The Park Press Winter Park | Baldwin Park | College Park | M a i t l a n d F E b R u a R y 2 0 1 2 FREE Duck Derby a Makeover Technology Winner allows Creativity 10 15 18 It’s Great To be Grand! – by Tricia Cable Teachers, in general, are some of the the doctor’s visits, helping to pay for med- most thoughtful human beings on the icine, paying for children with impaired planet. They certainly don’t become vision to get glasses, and on occasion, pay- teachers because of the pay, and many of ing their rent to avoid eviction. the professional educators in my circle But the team of five woman who take spend a great deal of their hard-earned on the responsibility to educate the 88 5 wages on classroom supplies and oth- and 6-year-olds who attend kindergarten er items in an effort to be the very best there are not only incredibly dedicated and teachers for our children. John F. Ken- competent, but also a very compassionate nedy once said “Our progress as a nation and caring group. “Students here are such can be no swifter than our progress in sweet and inquisitive boys and girls,” ex- education. The human mind is our fun- plains team leader Sarah Schneider. “They damental resource.” tend to lack the knowledge of the world The kindergarten team at Grand Av- beyond their own neighborhood, and that enue Primary Learning Center takes that Kindergarten Team Leader Sarah Schneider with a group of her is where we come in,” she continues. fundamental concept and puts it into mo- students during Reading Class. – Photo by Tricia Cable Throughout The Park Press community tion each and every day. One could ar- made up of Winter Park, College Park, gue that their challenges are much greater given The Grand Avenue teachers spend hundreds Baldwin Park and Maitland, our schools benefit that Grand Avenue is an inner city and Title One of dollars each year out of their own pockets to greatly from very generous parental support. school with high poverty, high crime and a high provide clothing, shoes, snacks, basic supplies, When federal funding is lacking, I have seen, mobility rate. All (100%) of their students qual- books, and field trip costs. The staff continues time and time again, the parents stepping up to ify for and receive free breakfast and free lunch to go above and beyond by helping families at ensure that the printers have toner, the teachers and 15%-18% of the student body are homeless. Grand outside of the classroom; driving them to Continued on page 9 Friends Remembering Friends coast of Nova Scotia. A tragedy to say the least, arship Fund. “To date, the annual tournament all 229 souls on board perished. has raised almost $50,000,” explains tournament The Hopcrafts were Winter Park residents founder and organizer Georgette Lynch. “Each who found each other later in life through a sin- year, this fund provides a “Florida Pre-Paid Col- gles group in their Orlando church. Wealthy lege Tuition Plan” to a deserving student at the enough to do whatever they wanted in life, the Orange Center Elementary School in Orlando,” Hopcrafts devoted themselves to unpublicized continues fund administrator and close friend random acts of kindness. Their friendships and of the Hopcrafts, Bruce Woodruff. their legacy of philanthropic activities continue As of today, fifteen “full ride” scholarships to promote compassion and love even today, have been awarded to children whom otherwise fourteen years after their deaths. would not have had the opportunity to obtain a Polly loved playing bridge with her friends. four year college degree. Through the efforts of L to R: Co-chair Mary Gallagher, Fund Administrator Each year in Polly’s memory, her friends host their devoted friends and loved ones, the Hop- Bruce Woodruff and Co-chair Georgette Lynch. Photo by Tricia Cable a bridge tournament to raise money for Pol- crafts will long be remembered. ly’s favorite charity. “Education is the best gift Larry and Polly Hopcraft were married just you can give,” was Larry Hopcraft’s favorite For more information on participating in this eleven short years when on September 2, 1998, quote and to that end, the Friends Remember- annual bridge tournament and/or to contribute to the scholarship fund, please contact the aircraft that they were traveling in caught ing Friends annual bridge tournament raises Georgette Lynch at (407) 565-0386. fire and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the money to benefit The College Kid Club Schol- INSIDE THE P a R K P R E S S Editor’s Message .......................... 3 Arts & Entertainment .................. 16 Meet Your Neighbor ..................... 4 In The Garden ............................. 17 News .............................................. 5 Park Press Pets ............................. 18 PERMIT NO 4595 NO PERMIT Business ........................................ 11 Technology ................................. 18 WEST PALM BCH FL BCH PALM WEST Health & Wellness ....................... 14 Schools ........................................ 19 PAID US POSTAGE POSTAGE US Fashion ....................................... 15 Community Calendar ............... 23 PRSRT STD PRSRT 2 FR o M the P u b l isher The Park Press | feb r U ArY 2 0 1 2 The Park PressTM Publisher’s Message We’re one month into what I believe will be one of the most PublISHER rICk CABlE historically defining years of our lifetime. Yes, 2012 is a general [email protected] election year, and the people of our great nation are facing over- whelming challenges. Each election has importance, but given EDIToR TrICIA CABlE the current gridlock in Congress, November 2012 cannot get here [email protected] fast enough for me. So what about the next ten months? Well, based on current aRT DIRECToR EMMA HEllING political tensions and the early negative campaign advertising aDvERTISING SalES that began last month, this year is going to be politically interest- [email protected] ing and exhausting. We reside in an all-important swing state ____________________________________________ Rick cable that will directly affect the outcome of the upcoming general election. History has shown that each and every vote counts, Editorial Contributions and Writers especially in Florida. Politics will be the headlines each day and information from both Janna McGowan, John Gill, creditable and non-creditable sources will come into play. Journalist with aligned party George McGowan, David Ciambella, affiliations will add their opinions, angles and spins, while others will simply state the Barbara Solomon, Scott richardson, known facts at hand. We will be exposed to information and efforts that will enlighten, confirm, confuse, persuade, mislead, misdirect, deflect and avoid. Stephen and kristin Pategas, It’s going to be a challenge to make sense of it all, so I suggest identifying a couple of Ayesha Fuhr, Audrey S.F. Perrott creditable sources and cross checking any and all answers of concern. Always consider the ____________________________________________ source and don’t rely solely on casual political conversations with family and friends with PHoToGRaPHy Steve Graffham, Tricia Cable, respect to your issues. Take that extra step to research and review information for credible Scott richardson sources and by November you’ll be casting an educated vote for the candidates of your ____________________________________________ choice. The person holding the office of president and members that make up this Congress will DISTRIbuTIoN SuPPoRT Jimmy Segal have earned the honor to LEAD this country during this defining and all-important time in ____________________________________________ our history. Regardless of the results of this upcoming election, Congress must revert back to leading the United States of America instead of leading as if we are the Divided Political The Park Press, llC, Winter Park, Florida Parties of America. Being divided has never worked and is simply no longer an option. office:407-644-6760 As always, thank you for reading The Park Press and we look forward to the great E-mail: [email protected] things to come. 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