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FOCUS Magazine Winter Haven Edition Issue 04-03, August 2011
Transcript of FOCUS Winter Haven 04-03
August 2011 focuswinterhaven.com2
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Table of ConTenTsVolume 4 Issue 3 • August 2011focuswinterhaven.com
07 LocaLWinter Haven and the surrounding areas are such great communities where the residents there seem to understand what is important in life - it is all about community. Find out about some things and local people that continue to make Winter Haven an amazing place to live.
10 FeatureLearn how you can do your part to help local business leaders tackle educational needs in our community. A just published exhaustive report resulted from extensive questioning, interviews, and surveys of locals will make you want to get involved.
14 SpotLight interviewMeet Doug Lockwood, Chairman of the Chamber’s Education Outcomes Steering Committee (recently released report) and learn how you can become involved in the initiative to help Winter Haven schools and the educational outcomes through Public Education Partners of Winter Haven, Inc.
23 buSineSS proFiLeS & W Cabinets celebrates 20 years of building fine cabinets and a network of satisfied customers who would gladly recommend Tim Williams and Randy Snider for new construction cabinetry or renovation work.
28 dining proFiLe“You have to eat ‘Somewhere” is the fun catch phrase that helps diners relax and return frequently at Somewhere Sports Bar & Cafe. For great food at fair prices, visit soon. The pizza is a specialty. foCUswinTerhaven.Com
Full digital version of the current and past magazinesExtended features, interviews, dining profiles
and business profiles with extra contentCommunity news updates
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28
2526
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Douglas A. Lockwood, IIIPassionate About Education
on The Cover
25 - city oF winter haven26 - aL reucheL
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FOCUS Magazine winter haven August 2011 5
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Standards of accuracy: The goal of the writers at FOCUS Magazine is to provide heart-warming stories that are accurate from the start. Being human, however, we sometimes make mistakes. Please forgive us.
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I grew up with a perception of church that tithing was something you did out of obligation; it was a rule. We were taught that you give 10% of your income because that’s what the Bible says you should do. Those funds help keep the church doors open and fund ministries. A couple times a year a special offering would be collected that funded national and international mission trips. For some reason, it left this impression on me that we paid money so that other people could fulfill the purpose of the church.
As an adult, I am beginning to see a completely different perspective on the idea of giving. At the church I currently attend, each week when they get up to talk about the offering, they don’t talk about giving a percentage of your income. Rather, each week someone shares something from their heart about how we are called to live a life of generosity. Over the last couple years it has really helped me to see a completely different perspective on the idea of offering. If you completely change your mindset to live with a generous spirit, then giving will become an instinct rather than a chore. I’m not saying that you should or should not tithe, but rather having your heart in the right place when you give.
This month we interviewed Doug Lockwood, the chairman of the Education Outcomes Steering Committee through the Chamber of Commerce. Doug is an attorney by trade, but his life is filled with servant hood. Right now he is passionate about making a lasting, positive change on the Polk County School system by bringing together businesses and citizens to make a difference in their community’s local education.
Our feature goes more into depth on what they are doing since the report was recently released. What is amazing is that these changes are coming as a result of individuals who felt it was their personal responsibility to step up and make a difference. They saw a void in their community and didn’t wait for other people to fix it—they took ownership of the needs themselves.
These individuals have chosen to live a life of generosity. They did not feel it was the responsibility of others to help their community, but rather their own. I hope that all of us are finding a way to give of our time, resources and finances to live a life of generosity rather than sitting on the sidelines watching others do the work for us.
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FOCUS Magazine winter haven August 2011 7
Dolly Parton’s ImagInatIon LIbrary Project
LocaL » Focus
WrItten by: cheryL johnston
If you’ve never read the poem “The Reading Mother” by Strickland Gillilan, find it online and be encouraged to get involved
with Polk County’s wonderful Imagination Library project for young children. Perhaps you will even relive a tender experience from your childhood in the process.
Dolly Parton’s fond memories of sitting in her mother’s lap while listening to her read and bring Bible stories to life inspired her own creativity and love of learning. To pay this blessing forward, she established the program in 1995 to fight illiteracy in her eastern Tennessee community.
Obviously, the program worked and is now a reality in counties nationwide.
Polk County’s project is successful because of the United Way of Central Florida’s “Success By 6” efforts and involvement from sponsors Mosaic, Folsom Construction, Bartow Rotary, Friends of the Bartow Public Library and Nat and Jane West.
The program works like this. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides children with a free book every month for their first five
years. If a child is signed up at birth, they could conceivably receive 60 books before they reach their 5th birthday, as long as funding is available.
The United Way Success By 6 and its community partners recruit children eligible to participate.
Some current partners include Healthy Start, the Health Departments and Healthy Families.
From these names in its database, the Dollywood Foundation arranges for the monthly delivery of new books into the hands and hearts of children eager for their next adventure.
Of course, when parents see their child’s excitement each month, they, too, become inspired to experience the simple pleasure of reading to a young one.
