101719 SWB DIGITAL EDITION

THE WOMAN ISSUE ... PAGE 10 

October 17 — November 6, 2019 | Since 1986 

The Vascular 

Experts — 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

HOW TO .......................................................................................... 6 

Carve a Pumpkin 

FEATURE ........................................................................................... 8 

Warriors on Water! 

THE WOMAN ISSUE ....................................................................... 10 

IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ............................................................. 14 

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE ................................................................. 19 

The Vascular Experts — Florida 

TOURISM UPDATE ........................................................................... 20 


Our Delicious Harvest 

HOMEMADE IN OUR STORE 

At Least 24 Ever-Changing 

Flavors Available Fresh Daily! 

150 RECIPES ON ROTATION 

NEWS & BUSINESS BRIEFS .............................................................. 21 

SCHOOL NEWS ............................................................................. 24 

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD ....................................................... 27 

SOUTHWEST SERVICE DIRECTORY ................................................... 30 

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER 

Rick V. Martin 

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5855 Winter Garden Vineland Rd. 

(407) 347-9578 

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VICE PRESIDENT 

October 17, 2019 

Vol. XXXIII, No. 24 

P.O. Box 851 

Windermere, FL 34786 

407-351-1573 

www.southwestorlandobulletin.com 

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©2019/Cornerstone Publishing & Multi-Media LLC 

Yvette Martin 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Lisa Sagers 

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT 

Lauren Salinero 

FREELANCE WRITERS 

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CIRCULATION 

Robert Barlow 

MARKETING CONSULTANTS 

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eXp Realty Orlando 

Visit our site today to: 

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• Request a Free and Fast Home Valuation; 

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• Request a Free Buyer or Seller’s Guide; 

• Learn about the Rent-to-Own Program; 

• Stay current with local real estate trends; 

• And so much more!


Fall in the Florida isn’t quite the 

same as in states that are farther 

north. We don’t get the golden 

leaves of autumn or brisk nights. Our 

temps take a slight bow to the season 

by dropping from the 90s to the 80s. 

Lovebugs show up in droves, and the 

humidity is ever-present. Though we 

don’t get traditional fall weather, it 

doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy the season’s 

traditions just as much as those 

in cooler states. 

One of my favorite traditions 

this time of year is decorating for 

Halloween using carved pumpkins. 

It’s an activity that can be enjoyed 

by the entire family, creating 

unique art and lasting memories. 

Follow these tips to make the most 

out of your pumpkin traditions and 

help your masterpiece survive in the 

Florida climate. 

Creating the perfect pumpkin display 

starts at the very beginning. 

Choosing the right pumpkin is essential. 

Look for one that has a large, 

greenish stem. The older the pumpkin 

is, the more dried out the stem 

will be, turning it brown and brittle. 

Pumpkin picking and carving are fun family-bonding events. 

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HOW TO ... 

Carve a Pumpkin 

Create the Perfect Jack-O’-Lantern! 

by Lauren Salinero 

A green stem indicates it is still fresh 

and will last longer. Plan ahead according 

to what type of pumpkin will 

be best for your work. Don’t dismiss 

the oddly shaped or “ugly” pumpkins. 

They can often turn out to look 

the best. Also, choose your pumpkin 

based on what type of design or artwork 

you’ll be doing. You may want 

a taller pumpkin with a flat surface 

area instead of a shorter, round one. 

Or, you may go for a more uniform 

shape. You might gravitate toward 

the traditional orange pumpkins or 

try a white one. 

Regardless of when you purchase 

your pumpkin, wait to carve into it 

until you actually want to display 

it. A whole pumpkin will last significantly 

longer than one that has been 

cut into. There are several options for 

what type of art you’ll do. Carving 

is the traditional method, but stenciling 

and painting are alternatives that 

will keep your pumpkin intact, and 

the creative options are endless. 

A basic carving kit works great for 

adults and kids, and they are cheap 

to buy at any local store. You may 

want to use a metal spoon to scrape 

out the filling. You’ll want to get the 

inside as clean as you can. Any bits 

of pumpkin filling left over will mold. 

Some experts suggest cutting a hole 

in the bottom of the pumpkin, or 

even the back of it, to keep it fresh. 

Cutting out the stem will 

dry it out quicker. Another 

reason to cut the bottom 

is a lot of the seeds and 

juice will fall out easily. 

Once your pumpkin 

is cleaned out and the 

walls are scraped to your 

desired thickness, draw 

the pattern you’re going 

to use or trace it from a 

paper template. Keep 

the pumpkin as intact as 

you can while you go. 

Keeping it together until 

you’re done will keep the 

design steady and not 

lead to breakage where 

you don’t want it. 

You’ll also want to 

take steps to preserve 

your pumpkin for as 

long as possible after 

you’ve carved it. First, you’ll want 

to soak your pumpkin in ice water 

with bleach. Only add about 1 teaspoon 

of bleach per gallon of water. 

Soak the pumpkin for up to 24 

hours. Next, rub inside the pumpkin 

and around the cuttings with petroleum 

jelly. The Vaseline will keep it 

from drying out too fast. Spray the 

pumpkin with water daily to keep 

it hydrated, and store it in a fridge 

or other cool place when you aren’t 

displaying it. 

Carving or decorating a pumpkin 

is a great family activity. Spending 

quality time with your children while 

creating a work of art is a memorable 

tradition. As with all kids activities, 

safety must come first. Be sure 

to always supervise children when 

working with carving tools. Also, use 

an LED candle instead of a flame 

candle to prevent unwanted burns. 

Whether your finished product is 

carved to perfection or barely recognizable, 

I hope you’ll create memories 

that will make you want to carve 

pumpkins every year and display 

your masterpiece with pride. ª


Three years before my mother died, 

she prepared a last will that distributed 

her assets equally to each her 4 children. 

After she died, in his attempt to disinherit 

everyone but himself, my brother 

produced a new last will leaving everything 

to himself which he used to file a probate. 

The new will was prepared the day before 

my mother died. We learned of the new 

will when each of the siblings received a 

letter from the probate attorney naming our 

brother personal representative and sole heir. What actions can my other brother, 

sister and I take to prove the new will is fraudulent? 

Inheritance wars are like horrible scares that occur during Halloween Fright 

Night when hibernating rivalries between siblings’ surface from their Sleepy Hollows 

like Headless Horsemen intent upon decapitating the rights of other beneficiaries 

and stealing it as their own. Naively, parents believe their children profoundly love 

one another without any idea that animosity, bitterness and bad blood between 

siblings over perceived wrongs from their distant pasts can erupt into future hostility. 

Hostility begins when parents choose one child they believe will be the most 

responsible as executor of their estate and will distribute the assets to beneficiaries 

according to the parent’s wishes. Unfortunately, more often than imaginable, an 

executor often manipulates, forges, recreates, or disposes of original will documents 

in order to gain a larger portion, if not all, of the estate inheritance. 

Sadly, in today’s electronic age, it is easy to manipulate estate documents. There 

are many signs of fraudulent manipulation by an executor or beneficiary intending 

The Headless Horseman 

by: Kristen M. Jackson / Attorney 

to steal from others named to receive inheritance. Consider the following 

examples of fraudulent actions that signify dishonest behavior by beneficiaries 

or non-beneficiaries. 

• Deliberately Disposing of a Will to force a court decision. If one 

child learns his/her inheritance is less than that of another sibling, simply 

destroying a last will forces the court to make the final decision of 

inheritance distribution and will most often include the disinherited child. 

• Fraudulently Changing Pages Within a Will to benefit one beneficiary 

over another. In today’s electronic age it is not difficult to reproduce 

pages and language of existing documents. It may only require a single 

page change to the language of beneficiary distribution. 

• Preparing a Fraudulent Will, Changing Pages or Forging Signatures 

In this age of computers, scanners, graphic computer software and colored 

printers, it has become easy to prepare documents, change pages to a set 

of documents, scan a person’s signature and manipulate the signatures 

into color so they appear original. 

Precautions can be taken to prevent someone from committing estate fraud 

such as appointing two executors, discuss your estate plan with family members 

or beneficiaries who are included in your will, and notifying beneficiaries about 

the inheritance specifics. 

If you suspect estate fraud you should immediately contact a probate 

litigation attorney to represent you against the dishonest Headless Horseman 

in your family to prevent them from stealing the family inheritance and 

disappearing as a spirit into the night. 

Legal Areas of Practice 

By our Team of 

Attorneys 

Administrative 

Advance Directives 

Bankruptcy 

Business 

Buy / Sell Contracts 

Commercial 

Contracts 

Corporation 

Criminal 

Employment 

Estate Planning 

Family Law 

Guardianship 

Litigation 

Last Wills 

Medicaid 

Powers Of Attorney 

Pre-Nuptials 

Probate 

Real Estate 

Special Needs 

Title & Closings 

Trusts 

Trademark 

Estate Planning 

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

Pre-Need Guardians, Trust Administration, Pet (Animal) Trusts 

Probate 

With or without a Last Will, in order to obtain assets, pay debts and taxes 

and distribute remaining assets to the heirs or beneficiaries, the deceased’s 

estate requires the assistance of an attorney to manage the court supervised 

administration. 

Corporation & Business Law 

Contracts, Start-ups, Purchase or Sales, Corporations (Inc.), Limited Liability 

Companies (LLC’s), Trademarks, Copyrights, Franchise Agreements 

Real Estate 

Closings, Title Insurance, Sales & Purchases, Leases, Contract 

Review, Contract Preparation 

(407)363-9020 

www.JacksonLawPA.com 

Offices: Orlando 

Kristen Jackson 

Attorney At Law 

Credit Cards Accepted


A diagnosis they never dreamed 

of having. A sisterhood they couldn’t 

imagine life without. 

For members of Warriors on 

Water, the only breast cancer survivor 

dragon boat team in Central 

Florida, becoming part of a team 

of women who know exactly what it 

feels like to undergo diagnosis, chemotherapy, 

radiation and remission 

of breast cancer is more than just 

getting back to a “normal” routine 

again; it's finding a new purpose in 

life with others just like them. 

