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26TH ANNUAL STORIES OF THE SEASON CONTEST ... PAGE 16
December 21, 2017 — January 3, 2018 | Since 1986
@John Magrino
Finished!
Dr. Phillips High School scores its first football
state championship.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SPORTS SPOTLIGHT ........................................................................... 5
Finished!
FOODIE FOR THOUGHT .................................................................. 10
'Tis the Season For Treats
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS .............................................................. 12
26TH ANNUAL STORIES OF THE SEASON ........................................ 16
LAST-MINUTE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE .................................................. 34
TOURISM UPDATE ........................................................................... 37
IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ............................................................. 38
Join us in congratulating Dr. David Boers
for being voted TOP DENTIST
in Windermere 2016 by
Orlando Family Magazine.
Dr. Boers & Dr. Alford wish you a very Happy Holiday Season!
NEWS & BUSINESS BRIEFS .............................................................. 42
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD ....................................................... 44
SOUTHWEST SERVICE DIRECTORY ................................................... 46
PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER
Rick V. Martin
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December 21, 2017
Vol. XXXII, No. 4
P.O. Box 851
Windermere, FL 34786
407-351-1573
www.southwestorlandobulletin.com
The Southwest Orlando Bulletin is published semimonthly by
Cornerstone Publishing & Multi-Media LLC. No material may be reproduced
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©2017/Cornerstone Publishing & Multi-Media LLC
VICE PRESIDENT
Yvette Martin
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For 365 days, Dr. Phillips High
School football was haunted
by the demons that destroyed its
dream of a state championship in
2016. But rather than succumb to
them, the Panthers used them as
motivation for redemption.
Saturday night, Dec. 9, in the cold
confines of Camping World Stadium,
DPHS football exorcised those same
demons, both individually and as a
team, with a 17-7 victory over Delray
Beach Atlantic Community High
School to bring home its first football
state championship in school history.
One year ago, then-sophomore
Cameron Williams was flagged
for pass interference, which allowed
Miami Southridge High School to
continue a touchdown drive that
led to its 14-10 victory over DPHS.
Saturday night, Williams, now a
veteran linebacker with 137 tackles
this season, intercepted an Atlantic
pass and returned it 8 yards for the
game-sealing touchdown.
One year ago, then-sophomore
Jaquarri Powell intercepted a
Southridge pass and was on his
way to scoring a touchdown, but
he was tripped up by a shoestring
tackle, resulting in no points. During
this year’s battle, Powell, an unquestioned
team leader and captain, was
an assassin on defense, registering
seven tackles, including a crushing
tackle on a fake punt and a fourthquarter
sack for a 10-yard loss that
effectively buried Atlantic’s bid for a
comeback.
One year ago, the Panthers saw a
10-point fourth-quarter lead evaporate
in the span of two drives. This
year, the football team grabbed a
10-point lead, added seven more
and delivered the knockout blow on
defense they had trained for and
envisioned every single day for an
entire year.
Play by Play
Coming into the game, the
Panthers knew they had to stick to
the game plan on both sides of the
football. Offensively, they had to
secure the football, sustain drives
and take advantage of field position.
Defensively, they had to create
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 5
SPORTS
turnovers, swarm tackle and prevent
the big plays that had been a staple
in Atlantic’s success this year. And it
worked. While the offense did not
put up eye-opening numbers, they
didn’t need to. DPHS’s defense accounted
for two touchdowns, held
Atlantic deep in its own end of the
field on eight of their 12 drives, and
eliminated the Eagles’ rushing attack
to just 19 yards on 34 carries.
Midway through the opening quarter,
Atlantic faced third and 1 at its
29 and handed off to their bruising
fullback up the middle, but DPHS senior
defensive tackle Brice Ingram
met him in the hole and buried him
for no gain to force a punt. That set
the stage for junior linebacker Powell,
who charged in untouched from the
left side, blocked the Atlantic punt at
the 20, scooped it up at the 9, and
took it to the house to give DPHS a
7-0 lead. That was just the first of
many highlights for Powell, who finished
with 11 tackles, six of them for
a loss, including three sacks.
Atlantic was clearly shaken on its
next drive. On second and 6 at the
34, DPHS senior defensive end Joe
Gulla broke into the backfield and
chased down the quarterback for
a sack and a loss of 6 yards. One
SPOTLIGHT
Finished!
The Panther Nation Celebrates DPHS Football’s First State Championship
After winning its first football state championship, the
Dr. Phillips High School Panthers give a moment of thanks.
by John Magrino, DPHS Assistant Athletic Director
play later, it was
Powell again, tearing
through the line
and sacking the
quarterback for a
loss of 11, forcing
the second of six
first-half punts.
Later in the second
quarter, Powell
drove the Atlantic
quarterback into
the turf again with a
sack for a loss of 12
to force a punt that
gave the Panthers
possession at the
Atlantic 44.
DPHS senior Devodney Alford
busted into the secondary for a 14-
yard gain and senior quarterback
BeSean McCray followed up with
a 16-yard keeper for a first down
at the 14. Alford carried again for
a gain of 7, but the drive stalled
two plays later, and senior kicker
Sterling Stockwell split the uprights
from 28 yards out to put the
Panthers up 10-0 through the half.
Atlantic had gained only 39 yards
of total offense in the first half and
virtually nothing on the ground, so
the game plan for the second half
was to get the ball in the hands of
its talented receiving corps and use
whatever tricks it had in its bag to
establish some momentum. On its
opening possession of the third
quarter, that backfired.
Facing fourth and 1 at its own 29,
Atlantic faked the punt, but the back
was drilled immediately by DPHS
senior defensive tackle Christian
Williams and Powell for no gain,
giving the ball back to the Panthers
on downs. Midway through the third
quarter, Atlantic’s next offensive possession
drove it into DPHS territory for
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
6 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
the first time all game. A 2-yard run
on fourth and short gave them a first
down at the 49, and one play later, a
13-yard pickup set the Eagles up with
a first down at the Dr. Phillips’ 38.
Three plays later, Atlantic opted
not to try a 47-yard field goal on
fourth down and, instead, pitched
the ball outside, but DPHS’s Cameron
Williams chased down the running
back and knocked him out of bounds
a yard short of the stick to give the
Panthers the ball once again.
Atlantic’s final possession of the
third quarter met the same fate as
its other drives. The Eagles drove 49
yards in six plays down to the DPHS
13, looking to break through, but
Ingram and Powell crashed through
the line and drove the quarterback
down for a 10-yard loss.
On fourth and 22 from the 23,
Atlantic heaved a pass toward the
left side of the end zone, but DPHS
senior safety Tanner Ingle knocked
it away for the third consecutive
turnover on downs.
The Dr. Phillips High School football players are excited to add a state championship
ring to their fingers.
The mighty DPHS offense took
over at the 23 and needed to chew
time off the clock but could not pick
up a first down in its previous two
possessions. Things were different
on this drive, though. On third and
5 from the DPHS 28, sophomore receiver
Trey Schyck caught a pass
from McCray in the right flat and
dove for a first down across the 36-
yard line to move the chains. After a
pair of runs by McCray for 8 yards
sent the Panthers into the fourth quarter,
the senior quarterback zipped
a third-down pass into the hands
of junior Devon Buckhanon and
the 6-foot-3-inch receiver churned
ahead for a gain of 19 and another
DPHS first down.
While the drive stalled at the
Atlantic 34, the success was in the
4 minutes burned off the clock and
gave Stockwell another opportunity
to flip the field with a punt down to
the Atlantic 15. Still trailing 10-0,
Atlantic immediately went to the air,
but it proved disastrous. On second
and 10, Cameron Williams, who
was lined up at the 20, saw the
Atlantic running back flare out to
the right and immediately saw the
screen pass coming.
Before the quarterback could even
see him, Williams charged to his
right, intercepted the pass with one
hand, and, in a split second, was
in the end zone, nearly buried under
a pile of Panthers. For Williams,
who has so consistently and quietly
delivered all season long, this was
his defining play of the year and the
redemption he so richly deserved.
With a 17-0 lead and just over 9
minutes remaining, the DPHS defense
was tested again on Atlantic’s ensuing
possession. Completions for 18
and 23 yards gave the Eagles a first
down at the DPHS 35, but one play
later, Powell slipped into the backfield
and drilled the quarterback for
a 10-yard loss to forever wash away
his disappointment of a year ago, as
well.
Three plays later, on fourth
and 5, Cameron Williams put the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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STATE CHAMPIONS
WAY TO GO, PANTHERS!
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You Can’t Take It With You
by: Kristen M. Jackson
Often the poorest people leave their
children the richest inheritance. Regardless of
how much or how little, throughout one’s lifetime
most people acquire some measure of prosperity.
Whether it is simply family photos, an old car and
a small bank account or an abundance of wealth
including real estate, savings, insurance policies,
and investment accounts, most everyone today dies
having acquired something to leave behind to their
loved ones. If you have made no plans to pass your
prosperity on to your loved ones, you may burden
them with needless family feuds and substantial
legal and court costs to settle your estate. Realize
“You Can’t Take It With You.”
Although the holidays are supposed to be
a time for family and celebration, for many it is
a time for unexpected sadness. According to a
study published in the journal of Social Science &
Medicine, it found that more people are likely to
die on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day than
any other day of the year. Also reported by the
National Center for Health Statistics, as many as
18% more people die during the holiday season,
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, than any
other time of the year.
In the Charles Dickens’s classic, The
Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Present
told Ebenezer Scrooge that “There is never
enough time to do or say all the things that we
would wish. The thing is to try to do as much as
you can in the time that you have. Remember
Scrooge, time is short, and suddenly, you’re not
here anymore.”
Realizing that one, or both, of your parents
is getting older and possibly needing assistance is
difficult to process. Often parents are unwilling
to discuss their health with you because of their
embarrassment, shame, denial or even pride.
There is no better time than the Holidays to open
the dialogue with your parents about their health,
welfare and happiness.
Why are the Holidays an opportune time
for discussions about family health issues and
asset protection? Most people are less pressured
by daily work routines, family members are able
to come together, and most importantly, you, your
spouse and your siblings can comfortably open a
discussion over a glass of eggnog and a turkey leg
or while opening gifts. Rarely, if ever, is there a
first-hand opportunity throughout the year to
have such discussions with your parents.
So how do we make our parents feel
comfortable talking about their health and asset
protection? Remember, the discussion is about is
your parents’ estate planning which includes their
health, assets, family, loved ones, not-so-loved ones,
gifts, feuds, drama and more. It is about their dayto-day
living and their legacy and not simply about
their demise. So start the discussion anywhere.
One way to begin is to discuss those
documents everyone should have during life
such as a health care surrogate or a durable power
of attorney. If your mother enters the hospital
while unconscious, your father or another family
member cannot make a medical decision for her
without her having granted written authorization
them to do so. If your mother is your only
surviving parent, who will pay her bills while she
lay unconscious? This too, requires a durable
power of attorney signed by her.
The Holidays are meant to be a joyous
time for family and friends to share intimate and
loving concerns for one another and to celebrate
the coming New Year. And once you have shared
eggnog, turkey, gifts, champagne and fireworks
with family and friends, think about beginning
the New Year by setting up a consultation with
an estate planning attorney to discuss how to help
safeguard your parents’ future. Remember, mom
and dad, “time is short, and suddenly, you’re not
here anymore and you can’t take it with you.”
Legal Areas of
Practice
By our Team of
Attorneys
Administrative
Advance Directives
Bankruptcy
Business
Buy / Sell Contracts
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Contracts
Corporation
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Employment
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Last Wills
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Powers Of Attorney
Pre-Nuptials
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Real Estate
Special Needs
Title & Closings
Trusts
Trademark
Estate Planning
Wills, Trusts, Probate, Living Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives,
Pre-Need Guardians, Trust Administration, Pet (Animal) Trusts
Probate
With or without a Last Will, in order to obtain assets, pay debts and taxes
and distribute remaining assets to the heirs or beneficiaries, the deceased’s
estate requires the assistance of an attorney to manage the court supervised
administration.
Corporation & Business Law
Contracts, Start-ups, Purchase or Sales, Corporations (Inc.), Limited Liability
Companies (LLC’s), Trademarks, Copyrights, Franchise Agreements
Real Estate
Closings, Title Insurance, Sales & Purchases, Leases, Contract Review,
Contract Preparation
(407)363-9020
www.JacksonLawPA.com
Offices: Orlando
Credit Cards Accepted
Kristen Jackson
Attorney At Law
8 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6
exclamation point on a perfect personal
performance, breaking up a
pass to give the football back to the
Panthers. While Atlantic did score on
its final drive of the game to make it
17-7, DPHS senior receiver Michael
Fox recovered the onside kick with
just more than 3 minutes remaining.
DPHS still needed to get a first down
to run out the clock, and what better
way to do that than by putting the
ball in the capable hands of Alford
and McCray.
On third and 5, McCray knifed
through the line for a gain of 12 and
a first down. Alford ran one more
time for 4 yards, and that was all
the Panthers needed as the clock ran
down to zero, icing DPHS’s first-ever
football state championship.
Congrats to the Champs!
Much has been written about
DPHS’s football program throughout
the years. One thing many have stated
is that while being a powerhouse
program, DPHS could never be considered
elite until it won that elusive
state championship. The wait is over,
and the crown fits.
Congratulations to head coach
Rodney Wells, who, in seven years
at the helm, upholds the standard of
DPHS excellence without compromise,
both on and off the field.
Congratulations also to the finest
team of assistant coaches in the
state of Florida: David Aubrey,
Adrian Bouie, Steve Breitbeil,
Tony Gulla, Bryan Ingrande,
Boris Jackson, Jason Jackson,
Ken Jones, Lorenzo Martinez,
Roderick Ryles, Steve Schyck,
Adam Sitter and Riki Smith.
Most importantly, congratulations
to Dr. Phillips High School’s graduating
seniors — all of them — who
refused to let the disappointment of
a year ago keep them from realizing
just how great they could be. The sacrifices
they made for each other, their
coaches and their school, and their
refusal to let self come before service,
are the reasons they are champions
today, tomorrow and forever. ª
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www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 9
Apex Wealth Management
Congratulates Dr. Phillips High School
Varsity Football FHSAA CLASS 8A
STATE CHAMPIONS!!
2017
REGULAR SEASON
(8 - 2)
Date Opponent Result
8/24 Orange City University (Home) 24-21 (W)
9/7 West Orange (Away) 44-24 (W)
9/22 Mainland (Home) 20-0 (W)
9/29 Oak Ridge (Away) 41-6 (W)
10/5 Wekiva (Away) 0-14 (L)
10/9 Apopka (Home) 14-21 (L)
10/13 Freedom (Away) 35-8 (W)
10/20 Olympia (Home) 31-10 (W)
10/26 Cypress Creek (Home) 37-7 (W)
10/30 Timber Creek (Away) 35-14 (W)
PLAYOFFS
(4 - 0)
Date Opponent Result
11/10 Ridge Community (Regional) 35-7 (W)
11/17 Osceola (Regional) 17-13 (W)
11/24 Sarasota Riverview (Regional) 28-19 (W)
12/1 Wekiva (State Semi) 28-7 (W)
State Championship Game
17 Dr. Phillips vs. Delray Beach Atlantic 7
COACHES
Rodney Wells –
Head Coach
David Aubrey
Adrian Bouie
Steve Breitbeil
Tony Gulla
Bryan Ingrande
Boris Jackson
Jason Jackson
Ken Jones
Lorenzo Martinez
Roderick Ryles
Steve Schyck
Adam Sitter
Riki Smith
ROSTER
# Name # Name # Name # Name
1 Tanner Ingle 16 Be-Jai McCray 33 Devon Charitable 54 Alesandro Martinez
2 Davarius Bargnare 17 Tarvon Young 34 Gerald Rice 55 William Lewis
3 Devodney Alford 18 Bobby Johnson 35 Riley Stephens 57 Jecquari McKnight
4 Brice Ingram 19 Jacquez Jones 36 Jayden Ellis 58 Dontae Ortiz
5 Jaquarri Powell 21 Braxton Clark 39 Sterling Stockwell 59 Michael MacNeil
6 Brandon Fields 22 Malik Clark 40 Frannel Rene 72 Jacob Tesggai
7 Tarrie Reese 23 Dwight May 41 Christian Williams 73 Brian Velez
8 Japerri Powell 24 Tevin Griffey 42 Joe Gulla 74 John Campbell
9 Bryan Bell-Anderson 25 Nivon Holland 43 Frank Maciejczyk 75 Christian Przybysz
10 Devon Buckhanon 26 Sebastien Celestin 44 Khalil Hicks 77 Derek Haupt
11 BeSean McCray 27 Islander Timeau 45 Matteo Morange 80 Trey Schyck
12 Demarquis Cummings 29 Stephen Dix 46 Michael Jean Baptiste 81 Jackson Hodor
13 Kenyon Baron 30 Jeremiah Grandison 51 Shawn Evans 82 Arron Edwards
14 Michael Fox 31 Joshua Gabbidon 52 Jordea Bayron 84 Marcus Pruitt
15 Cameron Williams 32 Canaan Mobley 53 James Richardson 85 Matthew Messina
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10 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
I know the holiday season has arrived
at our house when my favorite
grocery store starts carrying Andes
Creme de Menthe baking chips.
