MOUNT DORA BUZZ - Kindness Matters: no act of kindness is too small

Pet adoption fees waived this weekend at Lake County Animal Shelter

7/22/2022

The Lake County Animal Shelter, in collaboration with Best Friends Animal Society, is inviting the community to participate in National Adoption Weekend. During the event, the shelter will waive adoption fees from Friday, July 22 to Sunday, July 24.

Include the Lake County Animal Shelter in your weekend plans and come meet amazing shelter pets looking to find a forever best friend. The shelter is located at 12280 County Road 448 in Tavares. It is open Friday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Adoptions include spay or neuter services, initial vaccinations, microchip, personalized ID tag and a lifetime of love.

Best Friends Animal Society began in 1984 and is the nation’s largest sanctuary for homeless pets providing adoption, spay/neuter, and education programs. Spanning 30 years of services dedicated to finding homes for shelter pets and advocating for the no-kill movement, they are honored to work together with the Lake County Animal Shelter to help homeless pets in the community find a loving home.

Visit https://bit.ly/ShelterAdoptions to see available pets and make an appointment to visit the shelter. For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, visit the area's website and download the area's free mobile app. Be sure to follow Mount Dora Buzz on Instagram and Twitter for more local info.

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Lake County Animal Shelter offers free adoptions through September 19

8/1/2021

The Lake County Animal Shelter has joined NBCUniversal’s “Clear the Shelters” pet adoption campaign that is taking place now through September 19. The event features fee-waived pet adoptions at the animal shelter, located at 12280 County Road 448 in Tavares.

Residents and other visitors who are interested in adopting a pet during this event are strongly encouraged to make an appointment online by visiting https://bit.ly/3sbgAzO. Walk-ins are also welcome.

“We have so many great pets waiting for homes,” said Whitney Boylston, director of the Lake County Animal Shelter. “We are excited to participate in the national adoption campaign again this year. Last year, we celebrated 275 adoptions during the event and look forward to finding loving homes for as many homeless pets as possible this year.”

The Lake County Animal Shelter experienced a nearly 30% increase in year-to-date admissions over the last year, with intake numbers rising back to pre-pandemic levels. The shelter celebrated 701 positive outcomes in July, which is more than ever in a single month. By participating in the Clear the Shelters™ adoption event, the shelter hopes to continue the trend of positive outcomes throughout the summer, which is the busiest time of the year. Residents who are unable to adopt can help by spreading the word, fostering, or donating supplies.

The Lake County Animal Shelter is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The shelter is closed Wednesdays and holidays.

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FOOD PANTRY LEADER TO RETIRE AT YEAR'S END

5/24/2021

ABOVE: Irene O'Malley

It’s a departure in Mount Dora that’s going to leave a mark. Lake Cares Food Pantry today announced that Irene O’Malley, who began as a volunteer at the group’s launch and quickly rose to lead the organization, is retiring as executive director effective December 31.

O’Malley helped open the non-profit’s doors in April 2009 by aiding clients with food stamp applications and later served on its board of directors. In October 2010 she was appointed executive director, overseeing the daily operations, grant writing, fundraising and community collaborations.

During O’Malley’s tenure piloting the organization, Lake Cares built community partnerships with regional churches, organizations and corporations, including Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and Publix, while at the same time growing its volunteer base and reach.

In her nearly 11 years at the helm, Lake Cares has doubled its volunteer brigade to approximately 200 helping hands. That active team empowered the food pantry to grow from serving a couple of dozen families a week in its early days to supporting some 325 families weekly by distributing more than 108,000 pounds of food each month. The food pantry’s clientele is largely composed of disabled individuals, seniors, and working-age families.

“Over the years, Irene has built Lake Cares into a major force in changing lives for the better in Lake County,” said Dave Krepcho, president and CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. “Her indelible fingerprints will remain on the organization and on the countless people who have been helped.”

Prior to being named executive director at Lake Cares, O’Malley attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and for 25 years designed men's and women's clothes. She poured that creativity into fashioning public awareness campaigns for Lake Cares, such as the “canstruction” art display — 15,966 nonperishable food items turned into messaging about food insecurity — and the recent jewelry raffles patterned after the real-life experience of 13 women as chronicled in the bestseller, “The Necklace: Thirteen Women and The Experiment That Transformed Their Lives.”

