03.23.23 West Orange Times & Observer

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

Observer Winter Garden, Ocoee, Oakland

YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. VOLUME 90, NO. 12

Elena Friedman undergoes knee surgeries. PAGE 1B.

FREE • THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

Crooked’s Celtic celebration Crooked Can brewery celebrated St. Patrick’s Day weekend. PAGE 5A.

MEMORY CARE MASTERPIECE

YOUR TOWN ENJOY AN EVENING AT THE POPS The Rotary Club of Winter Garden, in partnership with the city of Winter Garden, is hosting Evening at the Pops featuring the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra at 6 p.m.

Saturday, March 25. It takes place at Newton Park on the shores of Lake Apopka.

General admission tickets are $10; children 8 and younger are free. VIP tickets are $75 and include reserved seating, dinner, drinks and live entertainment by HAPCO Music Foundation at Tanner Hall.

Tickets are available at Winter Garden City Hall and the Winter Garden Heritage Museum or online at bit.ly/rotaryclub1.

An instrumental petting zoo for children begins at 4:30 p.m.

MATTHEW’S HOPE TURNING 13 The Matthew’s Hope homeless ministry is looking for donors as it celebrates its 13th anniversary in West Orange County. Scott Billue founded the ministry 13 years ago with the intentions of getting homeless residents and families back on their feet and off the streets. The mission holds true still today.

Donations are vital to the organization, and Matthew’s Hope relies on regular donors and annual fundraisers to help fund the various programs offered by the ministry. Billue is looking for sustaining donors willing to give $13 monthly for the next 13 months. To donate, visit bit. ly/3li4ANY. Amy Quesinberry

Joanne Eckert concentrated on keeping the yellow paint inside the lines of the petals during an art therapy session at the Serenades at West Orange memory-care facility.

An art therapy program through the Winter Garden Art Association is making a difference in the lives of residents in assisted-living and memory-care facilities.

SEE STORY ON PAGE 4A.

Oakland to invest in outfall canal improvements The town will work with an environmental firm to reconstruct the Johns Lake Outfall Canal and dredge the area of Lake Apopka where sediment has built up near the shoreline. SEE PAGE 2A.

LIFE IN FEAR Ye’vette Toms has started a vlog to share her story of living with agoraphobia. SEE PAGE 6A.

END OF AN ERA West Orange County folks are mourning the loss of their beloved Maryland Fried Chicken restaurant in Winter Garden and are making sure they get their crispy meal one last time before it closes for good.

SEE PAGE 3A.

OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

Oakland moves forward with canal AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

The Johns Lake Outfall Canal continues to be the main topic of conversation at Oakland Town Commission meetings.

More discussion took place Tuesday, March 14, when Assistant Town Manager Jack Butler recommended the commission accept a bid from Solitude Lake Management for a contract price of $103,500 to reconstruct the canal.

The town is committing up to $85,000 to reconstruct the canal and dredge a portion of the south side of Lake Apopka where the canal drains and where sediment has built up.

The town’s financial contribution is contingent upon contributions received from other entities to complete the work, including Landeavor, the developer of Oakland Park, and the Southern Oaks Homeowners Association.

Landeavor representatives said the company would contribute monetarily if it benefited from the project, such as being allowed to use the removed sediment as fill dirt.

Landeavor solicited bids for the work, and Solitude was the lowest bidder. The initial work will be done on the northern end of the canal, based on guidance from engineers and the St. Johns River Water Management District — and then future projects will make their way south along the canal as other solutions are found and financial negotiations take place.

Butler provided the latest information on the unmaintained canal at last week’s meeting. He said in researching the canal he found an official map of Orange County dated 1890 that includes the outfall channel as a body of water.

“It may predate that,” Butler said.

“It may be natural in nature, too.”

He said a United States Geological Survey map of the area in the 1950s indicated the southern portion of the canal had been straightened out and the northern part was naturally occurring.

“It may have been enhanced by man but not completely created by man,” Butler said.

The town met with Landeavor and representatives from the Southern

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“In the beginning we said, ‘Forget yesterday,’” Satterfield said. “Let’s try to get it fixed and move on.”

When one resident questioned what happens if this construction project doesn’t hold up during hurricane season, the commission said the town is committed to seeing this issue through to a solution.

“We’re not done when this (initial project) gets done,” Satterfield said.

“We promise you we’re not going to walk away.”

Another resident questioned why the town is investing this money when other parties should share responsibility.

Koontz responded: “Oakland Park isn’t off the hook by any means.

They own property on this canal. …

They are going to have to find a way to slow the water down, to keep it from eroding anymore within their development … they are going to invest a large amount of money to fix this canal.”

Butler said the town is meeting twice a month with representatives from the SJRWMD to discuss solutions.

n The Oakland Town Commission voted to donate a .09-acre parcel of land at 532 W. Sadler Ave. to West Orange Habitat for Humanity.

The land, near Pollard Park, was acquired by the town through a taxlien process in 2022 and, through the donation, must be used for building an affordable single-family home. n Commissioners approved the consent agenda, which included two action items. The first is to contract with Cathcart to complete various projects outlined in the 2022-23 budget: paving and drainage improvements of West Sadler Avenue, the reconstruction of a section of South Walker Street, water main and fire hydrant installations, and paved “turnouts” at various intersections where dirt roads meet paved roads. The second item is an interlocal agreement for police dispatching services with the city of Winter Garden. n New Oakland police Officer Justin Gau was introduced to the commission. n The town received a request from former Oakland resident Ronnie Cothern. His father, Red Cothern, in the 1940s owned the property occupied by the Oakland Post Office before he deeded it to the town.

Ronnie Cothern asked for a plaque or other type of recognition for his father. The commission agreed to look into the request.

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Oaks HOA and presented both with easement agreements that would allow the town to go onto their property to access the site.

One resident of Southern Oaks said he was against his neighborhood HOA committing funds when there are 42 total property owners along the canal who should be contributing.

“We have not asked the homeowners for money,” Commissioner Mike Satterfield said. “They came to us and offered to help.”

Town Manager Steve Koontz said Orange County has agreed to update its most recent study.

“We can sit here for I don’t know how many more meetings,” Mayor Kathy Stark said. “There’s already been a study done. … Sometimes you have to move forward, whether it’s fair or not. We’re committing to this one-time (cost), and we’re asking Oakland Park to help. It’s got to be done. … This is a good bid, and this will take care of our residents.”

“We’re not asking the homeowners to spend anything; we’re not asking the HOA to spend anything,” Commissioner Sal Ramos added.

IN OTHER NEWS

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

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The difference is delicious

Maryland Fried Chicken, a staple in Winter Garden for 57 years, is closing its doors, and folks have been visiting the restaurant one last time to get their familiar crispy chicken in the bright yellow box.

COMMUNITY EDITOR

Memories are powerful, and when coupled with nostalgic smells and tastes, they can remain sharply in the mind forever. Have you ever bitten into a hot, crispy piece of meat from Maryland Fried Chicken?

Ever since Kyle and Sarah Sleeth announced they are closing the 57-year-old MFC on West Colonial Drive in Winter Garden, the restaurant has seen an increase in customers wanting to enjoy their last yellow box of thighs, breasts, gizzards and coleslaw.

There are other locations — but for some reason, folks say it’s just not the same as buying the chicken from the same restaurant you frequented as a child growing up in the area.

The Sleeths, who bought the franchise in 2020 from longtime owner Paul Dion, announced earlier this month the restaurant’s last day of business will be Saturday, April 1.

The property, at 13675 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden, went under contract in an auction Wednesday, March 1.

Posterboard in the front windows thanked the community for its longtime support. The drive-thru has had more than its share of vehicles stacked around the back of the building since the announcement.

Sales of the company T-shirts — the iconic red with the mama and baby chick and the MFC motto, “The Difference is Delicious” — have been brisk as residents want to keep a little piece of Maryland Fried Chicken for themselves. The furniture and equipment are for sale, too. Proceeds from these sales will be given to the staff.

“Taking care of our people has always been our priority when closing became a reality,” Sarah Sleeth said.

