regionals was a big shocker SEE LIONS PAGE 20

Windermere Prep track team makes big strides Despite not having a usable track on campus, the Lakers track and field team is finding success thanks to dedicated coaches and athletes.

TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

Toward the back of Windermere Prep’s campus, the school’s track and field team sets up for a normal afternoon practice.

Standing off to the side of the school’s concrete track, Simone Facey — who coaches the sprint-

ers — marks up the grass for her sprinters and the others. This is one of the biggest challenges the team has to face, said Devin Bennett, who coaches the track and cross country teams at the school.

“The track surface is too hard, so we choose to run on the grass — on the perimeter — and we can’t really train or compete on our sur-

face,” Bennett said. “We have the perimeter precisely measured and marked to basically serve as a track, so 100% of our training is on grass.”

Running on grass presents challenges. It slows down the runners and also gives them a different feel from what they would experience at meets.

However, being forced to train on grass has its perks, too. It offers more stability, often leads to fewer injuries, and with the extra friction and energy absorption of the SEE LAKERS PAGE 20

Courtesy photo

Rafael Betancourt has been a key part in the Lakers’ growing program.

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT

20

OBSERVER

|

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

Lions lift program Lakers

SPONSORED BY MARK’S FLOORING AND SHANNON TILL/STATE FARM IN FOWLER GROVES

Amer Amer

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

As a senior on the Windermere High weightlifting — as well as the track-and-field team and football teams — Amer Amer has become a leader and champion in his sport. Amer — who benches about 360 pounds and has a clean-and-jerk of 315 pounds — recently won the state title in the 219-pound division.

When did you first get into weightlifting?

I started when I was a freshman, so I was about 13 years old. I basically started because I was using it as a way to get stronger for football. In the offseason, it was a great way to stay in shape and keep my strength accelerating without losing any muscle. I also enjoyed the atmosphere — it was really, really fun going to competitions, competing against my teammates and getting better as a whole.

THE BASICS SCHOOL: Windermere High GRADE: Senior AGE: 17 SPORT(S): Weightlifting, track, football WEIGHT CLASS (WEIGHTLIFTING): 219 pounds

BUILDING A FOUNDATION

lift and train with them, and envision myself beating them.

So I was always trying to find competition. That was the highlight for me — I loved the competition.

What’s it like being No. 1 in your weight class?

Honestly, it was kind of surprising, because I envisioned people being able to hit the numbers that I was hitting.

But things haven’t been so constant lately — especially with social distancing. My coach kind of had the bar set high for me, saying I needed to hit around 700 pounds to be able to be top three in the state, and I guess I’ve been working really hard in the offseason to get that up there.

What is your favorite part about lifting? The most challenging part?

My favorite part about weightlifting is definitely being able to make a lot of friends through your opponents. Obviously, during the meets, you are enemies. But after the meets and stuff, you are friends — cheering each other on and hoping you guys see each other as you keep on climbing and climbing until the very end. The challenging parts, I think one of them would have to be plateauing or not being able to hit the crazy numbers and keep going up every single week. That’s my strive — to be able to go up and PR every week.

Do you have a highlight moment for you the last four years?

A highlight moment would definitely be when I was an underclassman.

The upperclassmen — I used to try and compete with them; pick out the best person and

to everybody, but I think going forward — into the state meet — we’re going to do well. The reason being is we kind of got to feel out the competition.”

A funny thing about the five — Donovan Branch, Bryan Thomas, Edward Byrd, Reggie Jean and Travis Hutchinson — heading to the state meet is it shouldn’t be a surprise. They all know one another well, and it’s not the first time they’ve worked as a team.

Coming into this season, did you have any goals in mind?

My goal in mind was to hit a total of 700 pounds, and currently, I’m at 675 pounds. Obviously, I’m still striving for 700 pounds, but I was talking with my coach, and we were kind of straight forward on the idea of, “All right, I need to win first,” before I can go and try to hit those crazy numbers.

— TROY HERRING

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The five heading to states were crucial components of the Lions’ football team — which is coming off the most successful season in program history.

Branch, Thomas, Byrd and Jean were the team’s front four on defense — while Hutchinson plays on both sides of the ball at running back and defensive back — so working together and feeding off each other’s energy is something this group has done for years. Before the start of football season, they would take “bets” on who would finish for the most sacks — that same competition pushed one another to get better, Thomas said.

“I didn’t think my bench was going to get this high,” Thomas said. “It was my teammates — their weight goes up each and every week, so I was like, ‘My weight isn’t moving — all right, let me start working harder.’ So I started working harder, and my weight started going up, so I started seeing improvement, and then (I) just kept maintaining that.”