“It really is a cool sisterhood, and 

it really has been a blessing for 

me because I’m a four-time cancer 

survivor [non-Hodgkin’s disease at 

18 and three times with breast cancer], 

and I’m 60 now,” said Justine 

Finocchiaro-Doles, team president 

and fellow paddler for the past 

five years. “Some think we are a 

support group, and we are a different 

kind of support group ... We are 

there to support each other no matter 

what.” 

The month of October may mark 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month for 

FEATURE 

Warriors on Water! 

The Area’s Only Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Team 

the nation, but each month 

for this team of ladies 

brings awareness that they 

are alive and taking part 

in a sport few are willing 

to attempt. 

Ten-Year Anniversary 

Prompted by a study 

by exercise physiologist 

Dr. Donald McKenzie that 

the upper-body movements 

used in paddling a dragon 

boat benefit the lymph system 

of women who have 

breast cancer, Warriors on 

Water (WOW) first formed 

in 2009. The all-breast cancer 

survivor team competed 

in the 1996 Dragon Boat 

Racing Championship, and 

by Blair Parke 

Warriors on Water compete against other breast cancer survivor teams. 

now there are not only divisions for 

breast cancer survivor teams in regular 

dragon boat competitions but 

championships just for breast cancer 

survivor teams. 

The first WOW team of 21 ladies 

didn’t have their own boat, so they 

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egan training in a pool to get a 

feel of the water and synchronizing 

with their teammates. Some women 

from the original team, playfully 

nicknamed “OGs” for original gangsters, 

are still members today. 

“All of the members are usually recommended 

by a fellow survivor [or] 

a doctor/nurse practitioner,” Justine 

said. “We even had some ladies 

who just signed up that just finished 

their chemotherapy and radiation 

and may not have hair, but they want 

to get out there and know that they 

are alive, are exercising and are enjoying 

the fresh air.” 

The team usually practices twice 

a week, Wednesday nights and 

Saturday mornings, on Lake Fairview 

in Winter Park. Each practice focuses 

on a different aspect of paddling a 

dragon boat, from starts to improving 

technique to being in sync as a team. 

“When you are paddling in the 

dragon boat, you are paddling on 

the side, so you are paddling differently,” 

Justine said. “Basically, it is 

the start that is going to do it for you. 

When you do a start, that is when 

you get your power going.” 

Last year, the team traveled to 

Florence in Italy to take part in the 

International Breast Cancer Paddlers 

Commission competition that occurs 

every four years, with New Zealand 

being the next competition location in 

2022. They have also competed statewide 

in Tampa, Clermont and South 

Florida, and plan to go to Vermont 

next year as part of participating in 

one out-of-state competition a year. 

Paddling Brings Renewed Life 

The average age of team members 

can be from 45 to 70, and recently, 

the team celebrated its 10th anniversary 

at Lake Fairview, where new 

and former members came together 

to commemorate the years WOW 

has impacted their lives individually 

and as a group of survivors. 

Being a nonprofit means a lot of 

fundraising takes place, which allows 

the team to mingle with the 

community to gain its support. A 

Pink Bingo to raise funds took place 

last month, as did a poker run that, 

along with the anniversary party, led 

to three women requesting information 

about the team. 

“We are always looking for new 

members, and the team means the 

world to me,” Justine said. “My mom 

just passed away in August, and it 

has been hard for me, and the team 

has done what they can to cheer me 

up. In my latest bout with breast cancer, 

they were all there to help me 

out.” 

She is not alone in her belief that 

the team is more than a team but is a 

lifelong sisterhood. 

“Warriors on Water is the best 

thing to come from having breast 

cancer,” said Pam Elliot, a teammate 

and three-year breast cancer 

survivor. “I feel so blessed to be a 

part of this team. [I] love all these 

ladies!” 

“Our races are heartwarming 

and an adrenaline rush,” said twoyear 

breast cancer survivor Corine 

Fahlsing. 

“Warriors on Water is the best 

thing for me,” said teammate and 

cancer survivor Kim Ponder. “This 

team is my bonus sisters and one 

positive thing from having that ‘C.’” 

Teammate Vicki Magacz concluded 

it best: “This team has been 


Warriors 

on Water team 

members support 

each other on the 

water and in life. 

a godsend. I was overwhelmed with 

the love and support from the first 

day. Because of this team, my focus 

has changed from ‘not dying’ to living 

and enjoying life.” 

People can see WOW in action 

at Bill Frederick Park at Turkey 

Lake on Oct. 19, as part of the 

Orlando International Dragon Boat 

Festival. The ladies will be matching 

in shirts and spirit, hoping to 

not only do well in their division but 

also to prove that cancer doesn’t 

take away their drive to live. ª 

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The Woman Issue 

It’s an age-old question: 

What do women want? With 

the Southwest Orlando Bulletin’s 

third annual The Woman Issue, 

we try to help answer that question, 

as much as anyone can. 

We’ve gathered an array of 

products, services and events — 

from skin and body rejuvenation 

to women’s wellness to familyfriendly 

performances — just for 

the ladies. 

When it comes to family health, 

women need look no further 

than Lauren Conroy, M.D., of 

AdventHealth Medical Group. 

Dr. Conroy sees patients from age 

7-older at AdventHealth’s brandnew 

practice, located in Dr. Phillips 

at the Dellagio. Dr. Conroy graduated 

from the University of Florida 

in the top third of her class and 

went on to serve as chief resident 

of family medicine there. During 

that time, she earned numerous 

accolades. She is now accepting 

new patients, and same-day appointments 

are available. For more 

information or to schedule an appointment, 

call 407-821-3670 or visit 

adventhealthmedicalgroup.com. 

With 13 centers throughout Central 

Florida, officials at Community 

Health Centers want to remind 

you to schedule your annual well 

woman exam. Community Health 

Centers offers health care for everyone. 

They accept private insurance, 

Medicaid and Medicare, and offer 

a sliding discount program based on 

family size and income. Schedule 

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an appointment today by calling 

407-905-8827. For more information, 

visit www.chcfl.org. Preventing 

breast cancer is not in your hands, 

but early detection is. 

If you’re having a difficult time 

deciding where to send your children 

for their early education, 

check out Cranium Academy. 

Located at 4068 Winter Garden 

Vineland Road in Winter Garden, 

Cranium Academy is a unique, prestigious 

private school for children 

age 12 months through 5th grade. 

With small class sizes and low 

student-teacher ratios, its learning 

environment encourages students’ 

curiosity and attentiveness. The staff 

strives to develop lifelong learning 

advantages and inspire a true 

love of learning. Students benefit 

from a unique combination of advanced 

curriculum and a structured 

athletic program. For more information, 


www.craniumacademy.com. 

Lori Lambert, M.D., is a boardcertified 

OB-GYN physician, providing 

comprehensive obstetrical 

and gynecological care for women 

throughout all stages of life. Dr. 

Lambert has been in private practice 

since 1989. She delivers babies and 

performs surgeries at Winnie Palmer 

Hospital for Women & Babies. She 

also performs in-office procedures 

such as hysteroscopies vaginal rejuvenations, 

and laser hair removal. Dr. 

Lambert offers services that include bioidentical 

hormone replacement and 

pellet therapy. Her office is also a certified 

retailer of SkinCeuticals products. 

For more information, call 407-363- 

2000 or visit lorilambertmd.com. 

Experience and knowledge are 

the most important things when it 

comes to getting facial treatments 

like Botox Cosmetic, fillers or any 

facial rejuvenating treatment. Beth 

Moffett of Naturally You Med 

Spa, located at 12139 S. Apopka- 

Vineland Road in Orlando, has more 

than 40 years of plastic and cosmetic 

training. Enhancing their clients’ natural 

beauty is the staff’s primary goal. 

Injectables and facial rejuvenation is 

their No. 1 business. For more information, 


www.naturallyyouorlando.com. 

Rosa planned on spending retirement 

traveling the world, but 

a mammogram revealing stage 3 

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12


CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 

breast cancer cut those plans short. 

At Orlando Health UF Health 

Cancer Center, she fought with a 

team that became her second family. 

After three years of health, she 

was forced to face cancer again. 

But with a team she can trust in her 

corner, there’s no way she’s backing 

down from living her best life. Find 

out more at chooseorlandohealth. 

com/stories. 

Moms, grab the kids and the entire 

family and head to Orlando 

Repertory Theatre for some 

family fun this fall! How I Became 

A Pirate, a delightful musical based 

on the beloved book series, is playing 

now through Nov. 10. Orlando 

REP is a professional theater with a 

mission to create experiences that 

enlighten, entertain and enrich families 

and young audiences. In addition, 

the award-winning REP Youth 

Academy provides classes and workshops 

for children, along with professional 

development opportunities to 

classroom teachers. For more information, 


www.orlandorep.com. 

As a woman’s health specialist, 

Kathy Y. Jones, M.D., of Orlando 

Urogynecology believes self-care 

is the foundation to overall wellness. 

Orlando Urogynecology is now 

offering services that will bring a 

fresh look and feel to patients’ lives. 

Reveal brighter, younger-looking 

skin with ThreeForMe. Undo life’s 

imperfections with skin revitalization, 

scar removal or stretch mark 

removal. Restore natural beauty with 

a Vampire facial and microneedling. 

Enhance sexual response with the 

O-Shot or ThermiVa. Call 407-228- 

8066 today for a consultation. 

Ladies, time in the garden is a great 

way to relieve the stresses of daily life. 

Take time for yourself and visit Royal 

Landscape Nursery to enjoy nature 

at its best. The staff will gladly 

help you pick out plants for your home 

and office. Located in Gotha at 2204 

Hempel Ave., Royal Landscape’s hours 

of operation are Monday-Friday from 

7 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 

a.m.-3 p.m. Join their email list to receive 

special VIP discounts! For more 

information, call 407-296-3042. 

Have you ever wanted to change 

your smile? Sakowitz Smiles


401 Main Street, Suite A, Windermere, FL 

Windermere Center for 

DENTISTRY 

Orthodontics offers Invisalign, 

braces and clear braces for all 

ages. For busy moms and women 

on-the-go, the staff works efficiently 

and spaces out appointments 

to minimize any missed work or 

school. Scott Sakowitz, DMD, 

is a board-certified orthodontist, 

and consultations are always free. 