These little minty morsels elevate
everyday chocolate chip cookies to
a special seasonal treat. (Find the
cookie recipe on the back of the
bag.)
For Holly McCall of Winter
Garden, it’s the buttery, melt-inyour-mouth
cookies she makes every
season.
“The recipe came from my friend,
Monty, so we call them Monty’s
Melting Moments,” she said.
For Ann Dannenfelser of
MetroWest, it wouldn’t be
Christmas without the chocolateand-cherry
Belgian macaroons her
grandmother taught her how to
make.
Alison Madrid of Ocoee and
her family celebrate the season by
making pizzelles, decorative Italian
waffle cookies baked in a special
iron.
“I grew up making them with
my grandparents,” she said. “My
FOODIE FOR
grandmother would make the batter,
and my grandfather would press the
cookies with the pizzelle iron. [The]
tradition continued with my mom
THOUGHT
‘Tis the Season For Treats
Residents Share Their Holiday Favorites
by Kirsten Harrington
Andes Creme
de Menthe baking
chips turn everyday
chocolate-chip cookies
into a special seasonal
treat.
making the batter and my dad pressing
the cookies at their house. Now,
I have my own iron and make them
with my kids at home.”
People of Madrid like to share
these anise seed cookies with friends
and neighbors.
In Puerto Rico, coquito, a thick coconut-flavored
rum punch takes center
stage at Christmas and New Year
celebrations, and Orlando’s Gabe
Medina continues the tradition with
his grandfather’s recipe. It is these
recipes that are passed down through
families or shared by a friend that
create long-lasting memories that linger
even after the last cookie crumb
or sip of punch is gone. There’s still
time before Christmas to make another
batch of your favorite or try a new
one to share with a friend.
Monty’s
Melting Moments Cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups of butter
courtesy of Holly McCall
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CLERMONT • MOUNT DORA • ORLANDO • ST. CLOUD
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Mix dry ingredients together.
Cream butter until smooth in large
bowl. Add vanilla and almond extract.
Mix in dry ingredients. Chill
dough for 1 hour. Preheat oven to
375 F. Roll dough into log and slice.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes 6
dozen. Variation: Add peppermint
extract to the dough, color one-half
with red food color and shape them
into candy canes.
Belgian Macaroons
courtesy of Ann Dannenfelser
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sifted confectioner sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 square unsweetened chocolate,
melted
1 1/2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
20 to 25 maraschino cherries,
well-drained
Chocolate frosting or colored
buttercream frosting
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix first
four ingredients together. Slowly sift
in flour and salt. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons
of cream if dough is dry.
Wrap a level tablespoon of dough
around a cherry. Place on ungreased
baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes.
When cookies are cooled, dip tops
in frosting.
Belo’s Coquito
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 11
courtesy of Gabe Medina
This chilled coconut drink is traditionally
served in very small cups,
and the amount of rum can be adjusted
to suit your preference.
Ingredients:
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened
condensed milk
1 can (15 ounces) Coco López
coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup Don Q white rum or more
to potency and taste
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients in a blender,
strain and chill in refrigerator, preferably
overnight. Shake before
serving and garnish with cinnamon
sprinkles. ª
Michael J. Tortorella, MD
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12 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
HOME
for the
HOLIDAYS
The kids are home from
school, and relatives are flocking
in from out of town. It can
only mean one thing: it’s the
holiday season. Let Home for
the Holidays help with your
planning, whether you’re looking
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local Christmas events,
or relax during the most
stressful time of year.
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to view designs and access
customer service email, visit
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Drafts
Sports Bar & Grill
Give the gift of family fun at
Drafts Sports Bar & Grill, located
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and drink options to a state-of-the-art
game room with six lanes of bowling,
Drafts offers something for everyone.
Check out the private party
room for your holiday celebration.
Again!
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www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 13
Massage
Envy Dr. Phillips
Drafts is open daily and located at
9500 Turkey Lake Road in Orlando.
For more information, call 407-352-
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Grand
Cypress Golf Club
Grand Cypress Golf Club
offers a truly diverse selection of
Orlando golf courses. The 27-hole
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the ultimate test of accuracy, while
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Receive a $59 green fee per player,
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www.grandcypress.com/orlando_golf_
resort_club or call the pro shop at
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Light Up UCF
At Light Up UCF, there is fun for
all ages. Running through Dec. 31,
this year's festival offers 45 nights
of ice-skating; a world-class choreographed
light show with new music;
free holiday movies; live entertainment
and rides like a Ferris wheel,
The Arctic Glide Ice Slide, and the
Winter Whirl. Located at 12777
Gemini Blvd. N. in Orlando, Light
Up UCF is open Monday-Thursday
from 5-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday
from noon-midnight, and Sunday
from noon-10 p.m. For more information,
call 407-823-3070 or visit
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CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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14 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
From our famil
to yours ...
We wish you a
happy & peaceful
holiday season.
and your loved ones saying, “Ahh!”
this season. Stop by Suite 100 at 8081
Turkey Lake Road in Orlando today!
For more information or to make an
appointment, call 407-354-3689.
Orange City
Racing & Card Club
The Orange City Racing &
Card Club is “Orlando’s Closest
Poker Room,” featuring exciting cashgame
poker action, Vegas-style poker
games, comfortable seating, tableside
food and beverage service. The
new Jake’s 29° Sports Bar and Grill
boasts an innovative pub-style menu;
seven 75-inch TVs; 40-plus huge
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call 386-252-6484 or visit
www.orangecitypoker.com.
Royal
Landscape Nursery
Looking to take care of some projects
around the house this holiday season?
Stop by Royal Landscape Nursery at
2204 Hempel Ave. in Gotha to get help
Merry Christmas
&
Happy New Year
The heartbeat of the community
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 15
401 Main Street, Suite A, Windermere, FL
Windermere Center for
DENTISTRY
with planning your next landscaping
project. Royal Landscape has an abundance
of different plants, shrubs and
trees that are perfect for getting out in
the yard for some holiday gardening.
Call or stop by for current specials, or
join their email list to stay informed on
the latest from the nursery. For more
information, call 407-296-3042 or visit
royallandscapenursery.com.
The Woodhouse
Day Spa
The Woodhouse Day Spa
is the perfect place to get together
with friends and loved ones this
holiday season. The Woodhouse
offers more than 70 treatments like
massages, facials, body wraps
and mani-pedis, so there is something
for everyone to enjoy. The
spa can accommodate large or
small parties and offers many
amenities, such as locker rooms,
cozy lounge areas, complimentary
beverages and light snacks.
The Woodhouse is also a great
place to escape the holiday hustle
and bustle and get some “me
time.” The Woodhouse Day Spa
is located at 8060 Via Dellagio
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call 407-965-3131 or visit
orlando.woodhousespas.com. ª
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Cosmetic and family dentistry
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16 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
26 th
annual
of the
Stories of the
Season
The entries submitted for Southwest Orlando Bulletin’s 26th annual Stories of the Season
contest told tales of special visits from Santa, mystical holiday creatures and the joy of
spending time with family and friends. Whether they recreate holiday memories or take
readers to imaginary places filled with elves, reindeer and their ilk, they are sure to add
holiday spirit to all this year.
Congratulations to first-place winner Cassidy Eaton of Tildens Grove, runner-up Megan
Ramsey of Hickory Hammock, and child winner Brooke Larweth of Lake Davis Reserve,
all of whom received cash prizes. Also included are submissions selected as honorable
mentions.
The staff of the Southwest Orlando Bulletin extends thank-yous to everyone who entered the
contest and wishes a happy holiday season to all.
Winner
A Holiday Surprise
by Cassidy Eaton
Tildens Grove
As I walked through the hallways at
school, I kept my head down. My dad
had taught me to keep my head high,
but that was before I turned 14. I grew
up in Sugar Land, Texas, and had never
told another person about my dad —
about the months he spent away; about
the wars he fought in; or about the times
he would come home, barely able to
walk, and then he would leave a month
later. The only thing that helped me function
while my hero was away was knowing
that he would always come back,
especially for Christmas, that he was
able to come home and see us for the
one holiday that we asked him to. But
like all good things, it had to come to
an end.
The beginning of the end was when
my mom came into the house with our
mail one Friday. Her face lit up. It was
a note from Dad! In barely a second, I
was standing next to Mom, prepared for
the update.
She carefully opened the letter and
pulled out a white piece of paper.
“Dear family,” she began. “I know you
were planning on having me all to yourselves
this Christmas, but unfort- …”
Mom stopped there. As she continued
reading, her face grew pale.
“What is it?” I asked.
Mom gave me the letter, and I found
where she had stopped, continuing from
there.
“I cannot make it home this Christmas.
We’ve made advances, and I have been
given the order to stay put. I am so sorry,
Firefly, but I can’t come home until the
battle is over. Love, Dad.”
When I was done reading the letter,
my mind kept going to the name he
had called me — Firefly. He had given
it to me the very first Christmas I can
remember.
For the rest of the week, I kept my
head down. On Christmas Eve, it began
to snow. I hated that the rest of the town
would be joyful at home with their white
Christmases and happy families, while
I would be stuck fearing what could be
happening to my dad.
As sunset arrived, I remembered what
my dad would say every Christmas Eve,
“The day we celebrate would never
have been important if Jesus hadn’t been
strong and stood up for the right things in
life, Firefly. So you need to do the same.”
I fell asleep that night remembering
all of the Christmases before that one.
Before I turned 14.
I awoke on Christmas morning to
shouts coming from the living room. I
rushed out and saw a big box on the
floor. Tears spilled down my face as I realized
what was inside. And when my
dad came out, my tears turned into sobs.
For the rest of the day, we heard stories
of his adventures. And I went to
sleep that night knowing that my prayers
had been answered.
Runner-Up
Wedding Surprise
by Megan Ramsey
Hickory Hammock
“‘Twas the night before Christmas and
all through the house ...”
“Mom, I’ve heard that story so many
times,” Jessie, my 8-year-old daughter,
said with a whine.
“Tell me a new one?” she asked,
looking up at me with hazel eyes full of
curiosity.
I let out a small laugh and closed the
book, pushing it aside as I thought of the
perfect story to tell.
“There was once a girl just like you.
She loved Christmas, and her biggest
concern in life was that she couldn’t
get every toy in the store,” I said with
a laugh.
Jessie laughed, too, and looked away
shyly, knowing she was guilty of doing
the same.
“Well, years later, when this girl was
in her 20s, the holidays were a bit different
and so were her life problems.
Around this time of year, she opened
her mailbox and received an invitation
from her cousin, Bailey, saying, ‘‘Tis the
season. You are formally invited to Mark
and Bailey’s wedding on Dec. 23.’ This
was something the girl was definitely not
looking forward to.”
“Why?” Jessie interrupted. “Weddings
are exciting!”
“Yes, they are,” I said. “However, this
was a bit different. She knew all of her
family would be there. Every time they
got together, they hassled her about getting
married and tried to set her up with
guys she had no interest in!”
“That’s no fun,” Jessie said, shaking
her head.
“Not at all. But Bailey was her cousin,
and she had to go to her wedding to support
her. At least there was food involved
and plenty of dessert!”
At this point, Jessie became more
interested.
“During the wedding reception, she
spent most of her time near the buffet.
Luckily, she met someone who she could
talk to instead of her overly inquisitive
family. This someone was one of the
waiters. He was super-easy to talk to,
and they shared many similar interests.
During their conversation, she saw some
of her family walking toward her and
gave the waiter a panicked look. He
grabbed her hand and was able to get
her out of the reception to escape! She
realized she wanted more time away,
and he took her to his favorite spot, on
the roof of the hotel where there were
lights and a beautiful garden.”
“That sounds so nice!” Jessie said.
“It really was. They spent hours talking,
and she knew she was really interested
in him. However, her family always
pressured her to be with someone successful
like a doctor, but she didn’t care
about that. Then, one thing crossed her
mind. ‘How are you allowed up here?’
she asked him. He scratched his neck
awkwardly, admitting that he was not a
waiter. He was the owner of the hotel
and wanted someone to like him for who
he was, but it didn’t make a difference to
her; she liked him all the same. His name
was Matt, and her name was Brooke.”
“That’s you and Dad!” Jessie
exclaimed.
Child Winner
Count Your Blessings
by Brooke Larweth
Lake Davis Reserve
I’ve seen snow before — the pearly
white glimmer of a fresh layer on the
lawn; the wet, gray slush it eventually
morphs into. The best type of snow
though is Christmas snow. Just one single
snowflake on the tip of your nose, sets
you into a trance of wonder and awe.
But there’s no Christmas snow in Haiti.
It was a long, rickety, dust-covered
drive from the airport to our destination:
a small, rural town called Capotille. All
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 17
18 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16
of us went silent as we gazed upon it.
There was no garland strung up nor
carols reverberating from speakers.
One by one, each member of the
youth group stepped cautiously out of
the van.
The first thing we noticed was the air.
How heavy it was, and how it smelled
stale and musty, and not like snicker
doodle cookies. Next to me, Casey, my
best friend, wrinkled her nose, then immediately
started planning where all the
Christmas decorations would go. She
was always one to look on the bright
side.
All of a sudden, Collin, our group
leader, turned around to face us. His
face was solemn, yet hopeful.
“Why are we here?” he asked, taking
the time to look at each one of us individually.
“As you’ve noticed, these people
don’t have money to buy lights for
their houses or wreaths for their doors.
So, one, we’re here to spread Christmas
cheer. But, more importantly, we’re here
to show these people the same love that
God bestows upon us.”
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The determination in his voice was
clear. Each member hurried over to the
van and unloaded the Christmas presents
we’d packed for the children. I carefully
handled the box, studying the little
reindeer and bearded, chubby Santas
on the wrapping paper. This may be
the only present they receive this year,
I thought.
I squinted at the boys playing soccer
on a grassy field, gazed at the
little girls giggling and twisting each
other’s hair, and smiled to myself at the
sight of the many fathers, as well as
mothers, cooking and tending to their
homes.
I took a deep breath, swallowed my
pride and strolled over to a young girl,
head held high and a smile on my face.
I knelt down on one knee and said
softly, “Hi. My name’s Becca. My friends
and I,” and I paused to point at them,
“are here to spread a little Christmas
cheer.”
Then, as the girl slowly picked up her
head to look at my face, I noticed her
big, beautiful brown eyes. Eyes that
were filled with curiosity and wonder
and shine.
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“Thank you,” she said, as she gently
took the box from my hands and set it on
the ground next to her.
And, to my surprise, the brown-eyed
girl jumped up and wrapped her arms
around me, hugging me tightly.
She then whispered four short words
in my ear, “My name is Nadia.”
And I hugged her even tighter.
To this day, my eyes still fill with tears
when I think about that moment. Most
of us think of Christmas as just a time of
glittery decorations and holiday music,
but it’s so much more than that. We are
blessed with so much, so we can always
give love. And that’s the way it is — love
and share, share and love.
Honorable Mention
My Favorite Day
by Emma Jane Patterson
Stoneybrook West
There are many exciting and fun days
during the year. As I go through the year,
I get closer to my favorite day. My favorite
day of the year is Christmas! What I
like about Christmas is getting time off
for vacation, going to the movies, seeing
my friends, sleeping in late and wearing
pajamas.
Usually around Christmas, it is much
colder than any other time of the year.
I like having the windows open at home
and letting the cool air come inside.
I also like being able to wear different
kinds of clothes like sweatshirts and
warmups during this time. Many people
do not like the cold weather, but I find it
refreshing. The colder the better!
Obviously, presents are all-important
during Christmas, because they surprise
the person with the gift inside. I like seeing
a person’s reaction when he or she
receives a present. Most importantly,
I find that giving a present to someone
makes me feel better than receiving
one. It is really the thought of giving
that counts. At my school, we have a
program that is called the Operation
Christmas Child Shoebox Program. The
program gives each child in our school
a shoebox, and we fill the shoebox with
whatever we want. At the deadline of the
program, the people come to each classroom,
collect the boxes and ship them to
a poor country. It is a great way to make
someone feel delighted.
Spending time with my family is important
to me. My family is pleasant to hang
around with on Christmas day. We all
get together at my house. I usually play
with my sisters, cousins and my grandparents
all day. We play basketball,
watch Christmas movies, and gather
around and eat a great Christmas feast.
I am lucky to have so many people be
around me at once.
I hope I will always feel the same way
about this time of year. Christmas is coming,
and I can’t wait to take part in all
my favorite things. I hope you all have a
Merry Christmas, as well!
Honorable Mention
A Christmas Without Her
by Emma Neary
Celebration
Christmas has always been a holiday
that has remained in most people’s
hearts as a joyous tradition; however,
for one young girl, this occasion brought
nothing but the sadness and pain of
ugly memories. Her name was Holly,
and she adored Christmas more than
anything, because the season was spent
with her dear mother, Carol. The holiday
brought them closer, keeping the motherand-daughter
bond. They would make
gingerbread houses, go ice-skating
and sing carols. But their favorite thing
to do was decorate the Christmas tree.
