Community Bulletin

Donate to the Rep bus

Each year, more than 40,000 school-aged children attend a field trip performance at The REP. Of those, more than 7,000 attend for a free or reduced price as part of our No Empty Bus program. This program is funded 100 percent by your donations, and provides for free or reduced field trip tickets (as well as fuel and bus subsidies) for Title 1 and underprivileged Central Florida schools. Visit tinyurl.com/Orlandorepbus to donate.

Local pens book

Winter Park author, coach and public relations specialist Mary Gardner has just released a new book called “Becoming an Influential Personality.” This book gives communication and public relations strategies, and advice on how to create a movement that will inspire millions. Visit marygardner.com or mail Mary Gardner, “The Charisma Coach” at P.O. Box 244, Winter Park, FL, 32790.

Dangerous curve no more

The Interstate 4 paving project at the Fairbanks curve is finished. Almost a half-mile of the four-lane interstate — as well as emergency lanes — was paved on the westbound side. The purpose of the project is to increase traction, improve drainage, and cover up roadway joints from long ago widening projects that were in conflict with the highway striping. The cost of the project was $377,838.

Goodwill moves

Goodwill Industries of Central Florida is excited to announce the relocation of its Job Connection Center to 3911 E. Colonial Drive in Orlando. Goodwill’s Job Connection Centers offer a variety of job training and placement services like resume building, networking and mentoring to people with barriers to employment. These programs are offered at no cost to the community, and are funded by proceeds from sales of donated items at the nonprofit’s 26 area retail stores. Since the beginning of 2012, Goodwill has helped 4,323 people find jobs.

Trinity Prep hispanic scholar

Trinity Preparatory School senior Dylan Malugen of Winter Park has been awarded Honorable Mention status by the College Board’s 2012-13 National Hispanic Recognition Program. The NHRP was initiated in 1983 to identify outstanding Hispanic/Latino high school students, and this year more than 5,000 students were selected for recognition from a pool of more than 253,000 students.

Haiti hero’s scholarship

Recognizing the business innovation and successful growth of REBUILD Globally—an organization created in response to the devastating earthquake of Jan. 12, 2010 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti—the Rollins College Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship has awarded REBUILD’s company founder, Julie Colombino, a full scholarship for the Rollins Business Accelerator program. The scholarship is part of the $50,500 prize package awarded to REBUILD Globally for winning the 2012 Business Innovations and Growth (B.I.G.) Award at Central Florida’s premier event for entrepreneurs and business leaders.

“Stand Up! Speak Up!” gains new supporters

Hosted by Heart of Florida United Way, the ”Stand Up! Speak Up!” event helped launch a new advocacy initiative led by the Children’s Leadership Alliance of Orange County (CLAOC), comprised of a government, nonprofit and private-sector leaders committed to creating a brighter future for children. Dick Batchelor, CLAOC co-chair and a former state representative, discussed the current state of children’s issues across Florida, which ranks 44th in the nation for the economic well-being of children according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Tons of gratitude

Winter Park student Andrew Weinstock collected more than 10,000 pounds of candy for 2012 Operation Gratitude Orlando Halloween Candy Collection to send to troops overseas.

Volunteer for vets, pets

VITAS Innovative Hospice Care of Central Florida needs volunteers in the area who can befriend terminally ill patients, provide relief for weary caregivers, accompany their pet on Paw Pals visits, visit with veterans, provide art and music therapy, make bereavement calls, sew Memory Bears or garment bags, knit/crochet afghans, make crafts, help repair medical equipment, or help with administrative work. Call 407-691-4541 or email [email protected] for more information.

Young artist finalists

The Bach Festival Society congratulates the winners of the 20th Annual Young Artist Competition. More than 60 entrants from around the state of Florida competed, with twelve prize-winning contestants advancing to the finalist round. The finalist recital was open to the public and was enjoyed by an enthusiastic audience. Finalists from the area are Caroline Lazar, alto saxophone, from Maitland; Joseph Prior, horn, from Winter Park Rebecca Edge, violin, from Winter Park.

National Merit candidate

Trinity Preparatory School senior Angela Hosbein of Winter Park is a candidate for a special scholarship to be awarded through the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program by the program’s corporate and business sponsors.

Biz women volunteer

FemCity Orlando, Central Florida’s premiere organization connecting ambitious professional women through networking events and originative workshops, volunteered its time at Fern Creek Elementary School on Dec. 17. FemCity Orlando volunteer efforts included organizing the clothes pantry and putting together weekend snack packs.

Bright House volunteers helped 300 children

Hundreds of toys and more than 100 bicycles were bought, wrapped, and earmarked by Bright House employee volunteers for more than 300 local needy children served by two community organizations for the 11th year. Hope and Help Center, which assists children of AIDS and HIV-affected families in Central Florida, was the first stop for the volunteers as they filled an entire conference room almost floor-to-ceiling with gifts bought from wish lists that the client children had submitted earlier. The gifts were given to each of the children in time for Christmas.

Soccer scholar

Jordan Stewart, a senior at The Geneva School in Winter Park, earned selection to the 2012 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) High School Scholar All-America Team. He currently has 34 goals, a single-season school record, and eight assists for The Geneva School, while maintaining a 4.42 GPA.

Suspect who threatened student identified

Detectives from the Winter Park Police Department have identified and arrested the suspect who posted threats to a student at Winter Park High School. Jeremy Robert Chilik, 24, was arrested without incident at his residence and booked into the Seminole County Jail on Dec. 15.