122117 SWB DIGITAL EDITION

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 

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This information is not intended to provide tax, accounting or legal advice. As with all matters of tax or legal nature, you should consult your 

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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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For foreign surface mailing, add $20 per year. 

Neither the publishers nor the advertisers are responsible or liable for 

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Publishing & Multi-Media LLC and may be reproduced and edited without 

consent. 

©2017/Cornerstone Publishing & Multi-Media LLC 

VICE PRESIDENT 

Yvette Martin 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Lisa Sagers 

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT 

Lauren Salinero 

CIRCULATION 

Robert Barlow 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Kirsten Harrington, John Magrino 

MARKETING CONSULTANTS 

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(407) 351-1573, option 1 

mdevito@kearneypublishing.com 

Michelle Oakes 

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Lindsay Richardson 

(407) 351-1573, option 2 

lindsay@kearneypublishing.com

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 


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


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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2017 

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.” 

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Wills, Trusts, Probate, Living Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives, 

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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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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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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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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 


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 

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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 

to entertain at home, discover 

local Christmas events, 

or relax during the most 

stressful time of year. 

Centerpiece 

Table & Linen Decor 

Centerpiece Table Linen & 

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of glass chargers for the holidays or 

any special event. The designs span 

from glistening metallic, uniquely 

textured patterns and iridescent finishes. 

All glass chargers are food 

safe and will make any table setting 

stand out. The current special 

offer is four for $60. For more information, 

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 

at Westgate Lakes Resort & 

Spa. From an array of delicious food 

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! 

, 

, 

,


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 

North/South/East Course provides 

the ultimate test of accuracy, while 

the 18-hole New Course provides 

a Scottish links masterpiece. 

Receive a $59 green fee per player, 

including a cart. Book online at 

www.grandcypress.com/orlando_golf_ 

resort_club or call the pro shop at 

407-239-1909. This offer is valid until 

Dec. 31, 2017, based on availability. 

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 

www.lightupucf.com. 

Most 

Insurances 

Accepted 

The holidays can get overwhelming, 

so visit Massage Envy in Dr. 

Phillips to enjoy some fun unwinding in 

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or your holiday visitors to signature 

facials, Swedish massages, stretch 

therapy and many other relaxing and 

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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 

high-definition TVs; a 52-foot sports 

ticker; and 29-degree domestic, craft 

and local draft beers. For more information, 


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


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 

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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 

Way in Orlando. For more information, 


orlando.woodhousespas.com. ª 

Emilia M. Godoy-Rapport, D.M.D. 

Cosmetic and family dentistry 

www.windermeresmiles.com 

(407) 909-1097


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



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 

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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! 


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. 


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 


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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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 


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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.” 


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! 


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. 


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!” 


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!” 


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. 


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 


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 


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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. 


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.” 


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 


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 ... 


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, 


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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. 


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. 


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.” 


Winter 

by Xavier Matias 

Winter Garden 

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year is winter. I like winter because of 



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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. 


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. 


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. 


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. 


“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! 


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. 


We See Patients 6yrs old and up 

Adolescents, Adults and Geriatrics



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. 


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. 


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. 


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, 


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. 


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



and all of those who have made a 

difference in my life. 


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.” 

© 2017, Fresenius Medical Care, All Rights Reserved. 

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. 


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. 


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. 


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 


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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Self-Guided Tours: Camellia Garden, Legacy Garden, greenhouse & other gardens throughout Mead. 

1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Camellia Show officially OPENS to public. See thousands of competition blooms up close! 

(Location: Winter Park Garden Club – Clubhouse) 

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4 p.m. Show ends 

EXIT 

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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) 

INTERSTATE 4 

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The Woodhouse Day Spa Gift 

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This year we have 4 great 

holiday packages for the ones 

you love. 

Grand Cypress Pro Shop Sale 

Several Apparel Brands Up To 

50% Off 

Complimentary Gift-Wrapping! 

Sale runs through Sunday, 

December 24, 2017 

Grooming Products 

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Facial Massage 

Centerpiece Table Linen and Decor 

offers a beautiful assortment of 

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May not be combined 

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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


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).


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 


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.


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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 


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.


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


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


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 


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 


www.adrccares.org. 


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 

www.CadenaFamilyDentistry.com 

• Professional and Friendly 

Atmosphere 

• We Specialize in All 

Aspects of Dentistry 

• Most Insurances 

Accepted and Care Credit 

Available 

• New Patients and 

Emergencies Welcome 

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, 


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


EDU WORLD TUTORS 

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TODAY 

$ 25 

per hour 

AFFORDABLE TUTORING!!! 

Convenient Tutoring Online, In Home and By Phone. 

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The Leader in Auto Repair Shops 

AC Specialists 

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We’re there when you can’t be. 

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• Licensed • Insured and Bonded 

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www.everycritterpetsitter.com • everycritter@yahoo.com 

HOLIDAY TO DO LIST 

Hang Lights 

Decorate Tree 

Write Holiday Cards 

Get Driveway Pressure Washed 

Get House Soft Washed 

Call Driveway Dragon 

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Relax 

Driveway Dragon 

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www.DrivewayDragon.com 

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Specializing in Jaguar 

5242 S Orange Ave 

Orlando 

407-927-9547 

All Foreign and Domestic Repairs 

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All Flooring • Pressure & Chemical Cleaning • Screen Repair 

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All Repairs, Improvements & Odd Jobs, Large or Small 

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Hours of operation: 

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Sat 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 

Sun Closed 

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MAKE THIS SEASON 

AN OCCASION TO 

REMEMBER. 

The best holiday memories happen when you discover the perfect destination. Gather your loved ones and celebrate 

this holiday at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. Enjoy the season’s dining, festivities, and activities, 

golf and spa, year-round heated pools, and luxurious accommodations. 

SIP, STAY & SAVE 

15% 

OFF OUR BEST 

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INCLUDES LATE CHECK-OUT 

AND TWO COMPLIMENTARY 

HOLIDAY COCKTAILS. 

OmniHotels.com/Orlando 

1–800–843–6664

P.O. Box 851 


BAR & GRILL 

More than just a meal, it is an experience! 

Signature 

9oz Sirloin Steak 

(with 2 side items) 

$18.99 

Your Steak! Your Way! 

Your steak or seafood is brought to your table on your own 755 degree volcanic stone allowing you to cook 

it just the way you like it. And your last bite is as hot and fresh as your first bite. This will be your favorite steak. 

Call Ahead 

Seating 

407-217-7170 

8965 Conroy Windermere Rd. 


(corner of Conroy Windermere Rd & Apopka Vineland Rd) 

Take a 360 O Virtual Tour at www.BRWindermere.com 

New Year’s Eve 

Dinner Special

122117 SWB DIGITAL EDITION

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