08.13.20 Southwest Orange Observer

SO U T H W EST O RA N G E

Observer Windermere, Horizon West, Dr. Phillips

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VOLUME 5, NO. 46

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

BAC K TO SC H O O L 2 0 2 0

Learning to learn

Foundation Academy, The First Academy and Windermere Preparatory School are ready to welcome students back to campus with enhanced safety protocols.

BAKING THE MOST OF IT Windermere’s Juliette Sioson, 11, spreads joy — one cookie at a time.

SEE PAGE 5.

In-person options

YOUR TOWN GOODWILL SET TO OPEN NEW STORE

DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

H

eading back to school this year looks different.

Courtesy photo

The First Academy welcomed students back to school Wednesday, Aug. 12.

whether to send their chil-

LaunchEd@Home presents teaching, learning challenges

dren back to school cam-

DANIELLE HENDRIX

Families have made some

tough decisions regarding

puses or have them learn online from home.

SEE PRIVATE PAGE 12

AND AMY QUESINBERRY

Orange County Public Schools students hit the books for the first day of the 2020-21 school year Monday, Aug. 10.

Regardless of what instructional model families chose for their children, all OCPS students began the school year on OCPSLaunchED@Home.

SEE DIGITAL PAGE 14

Goodwill Industries of Central Florida will open its new Winter Garden location Thursday, Aug. 13.

The store, located at 14190 W. Colonial Drive, will staff up to 45 employees and is currently hiring retail associates.

The 25,000-square-foot store is the nonprofit’s fourth new location to open in 2020.

The new Winter Garden store will incorporate the same safety precautions currently in place at Goodwill’s other locations: Plexiglas partitions at registers, one-way aisles and limited capacity. Customers and employees are required to wear masks. Dressing rooms will be closed, and as a result, the return policy will be extended to 14 days.

FLANIGRAMS

Ocoee City Commission considers land sales

Disney performer Billy Flanigan turns miles into smiles. PAGE 3.

Two parcels of land owned by the city have become of great interest to developers looking to build.

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TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

During the Ocoee City Commission’s meeting Tuesday, Aug. 4, commissioners heard from city staff regarding the sale of two parSEE OCOEE PAGE 4

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

Courtesy photo

The Michael Callin Memorial Scholarship Fund board members have loved passing out the coolers to police officers as random acts of kindness. From left: Christina Rowlowski, Vicki Carter, David Callin, Anna Callin and Dave Ogden.

Paying it forward Windermere Police Chief Dave Ogden and the family of fallen Orange County deputy Michael Callin keep his memory alive through random acts of kindness. fled the scene. Callin was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he succumbed Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy to his injuries a day later.

Michael Callin was killed 14 years At the time, Windermere Police ago in the line of duty, but his Chief Dave Ogden was working as memory lives on — most recently a captain in OCSO’s traffic divithrough random acts of kindness. sion — Callin was one of his depuOn Aug. 1, 2006, while oper- ties. ating a radar, Callin was inten“It was a horrible time for us, a tionally struck by the driver of a terrible tragedy,” Ogden said. “We speeding vehicle. He was stand- probably didn’t sleep or anything ing under an overpass when the for a few days. We were all in the ORHE-0204 ER_ObserverMedia_Halfpg_HW_PRESS.pdf 1 5/6/20 AM driver sped up, struck him and hospital surrounding and9:39 trying DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

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to love and care for the family.”

In Callin’s memory, his parents created the Michael Callin Memorial Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit that provides scholarships to students and policeacademy recruits who exemplify the qualities of integrity and service to others.

“The parents are very strong in their faith, and it’s been amazing to watch them go through this tragedy, which of course, I would say is part of our story later on

going through our own tragedy … they very much so helped us in our struggles,” Ogden said.

“They created the scholarship fund, which supports and pays for officers to go to the academy.

Right now, the academy is probably around $3,000 to $3,500 to attend. People who are in the academy can apply for the scholarship. … It’s in honor of Michael, and it’s the character traits the family felt that Michael espoused and honored. It’s just one more way to honor him.”

The foundation’s board members — including the Callin family and Ogden — typically host an annual golf tournament as a fundraiser, but because of COVID-19, they had come up with another way to help carry on his legacy.

This year, that involved paying it forward in Callin’s honor.

The Callins purchased hundreds of small, Igloo-type coolers and filled them with things such as water, cookies, snacks and personal notes thanking the officers for their service. The Windermere Police Foundation purchased about 50 coolers to give to Windermere officers, Ogden said. He asked his officers to pass along any extras to other officers they encounter.

“It’s just a simple way to say thank you to officers — particularly now who are in a very tough time for police officers around the country,” Ogden said. “We just wanted to say thank you for the service that you do, honor Michael’s memory, because he was very much a giving and caring deputy, and we thought this is the best way to promote that.”

But it’s more than just a small thank-you gift. Inside the coolers are small cards that give a brief story about Callin. On the back of

MICHAEL CALLIN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND WEBSITE: michaelcallin.org PHONE: (941) 404-3480 EMAIL: info@michaelcallin.org FACEBOOK: facebook.com/ michaelcallinmemorialscholarshipfund DETAILS: The nonprofit in Callin’s memory was established in 2007, and it provides scholarships to students and police-academy recruits who exemplify the qualities of integrity and service to others.

Visit the website or call for more information.

the card is a list of ways that officers who receive the coolers can give back.

“We’re thanking officers for the job they’re doing; honoring and remembering Michael’s sacrifice, his memory, and the character and values that he had; and, in the same light, we’re actually paying it forward by asking officers to really engage in the public,” Ogden said.

“This entire project really enveloped who Michael was and what he stood for, and I just think it’s an awesome way to honor him.”

Ogden remains close with the Callin family. They are an inspiration to him by the way they continue to honor their son’s memory.

“He was one of my officers, so I want to honor him as best I can because he was just a tremendous guy — he really was,” Ogden said.

“His death was a tragedy … but this is just an amazing way to keep his memory alive.”

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

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“It’s my way to continue to bring the magic out there and to make people smile.

That’s kind of my mission in life — creating smiles.”

— Billy Flanigan

MILES OF SMILES

Courtesy photos

DANIELLE HENDRIX ASSOCIATE EDITOR

B

ringing a touch of magic to people’s lives is Billy Flanigan’s specialty, and continuing to do so in the midst of a global pandemic has been his priority.

The Ocoee resident has been making magic as an entertainer at Walt Disney World Resort for 38 years. Although the parks shut down temporarily in March, Flanigan knew people still needed positivity in their lives.

Like many others who were furloughed from their jobs, Flanigan needed to do something to pass his newfound extra time. Biking was something he had done for cardio exercise — but in the midst of quarantine, it became so much more.

“I go 15 to 20 miles, and on the weekends I bike to church in Clermont, and that’s a 32-mile round trip,” he said. “It wasn’t

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until COVID-19 happened that I thought, ‘Well, I have extra time.’

I like to keep myself busy, and I’m not really good at sitting in a house.

I just decided to start going more and more miles.”

That’s when he got another idea: What if he could turn those miles into smiles?

“One day, I just decided to stop along the trail and socially distance say hello to some friends that I hadn’t seen,” he said. “This was about two weeks into the quarantine. I stopped at the first girl’s house, knocked on her door, and I backed up. When she answered the door, she began to cry, because she hadn’t seen anybody. I just said, ‘Well, I just wanted to stop, say hello and see how you’re doing.’ She posted that online and then other people reacted to that saying, ‘Oh, I hope he comes to my house!’”

Suddenly, those socially distanced visits along his biking routes became the highlight of quarantine

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Altogether, Flanigan has logged more than 4,000 miles by bike, visited 17 states and has “Flanigramed” 350 people. He’s driven nearly 8,000 miles, too.

“What I’ll do, too, when I drive to an area that’s out of state, I usually try to always park at least 10 miles away from somebody’s house so that it was a significant amount of miles I could sing about,” he said.

“It’s just been such a fun experience being able to go out and get people excited over something. I know there’s been so many great reactions to the publicity that it has caused. It’s been such a fun thing to do … now the only part of the country I haven’t hit is the northwest.”

What’s more, a producer picked up his story and decided to do a documentary on Flanigan. Originally, it was just about the Flanigrams, but it’s turning into a film on Flanigan’s life — old videos, Disney shows he’s performed in, family videos and more. His friends are being interviewed for it, as well.

Flanigan is astounded by the positive reactions his Flanigrams and Disney career have sparked.

He recently was featured in People magazine, on Good Morning America and more.

“It’s just so fun to read how excited people get over something that is kind of sort of silly, but it’s my way to continue to bring the magic out there and to make people smile,” he said. “That’s kind of my mission in life — creating smiles.”

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Ocoee resident and longtime Disney entertainer Billy Flanigan has biked thousands of miles to bring smiles to his friends’ faces during the pandemic.

— both for himself and his friends.

He began making a habit of biking to their houses and surprising them with a visit, song and dance.

One of his friends dubbed the visits “Flanigrams,” and the name stuck.

“Basically, I do a little song and dance — ‘It’s your Billy Flanigram, I’m here to say hello!’” he said. “Then I sing a second verse there, and at the end I tell them how many miles it took me to get to their house. I’ll say, ‘And I biked 45 miles for one of your smiles,’ and whatever their name is. It’s kind of been my little catchphrase, miles for smiles. I’m biking all these miles just to put a smile on someone’s face.”