Children 5-and-under who reside in an eligible project zip code area may participate. Priority is given to specific areas because research indicates a correlation between income level and reading readiness. Children who lag behind in pre-reading skills rarely
catch up to their peers and children still struggling to read in 3rd grade are at risk for dropping out of school altogether.
By reading the Imagination Library stories aloud, parents engage on a more meaningful level with their child. Families even begin to anticipate their monthly book’s arrival in the mail.
This is exactly what happened to 4-year-old Hunter Hancock’s family. With the help of his aunt Amber Qureshi, Hunter was signed up before his first birthday. According to Hunter’s parents, Stephany and Charles, “This is absolutely the best thing we’ve ever done for our son.” Stephany continues, “It’s a bonding time for us. Hunter looks forward to the books, and I get almost as excited when one arrives. At the moment his favorite is Llama, Llama, Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney. He loves to hear the story and act out the parts as if he were mad at me. We read each book 8 to 10 times a month.”
Growing up, Stephany was not a reader. She struggled with comprehension and remembering what she’d just read. But Hunter is learning early and Stephany is certain the reading expands his knowledge
and broadens his imagination. In fact, she says, his is already bigger than mine.”
Thanks to the United Way and those generous sponsors, of the more than 5,000 children under age 5 in Polk County (2009 Census), approximately 850 children are already enrolled. Your contributions can help reach the other 4,150.
On average, it costs $2.50 monthly to supply one child with an age-appropriate book. An individual monthly $30 donation to United Way would greatly increase our literacy rate. Corporately, a $3,000 annual sponsorship would allow 100 children to benefit from their own monthly expanding private library.
Currently, Polk County areas in the program are Bartow, Fort Meade, Winter Haven and Lakeland’s Crystal Lake Area (zip 33801). Unfortunately due to a lack of sponsorship, children are not being enrolled in Lake Wales at this time.
Dolly Parton’s childhood reading experiences widened her path to big dreams. She invites parents, saying, “I hope you will encourage your children to keep learning and to dream big. There is nothing quite like the sparkle in a child’s eye when animals come to life and clowns dance on the page.”
For more information contact Jodi Miller at 863-648-1500 ext.265 or [email protected].
Stephany Hancock enjoys the “bonding time” with her son Hunter, 4, calling it “the best thing I’ve ever done for my child.”
Photos courtesy of Amber Qureshi
The Reading Motherby Strickland Gillilian
……… (last 8 lines) ………
I had a Mother who read me the things
That wholesome life to the boy heart brings-
Stories that stir with an upward touch.
Oh, that each mother of boys were such!
You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be --
I had a Mother who read to me.
August 2011 focuswinterhaven.com8
artEnsEmblE IntErnatIonal heaLIng and PurPose brIng neW dIrectIon
LocaL » Focus
WrItten by: cheryL johnston
Tinia Clark, a locally known artist, volunteers with ArtsEnsemble International, the non-profit working
gallery and spiritual healing arts center that hopes “To change lives and improve communities through the visual and spiritual healing arts.”
People come for healing and new direction, like Bill And Carol Fink, who entered Tinia’s artistic life in February 2011. This is their story.
“Billy Ray Fink” married his sweetheart Carol in 1960. He worked almost 35 years for Ford Motor Company and took many college courses relating to small and large engine repair. He even learned how to build TVs and a generator.
When he retired in 1998 at age 56, Carol was concerned about the signs of dementia in her husband. In 2003 after many trips to many doctors, he was finally diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia, a degenerative disease of the brain with symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Mrs. Fink explains that, “Life is hard for Bill. He has trouble dressing, showering and eating. Friends have deserted him.”
Tinia Clark and Bill Fink met because the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is housed in the same Winter Haven building as AEI at 1000 American Superior Boulevard. Patients and their caregivers spend time with the artists as a form of therapy. Since Clark and the Finks crossed paths, their lives have been forever changed.
When Tinia began working with Bill his frustration was evident in his demeanor. She felt that a contemporary and abstract form of art, similar to her own, would best suit Mr. Fink because “it lacks the limitations and preconceived notions that the art must represent something.”
Clark continued, “The art we work on creates a sense of harmony and balance. There is a feeling of pride and a knowing within the artist when that happens. Almost immediately, I sensed we had found the niche for Mr. Fink. His confidence level has improved as we have progressed.”
The two now work “one on one, exploring together” for two hours once a week at ArtsEnsemble International in Eloise. The success they’ve shared has led to a body of work by Fink now titled “Atmospheric Conditions.” The name identifies the
suggestion of weather, landscape and seasons within the pieces. Clark compared the title to human nature, “In a sense we are also subject to ‘Atmospheric Conditions’ - things beyond our control. I believe how we choose to deal with them can help us. Art heals and gives hope.”
It’s interesting to learn how Clark found a way to help. In her artist’s journal she wrote: “My challenge was to engage Mr. Fink. I did this by allowing him to make color decisions and exploring different mediums and tools. I found he had better control over watercolor crayons and pastels, but sometimes we would paint using fingers and brushes. I had to learn what he could do and what was difficult for him. We taught each other. In the process, I was amazed to realize just how much we take for granted every day.”