This drive occurred at regionals, when Byrd was up for a lift.

“Reggie Jean, my teammate — he inspired me,” Byrd said.

“I looked at him before I went — and we made eye contact — and there was a mutual understanding that if I couldn’t get it up, that he wasn’t going to be able to help me, so it was like, do or die.”

Byrd hit his lift in a successful regional and finished second in the unlimited weight class — hitting a total of 670 pounds.

Meanwhile, Jean finished fifth in the unlimited class with a 545-pound total, while Branch (fourth in 238; 500-pound total), Thomas (fifth in 219; 515-pound total) and Hutchinson (fourth in 169; 485-pound total) all finished in the top five.

Although there were challenges early — specifically figuring out how to do meets virtually — seeing his guys not only achieve goals but also bond and push one another has been one of the highlights of the season, Walker said.

“Basically what it is, is each guy pushes each other,” Walker said. “One thing that I’ve been able to watch — because I’ve had them since they were in middle school, as far as being a coach of theirs — is them grow together, and a good thing about this group is they do a good job of pushing each other.”

And if you ask Jean about what his favorite thing about this season has been, he will tell you it’s just getting to be with his guys.

“We all have a pretty good bond together — it’s just fun to be around everyone, and we all just push each other,” Jean said.

TO STATES

On the long bus ride up to the Panhandle the day before the meet — Thursday, April 22 — it’s all about taking the time to prepare and bond with the guys before things get crazy at states.

However, for Branch, getting ready is a multi-day process, he said.

“I prepare days before — so like three days before,” Branch said. “I just tell myself, ‘Whatever happens, just go out there and be the best you can be. If you don’t get the weight, then that’s OK, because you’re being the best that you can be.’”

Even though the state meet is technically just another day of competition, there is an added weight to it because it’s the last round of the season. For a senior such as Hutchinson, it’s a chance to go out with a bang — even though he said he and the team won’t deal with it any differently than they would for a regular-season meet.

“We usually just focus on what we need, because we have to make our weights,” Hutchinson said. “We kind of just treat it like any other day — not to get too nervous.”

At the state meet Friday, April 23, Byrd finished in sixth place in the unlimited weight class with 640 total pounds, while Hutchinson finished in seventh in the 169-pound division with a total of 505 pounds.

With the season now complete, Walker — along with help from David Orlando, Christie Thompson, Gabe Walker and Jordan Richards — look back on a season of firsts, but the biggest takeaway are the relationships built through the year.

“It’s like family around here at Foundation Academy — especially on the weightlifting team,” Walker said. “Everybody wants to see each other improve — I think, if I had to put my finger on one thing, that’s what stood out the most, the camaraderie.”

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trek on CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

grass and soil, it often will make a runner stronger and faster, Facey said.

“I try to explain to them: Being on the grass is not a bad thing,” Facey said. “I ran on grass my whole life when I was a junior athlete, and I see the result I got from training on the grass. So I know they’re going to do very well — I’ve already seen the result from the grass training.”

In Facey’s case, her training in grass fields in her home country of Jamaica helped her win several gold medals as a junior athlete before going on to win medals at the Pan American Games, World Championships and a silver medal in the 4x100-meter relay at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The former Olympian joined the staff at Windermere Prep before the start of last season — which was shortened by COVID-19.

“It was an easy transition — I didn’t even know how easy it was until I literally went to my first training,” Facey said. “I was like, ‘Wow, it’s so much different to be on the other side with the whistle and the stopwatch.’”

Facey’s natural ability behind the whistle was immediate, and it was something that Bennett noticed, he said.

“She showed up to practice and just kind of took over the sprint team like she had been coaching there for 10 years — she literally just showed up and didn’t miss a single step,” Bennett said. “And the kids trusted her as if she was a coach who had been there for 10 years.”

On the sprint side of things, the boys 4x100m team — comprised of Zavien Williams, Wade Martin, Vishan Patton and Rafael Betancourt — is a ragtag group that features just one track-focused athlete. Regardless of track not being the first sport for three-fourths of that unit, Bennett said he believes the team could make a serious run at states.

In addition to the sprinters, both the boys and girls teams have made significant strides this season — the teams have set eight school records since February. For a program that has only been in existence for 12 years, this has been a tremendous season of growth, Bennett said.

That growth paid off in the district meet, which took place Thursday, April 15. The Lakers finished sixth overall and saw school records in the boys shot put (Tyler Simmons) and girls 800-meter run (Säde Laitinen).