The office has two convenient locations 

— one at Hamlin Town 

Center in Winter Garden (near 

Publix) and one in Lake Nona (by 

State Road 528). For more information, 


www.sakowitzsmiles.com. 

Approximately one in eight 

women will have breast cancer 

in their lifetime. Regular mammograms 

help to identify breast cancer 

early, when treatment is most 

successful. Early detection can help 

reduce prolonged treatment of chemotherapy, 

radiation and invasive 

surgery. Common risk factors for 

breast cancer include age, family 

history and ethnicity. Early detection 

saves lives. Visit Southwest 

Orlando Family Medicine at 

www.swofm.com or call 407-352- 

9717 to schedule your screening 

today. ª 

Emilia Godoy-Rapport, D.M.D. 

Always Friendly & Gentle 

Cosmetic and family dentistry 

www.windermeresmiles.com 

(407) 909-1097 

SOUTHWEST ORLANDO FAMILY MEDICINE 

Celebrating 30 Years Helping Patients Live Healthier Lives 

Southwest Orlando Family Medicine, P.L. has been faithfully serving the 

healthcare needs of children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly in the Dr. 

Phillips community since 1989. We are proud to provide our patients with 

exceptional and award-winning medical care from our experienced clinicians. 

24/7 Care with Same-Day Appointments, 

Saturday Hours, After Hours On-Call Service 

On-Site Lab Services Including Blood Work, 

Cardiac Diagnostics, IV Fluids, and More 

Clinically Integrated Networks with 

Orlando Health and AdventHealth 

English, Spanish, Portuguese, 

Tagalog, and Translation Services 

7400 Docs Grove Cir 

Orlando, FL 32819 

407-352-9717 

www.swofm.com 

Voted Top Doctor 

2018 in Orlando 2015-2018


n Ocoee 

The city of Ocoee celebrated 

National Hispanic Heritage Month 

from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 to recognize 

the diverse contributions of its 

Hispanic and Latino residents. A 

IN YOURNEIGHBORHOOD 

proclamation of Hispanic Heritage 

Month was read at the Ocoee City 

As part of Ocoee’s celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Hispanic art is 

displayed at the city’s town hall. 

compiled by Lauren Salinero 

Commission meeting in September. 

Motorists traveling on Clarke Road 

saw festive “Ocoee Celebrates 

Hispanic Heritage Month” pole banners 

along the street, and colorful 

framed posters, featuring Hispanic 

art, greeted visitors to Ocoee City 

Hall. The city’s governmental station, 

Ocoee TV, aired a series titled Latino 

Americans: The 500-Year Legacy 

that Shaped a Nation. The six-hour 

documentary featured interviews 

with nearly 100 Latinos, as well as 

more than 500 years of history. 

Ocoee residents have the chance 

to give feedback about the city’s 

parks and recreation programs. The 

city is updating its Comprehensive 

Plan and the Parks, Recreation, & 

Trails Master Plan and is asking residents 

to take an online community 

survey. The survey, which the city 

is conducting in partnership with 

the East Central Florida Regional 

Planning Council, will provide questions 

focusing on city parks, recreation 

and trails. The city is asking 

citizens to give their thoughts on existing 

parks, recreational programs 

and special events. Results from the 

survey will be used to guide future 

decisions on programming and 

how to improve the city’s park system. 

Complete the survey online at 

www.ocoee.org, under the “Quick 

Links” menu. The survey will be open 

through the end of this month. 

n Et Al 

Recent guest speakers at the Dr. 

Phillips Rotary Club have contributed 

thoughtful and important 

topics to the group’s discussion. 

Participants have included Mack 

Reid, chief operations officer of 

the Boys and Girls Club; Dennis 

Donahue, vice president of 

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 

It's that time of year to FALL in love with 

your landscape. Come to Royal and see 

what all is in bloom! 

Bring the children by on 

Saturday October 19 th 

9 a.m.-11 a.m. for some Treats (no tricks) from Royal. 

Pumpkin painting, snacks and fun for the little Ghouls and Boos! 

Royal Landscape Nursery 

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compliance and supply management 

at Universal Parks and Resorts; 

Lesa Boettcher and Tracy 

Swan of the West Orange 

Healthcare District; and Phil 

Hoffman, Ed.D, executive director 

of WUCF-PBS and WUCF-FM. Lesa 

and Tracy spoke about bringing a 

Dr. Phillips Rotary Club President-elect Mary Ellen Kerber (far left) and President 

Bethany Stone welcome speakers Mack Reid (second from left), chief operations officer of 

the Boys and Girls Clubs, and Dennis Donahue, vice president of compliance and supply 

management of Universal Parks and Resorts. 

Dr. Phillips 

Rotary Club 

President 

Bethany 

Stone (right) 

welcomes 

speakers Lesa 

Boettcher 

(left) and Tracy 

Swan of the 

West Orange 

Healthcare 

District. 

Phil Hoffman, Ed.D, executive director 

of WUCF-PBS and WUCF-FM speaks at a 

Dr. Phillips Rotary Club meeting. 

unique combination of skills to the 

district to work with the wellness and 

health of the community. Phil shared 

information about the services PBS 

performs for the community. 

Congratulations to the following 

Southwest-area residents for beginning 

their journeys into higher 

education: 

• Belmont University fall semester 

enrollees included Windermere 

resident George Anderson; Winter 

Garden residents Mikenzie 

Bart holomae, Anthony Juba- 

Richardson and Megan Paswaters; 

and Dr. Phillips resident 

Kaylianna McCormick. 

• Ocoee resident Cameryn 

Lease is a first-year student in the 

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

at the University of Iowa. 

• Madison Machata-Melvin 

of Celebration is among more 

than 660 new students attending 

Canisius College this academic 

year. 

5


Representatives of the Hemophilia 

Foundation of Greater 

Florida awarded $28,800 in scholarships 

to 14 college students, two 

of whom reside in Southwest 

Orlando. Miguel Diaz-Burgos 

of Ocoee attends Valencia 

College, and Michael Berkman 

of Windermere attends Syracuse 

University. The Calvin 

Dawnson Memorial Scholarship, 

named in honor of the founder and 

first executive director of HFGF, 

has been helping those in the 

bleeding disorders community with 

their higher educations for the past 

20 years. Scholarships are earmarked 

for Floridians with hemophilia, 

von Willebrand disease or 

other related hereditary bleeding 

disorders. They are awarded 

based on merit, need, community 

service and the ambitions of the 

applicant as reflected in an essay. 

For more information, visit 

hemophiliaflorida.org. 

Indian American Chamber 

of Commerce Orlando members 

recognized business and community 

leaders who are making positive 

impacts in Central Florida during 

the chamber’s 10th annual Awards 

Gala. Among the awardees were 

Windermere resident Garima 

Shah and Dr. Phillips residents 

Nirja Shah and Raman Rama. 

The organization also donated 

$3,000 to the nonprofits Shepherd’s 

Hope, a medical social services organization, 

and Florida Abolitionist, 

an organization working to end 

human trafficking. 

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 

28th annual holiday short-story contest. 

Winners will be published in the 

Dec. 19 issue. Send original short 

stories (max: 600 words) with the 

author's name, age, neighborhood and 

phone number to: 

Southwest Orlando Bulletin 

P.O. Box 851 

Windermere, FL 34786 

Phone: 407-351-1573, Option 4 

Email: lauren@kearneypublishing.com 

Must be a Southwest Orlando resident to participate. 

Deadline: November 27, 2019 

Join us for the 10th Annual Walt Disney World 

Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic 

Unlimited Food, Wine & Beer Tastings * | Live Entertainment | 40 + Wine Vendors 

20 + Beer Vendors | Stay & Play Packages | Oktoberfest Inspired Beer Garden INCLUDED 

NEW 10th Annual Celebration Area | NEW Themed Areas | NEW Food Offerings 

10 Educational Food & Drink Pairing Seminars Including a Grand Tasting Event! 

1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830


Join us Saturday November 9 

Sponsorship 

www.facebook.com/matthewshopeministries Opportunities Available 

www.facebook.com/matthewshopeministries 

10 tables 

remaining 

at The Pines of Windermere for our Annual Harvest of Hope Garden Party. 

The evening begins with Hors d’Oeuvres provided by Corwin’s Personal Chef and Catering at 

5:45 p.m. and will include a Silent Auction of several pieces created in the Matthew’s Hope Chest 

Workshop along with some other surprises. 

Everyone will be vying for the coveted Best Dressed Table Award. Tables of ten start at just 

$500 and Event Partnerships at only $1000. So pick your theme and reserve your table now! 

Jill Tower and Anita Drink will be this year’s entertainment. 

The most Creatively Themed Table will win 

the coveted Best Dressed Table Award! 

For more information or to reserve your table: 

www.matthewshopeministries.org/Annual-Garden-Party 

or call 407.905.9500 

Contact us for more information | 407.905.9500 | matthewshopeministries.org 

Matthew’s 

Hope Chest 

Interested in a 

Montessori Education, 

with a Christian 

Worldview, for your 

preschool child? 

Learn more now by 

emailing 

407.905.9500 

740 9th St., Winter Garden, FL 34787 

MatthewsHopeMinistries.org 

Meagan@MatthewsHopeMinistries.org 

NOW ENROLLING FOR FALL! 

AGES 1-6 | Enrollment for Ages 1 - 2 Begins October 1st 

Preschool & Daycare 

We invite you to come tour our preschool and 

to discuss how we can help your child meet 

their academic goals 

| www.facebook.com/MatthewsHopeFirmFoundation/ 

XNSP17983



Largest Vascular Surgery Practice in the U.S. Comes to Central Florida 

There’s a new medical specialty office 

in town. 

The Vascular Experts — 

Florida, which opened a new location 

in Windermere on Sept. 9, is 

part of the largest vascular surgery 

practice in the country. Formed in 

2001, The Vascular Experts is a nationwide 

medical group with a total 

of 13 offices — in Connecticut, 

Rhode Island and Florida. It is composed 

of board-certified surgeons 

who have dedicated their entire 

careers to the treatment of vascular 

diseases and care. 

Lina M. Vargas, M.D., FACS, 

RPVI, is the board-certified vascular 

surgeon who leads The Vascular 

Experts — Florida practice. She specializes 

in vascular and endovascular 

surgeries. 