The couple bought the franchise with plans to renovate the building, Sarah Sleeth said. “(But) with the pandemic, the cost of everything went absolutely insane,” she said. “We’ve had to raise our prices several times to keep up. … We were priced out of being able to stay in the chicken business, and we also were priced out of keeping up with the repairs in the building.”

The Sleeths are celebrating customers’ stories, some of them going back decades to their childhoods.

“This isn’t just some business that’s been there five years; 57 is significant,” Sarah Sleeth said.

“Winter Garden is so close to the (theme) parks that people will come into town and say, ‘I have to go to Maryland Fried Chicken.’ At least every other visit I’m there (at the restaurant), I hear someone say, ‘I drive from X miles away to get some Maryland Fried Chicken.’”

CRISPY AND DELICIOUS

There are several factors that make the chicken so special, Sarah Sleeth said. The meat is double marinated in a concoction the Sleeths won’t reveal, cooked in peanut oil and pressure fried to get the famous crispy skin.She added that the livers and gizzards are unique to the Winter Garden location.

“It’s an old Southern delicacy from their childhood, and they go for it,” she said.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

In 1959, the Constantine family — Alfonso and Rose and their three sons, Albert, Angelo and Richard — owned the first 24-hour eatery in the area on South Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando. It was called Constantine’s Restaurant and was in the family for decades.

Linda Costantine, who was married to Angelo until his death in 2002, said the three brothers heard about a restaurant that only sold chicken and this piqued the interest of Albert, who was the family cook.

“He liked messing around in the kitchen,” she said. “He started looking for different recipes, and when he found one that everyone liked, it became the basis for Maryland Fried Chicken.”

The family added the fried chicken to the menu at Constantine’s Restaurant.

Around this time, Martin Marietta was bringing employees to Orlando, many of them from Maryland.

“All the people coming in (to Constantine’s Restaurant) got to try the chicken, and when they put on their stamp of approval for that particular recipe for chicken, it was named Maryland Fried Chicken for all the

Courtesy photo

The five creators of Maryland Fried Chicken: siblings Albert, left, Richard and Angelo Constantine; and their parents, Rose and Alphonso Constantine.

people from Maryland,” Costantine said.

The first free-standing MFC opened a few years later in Fern Park and housed the company’s offices.

The Winter Garden franchise opened in 1966, and its earliest owners were Doug Bartholomew and Paul Dion, Costantine said.

She has kept much of the company’s early paperwork explaining how to open a franchise with an initial investment of $17,000, as well as an original Constantine’s Restaurant menu featuring the Maryland Fried Chicken logo, an enlarged postcard depicting a picnic table with buckets and a box of chicken, and a large pullout poster from a Life magazine MFC advertisement from the 1960s.

She also has a copy of a newspaper ad announcing the grand opening of MFC at Constantine’s Restaurant.

Fried chicken dinners were $1, a family bucket o’ chicken was $3.95, and a barrel o’ chicken was $5.40.

The ad read: “Maryland Fried Chicken is a tantalizing taste-teasing delicacy, prepared from Al Constantine’s special recipe, consisting of fresh plump tender broilers with special spices and seasoning.

Cooked by special equipment sealing in all the juices and natural goodness of the chicken to give you the most delectable taste treat you and your family have ever experienced.”

The Costantine/Constantine families worked at several MFC locations and owned a few of the franchises.

Three are still in the family today.

Richard’s sons Robert and Tony own franchises in Apopka and Leesburg, and Angelo and Linda’s son Dannie owns the one on East Colonial Drive.

Another of Angelo and Linda’s sons, Joe, worked with his mother at the East Colonial location.

“Dannie has been working in it since he was 7 years old,” Costantine said. “And he has a daughter who just turned 10, and she can run the place.”

BEHIND THE COUNTER

Amy Quesinberry

Sarah and Kyle Sleeth are the current owners of the Maryland Fried Chicken franchise in Winter Garden.

Crystal Lovejoy worked for Dion for about 12 years in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and she said he taught her so much. Her family’s roots in MFC run deep — her mother, Teresa Arnold Holton, was pregnant with her when she worked there, and when Lovejoy was an adult, the two worked there together. An aunt,

MARYLAND FRIED CHICKEN The last day to get a meal from the Maryland Fried Chicken franchise at 13675 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden, is Saturday, April 1. Store hours are 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and closed Sunday. After that date, folks who still crave the crispy chicken can visit other locations in Apopka, Fairview Shores and Union Park in Orlando, Leesburg, Haines City, Plant City, Avon Park and Vero Beach.

Linda Arnold Bowen, was employed there too. “(Dion) taught me how to cut chicken with an open saw blade,” Lovejoy said. “At first I was scared.

I watched him for like two or three years steady. He had me slice off one piece at a time. After that, I started slinging chicken like there was no tomorrow.”

She remembers Dion hand-cutting his chicken and marinating it for 24 hours before hand-breading it. Lovejoy said on busy days they breaded up to 20 giant trays.

Dion also taught her how to operate — and even repair — the pressure cookers, which were used to keep the moisture inside the chicken.

“Paul was there from 5 o’clock in the morning until when we didn’t need him (any)more, sometimes 8 or 9 at night,” she said. “That’s how passionate he was.”

One of her favorite side dishes was the coleslaw.

“That coleslaw was off the chain,” Lovejoy said. “Everything was handmade, handed-breaded, hand-cut.

We even shredded the cabbage.”

Susan Bell enjoyed her time working at MFC’s Winter Garden store in 1978. She said coworkers and customers became family. Her job was to prepare, cook and serve the food.

“I will always remember one night after closing my co-worker and I were cleaning up,” Bell said. “We were taking garbage to the dumpster and an alligator that lived in the lake behind the store came out of the lake looking for his chicken fat that we always tossed to him each night.

We should have given him his food before we took out the garbage.

“We started screaming and ran in the bathroom that happened to be outside,” she said. “Our co-workers wondered what was taking so long, and when they looked out the window they saw the alligator and called

Courtesy photo

An advertisement for Maryland Fried Chicken appeared in Life magazine.

the game warden, and they came and got it. That thing was so big from all that chicken we fed him.

“Paul Dion was the owner,” Bell said. “He was a great boss. He told us that nothing in the store was worth more than our lives (and) if someone came in to rob us, give them whatever they wanted. We were all one big family looking out for each other.”

Dion’s family worked there too through the years.

Dennise Keene made a comment on a Facebook post last week announcing the closing. “(It was) our family business — Mom met my stepdad here, Paul and Linda Dion,” Keene wrote. “They owned and operated this (chicken place) for 45 years. My siblings’ and (my) first job, and most of our kids, grandkids started out here. Definitely part of our history and Paul's legacy. We will miss the chicken and (our chicken place). Here's to memories and turning the page.”

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AMY QUESINBERRY

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OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

Painting with a purpose

Observer “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.”

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Amy Quesinberry

Art therapy director Gaby West shared a tender moment with Serenades at West Orange resident Joy Hunt.

Suite 180, Winter Garden.

AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

It’s about so much more than painting.

Gaby West pulls her cart full of canvases, paint brushes, colorful tubes of paint and water cups down the hall of Serenades at West Orange, in Winter Garden, stopping at a room where a dozen or so memory-care residents are gathered on sofas and around the television. She speaks softly and kindly to each one, inviting him or her to create a piece of art.

Some go with her; others decline — but all are given the chance to stimulate their minds through art therapy.

West leads the Paint a Memory program at several West Orange County memory-care facilities through Artscape and sponsored by Winter Garden Art Association and Healthy West Orange. She spends about an hour in each session, assisting the seven or eight residents who join her for the hourlong program.

On a recent Tuesday, West led a painting session with six women, all at various levels of memory loss.

They wielded their paint brushes and, with a deep concentration, added bright springtime colors to their flower paintings. A few asked for help, several said very few words as they worked diligently on their projects — but all of them ended up with beautifully crafted pieces of art that will join the other artwork that adorns the walls of Serenades.

Throughout the process, West visits with each artist, caressing a cheek or holding a hand or simply listening to their stories.

“With the residents, providing emotional support is also a kind of key factor that, I think, makes a huge difference in quality of life,” West said. “They know me, and having that connection is important too.

“The art program provides them with a way to still continue to express themselves,” West said.