It also pushed him to burn more rubber on the trails. Flanigan plans his routes and visits for the day by the pockets of places where people lived. He did his “Ocoee day,” visiting friends in Ocoee and logging 45 miles. He did an 86-mile roundtrip ride to see friends in Davenport, and 90 miles round-trip to Sanford.

But his Flanigrams have gone cross-country, too. Flanigan drove his friend’s car from Florida back to her in California — complete with his bike in tow. On the way to California, he stopped in Austin, Texas, to surprise some friends. Then, while in California, he was able to deliver 20 Flanigrams while averaging 55 miles a day by bike.

He did the same when taking a road trip to visit family in Massachusetts, stopping along the way to deliver Flanigrams in Georgia, Virginia Beach, Maryland, New Jersey and New York.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

MY VIEW

Observer

It isn’t goodbye, just see you later T

he dream I had as a teacher was to teach high school for four years — then become a college professor. Well, what ended up happening was that I fell in love with Winter Garden and its people. Walking into a multicultural classroom, from all different backgrounds. Some wanted to sing, some didn’t — but they instilled in me a desire to inspire them. As people and musicians.

Twenty-three years later, I still believe we can inspire the world through music. I couldn’t do it alone. I am so grateful for the choral directors who worked beside me over the years. The wonderful administration and staff who supported this young kid and believed in the dream of unity. From elementary school all the way through graduate school, I was lucky enough to have some amazing teachers, professors and colleagues who understood and nurtured the importance of unity.

Here was my challenge: How can we inspire throughout the world to exonerate race issues?

I was attacked and ridiculed for being African-American — more than once. And with every attack, I had the amazing people of Winter Garden rallying around me, telling me that I was doing the right thing.

Four years turned into eight, eight turned into 12, and now here we are. Through the trips, laughter, and travel — I realized that with these people, I found my

DR. JEFFERY REDDING

home. I realized I loved teaching, for exactly that. To teach. To teach — and to be received as a teacher — is one of the greatest gifts I have ever been given.

What makes West Orange so beautiful is that there was every type of student, the rich, the poor — skilled musicians and some with zero training — but all with beautiful hearts. From the first concert at the high school auditorium to Carnegie Hall in New York City, together we brought the ordinary to extraordinary. The love and support of this community has been incredible, and I will never forget it.

Some of the saddest moments I have had are students who have passed on. They all taught me about love, sacrifice, work and consistency. I feel as if I would be doing an injustice to these beautiful people if I didn’t take a moment to honor the importance of them in my life.

Hey Dr. Redding! What was it like to win the Grammy? I’ve been asked that a lot. Winning the

Grammy — well, I was at a place where I served incredible students who believed in a unified vision to serve all. I didn’t teach for awards.

But what it represented was what happens in Winter Garden. A community that supports the arts. Active parents who support their students. A community that supports our teachers. We have always been that “diamond in the rough.” We’ve had great people, great teachers and a great system in place. The Grammy helped spotlight our community on what we already knew — Winter Garden is fantastic. I might have received it, but we all won the Grammy.

That Grammy is ours — I am so fortunate to have been in the situation. The amazing parade — all I can say is I am undeserving and feel so blessed and honored to have been in that position.

TO MY STUDENTS

We didn’t even get to say goodbye.

I wish I could hug every one of you. You all will always be “my kids.”

I hate that we didn’t get to say goodbye — have our concert, but know, I wanted what is best for you.

But I am sad.

Our year was ripped away from us. The loss of our trip, our spring concert, conducting you during Unity was all taken. And that makes me sad.

And I am sad because I didn’t get to say a proper goodbye.

“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.”

We didn’t know with the last hug and daps would be any longer than a week.

We didn’t know our classroom, which was filled with music and laughter, would sit empty and quiet — and we wouldn’t get to come back to it.

I miss your smiles, hugs, laughter and even your ridiculous sense of humor. I miss listening while you work in sections — and seeing you succeed. I would give anything to tell you it’s time to focus.

To tell you I am proud of you.

That I love you.

Always know you will forever be a part of my heart.

This will be one school year none of us will ever forget.

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 Creative Services / Lindsay Cannizzaro, lcannizzaro@OrangeObserver.com

TO GARDEN CHOIR

I have been honored for the past 13 years to be the director of the Garden Choir, and I long for it to be 13 more! I am excited and relieved that although I am leaving West Orange High School, I will still get to be part of the community of Winter Garden by directing the Garden Choir.

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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 and at our office.

TO THE FUTURE

Now, I embark on a new adventure as the director of choral activities at the University of Central Florida. I will be taking what I learned from my experiences in Winter Garden and applying them to this new journey. I am proud and honored to represent this community as a Knight. Go Knights!

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

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WEST ORANGE TIMES

Ocoee land sales CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

cels of land owned by the city.

For the last few years, Ocoee has received unsolicited proposals to purchase the parcels. The first is a 16.19-acre parcel near Ocoee High — east of Ocoee Crown Point Parkway, west of Ocoee-Apopka Road and north of State Road 429 — possibly to be developed as a townhouses. The second is a 17.96acre parcel on the northeast corner of Ocoee-Apopka Road and Fullers Cross Road — south of S.R. 429 — that would be for commercial use.

The city of Ocoee had each appraised. The residential property came in at just more than $2.9 million, and the community property at just more than $3.5 million.

The city then sent a Request for Letters of Intent for both proper-

ties and received seven responses for the residential property and three for the commercial property. The offers for the residential property ranged from $1 million to $2 million, while the commercial property fetched offers from $2.7 million to $3.5 million.

Given those offers, city staff recommended to not sell the residential property for the time being.

“City staff does not feel that apartments would be a good use for the property,” staff stated. “Given the low offers, a lack of urgency to sell the residential property and additional development coming over the next few years, which may increase the value of the land, city staff is recommending that the city not pursue the sale of the residential property at this time.”

Commissioners agreed.

IN OTHER NEWS

n The commission shot down — in a 2-3 vote, with Oliver, Wilsen and Brinson against — an amendment to the Ocoee Landings PUD/Land Use Plan that would have allowed the PUD/LUP to add an automobile repair shop (Firestone Automotive Repair) and car wash in the list of permitted uses.

“It’s not costing us anything to keep at this point, correct?” Commissioner Rosemary Wilsen said.

“And I don’t think the city should be taking a million-dollar hit … and I just don’t like when I read this about apartments.”

However, the city will move forward with the sales process of the commercial property. The highest bidder — GPK OET LLC — is a developer that has worked with the city previously. GPK’s propos-

al includes a gas station, a tractor dealership and an office. Commissioners asked for more clarification on the developer’s involvement in addressing problems at the intersection of Ocoee-Apopka Road and Fullers Cross Road.

“The overall planned-unit development had a traffic study and has road layout,” Director of Development Services Michael Rumer said. “Part of the Fullers Cross/Ocoee-Apopka Road work was a result of that; we know the turn lanes were needed, we know the width of right-of-way — that project is funded, committed and will start.

“When they come in with their development, we’ll look at the development as proposed to the amount of square footage allotted in the transportation study when the PUD was approved, to see if it’s going to generate more trips (or) less trips, and we’ll see what type of trip it is,” he said.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

Young entrepreneur sweetens community with cookie business Windermere 11-year-old Juliette Sioson plans to attend baking school someday.

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

First responders, teachers and town employees in Windermere have been the recipients of some sugary goodness in the last few months.

Juliette Sioson started her own cookie business, which she named One Smart Cookie, and family and friends are raving about her sweet treats. Many are ordering cookies to be delivered to officials as a way to say thank you.

The 11-year-old Windermere resident said she loves to bake and putting a smile on people’s faces.

“I love making people happy and brightening their day, and then it brightens my day,” Juliette said.

“I have an example: We went to Palmetto Elementary School in Orlando, and we delivered 23 dozen to the teachers and staff at Palmetto. And they were just super happy … which made me happy.

And making me happy made the people who bought the cookies happy.”

For that delivery, Juliette put four cookies in each bag so every-

Courtesy photos

Juliette Sioson spends a great deal of time in her kitchen whipping up her delicious cookies.

one could have some. She delivered a box of school supplies, as well.

Juliette started her baking business at the beginning of the summer. When she was deciding on a name, she thought of the nickname some of her teachers called her at Windermere Elementary

ONE SMART COOKIE To order some of Juliette’s cookies, visit her Instagram account, @onesmartcookiejuliette, or email her at onesmartcookiejuliette@gmail.com.

School, and One Smart Cookie was born.

Folks with a sweet tooth can buy the regulars — chocolate chip, sugar and peanut butter — or one of the occasional specials.

“Our special right now is Mc3=Y,” she said. “Minced Chocolate Chip Cookie Equals Yummy.

It’s a chocolate chip meringue.

It looks like a little scoop of ice cream.”

Other specials have included sugar cookies with red, white and blue star-shaped sprinkles for the Fourth of July, and white chocolate chip macadamia nut for National Hawaii Day. She sells edible cookie dough for snack lovers who just want to pop a few cookies in the oven at a time.

Prices are $6 for a dozen of freshly baked cookies and $5 for one dozen scoops of the take-andbake dough.

“You can refrigerate, and if you want a warm cookie, you can pop it into the oven and have a warm cookie to brighten your day,” Juliette said.