Continuing with the explanation of a specific Fink creation, Clark added: “I often would show him works of well-known artists and incorporate their style or technique into our time together. ‘The Silver Papers- The Silver Lining’ was my learning experience. I had started the day with a talk about Matisse using colored paper and scissors to ‘paint when he was no longer able’. Mr. Fink could not control the scissors, so I cut the pieces and he glued them. Working with the glue
had its own issues. We did what you have to do - we adapted and moved on. We learned something that day even if it was not what I had intended. The random pattern of the papers and metallic paint color was the result … I became a tool for Mr. Fink to work with. He allowed me to suggest and to manipulate to some extent the works in progress. There has never been a time he was not open to trying something different. We have become collaborators.”
Needless to say, Carol Fink is amazed. As a caregiver and in her attempts to help her husband, life was challenging. “But now,” the loving wife encouraged, “He discovered Tinia and art and what a blessing this has been. Life is Good!”
Tinia Clark agrees. She treasures the friendship that has deepened her compassion and broadened her work’s purpose, adding “While I may have fulfilled a need in his life, he has certainly done the same for me.”
To meet the artists and learn more about AEI and its many programs, visit the gallery, view the website at www.artsensemble.com or phone 863.293.2700.
Artist Bill Fink and volunteer art instructor Tinia Clark explore creativity together for two hours each week at Arts Ensemble Healing Arts in Eloise.
Photo courtesy of Jan Kennemuth
“ART” is art for the sake of its creator. It does not know illness, disease, or inability; it only knows of expression and healing.”Jane Waters-Thomas, AEI Executive Director
FOCUS Magazine winter haven August 2011 9
Jane Waters-Thomas, AEI Executive Director
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Local Business Leaders
Tackle Education Needs
On May 24, 2011 the “Report of the Educational Outcomes Steering Committee” was presented to the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce and released to the public. This report represents hundreds of hours of work by committee members, chamber members, and others. It was a thorough investigation and a comprehensive report.
The committee members included: Dr. Eileen Holden, the President of Polk State College; Dr. Samuel Bennett, the Dean of the College of Education at Southwestern University; Jeff Potter, Mayor of Winter Haven; Dr. Sherrie Nickell, the Superintendent of the Polk County School District; Seretha Tinsley, owner PenGeo, Inc; and Douglas A. Lockwood, III, an attorney with Peterson & Myers, P.A. Their task was to consult and collaborate with all sectors of the community to find ways to “significantly improve the quality” of our schools.
The investigation was thorough. The committee surveyed 700 Chamber members, conducted an essay contest for students, interviewed teachers and administrators, and talked to numerous public officials, parents, civic leaders, and community leaders to determine the overall perception of our schools as they are, and to solicit ideas for moving forward. “We learned a lot about how community members think about our schools and we got a lot of great suggestions,” said Committee Chair Lockwood. The scope of this investigation is clearly demonstrated by the inclusion of the students’ remarks and recommendations. It is easy to get a comment on education from a public official and so often reports of this nature don’t dig far enough, but as the committee learned, if you ask them, students have something to say about current conditions and plenty of suggestions on how their schools could be improved.
Why? Why would the Chamber be looking at this? It isn’t their job – they represent the business community – right? Wrong! The Chamber commissioned and supported this committee and the men and women listed previously spent hundreds of hours working on this project. Why? (Note: The printed version of this report with appendixes is over one-inch thick.) Because they know how important education is to our economic future, they care about the children of our community, and they know that if it’s going to get done, they’ll have to do it.
The future of Polk County’s economic development is directly related to the success or failure of our schools. The Chamber recognizes that in order to attract new companies to our area, we have to have a well-educated workforce. The future jobs we want to attract to our community are important, but even the businesses and organizations already here also need educated, capable employees. By bringing all our resources to bear on ways that vastly improve our schools, the Chamber and committee members know we can impact our future economic competitive edge.
Feature by Brent Simmons
FOCUS Magazine winter haven August 2011 11
In speaking to committee members, it’s obvious their passion for this project is clear. The passion goes beyond the economic impact of education. It considers the impact on children’s lives. A child today without a strong educational foundation cannot expect to maximize their future potential, and the failure of at risk kids in our schools today means they’ll have a tough road to walk. Education is important because children are important and they each deserve a chance – they should expect us to do our best to provide them with that chance.
This isn’t just a problem for us here in Polk County. This is a national problem, which is compounded by the current economic and political climate. Many of us have wondered what the solution was, or who the solution was. The Chamber sees the solution – it is us. We can’t wait for someone else to do this job. It is too important. The Chamber and all those who worked on this report labored with a sense of urgency and a belief that the results will play a significant role in how our community plans for the future. If they didn’t do it – who would? My grandmother used to say, “If you don’t stand up for your kids, nobody will,” and if we don’t stand up for our children and community, “nobody will.”
