06.30.16 Spirit of America

SPIRIT OF AMERICA

HEARTS FOR

SERVICE

Meet six West Orange residents who have dedicated their lives to protecting our nation’s freedom.

ALSO INSIDE: FOURTH OF JULY EVENTS CALENDAR

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Spirit of America – Water Safety Tips for Kids of All Ages Celebrate summer and stay cool with these smart water safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention!

Swim Safely

Splash Safely

Drowning is preventable!

In pools, waterparks, hot tubs, splash pads, and spray parks, reduce the risk of illness from germs that can contaminate the water.

• Stay out of the water if you have a stomach illness.

• Take children out of the water for hourly restroom breaks.

• Always swim with a buddy.

• Always supervise children when in or around water.

• Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

• Install a four-sided fence around home pools.

• Shower for 1 minute before entering water.

Boat Safely

• Avoid swallowing water.

• Wear a properly fitted life jacket every time you and your loved ones are on the water, even if you are an expert swimmer.

Health Central Hospital is here when you need us. healthcentral.org

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The PURSUIT of happiness

MICHAEL ENG EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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n his book “American Creation,” historian Joseph J. Ellis called the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence “the most potent and consequential words in American history.”

We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

To be sure, this is one of the cornerstones of our country and freedom. But today, as we prepare to celebrate the 240th anniversary of the declaration’s signing, I’d like to share my family’s story — and proof that this sentence’s influence stretches far beyond the borders of our country.

My family’s journey to America begins the same as most any immigrant: My greatgrandfather sought a better life and future for his family. So he and my grandfather, who was 14 at the time, left their native Canton, China, in 1940 for Houston. They couldn’t afford to bring my great-grandmother, so she stayed behind.

Can you imagine? Leaving the only home you’ve ever known for a country a half-a-planet away, with a foreign language and culture? You know no one.

No one knows you. And, perhaps the most alarming: No one will hire you because you’re a foreigner.

Now what?

My family — and many other immigrants like them — found the answer in another cornerstone of the Spirit of America: entrepreneurism.

My great-grandfather opened a grocery store, where my grandfather worked as a delivery driver. There was no time for school, for higher education. I doubt operating a tiny grocery store was their definition of “happiness.” But the declaration doesn’t say anything guaranteeing happiness — merely the pursuit of it. For my grandfather and his dad, that meant one thing: earning money to bring the rest of the family.

From the mere freedom to pursue that goal, my grandfather’s patriotism began to grow.

At 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as part of the 14th Army Air Corps, also known as the Flying Tigers. Just three years after stepping foot on American soil, he was prepared to die for this country.

While stationed in China, my grandfather met my grandmother and brought her back to the U.S. The day they married, she made local history as Houston’s only G.I. bride from the Far East. A Houston Chronicle article and photo from that day sit on my desk: “East Meets East as Mrs. Molly Lo Lim, wife of Harry Lim, seeks congratulations from her husband just after becoming an American citizen,” the caption reads.

“Mr. Lim, born in Canton, is an American citizen — served with the United States Army during the war when he was stationed in China, where he met his wife.

She is believed to be Houston’s only G.I. bride from the Orient.”

By the time I came along, my grandfather was more American — and, more specifically, Texan — than Chinese. I’ll never forget his cowboy belt buckle securing his brown belt with “Harry” etched into the leather. He hated it when singers took too many

This photo was taken in San Francisco when my grandfather, Harry H. Lim, returned to the United States with his bride-to-be, my grandmother, Molly Lo Lim. Decades later, they recreated this photo during a family vacation.

liberties with the “The StarSpangled Banner” or when other immigrants refused to learn English.

Throughout their 62-year marriage, my grandfather started and owned several successful businesses, including a grocery store, restaurant and a heating- and air-conditioning repair service. Of course, these weren’t passion projects, either.

But they were the avenues by which he provided a better life and future for his family. And that was the reason he became an American in the first place.

I am reminded of this every day I wake up next to my wife in my own home. Upstairs, my children have rooms of their own. Our refrigerator and pantry are stocked with food for weeks. Outside, we have two cars ready to take us anywhere we want to go. And because of my grandfather, my siblings, cousins and I all are able to pursue our dreams — to have careers that satisfy our lifelong

passions.

Come Monday, the rockets’ red glares will cast warm glows on ours and many faces throughout our country. I know my grandfather would love it if, as we celebrate, we each took a moment to reflect on the potent, consequential words that declared our independence.

Savor them, dwell with them, and teach them to your children.

This document may be 240 years old, but our understanding of it is paramount to our nation’s future — and, indeed, to our Spirit of America.

In this special edition, we celebrate some of our country’s heroes and heroes in the making. We hope you enjoy learning about their incredible accomplishments as much as we did, and we thank all our veterans for their service and sacrifice.

From all of us at the West Orange Times & Observer and Windermere Observer, we wish you a safe, happy and patriotic Fourth of July.

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“I grew up with the belief that we need to give back” When she’s on duty as a MEDEVAC pilot, Rachel Chiles must be ready to take a multi-milliondollar aircraft in the air in less than 15 minutes.

Typically, she can be up in five to nine minutes.

Q&A What does the Fourth of July mean to you?

“The Fourth is the epitome of America in my mind. Celebrating our freedom and way of life.”

What is one of your favorite Fourth of July memories?

“One of my earliest memories is riding my tricycle in the annual Fourth of July neighborhood parade with streamers attached to the handlebars. My grandparents (Jon and Kay VanderLey) participated heavily in community events and organized the parade every year.”

How are you spending this Fourth of July?

“I’ll be pulling MEDEVAC coverage for Fort Benning. The weekend prior, my company will be doing a cookout to celebrate.”

AMY QUESINBERRY RHODE COMMUNITY EDITOR

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achel Chiles grew up flying with her maternal grandfather, Jon VanderLey, so her love of flight started early. That fascination has turned into a career, and the former Oakland resident now pilots Blackhawk helicopters for the U.S. Army.