Business is steady, she said, and she has received many orders for her to bake and deliver. She has visited several schools, including Windermere Elementary, where she passed out cookies to her former teachers. At Windermere Town Hall, Juliette was greeted with a sign on the door that read: “Will work for cookies.”

Juliette Sioson made a delivery to the Winter Garden Fire Rescue Department’s Station 22.

After the cookies were eaten, the town of Windermere wrote on its Facebook page: “Everyone loves cookies! Take it from us, these cookies are fantastic!”

Juliette said she’s saving the money she earns, maybe to put toward college or baking school.

She currently is a sixth-grader at The First Academy.

WOPA

West OrAnge POliticAl AlliAnce, inc: A non-partisan political committee, the political action arm of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce, formed to represent the best interests of West Orange County

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Vote Early, By Mail or on August 18th Our endorsed candidates: Betsy VanderLey Mayra Uribe Mike Miller John Mina Amy Mercado

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FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Geraldine Thompson (D) District 44 Bruno Portigliatti (R) District 44

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Paid political advertisement by the West Orange Political Alliance, Inc., 12184 W. Colonial Dr., Winter Garden, FL 34787. For more information call 407-656-1304.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

Bella’s birthday bash

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Bella Brown’s 10th birthday was complete with a red carpet, horse-drawn carriage, city proclamation and a special guest.

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Bill Vitanyi befriended Bella Brown and her family when she was 3 and has continued to provide special treats for them.

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Bella Brown celebrated her 10th birthday with an array of surprises.

Hospital for Children’s Superheroes Hall of Fame for seven years.

The day also included the redcarpet treatment — literally — as one was rolled out, leading Bella to a white, horse-drawn carriage courtesy of Susan Wilhelm-Nastasi and Soul Haven Ranch Carriage Services.

Publix provided a strawberry shortcake for the party, too, Vitanyi said.

“I did this and many other things over the years because she’s so special and it’s a great feeling to see her and the family smile and be happy,” Vitanyi said. “My goal is to have her become the face of blood donating. Ever wonder what happens to your blood that’s donated? Well, look at Bella.”

Vitanyi has called her Super Bella ever since he met her and presented her with a cape from TinySuperheroes. The pink cape, emblazoned with a giant yellow B sewn on the back, allowed her membership into the TinySuperhero Squad. She was one of the first 100 children to get hers from the organization.

Vitanyi said he has been compelled to honor Bella all these years because of one thing she taught him: “Just try to be kind.”

“My goal is to have her become the face of blood donating. Ever wonder what happens to your blood that’s donated? Well, look at Bella.”

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Bella Brown had a double-digit celebration fit for a princess — and she has a tiara to prove it.

Bella turned 10, and the community created a special day of events to celebrate the monumental birthday of the young survivor.

The Winter Garden resident was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and epilepsy. She had three open-heart surgeries by the time she was 3.

Family friend Bill Vitanyi arranged the July 26 party. He has become close to Bella and her family — mom Jeannette, dad Sean and two older brothers — since meeting them seven years ago.

“She deserves happy memories and … the family is special to me and all that know her,” Vitanyi said.

The celebration, held at Newton Park, was full of gifts and surprises. Anitra Manning, Mrs. Florida US Majesty 2019, visited with Bella, presented her with rose gold cupcakes with edible frames and photos, and crowned her with a glimmering tiara.

Winter Garden Mayor Pro-Tem Bob Buchanan read a proclamation for Bella that highlighted her illnesses; her surgeon, Dr. William DeCampli; her milestone birthday; her love of swimming, biking, and playing soccer and basketball; her ability “to live with great strength and spirit”; and her parents’ encouragement to “reach for the stars and not limit her life.”

EFoam created a giant gold key with a decorative “WG” on top to replicate a key to the city of Winter Garden.

The proclamation was signed

by Mayor John Rees and dated July 26, 2020; Buchanan presented it to the birthday girl.

One of the biggest surprises was a visit from Dr. DeCampli, who wore a Superman T-shirt under his jacket, not because he thinks he’s Superman, but because Bella has been in the Arnold Palmer

— Bill Vitanyi

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OBSERVER

WEST ORANG E HISTO RY

OrangeObserver.com

THESE OLD TIMES

FROM THE WINTER GARDEN HERITAGE FOUNDATION

Winter Garden School children and teachers had to be in Florida at least two weeks before school opened. This was the decision of the local school board to take precautions against the dreaded infantile paralysis epidemic.

85 years ago

Grocery establishments in Winter Garden did a nice business. The announcement that the rationing of canned fruit and vegetables had been lifted caused many housewives to flock to the stores.

75 years ago

FROM THE ARCHIVES

45 years ago

Winter Garden Mayor Bob Barber, right, and Ocoee Mayor Tom Ison, center, commemorate the successful mutual-aid agreement between the cities’ police departments in this West Orange Times photograph dated Aug. 14, 1986. The hourglass that Ison is holding symbolized that it was “high time” for a collaboration. Winter Garden and Ocoee have always engaged in a friendly rivalry of sorts. In fact, a piece by the newspaper reported that the two cities had agreed on a “merger plan.” According to the article, which ran April 1, 1971, “The office of mayor will be determined by the toss of a coin.”

There were big doings at the Winter Garden Travel Center as the new Airstream and Aryosy trailer and motor home lines were unveiled. Open-house activities had a bicentennial theme with Minutemen to proclaim, “The Airstreams are coming!”

40 years ago

The West Orange Memorial Hospital board of trustees last week approved the purchase of $30,000 worth of surgical equipment for the ophthalmology department.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

7

THROWBACK THURSDAY AUG. 11, 1950 Winter Garden Times had special sections for various parts of West Orange County to report their goings-on.

News was sparse back then, because there weren’t many people living here yet and there was no social media to spread news and gossip.

In the Aug. 11, 1950, issue of the newspaper, such events were worth noting in Ocoee: taking a family trip, moving to a new location, heading off to camp and visiting family. Because there was space at the bottom of the column, a tidbit about Florida’s trees was included.

95 years ago

C.G. Tilden, who operated one of the large truck farms in West Orange County, was reported to have shipped out 75 tons of watermelons. That is two days’ pickings.

|

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.

30 years ago

The St. Johns River Water Management District governing board gave its nod to spending about $23 million to acquire lands with significant watermanagement value — bringing more than 15,000 acres of land into public ownership. The

most significant purchase is the acquisition of 4,400 acres of farmland along the northern shore of Lake Apopka.

20 years ago

Nearly 100 students living in the Tildenville community near Winter Garden could

safely ride a bus to Tildenville Elementary School instead of walking, thanks to businessman Dale DeWitt, who donated $7,000 to provide the transportation after courtesy busing in the area was stopped.

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Betsy Keeps Her Promises and Gets Results: Protected Rural Lands and added thousands of new acres of wetlands to conservation.

Fought for Horizon West Improvements initiating efforts to develop a master plan and begin design for the 220-acre Horizon West Regional Park; earmarked $10m in park impact fees to begin construction; secured a temporary fire station and land for a new library.

Increased Citizen Engagement – hosted hundreds of community engagement events, averaging one a week, throughout the district.

Connected and Increased Trails – secured funding to begin “Loop Trail” design around Lake Apopka and advanced designs to connect Horizon West with the state “coast-to-coast” trail system.

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REAL ESTATE

8

OBSERVER

|

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

Windermere estate tops sales at $2 million A

home in Winder-

GOTHA

mere topped all West

The home at 3458 Crystal St., Gotha, sold Aug. 5, for $320,000. Built in 1955, it has four bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 1,884 square feet. The price per square foot is $169.85. Days on market: 137.

Orange-area residential real-estate transactions from July 30 to Aug. 6.

The home at 5005 W. Lake Butler Road, Win-

PEARL LAKE

HORIZON WEST ASHLIN PARK

1947, it has three bed-

The home at 11524 Ashlin Park Blvd., Windermere, sold Aug. 4, for $345,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 1,920 square feet. The price per square foot is $179.69. Days on market: Five.

rooms, three baths and

HAMILTON GARDENS

dermere, sold July 31, for $2 million. Built in

2,193 square feet of living area on 2.18 acres. The price per square foot is $911.99. Days on market: 276.

These are the highestselling homes in each community in West Orange.

The home at 5769 Surprise Lily Drive, Winter Garden, sold Aug. 4, for $444,275. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 3,168 square feet. The price per square foot is $140.24. Days on market: Zero.

HICKORY HAMMOCK

The home at 15195 Lake Claire Overlook Drive, Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $664,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,844 square feet. The price per square foot is $172.74. Days on market: 24.

INDEPENDENCE/ SIGNATURE LAKES

The home at 14730 Avenue of the Rushes, Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $1,564,000.

Built in 2019, it has five bed-

zillow.com

This Windermere home, at 5005 W. Lake Butler Road, Windermere, sold July 31, for $2 million. It is situated on 2.18 acres on Lake Butler.

rooms, five-and-one-half baths, a pool and 5,100 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $306.67. Days on market: 501.

The home at 14435 Whittridge Drive, Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $427,000. Built in 2005, it has five bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,735 square feet. The price per square foot is $114.32. Days on market: Six. LATHAM PARK NORTH

The home at 14282 Aldford Drive, Winter Garden, sold July

31, for $585,000. Built in 2016, it has five bedrooms, four-andone-half baths and 3,671 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $159.36. Days on market: 114.