“The new location will provide 

Greater Orlando-area residents with 

an advanced level of vascular and 

vein care that is less invasive,” Dr. 

Vargas said. 

Upon receiving her medical degree, 

Dr. Vargas completed her 

postgraduate medical training at the 

prestigious Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, 

where she also completed a research 

fellowship in cardiac and vascular 

surgery. She served as clinical 


associate in the department of vascular 

surgery at Duke University in 

North Carolina. Upon relocating to 

Orlando, she joined the Vascular 

Institute of Central Florida — Florida 

Hospital Medical Group. Dr. Vargas 

is not new to Orlando but new to The 

Vascular Experts. 

“Our mission is to provide comprehensive 

and compassionate vascular 

care to patients in our community,” 

Dr. Vargas said. “I am excited to 

provide the highest quality services 

in a very friendly and welcoming 

environment. Patients are our No. 1 

priority, and we are proud to offer 

exceptional vascular care in Central 

Florida.” 

Vascular disease is a class of 

diseases of the blood vessels. The 

body’s arteries and veins of the circulatory 

system make up the blood 

vessels, which carry blood to and 

from the heart. Disorders in this vast 

network of blood vessels can cause 

a range of health problems that can 

be severe and even prove fatal. 

The practice’s goal is to provide 

leading-edge medical technology 

and the use of modern endovascular 

therapies, as well as traditional procedures 

for the treatment of vascular 

disease. Vascular diseases treated 

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE 

include deep vein thrombosis, venous 

insufficiency, varicose and 

spider veins, deep venous disease, 

chronic venous stasis and venous 

ulcers, phlebolymphedema, dialysis 

access, central venous access, inferior 

vena cava filter, carotid artery 

disease and stroke prevention, aneurysm 

disease, peripheral arterial 

disease and diabetes/prevention of 

foot problems. 

“Dr. Vargas’s vast experience 

and commitment to our patients 

have been a great asset to Central 

Florida,” said Amanda Lindley, 

MHA, practice administrator. “We 

truly value the comfort and convenience 

that this office provides as we 

continue to deliver the highest level 

of vascular care to our patients.” 

Dr. Vargas maintains affiliations 

with the American College 

of Surgeons, Society for Vascular 

Surgery, Society for Clinical Vascular 

Surgery, Vascular & Endovascular 

Surgical Society, Women in Thoracic 

Surgery, and Cardiothoracic 

Surgery Network. She has privileges 

at AdventHealth and, soon, Orlando 

Health hospitals. 

Patients are invited to explore The 

Vascular Experts — Florida website 

at tveflorida.com to learn more 


about the extensive services and 

knowledge the practice provides. 


provide personalized, comfortable 

and convenient care in their new, 

state-of-the-art facility. They have the 

capability of performing endovascular 

procedures in their office-based 

lab, thus avoiding long, complicated 

check-in and -out processes and extensive 

waiting times. Full vascular 

lab capabilities allow for a full comprehensive 

evaluation in the comfort 

of the office. Based on the evaluation, 

they will make lifestyle recommendations, 

provide medical management 

and perform open vs. endovascular 

procedures if indicated. 


suggests patients be aware of sudden 

body changes or new conditions 

to disclose when making an appointment. 

In order to foster patient/doctor 

understanding, the glossary of 

terms listed in the patient resources 

section of the website will help patients 

verbalize what they are experiencing 

and understand prescribed 

treatment options. 

The Vascular Experts — Florida is located at 13528 

Summerport Village Parkway in Windermere. For 

more information or to make an appointment, call 

407-612-7738 or visit www.tveflorida.com. ª


TOURISM UPDATE 

submitted by Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association 

www.facebook.com/ 

southwestorlandobulletin 

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, representatives 

from the school districts 

of Orange, Osceola and Seminole 

counties joined Central Florida 

Hotel & Lodging Association 

members for the annual Adopt-A- 

School Kick-Off Luncheon, held 

at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel 

Orlando at SeaWorld. 

During the 2018-19 school year, 

CFHLA partnered with 114 schools 

in Central Florida, providing essential 

school supplies, sponsoring pizza 

parties, mentoring students and 

providing meeting spaces for faculty 

members. 

At this year’s 2019-20 Kick-Off 

Luncheon, Glen Vlasic, area 

general manager for the Sheraton 

Vistana Resort, addressed the audience, 

testifying to the importance 

of business partnerships 

with public education in Central 

Florida. 

(L. to r.) Orange County School Board member Angie Gallo, Orange County Public 

Schools Superintendent and Southwest resident Barbara Jenkins, Orange County School 

Board member and Southwest resident Pam Gould, and Orange County School Board 

Chair and Southwest resident Teresa Jacobs attend Central Florida Hotel & Lodging 

Association’s Adopt-A-School Kick-Off Luncheon. 

CFHLA salutes the Adopt-A-School 

Committee, including Chairman Jeff 

Swirksy of AD1 Global Orlando, 

for its leadership and support of this 

important community program entering 

the 2019-20 school year. ª 

for your vote! 

Jim & Dee Brandt, Owners 

407.781.1600 • www.suninsuranceservices.com 

thebest@suninsuranceservices.com 

home • auto • business • health • life • workers comp • watercraft • flood 

Representing Florida’s most prestigious insurance carriers. 

Please visit southwestorlandobulletin.com 

today to vote for us in the 

Best Insurance Agency category. 

It is a privilege serving our friends & neighbors!

n Tickets on sale for Taste of 

Dr. Phillips 

The Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips 

will hold its annual A Taste of Dr. 

Phillips on Nov. 10 from 1-4 p.m. 

at the Dellagio. Ticket proceeds will 

co-benefit the charities, organizations 

and projects the club supports 

throughout the year. 

Offering an excellent way to meet 

new friends from across the community 

and reconnect with neighbors 

and friends, A Taste of Dr. 

Phillips has attracted hundreds of 

area business leaders and residents. 

The event also presents an opportunity 

to sample the cuisine that has 

helped distinguish the Dr. Phillips 

area as “Restaurant Row,” one of the 

most renowned culinary stretches in 

America. Plus, award-winning wines 

and a variety of signature dishes are 

sure to please the most discriminating 

palate. General admission tickets 

are $75, and VIP tickets are $95. 

For more information or to purchase 

tickets, visit drphillipsrotary.ticketmac 

.com/event/taste-of-dr-phillips. 


NEWS & BUSINESS BRIEFS 

n West Orange Trail gets 

surveillance camera 

Workers with the Orange County 

Parks and Recreation Division installed 

four new surveillance cameras 

on multiuse pedestrian trails. The 

West Orange Trail, Pine Hills Trail, 

Little Econ Greenway and Cady Way 

Trail each have a camera placed in 

a strategic location with the goal of 

preventing after-hours activity. 

The division worked with the 

Orange County Sheriff’s Office to 

determine suitable locations on the 

trails, which close after sunset. The 

solar-powered FlashCam systems 

take still photos, with voice commands 

informing people that a photo 

has been taken, and they should 

leave the area. Each camera cost 

$7,000. Because the cameras are 

portable, each can be moved to various 

areas. 


For more information, visit www. 

orangecountyparks.net. 

n Algae warning for 

Lake Olivia 

Officials of the Florida Department 

of Health in Orange County received 

a communication from the 

Florida Department of Environmental 

Protection that surface water sampling 

recently took place. From the 

sampling, toxins were confirmed 

through laboratory identification for 

Lake Olivia near Gotha Road and 

Hempel Avenue in west Orange 

County. DOH-Orange has issued a 

health alert for Lake Olivia for the 

presence of microcystin toxin, which 

is produced and released by blue 

green algae (cyanobacteria). DOH- 

Orange Environmental Health staff 

posted signage at Lake Olivia at the 

north boat ramp until further notice. 

Blue green algae can grow in 

many of the state’s bodies of water. 

Large concentrations, called blooms, 

can change the water color to blue, 

green, brown, orange or red. Blooms 

can appear year-round but are 

more frequent in summer and fall. 

Blue green algae can grow rapidly 

and sometimes form a foamy surface 

scum and an unpleasant odor. 

Because algae blooms can remove 

oxygen from the water, fish kills can 

occur. 

People shouldn’t swallow, swim, 

wade, use personal watercraft, water-ski 

or boat in waters where there 

are algae blooms. Algae blooms can 

cause ear, eye and skin reactions, 

and hay fever and flu-like symptoms 

like diarrhea. If you have contact 

with algae, discolored or smelly water, 

wash your skin and clothing with 

soap and clean water. Waters where 

there are algae blooms are not safe 

for animals either. Pets and livestock 

should have a different source of water 

when algae blooms are present. 


WPVA 

NOV. 8 5:30 - 9:30 PM 

ROCKIN’ 

GRAB THE FAMILY & FRIENDS AND 

JOIN US 

FOR A FUN NIGHT 

AT WINDERMERE PREP! 

KID-FRIENDLY MOVIE 

@ 7:30 

will be here! 

AT WINDERMERE PREP 

$25 RIDES WRISTBAND 

UNLIMITED 

$5 SINGLE RIDE FEE 

TICKETS GO ON SALE 

OCTOBER 8 

Enjoy an evening of rides, bounce 

houses, rock wall, penny games, 

DJ, WPSRocks Performances, and 

food trucks for purchase! 

ALL AGES! 

OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY! 

NEW FAMILY INFORMATION SESSION 

Stop by at 5:30 pm for a quick information session and stay for the fun! Register today and receive a FREE wristband to enjoy our amazing rides. 

Learn more about becoming a Laker! RSVP here: http://bit.ly/WPSadmission 

5 DEDICATED 

COLLEGE COUNSELORS 

to Guide our Students 

to the college that fits



Don’t cook or clean dishes with water 

contaminated by algae blooms. 

Boiling the water will not eliminate 

the toxins. 

n Cybercrime Victim Support 

Initiative launches 

Heart of Florida United Way is furthering 

the fight against cybercrime 

in Orange, Osceola and Seminole 

counties with the new Cybercrime 

Victim Support Initiative. It allows 

residents to report instances of cybercrime 

and find resources to recover 

by calling, chatting or texting. 

HFUW is the first 2-1-1 call center in 

Florida — and the third in the nation 

— to launch a system to support cybercrime 

victims. 

