Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
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Citizen Support Services is a group of people from our community who volunteer their time, talent, and financial assistance to support and advocate for needs that exist within Lake Wales, where existing service organizations are not well positioned to support or coordinate. Citizens of Lake Wales, in partnership with leadership from several community service organizations, aim to ensure support and equity is provided to citizens in need. During the month of December, members...
Central Florida's Visitor Information Center (CFVIC) will host the "Caturday Kitten Cuddle" and adoption event on Saturday, Jan. 30, to benefit SPCA Florida. This family-friendly event will take place from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors can enjoy five minutes of kitten cuddling time for a $5 donation and all proceeds go to SPCA Florida. Cash and credit cards will be accepted. Vendors will be on-site selling items such as homemade pet treats, leashes, collars and grooming...
It's starting to feel like the Holiday Season! Whatever it may be that gives you that festive feeling – the festive lights being switched on in the city, the first pumpkin pies appearing in the stores or that friend who always seems to put up the tree in the middle of November– for many of us, the festive period is a time to look forward to. However, for some of us, it may not be such a joyous time as we seem to find ourselves at loose ends on that Special Day. Maybe lov...
This is the twelfth installment in the Lake Wales Renaissance series. Lake Wales City Commissioner Robin Gibson serves as Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency. Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. is recognized as the founder of the profession of landscape architecture. In the late 1800s he set a standard of excellence that continues to influence landscape architecture today. His two sons carried on and expanded the legendary work of the Olmsted firm wel...
Lake Wales City Commissioner Curtis Gibson got tired of seeing trash along Burns Avenue when he took his morning walk. So he obtained city support and enlisted sponsors for the first Crown Jewel Cleanup starting at 7 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26. Rotary on the Ridge will staff a volunteer check-in tent outside Grace Healthcare at the corner of Burns Avenue and U.S. 17/Scenic Highway. Grace is allowing volunteers to park in their lot. Keep Polk County Beautiful is providing trash ba...
This is the eleventh installment in the Lake Wales Renaissance series. Lake Wales City Commissioner Robin Gibson serves as Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency. Nations strive for a positive trade balance, where they sell more products than they buy, thereby receiving increased capital and creating a higher standard of living for their citizens. The same holds true for any economic unit. Let's take Lake Wales downtown for example. It's a...
Virginia E. McGrath (nee Moorehead), of Mansfield, OH, passed away on Aug. 9, 2020 at her winter home in Lake Wales after a long illness. She was 86. Ginny was born Jan. 22, 1934 in Cleveland, OH, and attended Kent State University in Kent, OH where she met her husband Donald. Ginny majored in elementary education and minored in art at Kent State. She taught special needs children for nearly 40 years. Ginny immensely enjoyed baseball, faithfully serving as scorekeeper for each...
A vision of restored brick streets and sidewalk cafes under the shade of umbrellas and spreading Live Oaks changed many viewers' ideas of the future of downtown Lake Wales Thursday evening. Those images were among many shared during a 90-minute presentation by consultants and engineers hired by the Lake Wales Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to create the "Lake Wales Connected" plan. The plan is designed to attract crowds, and thus business investment, to the neighborhood...
This is the tenth installment in the Lake Wales Renaissance series. Lake Wales City Commissioner Robin Gibson serves as Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency. Best Bang for the Buck Trees are the best. Their mere presence improves individual property values. Collectively they improve the town's tax base as a whole. The improved value comes from the purchaser's desire to buy the advantages of appearance and aesthetics. Not only do trees...
Efforts to beautify and green Lake Wales streets got another boost Saturday as community volunteers led by the Lake Wales Woman's Club prepared three street "triangles" along Lakeshore Boulevard for new floral plantings. "I'm totally stoked!" said Bonnie Poller, who is chair of the Environment Committee of the Woman's Club, which is spearheading the project. "Neighbors came out to help." More than a dozen volunteers participated. "This was only Phase one," Poller added....
William C. “Bill” Evans, 83, of Lake Wales passed away Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at the Winter Haven Hospital. He was born December 12, 1936 in Detroit, MI, to the late Charles and Marie Evans. He has been a resident of Lake Wales for 12 years, moving here from Mesa, AZ. Bill was a retired quality control engineer for General Dynamics in Michigan. He was a volunteer at Bok Tower Gardens, and was a Citizens Assistance Patrol for the Polk County Sheriff Office. He enjoyed hiking, traveling, reading, and wood working. Bill is sur...
After a week of monitoring visitor safety concerns, Bok Tower Gardens reopened Monday, June 1, without timed ticket entry. For limited contact service, visitors may purchase tickets online. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the gate upon arrival. The member preview week provided enough data and onsite evaluation that Bok Tower Gardens leadership felt comfortable suspending the advance ticket/timed entry requirement making the admission process more accessible and...
To provide the community with a beautiful destination for healthy walks and mental well-being, Bok Tower Gardens is reopening to the public on Monday, June 1, with timed entry. A soft opening for members is planned for May 26 through May 31. Until further notice, all visitors/members planning to visit the Gardens must reserve/purchase a ticket at boktowergardens.org before arriving at the entrance gate. Visitors must select their entry time from the following periods: 10...
