Community Bulletin and Business Briefs

Community Bulletin

More than 70 Hungerford Elementary students in Eatonville will be nice and warm this winter season with new coats thanks to the generous online donation made from Washington couple Mr. & Mrs. Joshua Shrode & Katie Messerly via FuelMySchool.com. The Washington couple took their donation a step further by having their employer, Microsoft, match dollar for dollar. You can help schools and students by visiting FuelMySchool.com

The Center for Independent Living in Central Florida is seeking volunteers to form a Build Guild to support its wheelchair ramp-building event, RAMPAGE. Build Guild members will plan creative and fun ways to organize and recruit community support for RAMPAGE. To get started, contact Amber Finkbeiner at 407- 623-1070 or e-mail [email protected]

The city of Winter Park, in partnership with Friends of Mead Garden, recently began a restoration project on the Lake Lillian Marsh, a historic, yet failing watershed, located in Mead Botanical Garden. The city and Friends of Mead Garden volunteers, many from Full Sail University, are working with the St. Johns Water Management district to carry forward the restoration of this important Howell Creek wetland system, which is a core element of the garden’s growing environmental education program. For more information regarding the Lake Lillian Marsh restoration project in Mead Botanical Garden, please call the city’s Parks & Recreation Department at 407-599-3399 or contact the Friends of Mead Garden at [email protected] or 407-599-2800.

The following area residents have been named to the Dean’s List at Providence College for the Fall 2010 semester:

-Kelly Branham of Winter Park, a member of the class of 2012

-Chandler McCabe of Winter Park, a member of the class of 2012

College Prowler, publisher of student-written college guidebooks, has named Full Sail as its most popular career-focused school at the start of the New Year. The current guide to Full Sail, with grades and student reviews, can be found here: CollegeProwler.com/Full-Sail-University/

Members of the Orlando Regional Realtor Association closed just 1.74 percent fewer homes in December of this year (2,368) than last (2,410), keeping year-to-date Orlando area sales in the black at 19.57 percent above 2009. For detailed statistical reports, please visit OrlRealtor.com and click on “Housing Statistics” on the top menu bar.

Rock Lake Elementary School – a Title I school – received a special gift from University of Phoenix’s Maitland Campus: a makeover to improve its facility! Fifty University of Phoenix employees rolled up their sleeves and helped paint a mural on the front of the school, painted games and activities on the pavement under the wellness pavilion, gave the memorial garden a makeover, and more.

Winter Park’s John Rivers of 4 Rivers Smokehouse has been hand selected to participate in the South Beach Wine and Food Festival’s 10th annual and final BubbleQ hosted by Bobby Flay in February. Rivers will present his barbecue alongside the likes of celebrated chefs Todd English and Cat Cora. Visit 2011.SobeFest.com for more information.

This year, On Target Web Solutions will be donating their services to a worthy Central Florida nonprofit organization each quarter during 2011. The chosen non-profit will receive a custom web design up to 15 pages, 90 days of internet marketing expertise, social media assistance and online marketing research.

Visit its Facebook page and post the following information to be considered: Name of the nonprofit, who they serve, why do they need assistance with their online marketing and contact information.

The Orange County Commission on Aging is now accepting applications for enrollment into the “Aging Matters – Connecting with the Media” training program. The application must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28. This training program is open to organizations serving seniors with preference given to section 501(c)(3) organizations that serve Orange County residents. Visit ocfl.net/Seniors to apply.

Business Briefs

Winter Park firm of Fannie Hillman + Associates, recognized as one of Central Florida’s top real estate brokerages and a leader in the sale of luxury residential waterfront properties, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. “Despite all our success over the years, we’re not about bigness and building a dynasty. We’re still all about providing personalized customer service for Central Florida homebuyers and our growing family of satisfied Fannie Hillman homeowners,” said Fannie’s son Scott, a Realtor for 29 years and president of the company for the past 19 years.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, recently earned the contract to design interiors for the Hand & Stone Spa at Clermont Landing, the retail center located at U.S. 27 and Steve’s Road in Clermont.

Crossman & Company, one of the largest third party retail leasing and management firms in the Southeast, has named Tracy L. Harrison leasing associate for the Tampa region.

Attorney Jason Ward Johnson and partner with Lowndes Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A., has been elected as President of the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida, the region's premier non-partisan political club.

Palmer Electric Company has completed its $175,000 contract for electrical contracting for the new Florida Hospital DeLand Victoria Medical Park.

Cuhaci and Peterson Architects, based in Orlando’s Baldwin Park, recently completed design work on the LA Fitness club located off Orange Blossom Trail in the Deerfield Plaza at Hunters Creek in South Orlando.

NAI Realvest negotiated a new lease agreement for 4,412 square feet of industrial space at Suite 240 Goldenrod CommerCenter, 1468 N. Goldenrod Road in Orlando.

NAI Realvest negotiated two new lease agreements for a total of 25,466 square feet of industrial space at Monroe CommerCenter North in Sanford.