Old Times 11.6.14

70 years ago

One thousand soldiers of the 352nd Battalion arrived in Winter Garden from Clermont to be stationed at the barracks on Lake Apopka, where they have the privilege of enjoying Winter Garden’s nearby community recreational center providing swimming, fishing and a large hall for dancing and entertainment.

Quite a few of the local college girls have chosen to come home for a weekend to attend the dance at the City Auditorium to welcome the soldiers. Among them are Mary Grace McRae and Martha Alma Youngblood, from the University of Georgia, and Carolyn Bourland, from FSCW.

40 years ago

The Tri-City Shopping Center is celebrating its first anniversary. An airplane will drop hundreds of numbered ping pong balls offering prizes or discounts on 1,500 various items in the stores.

The Winter Garden Rotary Club held a fundraiser for Boy Scout Troop 210. Nearly 150 tickets were sold for the Once Upon a Stage production of “No Sex Please, We’re British.”

The Windermere Lakers, a Pop Warner Football team sponsored by the West Orange YMCA, after an 8-0 season was chosen to compete in the annual Kumquat Bowl at the Tangerine Bowl. The team was coached by Jim Buttram, with the able assistance of Jack Jowett and Pat Moran.

35 years ago

Laura Smathers and Brian Cruciger won plaques for collecting the most money for the West Orange YMCA in the AAU Swim Team Lap-A-Thon. Tina Hart and Kathy Cruciger were second and third in the girls’ competition, and Gary Meyer and Jack Jackson were second and third for the boys.

20 years ago

When all the cleanup and clearing is through in Winter Garden, Tropical Storm Gordon, which skimmed Central Florida, will have cost the city roughly $80,000.