W E ST O RA N G E T I M E S &
Observer Celebrating 110 years in West Orange
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 83, NO. 20
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THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2016
Two games away The West Orange High baseball team made it to the Final Four for the first time in program history. Page 21A
YOUR TOWN
Centenarian’s secret: Chocolate! The Gardens at Lakeview Assisted Living celebrated Charlotte Robinson’s 100th birthday with a cake and a return visit from a local Girl Scout troop. Robinson said she reached her 100th by eating lots of chocolate.
Meaningful connection
Katie Mitchell, right, shared her painted ceramic piece with Sybil Triplett.
Each grade level at Oakland Avenue Charter School came up with a community outreach project this school year. AMY QUESINBERRY RHODE COMMUNITY EDITOR
D
ressed in their uniform red shirts, the 5- and 6-yearolds ambled sheepishly
toward the senior citizens, all of whom were eager to catch a moment of time with the children.
Merletti-Madill vows exchanged Amy Lauren Madill, daughter of Doug and Sharon Madill, of Ocoee, and Matthew Lewis Merletti, son of Lewis C. Merletti and Patty Czerwinski were married April 15.
Some of the children struck up a conversation and could have talked for days, said kindergarten teacher Sara Lucas.
SEE STORY PAGE 4A
ARTS & CULTURE
Photos by Amy Quesinberry Rhode
Matthew’s Hope seeks new headquarters Ocoee family shares Indian culture through music.
PAGE 17A
To continue serving West Orange County’s homeless, the organization will need a new space by mid-June. ZAK KERR STAFF WRITER WINTER GARDEN If you have lived
in West Orange County for any length of time, it’s likely you have — at the very least — heard of
Matthew’s Hope and its mission. But now, the organization that has helped so many of West Orange’s homeless residents is SEE MOVING PAGE 4A
IN MEMORIAM
Alaina Minnick spent extra time painting her letters for a special senior at Golden Pond Communities.
Sydney, West Orange’s reading therapy dog, died of leukemia last week. See page 11A