“Every painting you see, even if it’s

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The West Orange Times meets the legal requirements to publish legal and public notices in Orange County per F.S. 50.011 USPS Periodicals Permit (USPS# 687-120) Amy Quesinberry

Gaby West, standing, makes sure all of the residents have equal time with her while she leads the art therapy sessions at Serenades at West Orange. One of last week’s sessions included Martha Goble, clockwise left, Joanne Eckert, Helen Mastick, Joy Hunt, Jill DiChiria and Cathy Doerger.

been sketched out, they’re all a little bit different. … To be able to express that and to have some fun, it’s all part of living a healthy lifestyle. And it’s also a memory that families get to keep forever; it’s something they’ve made.”

STIMULATING THE MIND

The Paint a Memory program was started in 2018 at the SOBO Art Gallery by Elizabeth McKinney, cofounder of the WGAA. She had taken care of her father, who was in an assisted-living facility, and understood the importance of brain stimulation in the elderly. West

Amy Quesinberry

Jill DiChiria took her time making sure her paint lines were clean.

took care of her grandmother, who had Alzheimer’s disease, in England many years ago.

The partnership took a natural course.

“It was something that touched both of our hearts and it was important to us,” West said.

Classes are held in facilities that are home to elderly residents, especially those with dementia and Alzheimer’s. The program originally took place at SOBO, West said, but after the pandemic, she and McKinney changed the format to take it to the residents. They received a grant from HWO and are hoping to secure more funding to keep the program going.

“We do have some generous West Orange community members who can see what we’re doing with the program, and they value it, and we’re so incredibly thankful for it,” West said. “There are so many people we can reach with this work. … We’re hoping if we can secure more funding, there are several other facilities that need our help, and we hope to expand it.”

West offers five classes a week and would like to be able to double that with more funding. She also wants to train artists so even more classes can be provided to residents.

“I’ve noticed huge changes,” West said. “It shows you when I first started working with them and literally in about a month how far we’ve come if I’m here every week. … And it’s not

just painting, it’s other skills where they are utilizing other hand-eye coordination.”

Linda Mena, executive director of Serenades, agreed with West.

“It’s so much more than art,” Mena said. “It’s the brain stimulation that they’re getting. Art therapy for dementia patients is so important.

“Studies show cognitive development will improve through art therapy techniques,” she said.

“With Gaby’s program, it truly provides a way to stimulate their minds and helps them engage in activities more easily. Those classes are truly so much bigger than the paint brush and the canvas. It allows them to bring bold bright colors to life in their mind.”

During the holidays, residents made personal gifts, including Christmas ornaments and canvas art, for their family members.

“It was just so touching,” Mena said. “Our whole Serenades program is celebrating their abilities that are left, those they can still do, and not focus on what they can’t. No resident is the same, and no piece of art is the same.

“The thing with this too, people with dementia have trouble expressing their feelings … and this allows them to get their thoughts and feelings on canvas as well,” Mena said.

“They enjoy it. Engaging in creative activities always enhances their moves and improves their general well-being.”

WEST ORANGE TIMES

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

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2023 Celtic Fest at Crooked Can Brewing Company

Families lounged on the green space throughout downtown Winter Garden.

Children ran around Plant Street sporting green attire complete with accessories.

T

he eighth annual Celtic Fest hosted

by Crooked Can Brewing Company brought the luck of the Irish to downtown Winter Garden. Residents packed Plant Street Market showing off a flood of green and white.

The event, which ran from Friday, March 17, through Sunday, March 19, featured entertainment by Todd Nichols, Long & Finch’s Irish Duo, Central Florida Irish Dance, Dublin Beat, Rosie O’Grady’s Pipe & Drum, Watters School of Irish Dance and more.

In addition, attendees enjoyed activities such as mad science, roaming jugglers, stilt walkers, face painting, food specials and, of course, award-winning beer.

— ANNABELLE SIKES John Carney and Daniel Barber enjoyed beer and Irish hot dogs piled with corned beef and sauerkraut.

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An Irish-themed stilt walker stops to take a photo with Chris Chan, owner of Think Minion, who sported a beer puppet.

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OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

Bound by home’s four walls AMY QUESINBERRY COMMUNITY EDITOR

When Ye’vette Toms was 5, she panicked any time she had to leave her house or separate from her parents.

Her feelings of anxiety only increased as she got older, and if friends invited her to a movie or concert, she made excuses and said she was either grounded or she had to babysit.

“Once I was a teenager, I would suck it up and go to the movies, but it was a battle,” she said. “I had to battle panic the whole way there, and I would act normal. My friends had no idea I was sitting there panicking.”

Toms understands now this was the beginning of agoraphobia, a mental illness that has progressed to the point where she is homebound and can no longer leave her apartment complex. The 44-year-old Winter Garden resident wants people to understand what life is like for an agoraphobe, so she has started a vlog on YouTube called “You Know Where to Find Me.” “Agoraphobia starts out as panic disorder,” she said. “I went to Publix, and I had a panic attack. … So, I just avoided Publix.”

The same thing happened at Aldi, so she stopped shopping there too.

“The panic attacks got so frequent and so often that my walls just closed in, and it took about 10 years to be fully homebound,” Toms said. “The pandemic pushed it over the edge. I have asthma, and I have agoraphobia, so I could not wear a mask. I was attacked verbally every time I would go in public. One person coughed on me.”

ONE-MILE RADIUS

Toms, her husband, Benjamin, and their children live in the Inland Seas apartment complex, where she feels completely isolated from the life she used to have. Until last year, the family lived on Seminole Street, one block from downtown Winter Garden, and Toms said she never felt the depression that now engulfs her.

She said she was comfortable traveling within a one-mile radius of her home.

“When we lived uptown, and when I could go in my mile, there was no

such thing as depression,” Toms said.

“I had church, I had the Dollar Store, I had Dollar General, and I had Publix and the thrift stores and … the Edgewood (Children’s Ranch) thrift store.”

She was content with the limits she placed on herself.

But her life changed when the Tomses were forced to moved out of the house they were renting and all they could find in their children’s school zone was the apartment — more than one mile from downtown.

“I miss downtown,” Toms said.

“I’m going to get emotional just talking about downtown. We could see Crooked Can. Even if I was homebound, I could go to Crooked Can downtown. I miss the farmers market so much. I totally miss the golf cart parade at Christmas. And I could do those things when we were over there, but when we had to move, I don’t know, my brain just, I’m just in stuck mode, and we’re exploring that in therapy. I just can’t make it downtown.”

Toms said once they moved into the apartment, she didn’t want to leave.

“When we moved, it was so traumatic that once it got dark no one could talk to me or touch me for the first two months of us living here,” Toms said. “Once it got dark, all I could do was sit and breathe, I was in a massive panic. I couldn’t sleep.”

For the first two weeks after they moved in, she was in such a panic she didn’t allow her husband to leave. She still can’t be home alone because the what-ifs start infiltrating her mind.

“What if I choke, what if I have a heart attack, what if I trip and I hurt my back?” Toms said. “I’ve actually had those thoughts. If I’m home alone, I don’t eat.”

One month after moving into the complex, Toms still hadn’t left the apartment.

“And then two months passed and three months passed,” she said. “And then I went to the dock and had a panic attack, so I haven’t been to the dock since.”

She would love to own a golf cart.

“If I had a golf cart, I could go places,” she said.

Her children’s friends have a golf

cart and occasionally take her for a spin around the parking lot. She can comfortably ride to the complex office and to the mailbox.

“Riding around in a circle in a golf cart is like the wind in my hair,” Toms said. “I’m not used to going fast anymore … so when you’re in a golf cart that goes 30 mph, I’m like, ‘Slow down!’”

Toms is a Disneyphile but is unable to fulfill her desire to enjoy the theme parks — so she “visits” by watching Walt Disney World YouTube vlogs.

She has made it a game of telling her husband what she did that day: “I went to Southern California and got to do the backstage tour” or “I rode Tron today.”

Her last physical trip to Disney was a decade ago.

Toms is grateful for her husband, who has taken over all of her previous responsibilities such as taking their children to doctor’s and dentist appointments and doing all the shopping.