Cybercrime includes identity 

theft, financial fraud, cyberstalking, 

cyberbullying and other related 

crimes. Cybercrime is a pervasive, 

stealth crime that preys on vulnerable 

populations and often 

leaves victims struggling with few 

resources for economic or emotional 

recovery. However, Central 

Florida cybercrime victims can now 

dial 2-1-1 to receive assistance in 

VACANCY OPEN FOR FULL TIME AND PART TIME JOB. 

NEW POSITIONS OPENED FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE / RETAIL / PUBLIC 

RELATIONS/SALES AND MARKETING 

HFUW Staff 

Heart of Florida United Way President and CEO Jeff Hayward (at podium) talks about 

the new Cybercrime Victim Support Initiative. He is joined by (l. to r.) Robert Burda, chief 

strategy officer of the Cybercrime Support Network; Capt. Fred Hinderman, Osceola 

County Sheriff’s Office; and Orange County Sheriff John Mina. 

moving past the negative effects of 

cybercrime. 

For more information, visit www. 

hfuw.org/cybercrime. 

n Breast and cervical cancer 

screenings 

In recognition of National Breast 

Cancer Awareness Month, officials 

of the Florida Department of Health 

in Orange County encourage 

women to receive regular screenings 

to promote early detection 

and treatment of breast cancer. 

Important advances have been 

made through increased awareness, 

breast cancer screenings and 

better treatments. 

According to the CDC, not counting 

some kinds of skin cancer, 

breast cancer is the most common 

cancer in women in the U.S., no 

matter a person’s race or ethnicity. 

American Cancer Society officials 

estimate 19,130 new cases are expected 

in Florida this year alone. In 

2018, 2,955 women in Florida died 

from female breast cancer; and, in 

Orange County, 145 women died 

from female breast cancer. 

The Florida Breast and Cancer 

and Cervical Cancer Early Detection 

Program provides access to the 

breast and cervical cancer screenings 

doctors recommend. The screenings 

are free or low cost for those 

who meet the program eligibility 

requirements. 

For more information, call 

407-858-1421 or visit orange. 

floridahealth.gov. 

BUSINESS BRIEFS 

Matthew’s Hope will relaunch 

its Community Christmas Carnival 

on Dec. 14. The nonprofit is seeking 

businesses, churches, civic 

groups and clubs that can each 

host and create an old-fashioned 

carnival booth with a Christmas 

twist, having small prizes for children. 

There is no charge for having 

a booth except what it costs to put 

the booth together, the prizes and 

one gift for Santa’s shop. The event 

is open to all but geared toward the 

younger homeless and at-risk children 

in the community. The youngsters 

will visit Santa and “window 

Compensation: Hourly Plus an Aggressive Commission Structure!!!!!! 

We pride our business on the employees that we have and their ability 

to use excellent customer service to catapult our business to the top. 

Experience is not necessary but any background in the following is a huge plus: 

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- Marketing 

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5979 Vineland Rd., Suite 109, Orlando, FL 32819 

APPLY TODAY TO SECURE A ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW- 

EMAIL: workdepartmentfirm@gmail.com

shop” as the opportunity is given to 

their parents to provide Christmas 

for their children. For more information, 


www.matthewshopeministries.org. 

West Orange Chamber of 

Commerce representatives held 

a ribbon-cutting for Groovy Goat. 

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. 

West Orange Chamber of Commerce members celebrate the opening of Groovy Goat. 


AdventHealth kicked off a 

first-of-its-kind DNA study called 

WholeMe, in partnership with 

Helix, a personal genomics company. 

The study will have potentially 

lifesaving information for participants 

while marking the beginning 

of next-generation health care in 

Central Florida. From disease prevention 

to diagnosis to treatment, 

genomics is the future of medicine. 

photo courtesy of WOCC 

Enrollment will remain open until 

the program reaches 10,000 participants. 

For more information or 

to enroll, visit adventhealth.com/ 

hospital/adventhealth-orlando/ 

genomics-and-personalized-health. 

Dr. Phillips Center for the 

Performing Arts is currently selling 

tickets for several upcoming 

performances. Les Misérables 

will run from Oct. 22-27; 

Lindsey Stirling: Warmer in 

the Winter is Dec. 19; Daniel 

Tiger’s Neighborhood Live 

Neighborhood Day is Jan. 26, 

2020; Gladys Knight performs 

March 4, 2020; An Intimate 

Evening with David Foster: 

Hitman Tour, Featuring Special 

Guest Katharine McPhee is 

March 10, 2020; and Shen 

Yun 2020: A Heavenly Gift 

runs from March 18-22, 

2020. For more information 

or to purchase tickets, 

visit drphillipscenter.org. ª 

CHECK OUT OUR REVIEWS ON GOOGLE & NEXTDOOR 

407-749-0808 CCC1328181


n Westbrooke 

Elementary 

Westbrooke Elementary held 

a schoolwide fundraiser for 

Cannonball Kids Cancer in support 

of WES student Grayson Jack. 

The children had themed days for 

SCHOOL NEWS 

Westbrooke 

Elementary 

Principal Alex 

Reyes and 

Assistant Principal 

Kenya Williams 

display the 

school’s efforts 

to raise funds for 

Cannonball Kids 

Cancer. Pictured 

in smaller frame is 

third-grade teacher 

Ms. Berger. 

a week to help raise money and 

make the project fun for everyone. 

On Monday, the students brought $1 

and got to wear a hat; Tuesday, they 

sported silly socks; Wednesday, they 

wore yellow and bought cookies for 

$1; Thursday, they had crazy hair; 

and Friday, they wore superhero 

shirts. Each grade level competed to 

bring in the most funds. The gradelevel 

winners, with $296.63, were 

the third-graders. The school raised 

a total of $1,276.61. 

n Gotha Middle 


Students, teachers and staff 

members at Gotha Middle showcased 

their creativity and lipsyncing 

skills in a music video set 

to Taylor Swift’s song, You Need 

to Calm Down. The song calls out 

cyberbullies and others for hateful 

comments and actions. The school 

created the music video to help 

spread positivity and inclusiveness. 

At the end of the video is a 

message to viewers, “We had so 

much fun creating our own version 

of Taylor Swift’s music video. In the 

end, Gotha Middle School promotes 

love and kindness, not hate!” 

Making a cameo in the video is 

also Deputy Luna of the Orange 

County Sheriff’s Office, who helps 

to keep the school a safe environment. 

View the video on YouTube 

titled "You Need to Calm Down 

Gotha Middle School Style." 

n West Orange High 

Fifth Third Bank and EverFi recognized 

West Orange High’s business 

entrepreneur students from select 

schools around the country for making 

financial and entrepreneurship 

education a priority. WOHS business 

entrepreneur students participated 

in a financial literacy event 

led by business education teacher 

Yukeeba Mays. The president 

and vice president of Fifth Third 

Wellington Esquea, PA-C, Bindu Kakkanatt, MD, Shaista Usmani, MD, Shahid Usmani, MD. 

Personalized Care with 

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1551 Boren Drive, Suite A • Ocoee, FL 34761 • Conveniently located near Walmart. Just minutes from MetroWest, Winter Garden and Windermere. 

Call 407-395-2037 

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Se Habla Español

Bank and leaders of EverFi also 

participated in the event. Junior 

Ashleigh Perkins was awarded 

a $2,500 529 plan scholarship gift 

card. A 529 plan is a way to save 

for college tax-free that can be contributed 

to by anyone. 

n Et Al 

In recognition of World Heart 

Day, all Orange County Public 

Schools high schools and tech 

centers participated in countywide 

hands-only CPR training. The 

training, in partnership with the 

American Heart Association, was 

led by the Orlando Fire Department, 

Orange County Fire Rescue, Ocoee 

and Apopka fire departments, and 

Winter Garden and Winter 

Park fire rescues. Hands-only CPR 

includes checking for vitals, assessing 

ABCs (airway, breathing, 

circulation), and, lastly, performing 

chest compressions until relieved by 

medical professionals. This initiative 

provides lifesaving knowledge to 

thousands of students, which benefits 

schools and the community. 

Five Orlando Science High 

School seniors were among the 

16,000 semifinalists in the 65th 

annual National Merit Scholarship 

Program. Two of them are Ocoee 

residents, Haydn Howe and 

Abraham Oloufa. This year 

has the highest number of OSS students 

to be named semifinalists for 

the school. This achievement puts 

them one step closer to becoming 

National Merit Scholar and earning 

one of the 7,600 National Merit 

Scholarships worth a total of more 

than $31 million. 

During a school board of Orange 

County meeting, Southwest resident 

and Orange County Public Schools 

Superintendent Barbara Jenkins 

agreed to waive Nov. 25 as a makeup 

day, so the Thanksgiving week 

break will remain intact for families 

and employees. She was only able 

to waive one of the two instructional 

days that occurred during Hurricane 

Dorian, because there were not 

enough instructional minutes in the 

Orange County Public Schools academic 

year to waive more than one 

day. The day in November cannot 


DEC 13-15 & 20-23 

drphillipscenter.org 844.513.2014 orlandoballet.org 

20 

19 

TICKETS 

STARTING AT 

$ 

24 

Dancers: Boris Ceballos (Colombia), Kate-Lynn Robichaux (USA) Photography by Michael Cairns 2019 

$50 per child $75 per adult 

Sunday, December 8, 2019 

Harriett’s Orlando Ballet Centre 

610 North Lake Formosa Drive 

Orlando, FL 32803 

TICKETS: orlandoballet.org 407.418.9832 

ANNUAL PARTNERS 

Elizabeth Morse 

Genius Foundation 

Marc & Sharon Hagle 

Charitable Operating 

Foundation Trust 

Ocoee residents Haydn Howe (second from right) and Abraham Oloufa (far 

right) are among the five Orlando Science High School seniors to be National Merit 

Scholarship semifinalists. 




be guaranteed pending any future 

storms, as hurricane season does 

not end until Nov. 30. The school 

board also proclaimed October as 

LGBTQ+ History and Awareness 

Month, National Bullying Prevention 

Month, National Principals Month 

and Breast Cancer Awareness 

Month. For more information, all 

board meetings are live streamed on 

the school board’s YouTube page. 