“I grew up with the belief that we need to give back,” said Chiles, a chief warrant officer 2. “Moreover, I was taught to make the world we live in a better place than the one we inherited. It was those tenets that led me to serve in the U.S. Army. “ Chiles said she didn’t make a purposeful decision to become a helicopter pilot; it was more of a discovery.

“I knew how I wanted to live my life, and this fit all of the parameters,” she said. “Flying in service of my fellow soldier and my country is a joy and an honor.”

Chiles is a MEDEVAC pilot assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia. For several weeks out of the month, she is on duty three days a week. Being on duty typically means a 15- to 19-hour day, and she is on “ready-up,” which means she can’t leave the airfield.

“In a MEDEVAC situation, the assigned crew has to be in the air

Rachel Chiles sits in an Army Blackhawk helicopter’s open engine cowling for the No. 1 engine, situated above the left-hand cargo door.

in no more than 15 minutes after receiving the call,” she explained.

“That sounds like a lot of time, but plotting a grid point, running up a multi-million-dollar aircraft and ensuring we have the equipment necessary for the call, in that amount of time, is a feat.

“We’re typically off the ground in five to nine minutes after we get a call,” she said.

She flies two or three times a week, and she likened her oncall duty as “waiting for a call that someone needs help; think of it like fire rescue or EMT.” When she’s not on duty, she is training to maintain proficiency in skill sets that aren’t used often in the U.S. This includes practicing one-wheel, two-wheel and pinnacle landings, emergency procedures and limited-power approaches. She also has additional duties that include tracking soldiers and reporting readiness level to higher command.

This current MEDEVAC assignment is a first for Chiles. Prior to Fort Benning, she was assigned to an air assault unit — the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, 3-158 Assault Battalion — in Germany, inserting and extracting ground forces from the battlefield. The unit was tasked with covering NATO missions from Poland to Romania and in between, and she said these missions kept her

Courtesy photos

Rachel Chiles, left, with her mother, Betsy VanderLey, grew up in Oakland.

team on the go constantly, flying to various countries on a rotational basis.

“Whether it’s air assault, MEDEVAC or a VIP unit, all Army aviation revolves around supporting ground forces,” she said.

Chiles attended basic training at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri, four years ago. She was born in Orlando, where her family lived until she was 6. In 1991, they moved to Oakland.

Contact Amy Quesinberry Rhode at aqrhode@orangeobserver.com.

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To Our Community. Our State.

Our Nation. Our World.

In this time of profound sadness for our Orlando community, we take a moment to pause and recognize all those who responded to the call for help during and after the events in the early morning hours of June 12, 2016.

From first responders to our own Orlando Regional Medical Center Level One Trauma and support teams, to our fellow healthcare colleagues from around the nation, to LGBTQ, Hispanic and faith organizations, to businesses and community resource centers, to our local, state and national governments, to the many individuals and organizations from around our country and the world who have come together to aid the victims and families, and who have offered their sympathy and support to our Orlando Health family and our “City Beautiful�...

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Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the victims and their families.

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“I always tell my wife it’s a BEAUTIFUL country” Winter Garden resident Larry Berry returned to Vietnam for the first time in several decades after serving in the Vietnam War. JENNIFER NESSLAR STAFF WRITER

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Larry Berry is pinned as an officer.

uring his days of serving as an officer in the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War, Larry Berry carried around a Vietnam Conflict Map. The map helped him navigate the country during his time of service. The front of the map shows a picture of soldiers standing with a large mountain looming in the background.

When he returned to Vietnam on a trip three years ago, Berry was traveling just outside of Da Nang when he looked up and saw a mountain that looked quite familiar. He referred to his map.

It was the same mountain.

A MARINE CORPS OFFICER

“When we went outside the city out to the countryside and the mountains, it was the same as before. The little villages and hamlets.

Nice people.”

— Larry Berry

Larry Berry served as an officer in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.

When Berry, now 78, graduated from the University of Michigan, he immediately began serving as an officer in the Marines. He was active between 1962 and 1972. He was 29 years old when he served in Vietnam; his service spanned 13 months in 1968 and 1969 during the Tet Offensive.

During the first part of his tour, Berry visited hamlets and villages throughout south Vietnam. He was part of the Combined Action Program, a squadron of Marines tasked with protecting the village from attacks and developing resources like schools for the villages.

In the second part of his tour, Berry led a company of Marines, who went out for ambushes and protected the roads of south Vietnam.

During the war, he sent pictures to his wife, Stephanie, who filed them all in a photo album, writing a caption for each

Larry Berry referred to this Conflict Map while serving in Vietnam. When he returned to the country, he recognized the mountain depicted in the photograph.

photograph. The album still sits in the living room of the Berrys’ home in Winter Garden.

“I always tell my wife it’s a beautiful country,” he said.

So they went back together.

RETURNING TO VIETNAM

They took the trip with a group of men from the Marines and the U.S. Army who served in Vietnam. The trip, which lasted about two weeks, began in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, which is in the north. It was north of the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone, which divided the Communist north and the Viet Cong from south Vietnam and its allies, the United States. Berry stayed south of the line during the war, so going to the north was something he was unsure he wanted to do.

“It was bittersweet,” he said.

“It was their capital.”

To his surprise, the city was well developed and beautiful but crowded with people. He saw the Hanoi Hilton, where U.S. prisoners of war were held.

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Jennifer Nesslar

Courtesy photo

While Larry Berry was serving in Vietnam, he kept a photograph of his wife Stephanie handy.

Top: Larry Berry enjoys collecting maps and looking at photographs of his travels.

Once the group traveled to the south, he saw the city of Da Nang, where he spent time during the war, was also developed. They saw the nightlife in the city and enjoyed swimming in the pools there. But a level of familiarity came when traveling outside the city.

“When we went outside the city out to the countryside and the mountains, it was the same as before,” Berry said. “The little villages and hamlets. Nice people.”

He returned to Con Thien, near the DMZ, where Berry saw his first action during the war.