LATHAM PARK SOUTH

The home at 9139 Bradleigh Drive, Winter Garden, sold Aug. 3, for $547,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three-and-one-half baths and 3,092 square feet. The price per square foot is $176.91. Days on market: Seven.

ORCHARD HILLS

The home at 5518 Myrtle Pine Lane, Winter Garden, sold Aug. 4, for $465,000. Built in 2018, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,577 square feet. The price per square foot is $130. Days on market: Four.

The home at 5770 Mangrove Cove Ave., Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $376,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,466 square feet of living area. The price per square foot is $152.47. Days on market: Three.

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OBSERVER

OrangeObserver.com

SNAPSHOT Total Sales: 90 High Sale Price: $2 million Low Sale Price: $130,000 PANTHER VIEW

The home at 14843 Winter Stay Drive, Winter Garden, sold Aug. 3, for $525,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 3,505 square feet. The price per square foot is $149.79. Days on market: 22.

SUMMERLAKE

The home at 8003 Rail St. sold Aug. 3, for $410,000. Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,772 square feet. The price per square foot is $147.91.

Days on market: Two. The home at 15420 Blackbead St., Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $330,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 1,853 square feet. The price per square foot is $178.09. Days on market: 17.

SUMMERPORT

The home at 4430 Indian Deer Road, Windermere, sold July 30, for $509,888. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,047 square feet. The price per square foot is $167.34. Days on market: Four.

WEST LAKE HANCOCK ESTATES

The home at 7609 Green Mountain Way sold July 31, for $998,800. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, three baths, two half-baths, a pool and 4,133 square feet. The price per square foot is $241.66. Days on market: One.

|

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

WEST SIDE VILLAGE

FOREST TRAILS

WINDERMERE ISLE

FORESTBROOKE

The home at 11519 Charnock Drive, Windermere, sold July 31, for $348,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 2,212 square feet. The price per square foot is $157.32. Days on market: 36.

The home at 2557 Laurel Blossom Circle, Ocoee, sold Aug. 3, for $324,000. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,566 square feet. The price per square foot is $126.27. Days on market: 17.

The home at 13603 Gorgona Isle Drive, Windermere, sold Aug. 4, for $575,000. Built in 2019, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,647 square feet. The price per square foot is $157.66. Days on market: 20.

WINDERMERE SOUND

The home at 7342 Auburnwood Lane, Windermere, sold July 31, for $378,000. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,136 square feet. The price per square foot is $176.97. Days on market: Three.

WINDERMERE TERRACE

The home at 13225 Overstreet Road sold July 31, for $320,000.

Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,058 square feet. The price per square foot is $155.49. Days on market: 111.

WINDERMERE TRAILS

The home at 9025 Outlook Rock Trail, Windermere, sold Aug. 3, for $530,000. Built in 2015, it has five bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 4,135 square feet. The price per square foot is $128.17. Days on market: Three.

The home at 9180 Outlook Rock Trail sold July 30, for $455,000.

Built in 2015, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,579 square feet. The price per square foot is $176.42. Days on market: Seven.

9

The home at 3394 Starbird Drive sold July 31, for $306,500. Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,162 square feet. The price per square foot is $141.77.

Days on market: Six. HAMMOCKS zillow.com

This Signature Lakes home, at 14730 Avenue of the Rushes, Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $1,564,000. This custom home was built by Brierhill Homes on Lake Hancock.

OAKLAND

WINTERS LANDING

HULL ISLAND

The home at 832 Hull Island Drive, Oakland, sold July 30, for $469,590. Built in 2019, it has five bedrooms, four baths and 3,729 square feet. The price per square foot is $125.93. Days on market: 289.

LONGLEAF AT OAKLAND

The home at 1113 Bobcat Chase Lane, Oakland, sold Aug. 6, for $384,935. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths and 2,470 square feet. The price per square foot is $155.84. Days on market: Seven.

OAKLAND TRAILS

The home at 1757 Standing Rock Circle, Oakland, sold July 31, for $389,000. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths and 2,000 square feet. The price per square foot is $194.50. Days on market: 13.

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The home at 507 E. Henschen Ave., Oakland, sold Aug. 3, for $470,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,760 square feet. The price per square foot is $170.29.

Days on market: 22.

OCOEE

ARDEN PARK NORTH

The home at 1819 Southern Red Oak Court, Ocoee, sold Aug. 3, for $415,805. Built in 2019, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 3,711 square feet. The price per square foot is $112.05. Days on market: 70.

CHESHIRE WOODS

The home at 551 Dunoon St., Ocoee, sold Aug. 6, for $322,500.

Built in 1998, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,884 square feet. The price per square foot is $171.18. Days on market: Four.

The home at 839 Hammocks Drive, Ocoee, sold July 30, for $325,000. Built in 1991, it has four bedrooms, two-and-one-half baths and 2,352 square feet. The price per square foot is $138.18.

Days on market: 12.

MEADOW RIDGE

The home at 2831 Valeria Rose Way, Ocoee, sold Aug. 6, for $450,000. Built in 2009, it has four bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths, a pool and 2,939 square feet. The price per square foot is $153.11. Days on market: 74.

SHOAL CREEK

The home at 713 Crooked Creek Drive sold July 30, for $310,000.

Built in 1995, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,888 square feet. The price per square foot is $164.19. Days on market: 14.

SILVER BEND

The home at 2068 Cassingham Circle, Ocoee, sold July 30, for $272,000. Built in 1993, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,879 square feet. The price per square foot is $144.76. Days on market: 21.

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OBSERVER

|

OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

BAPTIST

First Baptist Church Pastor Tim Grosshans 125 E. Plant St, Winter Garden (407) 656-2352 Sundays: 8:30 a.m. Traditional 9:45 AM Bible Study 11:00 AM Contemporary Wednesdays: 6 p.m.- Awana 2nd Campus: Foundation Worship Foundation Academy High School 15304 Tilden Rd., Winter Garden (407) 730-1867 Sundays: 9:45 a.m. All Ages FoundationWorship.com Starke Lake Baptist Church Pastor Jeff Pritchard PO Box 520 611 W Ave., Ocoee (407) 656-2351 StarkeLakeBaptist.org

REAL ESTATE

10

EPISCOPAL

Church of the Messiah 241 N. Main St., Winter Garden Services: 8, 9:30, & 11 a.m., 7 p.m.

ChurchoftheMessiah.com

WINDSOR LANDING

TOWN OF WINDERMERE

The home at 256 Calliope St., Ocoee, sold Aug. 3, for $496,500.

Built in 2005, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,245 square feet. The price per square foot is $153. Days on market: 15.

The home at 646 E. Sixth Ave., Windermere, sold July 31, for $649,000. Built in 1959, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,312 square feet. The price per square foot is $494.66. Days on market: Three.

WINDERMERE

WINTER GARDEN

The home at 2916 Sunbittern Court, Windermere, sold July 30, for $950,000. Built in 1984, it has five bedrooms, four-andone-half baths, a pool and 4,723 square feet. The price per square foot is $201.14. Days on market: Four.

The home at 14385 Black Lake Preserve St., Winter Garden, sold Aug. 5, for $353,000. Built in 2018, it has five bedrooms, threeand-one-half baths and 3,902 square feet. The price per square foot is $90.47. Days on market: 21.

The home at 169 Sagecrest Drive, Ocoee, sold July 31, for $504,000.

Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,310 square feet. The price per square foot is $152.27. Days on market: 103.

BUTLER BAY

METHODIST

First United Methodist Church 125 N. Lakeview Ave., Winter Garden (407) 656-1135 Services: Livestreaming Sunday @ 9 AM. Viewable on Facebook and Youtube

KEENE’S POINTE

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

The home at 11343 Fenimore Court, Windermere, sold Aug. 6, for $630,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 2,989 square feet. The price per square foot is $210.77. Days on market: 46.

The home at 477 W. Second Ave., Windermere, sold July 30, for $835,000. Built in 1984, it has three bedrooms, three-and-onehalf baths, a pool and 3,118 square feet. The price per square foot is $267.80. Days on market: 170.

BLACK LAKE PRESERVE

CANOPY OAKS

The home at 707 Canopy Estates Drive, Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $894,000. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, four-andone-half baths and 3,665 square feet. The price per square foot is $243.93. Days on market: 246.

CHURCH DIRECTORY

STARKE LAKE BAPTIST CHURCH GLICAN COMMUNITY PO Box 520, 611 W Ave, Ocoee CHURCH 13640 W. Colonial Dr., Ste 110, LLOWSHIP CHURCH Pastor Jeff Pritchard 125 N. Lakeview Ave Winter Garden Winter Garden of God tor The Rev. CanonOcoee Tim TrombitasChurch (407) 656-2351 Service Times 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM 407-654-9661 • Prayer 9:30AM, 6 East Plant St, Winter Garden www.starkelakebaptist.org Pastor Thomas Odom Phone – 407-656-1135 Fellowship 9:45AM, Service 10:05 AM NDAY SERVICE 10:00 AM Web: fumcwg.org Church Orlando Ave.,Ocoee Purpose d us at: Theacf.net 1105 N. Lakewood CHURCH OF GOD (407) 656-8011 13640 CHURCH W Colonial OCOEE CHURCH OF GOD UNITED OF Dr. Ste 110, APTIST Pastor Thomas Odom Winter Garden CHRIST 1105 N. Lakewood Avenue, Ocoee ULAH BAPTIST WINDERMERE UNION CHURCH (407) 654-9661 407-656-8011 or Casey Butner 10710 Park Ridge-Gotha Rd. Beulah Rd, Winter Garden Sunday Service: 10:05 a.m.