“You just cannot help it,” she said.

“You’re always in fight or flight mode.”

GOING WITH THE FLOW

When the Tomses filed their income taxes last year, the Internal Revenue Service mailed a refund check to them. Her identification card, similar to a driver’s license, had expired, so she couldn’t cash the check. She also can’t apply for a job working from home without an ID. “My husband was like, ‘You’re going to have to go to the DMV,’” Toms said. “I freaked out. At that point I hadn’t left the apartment complex in five months, and I had been homebound in the other house about a year.”

She learned about the state’s Florida License on Wheels program and wrote a letter requesting the mobile come to Winter Garden. She even got Laura Coar, the director of the city’s Parks & Recreation Department, involved in bringing the FLOW mobile here.

“I was just praying, and I was like, ‘God, I can’t go to the DMV,’” Toms said. “I saw how far it was. Just driving there and getting out of the car and being present and being in this big building with all these people.

THE WORLD’S GREATEST FIREARMS EXPERIENCE

Amy Quesinberry

Ye’vette Toms has agoraphobia and hasn’t left her apartment complex in months. Her service dog, Zeus, stays by her side. She has started a vlog on YouTube called “You Know Where to Find Me” that addresses her mental illness.

… When you’ve gotten so bad that you’re a homebound agoraphobe, how can you go to the DMV?” “JUST DEAL WITH IT”

Well-meaning people often tell Toms to “just go outside” or “just deal with it.”

“I’ll say something like, ‘I really appreciate you encouraging me. I really wish it was that simple. Can you imagine me staying in the house for 10 years if all I needed to do was calm down?’” she said.

Mental illness is an invisible disability, she said.

“If you saw someone with cancer, would you just say, ‘Stop having cancer’? If you saw someone in a wheelchair, would you say, ‘Just get out of your chair’?” she said. “ Because people can’t see your disability, it doesn’t exist, and it literally is all in your head.”

THE HEALING PROCESS

Toms’ vlog shows the everyday life of someone with agoraphobia. She also hopes it will begin her process of healing.

“There’s such a stigma on people with mental illness,” she said. “I have a 67-year-old stepmother, and she said to me last week, ‘Don’t tell people you’re mentally ill.’ That generation suffered in silence. And there are a lot of people who are suffering in silence. And I know it sounds cliché all these people who want to give

voices to one thing or another, but I want to give a voice to people with mental illness.”

She is aware of the statistics and wants to break the “curse.”

“I read this in a psychology book that once an agoraphobe is homebound, the less likely they are able to reintroduce into society,” she said.

“The longer I’m in this bubble, the longer it will take for recovery.”

FLORIDA LICENSING ON WHEELS The Florida Licensing on Wheels will be in Winter Garden from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, March 30. The FLOW mobile will be set up at the Jessie Brock Community Center, 310 N. Dillard St. The mobile brings motorist services to the community and offers a convenient method to convert out-of-state licenses; obtain, replace or renew a Florida driver license or identification card; change a name or address; add motorcycle endorsements or veteran designation; or renew a vehicle registration. For a list of documents required, visit bit.ly/3FD9Ylr. For a list of fees for driver license and motor vehicle services, visit bit.ly/3Z4ySBB. No written or driving tests will be given from the mobile unit.

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

7A

HW Jersey Mike’s wins

The Horizon West team, based at the Westside Shoppes location, competed against more than 2,500 teams from across the country to win first place.

Courtesy photo

The sub team — which comprised Victoria Cortese (sprinkler), Dakota Thompson (slicer) and Chris Morrone (wrapper) — took home the trophy at the Jersey Mike’s National G13 Sub-Making Championship held at the national conference in Orlando.

NEWS EDITOR

The Jersey Mike’s team at Westside Shoppes took home first place at the company's National G13 Sub-Making Championship held at the national conference Sunday, March 5, in Orlando.

The Horizon West-based team included members Dakota Thompson (slicer), Victoria Cortese (sprinkler) and Chris Morrone (wrapper), who brought home the winning $90,000, as well as a huge trophy.

To reach the finals, the trio competed against more than 2,500 teams across the country to earn one of six top spots.

TEAM FORMATION

Collectively, the trio has nine years of experience working at Jersey Mike’s.

Cortese, 18, and Morrone, 23, both started working for the company when the Hori-

zon West location opened in November 2020.

Thompson, 24, has been with the company for seven years. He fondly refers to his position as his “dream job.”

Cortese resides in Windermere, and both Morrone and Thompson travel from Clermont and Lake Nona, respectively.

Frank Bergren, co-owner, runs the store with the help of his wife, Jennifer, and his brother-in-law, Robert Woods, who oversees the team.

The Horizon West location is the first of six the owners have set to open right now.

WINNING THE TROPHY

The competition started with a submission video that goes into an evaluation pool where the process of making a giant Italian sub is analyzed.

The sub has to be completed properly, such as weighing the right amount and having the perfect amount of meat.

The team came in four to five times a week over almost two months to train and even stayed after midnight to practice when the store closed.

The event was announced

by Michael Buffer, an American ring announcer for boxing, professional wrestling and NFL events.

The team said the weight of the sub was the hardest obstacle to overcome, but they got it perfect at 2.01 pounds in one minute and nine seconds. They said many of the other teams had deductions for actions such as presenting a sloppy wrapper or not using enough tomatoes.

The Horizon West team had no deductions.

Thompson said the camaraderie at the shop is unbeatable.

“We all love coming to work with each other,” he said. “I think that was a big part of the win is truly liking the people that we are, especially when we’re together.”

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

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Saturday, March 25 Historic Downtown

Sidewalk Sale Spacious Outdoor Dining Patios Unique Shops & Restaurants Scenic Historic Charm • Live Music

Show your support of the area’s public, private and charter high school graduates in the Class of 2023 Special Section!

Earning a high school diploma is an accomplishment worth celebrating. That’s precisely why the Observer is creating an extra special Graduation section. In it, we will celebrate seniors from our area’s public, private and charter high schools.

Be a part of saying “Congratulations” and “Good Luck” to our graduates.

Love Local in Celebration of National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day

HOW TO PARTICIPATE • Sponsor a high school • Congratulate a special senior with a graduation card • Advertise your services to parents of graduates

Publishing: Thursday, May 25 Ad Deadline: Monday, May 8

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OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

BAPTIST

EPISCOPAL

First Baptist Church Church of the Messiah Pastor Tim Grosshans 241 N. Main St., Winter Garden 125 E. Plant St, Winter Garden Services: 8, 9:30, & 11 AM, (407) 656-2352 4 PM (French & Creole), 7 PM Sundays: 8:30 AM Traditional www.ChurchoftheMessiah.com 9:45 AM Bible Study METHODIST 11 AM Contemporary First United Methodist Wednesdays: 6 PM Awana www.fumcwg.org 2nd Campus: 125 N. Lakeview Ave., First Baptists Church Winter Garden @ Horizon West (407) 656-1135 Services: 9 AM Traditional 15304 Tilden Road, 10:45 AM Contemporary Winter Garden Also viewable on YouTube Sundays: 9:45 AM All Ages www.FBCWG.org NON-DENOMINATIONAL STARKE LAKE BAPTIST ANGLICAN METHODIST Church Orlando NON-DEN CHURCH Starke Lake Baptist Church Purpose FIRST UNITED METHODIST 13640 W Colonial Dr. Ste 110,PURPOSE C ANGLICAN COMMUNITY PO Box 520,Pritchard 611 W Ave, Ocoee Pastor Jeff CHURCH 13640 W. Colo Winter Garden FELLOWSHIP CHURCH Pastor Jeff Pritchard PO Box 520 611 W Ave., 125 N. Lakeview Ave Winter Garden Winter Garden Rector The Rev. Canon Tim Trombitas (407) 654-9661 (407) 656-2351 Ocoee Service Times 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM 1146 East Plant St, Winter Garden Sunday Service: 10:05 AM 407-654-9661 www.starkelakebaptist.org Phone – 407-656-1135 Fellowship 9:4 (407) 656-2351 SUNDAY SERVICE 10:00 AM Sunday Brazilian Service: 7 PM Web: fumcwg.org www.StarkeLakeBaptist.org Find us at: Theacf.net Saturday Service: 6 PM CHURCH OF GOD www.purposechurchorlando.org OCOEE CHURCHChurch OF GOD Victory Baptist UNITED CHURCH OF BAPTIST Pastor ThomasAcademy Odom & Christian CHRIST 1105 N. Lakewood Ocoee BEULAH BAPTIST 1601 A.D. Mims Avenue, Rd,Ocoee WINDERMERE UNION CHURCH 407-656-8011 Pastor Casey Butner (407) 656-3097 10710 Park Ridge-Gotha Rd. 671 Beulah Rd, Winter Garden Sunday: 11 AM & 6 PM Windermere, FL 34786 EPISCOPAL 407-656-3342 | BeulahBaptistWG.org Wednesday: 7 PM 407-876-2112 Worship times: CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY 9:30AM www.VBCOCOEE.com 9:00am Adult Sunday School