The one thing that connected them was
Christmas.
Unfortunately, all good things eventually
come to an end. Holly’s mother
died a few months before Christmas
due to a fatal car accident. This ended
Holly’s world; her mother was everything
to her, but death had taken her
away. She swung into a hurling depression,
not wanting anything that associated
with her mother, even Christmas.
Holly wanted to avoid the pain, even if
it meant skipping this holiday. Cookies
weren’t made, the skates were untouched,
and a tree was never put
up. Her life remained dark rather than
being lit by the glimmering lights of
Christmas. Holly just couldn’t celebrate
without her mother.
Strange things can happen on
Christmas Eve, not only bizarre events,
but teaching moments. So, on the night
before Christmas Day, Holly got ready
for bed just as she would normally
do. Suddenly, a gust of wind smacked
against her window, pushing it open
with full force. With it, a small picture
lew in and floated to the ground. Holly
picked it up curiously to see what it
was, discovering that it was an old family
photo. It showed Holly and her mother
decorating a Christmas tree. Where
did it come from? she asked herself. As
she was about to discard it in hopes
of avoiding the pain, something caught
her eye. In the photo, her mother was
smiling. This made Holly curious. Why
was she happy? Was it because the
tree looked so beautiful with its shiny
balls and glimmering lights? Was it the
huge star that sat on top and watched
as they celebrated? Was it something
else that made her smile? What if it was
just them being together?
Then Holly thought, You don’t need
shiny balls and lights to make your
Christmas better. You need friends and
family who can share the joy you feel.
Even if somebody cannot be with you,
they are always there, especially in your
heart. Holly’s mother was always there.
It was not a Christmas without her, because
Holly was never alone, somebody
was always there!
Holly knew Christmas must come, so
she rushed downstairs. When she got
there, it was the start of a Christmas
miracle! Her eyes widened as she saw
a huge Christmas tree that was not
there before. It was decorated with
sparkling lights, colorful ornaments
and a huge gold star on top. Presents
lined the bottom as music played in the
distance. The first smile in ages grew
across Holly’s face, because she realized
something very special had occurred,
and that she would never be
alone nor spend a Christmas without
her mom.
Honorable Mention
Everest’s Way Home
by Sofia Franceschi
Arlington Bay
“Everest?” Alma called.
“Let’s go back inside,” Mrs. Hadrian
said. “We’ve been looking for an hour,
and it’s too cold to look any longer.”
As Alma sat on the warm couch, Mrs.
Hadrian gave her a small cup of hot
chocolate and turned on her favorite TV
show.
“We’ll never find him,” Alma said,
starting to cry.
“I’m sure we will,” Mrs. Hadrian
assured her.
A small Maltese roamed the streets
confused. Where did that squirrel go?
the little dog thought.
Soon enough, Everest became tired
and decided to head home. As he
turned around, he quickly realized there
was no certain way home. Everest was
lost!
Eventually, snow began to fall. As the
weather grew colder, poor Everest grew
more worried. At this point, warm shelter
was a top priority. The streets became
more empty by the minute, and, eventually,
what was once a busy street was
now like a ghost town. Alas, the frail
dog found a small shelter that would
have to do for the evening. He rested
his head on a dirty blanket and fell fast
asleep.
As Alma stapled the paper onto the
post, she let out a sigh. It had been a
week since her little dog had been
gone, and she was close to giving up.
Mrs. Hadrian held Alma’s hand as they
moved to the next post. Mr. Hadrian finished
stapling a few papers and soon
caught up with the pair.
“Are you sure you are going to be OK
doing more papers?” he asked. “You
look tired.”
Alma, facing her dad, turned to the
paper and shook her head.
“I can finish stapling the rest,” Mrs.
Hadrian said, motioning toward Mr.
Hadrian’s stapler.
There was an uncomfortable silence
between Mr. Hadrian and Alma as they
walked back home. Mr. Hadrian broke
the silence as Alma was fixing her scarf.
“Are you excited for Christmas?”
Mr. Hadrian asked.
“Sure.” Alma said quietly, and the conversation
started from there.
Eventually, the pair arrived home.
“Well, we’re home,” Mr. Hadrian said.
“Do you have any homework you need
to do?”
“Yeah,” Alma said.
“Finish the rest of your homework,”
Mr. Hadrian said. “By the time you’re
done, Mom will be home, and she’ll
make you lunch.”
As Everest roamed the park, bells were
ringing, and songs of the season could
be heard throughout. Everest sniffed the
sheets of snow. There were several people
hanging an evergreen bough with ornaments
onto a fence. Everest longed to
be with Alma when he saw this, knowing
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 19
her joy when she helped her parents
add these festive items around the house.
Suddenly, a familiar scent came to him,
and he began to follow it.
Once Alma finished lunch, she headed
to her room. Her mother quickly stopped
her.
“Alma, I have an idea.”
“What is it?” Alma asked.
“Maybe we can invite your friends
over to help look for Everest,” Mrs.
Hadrian said. “I’m sure they will have the
winter spirit to help you find him!”
Alma’s face lit up with joy.
“I love that idea!”
About an hour later, Alma and three of
her friends — Becky, Sophie and Zoey
— were scattered around the neighborhood.
Alma paced around the front
yard, searching for any signs of Everest.
Almost 20 minutes later, the group was
searching every inch of the front yard for
the dog. All of a sudden, a small Maltese
with a bright Christmas-themed collar
came racing to Alma.
“Everest!” she exclaimed, as the small
Maltese ran into her arms.
The group sang holiday songs of joy
as Everest lay joyfully in Alma’s arms.
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Honorable Mention
One Day in
the Life of Esmeralda
by Leticia Subbarao
Dr. Phillips
The city of Santiago was getting ready
to welcome the holiday season, and the
sounds of Christmas could be seen and
heard all over the city. It was summer and
the end of the school year. Esmeralda,
a vivacious 11-year-old girl with light
brown hair and beautiful greenish eyes,
was still sleeping when her mother’s
voice woke her up.
“Sweetheart, breakfast is ready.”
Esmeralda got out of bed and ran
barefoot to open her window.
Her eyes had to adjust to the morning
light. The day was so bright and inviting,
a soft breeze was caressing her face.
She smiled. In the distance, the sunlight
reflected off the white peaks of the majestic
Andes Mountain with a silver glow.
The sound of the bells ringing from the
old Spanish church in her neighborhood
reminded her of the busy day ahead.
Esmeralda went to take a shower and
CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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Dr. Lauris Johnson
BEGIN A LIFETIME
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TODAY!
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Definitively Christ-Centered Distinctly College-Prep
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
began singing an old Christmas song
her Grandma Rosita had taught her. She
chose the song on purpose, because
she knew in no time her dog would be
singing with her, and it was funny.
Downstairs, her mother was sitting
at the table having her coffee when
Esmeralda hugged her and said, “Mom,
Grandma Rosita came to visit me last
night. She knew that we would be going
to visit the retirement home, and
she wanted me to tell her dear friends,
Carmencita and Cristina, that she loved
them very much.”
Esmeralda’s mother hugged her back
and kissed her rosy cheek. She knew her
daughter well. Esmeralda was a sensible
and clever child, so generous and friendly,
but she also had a great imagination.
After lunch, they went to the old people’s
home with the dog and rang the
bell.
One of the nuns opened the heavy
door. The long corridor was dark, but
at the end, there was a well-lit hall
where the residents usually gathered.
Esmeralda ran to hug everyone and
asked about their health, especially
Carmencita and Cristina. Her dog was
doing his own thing, waving his tail
to everyone. He got many hugs and
affectionate words.
Her mother and the nuns served tea,
and Esmeralda cut the cake. They were
having a lovely afternoon, chatting between
themselves and remembering the
good old days. Somebody suggested to
bring a guitar to Esmeralda. The nuns
cleared up the room, and the party began.
Esmeralda was singing old Spanish
Christmas songs with all of them. They
also sang Silent Night. The last song was
the one Grandma Rosita had taught her.
Almost at the end of the song, her dog
started singing. Everybody laughed.
Esmeralda and her mother hugged the
residents and wished them a good night.
They thanked them for a happy time
together.
Back at the house, Esmeralda helped
her mother put things away, fed her dog
and went to her bedroom to get ready for
the night. After a while, her mother came
to say good night and to comment about
the wonderful day they had. As she approached
her daughter’s bedroom, she
listened to some voices in Esmeralda’s
room. She opened the door slowly and
asked her with whom she was talking.
”Mom, Grandma Rosita was with me,”
Esmeralda said.
Her mother asked what she had said.
“Mom, Grandma was very pleased.”
Although Mom believed that it was
Esmeralda’s imagination, she could not
ask the next question, because she felt
a breeze kissing her forehead, leaving
behind a soft aroma of roses that filled
the room. It was Grandma’s favorite
perfume!
She said in silence, “Merry Christmas,
Mother Rosita.”
Honorable Mention
The Elf & the Lamborghini
by Carter Flesner
Summer Lake
Once there was a salesman who
worked for Lamborghini. He was having
a hard time making sales.
Then one day, an elf wearing cool sunglasses
and waving big stacks of cash
around walked into the dealership. The
elf said he wanted to buy a Lamborghini
Aventador SV.
I’ll show you our two best ones, and
you let me know which one you would
like to take home today,” the salesman
said.
The elf picked the best one, which
happened to be green with blue stripes,
and then threw his stacks of cash at the
salesman and sped away.
“What? Did I really just sell a
Lamborghini to an elf?” the salesman
asked himself.
When the elf got back to the North
Pole, Santa bought him a racetrack,
and the elf raced around the track as
happy as he could be. Believe it or not,
he zipped around that track all the way
until next Christmas. As a matter of fact,
I should know, because I, Carter Flesner,
am the elf!
Honorable Mention
A Christmas Miracle
by Jaden Nice
MetroWest
Christina’s alarm clock rang. She shot
up with excitement.
“It’s Christmas Eve!” she exclaimed.
Today was the day that she was going
to surprise her grandpa with cookies.
She shot out of bed, racing to her closet
to find her special Christmas dress.
Christina changed her clothes and
brushed her tangled hair.
“Ouch!” she gasped, with a whimper.
Christina waited a few seconds before
attempting to get through that crazy
mess. She decided to pull her hair into a
braid. Weeks and weeks of hard work
trying to learn how to braid hair had finally
paid off! After completing her task,
she ran downstairs to find her mom and
dad waiting for her.
They surprised her with a plate full of
pancakes shaped as stars. Christina’s
eyes shone with appreciation. She hurriedly
gobbled up her food and anxiously
waited an entire minute before
asking her parents, “What about the
cookies?”
They laughed, and her dad assured
little Christina that they would have cookies
that year. Relieved, she asked where
they would buy them.
“This year,” her mother exclaimed,
leaning forward as to build anticipation,
“we’re baking cookies!”
Christina squealed and giggled.
They then spent the entire morning
baking, mixing frosting and making
messes all over the kitchen.
Finally it was time for them to take
the hour-long trip to her grandfather’s
house. The entire duration of the car
ride, Christina was restless. She kept
glancing toward the plate of cookies
that they had wrapped. Even seeing all
the Christmas decorations outside could
not calm her down. They parked in his
driveway, not knowing what was going
on inside.
Before they went to Grandpa’s door,
Christina’s dad stopped her.
“Darling, your grandfather is a little
sad right now,” he said. “Try and make
this visit extra-special and cheer him up
in any way you can.”
Christina nodded, wondering if it had
anything to do with her grandma going
to a “better place.”
Grandfather William sat alone in his
living room, staring at the now-empty
rocking chair that was no longer filled
by his wife, Ann Marie. It would be the
first Christmas since she had passed
away, and his heart, once filled with
happiness and joy, now felt heavy with
grief. He had prayed and prayed for
a Christmas miracle so his wife would
be saved, but his wish never came true.
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 21
William had decided that he would
decline the invitation to his daughter’s
Christmas party.
Just then, there was a knock on the
door. He sighed and stood up to open it.
He was greeted by three friendly faces
and a plate of cookies.
“Surprise!” Christina yelled and smiled
a large toothless grin.
Grandfather William’s heart warmed,
and he was gladdened.
He invited them inside and poured a
glass of milk for each of them, so they
could all enjoy the delicious homemade
cookies. They sat by the fireplace and
told Christmas stories.
Grandfather’s grin broadened, and
he exclaimed, breathless, “This truly is a
Christmas miracle!”
Honorable Mention
A Snowman’s Christmas
by Valentina Thibault
Windermere Ridge
Not long ago, a snowman learned a
lesson about Christmas. The snowman,
named Jolly, was a favorite of all the children
in town. He stood frigid near the
center of the town square, just in front of
the tall, wide, fresh, green, pointy pine
Christmas tree. The tree was decorated
with gold cylinder ornaments mixed with
bright red and silver rounded spheres;
red and golden ribbons tied around the
pine stems; and red, blue, green and yellow
lights attached to a camouflaged
dark-green wire that led all the way to
the top, where the shiniest part of the
tree — the Christmas star — was covered
with diamonds and golden wires.
It was a week before Christmas, and
everyone in the small town was preparing
for the holiday, decorating their
houses with lights around their bushes,
trees and roofs. They were also setting
out stockings, baking, singing carols and
buying presents to put underneath their
Christmas trees. Many played in the falling
snow — laying on the thick, white
ground, while expressively making their
arms go up and down along with their
feet, creating snow angels.
Jolly smiled as all the children encircled
him, wearing their three-layered
jackets and wool hats matching their
clothes. Their laughter brought Jolly no
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small amount of joy. He loved seeing
their faces, red-cheeked and red-nosed,
hiding their necks with their scarves.
On previous Christmas mornings, he
would look through the windows of the
houses to see all the boys and girls opening
their presents. Each year, he heard
of a famous tradition, where if you were
good, Santa Claus spent time collecting
the children’s Christmas cards and sending
his fellow elves to design and tinker
with the toys the children had asked for
on the cards. On Christmas Eve, Santa
Claus would fasten his sleigh to his reindeer,
carrying all the toys for the children
around the world. As he landed his
sleigh, he would climb down the houses’
chimneys to lay wrapped presents underneath
Christmas trees and fill stockings
with trinkets.
This year, Jolly began to wonder what
Christmas was really about.
“Isn’t it all about presents and, instead
of going to school, playing?” he would
ask as the kids came to see him.
The children would give various
answers, but none of them gave an
understanding answer. Jolly decided to
ask one more time.
“Excuse me, young boy. Can you tell
me what Christmas is about?”
The boy turned around and looked
at Jolly, his brown hair hanging over his
eyes.
“To me, Christmas is about spending
time with your family and loved ones.”
Another boy came forward and said,
“Most importantly, it’s being thankful to
have people who love you.”
“But I do not have any family or
friends,” Jolly said wistfully.
A freckled girl with short brown bangs
and green eyes came toward Jolly and
wrapped her arms around him.
“You have all the love you need right
here,” she said.
On Christmas morning, as the sun
beamed its light across the sky, Jolly
found himself surrounded by presents
and cards written with sincere words
from the children. Afterward, the children
came to the town square. Jolly
smiled, seeing all the presents he had
been given.
“Merry Christmases, Jolly!” the
children around him shouted.
Right then Jolly smiled. He now knows
Christmas is not just about presents and
skipping school, but Christmas is about
being around family and loved ones.
Jolly felt loved and said, “Merry
Christmas!”
Honorable Mention
A Beautiful, Bright Star
by Tabitha A. Eastman
Forest Ridge
On his drive home from work, Tim noticed
a strange youngster strolling along
the snowy, busy road with a shaggy
dog. Something was unusual about him.
His coat was torn, his shoes were worn,
and his face appeared dirty. He was unfamiliar,
and Tim knew virtually everyone
in this small town.
The strange young man never entered
Tim’s mind again until Saturday of that
same week when he was at the grocery
store, buying groceries for the upcoming
Christmas holiday. Tim was in the checkout
line, waiting to pay for his groceries,
when he gazed out the window and
saw the same strange youngster petting
his dog in the parking lot of the grocery
store. Tim noticed that the dirty-faced
young man was wearing the same
tattered coat and shoes.
Tim decided that, after he paid for his
groceries, he was going to speak to the
boy to inquire where he lived.
When the clerk handed him his
change and said, “Have a nice day, Mr.
Wilkins,” Tim looked up only to see that
the youngster was gone. It was as if he
had vanished into thin air!
Thoughts of the disheveled boy
haunted Tim all weekend. Monday
was the elementary school Christmas
pageant, and Tim’s wife was feverishly
trying to put together costumes for their
two children. Amidst the stress, Tim
mentioned the young boy to his wife.
She confirmed that there was no such
boy at Gruber Heights Elementary
School.
Monday night came, and all the children
gathered onstage to present the
Christmas story to the community. As the
little angels made their way down the
aisle of the school’s auditorium, Tim was
taken aback by what he saw. There, at
the end of the angel band, was the little
disheveled boy. He had the same dirty
face and same tattered shoes — only
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this time, he was wearing an angel costume
and holding a beautiful, bright
star.