Windermere, FL 34786 EPISCOPAL -656-3342 | BeulahBaptistWG.org 407-876-2112 Worship times: Sunday Brazilian Service: 7 p.m.

CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH NDAY BIBLE STUDY 9:30AM 9:00am Adult Sunday School Saturday Service: 6 p.m.

241 N. Main, Winter Garden NDAY SERVICE 11:00AM 10:00am Worship Services: 8, 9:30, & 11am, 7pm DNESDAY SERVICE 6:00PM purposechurchorlando.org www.windermereunion.org www.churchofthemessiah.com ST BAPTIST CHURCH E Plant St., Winter Garden -656-2352 NDAYS 8:30 am Traditional 5 am Bible Study 00 am Contemporary DNESDAYS - 6pm - Awana MIKE YOAKUM or Tim Grosshans PASTOR w.fbcwg.org Campus: P: 407.656.1520 UNDATION WORSHIP C: 407.758.3570 NDAYS 9:45 am - All Ages MYOAKUM407@AOL.COM ndation Academy High School 04 Tilden Rd., Winter Garden w.FoundationWorship.com -730-1867

CHURCH OF GOD

1333 EAST CROWN POINT RD. OCOEE, FL 34761

West Orange Times & Observer and LAKE CYPRESS COVE G.T. SMITH SUBDIVISION online at OrangeObserver.com.

The home at 5800 Marleon Drive, The home at 228 S. Lakeview Windermere, sold Aug. 6, for Ave., Winter Garden, sold July To $821,500. advertiseBuilt in the Directory inChurch 2013, it has four 31, for $470,000. Built in 2,363, call 407-656-2121 email bedrooms, three baths,or a pool and it has three bedrooms, one-andAdvertiseNow@OrangeObserver.com 3,000 square feet. The price per one-half baths and 2,363 square square foot is $273.83. Days on feet. The price per square foot is market: 97. $198.90. Days on market: Five.

LAKE DOWN ESTATES

The home at 10972 Bayshore Drive, Windermere, sold July 30, for $1,056,000. Built in 1930, it has three bedrooms, two-andone-half baths, a pool and 3,015 square feet. The price per square foot is $350.25. Days on market: 57.

LAKE COVE POINTE

The home at 417 Lone Heron Way, Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $419,900. Built in 2013, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 2,465 square feet. The price per square foot is $170.34. Days on market: 15.

LV14252

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

FOXCREST The home at 8423 Woburn The home at 947 Home Grove Court, Windermere, sold Aug. Drive, Winter Garden, sold Aug. 3, for $545,000. Built in 1999, it 3, for $550,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, two baths, Advertise your Services or Events has four bedrooms, four baths two half-baths and 2,717 square and 3,923 square feet. The price feeton of living The price per this area. page weekly. per square foot is $140.20. Days square foot is $200.59. Days on market: 121.appears weekly in the on market: Three.

This page 316889-1

NGLICAN

Windermere Union Church 10710 Park Ridge-Gotha Rd., Windermere (407) 876-2112 Adult Worship: 9 a.m.

Sunday School: 10 a.m.

METHODIST NON-DENOMINATIONAL FIRST UNITED METHODIST PURPOSE CHURCH OLANDO WindermereUnion.org

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The home at 2609 Black Lake Blvd., Winter Garden, sold Aug. 5, for $425,000. Built in 2007, it has four bedrooms, two-andone-half baths, a pool and 2,617 square feet. The price per square foot is $162.40. Days on market: Zero.

The home at 973 Huntspoint St., No. 4B, Winter Garden, sold Aug. 3, for $715,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 3,137 square feet. The price per square foot is $227.92. Days on market: 146.

The home at 15508 Pebble Ridge St., Winter Garden, sold Aug. 5, for $365,000. Built in 2001, it has four bedrooms, two-and-onehalf baths, a pool and 2,763 square feet. The price per square foot is $132.10. Days on market: 19.

PARK PLACE AT WINTER GARDEN

TRAILS OF WINTER GARDEN

The townhouse at 133 S. Park Ave., No. 7D, Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $659,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three-andone-half baths and 2,706 square feet. The price per square foot is $243.53. Days on market: 73.

The townhouse at 463 W. Smith St., No. 29G, Winter Garden, sold Aug. 5, for $482,000. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, twoand-one-half baths and 1,870 square feet. The price per square foot is $257.75. Days on market: 52.

ROPER RESERVE

The home at 1645 Highbanks Circle, Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $375,739. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,913 square feet. The price per square foot is $196.41. Days on market: Zero.

The home at 1612 Mistflower Lane, Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $353,000. Built in 2006, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,363 square feet. The price per square foot is $149.39. Days on market: Five.

TWINWATERS

The home at 1646 Holcomb Creek St., Winter Garden, sold July 31, for $568,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four-andone-half baths and 3,824 square feet. The price per square foot is $148.54. Days on market: 10.

WINTERMERE POINTE

The home at 2437 Prairie View Drive, Winter Garden, sold Aug. 3, for $408,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,894 square feet. The price per square foot is $140.98. Days on market: 85.

2

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STONEYBROOK WEST

See more real estate transactions at OrangeObserver.com

The home at 669 Caterpillar Run, Winter Garden, sold Aug. 3, for $579,990. Built in 2019, it has six bedrooms, five baths and 5,111 square feet. The price per square foot is $113.48. Days on market: 343.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

Private schools are prepared CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Troy Herring

Patsy Ford, a Foundation Academy algebra teacher, prepares her classroom for the upcoming semester.

FOUNDATION ACADEMY

At Foundation Academy, preparation of a virtual-learning strategy — led by School President David Buckles, Vice President of Education Carol Grosshans and IT Director Tim Nethers — was in place before students left for spring break in March.

“For our virtual experience, we installed special equipment,” said Joe Cioffi, director of communications. “Logitech

manufactures a product that can be mounted, and it follows our teachers in the classroom with a 360-degree microphone.

They’re going to be delivering those classes virtually, so we’ve created a seamless learning experience.”

Students have the option to learn virtually through Foundation Academy. However, if they choose to do so, they commit in quarterly installments.

“For the first nine weeks, if they decided to do that, they’ll sit in the virtual experience and complete their education,” Cioffi said. “If things lighten up and they feel more comfortable, they’ll be able to come back to school physically the next quarter. It gives the parents some options, and it helps us maintain some order to both the physical and virtual experiences.”

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Meanwhile, school leaders and staff have been tasked with creating the safest possible environment in which to teach and learn. It’s a challenge that has required creative solutions and guidance from administrators, medical professionals and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Three local private schools have been planning for the 2020-21 school year for months.

The First Academy and Windermere Preparatory School welcomed its students back to the classroom on Wednesday, Aug. 12, and Foundation Academy will reopen its doors to students on Monday, Aug. 17.

Each will be conducting health screenings — including temperature checks and health questionnaires — daily for staff, students and visitors. Handsanitizer stations will be available around each campus, and the schools are asking students not to share supplies. Social distancing will be encouraged, and frequent disinfection of high-use areas will take place.

Although there are many commonalities, each school has curated its own form of a reopening plan that details safety protocols and procedures stemming from current CDC guidelines, as well as direction from local and state health officials.

The school organized a task force with representation from its three campuses, which then assembled an advisory board of pediatricians and other medical professionals. They worked together to create a draft of the reopening plan. There is a schoolwide plan, as well as campus-specific plans.

“The challenge that not just schools are facing but we’re facing in general is it’s a new virus,” Cioffi said. “Now, we’re moving into different territory where we have a little more knowledge of this virus … and we have to take the information that’s kind of changing on a daily basis into account.”

Foundation will be using an electrostatic cleaning machine and wiping down high-touch areas, and there is Plexiglas in certain areas to provide a physical barrier. Face coverings will be required where physical distancing isn’t possible; at this time, it will be optional for students and staff in areas and situations where they are able to physically distance, Cioffi said.

Additionally, students and staff will be asked to take responsibility for their personal belongings and disinfect them daily. Water fountains now have apparatuses installed that allow students to refill their own water bottles, and bathrooms have touchless faucets and latrines.

“Our goal is to keep things as normal as we possibly can in these unprecedented times, but at the same time, we’re taking every provision in the course of our operating procedures to provide the safest atmosphere that we can,” Cioffi said.

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OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

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OBSERVER SCHOOL ZONE

Courtesy photo

The First Academy held a Royal Family Reunion to welcome back families.

THE FIRST ACADEMY

For the Royals, the school year kicked off Aug. 12. However, administrators have been hard at work devising plans and protocols to best protect staff and students since the end of the previous school year Sarah Donovan, senior director at The First Academy, said the leadership team began in May by creating a medical advisory committee of parents at the school who also are medical professionals. Simultaneously, the school created its reopening task force comprising teachers, leaders, parents and school board members. They collaborated to create a plan for every aspect of campus, reopening and daily student life.

“Our goal was to be the most prepared school locally and statewide in the private Chris-

tian sector as possible, and I really think we accomplished that,” Donovan said. “We now have convened a group called the COVID Response Team. So now that we’re opening, how are we going to then respond to COVID-19 — whether it’s active or inactive — on campus?”