The solution is also not out there. We can’t fix the problems of education all over the country, but we can make a huge difference right here. The solution to our concerns isn’t going to come from anywhere other than right here. The problem is too important and the cost too high for us to wait for a solution to come from somewhere else. Our problems, while some are perhaps common, are as unique as our community and need local attention and local solutions.
The report is comprehensive and highlights areas where current curriculum needs to be supported by extra learning opportunities. Concern about facilities need to be addressed and more volunteers are needed for valuable programs. Reading the report can cause you to feel overwhelmed by the scope of the needs, but you can also make the assessment that there is nothing our schools and children need that we can’t provide them. Not one problem is unsolvable, if we work together.
Concerning the goals of the committee, the report states on page 58: “These are lofty goals, but without a vision for our public schools, any effort to improve them will fail. The community will have to commit to a significant level of involvement to make a difference, as there are no shortcuts and quick answers. Fortunately, the Winter Haven Community has the talent and the resources to meet the challenge.” We have the talent, but do we have the will. Do we really care enough to want to make the necessary commitment? Can we build an army of folks from every walk of life that refuses to let our future fall, and our children fail? We have to. It is just too important for us not to mobilize behind the leaders of this project and get the job done. As when President Kennedy declared, “We were going to the moon,” this study and report declares we are going to make a difference. But unless all of us are involved, our future and our children’s futures are waiting for someone else from somewhere else to stand up for them.
The good news is that the community hasn’t been waiting. Local clubs raise money for needed school supplies, individuals volunteer from one hour a week to hundreds a month to read,
mentor, and assist with programs in local schools. This report and the passion of the committee members and everyone who helped make it possible are a reflection of a community that’s not waiting. Business leaders have already stepped up with ways they can support our schools with special programs or academies that focus students in areas like emerging technologies, film production, etc. They are ready to go.
Another old saying goes, “It is only work if not enough people show up to make it fun.” We all need to show up on this one. Go to the Chamber of Commerce website and read the report. The numbers are staggering. More than 2,000 at risk students in Polk County need mentors - positive male role models to just spend time with. This can’t be fixed with money, and it can’t be fixed by another program - it can only be fixed if we raise up an army of citizens that demands more and if we are willing to work together to make a difference. You don’t have to do it all, but we can all do something.
August 2011 focuswinterhaven.com12
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August 2011 focuswinterhaven.com14Douglas A. Lockwood, III
Passionate About EducationInterview by Brent Simmons
Doug Lockwood is one of those people that if your involved in winter haven, you’ve seen him around. he has a casual,
laidback demeanor, a quick warm smile, and a trademark mustache, and he is involved in a lot of the positive things going on in winter haven. in the last year he’s become the Pied Piper for the greater winter haven area schools. as Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce’s education Outcomes Steering Committee he guides the
massive effort to identify areas where we, the community, can have the greatest
impact on the quality of education for our children.
FOCUS Magazine winter haven August 2011 15
Passionate About Education
We sat down with Doug, at the Winter Haven offices of Peterson & Myers, to get to know him and to see how things are going since the report was released a few months ago.
Focus: Doug, thanks for taking the time to speak to Focus. You are a Winter Haven native aren’t you?
Lockwood: Yes. My grandfather moved here in the early 1900s. My mother was born here and spent over 30 years as a public school teacher. I am a product of the Winter Haven and Polk County Schools.
Focus: Doug, I know you’ve been involved in the community for years. You’re the past president of the Chamber of Commerce; you’re on various boards for community and charitable organizations, and now your leading the charge for better schools. Why?
Lockwood: I’ve always had a desire to be involved. I want to make things better. Education has always been an area of concern and interest to me, so it seemed natural to join with the other committee members, and those that worked so hard to help us in this project, to determine what impact, if any, we could have on education. I love my community and believe that I have a responsibility to do what I can to make it a better place. Now seemed like the right time because I believe our schools are so vital to our community and our future prosperity, and we are in a crisis, and we have to act now. I feel a real sense of urgency.
Focus: Where does your sense of urgency come from?
Lockwood: I looked and saw how great the need was. Our education system is fundamental to our community’s future prosperity, and the quality of life of our children. Nothing seems more important to our economic well-being and our way-of-life. I also start from a core belief that each and every child deserves a chance at a quality education. This is really a big problem across the nation. It is why we decided to focus on Winter Haven Schools. If you look much beyond that you can get discouraged because of the daunting task.
Focus: What do you think now that the report is done and your starting to put the pieces together to make this collaboration work?
Lockwood: Well, we’ve done a lot of work, but you can’t go out and meet the administrators, teachers, students, and parents of our schools without getting a glimpse of hope. Business leaders are stepping up to help, and all the parties see the need and know something has to be done. I had teachers weep during our interviews. They are frustrated and in some cases demoralized by the failure they see and feeling they no longer can make a difference. I guess the number one thing I took from what we’ve done so far is that, while the problems are daunting and the challenges difficult, we, the people of Winter Haven have the resources and talent to make this work.