Tim squirmed through the entire performance
— waiting for the right time
to talk to the principal about the young
man. When the pageant ended, Tim hurried
up to the school’s principal.
“Ms. Wright, do you happen to know
the name of the young man at the end of
the line of angels?” he asked.
“You must be mistaken, Mr. Wilkins,”
she said. “The angels were all girls this
year. No little boys volunteered to wear
angel costumes.”
Tim was shocked to the core. Could his
eyes have been playing tricks on him?
Was he the only person who had seen
the young man?
All night, Tim tossed and turned.
He worried. How could he have seen
something that wasn’t there?
The next morning, he went to the
town hall to do research on the town’s
history for the upcoming Christmas
tree-lighting ceremony. As he turned
the pages of the town’s scrapbook,
a familiar face in a photo caught his
attention. It was the disheveled young
boy holding the town’s Christmas tree
star.
Immediately, Tim asked the town hall
secretary, who had worked there for
many years, the identity of the young
man holding the star in the photo.
“Tommy Brown,” she said. “He died
shortly after that picture was taken. His
mother lives up on Route 9. That sweet,
lonely lady comes to the tree-lighting
every year.”
Tom asked about the whereabouts of
the star. The secretary assured him that the
star had been misplaced many years ago.
Tim knew his mission. He knew that
he had experienced a heavenly visit
to show him what would make this
year’s Christmas tree-lighting ceremony
the most memorable yet ... that same
beautiful, bright star.
Honorable Mention
The Little Things
by Meghan Grindle
Williamsburg
I was pacing around my room, running
my hand through my hair. My class’
Christmas report was due in two days,
and I still had no ideas. I glanced out
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 23
the window to see it frost-covered by the
New York snow.
Maybe I can do my report about a
snowman, I thought, then crinkled my
nose as I remembered the classic Frosty
the Snowman had already been done.
My frustration only grew as my mom
kept calling to me that lunch was ready. I
stomped down the small stairs of my family’s
second-floor apartment and made a
beeline for the front door.
“Jack, where are you going?” my
mother called to me.
“To find Christmas cheer!” I shouted,
as I ripped my coat off its rack and
slipped it on.
Before I could even press the elevator
button, the doors opened before me,
and someone in a dark blue hoodie and
navy-blue pants stepped off as I stepped
in and pressed the ground-floor button. I
stared after the person as he walked to
his room. Weird, I thought and shivered
a little.
As I walked down the busy streets,
people were walking back and forth
from shop to shop. Many were also carrying
or dragging Christmas trees from a
nearby seller.
I saw an older woman dragging a
tree by herself. She looked as though it
was painful to keep going, so I hurried
my pace and asked her if she would like
help.
“Yes! Thank you so much!” she smiled
at me, and I returned it.
I hoisted the tree from her shoulder to
mine and followed her to her complex.
Once we were outside the building, she
told me she could handle it the rest of
the way. I trusted that she could and
continued my walk, a little bit calmer
now. I kicked snow as I made my way
back to the apartment my mom and I
shared.
Still no ideas, I sighed. I let my eyes
wander, and I found the same guy with
the dark blue clothes. Maybe I could
write about a Christmas stalker. I laughed
at the joke I had made inside my head as
I continued home.
When I went through the lobby of our
apartment, I saw a huge box wrapped
in wrapping paper with toys inside. I
read a paper attached to the box saying
that the toys inside were donations
CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
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for a charity of some sort. I remembered
some old toys my mom never got rid
of. I also remembered where she had
stashed them.
I headed up the elevator to Level 2,
then on to Room 250. I opened the door
slowly, slipped off my coat, and hung it
up as I closed the door. Once I heard it
click, I ventured forward under our ministairs
where all the stuffed animals were.
I gathered as many as I could before
hauling them down to the donation box.
I felt light while I ate dinner with my mom
in silence.
Seeing the toys dropping and the relief
on that lady’s face when I offered help
kept flashing in my mind. I looked up to
my mom, eyes wide.
“What is it, Jack?” she asked
concerned.
“I need to write my essay now. I just
had an idea!”
I jumped up from the table and hurried
to my room. I had performed little acts
of kindness in the spirit of the holiday, so
my essay would be about the things most
don’t see — the little things.
Honorable Mention
An 80s Christmas
by Valeria Quintero
Southwest Orlando
On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2017, a
14-year-old girl named Frankie sat with
her family. In the midst of all the noise,
the only person Frankie was listening to
was her mother, Diana. Her mother had
always enchanted Frankie with stories of
her past. Frankie’s favorite was the story
of Christmas 1984. When her mom was
a child, she asked for all the newest toys,
and even though she received everything
she wanted, she still felt something was
missing.
Diana went on a walk to think things
over. She soon found herself on the
other side of town. Lost and forlorn, she
searched for a way home. Then, she saw
a few families opening their gifts together.
The children were sharing what little
they had, yet they were happy. Diana
was shocked. She had not taken into
consideration how much she had in comparison
to others. At that moment, she
realized what mattered the most. It was
people who made the holidays, not what
you received.
After hearing the story for the 100th
time, Frankie went to bed. She thought
about the trinkets she would receive in
the morning and about what Christmas
must have been like in the 80s. Soon she
drifted to sleep.
The next morning, Frankie sprinted
into the living room but soon realized it
looked very different. Confused, she went
into the kitchen looking for her mother,
but when she passed by the calendar,
there was something horribly wrong. The
date was Dec. 25, 1984. Frankie went
blank. Was this a dream?
She heard a noise behind her. It was
her grandparents.
“Hey, honey,” they said. “Are you
ready to open your presents?”
“Grandma, Grandpa, what is going
on?” Frankie asked. “Where are my
Mom and Dad?”
“What?” Grandma asked. “We
are your parents, silly. Grandma and
Grandpa? We aren’t that old!”
Frankie was then ushered toward the
tree to open presents. Reluctantly, she
opened the first present. It was a cassette
player. She opened the next one.
It was a CareBear. Frankie was beyond
confused. What was happening? These
presents were old and not what she
wanted. Frankie decided she needed to
take a walk to calm down, so she told
her “parents” and left.
Frankie felt completely lost. She soon
realized that just like her mother, she had
reached the other end of town. This was
the same day her mom had seen those
children in the street. She then spotted
the kids. Frankie now understood what
her mother meant. They really didn’t
have much, yet they were so happy. They
were not focused on the toys they had,
but instead were interested in spending
time with each other. Frankie finally understood.
She ran back to her house, but
when she got there, her grandparents
were sleeping. Although she felt awful,
she decided to talk to her grandparents
in the morning.
Frankie woke up early and headed for
the living room. To her surprise, everything
was back to normal! Her parents
greeted her with warm smiles. Frankie
ran over and gave them a huge hug.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?” her mother
asked. “Don’t you want to open your
presents?”
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“Mom, after thinking about it, I want
to spend some time with you before
opening presents,” Frankie said.
“But why?” her mom asked.
“Well, because I now know that
Christmas isn’t about the material
gifts we receive. It’s about the gift of
love we receive from our friends and
family.”
Honorable Mention
I Still Remember
by Peter Kinakin
Ocoee
I still remember traveling to Castlegar,
British Columbia, Canada, for Christmas
when I was just 7. I still remember traveling
with my family — Papa, Mama,
Sarah and me, Peter. I still remember
saying, “Bye, home!” I still remember visiting
the Space Needle. I still remember
skiing. I still remember Baba’s cookies. I
still remember playing piano for Great
Baba.
We left the Cedar Rapids airport for
Seattle at 6:35 a.m. When we got there,
I noticed there was a two-hour time difference.
We stayed in Seattle for two
nights.
On the first day, we were tired, so we
rested at the hotel for a bit. Later that
afternoon, we visited Pike Place Farmers
Market. We looked around, then ate a
lunch of macaroni and cheese, and lobster.
I even got to try fried squid head!
Yum! I also got a very cool laser-printed
replica of the Space Needle for a
souvenir.
The second day, we woke up early so
we could go to the Space Needle. Up
at the top, there was an awesome view
and beautiful weather. We also looked
around town with binoculars and took
lots of pictures. You could see everything
for miles. That same afternoon, we visited
the Chihuly Gardens and Glass museum.
It had a small fee, but it was OK,
because it was amazing! We also had
a quick snack at the original Starbucks.
We checked out of the hotel then drove
to the Bavarian-styled German settlement
of Leavenworth, Washington. The
two-hour and 15-minute drive was full
of beautiful scenery. By the time we got
there, it was 9:45 p.m.
“Suppertime!” I said happily.
We had supper at a good food truck.
Both Papa and I had a German sausage
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 25
called a bratwurst. Sarah had a pretzel,
and Mama got cabbage. The next
day, we went sledding and later skiing
until nighttime. It was that night that I
remembered seeing the twinkling in the
Christmas lights and snow. After we slept
that night, we got some souvenirs and set
off on the five-hour, 45-minute drive to
Nelson, Canada. Oh, and may I suggest
to never say no to German chocolate
cake!
In Nelson, we picked up Uncle Ryan
and went to visit my great grandmother
at the Castleview nursing home. I played
the piano for her and the other people
there, like I do every time we visit.
Last but not least, we were at Baba
and Deda’s! I remember running through
about 3 feet of snow to their door. I remember
everyone hugging and greeting
each other. I entered and smelled piroshki,
a Russian fruit tart in a pie shell. I saw
the Christmas tree full of ornaments of
all kinds and many colored lights. Those
nights before I flew back home were lots
of fun — staying up late to play games
and eating snacks and desserts. The
only night we couldn’t stay up late was
Christmas Eve.
Baba said, “Don’t stay up late or else
Santa won’t come!”
The next morning, we had lots of
fun unwrapping gifts, and the next day,
after saying our goodbyes, we left for
home.
I will never forget this trip, as it was the
last time before Baba and Deda moved.
I still remember the landmarks in Seattle.
I still remember the twinkling of the lights
and snow in Leavenworth. I still remember
playing the piano for everyone at the
Castleview nursing home. I still remember
piroshki and Baba and Deda’s old
house. I still remember the trip up to now.
I still remember Castlegar as a white
Christmas. I still remember ...
Honorable Mention
No Way Without Sadie
by Sandra Roman
The Willows at Lake Rhea
I left my beloved island, because a
monster hurricane named Maria destroyed
my house and my business, a
tiki bar appropriately named Ocean Air.
I worked 30 years in a boring IT job,
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25
socking away money to buy it. In the
past five years, I happily wore Panama
hats and golf shorts to work.
I’ve lived my entire life on an island
that embraced me, but in one solitary
day, shook me with such defiant force
that I felt embarrassingly helpless.
Through the howling winds of Maria, I
could hear my mother island whisper,
“You must leave.”
Struggling to make sense of how to reroot
myself, I wondered where to go.
Anxious and alone, I made a trip to
Florida to seek shelter and employment.
I got lucky. I found a job right away. I
was delighted and hopeful for the first
time in weeks. Next, I had to find a home
for my wife and three children. My wife,
Julia, and I have been married 25 years,
and our only children are our loving and
loyal rescue dogs — Hannah, George
and Sadie.
Finding a suitable home for my family
was a challenge. No one would rent to
us. They said I had too many “children.”
No one wanted my princess, Hannah,
the beagle beauty; or much less, my
boy, George, a clumsy, friendly Lab who
loves to run on the beach. But the biggest
problem proved to be Sadie, a terrier
runaway we took in a few months ago.
She quickly got under our skins with her
street smarts.
I ran from one apartment complex to
the next with rental application in hand
and pictures of my three children. I was
rejected from every one of them. At best,
the property managers informed me they
would only allow two dogs. I was heartbroken.
Julia inconsolably said, “Come
home, honey, better we should struggle
here together than to be separated,” but I
knew we couldn’t make it on an island so
battered and devastated. As it stood, the
five of us had been living in a makeshift
shack constructed with wood salvaged
from the Ocean Air, and Christmas was
coming.
After a week of looking for housing,
I had no choice but to head home and
make the difficult decision of returning
without Sadie. I worried Julia would say,
“No way without Sadie.”
While at the front desk waiting to
check out, the clerk, a cheerful young
man, asked if I had enjoyed my stay.
“Yes,” I said. “I loved my room with
its awesome running water and air
conditioning.”
He laughed. He thought I was being
funny. I explained that where I live, we
were currently without basic utilities like
water and electricity. He asked if my
plan was to relocate. I replied I didn’t
know, and I shared my sad housing
predicament.
“Don’t go yet, stay another day,” he
quickly said. “I’ll call someone who may
be able to help. It’s my mother, who is a
total dog lover and a Realtor.”
I am amazed at how the universe delivers
in your desperate hour. Angela
the Realtor was wonderful. She moved
heaven and earth to find us a nice home
that would take the three dogs.
On Christmas morning, I watched
Hannah, George and Sadie run
around the big backyard. They were as
gleeful as real children opening gifts.
In the kitchen, I could hear Julia singing.
Exhaling, it occurred to me that
life often has a reset button that can
work miracles, but first we must climb
through the newly opened window to
reach it.
Honorable Mention
The Season of Giving
by Tatum Cempella
Southwest Orlando
Slowly, as the sun peeks out over the
softly swaying trees, the December sky
brightens. First it’s dim and untouched
by my loosely closed eyes, but gradually,
the air grows warmer, the sun
higher and suddenly a golden ray of
shimmering sun streams through my
window. This small bit of light opens
my eyes, and I burst out of bed in a
frenzy, the excitement almost making
me tremble.
It’s Christmas morning, the one and
only day of the year when everyone you
meet seems happy, like their hearts are
swelling with joy that had been shrouded
by the news and hate we experience every
other day of the year.
While my depiction of Christmas
morning has been true for 12 of my 13
Christmases, it was not the case for one.
That was the year I was diagnosed with
leukemia. I was only 2 years old, and
the weeks before Christmas and after
were spent in and out of the hospital.
Thankfully, I was well enough to come
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home and celebrate Christmas Day with
my family.
That morning, I vomited before opening
my presents, but I was still grateful
I was in the comfort of my own home.
I wouldn’t have to spend such a heartwarming,
beloved holiday in the cheerless
and void hospital.
Other kids, some of whom were my
comrades for the few years I was treated
for my illness, were not so lucky. They had
to stay in the hospital, and some went
without presents. Who could blame their
parents? It was excruciatingly expensive
to have an illness like cancer, even with
insurance. It was hard for even my parents
to pay the piling bills and provide
the wonderful Christmas I always have.
Also, with your child always being in the
hospital or needing attention due to their
medical needs, your job gets harder to
maintain.
Christmas. The one day of the year
where everyone seems happy, at least
when you’re home.
One year, as Christmas drew nearer,
a charitable group a few of my friends
and I started, the Reach Out Committee,
sought people in need of help. Since
my family is always mindful during the
holiday of people who are affected by
cancer and other terminal illnesses —
specifically Nemours, a pediatric hospital
that authorized most of my treatment
— we offered to give toys to children
who had none on Christmas morning.
So it began. Packages upon packages
of brand-new toys piled into our school.
The jolly season had opened the hearts
of parents and children, and they gave
until they could give no longer. On the
first day of Christmas break, more than
200 toys were wheeled into Nemours,
all decorated with bows and ribbons by
the Reach Out Committee. It filled me
with much more happiness than presents
given to me on Christmas morning
ever could. It reminded me, as it should
everyone, that giving is infinitely better
than receiving. Christmas is about giving
back to those who aren’t as lucky as you.
Honorable Mention
A Mouse’s Best Christmas
by Terran Davidson
Crown Point Springs
'Twas the night before Christmas and
all through the house, not a creature was
stirring except one little mouse.
Jack Mouse peeked out of his
hole and saw a beautiful sight. The
Christmas tree was lit for the night. It
was very tall and trimmed with iridescent
ornaments and a glistening star on
top. Other ornaments were shaped like
bells, candy canes and cute Christmas
elves.
Jack wanted to see the ornaments
at the very top of the tree. He climbed
and climbed. The tree smelled fresh. The
needles were prickly. Lights with bright
colors hung on the branches. The only
sound he heard was the rustling of his
feet and the ticking of the grandfather
clock.
Jack reached the top of the tree
with a grin on his face and stared at
the beautiful star. Just then, the clock
struck midnight. Jack jumped and
caught his tail in the wires of the lights.
Strange noises from the room scared
him. Soot fell into the fireplace. Jack
struggled to get untangled, when a big
jolly man appeared from the cloud of
soot.
Jack kicked and knocked off one of the
ornaments, which landed with a crash
on the floor. The big man turned quickly
and looked up.
“Ho, ho, ho!” he said. “I’ll get you
down.”
He untangled Jack and set him down
gently on the floor. With a grin, the man
said his name was Santa, and he gave
Jack a tiny, glittering package with a
bow tie.
“Wait until the morning,” he told Jack.
“Thank you,” Jack said and scurried
back to bed, holding the package.
His family smiled and told him to open
it. His mother gasped.