In the war, he was visiting some Marines. They sat around the airstrip playing cards when suddenly they were under attack.

Upon returning to the airstrip during his trip, there was no longer a landing strip. And one thing was different for certain.

“Nobody was shooting at me,” he said, laughing.

He noticed a similar situation when he visited at the air base at Chu Lai. “It was a huge air base,” he said.

“Now there’s one hut. Nothing.

No runway, no buildings. Just one hut. Which I find so amazing because it was such a big, operating air base.”

He returned to Phu Loc, where he led action platoons, which protected the roads and the hamlets.

THE TRAVELING COUPLE

The trip to Vietnam was memorable for the Berrys, but it is not the only trip the couple has taken. Recently, they visited Pearl Harbor, where they slept aboard the battleship Missouri on Dec. 6, so they were there for Pearl Harbor Day on Dec. 7.

They’ve traveled to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

The couple has planned a trip to Israel this October.

“My wife has always wanted to go there,” he said. “I said, ‘Hey, if you want to go, we better go.

We’re not getting younger.’”

Next year, they hope to travel to Normandy.

Contact Jennifer Nesslar at jnesslar@orangeobserver.com.

Q&A What does the Fourth of July mean to you?

“It was the start of this great country.”

What is one of your favorite Fourth of July memories?

“Winter Garden’s parade. It starts downtown and goes all the way around. It is just a nice parade, and I like that.”

What are your Fourth of July plans?

“We’re going to that same parade, but we will have people in town visiting so we’re having a cookout here at our house.”

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“We only want two words: ‘Thank you’”

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The VFW traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service because many arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans’ pension for them, and they were left to care for themselves.

Some of these veterans banded together and formed organizations with what would become known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. After chapters were formed in Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania, the movement quickly gained momentum.

By 1915, membership grew to 5,000; by 1936, membership was almost 200,000.

Source: vfw.org

AMY QUESINBERRY RHODE COMMUNITY EDITOR

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aniel “Dano” Riveira is starting his second oneyear term as commander of the West Orange VFW Post 4305. He has the hang of it now, having served a term in the top position five years ago.

As commander, Riveira represents 4305 at various community and state functions. The post works with disabled veterans at the Orlando VA Medical Center, and it sponsors Boy Scouts of America, attending flag-raising ceremonies.

“We have worked in the community,” Riveira said. “We’re mostly Vietnam vets, and we only want two words: ‘Thank you.’

Those are two magic words that we’ll bend over backwards for.

You know we got that (poor treatment) when we came home.”

Riveira has been a member of the West Orange VFW for 12 years, joining the roughly 350 military veterans. There’s also an auxiliary for spouses and other direct relatives.

VFW strives to do good things for deserving people: veterans, their families and their communities. Camaraderie draws veterans to the white, block building at 1170 E. Plant St., in Winter Garden.

“If you’re in uniform, you’re a brother,” Riveira said. “It doesn’t matter which uniform you wore.”

The only criterion for membership is the person must have served in a war overseas. Riveira said soldiers stationed in Korea had to be stationed close to the 38th parallel and those in Germany had to be stationed near the Berlin Wall.

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Amy Quesinberry Rhode

Vietnam veteran Daniel “Dano” Riveira is the commander of the West Orange VFW Post 4305 for the 2016-17 term.

Contact Amy Quesinberry Rhode at aqrhode@orangeobserver.com.

Enjoy your Summer Fun!

Q&A What does the Fourth of July mean to you?

“Being born and raised in Hawaii, not very much. I didn’t have much chance to (celebrate) that in the military, either.”

What is one of your favorite Fourth of July memories?

“Watching the Disney fireworks or just sitting

by Lake Apopka watching the fireworks. Sometimes it’s just pretty from where we’re at.”

How are you spending this Fourth of July?

“I’ll probably be at the VFW. I have to make a speech, plus we’re having hamburgers and hotdogs for members and their families and friends. And then, more than likely, I’ll put on the karaoke music. I have to get up there; I torture them with my Hawaiian music.”

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“Other than that, it’s just being in harm’s way,” he said. “If you’re old enough to be in harm’s way, you’re old enough to be in the VFW.” The sense of brotherhood felt in the organization is what brings Riveira there.

“Instead of sitting home alone growing old, I can go down and talk to my old buddies and the younger military people coming out of Afghanistan,” he said. “Tell them where to go to seek benefits and so forth; mentoring the younger ones.”

The best way people can join the West Orange VFW is to visit, taking with them their DD Form 214, which was issued upon their retirement, separation or discharge from active duty.

“It’s about going to a nice quiet place,” Riveira said. “We have our beverages, and we don’t worry about being in the rowdy night club. It’s nice and mild.”

The commander, now 73 and living in Killarney, served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, from 1964-74. He was aboard combat ships and did receive injuries, but because he was in Special Forces, there are still aspects of his service that he cannot talk about, he said.

CAPTAIN ROBERT LITTLETON

Realtor4Military@gmail.com

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4th of July

CALENDAR

THURSDAY, JUNE 30

WINTER GARDEN SEVENTH ANNUAL PREINDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION — 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 30, in the auditorium of West Orange High School, 1625 Beulah Road, Winter Garden. The free event, sponsored by FarMor Entertainment, includes artists from across the street, including author/poet Patricia Robinson and recording artist Edith Marlo Wright, a WOHS graduate. The mistress of ceremonies is Carmen Mihelic of Oviedo. Group seating is available. To RSVP, call (407) 476-8121 or visit farmorentertainment.org.

FRIDAY, JULY 1

EUSTIS HOMETOWN CELEBRATION — 5 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, July 1, at Ferran Park in downtown Eustis (west of Bay Street between Orange and Clifford avenues).

Activities include music by Jimmy Stanley, a ski show, Jeep show and a kids zone. A fireworks display will begin at 9:30 p.m.; take a lawn chair or blanket. For more, call (352) 357-7969.