The Fleischmann family enjoys ice cream at West Orange Creamery for Christ The 

King Lutheran Preschool’s Back-to-School Meet-Up. 

Christ The 

King Lutheran 

Preschool VPK 

student Lauren 

Schweitzer learns 

how to make shapes. 

Christ The King Lutheran 

Preschool students have been up 

to some artful and fun learning experiences. 

Children, like Lauren 

Schweitzer from the VPK class, 

learned how to make shapes. Some 

also practiced sorting different colors 

using fish snacks, like 3-year-old 

Wreston Edwards. The school 

also held a Back-to-School Meet- 

Up, during which families indulged 

in ice cream at West Orange 

Creamery. 

Three-year-old Wreston Edwards 

sorts fish by color at Christ The King 

Lutheran Preschool. 

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. School News is welcome and may be 

mailed to P.O. Box 851, Windermere, FL 34786; 

or emailed to Lauren@kearneypublishing.com. ª

n Charities/Fundraisers 

Oct. 19 — Skunk Show 

Ramada Gateway Hotel, 7470 W. Irlo Bronson 

Highway, Kissimmee, hosts the 31st annual 

Skunk Show, during which pet skunks compete 

for the title of Grand National Champion 2019. 

Event includes raffles, silent auctions, vendors, 

skunk games and more. Time: 10:30 a.m.-6 

p.m. Cost: $3, with proceeds benefiting Florida 

Skunk Rescue and Florida Skunks as Pets. For 

more information, call 727-809-0975, email 

floridaskunkrescue@verizon.net or visit www. 

floridaskunkrescue.com. 

Oct. 20 — Golf Tournament 

ChampionsGate Golf Club, 8575 White Shark 

Blvd., Davenport, hosts the annual fundraising golf 

tournament for Olympia High School’s baseball 

program. Lunch is provided. Time: 8:30 a.m. shotgun 

start. Cost: $125, with proceeds helping to 

improve OHS’s baseball facilities and other needs. 

Sponsorships are available. For more information, 

email olympiatitansbaseball@gmail.com. 

Oct. 25 — Faces Behind The Miracles 

First Baptist Church of Orlando, 3000 S. 

John Young Parkway, hosts the annual Faces 

Behind the Miracles fundraiser, during which 

participants hear inspiring stories about how 

UCP of Central Florida changes lives. Time: 8 

a.m. for registration, 8:30 a.m. for event. For 

more information, call 407-852-3300 or visit 

www.ucpcfl.org. 

Oct. 26 — Masquerade Ball 

Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando 

hosts Around the World in 80 Days, the 2019 

Famous Faces Masquerade Ball, including live 

entertainment, gourmet dining, wine and spirits, 

costume contests, live and silent auctions, dancing 

and more. Time: 6 p.m. Cost: $250, with proceeds 

benefiting Shepherd’s Hope, a nonprofit 

organization that provides free medical services 

to uninsured and underinsured Central Floridians. 

For more information, call 407-876-6699, ext. 

230; email development@shepherdshope.org, 

or visit www.shepherdshope.org. 

Oct. 26 — Creepy Crawl 5K & Vampire 

Mile 

Lake Baldwin at Lake Baldwin Park, 4990 

New Broad St., Orlando, hosts Hemophilia 

Foundation of Greater Florida’s annual Orlando 

Creepy Crawl 5K and Vampire Mile, including 

free food and candy, ghoulish games, a wicked 

awards ceremony, Halloween party and costume 

contests. The 5K is officially timed, and costumes 

are encouraged. Time: 4 p.m. for registration, 5 

p.m. for walk/run. Individuals can register for 

the 5K for a fee; however, there is no registration 

fee to walk. Participants can also register 

teams for the 5K. Proceeds benefit the bleeding 

disorders community. For more information or 

to register, visit hemophiliaflorida.org/orlando. 


COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD 

compiled by Lisa Sagers 

Nov. 2 — Furball: A Rescue To Remember 

Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney 

World Resort, 10100 Dream Tree Blvd., 

Orlando, hosts Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando’s 

28th annual Furball: A Rescue to Remember, 

including an auction, fine dining and live entertainment. 

Time: 6 p.m. for cocktails, 7:30 p.m. 

for dinner, and 9:30 p.m. for the after party. 

Cost: $250, with proceeds benefiting the mission 

of Pet Alliance. For more information, visit 

petallianceorlando.org/2019-furball. 

Nov. 2 — Take The Challenge Trail 5K 

Run/Walk 

Easterseals Camp Challenge, 31600 Camp 

Challenge Road, Sorrento, hosts the first Take 

the Challenge Trail 5K Run and Family Fun 

Walk. The 5K is professionally mapped out, 

chip-timed and sanctioned by the USA Track 

and Field Organization. Time: 7:30 a.m. for 

check-in, 8:30 for the run, and 9 a.m. for the 

walk. Cost: $25 in advance, $30 the day of 

the event. Price includes a chip-timed bib, official 

race T-shirt and medal. The walk is $10 

and includes an official race T-shirt. It is ADA 

accessible. A virtual run is available for $30. 

For more information, call 407-629-7881, 

email aconcelman@fl.easterseals.com or visit 

secure.qgiv.com/event/takethechallenge. 

Nov. 9 — Harvest Of Hope Garden Party 

The Pines of Windermere, 3409 Maguire Road, 

Windermere, hosts Matthew’s Hope Ministries’ 

annual Harvest of Hope Garden Party, including 

hors d’oeuvres, dinner, a silent auction, a themed 

table contest, and more. Time: 5:45-9:45 p.m. 

Cost: $75, with proceeds benefiting Matthew’s 

Hope. For more information, call 407-905-9500 

or visit matthewshopeministries.org. 

Nov. 9 — Friends Of The Poor 5K Walk/ 

Run 

St. Vincent de Paul Society holds its annual 

Friends of the Poor 5K Walk/Run at Bill Frederick 

Park at Turkey Lake, 3401 S. Hiawassee Road, 

Orlando. Participants receive T-shirts and goodie 

bags. The walk is followed by food, a silent 

auction and raffle. Time: Registration begins at 

8 a.m.; walk/run begins at 9 a.m. Cost: $25 

donation, with proceeds helping local people 

in need through assistance programs and the 

food pantry at Holy Family Catholic Church. To 

register in advance or for more information, visit 

www.svdpholyfamily.org. 

Nov. 9 — 5K Run For The Gift 

SouthWest Aquatics, 205 Windermere Road, 

Winter Garden, hosts the 12th annual 5K Run 

for the Gift, followed by a free kids run and 

awards ceremony. Top race participants in each 

age group win Aquatica tickets. A silent auction 

goes live this month. Time: 7 a.m. Cost: $30, 




$35 on day of race, with proceeds benefiting 

The Gift of Swimming, whose mission is to 

ensure the community’s at-risk children receive 

potentially life-saving swim survival skills. To register, 

visit www.run4acause.org/run4thegift5k. 

Nov. 21 — Women Playing For T.I.M.E. 

Golfing Fundraiser 

Orange Tree Golf Club, 7540 Woodgreen 

Drive, Orlando, hosts Orange Tree Women’s 

Golf Association’s 16th annual Women Playing 

for T.I.M.E.’s golfing fundraiser. WPFT partners 

with Orlando Health Foundation in support of 

Orlando Health UF Health Cancer Center to 

defeat cancer as it affects women and men. 

Sponsors and female players are needed. 

Time: 8-8:30 a.m. for registration, 9 a.m. for 

shotgun start. Cost: $135 and includes continental 

breakfast, golf, driving range, lunch and 

tee gift. For more information, email Jeanette 

Lawrence, jflrealtor@aol.com; or Debbie Austin, 

lpga77@me.com. 

n Classes/Programs 

Nov. 2 — Manage My Money Day 

The Winter Park Community Center, 721 W. 

New England Ave., Winter Park, hosts Manage 

My Money Day, a free annual event that takes 

place in different cities around Florida to help 

persons with disabilities learn and achieve financial 

independence. Time: 9:30 a.m.-noon. For 

more information or to register, call 877-693- 

5236 or visit www.myfloridacfo.com/mymoney. 

n Events/Performances 

Through Nov. 10 — How I Became A 

Pirate Performances 

Orlando Repertory Theatre, 1001 E. Princeton 

St., Orlando, presents performances of How I 

Became a Pirate, a treasure-sized, swashbuckling 

adventure. Time: Saturdays and Sundays 

at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Ticket prices begin at 

$20 for adults. For more information, call 407- 

896-7365 or visit orlandorep.com. 

Oct. 25 & 26 — Ocoee Founder’s Day 

Festival 

Downtown Ocoee hosts its annual Ocoee 

Founder’s Day, including live country music, 

vendors, handcrafted and unique products 

for sale, an array of festival food, carnival 

rides for kids, a car show, beer garden 

and more. Performers include Justin 

Moore, Spayed Koolie, Ben Haggard and 

others on Friday; and Chris Young, Sam 

Riggs, Jimmie Allen and Lanco on Saturday. 

Admission is free. For more information, visit 

ocoeefoundersfestival.org. 

Oct. 26 — Oakland Heritage & Wildlife 

Festival 

Speer Park, 331 N. Tubb St., Oakland, hosts 

the Oakland Heritage & Wildlife Festival, 

including historical, cultural and wildlife presentations; 

a silent auction; musical entertainment; 

children’s activities; vendors and more. 

Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is free. 

For more information, call 407-905-0054 

or visit www.oaklandnaturepreserve.org/ 

oakland-heritage-&-wildlife-festival. 

Oct. 26 — Orlando Opera In Concert 

The public is invited to a performance by 

the Orlando Opera alongside students 

from Windermere Preparatory School at 

the Cypress Center for the Arts at WPS, 

6189 Winter Garden Vineland Road, 

Windermere. Time: 7 p.m. Cost: $22, 

includes light appetizers and drinks. For 

more information or to purchase tickets, visit 

www.teachtix.com. 

Oct. 31, Nov. 1, 2 & 3 — Vampire’s Ball 

Ballet Performances 

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 445 

S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando, hosts performances 

of Orlando Ballet’s Vampire Ball. Time: Thursday, 

Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday 

at 3 p.m. Ticket prices start at $24. For more 

information, visit orlandoballet.org/event/ 

vampires-ball-2019. 