“What a glorious sight!”
They were so happy, their eyes filled
with delight.
“This is the best Christmas! A cheesecake,
what a present!”
Jack’s little sister asked him where he
got the cake, and Jack said, “It’s a long
story. I’ll tell it all while we eat.”
Honorable Mention
Winter
by Xavier Matias
Winter Garden
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year is winter. I like winter because of
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CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27
the holidays, especially New Year’s
Eve. On New Year’s Eve, my family
and I get together at my aunt’s
house. I like it because of all the food
they cook, the games we play by the
campfire, and the Christmas music we
listen to.
It all begins in the morning, when
Uncle Gaby lights the campfire and
starts to cook the pig. He cooks a
whole pig over the fire, turning it
around and around slowly so it cooks
all the way. My mom and aunts are in
the kitchen, making the rest of the food.
They make yellow rice with pigeon
peas, potato salad, macaroni salad,
sweet potatoes, eggnog and much
more.
We play games by the fire with
Uncle Jose. He gathers all my cousins,
and we play football, softball, tug
of war and hopscotch. When we are
tired, we sit down and play Monopoly,
bingo, Chutes and Ladders, and other
board games. I like to watch my dad,
grandpa and uncles play dominoes.
They can sit there playing dominoes
for hours and hours, telling stories and
jokes all day.
When the sun goes down, everyone
sits around the campfire to listen
to Christmas music. We listen and sing
along to both American and Puerto
Rican Christmas songs. My grandpa always
likes to say a prayer and thanks
God for the food we eat and for having
the family come together.
The music and dancing continues
through the night as the year comes to an
end. When we are ready to bring in the
new year, I like to go inside the house, because
I don’t enjoy the fireworks and the
loud popping sounds. I watch the countdown
on TV with my parents, and when
the new year arrives, we go around and
give hugs and kisses to everyone.
Honorable Mention
The Christmas Mystery
by Alexandra “Lexi” Clark
Dr. Phillips
Santa’s Gone Missin’
Every elf gathered in the North Pole
Conference Room. They FaceTimed
Copper and The Bent, the world’s
No. 1 missing-animal detectives. Copper
looked at his iDogPad, accepted the call
and said, “Copper here. Who’s this?”
“Oh, hello there, Copper. It’s the
North Pole, and we’ve got a situation.
Santa has been kidnapped!”
Bentley snatched the iDogPad from
Copper’s paws.
“Brilliant. But we only do animal cases.”
“But you guys are the best ... and you
do believe in Santa, don’t ya?”
Copper snatched the iDogPad again.
“You ain’t whistlin’ Dixie, we believe!
Well, shucky dern, looks like we’re headed
to the North Pole. We’ll grab the first
bird outta here.”
"Brilliant!"
The Crime Scene
Standing outside in the arctic cold,
Bentley buttoned his wool tweed coat.
Copper rolled his eyes, unbuttoned his
jean jacket, and knocked on the North
Pole door. A group of excited elves greeted
the detectives and walked them to the
crime scene.
“We last saw Santa here,” one of the
elves stated. “He was drinking hot cocoa
while checking his final list — twice.”
The Bent grabbed his notepad and
began asking questions. Meanwhile,
Copper sniffed everywhere.
“Chocolate hearts and Easter eggs,
eh? Brilliant.”
“Somethin’ ain’t smellin’ right. It smells
like ... “ Copper said but didn’t finish his
sentence.
“Coppuh, we’ve got the evidence we
need. Time to make tracks, chap.”
“I reckon yer right. Let’s bolt on outta
here.”
Smells Like ...
At their favorite fire hydrant, Copper
and Bentley discussed the next moves in
their case. Just then, the Bent caught a
whiff of Boston Market from across the
street.
“Did you smell that, Coppuh? That’s
the same smell from the North Pole!”
“I’ve been tryin’ to tell ya, Bent! Them
there eggs and chocolate ... they smell
like ... “
They both looked at each other and
yelled, “Turkey!”
“You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?”
Copper asked.
“Brilliant. Let’s go visit the Thanksgiving
Turkey.”
Was It the Turkey?
“Bent, we need this here Turkey to
squawk,” Copper said.
“Leave that to me, Coppuh. I’ve got a plan.”
The two detectives barged into Turkey’s
tree stump apartment and began their interrogation.
During their questioning, Bentley
secretly grabbed three feathers from the
floor and placed them behind his back.
“Turkey, we found these feathers at the
North Pole.” He fanned the feathers in
front of Turkey. “Now where’s Kringle?”
Turkey immediately broke, sobbing uncontrollably.
“It was me! I took Santa. I did it.”
“Cough it up, gobbler,” Copper
demanded. “Where’d you put ‘em?”
“The one place where Thanksgiving
never dies ... the Dallas Cowboys stadium.”
The Stadium
With Turkey in handcuffs, everyone,
including Santa Claus, met on the big
blue Texas star at the 50-yard line.
“I’m so sorry,” Turkey cried. “I’m a
good bird. Everyone just forgets about
Thanksgiving. Halloween gets over, and
they’ll all start putting up Christmas lights.”
“You’re goin’ down bird,” Copper
shouted.
“Bloody right, Coppuh. Behind bars,
Gobbluh,” Bentley chimed in.
Santa interrupted, “Hold on. You’re
right, Turkey. Thanksgiving is important.
Furthermore, Christmas is about the spirit
of giving and forgiveness. I accept your
apology. And, I apologize to you. I’d like
to invite you on a sleigh ride with me.
Christmas Eve. You busy?”
“Well, shuck dern!” Copper exclaimed.
“We’re goin’ on a sleigh ride!”
“Well, not you Copper,” Santa said.
“Just me and Turkey ... and the reindeer,
of course.”
Turkey smiled.
“Yes! As long as you come over for
Thanksgiving football. And everyone is
invited!”
“Ho, ho, ho,” Santa yelled.
“Another case solved, Coppuh. Merry
Christmas to all.”
“And to all a good bite,” Copper said.
Honorable Mention
Christmas Lost in Unicorn Forest
by Aliza Britton
Windsor Landing
It was a dark and gloomy time in
Unicorn Forest. There were no colorful
lights, decorated trees or rainbows.
Most importantly, there were no floating
marshmallows in Hot Chocolate
Lake. Also, all the unicorns were at
home. Even Santa’s elves couldn’t fix
the problem in the forest. It was up to
Santa to find four jolly good helpers to
get Unicorn Forest looking and feeling
like Christmas.
A week later, Santa found four
bushy-tailed helpers. They were squirrels
named Ginger, Cinnamon, Eggnog
and Cookie. They all adored Christmas
and were each excited about the jobs
they had to do. Santa had to fly with
them to help make the magic happen in
the mystical forest.
When they arrived at Unicorn Forest,
it looked dull and ordinary. The squirrels
looked at each other and agreed
that it was going to be a big challenge
to bring Christmas joy to the forest.
In the morning, the squirrels got
right to work. Ginger hung garland,
popcorn and ornaments on the trees.
Eggnog had to string the bright, colorful
sugar lights on all the trees. Cinnamon
baked sweet treats, like cookies, cannoli
and confetti Pop-Tarts. Ginger went
shopping to bring beautifully wrapped
presents back to the forest. Last but not
least, Cookie tried to find where all the
brightly colored rainbows had gone.
After they finished most of their jobs,
they celebrated by eating Christmas
nuts and berries with Santa. They still
had two more things to do. They had
to wake up the unicorns and show
them that Christmas wasn’t lost in the
forest after all. Also, Cookie still had
to find those rainbows. Cookie called
the birds to do an overview of the forest.
As the birds searched up high, a
blue jay found the rainbows on top of
Sprinkle Peak. The blue jay swooped
down and grabbed the rainbows with
his strong beak and pulled them up to
the sky.
To wake up the unicorns, Santa
gave the squirrels magical bells that
his reindeer wore. The squirrels went
to each house, jingling bells over every
chimney. When the unicorns heard the
bells, they immediately woke up. They
were shocked when they smelled freshly
baked goodies in the kitchen. There
were newly wrapped presents under
every tree outside each house. When
they went to the window, they saw
bright, dazzling sugar lights all over the
forest. The unicorns didn’t know who
decorated and brought the Christmas
spirit to Unicorn Forest. They loved that
they were going to celebrate Christmas
that year.
The squirrels could see that the unicorns
really appreciated what they did.
Unicorn Forest found its Christmas spirit
after all. With the help of four awesome
furry helpers, it was a happily ever
after Christmas in Unicorn Forest.
Honorable Mention
A Christmas to Remember
by Francesca Reilly
Bay Hill
‘Twas the night before Christmas,
and it was silent through the Robinsons’
house. Not a creature was stirring, not
even a mouse. On the other hand, the
house next door was as ecstatic as ever.
The Robinsons had always known that
their neighbors were a bit peculiar but
often ignored their behavior. Tonight,
however, the family couldn’t help but
pay attention to the bizarre behavior
coming from their next-door neighbors’
house.
Eleven-year-old Peyton, 7-year-old
Lela, and Mr. and Mrs. Robinson decided
they would go over to the Claus’
house and check out the racket that they
were causing. The thought occurred to
the children that the house could possibly
be Santa’s house, but the pair immediately
doubted their thoughts.
Santa lives in the North Pole, doesn’t
he? They went over to the Claus’ house
and quickly discovered that there were
toys and charming Christmas decorations
scattered around the house. It also
appeared to be snowing inside, and
they could tell all of this by standing by
the front door and peeking into the window
where Mrs. Claus was standing
next to Santa by the fireplace. Wow!
They had lived right next to the Clauses
for about seven years and never thought
of this happening. How had they never
perceived that they lived next to Santa
Claus?
Peyton excitedly knocked on the
Claus’ door and found herself standing
in front of Santa. Santa laughed in a
jolly fashion and amiably asked how he
could help the charming little girl.
“Are you Santa Claus?” Peyton said
with a giggle.
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“Why yes, I am!” Santa said. “Ho,
ho, ho!”
As Lela made her way to the front
door, Santa gave Peyton a candy cane
complete with a red ribbon wrapped
around it.
“Can I have one, too?” Lela asked.
“Why of course you can!” Santa
said.
Lela went up to Santa, politely
grabbed the candy cane, and gave him
a warm, cozy hug. Then Mr. and Mrs.
Robinson went up to Santa and introduced
themselves, and Santa called for
Mrs. Claus to come over with six cups
of hot cocoa. They chatted for a while
and drank their delicious hot cocoa.
“Remember it’s Christmas Eve,
so, why don’t you girls tell me what
you want me to put under your tree
tonight?” Santa said.
The girls, full of joy, smiled widely
and took turns sitting on his lap. They
told Santa what they wanted. When
they were done, they said thank you
to Santa and Mrs. Claus, gave Santa
one last hug, and went home. The next
morning, they woke up, ran downstairs
and found a bunch of presents under
the tree. The room was so full of joy,
you could tell Santa had sprinkled
Christmas magic around the house the
night before.
The girls found a note that said, I
hope you like all of your presents. See
you tomorrow at dinner. (Your parents
invited us over.) Your friend, Santa
Claus.
The whole Robinson family agreed it
was the best Christmas ever!
Honorable Mention
A Christmas Puppy
by Holland Roedema
Pembrooke
The Christmas of 2015 was a time I
will never forget. I was given one of the
greatest gifts then, and it has brought
an incredible amount of happiness
to my family and me. Receiving this
shocking present was an enormous surprise
to our family and brought great
cheer to the holidays. This gift has truly
brought our family together to celebrate
the Christmas season and will continue
to bring about more joy.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29
Let me begin with how we were given
this sweet and loving gift: a puppy! Both
of my parents supposedly had some “errands”
to run and were gone for almost
four hours on Christmas Eve. I felt confused,
and, to be honest, a little worried
about where they went. As the hours
went by, they finally pulled into the driveway.
However, only my mom got out of
the car and approached the front door.
She told my brothers and me to head into
her room while we waited for my dad.
After a long period of impatiently
waiting, we were eventually able to
leave the bedroom and were soon sitting
in front of a huge box in our living
room. I was anxious to see what was
inside the box but was also a little overwhelmed
by all the chaos occurring
during those first few minutes. Once
we settled down, the box was opened,
and there he was. A small ball of fur
with giant paws and floppy ears. We
were so shocked, we did not have as
big a reaction as you would expect.
Not too long after the big reveal, we
were crowding around and admiring
the newest member of the family.
That cheerful evening showed me
what the Christmas season is truly
about, and that is family. I have realized
how much my furry friend brought
us closer together as a family. It showed
me that we can enjoy things together
and should show our gratitude for the
gifts we are given throughout the entire
year. I was quickly able to notice the
love our family had for this creature of
God and realized how much happier
our lives became after that Christmas
season.
Not only has this gift brought an
abundance of great joy, but it has
shown me that Christmas is so much
more than what you want on your
Christmas list. It has shown me that
this time of year is about sharing time
with friends and family and trying new
things. For example, taking care of a
puppy! I feared that I would not be
able to take care of our new pet, but
with the help of my family, our puppy
has now grown to be a huge, healthy
and loving delight to my day. This was
truly the most memorable Christmas
that I will not forget.
Even though I truly enjoy spending
time with family, I also need to make
time for Christ. As a Catholic, I have
made it a priority to keep Christ in
Christmas and to make the Advent season
an important event in my life, as
well. Christ should be a significant part
of Christmas and should be a time of
preparing ourselves through prayer.
Christmas truly means something much
more to me now that I have set apart
time for family and time for Christ.
Honorable Mention
The Family of Christmas
by Mia Appleby
Windermere
We are the family of Christmas.
When I say everyone is there, everyone
is there! Nanny, Bop, Poppy and
Nani are my grandparents. Then everyone
from my mom’s two sisters to
my six boy cousins, uncles, siblings
and parents. We are the family that
starts to decorate our home before the
scary costumes ring at our front door.
I guess you could say we have a slight
Christmas obsession; yet, we wait until
the day before Christmas to get our
presents. We celebrate Christmas like
many families around the world, but
what makes us different is that we have
literally celebrated Christmas around
the world.
What most people love about the
holidays is the cooler weather, warm
fireplaces and hot cookies right out of
the oven. Lucky for you, we are not like
most people. Our Christmases growing
up took place on the other side of the
world. Literally. We have spent many
Christmas holidays “down under.” My
dad was born and raised in Ka Huna,
Australia. He grew up on a farm, where
he and my grandparents lived the life
of diary farmers. When we would go
visit for Christmas, we would spend our
days playing on the farm and learning
the importance of taking care of
animals and the farm.
Unlike in the U.S., the weather in
Australia during this time of year can
get up to 118 degrees. The days of
Christmas plaid and scarves were long
gone. Although the weather was much
different than here, we could not make
it through the holiday season without
making Christmas cookies. This is one
of my favorite memories growing up.
Nani was always in charge of baking
duty. We would spend the day decorating
with Aunt Kozzi and my cousins.
Even here, I can close my eyes and
smell those cookies baking in Nani’s
kitchen. We would feel so accomplished
later that night when everyone
would come over for Christmas Eve
dinner.
Another one of my favorite memories
always took place on Christmas Eve.
My dad, brothers and I would set out
to make the best possible Santa trap
in town. This would include string from
Poppy’s workshop, bells from Nani’s
craft bucket, and of course, those delicious
ginger bread cookies that we
baked earlier in the day. We would
spend hours coming up with what
we thought was the perfect plan. We
would go to bed that night in hopes that
our trap would be successful the next
morning. These memories are of things
I hope to share with my kids someday.
Spending Christmas on the other
side of the world while growing up is
not something that many kids could
say they have been able to do. The
journey to get there sure is tough, but
definitely worth it. Christmas is not defined
only by cold weather and warm
cookies. It is not defined by being in
your own home or waking up in your
own bed. Christmas to me means
much more than that. Christmas to me
will always be special memories of
spending time on Poppy’s farm, baking
ginger bread cookies with Nani
and cousins, and coming up with the
perfect plan to catch Santa in action.
I truly believe that we are indeed the
family of Christmas. One that could
never let a jet plane and thousands of
miles take away the true meaning of
Christmas.
Honorable Mention
Christmas
Dinner Goes to the Dog
by Garret Milhausen
Summerport
Once upon a time, a family was preparing
for Christmas. This family had a
dog. He wasn’t really a mean dog, it
was just that whenever his nose caught
scent of something he wanted, he got it.
And this is the story of how the Johnsons
ended up eating out on Christmas.
It started when Mr. Johnson was
stringing the lights. The dog, Sully, was
outside when Mr. Johnson climbed up
on the ladder. In his pocket was some
beef jerky that he planned to eat later.
Once Sully caught whiff of this, the
game was on.
When Mr. Johnson had his back
turned, Sully went to work. He was a
very large dog, more than 100 pounds.
Sully took a step back and charged the
ladder, which wobbled briefly and
fell. Luckily, Mr. Johnson landed in the
hedge. Sully then went over and briskly
ate the beef jerky out of his pocket.