This is the fifth installment in the Lake Wales Renaissance series. Lake Wales City Commissioner Robin Gibson serves as Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the city's Community Redevelopment Agency. Dover, Kohl & Partners is an internationally known town planning firm working out of South Miami. Among their many achievements are nationally recognized revitalizations of traditional communities much like Lake Wales. Victor Dover is co-author of the definitive work on the subject...
On a typical Earth Day, Bok Tower Gardens would be filled with the sounds of thousands of local school children learning about nature, wildlife, conservation, and more. However, on the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, April 22, 2020, the beautiful music of the Singing Tower and images of the stunning Gardens will be streamed to the community instead. Celebrating Earth Day's 50th Birthday Understanding the importance of this day in the current pandemic, the education team at Bok...
One year ago April 15, a devasting fire broke out at Notre Dame Cathedral, nearly destroying the iconic destination. The cathedral's bourdon bell (the largest bell) was rung for the first time on the one year anniversary as a symbol of resiliency and support for the French frontline health workers. In tandem with this message of hope, Bok Tower Gardens' Carillonneur Geert D'hollander rang the Singing Tower's Bourdon 10 times and then shared his performance of "La Vie En Rose"...
Attending the annual Easter Sunrise Service has been a tradition for generations; however, this year, viewers will be able to worship in new ways. Bok Tower Gardens has made two viewing options available. First via Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/boktowergardens/ or second, the embedded virtual viewer on the Bok Tower Gardens website at https://boktowergardens.org/join-us-live/. The service is also being recorded and uploaded later to the Bok Tower Gardens YouTube...
Bok Tower Gardens and the Lake Wales Library Association have partnered to create a unique program that will allow library patrons to check out passes to Bok Tower Gardens for up to four adults and up to six children. The Garden Lane Pass program, as it will be known, was developed by Bok Tower Gardens' Education Director, Tricia Martin. Martin reached out to the Lake Wales Public Library with the proposal and the Lake Wales Library Association, the library's non-profit...
In an abundance of caution to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus various organizations in the Lake Wales area are canceling events or taking extra safety measures. As of 1 a.m. March 14 the Florida Department of Health still reported no cases in Polk County, and a total of 83 cases statewide, which resulted in three deaths. Updates are available online at http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/COVID-19/index.html Walt Disney World and Universal...
Eugene H. "Gene" Schedler, 85, of Lake Wales entered into glory with the Lord Monday, March 9, 2020 at Good Shepherd Hospice in Auburndale. He was born May 30, 1934 in Hamburg, WI to the late Pastor Herman and Lilly Schedler. Gene grew up in Hamburg, WI where he attended the Maple Grove one room schoolhouse. He then attended Concordia Lutheran College in Milwaukee, WI where he completed his high school and two years of college. Gene joined the U.S. Air Force after college...
New features and patron events and more than 50 artists from around the world look to make the 49th Annual Citizens Bank & Trust Lake Wales Arts Festival Feb. 29 and March 1 the best one to date. Hosted by the Lake Wales Arts Council, the Festival will kick off with the 9th Annual Art-B-Que on The Shores of Lake Wailes, 33 N. Lakeshore Blvd., from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday February 28. The free-to-attend Arts Festival will continue on February 29 and March 1. Additions to the festiva...
Experience a holiday tradition that connects the entire family to nature and reignites the creative spirit at Holidays at Bok Tower Gardens. Nature's seasonal beauty provides the inspiration for this year's celebration. From creatures large and small, to the cheerful nod of seasonal foliage, visitors will discover a rich palette of natural beauty as the Gardens' celebrates the landscape and the history that has shaped this majestic area. Holidays at Bok Tower Gardens offers...
Jolly old St. Nick and Mrs. Claus will take time out of their busy schedule to pay a visit to Central Florida's Visitor Information Center (CFVIC) in Davenport on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bring your camera to capture a photo with the bearded one during this free, pet-friendly event. In addition to meeting Mr. and Mrs. Claus, the event will include refreshments and holiday crafts for the kids, as well as a scavenger hunt throughout the center where kids can...
Central Florida's Visitor Information Center (CFVIC) will host a Fall Harvest Festival on Saturday, Nov. 2. This FREE, family-friendly event will take place from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. with games, prizes, face painting, a balloon artist and Pumpkin Patch area when guests can take photos and selfies. Costumes are welcome so the kids can continue their trick-or-treating into November. Various local vendors will be on hand, selling food, treats and gifts, including handmade...
The newly refurbished visitor center at Bok Tower Gardens, now called the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Exhibit Hall, reopens to the public Oct. 19 with dazzling new exhibits and high-tech interactive displays. Donors, board members and friends of Bok Tower attended a reception Oct. 17 where they got their first look at the $1.8 million renovation, which took about three months to complete. The gallery is named in honor of the parents of Dorothy Jenkins, a major donor from...