Focus: When I hear debates on a national or state level, I’m often left with the feeling that teachers have been demonized, or in some cases it is the administration that is ravaged. What do you think about this?
Lockwood: Number one, I agree with you and in my opinion it is wrong and infective. Sure we have some teachers that ought to move on, but the teachers we’ve met are dedicated to teaching and their students. The problem is that the problem is too big, and the solution doesn’t fit into our system very well. There will never be enough teachers to fix our schools’ problems; you can’t administrate our way to a healthy school system. No matter how much money we spend, no matter what programs you come up with, nothing will make a difference when the solutions is “More community involvement.” We want to work with the parents, teachers, administrators, and students to make our schools better. I believe we have to start from a place where you believe that everybody is doing the best they can, and then we can see what we can do better by working together.
Focus: What was your first task after the report?
Lockwood: The report found a lot of areas where we can have a huge impact on the quality of our children’s education. The lack of athletic programs in middle school, or the lack of athletic facilities like gyms at middle schools is an example of our findings. We have people that want to start a public/private program to raise money to build gyms at our middle schools. The need for assistance with mentoring “at risk” students is another area of importance, and we have folks, like Duke Burr, who want to work with music departments. The one thing all these diverse needs pointed to was the need to have an ongoing local organization that acts as a clearinghouse for information and resource for anybody who wants to make a difference in our local schools. To that end we have formed Public Education Partners of Winter Haven, Inc., or PEP. We have a great board, a working board, and I have been extremely pleased with the support and excitement in the community.
Focus: Doug there are so many needs, what do you want to say to our neighbors?
Lockwood: First, this is a crisis and the time to address it is now. Secondly, we are the ones that will have to do the work. Nobody is going to fix this for us. We have to do it and we need to do it now! Lastly, the solution is community involvement. We all need to get in this fight. We can’t win if we don’t all work together. Forget how things have worked in the past and get the job done. I’m not going to give up and the leaders of PEP aren’t going to give up. It is just too important and we all have skin in this game. This is important to us all. If education is the boat that we will sail into the future, and we are all onboard, then we all need to start bailing. We have the skills, the talent, but do we have the will and the sense of urgency needed to do this? That’s the real question.
“I love my community and believe that I have a responsibility to do what I can to make it a better place.”
August 2011 focuswinterhaven.com16
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FOCUS Magazine winter haven August 2011 17
visitAnna
Consider spending the rest of your summer out on Anna maria island and while you’re there check out some great businesses featured in this section.
Our Anna Maria Guest House rentals are some of the most unique, beautifully furnished and “greenest” properties on Anna Maria Island.
From golf cart, bicycle and kayak rentals to marine biologist guided Eco tours, Beach Bums has everything you need to make your vacation memorable.
Relish, believes being resourceful is always in style! It offers: Wearable Vintage, Upcycled One-Of-A-Kind Fashions, Handmade Housewares and Artisan Creations.
Sato Real Estate makes Anna Maria Island happen for you! Visit a week, a month, or invest in a second home and never leave!
Your friendly local store on Pine Avenue. Fresh made to order deli sandwiches, homemade bread, cakes and salads and a wide selection of great wines and craft beers.
Gifts and decors to inspire the Island life: including jewelry, accessories, handbags, resort apparel, baby items and unique gifts.
The Flip Flop Shop has a variety of Anna Maria souvenirs such as flip flops, beach bags, beach towels, candles, jewelry and much more.
Providing weekly or monthly rentals in over 200 hand selected properties. Call the "Flip Flop Company" today to book your next vacation.
The Shops onPlay, Shop & Dine on Pine Avenue,
Anna Maria Island's Main Street and Boutique District
Enjoy the Freshest Seafood on the Island. Beachfront Dining with Sunset Views of Anna Maria.
Gourmet food market specializing in Extra Virgin Olive Oils.
Specializing in reclaimed painted vintage furniture for beach houses and coastal cottages. An eclectic store where you never know what you’ll find.
A N N A M A R I A
Offering a variety of tasty treats, delicious breakfast and lunch specials, and the best coffee on the Island! Ask about our self-sustainable technology, weekly special events and catering!
FOCUS Magazine winter haven August 2011 21
August 2011 focuswinterhaven.com22
www.mainstreetwh.com
Main Street Winter Haven Your Downtown
Welcome to The Official Newsletter of Main Street Winter Haven
MaIn STreeT UnveIlS CoMMUnITy Calendar and brIngS baCk a long
TIMe FavorITe evenT:
“The beaCh ParTy”
Main Street Winter Haven, Inc. is pleased to an-nounce a new interactive community event calendar. The calendar, designed by Kingham Software, is a one-stop information source for all community activi-ties and events in the Winter Haven area, with a focus on downtown but not limited to downtown.
The event calendar can be viewed in several formats, such as monthly and weekly views by using the icons at the top of the page. Each posting can be seen in detail by clicking on the item itself. Events may be posted by the facilitating organization and flyers or information sheets can be included.