O’Malley will continue with Lake Cares while the board of directors identifies a replacement who will work alongside her while getting up to speed. The search begins May 24 and the new executive director starts September 27. For details about the job description and to apply, visit www.LakeCares.org

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LAKE COUNTY LIBRARIES FORGIVE FINES FOR FOOD

5/1/2021

Sixteen Lake County libraries, including Mount’s Dora W.T. Bland Library, will once again offer its Food for Fines initiative to library patrons from May 1 to 31 during regular operating hours. During that time, library fines and overdue materials will be forgiven in exchange for donations of dry or canned food items and hygiene and baby products. Each unopened, unexpired item will equate to $1 forgiven for overdue library fines. All donations will be sent to local food banks and charities in Lake County.

Anyone without fines is also encouraged to donate items which will be used anonymously to help forgive another patron’s fines. There are no limits to the number of donations per person, though library fines will not be forgiven for library items that are lost or damaged.

Clearing fines, especially for children’s library cards, will allow individuals to participate in the library’s summer programs and earn prizes for reading. Summer reading keeps students engaged and active while school is out and helps build upon their academic lessons.

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IT'S GIVING WEEK! YOU CAN MAKE A POSITIVE LOCAL IMPACT.

12/1/2020

‘Tis the season for giving and the Giving Week initiative is the perfect time to “give locally.” In Lake County, one organization that is in dire need of support is Lake Cares Food Pantry. Donations can help them win a matching grant of up to $10,000 which can feed a lot of struggling families in need.

The pantry has seen an increase in new families in need of food due to hardships created by COVID-19. Last March, Lake Cares distributed 56,000 pounds of food to families, including 43 new families. In October, food distribution climbed to 91,000 pounds, including 120 new families and the need continues to rapidly increase, according to Ruthie Haffner, Director of Development at Lake Cares.

During Giving Week, there are three easy ways people can help bridge the local hunger gap in Lake County by supporting Lake Cares Food Pantry.

1. DONATE FOOD
Shelf-stable foods like pasta, pasta sauce, peanut butter, rice, beans and canned vegetables are always needed. A good strategy is to shop the B.O.G.O. specials at your local grocery store. Here's more information on donating food to the pantry.

2. DONATE MONEY
Lake Cares’ Holiday Campaign makes it possible to provide complete holiday meals to 700 families, which is 200 more than last year. A $50 donation will feed a family of four.

In addition to food costs, monetary donations can also help cover operational costs to keep the Pantry's lights on. You can donate on-line at LakeCares.org or mail a check to: Lake Cares, 2001 W. Old Highway 441, Suite 1, Mount Dora FL 32757 or call 352-383-0100.

3. VOLUNTEER
There are plenty of ways to volunteer at Lake Cares. Just visit the website to learn more.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here. Discover the area's online event calendar here. Also download the area's free mobile app.

TWO MOUNT DORA CHURCHES PROVIDE FREE MEALS ON THANKSGIVING DAY

11/23/2020

‘Tis the season to give thanks, and pass the turkey and stuffing. This year two churches in Mount Dora are teaming up to distribute free Thanksgiving meals on Thursday, November 26.

St. Edward’s Episcopal Church and Saving Faith Baptist Church will provide the meals to anyone who is in need. Both local churches will have a drive-thru meal distribution for cars to line up and pick up meals. The distribution will be on a first come, first served basis and include one meal per person in the car, plus an extra meal if needed.
Times and locations are as follows:

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. – St. Edward's Episcopal Church, 460 North Grandview Street, Mount Dora
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Saving Faith Baptist Church, 1155 North Clayton Street, Mount Dora

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MOUNT DORA FIREFIGHTER LOSES APARTMENT TO FIRE

6/10/2020

In a strange twist of fate, a young Mount Dora firefighter had to sit on the sidelines as flames tore through his apartment building last month. On May 29, Kristian Williams wasn’t home when he received a video showing his Oviedo apartment building fully engulfed in flames.

The 24-year-old Homestead native rushed to the scene and stood helpless, watching as local firefighters battled the blaze at the three-story, 50-unit Park Place apartment building.

Williams joined Mount Dora Fire Department in December, 2018, and immediately felt a deep connection to the community and the department. He’s best known to residents as the caring firefighter/paramedic that was photographed in April rescuing a tiny duckling from a storm drain in a Publix parking lot.

Lightning is suspected to be the cause of the apartment building fire that started around 10:30 p.m. The raging flames, which crews battled for hours, left an estimated fifty percent of the building destroyed and caused structural damage so severe that the building will be demolished. As a result, over 40 residents were reportedly displaced and Williams was among them. Despite the size of the blaze, no injuries were reported.

Williams considers himself fortunate that he was able to retrieve a few undamaged items, but many families were left with nothing. The kind-hearted public servant described the family across the hall from him that lost everything, so he set up a GoFundMe account to raise funds for them, himself and the other residents affected by the tragedy to help cover the costs of replacing essentials and relocation. Anyone wishing to help can go to the GoFundMe here.