SATURDAY, JULY 2

CLERMONT CLERMONT WATERFRONT PARK RUN — 7:30 a.m. Saturday, July 2, at Clermont Waterfront Park, 100 Third St., Clermont.

This free timed run is organized by volunteers. Race against a friend or race against the clock through the Clermont Historic Village. For more, visit parkrun. us/clermontwaterfront.

SUNDAY, JULY 3

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS RED, HOT & BOOM — 4 to 11 p.m. Sunday, July 3, at Cranes Roost Park, 274 Cranes Roost Blvd., Altamonte Springs. Red, Hot & Boom will feature plenty of live music, food, drinks and a fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. Performers include Daya, Ruth B., R. City and Ben Rector.

For more, visit facebook.com/ officialredhotandboom.

MOUNT DORA FREEDOM ON THE WATERFRONT — 4 p.m. Sunday, July 3, at Elizabeth Evans Park, 100 N. Donnelly St., Mount Dora.

The city of Mount Dora and

103.1 FM The Wolf will present this event, which features live music, children’s activities, foodtruck vendors and more. The festivities conclude at dusk with fireworks over Lake Dora. For more, call (352) 735-7183 or visit mountdorafireworks.com.

ORLANDO BALDWIN PARK INDEPENDENCE DAY BASH — 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, July 3, at the Village Center of Baldwin Park.

This annual event will begin with a festival in the Village Center and end with a choreographed fireworks show over Lake Baldwin.

For more, visit baldwinparkevents. com.

THE VILLAGES THE VILLAGES CONCERT BAND PRESENTS A PATRIOTIC SPECTACULAR — Performances at 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday, July 3, at Savannah Center, 1575 Buena Vista Blvd., The Villages. Under the direction of Jean Butler, Ward Green and Hugh Wicks, the bands of The Villages are proud to present their annual Patriotic Spectacular Concert. For more, call (352) 753-2270.

MONDAY, JULY 4

OAKLAND FOUR ON THE 4TH — 7 a.m.

Monday, July 4, at Oakland Presbyterian Church, 218 E. Oakland Ave., Oakland. Celebrate our great country by joining the fourth running of the Four on the 4th Run/Walk in Oakland. Cost is $30 through July 3; $35 on race day. To register, visit trinrun.com.

WINDERMERE 4TH OF JULY PANCAKE BREAKFAST — 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Monday, July 4, at Windermere Town Hall, 520 Main St, Windermere. Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for children. Tickets will be available at the breakfast.

THEME PARK CELEBRATIONS WALT DISNEY WORLD MAGIC KINGDOM — The celebration begins with “Disney’s Celebrate America!

A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky,” at 9 p.m. July 3 and 4 at Magic Kingdom. The 14-minute fireworks display will illuminate the sky above Cinderella Castle. The fireworks are set to a musical score produced in a concert-band style. This score was specifically created to stir a sense of pride in being American, show producers say, while at the same time, inviting guests from around the world to feel part of the celebration.

DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS — Guests can enjoy the all-new “Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular” fireworks nightly, with the show beginning at a special time of 9:30 p.m. for the holiday weekend, July 3 and 4. The next generation of Star Wars-themed fireworks shows, “Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular,” features new themed fireworks, lasers, special effects and video projections of iconic characters and scenes from the complete saga, all set to the unforgettable score of the film series.

EPCOT — Guests visiting Epcot on July 4 will have the opportunity to meet some of their favorite Disney characters dressed in patriotic attire

throughout the afternoon at the American Adventure Pavilion. Voices of Liberty, the eight-part a capella group, will have special performances at American Gardens Theatre at 12:30, 1:45 and 3 p.m. They also will perform inside the American Adventure Rotunda at 4:15 and 5 p.m. that day.

Guests also will have the opportunity to catch the Spirit of America Fife & Drum Corps outside at 1, 2:15, 3:30, 4 and 4:45 p.m. The “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” fireworks display will begin at 10 p.m.

LEGOLAND FLORIDA PATRIOTIC FIREWORKS SHOW — 9 p.m. July 2 to 4 at LEGOLAND Florida, 1 Legoland Way, Winter Haven.

As part of its new LEGOLAND Night Lights event, the park will feature Ninjago-themed fireworks displays July 2 and 3 and a patriotic display on July 4. (877) 350-5346.

SEAWORLD ORLANDO INDEPENDENCE DAY AT SEAWORLD ORLANDO — July 2 to 4 at SeaWorld Orlando, 7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando.

Country music star Lee Greenwood will perform at 6:30 p.m. July 2 and 3 at Bayside Stadium. The concerts are included with park admission.

Then at 10 p.m. July 4, guests can enjoy SeaWorld’s annual patriotic fireworks display featuring the 13th Army Band, Florida National Guard.

OrangeObserver.com

WINTER GARDEN ALL AMERICAN KIDS PARADE & BREAKFAST — 8 to 11 a.m.

Monday, July 4, at the Winter Garden Masonic Lodge, 230 W. Bay St. Breakfast will be served from 8-10, and children eat free.

There will be entertainment, activities and a child I.D. table.

Parade lineup begins at 9:45 a.m. and starts at 10. Children will decorate their bikes, scooters and wagons and parade up and down downtown Plant Street.

Sponsored by the lodge, Winter Garden Heritage Foundation and Winter Garden Downtown Merchants. (407) 656-3244.

SPIRIT OF AMERICA

PARTY IN THE PARK — 5 p.m.

Monday, July 4, at Newton Park, 29 W. Garden Ave., Winter Garden.

Fireworks start at 9:15 p.m.

Attendees can take a chair or blanket for this annual tradition, which will include live music, family activities and food. Parking is available at Health Central Park and Dillard Street Elementary. For information, call Winter Garden City Hall at (407) 656-4111. In case of a potential rainout, call the rainout hotline at (407) 8775432.

AVALON PARK FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION AT AVALON PARK — 5 to 9 p.m.

Monday, July 4, at Town Park, 3651 Avalon Park Blvd. E., Orlando.

