Royce Brown, who was recently named president and CEO for AdventHealth Lake Wales, assumed leadership of the hospital on Monday. In his role, Brown will provide executive leadership and oversee the day-to-day operations of AdventHealth Lake Wales, working with his team to ensure the delivery of care throughout the Lake Wales community. Brown will report to Brian Adams, president and CEO for AdventHealth Heart of Florida and market CEO for Polk County.
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In preparation for hurricane season, which begins on June 1, Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing and Polk County Emergency Management have partnered with Publix Super Markets to produce and distribute the "Polk County Public Shelters" maps for 2021. The map is designed to assist both resident and tourist evacuees in finding shelter during an impending storm. With its “snowbird” drivers heading back to their homes up north, Meals on Wheels of Polk County, Inc. urgently needs more full time Polk County residents to volunteer their time to deliver freshly-cooked meals to homebound people during the late spring and summer months. “Every year around this time we lose drivers when seasonal residents return to their homes up north. However, we’ve always managed to serve our clients without interruption thanks to local drivers who fill in for the ‘snowbirds’ in the summer months. We hope this trend continues again this year,” said Susan Eldridge, executive director of Meals on Wheels. All Saints Academy is excited to welcome Dylan Hoff to our staff as the NEW Lacrosse Coach and Assistant Athletic Director. Coach Hoff brings over 8 years of experience as an Offensive Coordinator in Lynchburg, VA, and Gettysburg, PA. As a former Lacrosse player at Lynchburg College, Hoff was a two-time All American and three-time All-ODAC Selection. As Gettysburg College’s Offensive Coordinator from 2017 to the present, Hoff coached 10 All-Americans, 9 All-Centennial Conference Selections, and made 2 NCAA appearances. In 2020, Coach Hoff led his team to a 6-1 record until Covid-19 brought the season to a halt. Polk State College, in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Polk County (DOH-Polk), will host its second vaccination event on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, in the Winter Haven Campus Health Center (WHC) at 999 Ave. H N.E. The walk-up event will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. for individuals 12 years of age or older. The Florida Chamber of Commerce recently announced its 2021 Distinguished Advocate Award recipients following another successful legislative session where twenty-two of our priorities were passed. The Florida Chamber’s Distinguished Advocate Award recognizes lawmakers who ensured consideration of the business community’s legislative priorities and fought tirelessly for the passage of a Chamber-backed policy or a priority piece of pro-jobs legislation. Thank you to our members that shared their struggles with finding employees. Your feedback was sent to the Governor's office and has had an impact. What we heard from you:
The day after our feedback was sent to the Governor's office he indicated that he would be asking that the work search requirement waiver that had been put into place during the pandemic would be reinstated on June 1. That was codified today in a press conference by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity in which they announced that those on unemployment will have to resume reporting their work search activity as of June 1 and if they do not show up to interviews or accept employment offers the business can report them to the DEO and they will lose their benefits. I don't see where on their website you as the employer would report that information, but I will keep you posted on this. This is certainly not the silver bullet to the problem as federally boosted unemployment benefits will continue through September 6, but it is a step in the right direction. As of today there are 461,900 open jobs in Florida. During the press conference today the DEO Secretary Dane Engle announced their Return to Work initiative focused on matching those on unemployment with job opportunities. They encourage businesses with open positions to reach out to CareerSource Polk as well. There has also been several Governor's that have stated they will stop participating in the federal employment boost program ($300). Governor DeSantis did not answer when asked whether he would consider such a move and at today's DEO press conference there was no indication as to whether that would be considered. Enter an undiscovered world where LEGO® creatures come to life with an all-new 4D movie, LEGO® MYTHICA - JOURNEY TO MYTHICA, and an augmented reality (AR) experience opening May 27 at LEGOLAND® Florida Resort’s Fun Town Theater. Full of adventures and mysterious creatures all waiting to be discovered, LEGO MYTHICA is an incredible parallel universe to ours. A universe that, unbeknown to us, has been created by the power of kids’ imagination. Whenever a child takes the time and care to build a creature from LEGO bricks, it comes to life for real in MYTHICA. Neighbors across the country will soon have an exciting opportunity to help change their communities for the better through State Farm Neighborhood Assist®. The program awards $25,000 grants to 40 nonprofit organizations to help fund neighborhood improvement projects. According to a recent State Farm research study, one-quarter of respondents say that they are “extremely” or “very” involved in trying to improve their neighborhood and six-in-ten are trying to improve their neighborhood in some capacity. Walk-in customers will now have the option to get the COVID vaccine in all Publix Pharmacy locations. Appointments are encouraged and can be made through Publix's online system. Vaccines available are Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. For more information on vaccine offerings, appointments and availability, visit the Publix reservation website. The Florida Department of Health in Polk County will now be providing COVID-19 vaccines to individuals weekly at the following days, times and locations:
For guests with health care needs ranging from the common cold to a chronic illness, AdventHealth is providing a diverse range of health care services and vacation planning tools to Walt Disney World® Resort guests, both before and during their trips. Under a renewed alliance announced today, AdventHealth will become the Official Health Care Provider at Walt Disney World Resort, as well as the Official Virtual Health Care Provider at Walt Disney World Resort. AdventHealth has had a relationship with the Walt Disney World Resort for more than two decades, and these enhanced resources will expand upon the organizations’ longstanding alliance. As part of their 100-year anniversary celebration, Citizens Bank & Trust was pleased to provide an opportunity for 29 qualified Polk County non-profit organizations to benefit from part of a $100,000 grant fund through their 100 Days of Giving Initiative. "Polk County is our home, and we strongly believe that it is our responsibility to take an active role in the communities we serve, especially since we not only do business here, but live here as well. As we celebrate 100 years in Polk County, the 100 Days of Giving Initiative is a fitting way to demonstrate our enduring commitment to help make those communities better.” - Greg Littleton, President and CEO of Citizens Bank & Trust. In partnership with the George Jenkins Foundation Ending Hunger Initiative and The United Way of Central Florida, Central Florida Health Care is proud to announce a FREE food distribution for the families of Polk county. No qualifications necessary; each family* will receive approximately a week’s worth of food (feeds family of 4) at no charge. Click HERE for a calendar including all dates for the month of May, or you can visit the Resources page on the CFHC website to access the calendar. Feel free to contact 863-216-2816 for more information. *Available on a first-come, first-serve basis, while supplies last. MIDFLORIDA Credit Union is pleased to announce that its newest branch is now open. Located in Lake Placid at 611 E. Interlake Boulevard, the branch opened on May 3, and is one of more than 60 branches throughout the state. MIDFLORIDA welcomes anyone to join who lives, works, worships, or attends school within their service area, spanning coast to coast from Nassau to Collier counties. The new Lake Placid branch features the Credit Union’s signature 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. extended drive-thru hours and full-service Saturday hours, plus face-to-face banking, instant-issue debit and credit cards, a drive-up ATM, and safe deposit boxes. Grab Your Squad and Head to LEGOLAND Florida Resort for LEGO® Friends Weekends, Starting Saturday4/30/2021 Starting this Saturday, LEGO® Friends Weekend brings new adventures to LEGOLAND® Florida Resort. Fans will go on an adventure with the “Fab Five,” Stephanie, Olivia, Andrea, Emma, and Mia, to crack a secret code and stop their rival, Dr. Alvah, who has plans to shut down Heartlake City. The all-day adventure is filled with activities inspired by each of the character’s unique personalities and passions. This year, 20 botanical gardens were nominated for the USA Today 10Best and our very own Cypress Gardens is in the running! To cast your vote, click here. The polls close on May 24th and the winners will be announced on June 4th. You can vote once a day, every day until May 24th. Mark you calendar and vote as much as you can!
Before Winter Haven heats up for the summer, we created a list of the mustâdo outdoor experiences for you and your family to enjoy! While this is not a d efinitive list, it will give you a great start to enjoy the sunny, clear sky weather that we have during the spring time.
The Achievement Academy Board of Directors is pleased to announce Kristin Aiken as the organization’s new President/CEO as of May 3, 2021. Aiken, who lives in Lakeland, FL, has been working as Sales and Marketing Manager of Dura-Cast Products in Lake Wales, FL. Previously, she served for nine years as the Director of Development and Communications for All Saints Academy. Prior employers include United Way of Central Florida and the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce. Polk State College is teaming up with the Florida Department of Health to offer FREE COVID-19 vaccines to people over the age of 18 at their on-campus vaccination event on April 30th. An appointment is required to receive the vaccine. If you would like to make an appointment or get more information, visit their website. The Small Business Administration has announced that the Restaurant Revitalization Fund application portal will open on Monday, May 3 at 12 p.m. You can pre-register on their website beginning Friday, April 30 at 9 a.m.
For the first 21 days that the program is open, the SBA will prioritize funding applications from businesses owned and controlled by women, veterans, and socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. BUT all eligible applicants are encouraged to submit applications as soon as the portal opens. Following the 21 days, all eligible applications will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis. How to Prepare: In preparation, qualifying applicants should familiarize themselves with the application process in advance to ensure a smooth and efficient application. Follow the steps below.
The Restaurant Revitalization Fund provides a total of $28.6 billion in direct relief funds to restaurants and other hard-hit food establishments that have experienced economic distress and significant operational losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Funds must be used for allowable expenses by March 11, 2023. Saints Sports League is now open to the public for registration. This community sports league is for boys and girls ages 5-12, and dedicated to developing self-esteem, fundamentals and a well-rounded athlete. All skill levels are welcome to participate. Saints Sports coordinator Jason Smith stated, “With so much pressure on young athletes in some leagues, we want to offer an alternative league for kids to experience competition and build character in a safe environment with Saints Sports. With only one practice night a week, it also allows our athletes to not burn out on practices. We have college level facilities here at All Saints that we want to open up to our community. League fees are also affordable for families to allow multiple children to participate” The Iron Horse Family Foundation has awarded a grant in the amount of $50,000 to the Achievement Academy to help fund the Birth to Three Program. With the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children's Level III NICU, premature babies are now being born in Polk County instead of surrounding counties. This funding will help families with tiny premature babies receive free early intervention services and empower the parent to be the child’s first teacher. The support of the Iron Horse Family Foundation is truly a vital component to the success of the children in our community. |
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