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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 125 E Plant St., Winter Garden 407-656-2352 SUNDAYS 8:30 am Traditional 9:45 am Bible Study 11:00 am Contemporary WEDNESDAYS - 6pm - Awana Pastor Tim Grosshans www.fbcwg.org 2nd Campus: FOUNDATION WORSHIP WHEN YOU WORK WITH ME, SUNDAYS 9:45 am - All Ages YOUFoundation WORK Academy WITH THE High School 15304 Tilden Rd., Winter Garden www.FoundationWorship.com 407-730-1867

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HIGH

SPORTS

1

5

Horizon High School flag football wide receiver Miriam Athay currently has 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Page 2B.

Lion on road to recovery

Windermere High School became Metro West champions Wednesday, March 8, at the Metro West Championship meet that took place at West Orange High School.

The Wolverines competed against Apopka, Dr. Phillips, Edgewater, Evans, Horizon, Lake Buena Vista, Olympia, Wekiva and West Orange.

2

The Horizon High School girls beach volleyball team currently owns a 3-0 overall season record. With three games into their 2022-23 season, the Lady Hawks have swept all three teams they have played — Windermere Prep, Freedom High and Edgewater — with a 5-0 score.

Horizon was set to travel to Boone High School at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, March 22, after press time.

3

The First Academy varsity baseball team defeated Harmony High School 5-2 during a non-district game Tuesday, March 14. The Royals currently have an overall season record of 10-1 and are set to play University at 6 p.m.

Thursday, March 23.

4

Two Central Florida Christian Academy alumni — Imanuel Zorgvol and De’Lazarus Keys — played with their respective universities at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Zorgvol graduated from CFCA in 2021 and currently is a freshman at Northern Kentucky, while Keys graduated from CFCA in 2017 and currently is a senior at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

5

The Lake Buena Vista boys basketball team currently owns a 6-3 overall season record. The Vipers were scheduled to host Edgewater at 3 p.m.

Wednesday, March 22, after press time, and are set to travel to Boone High School at 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 28.

Courtesy photo

Foundation Academy freshman and softball team outfielder Elena Friedman recently underwent a surgery to help repair her knee dislocation and the sliding of her kneecap. Only five to 10 surgeons in the United States are able to perform the procedure.

Friedman already has been attending physical therapy for two months.

ANDREA MUJICA STAFF WRITER

For Foundation Academy freshman and softball team outfielder Elena Friedman, half of her life has been spent on a field since she was 6 or 7 years old, as softball runs in her family.

“It originally started because I was at my brother’s T-ball practice and I wanted to swing a bat,” she said. “I

was in sandals and like a maxi dress or something and I thought ‘You’re kind of good at this.’ So then, I went and I tried out. Both my grandpas coached softball. My aunt played all the way through high school, and she won a state championship at West Orange and my dad, he coached. So, it’s kind of like I’ve always been around softball.”

Last year, at only 14 years of age and still in middle school, Friedman led the Lady Lions’ varsity team with a .570 on base percentage and four triples, and was third on the leader board for runs with a total of 31 and a .684 slugging percentage. She was second on the leader board when it comes to

doubles, with a total of six doubles for the 2021-22 prep softball season.

However, Friedman has continuously been struggling with knee pain and issues. It spurred from a genetic issue she was born with called Shallow Trochlear Groove that became prevalent within the last four years.

“I originally noticed it (one time) when I slid into third base and (the doctors) said I just sprained my ACL,” she said. “But, they also wrote in there that I had a shallow patellar groove — my kneecap was too shallow but they never did anything about it so I kept re-injuring it. And, every time I would get better I would do something (to hurt it again) and it was kind of just

like a constant cycle of my knee never getting better and it would always swell.”

Friedman dislocated her knee two years ago and since then, it would never stay in place.

“I could just be walking and I would fall and it would never stay in place,” she said. “I’ve had to wear a brace for a really long time and the braces never did anything and I never understood why. … So it was just really frustrating because I would always get better and I would get back to softball and … then something would happen with my knee again.”

SEE KNEE PAGE 2B

Special Olympics is a community for DP resident Special Olympics swimming national champion Alex Endre will compete in her first-ever Pickleball Invitational May 5 to 6.

ANDREA MUJICA STAFF WRITER

Dr. Phillips resident Alex Endre, 31, has been involved in Special Olympics since she was 9 years old. Her first sport was swimming.

“I think Mom probably picked it for her because it was something she knew how to do,” mom Karen Endre said. “It was a sport that I knew she could do. At 9, I didn’t know if it was something feasible, so we were doing an individual skill, and I knew she could swim.”

Alex Endre — who has Down syndrome — has been involved in many different sports as part of Special Olympics over the years: swimming, basketball, track and field, bowling and, most recently, pickleball.

“It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “It’s my first time (trying) it.”

This year, Alex Endre is registered to compete in the Special Olympics Pickleball Invitational, which will take place May 5 and 6 at the USTA National Campus, 10000 USTA Blvd., Orlando.

“It’s a hard sport,” Karen Endre said.

“Some of the sports she has done are not as physically active. And so, a lot of kids — or adults — with Down syndrome tend to have poor muscle tone, so sports where she can be more active are really good for her physically … like swimming and pickleball.”

The mother-daughter duo practice once a week as they have pickleball courts in their neighborhoods. Alex Endre also SEE PICKLEBALL PAGE 2B

2B

OrangeObserver.com

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

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

Miriam Athay Horizon High School junior and flag football wide receiver, safety and quarterback Miriam Athay currently has 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for the season. The Lady Hawks currently remain undefeated with a season record of 6-0.

Talk to us about your years as a flag football player.

I haven’t really played flag. I play more tackle football, so it’s kind of hard to differentiate the two, but I’ve played football my entire life.

Why flag football?

Football, it’s just a huge thing in my family, so I like to carry on the “thing” because it makes my mom happy to to watch us play. I like playing football a lot, and I feel I am really good at it.

What do you love most about flag football as a sport?

I think making new friends and playing my heart out.

What has flag football taught you not only on the field but also outside of it?

Don’t get cocky. You can be really good, but it is one play (that) can mess you up and mess up the whole game. And, it’s made me realize that not everything is easy.

Do you have a favorite drill to do at practice?

Pulling flags; it tests your agility in pulling. There can be many broken fingers that can happen pulling flags.

What do you think makes you a unique player on the football field?

I’m not tall, but I would say my height. … Just my background I guess (too, I’ve been) playing football my entire life.

How do you believe you instill leadership in your team?

Just making sure everyone is paying attention and not disrespecting coach (Ethan Mankoff) and actually trying to get better because if you are out there not to learn, then there is no reason to be there.

Do you have a favorite NFL player? And team?

Not really, I just watch to watch. I would say maybe Peyton Manning.

When he played, he was top tier and his stats were amazing, and I could only hope to try to be like him.

What’s your favorite thing about the Hawks’ flag football team?

THE BASICS Age: 17 Sport: Flag football, soccer Position: Wide receiver, safety, quarterback Grade: 11 School: Horizon

What TV series are you watching right now?

“Dance Moms,” it’s so good. If you have a Hulu account, I definitely recommend watching it.

What’s your favorite type of music?

Alternative or pop or rap.

Do you have anything you’d like to listen to before a game?