Event will feature an apple pie bake-off, hot dog-eating contest, bike parade, wet/dry bounce park and performances. A fireworks display begins at 9 p.m. For more, visit eventsatavalonpark.com.

LEESBURG LEESBURG JULY 4 CELEBRATION — 6 p.m. Monday, July 4, at Venetian Gardens, 109 W. Dixie Ave. The event will begin with a baseball game between the Leesburg Lightning and the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs at Pat Thomas Stadium/Buddy Lowe Field. Other activities include a performance by Justin Heet at 6 p.m., food, boat tailgate party and kids’ play zone and free ice cream. Fireworks will begin at 9:15 p.m. over Lake Harris. For more, visit 4thofjuly.leesburgpartnership.com.

MOUNT DORA INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE — 10 a.m. Monday, July 4, in downtown Mount Dora. The Rotary Club of Lake County Golden Triangle and the city of Mount Dora will present its annual Independence Day

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WINTER PARK 21ST ANNUAL OLDE FASHIONED FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION — 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Monday, July 4, at Central Park, West Morse Blvd., Winter Park.

Mayor Steve Leary will lead a special presentation at 9:15 a.m. from the main stage. Children’s activities will include the annual bicycle parade at 9 a.m. For more, call (407) 599-3463.

CLERMONT RED, WHITE & BOOM! — 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Waterfront Park, 300 Third St., Clermont. The event will feature music, food and games. Fireworks will begin at 9:15 p.m.

KISSIMMEE MONUMENTAL 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION — 5 to 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 4, at Kissimmee Lakefront Park, 201 E. Dakin, Kissimmee. Event will feature live performances by Doubting Abby at 5:10 p.m.; The Supervillains at 6 p.m.; Ken-Y at 7 p.m.; Tone Loc at 8 p.m.; and Soul Asylum at 8:30 p.m. A fireworks display will begin at 9:30 p.m. (407) 5182503 or KissimmeeParks.org.

JULY 2016

kids activities, the Big Red Bus, food trucks and more. The July 4 parade will begin at 5 p.m. along Main Street. A fireworks display begins at 9 p.m. overlooking Lake Dora with an American flagraising over Lake Dora. Parking is free at the city parking garage at Main Street and Sinclair Avenue.

(352) 742-6319.

CELEBRATION ALL-AMERICAN 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION — 9 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. Monday, July 4, in Celebration Town Center, 701 Front St. The event will feature a parade through town, Celebration Chorus performance, Mac McAnally performance and a fireworks display at 9:15 p.m. For more, visit celebrationtowncenter.com.

GROVELAND GROVELAND CELEBRATION — 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, July 4, at Lake David Park, 450 S. Lake Ave. Activities will include vendors, the Central Florida Idol singing contest; July 4 Groveland Family Feud contest; Red, White and Blue pie contest; the annual Firecracker Pageant and, of course, a fireworks display. For more, visit grovelandjuly4th.com.

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parade, which will begin at North Donnelly Street and West Seventh Avenue and end at North Tremain Street and West Fourth Avenue.

For more information, contact the Rotary Club of Lake County Golden Triangle at (352) 385-1418 or email bill.brooks@fnbmd.com.

ORLANDO FIREWORKS AT THE FOUNTAIN — 4 to 10 p.m. Monday, July 4, at Lake Eola, 512 E. Washington St., Orlando. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer invites Central Florida residents and visitors to attend Fireworks at the Fountain. Celebrate the United States’ independence at the free fireworks display and laser show around Lake Eola in downtown Orlando. Pack picnic baskets and blankets for an oldfashioned summertime picnic.

For more, visit cityoforlando.net/ fireworks.

ST. CLOUD ST. CLOUD LAKEFRONT CELEBRATION — 3 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, July 4, at Lakefront Park, 1104 Lakeshore Blvd., St. Cloud. The event will feature music, food, games, a beer tent and a tribute to veterans. There will be more than 15,000 people to enjoy food, fun, music and, of course, a fireworks display. For more, visit stcloudflchamber.com.

SANFORD SANFORD FIREWORKS AT STAR-SPANGLED SANFORD ON THE RIVERWALK — 4 to 10 p.m. Monday, July 4, at Ft. Mellon Park, 600 E. First St., Sanford.

Celebrate Independence Day in Sanford with great entertainment, food and drinks. The event con-

cludes with a fireworks display at 9:15 p.m. over Lake Monroe.

TAVARES LET FREEDOM RING — 3 p.m.

Saturday, July 4, at Wooton Park, 100 E. Ruby St. Activities will include a water-ski show, live music by Blonde Ambition,

WINTER SPRINGS WINTER SPRINGS CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM 16 — 5 p.m. Monday, July 4, at Central Winds Park, 1000 Central Winds Drive, Winter Springs. Event will feature a kids zone, hot dogeating contest, Winter Springs’ Got Talent competition and a fireworks display at 9:10 p.m.

SPIRIT OF AMERICA

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OrangeObserver.com

JULY 2016

“I want to be able to inspire people to dream for greatness”

Observer Publisher / Dawn Willis, dwillis@ OrangeObserver.com Executive Editor / Michael Eng, meng@OrangeObserver.com Advertising Executive / Bill Carter, bcarter@OrangeObserver.com Advertising Executive / Sharlene Dewitz, sdewitz@OrangeObserver.com Advertising Executive / Cyndi Gustafson, advertising@OrangeObserver.com

Recent West Orange High School graduate Dorothy Dennis is heading to West Point to continue her family’s history of military involvement.

CONTACT US

DANIELLE HENDRIX

The West Orange Times & Observer and Windermere Observer are published once weekly, on Thursdays. They provide provides subscription home delivery. The West Orange Times also can be found in many commercial locations throughout West Orange County and at our office, 720 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden.

STAFF WRITER

A

fter her family dropped her older brother off at West Point two years ago, Dorothy Dennis was so mad that she swore she would never go to the military academy.

