Winter Garden Briefs 06.12.14

+ Elks initiated

The Winter Garden Elks Lodge No. 2165 recently initiated its newest members. With Exalted Ruler Sean Bruce are, l-r, Wayne Blankenship, Raymond Beach and Carl Graddy.

+ Legion presents student achievement awards|

The Hugh T. Gregory American Legion Post 63 presented the American Legion School Award to several students at Whispering Oak Elementary and Foundation Academy recently. This medal represents the highest honor awarded American youth by the America Legion and is given to those students who demonstrated the exemplary standards of courage, honor, leadership, patriotism and scholarship amongst their peers.

Fifth-grade students Mark Martinez, Lissette Stephens, Nathan Lau and Hanko Goetz from Foundation Academy and Jake Cook, Joseph Weiner, Sarah Smicherko and Aniya Hernandez from Whispering Oak Elementary each received the award.

In another presentation, Cadet Brianna Taylor of West Orange High School JROTC received the American Legion Scholastic Award and Cadet Rae Ellen Beeck received the American Legion Military Excellence Award.

+ Sports, fitness camps for youth

The Orange County Orlando Magic Recreation Center at West Orange, 309 S. West Crown Point Road, Winter Garden, is offering weekly sports and fitness camps for youth ages 9-14, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $25 per week. For more information, call 407-254-9304 or visit www.orangecountyparks.net.

• Cardio Fit and Fun Week: June 16-20, includes activities such as boot camp, Zumba and walking with pedometers

• Sports Around the World: June 23-27

• All Sports: July 7-11, a variety of sports and games

• Gamers Camp and Fun Week: July 14-18, arcade, board and Wii games, inflatables and more

• Golf Camp: July 21-25

+ See Winter Garden at work

Florida Film Academy is presenting “Winter Garden at Work,” the next Art in Public Places at Winter Garden City Hall, now through Aug. 15.

This new photographic exploration celebrates the men and woman who keep Winter Garden running as they go behind the scenes and reveal fun facts and information on what it takes to keep the city in top condition.

+ Churches in Winter Garden holding VBS

The Church of the Messiah will host Vacation Bible School June 16-20 from 5:30-8 p.m. at 241 N. Main St. in Winter Garden. Classes will be offered for pre-K through fifth-graders and is free to the public. Dinner is included. To register, call the church at 407-656-3218.

First United Methodist Church welcomes children to attend Vacation Bible School July 21-25 from 9 a.m. to noon, at 125 N. Lakeview Ave. in Winter Garden. The event is open to children ages 4 through 5th grade. A $10 donation is requested, but those who cannot donate are still encouraged to register their children. Register online at www.fumcwg.org/children.

+ Dettmer graduates

Mason Dettmer of Winter Garden was one of 824 Butler University students who completed degree requirements in May. He majored in marketing. Butler is six miles from downtown Indianapolis.

+ Donate blood

American Legion, Hugh T. Gregory Post 63, in conjunction with Florida’s Blood Centers, will be conducting a blood drive on July 3 from 2-7 p.m. The blood van will be in front of the post at 271 W. Plant St. in downtown Winter Garden.

Donors receive free movie vouchers. The post will be open with drinks and snacks available.

+ Dean’s list

Angerene Mitchell-Matthews of Winter Garden was named to the dean’s list for the spring term at Graceland University. Graceland is a liberal arts university in Lamoni, Iowa.

+ Summertime at SoBo

The Winter Garden Art Association, 127 S. Boyd St., will offer “Sizzlin Summer at SoBo 2014” — seven weeks of themed art experiences and exploration for children in kindergarten through fifth grades. For details, visit www.wgart.org.

+ Library hosts English Conversation class

The Adult Literacy League holds an English Conversation class Mondays at the Winter Garden Library, 805 E. Plant St. The class takes place from 6-8 p.m. To register, call 407-422-1540.

+ Duplicate bridge

N-S: 1. S. Kmiec-M. Ryan 2. L. and T. Saulino 3. B. Peterson-B. Ballenger 4. Y. Peabody-J. Thompson 5. M. and J. Chilton; E-W: 1. M. and F. Schwartz 2. M. and D. Larson 3. M. Guthrie-B. Shelton 4. R. Kerkhoff-N. Brockman 5. B. Lade-M. Voorhees.