Each desk, workstation or lab table now has a Plexiglas desk shield. The new lunchroom has tables spaced appropriately, and there are new picnic tables and space added for outdoor classrooms, as well.

The First Academy also will use electrostatic sprayers and adapters in air-conditioning units, and carpet has been replaced with hard flooring in the lobby areas. Face masks will be required at all times on campus for students, faculty and staff.

For students and families not yet comfortable with returning to campus, the school also is offering a hybrid-virtual learning model that allows them to log in to live classes. This allows families another option and increased flexibility.

“Having our parents as part of the planning process has allowed us to vet their needs and concerns proactively instead of reactively,” Donovan said. “Our families returning are confident and excited to get their students back to The First Academy, and those that still need time before coming in face-to-face to campus are able to enroll their students in our hybrid program. …

I think that confidence comes with everything we’ve done to prepare a safe in-person campus but also everything we’re doing to make sure they have an option to stay a part of our school family and engage in the classroom virtually, too.

“We’re encouraging (families) to keep in mind health and safety protocols on and off campus,” she said. “The health of our campus really depends on their health.”

WINDERMERE PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Windermere Prep also opened its doors to students on Aug. 12.

However, its plan differs from those of its counterparts: Oncampus instruction is in full swing for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Students in middle and high school are following a blended plan.

“Grades six to 12 will open on a blended plan that will have our middle- and high-school students attending part-time on campus and part-time virtually,” said Steven Lyng, Windermere Prep’s head of school. “The blended plan for middle and high school will allow us to maintain smaller groups on those two parts of our campus.”

Administration created its own plan with guidance from both the CDC and the Florida Department of Education. Windermere Prep also is one of 66 schools worldwide included in the Nord Anglia Education family — allowing it to follow in the footsteps of its sister schools.

“Many of our sister schools have gone through successful reopenings already, which has given us a very good insight into what has worked well and what pitfalls we should avoid in our planning,” Lyng said. “We have had a very helpful collaboration with Orlando Health’s businessreopening task force. The team at Orlando Health has been fantastic in helping us interpret and understand the CDC guidelines and get a great plan in place to open the school. Their assistance has been invaluable.”

One of the highlights of the school’s most recent reopening updates is the installation of a UV-coil lighting system in each of the classrooms’ HVAC units, which helps prevent the growth of bacteria and mold on cooling coils and HVAC ductwork. The school also installed a Camfil Dual 9 MERV-9/9a, which also will assist with continuous particle removal.

Other highlights of Windermere Prep’s plan include mandatory face coverings for faculty, students, staff and visitors; capacity limits in common areas; and individual grab-andgo items from the cafeteria. As part of the screening process, students, staff and visitors will use the SafelyPass app on their mobile devices to submit selfdeclaration forms. The school’s monitors will grant clearance.

“Feedback has been largely positive,” Lyng said. “It has been five months since we closed the school and went to 100% virtual learning last spring. Everyone involved is ready to get students engaged and learning. We are working to accomplish that goal with health and safety as our top priority going into the 2020-21 academic year.”

“It has been five months since we closed the school and went to 100% virtual learning last spring. Everyone involved is ready to get students engaged and learning. We are working to accomplish that goal with health and safety as our top priority going into the 2020-21 academic year.”

—Steven Lyng, Windermere Prep’s head of school

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OBSERVER

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

OBSERVER SCHOOL ZONE

Digital learning begins According to OCPS, the Canvas learning platform was launched 736,000 times Aug. 10.

Although there were technical difficulties the first part of the day — mainly due to volume and concurrent logins, according to OCPS — many OCPS families took it in stride.

Horizon West resident Melissa Cress has one child starting high school and another in elementary school this year. They decided to go with LaunchED after talking with several friends who are teachers.

“Overall, the first day was pretty good for both of the boys,” Cress said. “There were some minor hiccups that were resolved pretty quickly with our video and audio a few different times. After going through the first day with my elementary school-aged son, I can appreciate the need to use these first few weeks to get everyone acquainted with LaunchED and the teachers classroom on the site.”

Cress said LaunchED is more organized than the spring virtual-learning experience.

“It was very nice to have a bell schedule and to have the teacher there the entire day,” she said.

“I feel confident that it will run smoothly, especially as time goes on.”

Although Monday was the first day for students, teachers have been working to learn and implement the new virtual education since OCPSLaunchED@ Home was announced. The concept allows students to remain enrolled at their school but receive education from home.

Westbrooke Elementary firstgrade teacher Jaime Cormier is teaching from her classroom.

“All of my students are virtual, so I will be teaching them from an empty classroom,” Cormier said. “I also have the option to teach from home. I feel like a new teacher again.

I’ve completed online training for LaunchED and Canvas and have spent numerous hours creating my courses in Canvas. It’s a completely different approach to teaching, and I am still unsure of what it is going to look like. At this time, I feel more like a web designer than an educator.”

“It was very nice to have a bell schedule and to have the teacher there the entire day. I feel confident that it will run smoothly, especially as time goes on.”

— Melissa Cress, Horizon West parent

Cormier is used to being a hands-on educator and is known to give hugs and support.

“It scares me that I won’t be right there for my students,” she said.

Jessica Bennett, a kindergarten teacher at Maxey Elementary, said it has been mentally stressful trying to plan for virtual instruction.

“Kindergarten is a time for relationship building, handson learning and lots of socialization, and I will have to find new ways to teach those things,” Bennett said. “I think it’s going to be a lot of trial and error, and I think I will continuously discover new teaching styles throughout distance learning.”

For Frangus Elementary kindergarten teacher Kelli-Ann Doherty, working longer hours has become routine while learning new digital platforms.

Teaching kindergartners has its own set of challenges, but doing so virtually adds even more.

One of the biggest challenges, Doherty said, is making sure there’s someone with the student to navigate any troubleshooting matters involving technology, because kindergarten lessons require many hands-on activities. She will have to provide digital work rather than pencil-and-paper work, which makes it more difficult for students to write with

WITH CAPTAIN OBVIOUS by Paul Coulter; CROSSWORD INTERVIEW Edited by David Steinberg

©2020 Universal Uclick

1 Cookbook abbr.

5 Name as an example 9 Bad guys 13 Prickly pear and saguaro 18 Diamond Head locale 19 Gunk 20 Borders on 22 Nebraska city known for its zoo 23 Question: ___ / Answer: The dictionary’s T section, near “thistle” 27 One may be taken to the cleaners 28 Diminishes 29 Drink in a pint glass

30 Department with ties 31 Knight’s title 33 Out fishing, perhaps 34 Bothers 35 Bylaw, for short 36 Q: ___ / A: Anything that comes to mind 41 Practice martial arts 43 Has dumplings, e.g.

44 Asian pans 45 “Help!”

46 Cleans up, as an article 49 Book end?

50 Swatter target 51 African antelope 52 Cereal fruit, often

53 Q: ___ / A: Because that’s my name 60 Counting rhyme start 61 Korbut or Kurylenko 62 Lodgings along a highway 63 Playground retort 64 Q: ___ / A: The opening act 68 Southeastern Arabian Peninsula country 72 “Kapow!”

73 One working for Kamala Harris 74 Talk tediously, with “on” 75 Q: ___ / A: With water, sunshine and fertilizer

83 Back from fishing, perhaps 84 Swelter 85 Tax-deferred plan, for short 86 “... ___ mouse?”

87 Sudden impulses 88 Tiebreakers, briefly 89 TED Talk subject 91 Catch, like a sleeve 92 Emulated Pinocchio 94 Q: ___ / A: Things I hate 98 ___ X 99 Oatmeal mask target 101 Enthusiasm 102 Mod About You nail pol-

ish brand 103 Spiced tea 104 Witty sort 105 Musk who tweeted “Who controls the memes, controls the Universe” 106 Act too dramatically 110 Q: ___ / A: I turn off the lights and lie in my bed 116 Abraham almost sacrificed him 117 ___ Domingo 118 Peru’s most populous city 119 Greek love god 120 Composer Jule 121 Advance of money 122 Calendar span 123 ___ Martin cognac

DOWN 1 Picks up, as a pickup 2 Thai currency 3 Longtime stadium that anagrams to “Ashe” 4 Sticklers 5 Cinematic FX 6 Platform for Siri 7 “Sesame Street” watcher 8 Temple of Artemis city 9 The Clash rocked it 10 Basics 11 Batman and Robin, e.g.

12 Venice’s ___ Basilica 13 Lowly worker 14 It has two bands but plays songs from many 15 Advancement at any cost 16 Flip-flop 17 Big name in pet food 21 Fine scarf material 24 City west of Tulsa 25 “Yeah, su-u-ure!”

26 Loch of cryptozoological fame 32 Piano-playing pooch on “The Muppet Show” 33 “All systems go” 34 Two-way, as a door 36 Artist and activist Ai 37 Corned beef concoctions 38 Greek city that hosted the 2004 Olympics 39 What comes easily to hand?

40 “___ It Romantic” (Rebel

Courtesy photo

Kelli-Ann Doherty is a teacher at Frangus Elementary.

their finger instead of a pencil.

The small-group teacher-table activities will be more difficult, too, she said, and students won’t be able to practice finemotor skills as often.