Nov. 1 & Dec. 6 — Movie Nights At Leu 

Gardens 

Harry P. Leu Gardens, 1920 N. Forest Ave., 

Orlando, hosts Movie Nights with outdoor 

viewing of the following movies: A Quiet Place 

on Nov. 1 and National Lampoons’ Christmas 

Vacation on Dec. 6. The gardens open at 6 p.m. 

for all movie nights, and movies are shown at 

7:30 p.m. Dinner picnic baskets and alcohol 

are permitted. Cost: $6, adults; $3, children 

4-17; free for Leu members with membership 

card and ID. Admission is collected at the 

door, and major credit cards are accepted. For 


www.leugardens.org. 

Nov. 8 & 9 — Food & Wine Classic 

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin 

Hotel, 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena 

Vista, hosts the 10th annual Walt Disney 

World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine 

Classic, including unlimited food, wine and 

beer tastings; live entertainment; stay-andplay 

packages; an Oktoberfest-inspired beer 

garden; educational food and drink pairing 

seminars; and more. Time: 5:30-9 p.m. 

Cost: $145. For more information, visit 

www.swandolphinfoodandwineclassic.com. 

Nov. 9 — College Park JazzFest 

College Park Main Street hosts the 18th annual 

College Park JazzFest along Edgewater Drive 

from Smith to Clayton streets. The event features 

a street party atmosphere and includes 

12 live bands on three stages performing jazz, 

pop and soft rock; diverse food trucks; vendors; 

and local shops and restaurants open 

onto the street. Time: 5-11 p.m. Cost: $10 

in advance, $12 at the event, free for children 

12-younger. VIP tables are available, 

and proceeds benefit CPMS’s programs. For 


collegeparkmainstreet.com. 

Dec. 6, 7 & 8 — Holiday Home Tour & 

Winter Wonderland 

The town of Celebration hosts the Holiday 

Home Tour & Winter Wonderland, featuring 

decorated homes. Time: Saturday from 3-9 p.m. 

and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. Cost: $20. There is 

also a Winter Wonderland VIP sneak preview, 

including dancing, wine, delicious treats and 

more, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. Cost: $50. For more 

information, call 407-566-1234 or visit www. 

celebrationfoundation.org. 

Dec. 13-15 & 20-23 — The Nutcracker 

Performances 

The Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Center 

for the Performing Arts, 445 S. Magnolia Ave., 

Orlando, hosts Orlando Ballet’s performances 

of The Nutcracker, when the magical world of 

Clara’s dreams takes you on a journey through 

snowflakes, flowers and dancing sweets. 

Showtimes vary, and ticket prices start at $24. 

For more information, visit drphillipscenter.org/ 

events/tickets/2019/nutcracker. 

n Fall Festivities/ 

Autumn Activities 

Through Oct. 30 — Pumpkin Patch 

The picnic area behind Building C at St. Luke’s 

United Methodist Church, 4851 S. Apopka- 

Vineland Road, Orlando, hosts a pumpkin 

patch, including a variety of pumpkins, from classic 

carving pumpkins and miniature pumpkins to 

a diverse range of winter squashes and gourds, 

and photo ops. Time: Mondays-Fridays from 

4-8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 

9 a.m.-8 p.m. Prices range from $1-$30, depending 

on choice of pumpkin; and proceeds benefit 

St. Luke’s Youth Ministries. For more information, 

call 407-876-4991 or visit www.st.lukes.org. 

Through Dec. 8 — Scott’s Maze 

Adventures 

Long and Scott Farms Inc., 26216 County 

Road 448A, Mount Dora, hosts Scott’s Maze 

Adventures, including a 7-acre live corn maze, 

jumping pillow, super slide, four other mazes, 

huge fort-like playground, hayrides, food vendors 

and more. Time: Saturdays from 10 a.m.- 

5 p.m. and Sundays from noon-5 p.m. Cost: 

$12, free for 3-younger. For more information, 

call Rebecca Tyndall, 352-383-6900; or visit 

www.longandscottfarms.com. 

Oct. 18 & 19 — Haunted House & 

Haunted Walk 

The city of Ocoee invites the public to its 

12th annual Haunted House, located at 951 

Ocoee Apopka Road, Ocoee. Cost: $5, cash 

only. Attendees can also go on the Haunted 

Walk, a winding path filled with spooky sights 

and sounds, for an additional $5 (cash only). 

Younger children can enjoy tricks and treats, 

including arts and crafts and hayrides at no 

cost. Candy is offered while supplies last, 

and refreshments are available for purchase. 

Attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable 

food items for West Orange Christian 

Service Center. For more information, call 407- 

905-3180 or visit www.ocoee.org. 

Oct. 19 — Trunks, Treats & More 

St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 4851 S. 

Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando, hosts Trunks, 

Treats & More, including trunk-or-treating, food, 

entertainment, a costume contest for children, 

carnival-style and inflatable games and more. 

This year’s event culminates in a concert, featuring 

St. Luke’s children, youth and hand bell 

choirs in the Sanctuary. In case of rain, all activities 

are moved indoors. Attendees are encouraged 

to bring nonperishable goods (donation list 

is on website) to feed those working on Florida 

farms. For more information or to preregister, 

visit www.st.lukes.org/trunks. 

Oct. 22 & 29 — Mummies Have 

Mommies, Too! 

On Oct. 22, Windermere Library, 530 Main St., 

Windermere, and on Oct. 29, Winter Garden 

Library, 805 E. Plant St., Winter Garden, host 

Mummies Have Mommies, Too for toddlers and 

preschoolers. Time: 10:30 a.m. For more information, 

call 407-835-7323. 

Oct. 24-27 — Southwest Fall Festival 

Holy Family Catholic Church, 5125 S. Apopka 

Vineland Road, Orlando, hosts the 2019 Holy 

Family Southwest Fall Festival, a family-friendly 

event that includes live music, amusement 

rides, games and fair food. Time: Thursday 

from 6-10 p.m., Friday from 6 p.m.-midnight, 

Saturday from 2 p.m.-midnight, and Sunday 

from 1-6 p.m. Wristbands for unlimited access 

to the midway carnival rides are $50. For more 

information or to purchase wristbands, visit 

www.southwestfallfest.com. 

Oct. 31 — Dem Bones, Dem Bones 

Windermere Library, 530 Main St., Windermere, 

hosts Dem Bones, Dem Bones, during which 

participants make skeleton crafts, shake their 

bones and learn a little about what holds us all 

together. Recommended for lower- and upperelementary 

students. Time: 3:30-4:30 p.m. For 

more information, call 407-835-7323. 

Nov. 2 — Autumn Harvest Fest & 

Farmer’s Market 

Lake Catherine Blueberries, 5849 Lake 

Catherine Road, Groveland, hosts the 2019 

Autumn Harvest Fest and Farmer’s Market, 

including seasonal, fresh local produce; vegetable 

starts; pepper and tomato seedlings; 

plants; knives; pottery; quilts; bread making; 

soap making; doggy treats; hemp products 

and more. There also are train rides and a 

playground for the children, face painting, a 

food truck, demos and a general store. Time: 

9 a.m.-2 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, 

call Judson, 407-285-9710; or email 

floridaurbanag@gmail.com. 

Nov. 9 & 10 — Holiday Marketplace 

The Coleman Memorial Gymnasium at St. Luke’s 

United Methodist Church, 4851 S. Apopka- 

Vineland Road, Orlando, hosts St. Luke’s 

United Methodist Women’s annual Holiday 

Marketplace, including seasonal handmade 

crafts, goodies and gifts available for purchase; 

and a kids zone (Saturday only) for photos with 

Santa. Time: Saturday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and

Sunday from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Proceeds benefit 

the church’s missions and charities. For more 

information, visit st.lukes.org/marketplace. 

n Miscellaneous 

Oct. 24 — Food Truck Connection 

Veranda Park in MetroWest, 2295 S. Hiawassee 

Road, Orlando, hosts the Food Truck Connection, 

including music, food and fun. Time: the fourth 

Thursday of every month from 5:30-9 p.m. For 

more information, call 407-601-5995. 

Nov. 5, Dec. 3, Jan. 26, March 10 & April 

24 — School Open Houses 

The First Academy, 2667 Bruton Blvd., Orlando, 

holds open houses on the following dates: Nov. 

5, Dec. 3, Jan. 26, March 10 and April 24. 

Time: 9 a.m. for all, except Jan. 26, which is at 

2 p.m. For more information, call 407-206-8602 

or visit thefirstacademy.org. 

n Networking/Clubs 

Oct. 22, 29, Nov. 5, 12, 19 & 26 — 

Tuesday Networking Group Meetings 

Village Inn, 3130 Daniels Road, Winter Garden, 

hosts meetings of West Orange Chamber 

of Commerce’s Tuesday Networking Group. 

Time: 8-9 a.m. Meetings are free for WOCC 

members and exclusive to one person per industry. 

For more information, email Bob Gentile, 

bob@naturalsolutionsllc.com. 

Oct. 23, Nov. 13 & 27 — Horizon West 

Networking Group Meetings 

Orlando Health Emergency Room and 

Medical Pavilion, Second Floor, Center for 

Health Improvement, 17000 Porter Road, 

Winter Garden, hosts meetings of West 

Orange Chamber of Commerce’s Horizon 

West Networking Group. Time: 8-9 a.m. 

Meetings are free for WOCC members and 

exclusive to one person per industry. For 

more information, email Tina Zernickow, 

tzernickow@axiombanking.com. 

Oct. 24 — Business After Hours 

Burntwood Tavern, 5078 Dr. Phillips Blvd., 

Orlando, hosts West Orange Chamber of 

Commerce’s Business After Hours, sponsored 

by Winter Garden Village at Fowler Groves. 

Time: 5:30-7 p.m. Cost: $5 in advance, $10 

at the door for WOCC members; $25 for 

nonmembers. For more information, email 

kjones@wochamber.com. 