Now, two years later, the 17-year-old recent West Orange High graduate is gearing up to join her brother there and begin her Army career.

“I was mad at them for taking my brother away, and I said, ‘I will never go here, this place is awful!’” Dorothy said. “God really changed my heart over the past couple of years. He was like, ‘Remember that thing you said you were never going to do?

You’re gonna do it now!’ Next time I went back I was like, ‘This place is really pretty!’”

If you wish to subscribe to the West Orange Times, visit our website, OrangeObserver.com, call (407) 656-2121 or visit our office, 720 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden.

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Dorothy credits a few influences in her life with helping jumpstart her interest in joining the military, her faith and her family among them. Military membership is a sort of family business, she said. Her grandfather went to West Point, where her brother is now, and was an officer in the Air Force. Another grandfather was in the Marine Corps. Her dad attended the U.S. Air Force Academy, and her mom did Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) in college and was in the Air Force.

Dorothy’s decision to join the military came during her high-school career. On a visit to Arlington National Cemetery on a band trip her freshman year, the seed was planted. Her friend then

Courtesy photo

The Dennis sisters — Hannah, Emily and Dorothy — at Dorothy’s appointment to West Point. The oldest, Hannah, FaceTimed in from Nairobi.

helped convince her to join the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at school. During JROTC, Dorothy participated in physical training and drill and leadership skills, among other things.

“For so long, I was like, ‘I’ll never go into the military, especially not the Army,’ and then I saw a way I could be a positive influence over people who are

really negative when they’re in the Army,” she said. “I want to be able to inspire people to dream for greatness. The Army really cares about people and developing leaders, and they develop teamwork.”

Her faith also played a large role in her decision. Her favorite Bible verse, John 15:13, goes hand-inhand with a desire to be selfless

OrangeObserver.com

SPIRIT OF AMERICA

Danielle Hendrix

West Orange High School graduate Dorothy Dennis, who will attend West Point, is following a long and proud line of family members who served in the military.

and have an impact on others’ lives: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

WEST POINT BOUND

Also known as the U.S. Military Academy, West Point’s mission is to “educate, train and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the nation as an officer in the United States Army.”

Cadets attend the institution for four years, where they train for the military in the summer and work toward their degrees during the academic year.

The application process is an intense, multi-step one that begins with West Point’s Summer Leadership Experience.

Each year, about 1,000 rising high-school seniors are selected to attend SLE, where they stay in the barracks and are exposed to the West Point experience.

Dorothy next had to get a con-

gressional nomination to the academy; she applied through U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster, as well as for the ROTC and presidential nominations.

“The presidential (nomination) you can only get if your parents were missing in action, killed in action, prisoner of war or retired military, and my dad is retired Air Force, so I got that one, ROTC’s and Webster’s,” Dorothy said.

One of the final steps was participating in a physical fitness test and an exam from the Department of Defense Medical Exam Review Board. To prepare for this and basic training — formally called Basic Expeditionary Airman Skills Training — she credits her dad with making her run with him to get in shape.

“I was a swimmer and played water polo in high school, so running isn’t that great,” she said. “I hate it, but I’ve been running with my dad to get ready for BEAST.” After all of that, she finally found out in late January that she had been accepted to West Point.

“They try to make it a surprise,” Dorothy said. “Daniel Webster came to my school and presented me the award. I was really excited, and one of my sisters FaceTimed in from Nairobi, so it was pretty cool that she got to FaceTime in for that. It was kind of shocking, and I was like, ‘I’m actually going to BEAST.’” At West Point, Dorothy plans to study some type of engineering, and she said West Point is known for its engineering program.

Once she graduates, she also will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

She has the next four years to decide her specialization within the Army. Currently, she is considering aviation or infantry.

“They’re excited, proud and sometimes more excited than I am,” she said of her family’s reaction to her joining the Army. “I want to be able to influence people in their lives and the soldiers I’ll be leading someday.”

Contact Danielle Hendrix at dhendrix@orangeobserver.com.

Q&A What does the Fourth of July mean to you?

“Independence. My initial thought is “hooah,” which is Army slang.” (Note: The term is an expression of high morale, confidence, motivation and spirit.)

What is one of your favorite Fourth of July memories?

“We have a golf course in our backyard, and my dad would shoot up the fireworks from there.

We’d have the little sparklers and write our names.”

How are you spending this Fourth of July?

“I’ll be in basic training at West Point. I think they have a concert for us.”

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OrangeObserver.com

JULY 2016

Q&A What does the Fourth of July mean to you?

“Independence day is the birth of our nation.

It’s what patriotism is all about. I don’t know what it means to me, but I know it’s the birthday of our nation and we are still the greatest nation on earth.”

“We’re not all broken; we don’t all have PTSD”

What is one of your favorite Fourth of July memories?

“My favorite of all time was the (Bicentennial Celebration of 1976) on Independence Day. It was the 200th birthday of our country. There was a humongous parade, fireworks display, barbecue – it was a huge celebration.”

How are you spending this fourth of July?

“My wife and I are going to a veteran’s retreat called Soldier’s Freedom Outdoors up in Melrose.”

Retired U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Daniel Kalagian now volunteers with The Mission Continues, an organization that helps veterans readjust to civilian life.

GABBY BAQUERO STAFF WRITER

YOU’RE ALWAYS YELLOW

W

hen he was a kid, retired U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Daniel Kalagian admired actor John Wayne’s war movies and played army with his friends. He never had any sudden epiphany about his future careers.

He just knew.

“I knew two things: I was going to join the Army, and I was going to be a cop,” Kalagian said. “I was able to successfully complete both careers.”

And so began Kalagian’s 20 years of service in the Army, for which he served in Germany, North Carolina, Iraq and Cuba.

Now retired, Kalagian

“We’re helping our veterans get that camaraderie that we often miss when we leave service and feel good about doing something for (their) community and continuing that sense of volunteerism by attacking community problems,” said Kalagian, an Ocoee resident.

“We’re not all broken; we don’t all have PTSD. Some of us really struggle, some of us have some severe disabilities, but we can all get out there and contribute.”