Starlyn Clark, an Ocoee resident who teaches first grade at Rock Springs Elementary, said the transition to an online classroom has been difficult.

“Within a regular face-toface classroom, there is a mixture of digital activities along with hands-on activities,” Clark said. “I have taken all of the required classes from the county but still am struggling to translate those classes into action. The classes are very good for auditory and visual learners but are not good for those of us who learn by doing.

“This has made me very aware that I must make sure to provide my students with the opportunity to practice and do

Wilson film) 42 Common compote fruits 47 20-20, e.g.

48 ___-Caps 50 Charge 51 Farm feed holder 52 Smallest puppy 54 Brazilian metropolis, familiarly 55 Like a mansion 56 1997 U.S. Open champ Ernie 57 Back in time 58 Personnel director, often 59 Switch positions 64 “This is fun!”

65 Consumes 66 Fruit in a chewy cookie 67 Lupino of “High Sierra” 68 Alternative to net 69 Angel whom Mormons believe visited Joseph Smith 70 Arctic jacket 71 Enya’s Grammy genre 72 Not as good 74 Chain letters?

75 Hem’s partner 76 ___Kosh B’gosh 77 Spend pleasurably, as time 78 Haitian’s neighbor 79 Tip ___ iceberg 80 “Major” bear 81 Losing proposition?

82 A Muse 88 Soccer slip-up 89 In a senseless way 90 Crime family head 91 More oozy 93 First light 95 Tattle about 96 Gin flavoring 97 Airy 98 Haunted house “resident” 100 Low islands 103 X’s, to Aphrodite 105 This, in Colombia 107 Shrek, e.g.

108 ___ McAn shoes 109 DIY handicrafts site 111 Miss no questions on 112 Game with Wild cards 113 Chart type 114 Doc bloc 115 Paving gunk

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.

“G VHPF ZTPZ AJH XNPBNHM ...

MNNC P HNPX MAXJZGAO UAH ZTN RAAB AU ZTN VXPONZ POB PXX DTA GOTPEGZ GZ.”

– BAO ITNPBXN

“J NPLB GZX’B APK BSH JGHY BSYB IH’OH YCZXH. BSHOH’L VZB BZ AH LZTH WZOT ZW CJWH ZPB BSHOH.”

– OJGCHK LFZBB

Puzzle Two Clue: V equals G

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the activities at home,” Clark said.

However, local parents said they appreciate all the work teachers are doing to adapt to the current situation. Horizon West resident Jacqueline Turner has children in fourth grade and VPK at Water Spring Elementary. Her fourth-grader will be doing LaunchED. Her 4-yearold started VPK via LaunchED but soon will be going face-toface for three hours per day.

“The schools and teachers are working so hard to make sure the process is as smooth as possible for the children,” she said. “There (are) a few internet problems with the amount of people logging in, but the school and teachers have helped us every step of the way to make sure that we all get on what we need to. I can’t thank them enough for all their hard work.”

Although Turner is worried about her youngest, she believes going face-to-face will be best for her at her age.

“She misses going to school and seeing her friends, but she understands that this is best thing to do for now to keep her safe,” Turner said of her older daughter. “She is 9 years old and understands what’s going on in the world. She is finding LaunchED fine to work. She used the same setup (at the) end of the last school year, so it’s not much of a shock to her.”

Turner and her husband hope to be able to send their fourthgrader back to the classroom in January but added they will take it a month at a time.

Puzzle One Clue: F equals Y

14

© 2020 NEA, Inc.

SUDOKU

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

©2020 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

08-13-20

AUGUST 13, 2020

SPORTS

Whatever happens with the 2020 football season, CFCA senior Finley Voorheis is ready to shine on the gridiron. Page 16.

Spencer takes over Ocoee girls basketball The longtime Ocoee Middle girls basketball coach wants to bring a new culture to the Knights.

Alexa Jameson stared down a runner as she fielded a ball.

THE GAMES MUST GO ON

TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

In the halls of Ocoee Middle School, fewer faces are more recognizable than Marcus Spencer.

For the last nine years, Spencer has coached the girls basketball program at the school while also serving as the athletic coordinator.

Spencer will continue the latter role and be an influence at the school, but he recently added a new title to his career in education: head coach of the Ocoee High School girls basketball program. After years of contemplating making the transition to the high school level, the moment has arrived for Spencer. He was announced as the program’s new coach Tuesday, Aug. 11.

“It’s one of those things that when you are approached with an opportunity like that, it’s like, ‘Man, should you try it? I’m comfortable; or should I go out of my comfort zone and try something new on a different level just to see if I’m a good coach or not?’”

Spencer said. “Those opportunities don’t come often, so I was like, ‘If I’m going to try it, let me go ahead and try it now, because I don’t want any regrets in my life.’”

Spencer was approached with the same opportunity last year, but he turned it down. Then, with this second go-around, it felt like a sign. Spencer asked, “Is this meant to be?”

“I felt like if I turned it down this time, I wouldn’t ever probably get an opportunity at coaching at a school that I’m familiar with,” he said. “My wife is a guidance counselor over there, and it’s on the west side of Orlando.

It’s like, ‘If I don’t coach there, I probably won’t coach anywhere else as far as I can think right now.’”

Throughout his time as a coach, Spencer has had a positive influence on the girls who were a part of his program. Just the other day — Saturday, Aug. 8 — when he went to get a haircut, Spencer said one of the barbers mentioned to him several of his former players come in often, and every time, they will talk about what Spencer meant to them.

“They’re like my (kids), too, because I helped raise them at a point in life and always try to be good to them,” Spencer said.

“Our character speaks volumes.

You can have all the money in the world, but your character is worth more because people believe in SEE SPENCER PAGE 16

Nevaeh Williams’ mask flew off as she threw a pitch during the Mojo’s scrimmage game.

While most of the sports world was shut down, AAU and travel ball remained steadfast amid the pandemic.

TROY HERRING SPORTS EDITOR

E Lucie McDonald leaped into the air to make the catch.

very once in a while, Dean Spinogatti walks onto the field from the dugout to holler and point out instructions to his Mojo travel softball team.

It’s 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, and his girls are taking in a scrimmage against the West Florida Cush on Field 4 at Hancock Park in Clermont.

Although the score doesn’t matter, and the objective is to get the girls some kind of practice time in given how disjointed the season had been, Spinogatti is just glad to be on a field with his team.

“With Little League canceling, and all of rec ball canceling and schools and so on, we have been lucky to get back on the field —

softball and baseball,” said Spinogatti, who also serves on the Windermere Little League board.

“It’s been a freaking godsend, because everybody was holed up inside, and no one knew what to do. Luckily, we were able to get out to the field to at least play, because you have to at least get back to some sense of normalcy, or you’ll go crazy.”

ADJUSTING TO THE RULES

When the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States in March, sports programs began to fall SEE AAU PAGE 16

Photos by Troy Herring

Assistant coach Matt Friedman fist-bumped Danika Spinogatti after she made it to first.

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OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

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

Finley Voorheis Despite the unknowns surrounding the upcoming football season, CFCA senior Finley Voorheis is ready to put a nice cap to his high school career. Voorheis — who plays both nose tackle and center — was a First Team All-Conference player last year for the Eagles and hopes to improve on his impressive stats from last year.

When did you first get into football?

I was 5 years old when I started playing football. I got into it because my dad is a really big football guy, so I started playing flag football, and he was my coach. I was living in Charleston at the time, and I have just been playing my whole life. I just love it — I eat, breathe and sleep football, every day of my life.

THE BASICS

SCHOOL: CFCA YEAR: Rising senior AGE: 17 SPORT: Football POSITION: Center, nose tackle

ball. You get a little tired, but that’s OK, because once your energy starts kicking in, it’s fine — you don’t even notice how hard you’re breathing or anything. You get used to it after a while.

What is it about football that you love so much?

Just the team atmosphere and the fact that you can hit someone without getting in trouble.

What’s been the biggest change you’ve seen in yourself since you first started playing at CFCA when you were a freshman?

I would say my hunger for wanting to play at the next level — it definitely grew stronger throughout the years to get that free education for college and realizing how important it is to just be able to put in the time and all this for a free education.

What’s your favorite part about playing on the offensive and defensive lines?

My favorite thing about playing on the line is being oneon-one. I know I’m better than the person across from me, and I know I wont get tired first — just hitting him over and over again makes him not want to go against me anymore, so they’ll bring someone else in.

Is there a highlight moment for you during your time at CFCA? I think it was my freshman year when Coach Campbell addressed the team. We had a tough year my freshman year, and he was just highlighting me and saying how much I wanted it and how everyone on the team needed to want it as much as I did. That definitely stood out to me knowing that someone noticed how bad I wanted it at such a young age. That’s what kept the fire under my butt to keep going.

What’s the most challenging part of playing football for you?

Just playing both sides of the

What is life like now with football?

We’ve been doing summer workouts with the team.

For a while, I just had to do athome workouts, but then I got in contact with Mike Lockley, who is a personal trainer, and then I also workout with Aaron Jones — I’ve been working out with him forever.

— TROY HERRING

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

you, people trust you, and and that’s all you can ask for in life.”

Spencer will rely on that trust and belief from his girls to get the program moving back in the right direction following years of struggles. Last season, the Knights had their first doubledigit win season (10-12) since 2015-16, and Spencer will be the second head coach in the last two seasons.