Yes, I have a pre-game hype playlist.

Spiderman. I just love him; it’s an unhealthy obsession. With Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire, they both have strengths for different sides of Peter. And then Tom Holland is the best of all of them.

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

Super strength. I feel like it’d be fun to be stronger than everyone else.

What are three places you’d like to visit? Why? I like to travel around the world.

I like Aruba, I like Cancun, and obviously anywhere I can play flag would be a good place to go.

TikTok because there are so many things to watch.

If you could go back in time to a specific period of history, what would it be and why?

I think going back in time to the times that I regret the most, … (although) I wouldn’t want to change anything. So I would go back but then I wouldn’t go back.

What color would you say represents your personality?

I’d say blue; it’s my favorite color.

A dog, because dogs are fun. I want to know what they think.

— ANDREA MUJICA

What are three things you would take with you to a deserted island?

My girlfriend, food and a football.

In order to help Friedman get back in shape, Dr. Daryl Osbahr performed a Trochleoplasty — a surgical correction of the femoral trochlea to help restore a normal entry of the patella into the groove during extension and flexion of the knee — earlier this year. Friedman had a couple more procedures on her left knee: a Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction, which is a surgery that creates a new medial patellofemoral ligament to help stabilize the knee and protect the joint; a lateral reticular release and reconstruction to help relieve pressure in the joint.

This type of procedure is uncommon and has been done in the United States only for the last five to 10 years. Nowadays, there are only 10 to 15 surgeons in the U.S. that are able to perform the surgery.

Before deciding to undergo the procedure, Friedman had attended Andrea Mujica

An Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury is the tear or sprain of the anterior cruciate ligament, which is a strong band of tissue that helps connect the femur with the tibia.

This type of injury can mostly occur in sports that require sudden stops or changes in direction. When an ACL injury happens, the athlete can hear a “pop” sound or feel a “popping” sensation in the knee, making it sweat and feel unstable. Depending on the severity of the tear, treatment of an ACL injury may require rest and rehabilitation exercises or surgery followed by rehabilitation.

If a knee has an uneven groove or is too shallow, the kneecap could potentially slide off, which could cause a partial or complete dislocation, as the kneecap helps connect the muscles in the front of the thigh to the tibia and as the leg is bended or straightened, the kneecap is pulled up or down depending on the motion.

“Mamma Mia!” I like the second one because of the songs because they are a little different than the first one, but without Donna in it, it’s not the same.

practices every Wednesday with her Special Olympics coach at Veterans Memorial Park in Winter Garden for about an hour and 15 minutes.

“People there are wonderful, because pickleball is very hard to get a court and people are now very patient,” Karen Endre said. “They are really good with our kids, even to a point where … we’ve had some people let our athletes play in with them, rotate in. So, they are playing with them, so it’s really neat. From a Winter Garden angle, it’s just nice that the community is really embracing our athletes.”

For her first pickleball invitational, Alex Endre will be playing in the unified category — where people with and without intellectual disabilities are placed on the same team.

SPECIAL IMPACT

Shannon Till, Agent Fowler’s Grove 3279 Daniels Rd Winter Garden, FL 34787 Toll Free: 855-742-1591 www.shannontill.com

At the beginning — more than 20 years ago — Alex Endre was simply an athlete involved in Special Olympics. Today, she is an advoWe’re all in this together. cate and a leader within the moveState Farm has a long tradition ment. of being there. That’s one reason “I’m a health messenger,” she why I’m proud to support Westsaid.

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NATIONAL DOWN SYNDROME DAY In 2012, the General Assembly officially declared March 21 World Down Syndrome Day to raise public awareness about it. According to the United Nations website, “The estimated incidence of Down syndrome is between 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 1,100 live births worldwide,” and approximately 3,000 to 5,000 children are born with the Down syndrome chromosome disorder.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS According to its website, it’s a global movement “of people creating a new world of inclusion and community, where every single person is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability.”

ALEX RECOGNITIONS Alex has won several accolades within her involvement in Special Olympics. In 2019, she competed in the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle and won gold with her swim team and bronze in the individual category for breaststroke.

PUBLIX PACKING Alex Endre has been a Publix employee for 10-and-one-half years. She works at the Publix located in Dr. Phillips.

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doing at home every day and then I also had a machine that I was using daily for four to six hours that was bending my knee for me.”

Friedman is truly hoping to go back to the softball field in the future, knee permitting. Despite all the physical therapy and the hospital visits however, she maintains a 4.0 GPA and keeps track of all her classes.

“She still has goals and she still has opportunities to achieve those goals,” her dad Matt Friedman said.

“That’s playing Division I softball, that’s playing in an Ivy League (school). … Academically, we have no doubt she’ll be successful. Our hope is that she can get back out there on the field if that’s what she wants to do, but it’s up to her.”

Before the year started — and all the doctor appointments rolled in — Friedman had already realized she wants to become a surgeon later in life. This experience however, kind of magnified that inkling for her.

“I think it’s kind of really more of a reason that I should be a surgeon,” she said. “Because I feel like maybe I’ll be able to relate to people, especially those who have an ongoing issue that they may not be able to fix.”

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have a leadership part,” Karen Endre said. “So, the leadership program is that Alex is a special health messenger, and she is helping spread the word around hygiene and advocating for yourself with doctors.

Wearing sunscreen, I mean, some things that (may) be very simple and basic, but (her) advocating was when COVID-19 came around and people with Down syndrome were considered a high-risk category.

“So, it’s those kind of things, and really advocating for people with intellectual disabilities and getting them the care and whatever they need,” Karen Endre said.

The impact Special Olympics has made in the Endre household has been monumental, as Alex’s twin brother, Nick, has become involved and is now helping with all the logistics that make the events what they are — special for everyone who participates.

“There are so many specialneeds people (who) don’t have friends,” Karen Endre said. “It’s very difficult in this community because often parents are working and so it’s hard to find any place where your kids can go and be safe.

Special Olympics is a place where they can be safe, they meet new friends. It’s really a community.”

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physical therapy three or four times to see if her knee would finally heal.

“I had tried that over and over and it didn’t get better,” she said.

“It didn’t fix it, I tried the different braces, I tried the different taping methods and basically nothing helped. … (The doctor) basically said if I wanted to play softball again or wanted to be able to walk normally or function like a normal human, I had to do (the surgery).”

However, despite the surgery fixing the dislocation of the knee and the sliding of the kneecap — as the procedure literally dug out a whole new groove for Friedman’s kneecap to sit on —because of it being so rare and uncommon among athletes, there is no certainty that Friedman will be able to play softball in the future but, she already has been attending physical therapy at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute in Orlando.

“I’m going two times a week and it mostly consists of breaking the scar tissue in my knee and bending the knee, doing curls, riding a bike,” she said. “There’s like an electro machine that (my physical therapist) uses to activate my quads. … I’ve been doing the motion of a squat, it’s just not very deep, and then I also have exercises that I’m

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

Family.

Friends.

Community.

What’s your favorite movie?

Elena Friedman is taking some time to get back in shape following several knee surgeries.

PICKLEBALL PLAYER

If you could be an animal for a day, which one would you be and why?

Working out or hanging out with my family or my girlfriend.

KNEE REPAIR

SHALLOW GROOVE IN KNEE

Which one would you choose: Instagram, BeReal or TikTok?

What’s your favorite hobby?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B

ACL INJURY

Who’s your favorite superhero?

Why?

Definitely playing with my girlfriend (Kylie Will), playing with my team and having a lot of fun.

Knee injury gives Friedman time out

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OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

3B

WEST ORANGE OBITUARIES

James “Jim” Joseph Tramonte, 63, of Winter Garden, Florida, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 9, 2023, at Mike Conley Hospice House, Clermont, Florida. Jim was born on Sept.

30, 1959, in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to the late Sam and Doris Ann (Godfrey) Tramonte.

Jim moved to Florida at the age of 3 years old with his parents to Merritt Island, Florida, and eventually moved to Orlando, Florida.

After graduating high school, he started working for Quality Vaults and Monuments and Metro Crematory, of Ocoee, Florida. Eventually he managed these companies for his father-in-law, Richard Boetcher, for many years.

