Club Hubbub 04.09.15

The West Orange Seniors named Geneva Peterson as the Senior of the Month in March.

Living in the same town for more than 70 years is the story of Peterson. She was born Aug. 19, 1942, to Walter and Rosa Hurst in Ocoee. Her father worked in the orange groves, and her mother was a housewife. Peterson and her father would go to a wooded area to cut down their Christmas tree, located where the Ocoee Ison Center is today. 

After attending grade and high school in Ocoee, Peterson began working in the office at Florida Fashions as a file clerk. 

In 1962, she and Horace Peterson, a mechanic in Ocoee, were united in marriage. They raised two children — Randy Peterson, who still lives in Ocoee, and Melinda Peterson, who resides in Mount Dora. Peterson remained a housewife until her children started school. 

 It was then, in 1974, when she returned to the Ocoee elementary school where she once attended to begin working in the school cafeteria. For four years, she took courses in nutrition, food costs and sanitation to become a cafeteria manager. This job continued for 34 years before she retired. At this time, the cafeteria was serving 2,000 children per day. Peterson was the first person to receive the Support Personnel of the Year award at the school on Dillard Street. 

Peterson has traveled to 32 states and is continuing to add to this list by joining the West Orange Seniors’ annual trips. Always keeping busy in her community, she plays the piano for her church and also for the West Orange Senior Choir. She plays dominoes and bingo at the senior center, as well. Her family also includes four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

WEST ORANGE

+ W.O. Seniors

The West Orange Seniors will take a trip to see Hank Williams perform at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 11, at the Ice House Theatre in Mount Dora. Dinner will be served. The cost is $40 per person. 

The group will depart from the Tom Ison Seniors and Veterans Center, 1701 Adair St., Ocoee.

For more information about the West Orange Seniors and upcoming events, call (407) 592-4498 or visit westorangeseniors.yolasite.com.

+ W.O. Chamber of Commerce

The West Orange Chamber of Commerce will host its Chamber 411 meeting from 8 to 9 a.m. Thursday, April 16, at the City of Winter Garden Commission Chambers, 300 W. Plant St., Winter Garden.

During the meeting, the West Orange Chamber team will discuss how to log on and personalize online directory listings, how to utilize the Chamber website effectively, the mobile enhanced website and links to directory, promotional opportunities such as advertising and guest articles, committees, ambassadors and Leadership West Orange and educational opportunities. 

Created to help members maximize the return on their Chamber investment, Chamber 411 is free to all current members. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided, along with free Wi-Fi. Attendees should bring business cards and/or their company brochure to exchange with other members. 

To RSVP, visit wochamber.com/calendar/event_details/chamber_41113. For more information, contact Nichole Engle at [email protected] or (407) 656-1304, Ext. 8.

WINTER GARDEN

+ Rotary Club of Winter Garden

The Rotary Club of Winter Garden recently welcomed University of Florida students Rebecca Fedderwitz and Mackenzi Shepherd, a graduate of West Orange High School Class of 2013, as the guest speakers for its weekly lunch meeting.

Fedderwitz and Shepherd are members of the University of Florida chapter of Engineers Without Borders. For the past year, their team has been working on a project that will ultimately provide a sustainable source of clean drinking water to the residents of Khanalthok, Nepal. 

Last summer, the team completed its first assessment trip to gain a better understanding of the community and its water needs. Looking forward, the group plans to use the information gathered on the trip to improve the community’s quality of life through a sustainable and healthy engineering design.

For more information about the Nepal project, visit nepal-uf.blogspot.com.

The Rotary Club of Winter Garden meets at noon Tuesdays at Tanner Hall, 29 W. Garden Ave., Winter Garden. For more information, visit rotaryclubofwintergarden.org.

OCOEE

+ Woman’s Club of Ocoee

The Woman’s Club of Ocoee will be distributing scholarships to Ocoee High School, West Orange High School and Wekiva High School students.

Applications are available in the College and Careers departments of each school. To be considered, applicants must live in the incorporated Ocoee area.

Completed applications must be turned in by April 15.

For more, contact Woman’s Club Education Chair Jackie Titus at (407) 656-5454.

WINDERMERE

+ Rotary Club of Windermere

The Rotary Club of Windermere invites the public to attend its upcoming luxury lakefront lifestyle festival, Windermere Spring Fest 2015. The event will take place Friday, April 17, though Sunday, April 19, at the Pines at Windermere, 3409 Maguire Road.

The club promises an action-packed, three-day lineup of lakeside fun, food and live entertainment. This family friendly event will welcome major Orlando sports teams, local corporations and non-profits. All proceeds will benefit selected local charities.

From 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 17, guests are invited to an evening of culture and the chance to mingle with the “Who’s Who” of Windermere while enjoying a gourmet dinner and cocktails, prepared fresh by local celebrity chefs. The cost is $100 and includes food, cocktails, live entertainment, a sunset boat tour, student art show and entry into a $1,000 raffle drawing.

From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, a diverse range of Central Florida businesses will exhibit the latest luxury toys, provide product demonstrations, giveaway prizes and more.

At the festival’s lifestyle-engagement areas, visitors are invited to upgrade their health, home and recreation, using insider tips from local experts. Saturday and Sunday will include a schedule of live music, variety of food, lakeside activities, children’s entertainment and playground access. Prizes will be up for grabs all weekend.

 Through the support of Spring Fest sponsors and exhibitors, admission on both Saturday and Sunday is free.

For tickets and more information, visit windermereevents.com.

West Orange Duplicate Bridge Club

Results from March 26

N-S: 1. B. Ballenger – B. Cox 2. S. Kmiec – M. Ryan 3. N. Fortin – L. Hendry 4. H. Parker – M. Lesnik 5. J. and R. Jett; E-W: 1. J. Thompson – L. Madison 2. B. and R. Blair 3. B. and F. Taylor 4. S. Horovitz – R. Austen 5. M. and F. Schwartz.

Results from April 2

N-S: 1. H. Parker – M. Lesnik 2. N. Fortin – S. Landis 3. M. and J. Chilton 4. B. Ballenger – B. Cox 5. Y. Peabody – M. Voorhees; E-W: 1. S. Horovitz – R. Austen 2. L. Madison – P. Hammer 3. L. and J. Pylman 4. V. Oberaitis – J. Muzeni 5. M. and F. Schwartz.