Spencer is planning and getting ready for his first season, but No. 1 priority is changing the culture of the program and getting the Knights back to where they really should be, he said.

“I’m looking to come out with a bang,” Spencer said. “I’m going to have big expectations and where it’s going to take us.

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“There were some tournaments that we had planned on going to that were canceled, so we picked up more local tournaments,” she said. “We go to Scenic City which is held in Chattanooga — that’s a big tournament that a lot of college coaches go to — and that was completely canceled. It was tough, because you have to listen to the local governing counties and their rules and the social distancing and stuff.”

Both Rizo and Spinogatti dealt with the same issue, as tournaments were canceled and put on at a moment’s notice. And sometimes, even when they had tournaments, teams pulled out for virus-related reasons. Rizo said eight teams in a basketball tournament last weekend had to drop out because athletes tested positive for COVID-19.

There also have been issues with just simply having a place to play, which has plagued Spinogatti’s Winter Garden-based team for months. And looking ahead, the struggle will continue on into the near future.

“I’ve had to find different places to practice — I’ve had to get creative,” Spinogatti said.

“For some reason, Winter Garden is being very conservative, which is surprising, because usually they’re on the forefront of everything. I just want to get back onto the field with my girls and practice again instead of having to go to these elementary schools and try to find a field here and there.”

File photo

Marcus Spencer is ready for his first year as a high school coach.

to win one or two games,’ that’s not going to cut it — that’s going to lead to the same thing.

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he said. “We can’t be the same team — we have to look different and play different.”

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apart. For a short time, AAU and travel ball were among the organizations stalled, but then something happened, said Brian Rizo — who coaches the Hoop Dreamz Elite girls basketball team. There was a push for something to give, he said.

“Honestly, I was thinking we wouldn’t have a season, and then the pressure started building, it felt like, because parents were like, ‘Hey, are we doing anything?’” Rizo said. “That’s what was surprising to me, too, because a lot of these parents — I was hearing different conversations with different groups — they want to get back out there, but I was like, ‘Hey I get it, but we kind of got some stuff going on and we have to wait it out and see.’”

For Rizo, who also coaches the girls basketball program at West Orange High, the AAU season was supposed to begin in April. By the time of the first tournament of the year, it was already the end of June.

Although there was excitement about the start of the season, there were still some nerves among players, Rizo said.

“There was a lot of hesitation … across the board for everybody, just because people didn’t know what to expect,” Rizo said. “And of course with COVID protocols they have installed, we were kind of just getting acclimated with that, as well — wearing masks to enter

buildings, temperature checks at the door and sanitizing hands prior to the game on the bench … just little things that we had to adjust to.”

Rizo’s team made the adjustments needed on the court, but it still took time. And his program wasn’t the only one that started its season with hesitation.

Although the basketball season ramped up much later in the summer due to it being played indoors, the softball season for Spinogatti’s Mojo team and George Paulson’s 18U Windermere Wildfire team started up months earlier in May. Softball still had rules in place for teams, parents and coaches that took some time to get used to, said Lexi Scalzo — who just finished her penultimate seasons on George Paulson’s Windermere Wildfire 18U softball team.

“We definitely had to adjust to them,” Scalzo said. “Most tournaments we couldn’t share the ball between teams — like we had to have our own ball, so everyone had to be responsible and make sure that every time a foul ball was hit, we would have another ball from our bucket. It definitely took adjusting to, but we were just happy — we’d do anything to be out on the field.”

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16

OBSERVER

JAMES H. “JIM” GOODWIN JR. DIED SUNDAY, AUG. 2, 2020.

James H. “Jim” Goodwin Jr. passed Sunday, Aug. 2, at the age of 73 in Winter Garden, Florida, due to COVID-19-related illness.

Jim was born in Orlando, Florida, to father James H. Goodwin Sr. and mother Helen Evans Goodwin.

Jim graduated from Colonial High School, attended the University of Florida, until he was drafted and received his B.A. from Embry-Riddle University.

Jim later received his master’s from Texas Christian University in Finance.

Captain James Goodwin served in the U.S. Army, doing two tours as a helicopter pilot

during the Vietnam War, where he received a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and other esteemed honors. Jim pursued many passions in his career, from commercial airline pilot and financial adviser to real estate agent.

He was a member of Masonic Lodge, the First United Methodist Church and, in his youth, won awards as a Trap Shooter.

He was a wood carver, avid col-

LAURA CLARK JOHNSON DIED WEDNESDAY, AUG. 5, 2020.

Laura Clark Johnson, 90, of Winter Garden, Florida, passed away peacefully on Aug. 5, 2020.

She was born in Winter Garden, Florida, on Feb. 27, 1930.

Laura graduated from Lakeview High School. She married the love of her life, Fred Johnson, on Aug. 9, 1948. Laura worked as a permanent substitute for Orange County Public Schools and was self-employed for about 40 years at Johnson Automotive and Industrial Supply.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Winter Garden. Laura had a passion for

reading later in her life and was very active and involved in her children’s activities in earlier years.

Laura was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Fred Johnson; her daughter, Terry Pickles; and her grandson, Johnathan Rees.

She is survived by her chil-

lector, history buff, UF Gator fan, movie enthusiast and animal lover.

Jim is predeceased by his parents, James Sr. and Helen Goodwin; and stepmother, Marilyn Goodwin.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Heidt Goodwin; son, Tyson Goodwin; daughter-inlaw, Amanda Goodwin; granddaughters, Raegan and Madison; brothers, Doug Goodwin, Sam Goodwin; and sister, Susan Johnson.

A graveside service took place at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, at the Winter Garden Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the following in Jim’s memory: k9sforwarriors.org/ recurring-single-donations.

|

17

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

PATRICIA JEAN MEIER DIED JULY 29, 2020.

Patricia Jean Meier, 80, passed away on July 29, 2020, in Oakland, Florida. Patricia was born in Detroit, Michigan, on April 28, 1940. She moved to the Central Florida area in 1978. While in Florida, she was a business owner and a member of the American Business Women’s Association. She was also a single mother, successfully raising six children. She is preceded in death by her husband, Marvin Meier; her mother and father, Helen and John Shuert; and her brothers and sister-in-law, William Shuert, Bert Shuert and Eileen Shuert. Patricia is survived

by her sister, Carol Lipsit; her six children, Kenneth King (Susan), Rex King, Royce King, Wayne King (Amy), Patrice Tindall (Glenn) and Gregory King; 17 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.

This tremendous loss is felt deeply by her entire family, and she will be dearly missed.

dren, Linda Rees and her husband, John Rees, and Debbie Gowland and her husband, Jon Gowland; and her son-in-law, John Pickles. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Justin Rees, Jason Gowland, Jessica Hall and Tricia Evans; along with 11 great-grandchildren.

Funeral Services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10, 2020, at the First Baptist Church of Winter Garden, with interment at the Winter Garden Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to Baldwin Fairchild Funeral Home, Winter Garden, baldwinfairchildwintergarden.com.

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This week’s Sudoku answers

Thursday, August 13, 2020

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OrangeObserver.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2020

As summer comes to a close, you may have some home improvement projects to wrap up and check off your list. But, whether planting a bed of flowers, building an outdoor deck or installing a new mailbox, you’re likely missing one very important step that is required before doing any work that involves excavation, demolition or construction – calling 811.

Call 811 is a national program that helps property owners locate underground utility lines before beginning any work that could damage those lines.

Every six minutes, an underground utility line in the U.S. is damaged because someone starts a project without calling 811 first. And, studies show that less than half of the population is aware that this call is required. However, homeowners, business owners and contractors only need to follow a few easy steps to ensure their own safety and that of their community.

Because the depth of natural gas pipelines and other underground utility lines can vary from just a few inches deep to over 2 feet below ground surface, Sunshine 811, the Florida chapter of the national initiative, was established to take the guesswork out of where those lines are located.

1320 Winter Garden-Vineland Road Winter Garden, FL 34787 P: 407-656-2734 I F: 407-877-3893 www.LANGD.org

In Florida, you must call 811 at least two business days prior to beginning your excavation, demolition or construction project. Simply dial “811” or submit an Internet Ticket Entry at Sunshine811.com.

Utility companies will then place different colored flags or paint markings, indicating the type of utility lines located below the surface, in and around your work site.

You can check the Positive Response System (PRS) online throughout the process to follow each member’s progress. Once the utility has responded, before you put a shovel in the ground, it’s important to check the PRS summary again to see if the utility company has left you a “no conflict” code or if you have been left with further instructions.

Calling 811 isn’t exclusive to large-scale projects.

In fact, it applies to tasks as simple as planting or

removing a tree. Removing a tree can cause severe damage to a utility line as root systems often grow up to five times the size of a tree’s canopy.

If you are reading this, chances are you live or work within Lake Apopka Natural Gas District’s service area, which includes over 870 miles of natural gas pipelines in Orange and South Lake counties.

With more than 22,000 residential, business and industrial customers, the District keeps safety and security of the communities it serves top-of-mind, every day. By taking the extra step to call 811, you can better prevent the likelihood of causing service outages, injuries, environmental contamination, property damage, and the associated fines and repair costs that can result from those incidents.

By calling 811, you’re not only protecting yourself, but other members of your community as well.

For more information and resources, visit Sunshine811.com or contact a member of the LANGD service dispatch at (407) 656-2734 x 704, custsvc@langd.org or visit www.langd.org.