DAVID WAYNE MATHEWS DIED MARCH 3, 2023.

David Wayne Mathews, 70, passed away on March 3, 2023. David was the middle child to Joe and Eva Mathews of Winter Garden, Florida, born on May 28, 1952, in Orlando, Florida. David was a graduate of Lakeview High School, Class of 1971, and of Florida Southern, Bachelor of Science, Class of 1981.

He was employed by C.G. Tilden Estate Groves for 25 years. He transitioned into agriculture research for the last 20 years after the fall of citrus from the area.

David was married to Carol Farnsworth for 33 years until her passing in 2008.

He remained a devote widower for the rest of his life, having met his life-

long partner at Lakeview High School.

David is survived by his son, Douglas Farnsworth Mathews, and wife (Kathryn) and two beautiful granddaughters, Mary Tilden “Tilly” and Tyler Mae Mathews, who he spoiled every chance he had. He is also survived by his sisters, Sandra Chissoe and Melanie Brown, as well as his older brother, Danny Mathews. He was predeceased by his father, mother and brother Dennis.

Services for David will be held at 3 p.m. Friday, April 14, 2023, at First United Methodist Church of Winter Garden. Reception to follow in the Fellowship Hall at the church. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Doctors Without Borders, one of David’s favorite charities.

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After Richard retired, Jim became the owner of the companies and expanded into Lake Wales and DeLand. Jim was respected by his employees and industry colleagues and all who knew him.

Jim was a very giving person and made many charitable contributions to his community. Jim loved the outdoors, hiking, hunting, fishing and taking RV road trips. He enjoyed his time with his family and friends, and his loving puppies Lacy and Lily and the late Bella.

Jim is survived by his wife, Susan K. Schneider Tramonte; and children, son, Christian Schneider Tramonte, of Winter Garden, Florida, daughters, Samantha and husband Travis Stewart of Apopka, Florida, Janell Tramonte of Cocoa Beach Florida, sons, Alex Hafid of Mount Dora, Florida, and Aaron Christiansen of Orlando, Florida one brother, Jeffrey Tramonte and wife Sharon of Winter Garden, Florida; and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m.

Friday, March 24, 2023, at Winter Oak Funeral Home, 1132 E. Plant St., Winter Garden, FL; and funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 25, 2023, at People of Faith Lutheran Church, 228 Windermere Road, Winter Garden, FL 34787. Pastor Rick Kristoff will officiate the service. Burial will follow at Taylor Memorial Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are in the caring guidance of Winter Oak Funeral Home.

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INFLUENCER OF THE WEEK

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

CHRIS MILLER

THE FIRST ACADEMY Chris Miller, the offensive line coach for The First Academy’s football team, attended TFA as a student.

Now, in his professional career, Miller attempts to give back to the school that saw him grow every day — be it on the sports side or in every other area. Sports information coordinator Bo Burgess said of Miller, “He is an unbelievable asset to our school and football program.” Miller also is the “self proclaimed” deejay for any TFA athletic events.

What brought you to your school?

I attended The First Academy for 13 years as a student. As soon as I graduated college, I wanted to return to help coach football and give back to the place that gave me so much.

What do you love most about your school?

First, I love that the Christian mission statement is something that is placed at the forefront of everything we do.

Next would be the people. Some of the most influential people I have met in life have been at TFA. People care here, and that is shown daily.

What is your motivation?

My motivation is to use the skills and tools that God has blessed me with to help inspire and encourage the next generations — whether that is through sports or life in general.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is seeing lifelong relationships established. Nothing makes me happier than seeing kids come back from college and witnessing the great things they are doing.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Most of my spare time is spent watching various TFA sporting events. I also enjoy hanging with friends.

Position: Offensive line coach Time at school: 6 years

Who was your favorite teacher when you were in school? Why? My favorite teacher was my publicspeaking teacher, Suzanne Livesay.

She really helped me to feel comfortable speaking in front of large groups of people and even sparked an appreciation for musical theater, which I still have to this day. She was also the head of the drama department. The main reason is the continued support she gave me throughout my career in keeping track of my football career at FIU. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Why? I wanted to be a historian for the History Channel specializing in U.S. military history. I have always loved history and learning how the events of the past shaped the future. I also wanted to be a singer. I am pretty much singing something 24/7.

What is your favorite children’s book and why?

Probably “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.” Most likely due to the fact that I love cookies and can still remember the pictures in the book.

What are your hobbies?

My hobbies are playing pickleball and golf, fishing, and working out.

I also enjoy ending the day with a book, usually something focused on historical events.

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

Without a doubt, teleportation. The ability to get places instantly and not worry about things like traffic would be amazing.

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OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

5B

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

It would have to be Johnny Cash, Charlie Wilson and Craig Morgan.

All these men have gone through tragedies and hardships, showing incredible determination and grit. Plus, they are responsible for some of the greatest songs in music history, in my opinion.

What was your go-to lunch as an elementary student? Any favorite snacks or special treats you remember?

I usually brought a lunch from home but would buy the pizza lunch every Friday. I would also put the Buffalo chicken tender wrap from the cafeteria up against any restaurant.

What is your favorite holiday and why?

Christmas is my favorite, for sure.

I love all of the traditions and the time spent with friends and family.

Who was your best friend when you were in school and why? Are you still in touch?

I did not have one specific best friend but a group of seven or eight guys that I grew up with.

Sports and school originally brought us together, and we are still as close today. We have a group chat that we text in frequently keeping up with each other.

What were your extracurricular activities as a student? Did you win any accolades or honors?

Sports always took up most of my time growing up. I was a state champion in shot put my senior year of high school. The other thing would probably have to be reading. I read hundreds of books as a kid, whether sitting at home, in a car or at an event. I almost always had a book in my hand.

— ANDREA MUJICA

WHS PTSO to host first community gala The event aims to raise money to benefit teacher and student grants through a night of food, drinks and dancing.

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

Windermere High School is hosting a new event this weekend: the firstever community gala.

The gala, hosted by the school’s Parent Teacher Student Organization, will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at the Orange County National Golf Center.

Although the idea originally started as a parent prom, PTSO President Christine Crenshaw said the organization decided to change the focus of the event in order to make the event more inclusive.

Any adults from the community are welcome to attend the event, not just WHS parents.

The goal of the gala is to raise as much money as possible to benefit teacher and student grants.

“We were able to get very close to $4,000 in teacher grants this year and we wanted to be able to hopefully double that next year and continue to increase that,” Crenshaw said. “A school of our size, we really are hopeful to be able to give a lot of our teacher grant money away each year. Also, we would like to start the next school year with student grants. We are a PTSO, not just a PTO, and we want to give back to not only the school faculty, but the students, as well.”

The community gala will include a silent auction, a live deejay, an electric dance floor, a buffet-style meal and beverages.

Crenshaw said the PTSO plans to make the event an annual happening.

Annabelle Sikes

Jessica Villegas, Marcy Ready, Christina Yacavone, Christine Crenshaw, Jeni Roup, Lisa Madrigal Lukes and Sage Shiraishi serve on WHS’ PTSO board.

PTSO PASSION

The school’s PTSO has currently 1,200 members, the biggest ever in WHS’s history.

Since the school opened, Vice President Jeni Roup said she has seen how hard the organization has worked to help faculty, staff and students, and she had an immediate desire to be a part of that.

Vice President Christina Yacavone said she enjoys outfitting the children with exciting spirit wear to represent the school.

Crenshaw said her goal is to continue to watch the PTSO grow in membership, and to be inclusive of not only parents and faculty, but getting more students on board, as well.

“I really think it’s important as a parent, or even as a community member, to be involved in the local

schools and the future of our community,” she said. “We want to be able to give back and support the community as best as we can.”

In the past, the PTSO has only been able to give away a few hundred dollars in teacher grants, so the jump to $4,000 for the organization was huge.

“I am passionate about the WHS PTSO because volunteering my time to support our students, teachers and staff will make a difference in the success of our high school overall,” Lisa Lukes, secretary on the PTSO board, said. “I am dedicated to staying involved as a parent and community member to support our high school in an effort to enhance the quality of the educational experience for all students.”