Oct. 24 & Nov. 14 — Thursday 


Dr. P. Phillips YMCA, 7000 Dr. Phillips 

Blvd., Orlando, hosts meetings of West 

Orange Chamber of Commerce’s Thursday 

Networking Group. Time: 8-9 a.m. Meetings 

are free for WOCC members and exclusive 

to two business members per industry. 

For more information, email Marc Jablon, 

marc@imaginethatpromo.com. 

Oct. 30, Nov. 6 & 20 — Wednesday 


The West Orange Chamber of Commerce’s 

Wednesday Networking Group meets at Ruth 

Burton Hair Designer, 7586 W. Sand Lake 

Road, Studio 125, Orlando, on Oct. 30, and 

at Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, 10971 W. 

Colonial Drive, Ocoee, on Nov. 6 and Nov. 20. 

Time: 8-9 a.m. Meetings are free for WOCC 

members and exclusive to one person per industry. 

For more information, email Pam Birdsong, 

pam@proformaalbrecht.net. 

Oct. 31 — Winter Garden Book Club 

Meetings 

The S.C. Battaglia Memorial Winter Garden 

Library, 805 E. Plant St., Winter Garden, 

hosts meetings of the Winter Garden Book 

Club. This month’s selection is Alias Grace 

by Margaret Atwood. Time: 6-7 p.m. 

For more information or to register, visit 

attend.ocls.info/event/1382307. 

Nov. 7 — Retired Educators Meeting 

College Park United Methodist Church, 644 W. 

Princeton St., Orlando, hosts an Orange County 

Retired Educators Association meeting, including 

“Smarter Seniors,” a program presented by Belle 

Isle Chief of Police Laura Houston. Anyone who 

has worked in education is invited to attend. 

Time: 10 a.m. for social time, 10:30 a.m. for 

the meeting. For more information, call 407-843- 

6909 or visit www.ocrea-fl.org. 

Nov. 14 — Lead & Feed Networking 

Group Luncheon 

Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas Hamlin, 14111 

Shoreside Way, Winter Garden, hosts a luncheon 

of West Orange Chamber of Commerce’s 

Lead and Feed Networking Group. The series 

sponsor is Orlando Health — Health Central 

Hospital. Time: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Cost: 

$20 in advance, $30 at the door for WOCC 

members; $30 for nonmembers. For more information, 

email kjones@wochamber.com. 

Nov. 26 — Southwest Book Club Meeting 

The Southwest Library at Dr. Phillips, 7255 Della 

Drive, Orlando, hosts a meeting of the Southwest 

Book Club. November’s selection is The Ninth 

Hour by Alice McDermott. Anyone 18-older is 

welcome, and registration is not required. Time: 

7 p.m. For more information, call 407-835-7323 

or email southwest@ocls.info. 

Dec. 11 — Orlando Story Club Meetings 

The Abbey, 100 S. Eola Drive, Orlando, hosts 

meetings of the Orlando Story Club, during 

which anyone who wishes to tell a personal 

story has a chance to put their name in a hat. 

Selected individuals showcase their storytelling 

for the enrichment of the local community. Time: 

quarterly from 7-9 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. 

Cost: $5 at the door with proceeds benefiting a 

different Orlando philanthropic organization for 

each event. Drinks and refreshments are available 

for purchase. For more information, visit 

www.orlandostoryclub.com, www.orlandoslice. 

com or www.facebook.com/orlandostoryclub. 



2020 

We want to know your 

Southwest Orlando favorites!* 

• Best Family Restaurant _____________________________ 

• Best Fine Dining Restaurant ________________________ 

• Best Fast Food/Casual Restaurant __________________ 

• Best Italian Restaurant _____________________________ 

• Best Mexican Restaurant ____________________________ 

• Best Sushi __________________________________________ 

• Best Pizza __________________________________________ 

• Best Steak __________________________________________ 

• Best Seafood _______________________________________ 

• Best Sports Bar _____________________________________ 

• Best Wine Shop/Bar/Happy Hour __________________ 

• Best Fitness Facility _________________________________ 

• Best Day Spa _______________________________________ 

• Best Salon/Barber Shop ____________________________ 

• Best Church _________________________________________ 

• Best Local Resort ___________________________________ 

• Best Wedding Venue _______________________________ 

• Best Child’s Birthday Venue ________________________ 

• Best Private School __________________________________ 

• Best Real Estate Agent ______________________________ 

• Best Insurance Agent _______________________________ 

• Best Attorney _______________________________________ 

• Best Dentist _________________________________________ 

• Best Physician ______________________________________ 

• Best Veterinarian ___________________________________ 

To vote, visit 

www.southwestorlandobulletin.com 

and complete this ballot online. 

The deadline is Nov. 1 

Winners will be announced in the Jan. 9, 2020, issue. 

*Only one entry per Southwest resident allowed. 

*At least 50 percent of the ballot must be completed.



n Support Groups 

Oct. 22, Nov. 12 & 26 — 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 group meetings 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. 

Nov. 12 — Support Group Meeting For Caregivers 

The Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center 

sponsors a free support group meeting for 

caregivers in the Suite 281 Conference Room 

(next to the south elevators on the second floor) 

at Health Central Hospital, 10000 W. Colonial 

Drive, Ocoee. Time: second Tuesday of each 

month at 6 p.m. For more information, call 407- 

843-1910 or visit www.adrccares.org. 

Nov. 14 — Autism Spectrum Disorder 

Support Group Meeting 

Building C, Room 206, at St. Luke’s United 


Road, Orlando, hosts a support group meeting 

for parents of children/teens on the Autism 

Spectrum. The group shares challenges, ideas, 

concerns, success stories and fellowship. A 

trained facilitator from UCF-Card offers a brief 

topical lesson each month. Time: 6:30-8 p.m. 

For more information or to register, call 407- 

876-4991, ext. 262; or email care@st.lukes.org. 

Nov. 17 — GriefShare: Surviving The Holidays 

The Barnes Learning Center on the second floor 

of Founder’s Hall, Room 211, at St. Luke’s United 


Road, Orlando, hosts GriefShare: Surviving 

the Holidays, a free workshop designed for 

those grieving a loss to prepare for the upcoming 

holidays. Time: 2-4 p.m. Register online at 

st.lukes.org/griefshareholidays. For more information, 

call 407-876-4991, ext. 262; or email 

care@st.lukes.org. 

n Volunteer Opportunities 

Ongoing — Volunteers/Docents Needed 

Oakland Nature Preserve, 747 Machete Trail, 

Oakland, seeks adults interested in learning 

about the history, wildlife, plants and restoration 

efforts at ONP to volunteer at the preserve 

to greet visitors, help answer questions and lead 

a tour from time to time. Workdays are Mondays 

and/or Saturdays. For more information, email 

outreach@oaklandnaturepreserve.org or visit 

www.oaklandnaturepreserve.org/guide. To 

register online, visit oaklandnaturepreserve.org. 

Ongoing — Volunteers Needed 

The Mustard Seed of Central Florida, 12 

Mustard Seed Lane, Orlando, seeks volunteers 

who can help with donation sorting, 

mattress recycling, warehouse maintenance, 

administrative work, special events or general 

maintenance. For more information, 

call 407-875-2040, ext. 110; or email 

jessi@mustardseedfla.org. 

Ongoing — Volunteers Needed 

The Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman 

Program, which advocates for quality long-term 

care, seeks volunteers. Training is provided. 

For more information, call 888-831-0404 or 

visit ombudsman.myflorida.com. 

Contributions to Community Bulletin Board are 

welcome. Please send information six weeks 

before the event to P.O. Box 851, Windermere, 

FL 34787; call 407-351-1573, option 5; or email 

Lisa@kearneypublishing.com. ª 

HEALTH INSURANCE 

• Aetna, United Healthcare & more 

• $148/mo. premiums or less 

• Call for FREE quote! 

Healthcare Solutions 

asagman@myhst.com 

DiscountHealthInsurance.info 

LOW 

COST! 

AJ SAGMAN 

480.482.9949 

The West Orange Chamber of Commerce 

FACILITATING OPPORTUNITY FOR OVER 45 YEARS 

Dr. Phillips | Gotha | Horizon West | Lake Avalon | MetroWest | Oakland 

Ocoee | Orlo Vista | Pine Hills | Windermere | Winter Garden 

(407) 656-1304 

Networking 

Marketing 

Education 

Advocacy 

Live and in Person. 

Your Message Targeted. 

Sharpen Your Saw. 

Stay “In The Know” So You Can Grow. 

SouthwestOrlandoEyeCare.com 

24/7 Emergency Eye Care 

407.271.8931 

Dr. John Nowell 

Dr. Benjamin Konynenbelt 

• Adult and Pediatric Optometry 

• Routine Vision, Medical Eye Care 

and Vision Therapy 

• Award-Winning Optical Boutique 

• Most Insurance Accepted 

• Early Morning, Evening and 

Weekend Appointments Available 

Pressure Washing 

Drainage Solutions 

Lightning Damage 

Locate Valve’s 

Wire/Valve Issues 

Timers/Rain Sensors 

Move/Adding Heads 

Sprinkler Maintenance Program 

Pre/Finish new Pools/Patios 

Landscaping 

Mention 

this ad and 

get 10% off 

any service. 

Residential & Commercial 

Since 2005 

Licensed & Insured 

IRRIGATION 

The Water Conservation Specialist 

Joseph A. Kelly 

407-433-3233 • 407-433-3234 

www.sparklingjak.com 

E: info@sparklingjak.com 

Universal Service Center 

YOUR ONE-STOP, ON-THE-SPOT SERVICE CENTER. 

• ASE Certified Techs 

• Import Service 

• Precise Diagnostics 

5989 Turkey Lake Road • 407-345-4860 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ 

Ken 

PROFESSIONAL HANDYMAN 

Interior & Exterior Painting 

All Flooring • Pressure & Chemical Cleaning • Screen Repair 

Drywall • Texture • Popcorn Removal • Kitchen & Bath Remodeling 

407-769-1348 

All Repairs, Improvements & Odd Jobs, Large or Small 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ 

• Tires 

• Towing 

• Oil Change 

ALL GENERAL REPAIRS. 

• Batteries 

• A/C Repairs 

• Brakes 

Hours of operation: 

M-F 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

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

Sun Closed 

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

P.O. Box 851 

Windermere, FL 34786

101719 SWB DIGITAL EDITION

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