The Lakers had three boys relay teams advance to states, along with state qualifiers in the boys high jump (Williams), boys shot put (Simmons), boys triple jump (Patton), girls 800-meter run (Laitinen) and girls high jump (Mirabella Miranda). “(It’s) consistency from the coaching staff,” Bennett said of the program’s success. “Obviously, I was kind of green when I first started, but as a coach, if you can convince the kids you know what you’re doing, if you can show — through the competitions — that they’re improving, if you give them a time and you can get them to believe that they can beat that time, that’s essentially how you build a program.”

OBSERVER

ingham. She was blessed with 10 grandchildren, 22 greatgrandchildren, one great-greatgrandchild, and many nieces and nephews.

Christine was a lifelong native of Ocoee. She was a homemaker most of her adult life. In her younger years, she worked for

Certi-Fine packing house during the fruit season. Christine was a member of Starke Lake Baptist Church and attended the original Ocoee High School Cardinals.

She was a loving wife to her husband, Curtis Hopper, and a caring mother to her children, Mike and Tammy. Family was the most important part of her life.

Arrangements under the direction of DeGusipe Funeral Home, Ocoee, Florida. The family of Christine Inez Hopper invites you to leave a message of condolence on the Tribute Wall created in her loving memory for at degusipe.com.

married Laken Padilla at Lake Tahoe in July 2017. Cadie was a loving and compassionate person. She had the most beautiful smile that was contagious.

Her fur babies Chapo, Lola, and Tarro were everything to her.

Cadie enjoyed cooking, kayaking, hiking, skiing, painting and

the beach. She was affectionate, friendly and outgoing. Cadie also was a symbol of beauty and grace. Most of all she loved her family and friends. She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts.

Cadie is survived by her husband, Laken Padilla; parents, Richard and Connie Morrison; and her grandmother, Edna Morrison.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. May 1, 2021, at Baldwin Fairchild Winter Garden, 428 E. Plant St., Winter Garden, Florida 34787. In lieu of flowers, to honor Cadie, please plant a tree by going to alivingtribute.org.

CHRISTINE INEZ HOPPER DIED APRIL 19, 2021.

Christine Inez Hopper, age 89, of Ocoee, passed away on April 19, 2021. Christine was born on Dec. 25, 1931, in Ocoee, Florida, the daughter of Carl Gordon Sanders and Edna Higgimbotham.

In addition to her parents, Christine is preceded in death by her husband, Curtis Hopper; infant son, Hopper; and brother, Tommie Sanders, Sr. She is survived by her sister, Mable Watson; brother, Kelly (Jeannie) Sanders; son, Michael D. (Anna) Hopper; and daughter, Tammy C. (Michael) Gill-

Cadie M. Morrison, 32, passed away unexpectedly on April 8, 2021 in Sacramento, California.

She was born on March 14, 1989, in Orlando, Florida, to Richard and Connie Morrison. A native Floridian, Cadie graduated from East Ridge High School, Clermont, in 2007. She continued her education at Lake Sumter State College in the nursing program. She graduated with a B.A. Cadie moved to California in 2016 and expanded her education, becoming a paralegal. She

21

BILL OGLETREE DIED APRIL 20, 2021.

Bill Ogletree, 77, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at home in Ocoee, Florida, with his wife and daughter by his side.

Bill was born on Oct. 29, 1943, in Orlando, Florida, at Florida Sands and Sanitarium now known as AdventHealth.

He is the son of the late James T. and Lura Mae (Clark) Ogletree.

Bill is survived by his loving wife, Helen L. (Klotz) Ogletree; and daughter, Jill D. Ogletree; as well as his nieces, Jo J. Reeves, of Oak Hill, and Leslie Camille (Camie) Bentley, of Winter Garden.

Bill loved his hometown of Winter Garden, where he lived and worked most of his life.

As a commercial salesman for Ace Hardware in Winter Garden, Florida, formerly known

as Bray Hardware, Bill was known and loved for his personable service. His customers walked into Ace Hardware and yelled, “Mr. Bill!” Everyone enjoyed the best service possible and left with a smile. Bill was knowledgeable from hardware to history—especially Winter Garden history. Bill was a proud veteran of the Vietnam War, serving in both the U.S. Navy and Marines. He loved his country until the very end.

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JAMES VICTOR “JIM” ROUSE DIED APRIL 19, 2021.

James Victor “Jim” Rouse was born in 1978 in West Orange Memorial Hospital. He lived his whole life in West Orange County and passed away on Monday, April 19, 2021, after 42 years of a powerfully impactful life.