I am so excited to be able to provide this great com-munity service. Although several fine local websites offer calendars, each has some content limitations. Our page will be all-inclusive for events of public in-terest in Winter Haven. Mike Kingham of Kingham Software has been a fantastic help in getting this up and running. We are deeply grateful for his expertise.
To find the calendar, visit www.MainStreetWH.com and click on the lower left icon. More information is available by calling Main Street Winter Haven at 863.295.9422.
Get ready Winter Haven, the “Beach Party” is BACK!!!!!!!! This event will be all things kids.Much like Bark in the Park is all about our 4-legged friends; the kids will find all their hearts’ desires and then some. For the 1st time in the park we will provide a HUGE Hamster Ball, Laser Tag, Mobile Gaming Trailer, Kids Karaoke, Fire Department, FREE helmets given out by the Fl. Dept of Transpor-tation, children’s athletic organizations and vendors vendors vendors. Parents we have not forgotten about you either. Beverages, food and fun are a guarantee.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 27th 10a.m.-5p.m. and celebrate BACK TO SCHOOL, in the heart of your community, with a BANG!
REMEMBER, shop downtown, eat downtown and do business in your downtown!
FOCUS Magazine winter haven August 2011 23
s & W CabInEts, InC.For more than 20 years, S & W Cabinets
owners Tim Williams and Randy Snider have worked in the dust and glue of the
cabinet making business. How they got here, having just celebrated 20 years in business, is one story, but the real story is their passion for quality and their commitment to the community.
How they got here begins while they were still teenagers who were friends. As things happen, they lost track of each other after high school. Randy and Tim wound up doing the same thing for different companies and both grew separately in their craftsmanship and their love for working with wood. Hard times came along and both men found themselves out of work. One day Tim was outside his house and heard the sounds of woodworking coming from a neighboring house. He walked down to introduce himself to a fellow wood worker and lo and behold, it was his old friend Randy. They bonded again and came up with the idea of creating S & W.
“Our commitment is to doing the job right and making sure the customer is satisfied with the end product,” Randy told me. “We’ve had some rough times in the last few years, but I thank God every day that he still wants me in the cabinet business – I love it,” Tim added.
Which brings us to the story of their passion and commitment. We have highlighted it before, but it bears repeating: Do what you love and you’ll never go to work a day in your life. These guys love what they do and they love their partnership. “I trust him with anything I have,” Randy said. “Like any relationship, for a partnership to last this long you have to have trust. But just as importantly, you both need to have common core principles, and Randy and I do.
From fully custom solutions to more cost effective prefabricated cabinets, S & W can do it all, and as an important value added feature you get Randy and Tim’s passion for craftsmanship and commitment to quality.
There is an old saying that goes, “You may pay more for quality, but you’ll never regret it,” and that is true here. When you get your bill from S & W Cabinets there is no line item for superior quality workmanship, or caring committed business people who really relate to their customers. Maybe there should be, but that is the difference. Tim, Randy and their staff are incredible at what they do and with what they create. The intangible is what doesn’t show up on the bill: 20 years of experience, 20 years of happy, loyal customers, and 20 years of success All this means something and is worth something.
Lastly, you should consider doing business with S & W because they are committed to
busIness » busIness ProFILe
WrItten by: brenT SIMMonS
our community. Like so many people that are involved with making Winter Haven a better place, they work tirelessly off hours. Tim is currently involved with the Christian Churches of Polk County and in the mentoring aspect of the PEP project we are discussing this issue. Two good men, men of character; who bonded over a mutual love for working with wood, tied together by a common belief in doing the job the right way, have built a successful business over 20 years. For all your remodeling, or new construction needs give S & W Cabinets a call. This is the kind of business we like to recommend – good people, local business, doing a great job.
S & W CabIneTS, InC.
3951 dUndee roadWInTer haven, Fl 33884
863.325.8255WWW.SnWCabIneTS.CoM
August 2011 focuswinterhaven.com24
FIND A DOCTOR CLOSE TO HOME: Call the Winter Haven Hospital Physician Referral Line 800-416-6705.
G E T T O K N O W O U R D O C T O R S .
RobertBala, M.D.
Bartow
EduardoTorres, M.D.Lake Wales
Celestino Vega, M.D., FAAFPHaines City
KimberlyJackson, D.O.
Dundee
JenniferNegrin, M.D.Auburndale
JaimeAbuan, M.D.Winter Haven
DarienKavasmaneck, M.D.
