Club Hubbub 09.04.14

If your club would like to post announcements, email them to [email protected].

+ Ocoee Rotary Club

District Gov. Jo Weber recently conducted her official visit to the Rotary Club of Ocoee as the guest speaker. 

She shared with the club members her vision and goals for the upcoming year.

Matthew Coalson and Rebecca Shae, of Engineers Without Borders at the University of Central Florida, recently presented the Rotary Club of Ocoee with plans to design and build an aquaponics system, a project spearheaded by UCF engineering students, for the community of Bithlo.

+ Winter Garden Rotary Club

Members of the Winter Garden Rotary Club were introduced to guest speaker Ben Stalvey at a recent meeting and learned about his work toward offering interactive sports and therapies for special-needs individuals.

Club President Sheri Loiacono welcomed Stalvey, his daughter, Gracie, and wife, Tiffany, at the club’s weekly lunch meeting. Gracie suffers from Rett Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that occurs almost exclusively in girls and leads to severe impairments, affecting a child’s ability to speak, walk, eat and even breathe easily.

In addition to educating the group about the syndrome, Stalvey presented his Central Florida Dreamplex project. When completed, Dreamplex will be a multi-purpose athletic facility focused on adaptive sports and alternative therapies for special needs individuals.  The facility also will be open for general public programs such as ice hockey, basketball and volleyball. Dreamplex will offer adaptive sports and activities including wheelchair basketball, sled hockey and sitting volleyball. For more information about Central Florida Dreamplex, visit cfldreamplex.com.

The Winter Garden Rotary Club meets at noon Tuesdays, at 29 W. Garden Ave., Winter Garden.

+ American Legion, Hugh T. Gregory Post 63

The American Legion is currently looking for historical articles, pictures or memorabilia about Post 63. Anyone with items to donate or loan should call (407) 656-6361 for more.

The post also has dry chemical fire extinguishers and 3-foot-by-5-foot American flags available for $15. The proceeds will benefit local and national charities.

The post building is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays, at 271 W. Plant St, Winter Garden. Veterans are invited to drop by for coffee and conversation. A lunch menu is also available.

Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month. Bingo Night takes place at 6:30 p.m. Mondays and 6 p.m. Wednesdays.

+ Florida Farm Bureau Federation

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation currently is accepting applications for its 2014 Youth Speech Contest. Teenagers across Florida are encouraged to apply and address the prompt, “Food security is an important issue to the people of the United States. How can Florida agriculture continue to provide quality solutions for the future?”

Contestants must present a five-minute speech on the assigned topic, without using visual aids, and must be a resident of the county they are representing. The contest is open to any student ages 14 through 18. The deadline is Sept. 19. 

State competitors will win $500 for the first-place award and $250 for the second-place award. For more, call (407) 637-7727.

+ Winter Garden Elks Lodge 2165

The Winter Garden Elks installed the new officers of the lodge in August.

The new officers include Scott Reichert, CaseyGoodson, Jim Ragan, RandyConyers, Mark Wallick, BobSzollosy, RayDeweese, RobertGoodson, JosephFrame, Leslie Freeman, SeanBruce, TamaraConyers and RoyLabossiere.

+ West Orange Kiwanis After Hours

The West Orange Kiwanis After Hours club will host its Funday Monday event from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, at alFresco, 146 W. Plant St., No. 140, in downtown Winter Garden.

The club invites the public to enjoy food and wine and help raise funds for upcoming local service projects. Tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased at the door or in advance. For more information, contact Jeremy Carter at [email protected], Amy Jo Carter at [email protected] or Patti Riley at [email protected].

+ Ocoee Lions Club

The Ocoee Lions Club’s annual Texas Hold’em Charity Poker Tournament and Eyeglass Collection Day will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, at its clubhouse, 108 Taylor St.

Club members seek financial support to make the fundraiser a success. The suggested donation is $50.

Money raised will benefit the club’s mission to collect hearing aids and unwanted eyeglasses, and provide eye exams and glasses to those in need. Donors should make their checks payable to the Ocoee Lions Club Foundation, a 501(c) 3 charitable organization. Checks can be given to a club member or mailed to Ocoee Lions Club, P.O. Box 538, Ocoee, FL 34761.

For more, call Lion Fred Wilsen at (321) 332-3192 or [email protected].

+ Lake Buena Vista Rotary Club

The Rotary Club of Lake Buena Vista welcomed Winter Garden resident and U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster as the guest speaker at its Aug. 21 meeting.

Club member Kandy Cooke was recognized by the congressman for winning first place in the ESPN Taekwondo competition, and continues to work to qualify for the 2016 Olympics to be held in Rio, Brazil.

+ Rotary Club of Windermere

The Rotary Club of Windermere invites the public to attend its Lobster Luau from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, at 3409 Maguire Road, next to Lake Down.

The club will provide food, drinks and live music with an island flair. Participants are encouraged to wear their best island attire and big on unique items in the live and silent auctions.

Tickets are $50 online and $60 at the door. Proceeds will be donated to West Orange charities. 

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit windermererotary.org.

WEST ORANGE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

+ Orlando Soccer Club kicks off chamber night

The Orlando City Soccer Club will welcome the West Orange Chamber of Commerce for West Orange Chamber Night at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at ESPN Wide World of Sports, 700 S. Victory Way, Kissimmee.

Tickets are currently on sale. To redeem, use the promotional code “WOC.” 

For more information, contact Brian Paul at (407) 480-4711.

+ Chamber to host small-business meeting

Members of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce can attend a free Small Business Development Team meeting at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 8, at 12184 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden. The event is free to current Chamber members.

For more information, contact McLean Alley at [email protected].

+ Chamber offers Lead and Feed lunch

Chamber members are invited to participate in the Lead and Feed Networking Lunch from noon to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, at Blue 42 Grill, 14195 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden. The Chamber encourages attendees to build relationships and increase exposure while enjoying lunch together.

Rene Wolfe, a multimedia consultant for the Orlando Sentinel, will attend as the 10-minute guest speaker. 

The cost is $15 if paid in advance or $20 at the door. Payment includes lunch, drink, dessert, tax and tip. To register, visit wochamber.com/calendar/event_details/lead_and_feed_networking_lunch7. 

For more information, contact [email protected].

+ Saving Young Hearts offers screening event

Saving Young Hearts will conduct a heart screening event from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Jim Beach Recreation Center, 1820 A.D. Mims Road, Ocoee — hosted by the West Orange Chamber of Commerce.

Sudden cardiac arrest claims the lives of thousands of seemingly healthy children every year. To ensure that children are not associated with certain risk factors that lead to this condition, certified pediatric cardiologists will review each individual’s personal and family heart health history, blood pressure reading, heart sound check and electrocardiogram. 

The screenings are available for youth ages 6 to 18. Preregistration is required. The deadline is Saturday, Sept. 6, and tickets are $10 per person. 

To register, visit SavingYoungHearts.org.