Vice President of Membership Marcy Ready said she is also pas-

sionate about being a part of the PTSO. “It’s wonderful to help make positive impacts on the students, staff and community through our involvement,” she said.

“It’s a great honor and a pleasure to be a part of serving the parents, teachers and students of this school,” Treasurer Sage Shiraishi said. “It also gives me a chance to embarrass my daughter once in a while.”

EVENT INFORMATION When: 7-10 p.m. Saturday, March 25 Where: Orange County National Golf Center, 16301 Phil Ritson Way, Winter Garden Purchase tickets: bit.ly/3JvQ658

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OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

SunRidge Middle School students cheer on Sydney Whitman, Hailey Zaver, Rafaela Berretta and Giselle Bewley were surprised by two of their teachers and the head of the Exceptional Student Education program who came to cheer them on at the event.

ANNABELLE SIKES NEWS EDITOR

Cricket Whitman said Sydney started with the Special Olympics when she was only 8 years old.

Although she originally partici-

Hailey Zaver, Sydney Whitman and Giselle Bewley all attend SunRidge Middle.

pated in swimming the first year, Sydney now focuses on bowling,

gymnastics and cheerleading.

“In her life, everything is harder

than what typical kids go through,” Cricket Whitman said. “With the Special Olympics, they get to do something fun and also get immediate gratification.”

Although the Special Olympics cheer season runs from December through May, the girls practice year round.

Ashley Graham, a sophomore cheerleader from Windermere High School, is one of the unified partners on the team.

“I decided to get involved because of my younger brother who has highfunctioning autism,” she explained.

“My brother participated in the Special Olympics swimming program from a very young age. He adored his coach, and he was with him from when he was 5 years old until around 11 or 12 years old. I knew that his coach’s positive attitude and compassion left a huge impact on my brother, and I wanted to be able to give that to others.”

Graham said watching the team

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has been both inspiring and eye opening for her.

“Watching them react so well to such difficult sensory situations with ease really showed me the progress they had made as a team,” she said. “What inspires me about them is that they’re always ready to learn and try something new. They always lift each other up and continue to push through on the rough days.”

The team's next competition will be the Special Olympics area games, which will take place March 29 at Top Gun.

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Courtesy photos

The girls were surprised by three of their staff members from the school at the competition.

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The Special Olympics unified cheer team took part in its first competition of the season at the beginning of March.

The team, which comprises 18 members – six of which are unified partners – is run by head coach April Keller.

Sydney Whitman, Hailey Zaver, Rafaela Berretta and Giselle Bewley, who all attend SunRidge Middle School, are part of the team. The girls were surprised by two of their teachers and the head of the Exceptional Student Education program who came to cheer them on at the event – Crystal Hamilton, Amanda Burke and Melissa Breaud.

“It was such a special moment seeing the staff come out to support our girls,” Cricket Whitman, mother of Sydney, said. “It really makes all of the difference. They went above and beyond. The girls were so happy to see them.”

Although the team is already preparing for its next competition, the members are also searching for help in their fundraising efforts.

Top Gun All Stars typically sponsors part of the team so the members can practice at the gym located in Ocoee. In the past, Top Gun covered expenses for the cheer uniforms.

However, this year families were asked to pay around $300 to $400 per team member, which would eliminate a lot of the participants due to financial difficulties.

In order to combat the issue, the team has started fundraising to cover the cost of the uniforms. In addition, the donations can help raise money for the team to participate in The Cheerleading Worlds, which takes place in April at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

OrangeObserver.com

7B

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

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celebrity cipher 41 Achieves

116 Crawl out

42 Digital companion in an

119 “The Christ Child,” in

online game

Spanish

44 Arrive at

122 N, P or K, to a plant

46 Hoof protector

125 Love, along the Arno

47 Sheet of stamps

126 Appear that way

49 Lock brand

127 Formal “Yes”

52 Continent north of Afr.

128 Word that can precede

56 Princess with “cinnamon

“blood” or “moon”

buns”

129 Called a game

60 Like most adages

130 Cart-pulling group

62 Reason to ask, “Where’s

131 Corporate VIP

the beef?!”?

132 Actress Jessica

65 Star-crossed love?

133 Keeps going and going

68 Starts to seethe

DOWN

70 Clump of grass 72 “No kidding, Sherlock”

1 Calf roper’s gear

74 Apt (to)

2 “The Light We Carry”

75 Pippi Longstocking

author Michelle

creator Lindgren

3 Campaign literature?

76 Mexican muralist Diego

4 Superheroes fight its

78 Car to avoid

forces

80 It might go viral

5 Posted

82 Stern order

6 Shakespearean segment

83 Shouts “Release the

7 Answer the call of the

hounds!”

wild?

85 Long fish with long jaws

8 Eat away

87 ___ male (lone wolf)

9 Some lures ©2023 Universal Uclick

ACROSS 1 Cherishes 6 Cellared, like fine wine 10 “The Greatest” boxer 13 Gone bust?

19 Higher on the page 20 Remove the center 21 Sister 22 Retired LPGA golfer Ochoa 23 Paint finish 24 Value of an opinion?

26 Rights a wrong 27 Uses a blast furnace

vision

Minecraft

36 Practice to deceive,

61 Bright mood

metaphorically 40 Pastry 43 Ancient Greek warrior 45 River that Lewis Carroll rhymed with “crocodile” 46 Defy with the intent to annoy 48 It’s a mess 50 Colors 51 Hollow rocks 53 Must 54 “Caught you!”

29 Object of worship

55 League that Dr. J played

32 Viking ship propulsion

57 Final waiting time

30 Chevron or herringbone in 56 Tigers of the SEC pattern device

58 Ready if needed

33 Like one with good night 59 Useful fruit seed in

92 Study for a test, for 10 Mary ___ Summers (“Gil- short

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103 Supportive cry at a 67 Sphynx cat’s lack 95 Check in 14 Citizen of the Eternal City futbol match 68 Business co-owners, 97 VI, vis-a-vis V 15 Pizza herb 105 “Ta-ta!” sometimes 98 It can be laid or hatched 16 Understanding 107 Sleigh driver of note 69 Without any omission 99 Boxer’s jabs, usually 17 Nothing comes after it 109 Infection fighter 71 Accomplished 100 Modern Persia 18 “I Can” rapper 111 Heron with dark legs 73 Author Norman 101 Rio de Janeiro beach 25 Giant in the field?

112 Doesn’t just want 75 Compass swings? in the title of a bossa nova 28 Bio or chem 114 “Bro!” 77 Think (over) classic 31 No. representing years of 117 Wedge pounder 79 Feeling no pain 104 Sinks deeply (in) schoolwork 118 Jane Austin classic 81 Snags a ground ball 106 Capital of Syria known 34 State in northeast India 119 That, in the Andes 84 Become a chair person? as the “City of Jasmine” 35 Apply gently 120 Comic criminal Luthor 85 Social blunder 108 Play a role as 37 Topic at an international 121 Gross minus cost 86 MA and PA’s home?

110 Hut opening? barber’s convention?

123 Also 88 “Ditto” 113 Shape of fatherhood 38 Football offense’s count 124 Afternoon ritual in 89 LGs and RCAs 115 Some characters in The 39 Plagues England

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“FXLJIPMU BLAK ULMLAJRRK, P HPME OZJO CGTLM JAL FXPAPOWJRRK, LTGOPGMJRRK JME GHOLM XZKFPSJRRK FOAGMULA OZJM TLM.” UJAK GRETJM

“ZKGN OWS IDS RSNI FOWI JX UT GOT. K GJP’I LOZS VF IJ UOZS UJCKSN. K LOZS VF IJ DOPB JVI LKID UT XOUKET.” WSSNS LKIDSWNFJJP © 2023 NEA, Inc.

Puzzle Three Clue: B equals G

Elder Scrolls

By Luis Campos Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present.

Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

Puzzle Two Clue: B equals V

UPENDED by Dennis Nullet, edited by Jeff Chen

Puzzle One Clue: K equals X

crossword

sudoku

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

©2023 Andrews McMeel Syndicate

3-23-23

Made for where you live. Here!

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

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OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

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OrangeObserver.com

OBSERVER | THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023

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