Later that day, just as dinner finished
cooking, Sully found another interesting
scent and immediately put his plan
into action. Mrs. Johnson always made
a tenderloin on holidays. When she
was about to take it to the dinner table,
Sully retrieved his favorite toy, a very
realistic rat. Positioned right outside the
kitchen door, Sully lay in wait. As Mrs.
Johnson walked out of the kitchen carrying
the tenderloin, Sully dropped the
“rat” at her feet. She freaked out and
dropped the tenderloin, which Sully instantly
picked up and took outside to
gorge himself.
Feeling pretty low, the Johnsons
turned on the television. On came a
Christmas miracle: an ad for a Cracker
Barrel Christmas buffet. The Johnsons
had a wonderful Christmas night after
dinner, which was spent at the vet
getting Sully’s stomach pumped.
Honorable Mention
Christmas Traditions
by Antonio Adornetto
Bay Springs
Christmas is one of my favorite times
of the year. All the memories, traditions,
time with family and Jesus’ birth
are what make this holiday so unforgettable.
There are happy, sad, joyous
and new and enduring remembrances
made each year. Traditions are at the
heart of what makes all holidays special.
They are what makes your family
and anyone you celebrate with unique.
Some of my favorite family traditions
surround decorating the Christmas
tree, attending special Christmas programs,
choosing ways to give Jesus
a special birthday gift of helping
and being kind to others, and celebrating
Christmas Eve and Christmas
Day.
During the beginning of December,
we decorate our Christmas tree. We
have a large collection of ornaments
that all have a special story behind
them. There are ornaments from my
great grandfather, grandparents, parents
and special ones to commemorate
all our family vacations and special
events throughout our lives. This gives
us a wonderful chance to look back at
many wonderful memories.
We always attend at least one special
Christmas program or event each
year. In the past, we have gone to
Epcot and visited the countries in World
Showcase and learned about all the different
Christmas and holiday traditions
around the world. We even adopted
the tradition of hiding a pickle ornament
and giving the one who finds it
a special gift after we learned about it
in the German pavilion. We have also
seen SeaWorld’s holiday celebration,
The Nutcracker ballet and the lights at
Disney Studios. These all create fantastic
memories to look back on.
Every year, we have chosen a special
way to give back to Jesus during
the holidays. When I was very little,
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 31
my mom would fill a specially wrapped
box with good deeds that I would do
throughout the holidays. We would
open it on Christmas morning for Baby
Jesus and read to him all the positive
ways his spirit had guided me during
that time. Now, we try to volunteer at
different places. We also look to pay
it forward to others whenever possible
and give to those in need to show the
spirit of caring and love that Jesus
teaches us truly lives in us every day
and especially during the holidays.
On Christmas Eve every year, my
grandmother comes to our house for a
special steak dinner, and we open our
presents from the family. We put on a
Johnny Mathis Christmas CD, which is
my dad’s favorite, and I hand out presents
to everyone. It is always a quiet
night with no TV.
Christmas morning is just my mom,
dad and me, opening gifts from Santa
and special presents that were not
opened the night before. We then attend
Mass. For the past two years, I
have served Mass, which is a very
special honor. This is a special chance
to thank God for giving us the ultimate
gift of his Son to save us. After Mass,
my aunt and uncle host the family for
the day, which includes dinner at their
house with extended family and my
great grandmother.
Spending time with people you care
about is what family is all about and
what creating special memories really
means to me. All of these traditions we
create together show how important
family is and remind us of the special
bond Mary, Joseph and Jesus had as
the Holy Family as we celebrate His
birth every year.
Honorable Mention
Christmas Is Back!
by Zach Wolsonovich
Lake Roberts Landing
It’s November, and signs of Christmas
are beginning to show up. Lowe’s is
drowning in poinsettias, and the peppermint
mocha, a Starbucks classic,
has returned. The Christmas spirit has
arrived with a bang and has no signs
of leaving.
It’s Black Friday, and the world
seems to have exploded. Yesterday
the world-famous Macy’s Thanksgiving
Day Parade should’ve been called the
Macy’s We Love to Celebrate Christmas
Early Parade. I score some great gifts,
as well as some things for myself, from
Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.
My favorite Christmas tradition is
decorating the house, inside and out. I
enjoy the struggle of trying to find lights
that work and figuring out how to attach
them to the house. It is always funny
when we lose the remotes for the timers
or step back to admire our work at night
and see entire sections of lights out.
The tree is another story. Being the
owner of a dog is amazing, but it
comes with its struggles. It seems that
year after year, we lose more and more
ornaments.
One of the things I love about
Christmas is giving back to those less
fortunate. Last Christmas, my friends
and I helped with a toy drive at our
school for the children at Nemours
Children's Hospital. Seeing how happy
all of the people who worked at the
hospital were about this act of kindness
was a wonderful sight. As Christmas
approaches, I hope that we can give
back to those who need it.
Around two weeks from Christmas,
one of my favorite Christmas traditions
is baking cookies with my mom.
Also, around this time, we begin to
watch Christmas movies with the whole
family. Our favorites include Elf and
Christmas Vacation. I personally feel
that Christmas movies are some of the
best in the world.
When break finally arrives, it is nearly
Christmas. Everyone in my family is
hustling and bustling, trying to get lastminute
preparations done, and finally
it’s here. Christmas Eve is one of the
most anxiety-filled days of the year. You
cannot wait to wake up the next morning
to see all of your presents. Finally,
after you finish dinner and leave
cookies out, you slowly drift to sleep.
It’s here, Christmas! I always run
downstairs to find presents waiting for
my family and me. My youngest sister
sleeps in for what seems like forever
until finally, she awakes, and we can
begin the festivities. As we open presents
and enjoy Christmas festivities,
I remember to be thankful for the gifts
I have received, not just material things.
I thank God for my family, friends
CONTINUED ON PAGE 32
32 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31
and all of those who have made a
difference in my life.
Honorable Mention
A Memory
by Samantha Payton
Windermere
Once, on Christmas Eve, a girl,
dressed warmly, was sitting on her
porch, when she saw a dog shivering.
She felt sad for the dog, so she
approached it and gave it one of
her many layers of clothing. The dog
stopped shivering and turned into a
beautiful sorceress. She had never seen
someone so magnificent and majestic.
Then the sorceress spoke.
“You, darling child. You have a very
kind and pure heart. What is your
name?”
“Tai Angelis,” the girl said.
“Well, Ms. Angelis, you have earned
yourself a gift,” the sorceress said.
After wondering if she should get
something for her family or something
cool, Tai answered, “I would like ice
powers, please.”
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Then, the sorceress pulled out a
sphere-like orb, handed it to Tai, and
said, “Just twist the orb three times carefully
to the right before you brush your
teeth. Also, keep the orb with you at
all times.”
And just like that, the sorceress
vanished.
Tai immediately went to tell Sam, her
twin sister. “Sam!” Tai exclaimed as she
burst into their room.
“What happened?” Sam asked as
she jumped off her bed.
“Don’t worry. I’m alright. Look, I got
this orb from a sorceress, and if I drink
the liquid inside it, I’ll get ice powers.”
“Whoa, Tai, how do you know it’s
not poison,” Sam asked suspiciously.
“I dunno, but I guess we’ll find out,”
Tai replied.
After eating their Christmas dinner,
Tai was ready.
“OK, on the count of three. One, two,
three!”
Once Tai finished drinking the sweet
liquid and brushed her teeth, she fell
asleep. After awhile, the door creaked
open. It was Sam.
“Tai? Are you sleeping?”
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There was no answer. She pulled out
a key and unlocked a secret door in
the closet.
Sam whispered, “Riccamora.”
She opened the door and headed
down the dark passage way.
The next morning, Tai woke up early
to test her powers. After waking up her
twin, they met in the living room. As she
was focusing on her new powers, ice
blocks came out of Tai’s hands.
The girls played with Tai’s ice powers
every winter for the next couple
of years until a terrible storm hit their
town. Tai was about to go inside the
house when she heard a screeching
noise. She turned around and saw a
car spinning out of control. Although
Tai was capable of helping the out-ofcontrol
car, she did nothing to stop the
car from crashing.
“Sam, I just witnessed a car crash on
the icy road!” Tai exclaimed.
“Did you try to stop it?” Sam asked.
When Tai responded “no,” she saw
a disappointed gleam in her twin’s
eyes.
“Why do you use your powers only
for playing?” Sam asked.
Tai saw the same troublesome look
on her sister’s face two years ago when
she first got the orb. Sam asked Tai if
she remembered why she got the ice
powers.
“No, I don’t,” Tai replied.
Sam had no words to explain her disappointment.
Tai sat down gingerly, as
she pulled out the orb. Sam took out a
key from her pocket. With no words,
Sam opened a secret door and gestured
Tai to go in. Once they were inside,
Sam asked for the orb. Tai gave it
to her, and Sam put it on a torch holder.
Without warning, the torch burst into
flames. They were not ordinary flames,
they were pictures of when Tai helped
the dog. Then, Tai realized she had
been selfish.
“Tai, promise me you’ll use your
powers to help others,” Sam said.
Tai promised, and she kept her
promise forever.
Honorable Mention
White Christmas Prayer
by Bryce Barbon
South Bay
In my small town, just outside of
Chicago, it was a snow-less Dec. 24.
Being 12, my siblings and friends were
bored. We couldn’t go sledding, iceskating,
skiing or snowmobiling with
the absence of snow. It was unthinkable
that tomorrow morning was Christmas
Day, and there would be no snow
for Santa’s sleigh, let alone for our
traditional winter fun.
As we closed our eyes and drifted
off to sleep, we each prayed a “white
Christmas prayer.” When I awoke on
Christmas morning, I looked out my window.
No snow — just frozen, barren
brown grass. Despite it being Christmas,
spirits were down. We had never experienced
a Christmas Day without snow.
Without snow, what would we do while
Mom, Dad and my grandparents spent
the day preparing our Christmas feast?
On past Christmases, we had frolicked
in the snow with cousins and friends. I
also secretly worried that the reindeer
food sitting outside my window sill
on our roof had gone untouched. Of
course, reindeer can’t land on rooftops
without snow!
We gratefully opened our gifts. New
toboggans, racing skis and hockey
skates had all been neatly wrapped
with colorful foil and ribbons. The exciting
new winter toys quickly became a
tease as we knew we couldn’t use them
on the frozen brown grass outside. After
opening gifts, we decided to check on
the reindeer food we had left out the
night before. Shockingly, when we
peered out the window, it was snowing
heavily. It looked like white icing had
been spread over the landscape. Our
“White Christmas” prayers had been
answered!
Rushing to put on mittens, hats,
scarves and boots, we returned to our
gifts strewn under the Christmas tree
and gathered them up to head outside.
The same scene repeated itself from
every front door on our small town
street. Hoots, hollers and screams of
delight echoed in the cold, crisp air.
Snow had miraculously been delivered.
It even seemed as though my parents
and grandparents were giving a sigh
of relief as all of us kids ran out of the
house. Neighborhood friends zoomed
down backyard slopes with new toboggans,
skates were laced up for a
hockey game, and snowmobiles could
be heard zooming in the fields behind
the houses.
FAIRBANKS AVE
GARDEN AVE
Winter fun would be had after all! Our
prayers for snow had been heard and
delivered. I pondered this thought as I
later walked into church with my family.
I looked up at an intricate stained glass
window at the end of my pew and saw
an image of Jesus in the stained glass.
I saw a twinkle of sun come through
the stained glass. It seemed as though
He was winking at me. Quietly, I wondered
if He had something to do with
the white Christmas miracle for all the
children — and our parents — in our
small Illinois town.
Honorable Mention
Stranded in Space
by Zachary Yadi
The Willows
On Dec. 24, 2001, John McGuffin, a
former astronaut, was sent out to space
to work on a satellite that had been
damaged by an asteroid. John was
a family man with an ex-wife and a
seven-year-old daughter. At 7:08 a.m.,
seven hours before John was sent to
space, he was packing for his trip. His
daughter, Clare, walked into the room
while he was packing.
“Do you really need to leave? It’s
Christmas Eve.”
“I know, honey. I want to be home
too, but when duty calls, I can’t say no.
But I promise you, when I get home we
will be able to have as much fun as any
other Christmas Eve.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
At 12:27 p.m., an hour before John
was sent out, he got his astronaut suit
on and headed inside the spaceship.
“Your directions are to get to the
satellite, fix it and get back as soon as
possible,” said the flight commander.
“When you get there, you will need to
turn on the power so you can get it up
and running and be able to see. But
before you leave, we are going to need
to do a systems check.”
Two hours later.
“We are ready to lift off. We will
begin the countdown. John, are you
ready?”
“Affirmative.”
“T minus five, four, three, two, one,
blast off! We have liftoff.”
John reached the satellite at 6:55
p.m. He grabbed his gear and headed
inside the satellite. He fixed the satellite
with no problems. He pressed the button
that hooked him to the ship. When
he got back to the ship, he headed
back toward Earth. He put the ship on
autopilot and decided to take a nap.
He was dreaming about Christmas and
all the joy in it.
He woke up 15 minutes after he had
put on the autopilot. He looked out the
window and saw that it was all black
outside. He could not see a thing, then
sparks started flashing. The ship got
hit really hard and started going out
of control. When the ship turned, John
saw the reason why he was hit. He was
in an asteroid field!
He put on the thrusters and tried to
get his ship to safety. When he did that,
he felt another bang. Red lights turned
on, and the speaker started beeping
like crazy. He realized that if he got
another hit like that, the ship might
explode. He turned his ship around,
but when he did that, a small asteroid
hit the back of the ship and sent it
straight toward Earth. John’s ship started
to deform when a fire started, then
everything went black.
When John woke up, he was in a hospital
bed with a bunch of people surrounding
him. All he was thinking was
that he made it just in time for Christmas
Eve, or at least he thought he did.
Then, a nurse walked up to him and
said, “What is your name?”
“John McGuffin.”
“OK, John McGuffin. You have been
in a spaceship crash. You have broken
your left hip and legs, and your chest
was punctured badly. Luckily, the thick
coating on your suit protected you from
the worst. You will be fine, but it will
take a long time to heal.”
Clare came running in and saw her
dad.
She asked the nurse if he was OK,
and the nurse said, “He will be fine.
God has blessed you with a Christmas
miracle.”
Hearing that brought Clare joy.
Honorable Mention
Story of the Season
by Jacob Lee
Falcon Pointe
What do you think Santa does on
Christmas Eve? He takes presents
around the world, of course. Usually, he
starts his trip at the North Pole. But this
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 33
time, he started someplace different ...
Universal Studios of Orlando! Well, it’s
a long story, but here it goes.
During the off-season, Santa visited
Orlando to enjoy sunny days and
brought most of his crew with him. The
only problem was he and his crew
had too much fun at Universal Studios
and forgot where they parked his
sleigh.
Santa ran inside Islands of Adventure
looking for his sleigh. He thought it
might be at Hogwarts. He looked all
around, but it wasn’t there. Then, he
went to the Marvel comics section.
As he arrived, he saw The Hulk roller
coaster. And there it was — his sleigh!
So, he jumped right in.
When the ride started to move, the
safety bar moved onto his shoulders
and chest. The ride started, and Santa
was launched up a steep hill and went
into a loopy-loop. After he came out,
the sleigh turned down, and it felt like
he would fall out on to the ground. But
the sleigh kept going. Santa begged to
get off, but the ride wasn’t over.
It can’t get any worse, Santa thought.
But Santa was wrong.
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Just then, the sleigh climbed up so
high, it felt like it was touching the sky.
As Santa held on tightly, the sleigh fell
over the hilltop and down it plunged.
Nightmares filled Santa’s head.
I want to get off this ride, Santa
thought to himself. He heard people
yelling at the top of their lungs. Santa
felt like he was going to take off into the
air. But instead, his sleigh slowed down
right in front of his elves.
The ride was over.
Then, Santa got out of his fake sleigh,
and the elves were yelling at Santa.
“Why are you on that ride?” they
screamed. “You only have a few hours
left!”
Quickly, they hooked up the reindeer
to the sleigh and took off into the night.
“Ho, ho, ho,” Santa said with a
laugh. “Merry Christmas!”
The staff of the Southwest Orlando Bulletin extends
special thanks to everyone who participated
in the 26th annual holiday short-story contest.
Editor’s note: Entries may have been edited for
grammar, punctuation, length and content. To
honor as many holiday short stories as possible,
School News does not appear in this issue. ª
(Location: Winter Park Garden Club - Clubhouse)
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Camellias for sale with other plants, merchandise and food. (Location: Clubhouse Area)
10 – 11 a.m. Camellia 101 Class with Robert Bowden, Director of the City of Orlando’s Harry P. Leu Gardens – (Location: Barn)
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34 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE
THE PERFECT GIFT
FOR GOLFERS!
GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE
The Gift of Serenity
The Woodhouse Day Spa Gift
Card Makes the Perfect Gift!
This year we have 4 great
holiday packages for the ones
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Grand Cypress Pro Shop Sale
Several Apparel Brands Up To
50% Off
Complimentary Gift-Wrapping!
