Community Bulletin and Business Briefs

Community Bulletin

In addition to "winning as a team", the nationally ranked sixth grade all-girl basketball team, Rampage Remix has another goal: "to promote self-awareness and the public at large about the health and lifestyle challenges facing those affected by Multiple Sclerosis." The inspiration to spread awareness began when Coach Joel Vega of Winter Park learned his mother-in-law was diagnosed with MS in 2009. At the team's in-state and out-of-state tournaments, they decided to pass out informational packets during every game. Their uniforms and shoes are MS colors, orange and black, with an MS logo on the back and the initials "SR" on their collars for Vegas' mother-in-law.

Representative Bryan Nelson announced today that a "Pre-Session Business Survey" is now available to any interested parties in District 38. The purpose of this survey is to hear directly from business leaders and employers about the pressing needs and concerns they have in order to develop better policies and initiatives for the upcoming legislative session. If you are interested in participating in the survey, please contact Maria Pecoraro at 850-488-2023 or take the survey online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/businesssurveyfordistrict38.

Early voting for the Winter Park and Maitland city elections begins Feb. 22 at the Supervisor of Elections Office, 119 W. Kaley St., Orlando. There is no early voting at the Winter Park Library. The last day to request an absentee ballot to be mailed to the voter is Wednesday, March 3. Election day is Tuesday, March 9.

Rollins Helping Haiti, a student-led initiative, hosted "Our Hearts for Haiti Benefit Festival" and raised more than $4,000 for Haiti relief. Attendees put together and shipped 5,000 packages to Haiti that same night. Each package contained a mixture of rice, soy, dried vegetables and a variety of vitamins and minerals. With each package feeding six people, 35,000 were fed that following Sunday. All proceeds from the event were donated to Partners in Health, a non-profit that has been working in Haiti for over 20 years.

Tax-Aide volunteers, trained and certified by the IRS, will provide free income tax assistance at 16 sites throughout the Orange and Seminole County area through Thursday, April 15. Sites include the Winter Park Library at 460 E. New England Ave. Winter Park from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through April 15, and St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church at 861 Maitland Ave. in Altamonte Springs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays through April 15. For more information call toll-free 1-800-227-7669 or visit Aarp.org/taxaide.

The first Orlando Chili Cook-off, held in Baldwin Park last month, raised $15,000 for Special Olympics Florida. Visit OrlandoChiliCookoff.com for more information.

Josh Garrick, a Central Florida art curator and collector, will judge the 6th Annual Orlando Downtown Art & Living Expo Saturday, Feb. 20 and Sunday, Feb. 21. Visit www.downtownorlandoproperties.com for more information.

Alexandra N. Mitchell of Maitland was named to the Dean's List of Georgia Southern University for the Fall 2009 term.

Kimberly Schauder of Winter Park was named to the Dean's List of Emory University for the Fall 2009 term.

Emily Brennan of Maitland was named to the Honor's List of Oxford College, the two-year liberal arts division of Emory University, for the Fall 2009 term.

Business Briefs

SchenkelShultz Architecture, one of Florida's leading green design firms, received two First Place Awards for outstanding design presented at the Florida Educational Facilities Planners Association's 2010 Winter Conference's Architectural Showcase.

Women Playing For T.I.M.E. (Technology, Immediate diagnosis, Mammography and Education) was recently honored with the Tournament Service Award for its contributions to the golf community at the 17th Annual ING Industry Honors.

Maitland-based Stevens Construction Inc. has begun construction on a 16-bed hospice house for Good Shepherd Hospice.

NAI Realvest recently negotiated two sales totaling $1.78 million for two industrial properties in Orlando and Longwood.

Cuhaci & Peterson Architects LLC, based in Orlando's Baldwin Park, was recently awarded a contract to design renovations for a retail center located in Immokalee.

Maria T. Kupietz has been named a representative with Ibis Financial Group, a financial services firm affiliated with the Securian Financial Network.

Fannie Hillman + Associates announced the opening of their Commercial Division. Joining the company to head up this new division are Phyllis Ruebush and Jeffrey Friedman.

M&I Bank has received six national awards and two Midwest regional awards for Excellence in Middle Market Banking in a survey conducted by Greenwich Associates.

Medi-Weightloss Clinics announced the addition of Dr. Milton McNichol to its clinic in Winter Park.

Attorney Angela M. Miller with Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A. is now one of 108 Florida attorneys who are Board-Certified in Intellectual Property Law by The Florida Bar.

The Central Florida office of SIKON Construction announced the company broke ground Jan. 6 on the new $7.5 million Publix Super Market at Frenchman's Crossing shopping center located in Palm Beach Gardens.

Charles Arnett has joined the Insight Financial Credit Union's Board of Directors.

Alvin Butler, associate with the Florida Mezzanine Fund, has joined the Community Coordinated Care for Children Inc. Board of Directors.