He is survived by his adoring wife, Samantha “Sam” Ennis Rouse; three children, Mason, Eli and Georgia; his grandfather, Victor Schuck; his parents, Doug and Teresa Rouse; his sister, Ami Rouse; many aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and “framily.”

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• Bridgestone • Michelin • Toyo • BFG Tires

354789

TFN

354449

REG# MV-01095

354448

Stress-Free Financing Now Available on All Purchases $149 and Up

BRAKE PAD SALE

Full Synthetic Oil Service ONLY

Includes up to 7 quarts of Full Synthetic Oil. Service includes: Front or Rear Pads, Parts and Labor.

Tax and recycling fees are extra. Not valid with any other offers. Expires 5/31/2021.

TFN

CALL 407-656-2121

354797

89.95

$

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Auto Service

Professional Services

TRAYWICK'S

THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021

Dedicated to caring for you and about you!

TFN 356537

1045 S. Vineland Rd. •Winter Garden • New and Used Tires • Alignment • Complete Auto Repair • A/C Serv. & More

353547

407-656-1817 Financial Services

Roofing

BRAD HOWARD, PHARMD/RPH

354450

West Orange High School Graduate University of Florida Graduate Life-long Resident of West Orange County

financial services

Monday - Friday: 9am-6pm Saturday & Sunday: Closed

350579

Kenneth Howard, Kenneth Howard, EA EA Registered Representative*

Registered Representative* poaccounting/tax box 1088 • 10306 oakview pointe terr • gotha, fl • insurance • investments* 321.287.0600 oakview pointe terr • gotha, fl 34734 po box 1088 • 10306 oakview pointe terr • gotha, fl 34734 321.287.0600 info@klhfin.com • www.klhfin.com

1603 S. Clarke Rd, Ocoee, FL 34761 (just north of Hwy 50)

UPGRADES & REPAIRS VIRUS & SPYWARE REMOVAL

407-601-1998 I www.BNRPharmacy.com

DATA & PASSWORD RECOVERY

accounting/tax • insurance • investments*

accounting/tax insurance investments* accounting/tax insurance investments* *Securities offered through Avantax Investment ServicesSM••, Member FINRA, SIPC.••Insurance services offered through an Avantax affiliated agency, 3200 Olympus Blvd., Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75019. (972) 870-6000.

356701

SERVICE

TFN

• Estate Sales • Consignment • Downsizing • • Clean-Outs (Storage Units & Hoarder Homes) • • Buy-Outs • 102 W. McKey Street Historic Downtown Ocoee www.LetItGoLifestyle.com (407) 797-3534

Ocoee, FL

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

Showcase your products or services each week in the Red Pages.

CALL 407-656-2121

sewingbymarilyn@gmail.com www.sewingbymarilyn.com

found here.

Fill the job here where you can actually meet and greet your next employee.

Made for where you live. Here!

Call 407-656-2121 or visit OrangeObserver.com

WITH THE RED PAGES

Professional Seamstress (208) 277-4648 301 N Tubb St., Oakland

ROCK STARS

RED PAGES

GROW YOUR BUSINESS

bridal I formal I everyday alterations I custom design

Call to reserve your ad space: 407-656-2121 OrangeObserver.com/RedPages 351683

TFN

www.Firetechextinguisher.com

354810

Danny Motes

RED PAGES

FREE ESTIMATES

354811

FIRE TECH

EXTINGUISHER

WIRELESS & WIRED NETWORKING

Personal Property Liquidation Services

Professional Services

Cell 407-466-4738 Tel 407-654-2395 Fax 407-654-2986

23

Realtors

354817

GARAGE

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Celebrating Local Arts & The World Outside Downtown Winter Garden | Saturday, April 17 Indoor and Outdoor Exhibitions & Outdoor Art Activities Plus, Art Night VIP – Curated Immersive Art Experiences ARTIST:

www.downtownwg.com

SUSAN GROGAN ALCOHOL INK

SPONSORED BY The McKinney Family Joan Guerin

Bob & Dianna Duffy WINTER GARDEN HOTEL

Show ALL Local Your Love.

Fun Ways to Love Local!

ARTIST:

SUSAN

ALCOHOL INK

in April Celebration on April 17

May is Outdoor Dining Month

Downtown Winter Garden

Citywide

Winter Garden Farmers Market Birthday

Experience Downtown’s Patriotic Charm

June 5 Downtown Winter Garden

May - July Downtown Winter Garden

Like. Follow. Share! @officialdowntownwintergarden

www.cwgdn.com

www.downtownwg.com