Gabby Baquero

Retired U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Daniel Kalagian said his time in combat has changed him. He lives in what he calls “yellow” mode — on alert.

volunteers as a platoon leader with The Mission Continues, a nonprofit organization that helps

veterans readjust to civilian life by helping them find new missions to serve their community.

Kalagian’s first tour of duty was in 1982, when he was deployed to Germany for 18 months with the 556th Military Police Company. He worked at Siegelsbach Army Depot, a former military base that stores nuclear weapons performing what he colloquially terms “tower rat duty.” Kalagian remembers working long shifts because much of the military personnel was arrested for smoking hash there shortly before he arrived.

Once his initial enlistment in the Army came to an end in 1985, Kalagian made a beeline for his next career goal and solved cases as a police detective for 24 years

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OrangeObserver.com

in his hometown at Bridgeport Police Department. His favorite case and the highlight of his police career, he said, was solving a case involving a burglary ring that called itself the Snow Bandits.

The case had been open for three years, but he and his partner solved it in only four months.

“I did homicides, crime scenes, auto theft, burglary; you name it, I investigated it,” Kalagian said.

“My favorite was auto theft. I loved running after bad guys.

(I) hated car chases, but I loved running after bad guys.”

After 9/11, at age 40, he re-enlisted in the Army. In 2002, he was mobilized in North Carolina to work in port security until 2004. While there, he met now-retired Sgt. 1st Class Priscilla Kalagian — his wife.

After North Carolina, Kalagian served as a military police instructor from 2004 until 2008 in New York. In 2008, he was deployed to Iraq with the 306th Military Police Battalion, and stationed at Camp Bucca, a detention facility. His duties there included transferring detainees to other facilities around Iraq.

“It was interesting, because every time we’d take off, the bad

SPIRIT OF AMERICA

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JULY 2016

calls “yellow” mode.

“You’re always hyper-vigilant while you’re there; you have to always have situational awareness,” he said. “Normal people are green, just going about their life and everything is la-dee-da and beautiful, right? As a soldier in a war zone, you’re always yellow, just like alert, hyper-alert.”

NEXT STEP?

Courtesy photo

Daniel Kalagian and his fellow volunteers assist other veterans through The Mission Continues.

guys would pray for us to crash,” Kalagian said.

The most challenging aspects of his deployment in Iraq were the extreme heat, dealing with the constant threat of attacks and being separated from his family.

“With our wars, it’s a little better, because we have the Internet, Skype and messaging on Facebook,” Kalagian said. “So

you get a little more contact with your family, but you (still) miss a lot of important things.”

For his last deployment, he served nine months as a senior leader from 2012 to 2013 at Guantanamo Bay. “That was harder than Iraq; I can’t talk much about what my mission was there,” Kalagian said.

“We were under a microscope at

the highest level. If one of those prisoners or detainees there cut his finger, we would have to report it. So every little detail was documented. ... It was hard on my troops.”

The stress of being in a war zone and working as a police officer have left their impressions. Even though he retired in June 2015, Kalagian still is living in what he

Kalagian credits a memory of a friend who committed suicide after leaving Guantanamo Bay as one of the experiences that motivates his desire to volunteer in The Mission Continues.

“If I can do something in my retired life to save just one veteran from thinking about killing themselves today, I’m going to do everything I can to do something,” Kalagian said.

Now 53, Kalagian is deciding his next move.

“I’m one of the lucky people in the world because I was able to successfully complete two career goals, but now I’ve got to figure out what I want to do when I grow up,” Kalagian said.

Contact Gabby Baquero at gbaquero@orangeobserver.com.

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“I learned right away to be responsible” Q&A What does the Fourth of July mean to you?

“It just makes me think about the sacrifices that people have made for us to have the abilities to make our own choices and be able to make something of ourselves without people telling you what you can and can’t do.”

What is one of your favorite Fourth of July memories?

“My most memorable Fourth of July was with my son. We were in Winter Springs and he was young — this was before I deployed in 2003. I had him all dressed up in a shirt with a flag, and he had this little American flag and he was walking around, just waving it around. It just makes me appreciate the liberties that we have.”

How are you spending this Fourth of July?

This Fourth of July, Hernandez and his family are going to be attending celebration festivities in Apopka.

“On the Fourth of July, what I like to do is ask people who wrote the national anthem and why the song was written. It’s surprising that most people don’t even know … (it) basically talks about our resolve and our strength, perseverance and ability to defeat our foes. That’s a real motivating thing for me.”

Winter Garden Fire Rescue EMT-firefighter Miguel Hernandez returned recently from a deployment to Djibouti, Africa.

ALISSA SMITH STAFF INTERN

A

s a National Guardsman and a combat veteran, Miguel Hernandez is no stranger to life-or-death situations. He’s faced minefields, Iraqi tanks and the threat of chemical warfare. Most recently, Hernandez returned home June 6 after a nine-month deployment to protective detail in Djibouti, Africa.

Each military assignment has required quick thinking, teamwork and plenty of guts to overcome.

And those are the same traits Hernandez uses in his civilian life. Between deployments, he serves as an EMT-firefighter at the Winter Garden Fire Rescue.

“I love being a firefighter,” Hernandez said. “Working at a fire station is cool, because every call is different. You work with great guys and gals that you call your brothers and sisters.

We do everything together. We work together, train together, eat together, risk our lives together, sacrifice together.”

STEALTH IS A SOLDIER’S BEST FRIEND

Hernandez was born in 1970 in Puerto Rico. Four years later, he and his family moved to California. He was close with his two sisters, Sheila Rezny, now 45, and Melisa Baker, now 43, and together, they have plenty of tales of childhood mischief.

He was an active boy who loved games such as cops and robbers and sword-fighting, and by age 17, he had decided he wanted to enlist in the U.S. Marines.

“My grandfather (José Rodriguez) was a Korean War veteran, and I really enjoyed all of his

Courtesy photos

National Guardsman Miguel Hernandez enlisted in the U.S. Marines at age 17.