Sale runs through Sunday,
December 24, 2017
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offers a beautiful assortment of
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www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 35
Give the Gift of Health
GIFTS AND GREETINGS AT
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now delivering with
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May not be combined
with other offers, coupons
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36 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
GIFT CERTIFICATES
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www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 37
TOURISM UPDATE
submitted by Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association
Help our
customers.
A job seeker
meets with a
representative
from the
DoubleTree by
Hilton Orlando
at SeaWorld
at the Central
Florida Hotel
& Lodging
Association
Hospitality
Career Fair.
Representatives
from Hilton
Worldwide
discuss
employment
opportunities
with a job
seeker during
the Central
Florida Hotel
& Lodging
Association
Hospitality Career
Fair.
Customer Service Representatives
Full Time Roles with Excellent Benefits
Go to jobs.conduent.com
Email charity.thalacker@conduent.com
On Nov. 6, more than 30
Central Florida Hotel &
Lodging Association companies
participated in a Hurricane
Relief Hospitality Career Fair with
the purpose of securing employment
for those who fled to Central
Florida in the aftermath of the destructive
hurricane season that
impacted Puerto Rico and neighboring
islands. The complimentary
job fair, held in partnership with
CareerSource Central Florida,
Latino Leadership, Puerto Rico
Family Response Center, and Heart
of Florida United Way, led to the
employment of approximately 100
job seekers.
Thanks to a robust Central Florida
tourism industry, many career
opportunities exist for those who
have relocated to our region and are
in need of meaningful employment.
CFHLA maintains a brief listing of job
opportunities on its website at www.
cfhla.org/employment-opportunities.
In addition to conducting the career
fair, the CFHLA Foundation, in
partnership with CFHLA members,
donated $13,000 to Fondos Unidos
(United Way) of Puerto Rico to assist
in recovery efforts on the island.
CFHLA will also be sending hospitality
industry representatives to Puerto
Rico in the coming months to meet
with those on the island who may
be interested in relocating to Central
Florida to pursue a “new chapter”
and are available to work in the
hospitality industry. ª
38 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
n Dr. Phillips
I’m in. Events. and Base Camp
Children’s Cancer Foundation representatives
are gearing up to cohost
more than 800 supporters from
all over Central Florida and beyond
for Black and White Weekend. The
event was first envisioned in 2000
in an intensive care unit hospital bed
when a near-fatal case of pneumonia
almost claimed the life of entrepreneur,
philanthropist, University of
Central Florida Hall of Famer, and Dr.
Phillips resident Heissam Jebailey.
Immediately prior to a miracle surgery
that cured him, Heissam envisioned
black and white colors, as well as
making it out of surgery alive, to host
a big event for family and friends
while giving back to the community.
The ninth annual Black and White
Weekend for Charity and Wellness
will take place from May 11-12, 2018.
Admission is $45 in advance and
$60 at the door, if not sold out, with
access to the entire weekend. The
cost includes food and drink specials,
music, a photo booth, ongoing entertainment
and more. Sponsorships are
also available. For more information,
visit blackandwhiteweekend.com.
Dr. Phillips resident Salli Setta,
president of Red Lobster Seafood
Co., was inducted into the Central
Florida Hospitality Hall of Fame by
UCF Rosen College of Hospitality
Management at The Pineapple Ball,
alongside John Rivers of 4 Rivers
Smokehouse. The Central Florida
Hospitality Hall of Fame annually
honors a distinguished group of
leaders for their outstanding service
and commitment to the hospitality industry.
Salli was recognized for her
contributions to two major Central
Florida-based restaurant companies:
Red Lobster, now privately owned,
and Olive Garden Italian Restaurant,
which is part of Darden Restaurants.
Currently president of Red Lobster,
Salli leads operations, marketing
and culinary departments for
more than 700 restaurants in North
America. In her current role and during
her 15-year tenure with Olive
Garden, she has received numerous
industry awards and led significant
advancements for both brands. She
serves on the board of the Women’s
Foodservice Forum and actively
shares her knowledge to help others
develop in their careers through
speaking engagements.
n Gotha
IN YOURNEIGHBORHOOD
compiled by Lauren Salinero
Red Lobster
Seafood Co.
President and
Dr. Phillips
resident Salli
Setta, pictured
with Abraham
Pizam of UCF
Rosen College
of Hospitality, is
inducted into the
Central Florida
Hospitality Hall
of Fame.
The competition team from Ready
Set Dance in Gotha competed in
the DanceMakers Inc. competition
and convention in Daytona
Beach. Team members and families
sported yellow ribbons and “I
Dance For Rachel” shirts to support
Rachel Bruning, who was
diagnosed with cancer four months
ago. Rachel was able to compete
that weekend and is thankful for the
team spirit and love shown to her
by her teammates.
n MetroWest
MetroWest Master Association
members hosted the sixth annual
WinterFest at the MetroWest Golf
Club. The free, family-friendly event
featured the holiday movie Shrek the
Halls shown on a big screen on the
golf green. There was also a Shrek
slide and donkey rides for children,
an ice-skating rink, Santa and Mrs.
Claus, Chick-fil-A’s Santa cow and
baby cow, and photo opportunities
with a life-sized snow globe.
Holiday-themed performances were
by Perfect Pointe Productions and
MetroWest Elementary School,
and local food trucks provided bites
to eat for attendees. The event benefited
Edgewood Children’s
Ranch, a nonprofit residential program
for boys and girls ages 6-17 to
address and overcome behavioral issues
in a positive, safe environment.
n Phillips Landing
Drs. Harpreet and Devendra
Kahlon co-hosted Rep. Val
Demmings and Orange County
Sheriff Jerry Demings, as well as
several prominent members of the local
Sikh community, in their Phillips
The Ready Set Dance competition team wears “I Dance For Rachel” shirts at the DanceMakers Inc. competition to support team member
Rachel Bruning (front, center).
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 39
with items specifically with veterans in
mind: two bars of soap, repurposed
shampoo, toothpaste, a toothbrush,
deodorant, shaving cream, a razor,
comb, socks and an inspirational notecard.
The veterans were also connected
with counselors, pastors and
organizations in their local communities
to provide them with the support
needed to transition to civilian life and
into the workforce.
n Windsor Hill
(L. to r.) Devendra Kahlon, M.D.; Kudrit Riana Kahlon; Southwest residents
Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings and Rep. Val Demings; and Harpreet Kahlon,
M.D., and Suchait Kahlon gather at the Kahlon’s Phillips Landing home to endorse Sheriff
Demings as Orange County mayor.
Landing home. The gathering raised
funds to endorse Sheriff Demings as
Orange County mayor.
n Sterling Pointe
Sterling Pointe resident Robert
“Bobby” Olszewski was
elected to the Florida House of
Representatives in a special election
representing House District 44. Rep.
Olszewski was sworn in on election
night and headed directly to
Tallahassee to attend the legislative
committee weekly meetings. He also
was given committee assignments
by Florida House Speaker Richard
Corcoran. Rep. Olszewski represents
District 44 on the Government
Accountability Committee, as well as
the Pre K-12 Appropriations; Careers
and Competition; and Local, Federal
and Veteran Affairs subcommittees.
n Windermere
During the Hike Across America,
powered by Clean the World and
Booyah Veteran Bus Project, Shane
Johnson of Windermere traveled
more than 3,000 miles (22 miles every
day) in 65 days from Orlando
to California to raise awareness for
veterans experiencing homelessness
Windermere resident Shane Johnson,
founder of the Booyah Veteran Bus Project,
hikes from Orlando to California to raise
awareness for veterans who are homeless or
in transition.
and veterans in transition. The 22-
mile intervals represented the number
of veterans that commit suicide every
day. Clean the World partnered with
Shane, founder of Booyah Veteran Bus
Project, to distribute a total of 10,000
hygiene kits to veterans in need at 20
different city stops along his journey.
Veteran hygiene kits are specialized
Windsor Hill
resident and
Olympia High
School alumna
Analisa Sorrells
is inducted into Phi
Beta Kappa at the
University of North
Carolina at Chapel
Hill.
Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest
and most honored college honorary
society, inducted 165 University
CONTINUED ON PAGE 41
Messages will be published in the Feb. 1, 2018, issue.
Deadline: Jan. 10, 2018 • Length: 20 words maximum
Robert “Bobby” Olszewski (far right) of Sterling Pointe is sworn into the Florida House
of Representatives by Paul Henry (far left), rector of the Basilica of the National Shrine of
Mary, Queen of the Universe. He is joined by (l. to r.) Mother Rosie Olszewski of Orange
Tree holding daughter Reagan and wife Allison.
40 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
students as new members. Among
the inductees was Windsor Hill resident
and Olympia High School
alumna Analisa Sorrells. Phi Beta
Kappa membership is open to undergraduates
in the college and professional
degree programs who meet
stringent eligibility requirements. Past
and present Phi Beta Kappa members
from across the country have
included 17 American presidents,
40 U.S. Supreme Court justices, and
more than 130 Nobel laureates.
Analisa is the daughter of proud parents
Tom and Mitra Sorrells.
n Winter Garden
About 20,000 residents and visitors
took part in 11 hours of simultaneous,
continuous entertainment at last
month’s Winter Garden Music Fest.
More than 25 musical acts performed
for audiences of all ages, from Beauty
and the Beast shows by Pinocchio’s
Marionette Theatre, theater troupe
Phantasmagoria, a magician, African
storytelling and music to show-stopping
bands highlighting the main
event — the Jonnie Morgan Band,
Thomas Wynn and the Believers, the
SH-Booms, Beebs and Her Money
Makers, and Switch. Attendees also
had an opportunity to sample a variety
of local food and craft beer.
n Et Al
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 41
Steve Clapp (left), president of the Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips,
presents the prestigious Paul Harris Award to Paul and Susan Paulikas
(center) for their outstanding contributions. They are joined by Dave
Lehman, director of the many other foundation programs for the club.
President/CEO of
International Drive
Resort Area Chamber
of Commerce and
Southwest resident
Maria Triscari (left)
and John Stine,
general manager of
I-Drive 360 and 2017
I-Drive Chamber,
co-present Southwest
resident and Orange
County Mayor
Teresa Jacobs
with the Visionary
Leadership Award.
Southwest Orlando resident and
Orange County Mayor Teresa
Jacobs was recognized by the
International Drive Resort Area
Chamber of Commerce with the
Visionary Leadership Award during
IDRACC’s 30th anniversary Awards
Luncheon held at the Orange County
Convention Center. Under Mayor
Jacobs’ leadership, the I-Drive corridor
has expanded and developed
during the past eight years — during
her time as mayor and when
she previously served two terms as
an Orange County commissioner.
In the past year, more than 89,000
square feet of commercial space
was added to the area, including
223 hotel rooms and the opening of
two attractions.
Although we try to ensure that all information
presented above is the most current, correct and
dependable available, we do rely on others for
the source of our news. Therefore, the Southwest
Orlando Bulletin and Cornerstone Publishing &
Multi-Media LLC cannot be held responsible for
the validity of the information presented here, nor
does mentioning it constitute an endorsement. In
Your Neighborhood news is welcome and may be
mailed to P.O. Box 851, Windermere, FL 34786;
or emailed to Lauren@kearneypublishing.com. ª
PICTURE MY PET!
Submit your purrr-fect pet photos for Southwest Orlando Bulletin’s 17th
annual pet photo contest! Southwest Orlando's picture-perfect pets will
be featured in our Feb.15 issue.
All photos must be received by Jan. 31 and will be returned after the
issue date. Mail photos to: Cornerstone Publishing & Multi-Media,
P.O. Box 851, Windermere, FL 34786; email to
Lauren@kearneypublishing.com; or upload online at
www.southwestorlandobulletin.com.
Please include name, pet’s name, address, neighborhood and phone
number on entry. For more information, call 407-351-1573, option 4.
* Must be a Southwest resident to participate.
Dogs • Cats • Birds • Reptiles • Rabbits • Fish • Rodents • Horses • Etc.
42 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
n Big Orange Awards take
place next month
West Orange Chamber of
Commerce will hold its 2018 Big
Orange Awards on Jan. 26, 2018, at
Disney’s Contemporary Resort. The evening
celebrates the accomplishments
and triumphs of some of the chamber’s
most admired and inspirational members.
It will include handcrafted hors
d’oeuvres, gourmet fare, fine beverages
and fabulous silent auction items,
and the evening will conclude with the
announcement of the 2017 Big & Small
Business Members of the Year.
For more information, visit
wochamber.com/chamber_events/
the_big_orange_awards.
n From destruction to art
A giant live oak tree that fell during
Hurricane Irma in Oakland Park,
a residential community in Winter
Garden, was moved to the community’s
future amenity center as a piece
of natural art. The tree was beyond
saving after the hurricane. It will be left
NEWS & BUSINESS BRIEFS
in its natural state and will be a centerpiece
for the future park near the amenity
center, which is under construction
and will be completed in early 2018.
n Special Olympics
Champions’ Gala
Special Olympics Florida held its
annual Champions’ Gala, presented
by Publix Supermarkets, at the Four
Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt
compiled by Lauren Salinero
A fallen
giant live
oak tree
serves a new
purpose as a
centerpiece
for a future
park near
Oakland
Park’s
amenity
center.
Disney World. Jim Payne and
Meredith McDonough, awardwinning
news anchors for WESH 2
News, hosted the event, which celebrated
the organization’s 45th anniversary.
Elite guests included Rep. Val
Demings, Orange County Sheriff
Jerry Demings, Orlando Magic
player Aaron Gordon, and others.
The event also included recognition
of Special Olympics Florida’s most incredible
athletes, coaches, volunteers
and community partners from across
the state while raising awareness
and funds for its programs, which
serve more than 41,000 children and
adults with intellectual disabilities.
Guests also had the opportunity to
meet and learn more about athletes
from Florida who will be competing
in the 2018 Special Olympics USA
Games in Seattle next year.
Jim Payne and Meredith McDonough of WESH
2 News co-host the Special Olympics Florida Champions’
Gala.
For more information, visit www.
specialolympicsflorida.org.
n GKTW goes Over The Edge
In February 2018, Give Kids The
World will give supporters a chance
to “walk the walk” — 428 feet straight
down — to raise money for its village.
As part of the Over The Edge
fundraiser, 76 people will rappel
down the side of the Hyatt Regency
Orlando on International Drive.
GKTW has partnered with Over
The Edge, a Nova Scotia-based
company, to make its most extreme
fundraiser ever happen.
Over The Edge has hosted similar
events across the country, raising
more than $50 million for nonprofits
like Habitat for Humanity, Special
Olympics and Big Brothers Big
Sisters. Over The Edge will handle
all technical and safety issues, and
GKTW is responsible for attracting
participants. Rappellers must raise at
least $1,000, and the total number
of climbers is capped at 76.
For more information or to register,
visit gktw.org/overtheedge.
n Harbor House gets state
funding for three attorneys
Harbor House of Central Florida,
Orange County’s only state-certified
domestic violence organization,
received state funding through
VOCA (the Victims of Crime Act)
to participate in the
Florida Coalition Against
Domestic Violence Civil
Injunction for Protection
Project. The project funds
three Florida Bar-licensed
attorneys to provide free
legal advice relating
to, and free legal representation
in, civil IFP
proceedings to individuals
referred by Harbor
House and other community
agencies. The
attorneys are available
to speak with eligible
individuals about how
Florida laws provide for
domestic, dating and sexual
violence and stalking
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 43
civil injunctions, which may protect
them from being hurt or harassed.
For more information, visit www.
harborhousefl.com.
n Executives Sleep Out to
stand with homeless youth
Orlando City Soccer Club cosponsored
more than 100 executives
for Sleep Out: Executive Edition, a
one-night event, during which participants
slept outside to experience the
impact of homelessness and stand in
West
Orange
Chamber
of
Commerce
members
celebrate
the opening
of Best
Cleaners.
Photo courtesy of WOCC
Christmas Eve and reopen at 10:00
a.m. on Dec. 26. Regular hours are
Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m.-4
p.m., and 10 a.m. on Friday to 4
a.m. on Monday. The club is also
offering special holiday cocktails,
treats and craft beers. For more information,
call 386-252-6484 or
visit www.orangecitypoker.com.
More than 100 executives spend a night sleeping outside for Sleep Out: Executive Edition.
solidarity with homeless youth. The
annual event raised funds for the
Covenant House Florida, a nonprofit
organization that serves runaways,
homeless and at-risk youth ages 18-
21, including teen parents and their
babies.
Sleep Out is a nationwide initiative
that takes place across the U.S. and
Canada at 19 Covenant House shelters.
It also coincides with National
Hunger and Homeless Awareness
Month.
For more information, visit orlando.
thesleepout.org.
BUSINESS BRIEFS
West Orange Chamber of
Commerce representatives held
a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Best
Cleaners in Dr. Phillips. WOCC
builds partnerships, strong businesses
and commitment to the
community by serving as the leading
business advocate in Central
Florida, facilitating opportunity to
nearly 1,000 member businesses.
For more information about
WOCC, call 407-656-1304 or visit
wochamber.com.