S.E. Winter Haven
Auburndale Family Health CenterJennifer Negrin, M.D.Diplomate, American Board of Family Practice 2028 Highway 92 West | (863) 965-9327
Bartow Family Health CenterRobert Bala, M.D. Diplomate, American Board of Family Practice 1625 N. Carpenter Ave. | (863) 533-1448
Dundee Family Health CenterKimberly Jackson, D.O. Diplomate, American Osteopathic Board of Family Practice 5999 Dundee Rd., Suite 750 | (863) 292-4656
Haines City Family Health CenterCelestino Vega, M.D., FAAFP Diplomate, American Board of Family Practice
Angela Austin-Leyva, PA-C 36245 Highway 27 | (863) 421-9801
Lake Wales Family Health CenterEduardo Torres, M.D. Diplomate, American Board of Family Practice 201 SR 60 West | (863) 679-9644
Southeast Winter Haven Family Health CenterDarien Kavasmaneck, M.D. Diplomate, American Board of Family Practice 6035 Cypress Gardens Blvd. | (863) 324-4725
Winter Haven Family Health CenterJaime Abuan, M.D. Diplomate, American Board of Family Practice 100 Avenue I, N.E. | (863) 292-4077
FOCUS Magazine winter haven August 2011 25
extra » cIty oF WInter haven
The Chain of Lakes Trailhead Park is nearly complete and construction on the downtown parking garage is just getting
started.
Take a ride down Third Street today and you’ll see the brand new shining park across from the southside of Lake Silver. A little further south and where buildings once stood on the southeast corner of Third Street and Avenue A, the land has been cleared to make way for the three-story parking garage.
The new $1.5 million Trailhead Park is designed with children and families in mind. There are sidewalks throughout, picnic areas and a transportation-themed play area, with rubber safety surfaces shaped like the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes. There are also lots of trees for shade. While the park is usable as it is, restrooms have not been completed. A community grand opening at the park will be planned when those facilities are complete.
Trailhead Park is aptly named, as it is the southern trailhead for the Chain of Lakes Trail that offers a 3-plus-mile hiking,
running and bicycling trail along former rail lines between Winter Haven and Lake Alfred.
The new park will also offer new opportunities for special events. Contact 863-291-5656 for information about holding your special event at Trailhead Park, or other City facility.
Parking, especially during the business day and for special events, has long been an issue in the downtown area. Trailhead Park will offer 140 new parking spaces for events and everyday parking.
At the City’s center, just one block off Central Avenue, the new parking garage will bring another 267 new parking spaces to downtown. The $3.1-million structure is expected to be complete in spring 2012. The parking garage will alleviate parking issues that have come with recent growth in the City’s downtown business sector, primarily in the technology and medical fields, and will complement dining and entertainment opportunities in the downtown area, as well.
CIty of WIntEr havEnWrItten by: Joy ToWnSenddoWntoWn WInter haven – hoW It Is a changIn’
fit into Regular HoursWhen REGULAR LIFE doesn’t
EXTENDED HOURS CARE
500 E. Central AvenueWinter Haven, Florida 33880
863.293.1191www.bondclinic.com
BONDCLINIC, P.A.
Walk-ins are welcome during these hours:Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. & Sunday 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
No appointments arenecessary for minor illnesses and
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Monday - �ursday 5 p.m. - 8 p.m
Children and parents alike are already exploring the transportation-themed playground located in the Chain of Lakes Trailhead Park on Third St. NW.
Main Street Winter Haven President Anita Strang, Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce President Cindy Price, Commissioner Steven Hunnicutt, Mayor Jeff Potter, Commissioner Nat Birdsong, Ryan Whitehead, Mayor Pro Tem J.P. Powell and Commissioner Jamie Beckett prepare to take a swing
with the sledge hammers at the July 11 Winter Haven Parking Garage Groundbreaking.
August 2011 focuswinterhaven.com26
salutIng thE shuttlEs!
extra » aL reucheL
The tears were pouring down our cheeks in the press area just 3 miles from launch pad 39A. The noise was so loud
you could feel it throbbing in your chest. Gazing skyward the exhaust plum was as bright as the sun itself. People were yelling and screaming and laughing and waving their fists in the air, encouraging the most sophisticated flying machine in the world to
climb through the clouds. It was a moment I will freeze in my mind and replay over and over again.
This is the way it ends for the shuttle program. No one can believe it. Despite low hanging clouds and dire predictions of lousy weather, the shuttle Atlantis made her final journey into the skies as if to say, “I will reach for the heavens one more time. I will not be
denied my place in history.”
Okay, some may say it is a stretch. This is just a machine. I can’t have memories, regrets, feel a purpose, express remorse, wonder what’s next down the road. But the thousands of men and women who poured their lives into these incredible flying machines do. On Friday, July 8, 2011 you could pick them out from the crowd, like
loving parents watching their child walk down the graduation isle for the final time.These were all remarkable people. Many have spent most of their adult lives hand rubbing those ceramic tiles that protect the shuttle from reentry’s inferno. They turn the wrenches, operate the lifts, and have cooked the meals for the astronauts. They never sought publicity, just did their jobs as best they could for 135 shuttle missions. Most stayed in their small working groups to watch Atlantis fly one last time. Some wandered into the press area and shared their stories and tears with us.
I met a man whose brother was killed working on the Columbia before it was launched in 1981 in a nitrogen purge accident. Another person I met was responsible for painting the letters on the outside of Atlantis. A sweet looking gray haired woman told me she helped with the meals in the astronaut’s kitchen.