OrangeObserver.com

SPIRIT OF AMERICA

Miguel Hernandez, second from left, said he loves the family feeling that comes with working for Winter Garden Fire Rescue.

stories,” Hernandez said. “I just wanted to know what it was like to be in the military. So I decided to join.”

Although Hernandez has plenty of veterans in the family, his parents weren’t happy about his life plans.

“My dad thought that I should do something else, and my mom was scared that I was going to go off and get killed somewhere,” he said.

Because he was 17, Hernandez’s father had to sign a waiver giving his son permission to enlist.

“At the time, my dad thought I was going to go into aviation coordinates; he said he wanted me to do anything other than combat arms,” Hernandez said. “(But) as soon as he signed the wavier, I told the recruiter to change my (Military Occupational Specialty) to infantry. (My father) didn’t know until I got my orders for basic training.”

Hernandez shipped out to infantry school on Dec. 16, 1987.

While there, he discovered his true military calling: reconnaissance. Recon Marines go ahead of the infantry battalion to do reconnaissance and report on the position of the enemy. They operate in six-man teams, and their best friend is stealth.

‘WE WOULD’VE WIPED OUT’

Hernandez’s service from 1987 to 1993 included several memorable missions. During the first Gulf War, from 1990-91, he was one of six teams that went into Kuwait seven days before the ground war began.

“Our mission was to get eyes

After being deployed multiple times, Hernandez needed a break.

He left the Marines, only to find that he missed being deployed overseas.

“Just out of high school, I was still immature; I didn’t know what I wanted to do with myself,” Hernandez said. “In the corps, you’re basically made accountable for your actions, so I learned right away to be responsible because there were no excuses.”

That yearning led him to join the National Guard in 1997. Most recently deployed to Djibouti, Africa, for a force protection assignment where Hernandez was responsible for securing Chabelley Airfield and Camp Lemonnier.

THE FAMILY MAN

When he’s not deployed, Miguel Hernandez tries to take his children, Chloe, 8, and Bryce, 16, to Wekiva Island at least once per week.

on the minefields that Saddam Hussein had placed between us and them,” he said. “And we discovered several different enemy defensive positions and also got eyes on the minefield.”

He called in an airstrike on enemy forces during that same mission. At one point, the enemy fired missiles near Hernandez.

Fearing the missiles were chemical weapons, Hernandez and the rest of the team donned gas masks.

“We had to walk around like that for a while,” he said. “I finally got tired of wearing it, so I volunteered to take (the mask) off.

So they sat around and watched me. Nothing happened to me, so everybody took their stuff off.”

An incident in 1993 changed Hernandez’s entire perspective of his military service.

“We were on an aircraft carrier

sitting off the coast of Bosnia,” he said. “They were showing footage of a city in Bosnia. …

They were dropping artillery rounds in the city, and there was this woman — she was walking her son home … and they started dropping rounds on the city. …

She was like running up the hill and running down the hill, and she finally realized there was no where safe that she could run to take her son. So then she just pushed him up against a vehicle and she shielded him with her body.

“That really bothered me; that that’s the way it is in the world,” Hernandez said. “At that point my reasons for being in the military changed from being those of ‘just get the next adrenaline rush’ to those of ‘I really want to help other people’ — to help those who can’t help themselves.”

After a career that took him to 29 different countries, Hernandez found his home in Apopka. When not working, he cares for his two children, Bryce, 16, and Chloe, 8.

Almost every night, the three curl up and watch a movie, Bryce said. The two share the favorite color purple, he said, and his favorite memory is just him and his dad hanging out, “nobody else.”

Bryce described a father as self-sacrificing and loving. He said his dad never missed one of his games and is always offering to help with any homework.

When times were tough, Bryce saw his dad go without food just so he and his sister had enough to eat.

“He’s always been a good guy,” he said. “His moral compass is always pointing north; he’s always trying to do the right thing. For as long as I’ve known my dad, I’ve never seen him do one bad thing ever. … He always puts me and my sister first before him.”

Hernandez hopes to convince his son to get into track and his daughter to take singing lessons. He also plans to become a paramedic-firefighter after his daughter gets older and he can spend the time on the required coursework. Hernandez is currently on a five-year cycle with the National Guard, so he could ship out again in 2021.

Contact Alissa Smith byalissasmith@gmail.com.

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Enhancing Health and Wellness in the West Orange Healthcare District

• • • Initiative Grant Round Open • • • June 27 - August 26, 2016 The West Orange Healthcare District (WOHD) would like to announce the upcoming Initiative Grant Round. The application window has been open since June 27, 2016 and will close on August 26, 2016 5:00 pm. Grant award announcements will be made in October 2016.

Applications will be accepted from qualifying local nonprofits. Only programs that primarily improve, preserve or provide health services to residents of the District can be funded.

This notice is being issued to allow qualified potential applicants’ sufficient time for submission of applications.

The WOHD is an independent special healthcare district created by an Act of the 1949 Florida Legislature and

is governed by a 16 member Board appointed by the Governor of Florida. From its beginning, the purpose of the District has been to improve access to quality healthcare services for residents of West Orange County. This has been achieved through investing in new and expanded facilities in partnership with Orlando Health, the largest provider of healthcare services in West Orange County, and awarding over $2 million in initiative grants since 2012 to non-profits in the community supporting programs that align with the District’s mission of enhancing the overall health and wellbeing of the community. Recent recipients benefiting from the support of the District include: UCP, Shepherd’s Hope, Quest, Inc., The Howard Phillips Center, The Roper YMCA, Dave’s House and The Muscular Dystrophy Association.

www.wohd1949.org

208231

For additional information, frequently asked questions, qualifying criteria or to submit an application please visit

SPIRIT OF AMERICA

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JULY 2016

OrangeObserver.com

Pay one time move in fee and rest of

July rent is FREE! Call or stop in today!

Assisted Living Facility #9626 209390

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