Williams recently moved into temporary housing in Mount Dora where he plans to take time to get on his feet before planting new roots in the city where he serves.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here.

ABOVE: Williams' burned apartment building. (photo by Kristian Williams)

ABOVE: Williams with the rescued duckling in the storm drain.

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ADVENTHEALTH TEAMS TAKE A KNEE FOR "WHITE COATS FOR BLACK LIVES" CAMPAIGN

6/5/2020

It was a unifying sight across Central Florida hospitals today. AdventHealth physicians, nurses and other team members across Central Florida, including Lake County, took a knee together for almost nine minutes. The minutes of silent reflection was in solidarity with other healthcare professionals across the nation as part of the White Coats for Black Lives campaign.
The nationwide movement is centered on combatting:

higher rates of disease among Black communities,
higher barriers of entry to the health care industry for Black individuals,
lower rates of Black medical students, and
the fear among Black individuals to seek medical care.

All AdventHealth team members were welcome to join in kneeling for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in remembrance of George Floyd and countless others. Those who participated maintained social distance, wore masks and were encouraged to share photos as an expression of support online with #WhiteCoatsForBlackLives.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here.

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MOUNT DORA HOSTS "PEACE, LOVE & UNITY" WALK ON JUNE 6

6/3/2020

Mount Dorans will come together this Saturday for a “Peace, Love and Unity Walk.” The public is invited to attend this peaceful grassroots event organized by a diverse group of local residents. City Councilmember Crissy Stile, downtown business owner Henry Ollendick, and Pastor Bobby Rowe of Saving Faith Baptist Church in Mount Dora collaborated on the effort.

“Instead of a protest demonstration, we chose to have a peaceful unity walk in support of equality for all,” said Stile.

Mount Dora Police Chief Robert Bell and other officers will be joining in the walk to show their support of equality.

“The goal of this walk is to start the healing process of us coming together in love, peace and unity,” said Rowe, who is active in the city's Northeast Community and attended Mount Dora Middle School and Mount Dora High School.

The walk will begin at 10 a.m. on June 6 at the intersection of Donnelly Street and Jackson Avenue across from the Pine Woods Cemetery. The short route will feature a brief stop for prayer and comments before the walk finishes back at its starting point. Participants can park in the Church of Christ parking lot at 1801 N. Donnelly Street or along the side streets.

Stile said she hopes that other City officials and downtown business owners will join residents in the walk. She advises participants to maintain appropriate social distancing due to COVID-19 concerns. For additional information, please contact Crissy Stile at crissy@barrelofbooksandgames.com or 352-735-1950.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here.

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EUSTIS BUSINESS DONATES BANNERS TO HONOR LAKE COUNTY 2020 GRADUATES

5/28/2020

This year’s high school graduating class may have lost out on their prom and senior ditch day, but local cities across Lake County are visibly honoring the more than 2,400 graduates with the help of a local businessman.
Timothy Totten, owner of Celebrating Heroes, had an idea to create individual banners for each graduate and worked with the area’s public and private schools to use the seniors’ yearbook photos. Totten and Eustis Mayor, Michael Holland, then worked with the other local city governments to seek their willingness to hang banners for their graduates.

So far, the banners have been installed in Mount Dora, Eustis and Tavares. Umatilla and Leesburg banner programs should be kicking off over the next few days. Banners for three South Lake County schools will be installed at the schools ahead of their graduations on June 11th and 12th.
Mount Dora’s Class of 2020 banners, honoring Mount Dora High and Mount Dora Christian Academy, are on display along the fence at the Lawn Bowling Association and the Mount Dora Marina, Mount Dora High School and MDCA Bulldog. Banners for Eustis graduates are hanging from downtown light poles, and Tavares has displayed them along the fence at Tavares Town Square.

The bulk of the program costs have been advanced by Totten's company, with donations being accepted to offset the expense. Additional support for the program has come from the donation of manpower and funding from local cities, as well as a handful of local donors.

RELATED: Lake County Schools changes to traditional graduation ceremonies.

"I didn't want to wait until we could raise all the money, because there is only a very limited amount of time when graduations and festivities normally happen," said Totten of the effort to pay for the project. "Without counting manpower and artist time for our company, the printing cost was more than $35,000, but that's a small price to pay for honoring these great kids."

To make a donation to the effort, interested parties can visit www.celebratingheroes.com or make a donation to Timothy Totten at any United Southern Bank branch.

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here.

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