Community Bulletin and Business Briefs

More than 600 of Florida Hospital transplant patients, organ donors, families and physicians gathered this April at the Orlando Cultural Park for the annual family-fun transplant reunion event. Today, nearly 100,000 children and adults await organ transplantation.

Art was more than magical at the Maitland Art Center on Saturday, April 30. Mayor Howard Schieferdecker was on hand to honor prize-winning students for a new Mayor’s award. Winners include: Best of show: Katherine Murphy (Lake Sybelia Elementary); 1st Place Awards: Braden Woo (Lake Sybelia Elementary) Mackenzie Gassie (Dommerich Elementary) Sam Freed (Jewish Academy of Orlando) and Nefyrtiti (Parke House Academy).

The Friends of Mead Botanical Gardens (Friends) and the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra are pleased to announce that through the generosity of an anonymous donor, $250,000 will be used to construct a multi-use performance stage in Winter Park’s Mead Botanical Garden. For more information, visit www.fsyo.org

Orange County Public Schools was selected as one of five U.S. school systems to participate in the new Breakfast in the Classroom Program, a new program funded by the Walmart Foundation. More than 9,600 local students now get a free breakfast at the beginning of their first period class. Data shows that only 57 percent of children in Orange County who eat a free or reduced-price lunch are eating the breakfast at school that is available to them.

At the 2011 Parade of Homes Awards, Phil Kean Designs, a custom residential architectural and construction firm in Winter Park, won the Grand Custom Award for the third year in a row. PKD’s custom home, Miwa, won the Grand Award and a First Place Award in its category. PKD’s other Parade entry, La Belle (pictured), received a Merit Award for Custom Home.

The Orlando Hurricanes Power Soccer Team is looking to recruit new people of all ages and sexes. It is the only game designed for people in motorized wheelchairs. Practice is at Cypress Creek High School. Visit www.theorlandohurricanes.com for more information.

The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for its 2011 Chamber Cares campaign, a small business and community philanthropy effort, through May 27. The funds requested must be within the $10,000-20,000 range and must benefit the Winter Park community. For full requirements, visit www.winterpark.org and select Events and Programs, then Chamber Cares.

On April 20, 21 University of Phoenix Central Florida Campus volunteers rolled up their sleeves to support Orlando Habitat for Humanity by helping build a new home at Staghorn Villas Townhomes in Orlando. Pictured are Connie Lorthridge, University of Phoenix Central Florida Campus College Chair; Angelic Jones, Senior Enrollment Advisor; and Marenid Carattini, Enrollment Advisor.

Tickets going on sale

The 25th Anniversary Celebration of Winter Park High School International Baccalaureate Programme is Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Main Campus Auditorium. It features past IB directors, tours of the new Ninth Grade Center, entertainment by the Wildcats, and memorabilia. Lunch is $12 in advance or $15 at the door. For more information, call 407-622-3212.

Ways to give back

Maitland is looking for residents to serve on various city boards. Contact the City Clerk for an application at 407-539-6219 or [email protected]

The Jewish Family Services Southwest Orlando office is seeking volunteers to help on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit JFSOrlando.org

Help your favorite charity win up to $500,000 by “liking” the Chase Community Giving program on Facebook at http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving, and casting your vote.

NABA Inc. volunteers will converge on Trotters Park, 1905 Lee Road in Orlando, at 7 a.m. Saturday, June 25 to give it a much-needed face-lift. For more information, visit http://Convention.NABAInc.org

On Sunday, May 22, Orlando Harley-Davidson will host “Ride Like a HOGstar” events benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. From 11 a.m. to noon, the bike convoy will travel from Downtown Disney to Orlando Harley-Davidson I-4 Historic Factory Dealership. To participate, donate $20 (cash or check) per bike to Second Harvest Food Bank. For more information, visit www.HogsAgainstHunger.com

Become a Hospice Volunteer Orientation is 9 a.m.-1 p.m., May 20 at Samaritan Care Hospice of Florida, 1300 N. Semoran Blvd., Suite 210, Orlando. It’s free. Call 407-514-1327.

Business Briefs

Mercantile Capital Corporation closed a commercial loan for Clark & Albaugh, LLP to purchase and build out new professional office space in Winter Park.

Since joining Winter Park’s Fannie Hillman + Associates in 1985, Nancy Shea Bagby has sold and closed over $480 million in residential real estate. Last year, in a challenging economy, she led all company sales agents with sales of $16.6 million, and this year she posted a 25-year career-best first quarter of more than $9.2 million.

D & A Waterproofing Services Inc. has secured two new contracts in Orlando that total $175,000.

Construction company Musgrave Building & Restorations added another accolade to its growing portfolio by receiving a prestigious 2010 Golden Brick Award for Residential Construction for a custom home.

The Gardens at DePugh – a rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility – recently appointed Ariel Cole, M.D. to its board of directors.

The Ninth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission announces one vacancy in the Ninth Judicial Circuit, Orange County Court resulting from the resignation of Judge Maura T. Smith. Applications can be downloaded from www.floridabar.org

Rollins MBA students from the graduating class of 2011, as well as several alumni, have signed the Rollins MBA Oath, a voluntary pledge for MBAs to set new ethical and responsible business standards. For more information, visit mbaoath.org

NAI Realvest recently negotiated a new lease agreement for 2,000 square feet of industrial space in the Hanging Moss CommerCenter located at Suite 560, 6100 Hanging Moss Road.

Emerson International recently completed two new long-term lease agreements for Class A office space totaling 2,212 square feet at Major Center Plaza I.

Mattamy Homes U.S. Group entered three model town homes in the recent 2011 Central Florida Parade of Homes and earned three top awards and a fourth grand award — the Parade’s highest accolade.