The owners of Orange City
Racing and Card Club, located
at 822-4 Saxon Blvd. in Orange
City, invite guests to join them this
holiday season. The club is now featuring
Vegas-style poker games and
all-new Texas hold’em tournaments.
The club will close at 6 p.m. on
Orange City Racing and Card Club, "Orlando's Closest Poker Room," now features
all-new Texas hold’em tournaments. ª
Carlos Ortiz, ARNP
Desiree Fouse LMHC
CAP
WE TREAT "ADHD, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, BIPOLAR DISORDER, SUBSTANCE ABUSE,
BEHAVIORAL ISSUES AND MANY MORE"-IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS
44 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
n Charities/Fundraisers
Jan. 28, 2018 — This Is My Brave
Show Orlando
The SunTrust Auditorium at Orlando Museum
of Art, 2416 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, hosts
the This Is My Brave Show Orlando, a production
that showcases the personal stories
of local individuals living successful, full lives
despite mental illness. People share their
powerful, personal stories onstage through
original music, poetry and essays. In conjunction
with the show, an art exhibition features
works of local artists who live with a mental
health diagnosis. Time: 1:30-4 p.m. for the
art exhibit and 2:30-4 p.m. for the show.
Cost: $20-$40, with proceeds benefiting the
National Alliance on Mental Illness Greater
Orlando. For more information, call 407-
253-1900 or visit www.namigo.org/brave.
Jan. 30, 2018 — Author’s
Luncheon
Windermere Town Hall, 520 Main St.,
Windermere, hosts the second annual Author’s
Luncheon, featuring Kristen Harmel, international
bestselling author; and including lunch,
a silent auction, raffle and book sale. Time:
11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Cost: $30, with proceeds
benefiting Julie’s Mission for critically ill babies.
For more information, call Patty Goonen, 407-
234-8471; or email pattygoonen@gmail.com.
n Children’s/Teens
Programs
Dec. 26 — Library Program
The Winter Garden Library, 805 E. Plant
St., Winter Garden, hosts Peppermint Pals
for ages 2-4. Time: 10:30 a.m. For more
information or to register, call 407-835-7323
or visit ocls.info.
Dec. 28 — Library Programs
The Windermere Library, 530 Main St.,
Windermere, hosts Plastic Bag Print Making for
ages 11-18. Time: 2 p.m. For more information
or to register, call 407-835-7323 or visit ocls.info.
n Classes/Programs
Dec. 30 — EcoSaturday Program
Tibet-Butler Preserve, 8777 Winter Garden
Vineland Road, Orlando, hosts Wool: The
Whole Nine Yards, a program for age
7-older about how wool makes its way from
sheep to consumer. Participants learn the differences
between renewable and nonrenewable
resources and ways to responsibly use
both. Class size is limited to 30, so arrive
early. Time: 11 a.m. The class is free. For
more information, call 407-254-1940.
March 1, 2018 — Classes Begin
Registration is open for National Alliance on
Mental Illness Greater Orlando’s free Family-to-
Family education program, a 12-week course
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
for family, friends and caregivers with a loved
one age 18-older living with mental illness,
while maintaining their own well-being. The
program, in Southwest Orlando, is taught by
peer volunteers who possess lived experience,
and the course includes information on schizophrenia,
bipolar disorder, major depression and
other mental health conditions. Preregistration is
required. For more information, call 407-253-
1900, email information@namigo.org or visit
www.namigo.org.
n Events/Performances
Through Jan. 13, 2018 — Art
Exhibition
Crealdé School of Art, in partnership with the
Winter Garden Heritage Foundation, presents
The Lake: A Documentary Exploring the
Land and People of Lake Apopka, in its two
galleries — 600 St. Andrews Blvd., Winter
Park; and Hannibal Square Heritage Center,
642 W. New England Ave., Winter Park.
After more than a year of planning, two artist
teams set out to capture the contemporary
view of the land and people of the diverse
and distinctive Lake Apopka community. For
more information, call 407-671-1886.
Dec. 27-30 — Basketball
Tournament
The new Cramer Family Field House at The
First Academy, 2667 Bruton Blvd., Orlando,
hosts The City Beautiful Invitational Basketball
Tournament, featuring 16 teams from across
Central Florida, the state and the country.
For more information, including game times
and ticket prices, visit thefirstacademy.org/
blog/inaugural-basketball-tournament-to-takeover-tfa-orlando.
Jan. 20, 2018 — Camellia Show
The Winter Park Garden Clubhouse in Mead
Botanical Garden, 1300 S. Denning Drive,
Winter Park, hosts the 72nd annual Camellia
Show, including assorted varieties of camellia
plants for sale, a camellia plant raffle, a
Camellia 101 class from 10-11 a.m. (RSVP to
presidentcscf@gmail.com), self-guided tours and
more. Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; however, camellia
blooms are not viewable until 1 p.m. Admission
and parking are free. Anyone who has camellias
growing in their yard can enter a bloom
or blooms for a competition that takes place
between 7-10 a.m. Cash prizes are awarded.
For more information, visit www.camelliacfl.com.
n Holiday Happenings
Through Dec. 29 — Holiday Friday
Nights
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of
American Art, 445 N. Park Ave., Winter
Park, hosts Holiday Friday Nights, including
free admission from 4-8 p.m. and live music
compiled by Lisa Sagers
from 5-8 p.m. Programming also includes family
tours, curator tours and an art demonstration
on selected dates. For more information, call
407-645-5311 or visit www.morsemuseum.org.
Through Dec. 30 — The Best
Christmas Pageant Ever: The
Musical Performances
Orlando Repertory Theatre, 1001 E. Princeton
St., Orlando, presents performances of The
Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical,
Time: Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. and
5:30 p.m. Cost: $25, adults; $18, students,
seniors (55-older) and military personnel; and
$15 for youth 3-17. For more information,
call 407-896-7365 or visit orlandorep.com.
Through Dec. 30 — It’s A
Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
Performances
The Margeson Theater at Orlando
Shakespeare Theater in Partnership With UCF
presents performances of It’s A Wonderful
Life: A Live Radio Play. Showtimes vary, and
ticket prices are $13-$50. For more information,
call 407-447-1700, ext. 1; or visit
www.orlandoshakes.org.
Through Dec. 31 — Light Up UCF
CFE Arena and the University of Central Florida
host the 10th annual Light Up UCF, an annual
holiday festival that includes 45 nights of iceskating,
a world-class choreographed light
show with new music, free holiday movies,
live entertainment, rides, a Light Up Express
kids train, photos with Santa and more. The
Holiday Market Under the Stars takes place
Dec. 16. Times, dates and costs vary. For more
information, visit www.lightupucf.com.
Through Dec. 31 — Christmas
Services
Lifebridge Church, 12120 Chase Road,
Windermere, hosts the Upside Down Christmas
Series during the month of December. There
are no morning services Dec. 24, instead they
will be held at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. There
is also a New Year’s Eve service at 10 a.m.
For more information, call 407-505-4888 or
visit www.lifebridgechurch.org.
Through Dec. 31 — Now Snowing
Celebration Town Center hosts the 19th
annual Now Snowing event, including iceskating,
community performances by some
of the area’s top young talent, horse-drawn
carriage rides, train rides, photos with Santa
and special concerts. Snow falls at 6 p.m., 7
p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. For more information,
visit www.celebrationtowncenter.com.
Through Jan. 1, 2018 — Holiday
Fountain Show
Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs
hosts the annual Holiday Fountain Show at
the Plaza fountain, featuring special shows
with dancing water and dazzling lights choreographed
to classic holiday tunes. Time: 6
p.m., 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. For more
information, visit www.uptownaltamonte.com.
Through Jan. 6, 2018 — Holiday
Celebration
Universal Orlando Resort celebrates the
holidays with the following festivities:
Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry
Potter, including uniquely themed Christmas
decorations, garlands and lights; holidaythemed
food; and holiday performances
by the Frog Choir and Celestina Warbeck
and the Banshees; and more. In addition,
there’s a Universal Holiday Parade featuring
Macy’s, Mannheim Steamroller performances
on select dates, Grinchmas at
Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and much
more. Times vary. Access to the theme park’s
holiday festivities is included with admission
to the parks. For more information, visit
www.universalorlando.com/holidays.
Through Jan. 7, 2018 — Winter In
The Park
The Central Park West Meadow, 150 N.
New York Ave., Winter Park, hosts Winter in
the Park, the city’s annual holiday ice-skating
rink, holiday music, games, special guests
and more. Time: Monday-Thursday from 3-9
p.m., Friday from 3-10 p.m., Saturday from
10 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday from noon-8
p.m. Cost: $13 to skate all day. Skate rental
is included. For more information, call 407-
599-3203 or visit cityofwinterpark.org/witp.
Dec. 21 — WhizKids Library
Program
The Winter Garden Library, 805 E. Plant
St., Winter Garden, hosts WhizKids: Write
a Letter to Santa for children 6-8. Participants
type text and insert graphics into a letter,
while recognizing the parts of a letter and
using editing tools in Microsoft Word.
Preregistration is required. Time: 10:30 a.m.
For more information, call 407-835-7323.
Dec. 22, 23 & 29 — Holiday
Festivities
Downtown Winter Garden hosts the following
free holiday festivities: Christmas carols
and holiday pop performed at the Plaza by
Safia Hudson on Dec. 22 from 7-9 p.m., A
Very Merry Farmers Market with Santa on
Dec. 23 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., A Merry Winter
Garden Light Show at city hall Dec. 23 from
6-9 p.m., and Christmas carols and seasonal
tunes performed by the Good Times Jazz
Band at the Plaza Dec. 29 from 7-9 p.m.
For more information, visit www.cwgdn.com.
Dec. 22 & 29 — Holiday Library
Programs For Children/Teens
The Southwest Library at Dr. Phillips, 7255
Della Drive, Orlando, hosts the following
holiday-themed programs for children/teens:
Cookie Decorating for ages 6-18 on Dec. 22
at 10:30 a.m. and Noon Year’s Celebration
for ages 3-12 on Dec. 29 at 11:15 a.m.
Seating is limited for all programs, so registration
is recommended. For more information,
call 407-835-7323.
Dec. 23 & 24 — Visits With Santa
& Mrs. Claus
Beverly Hills Jewelry Watch and Loan, 12348
W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden, hosts visits
with Santa and Mrs. Claus, including photo
opportunities (well-behaved pets included) and
light refreshments. Time: 1-3 p.m. Admission
is free. For more information, call 407-877-
5626 or visit www.facebook.com/bhjwl.
Dec. 24 — Christmas Eve Open
House
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of
American Art, 445 N. Park Ave., Winter
Park, hosts a free Christmas Eve Open House,
featuring live music by the Raintree Chamber
Players. Time: 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., with live
music by the Raintree Chamber Players from
1-4 p.m. Admission is free. In addition, all
visitors receive free admission on Fridays from
4-8 p.m. For more information, call 407-645-
5311 or visit www.morsemuseum.org.
Dec. 25 — Christmas Brunch
Nine 18 at the Villas of Grand Cypress, 1
N. Jacaranda, Orlando, hosts a Christmas
Brunch, including an abundance of holiday
favorites and a visitor from the North Pole.
Reservations are required. Time: 11 a.m.-3
p.m. Cost: $49-$60, adults; $19.95, children
6-12; free for children 5-younger. For
more information, call 407-239-1999 or visit
grandcypress.com.
Dec. 31 — New Year’s Eve Dining
Nine 18 at the Villas of Grand Cypress, 1
N. Jacaranda, Orlando, offers New Year’s
Eve five-course dining. Reservations are recommended.
Cost: $65, tax and gratuity not
included. For more information, call 407-
239-1999 or visit grandcypress.com.
n Miscellaneous
Through Jan. 24, 2018 — Call For
Female Artists
Professional female artists are invited to submit
their work for Women in the Arts’ Celebrating
the Genius of Women arts competition. Selected
art is featured in the annual Celebrating the
Genius of Women exhibition at Orlando Public
Library in March and April 2018. Finalists are
eligible for up to $2,000 in cash prizes and
gallery representation. Entry deadline is Jan.
24, 2018. For more information or to enter,
visit www.womeninthearts.org/art-competition.
Dec. 23, 30, 2017 & Jan. 6, 13, 20
& 27, 2018 — Farmers Markets
Winter Garden Farmers Market, voted No. 1
in America, takes place at 104 S. Lakeview
Ave., Winter Garden. The market has more
than 150 vendors, and there is a new parking
garage next to the event. Time: Saturdays
from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Dec. 28, 2017 & Jan. 11 & 25,
2018 — Food Truck Takeovers
MetroWest hosts Food Truck Takeovers,
including 12 food trucks and music, at 6996
Piazza Grande Ave. in Veranda Park. Time:
the second and fourth Thursday of every
month from 6-9 p.m. For more information,
visit www.metrowestfoodtrucks.com.
Jan. 6, 2018 — Food Truck Night
Summerport Village Food Truck Night, a
family-friendly event that features a variety
of food trucks, local vendors, live music and
children’s activities, takes place at 13790
Bridgewater Crossing Blvd., Windermere.
Time: the first Saturday of every month from
5:30-9 p.m.
Jan. 29, 2018 — Open House
Holy Family Catholic School, 5129 S.
Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando, hosts an
open house. Time: 8:30-10 a.m. For more
information, call 407-876-9344 or visit
www.hfcschool.com.
n Networking/Club
Jan. 4, 2018 — Retired Educators
Meeting
The Orange County Retired Educators
Association meets at College Park United
Methodist Church, 644 W. Princeton St.,
Orlando, for a program about Orange
Technical College and scholarships. Anyone
who has worked in education is invited. Time:
10 a.m. For more information, call 407-677-
0446 or visit www.ocrea-fl.org.
n Support Groups
Dec. 26, 2017 & Jan. 9 & 23, 2018 —
Mental Health Support Group Meetings
Room 201 in Building B at St. Luke’s United
Methodist Church, 4851 S. Apopka-Vineland
Road, Orlando, hosts free individual and
family support groups for individuals affected
by mental illness. The 90-minute meetings are
peer-led and help participants connect with
each other, learn from each other’s experiences,
share coping strategies and offer
each other encouragement and understanding.
Time: the second and fourth Tuesday of
each month at 6:30 p.m. For more information,
call 407-253-1900, email information@
namigo.org or visit www.namigo.org.
Jan. 9, 2018 — Support Group
Meeting For Caregivers
The Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center
sponsors a free support group meeting for
caregivers in the Suite 281 Conference Room
(next to the south elevators on the second
floor) at Health Central Hospital, 10000
W. Colonial Drive, Ocoee. Time: second
Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. For more
information, call 407-843-1910 or visit
www.adrccares.org.
www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x 45
Jan. 11, 2018 — Cancer Support
Group Meeting
The Attic of Building C (Second Floor) at St.
Luke’s United Methodist Church, 4851 S.
Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando, hosts a cancer
support group for cancer fighters, survivors,
caregivers and spouses/partners affected by
cancer. Meetings include a time of sharing,
spiritual and emotional support, and a different
topic each month related to the key challenges
associated with cancer. Time: 6:30-8 p.m. For
more information or to RSVP, call 407-876-
4991, ext. 262; or email care@st.lukes.org.
Jan. 15, 2018 — Stroke Support
Group Meeting
The Winter Park Civic Center, 1050 W.
Morse Blvd., Winter Park, hosts a free
meeting of the BCenter’s Stroke Support &
Social Group. A deli-style lunch is provided.
Reservations via email are requested to valerie@bcenter.com.
Time: third Monday of
each month from 12:30-2:30 p.m. For more
information, call 888-942-9355.
n Volunteer
Opportunities
Ongoing — Volunteers/Docents
Needed
Oakland Nature Preserve, 747 Machete
Trail, Oakland, seeks adults interested in
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learning about the history, wildlife, plants
and restoration efforts at ONP to volunteer
at the preserve to greet visitors, help answer
questions and lead a tour from time to time.
Workdays are Mondays and/or Saturdays.
For more information, email outreach@
oaklandnaturepreserve.org or visit www.
oaklandnaturepreserve.org/guide.To
register online, visit oaklandnaturepreserve.
org.
Ongoing — Volunteers Needed
The Mustard Seed of Central Florida, 12
Mustard Seed Lane, Orlando, seeks volunteers
who can help with donation sorting,
mattress recycling, warehouse maintenance,
administrative work, special events or general
maintenance. For more information,
call 407-875-2040, ext. 110; or email
jessi@mustardseedfla.org.
Ongoing — Volunteers Needed
The Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Program, which advocates for quality
long-term care, seeks volunteers.
Training is provided. For more information,
call 888-831-0404 or visit
ombudsman.myflorida.com.
Contributions to Community Bulletin Board are
welcome. Please send information six weeks
before the event to P.O. Box 851, Windermere,
FL 34787; call 407-351-1573, option 5; or email
Lisa@kearneypublishing.com. ª
Call Today for More Information
and to Schedule Your Appointment!
407-522-7989
133 Terra Mango Loop, Suite 100, Orlando, FL 32835
11183 S. Orange Blossom Trail, Suite E, Orlando, FL 32837
46 x December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com
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