For me, this final mission was like turning back the hands of time. I, wearing my STS-1 News Media pass, found dozens of other reporters and photographers who were also here from the beginning. And to a person, we all shared our concern that closing out the shuttle program was a huge mistake. Just look around at all the infrastructure; the VAB, so big you could place the Empire State Building inside of it; the two spotlessly clean shuttle preparation facilities now housing the Discovery and Endeavor as they are being decommissioned and made safe for displays at museums in California and Washington, DC; the 3-mile long runway and the launch gantries waiting for something in the future, though no one knows what it is.
Rationally, I understand the need to move on to the next challenge. Maybe NASA’s mistake was doing too much. Without a solid nudge, private industry was not about to step up to the plate and spend their own money when Uncle Sam was already spending yours and mine.
I do pray this isn’t a mistake we will regret in the future. It may be expensive to send the shuttles up at about 500 million a pop, but losing thousands of engineers and skilled minds, and losing a dream for future generations is costlier.
If exploration is truly in our DNA, then losing the shuttles has to be akin to Columbus losing his ships.
Getting to the new world has just become much, much harder!
WrItten by: al reUChel
FOCUS Magazine winter haven August 2011 27Eat Better. Love Life. Live Longer.
www.FredsSouthernKitchen.com
August 2011 focuswinterhaven.com28
5688 CyPreSS gardenS blvd.WInTer haven, Fl 33884
SoMeWhere SPorTS bar & CaFésomEWhErE sPorts bar & Café“you have to eat ‘Somewhere’” says
Dave Mast the co-owner, with brother Dennis, of Somewhere
Sports Bar & Café. As soon as you walk in you can feel the friendly neighborhood atmosphere. Carma, the manager, greeted us right away, as she does all customers, offering us a warm smile as she showed us to our table and took our drink order.
Dave was walking around talking more to the kids than the adults of the party. All the kids get crayons and a picture to color and if they address it to “Paw” – a nickname of Dave’s – then it promptly gets posted up in the window. When Dave sat down with us to talk, we immediately felt like we had known him for a long time. “We have only been here since November, but already we have a lot of repeat customers. The snowbirds are great, too. Most of them stopped by before they went north for one last meal and to say they can’t wait to come back and see us in the fall,” Dave told us.
“This is a great town. Seems like everybody knows everybody and genuinely cares about their neighbors. But if you’d have told me a year ago that I’d be retired here owning a family sports bar, I’d have thought you were nuts,” Dave said as he began to tell the story of how he and Dennis became the proud owners of Somewhere. “I am originally from Indiana. Loved it there too. Had my own
business, Mast Vending. I built the business there for 27 years and turned over the reins to my daughter. I did not plan on retiring here in Florida. Heck, in my 57 years never once did I wake up and say, “I would like to own a bar!” But my brother Dennis has lived here for 30 some years, owns 4 daycares and decided WE should open a bar.
Every time I saw him he was back on the subject, so finally I gave in and agreed to go. He took me to many different bars to check out and I kept saying no, no, and then no. But then we came to this one and I could envision what a nice family/pizzeria/bar it could be. We checked it out on Monday and closed on Friday. It just felt right. We have not changed the menu, but we now make everything fresh from the pizza dough to the applewood bacon. We start at about six in the morning, preparing for the day. I enjoy it; I really enjoy it and look forward to everyday.”
If liking what you do is one of the keys to success, then these two successful brothers have found another way to be successful. The menu has all the things you’d expect at a sports bar with an emphasis on pizza. We had the Hawaiian Pizza, Potato Skins, and a Taco Salad. The food was good and the atmosphere was much more like a family eatery than a bar. We liked Somewhere Sports Bar & Cafe, and think Dave’s right - “You have to eat Somewhere.”
dInIng & entertaInment » dInIng ProFILe
WrItten by: brenT SIMMonS
FOCUS Magazine winter haven August 2011 29
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foCUs magazine
August 2011 focuswinterhaven.com30
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combined savings up to $1,650!*
Carrier Rebate ...........................up to $1,100Lakeland Electric Rebate ......up to $ 250Federal Tax Credit ....................up to $ 300
863-686-6163 • www.payneair.com
*Offer expires 8/31/11. Call Payne for details on offer
and qualifying euipment for rebates and tax credit.
To Replace or Service…now is a great time to call Payne!
CAC057909
Ask about Payne’sVIC Maintenance Plan
Benefits include: • No Overtime Rates • 10% Off Repairs • Priority Response
Serving Central Florida For 75 YearsMon-Fri 8AM-8PM
Sat 8AM-5PM
“We’re There When You Need Us”
444
ANDY THORNAL COMPANY
Made in AmericaCobble Mountain
ChairCobble Mountain
ChairLeather Man Ltd
Web Belts
$2999 to $3899Chair - $210 Foot Rest - $85
BenchmadeKnives
$30 to $595
Fly Rods
$350 to $795
