Celebration Florida’s Fun Station Closes

The Family Fun Station, a Celebration Town Center business that has specialized in delivering family fun, has sadly decided to close its doors.  Mike and Pattie Gaw, well-respected and much admired Celebration residents, announced the closing with a December 30 posting on the Front Porch website.

According to their post, “We have made a decision to close the Family Fun Station at the end of the business day on December 31st. We have made this decision for several reasons. First, the business as currently structured cannot generate sufficient income to justify remaining open; second,we have not had success in any attempts for the addition of different activities that would generate revenue;and third, we no longer can afford to pay the rent, utilities and wages required to remain open. We are saddened by this set of circumstances, and the fact that our dream of providing a wholesome place for the community,young and old, to relax and have fun will not be realized. We fully accept the fact that we made a business decision to open the Family Fun Station in October 2007, but as it turns out like thousands of other small businesses the decision in retrospect was not timely. We had hoped that the economy would improve and business would be better, but we learned a lesson that I well knew from my military experience that hope is not a method. “

Mike and Pattie were among the first residents of Celebration, having had their name chosen during the original lottery held by Disney in November 1995.  A former army major general, Mike is one of the town entrepreneurs, and has served the community as a CROA board member.  Pattie is a successful real estate agent who plans to continue that business. 

The Gaws explained that they would be selling the contents of the Fun Station over the next few weeks, including games, vehicles, prizes and bikes.   That includes the popular Celebration Express train that has given thousands of passengers a mini-tour of Celebration around the immediate Town Center area.   Anything that is not liquidated would be donated to Give Kids the World, an organization that they have long supported.

Magnanimously, the Gawsacknowledged that many children have been saving redemption tickets and that they would do their best to redeem them for prizes, cash they can spend, or donations to a charity.

The Gaws can be contacted through the Front Porch posting thread or at the Fun Station while liquidation and clean-up proceeds.

Pattie and Mike concluded by noting, “We would like to sincerely thank each and every customer who has frequented the Family Fun Station, our long time immediate neighbors Kilwin’s Ice cream–the very best ice cream in the area, and our new neighbors the unique Spot Me Kids. We wish continued success to you both.”

Celebration Hosts Community Covenant Soldiers

Last Fourth of July the Town of Celebration signed a “Community Covenant” in support of our Armed Forces and decided to adopt a local Army National Guard Unit scheduled to be deployed overseas in early 2010.  Recently, residents of the Town organized a combination Christmas and Send-off party for the soldiers and their families at the Celebration Community Center.  The event was a resounding success that buoyed spirits and touched the hearts of those who attended.

The Unit being deployed is the Headquarters Company of the Second Battalion, 124th Infantry of the Florida National Guard, led by Captain Jason Craft..  Stationed at the Ferncreek Armory in Orlando, the unit has been activated for deployment in the Middle East Theater.  Ferncreek Armory is about 20 miles northeast of Celebration, and a few miles north of the Orlando International Airport.  But the soldiers are from all over Florida, not just the Orlando area. 

South Village resident Karen Whelden spearheaded the planning and organization of the entire event for the soldiers and their families.  Her spouse, retired Army Major General Craig Whelden, developed the Community Covenant Program now used to support all branches of the United States Military.  Covenants with military units have now been signed by 400 American towns, communities, groups, and States across the country (www.army.mil/community).

The recent event held in Celebration was not only a Holiday party, but also served as a venue for awarding Unit commendations earned while the soldiers have been preparing for deployment.  After a breakfast and other business, the Company’s 108 members assembled and marched smartly two blocks down Celebration Avenue to Founders Park and the Veterans Memorial.  Family members followed along on the sidewalk, while residents lined the street to applaud their adopted heroes.  With the Company in precise formation, Captain Craft and Battalion commander Lt. Colonel Ralph Ribas thanked the community and bestowed about 10 commendations to unit members.  In particular, Captain Craft presented framed certificates of thanks to Katie Tamanini of Town Hall, Karen Craft, and Corpus Christi Catholic Church.

Following that troop formation ceremony, the soldiers and their families (numbering about 220 in total) returned to the Community Center for a Christmas feast, entertainment, children’s games, and other activities.  Later, children and their parents were transported by Mike Gaw’s Celebration Express train to the Santa Station on Front Street for a visit with Santa, photos, and a present.

Said Captain Craft afterward, “My soldiers and their families were absolutely overwhelmed by the visible and practical outpouring of care demonstrated by the people of Celebration and the surrounding area.  Our children will not soon forget the great food, train ride, visit from Santa, presents, entertainment, and so much more.  Our soldiers could not have been prouder as they paraded in the town.  They and their loved ones could see, in a real way, the reason for their sacrifice.  For a short time they did not have to think about deployments and separation; for a short time it was all about enjoying the season.”

Much credit goes to all those residents and groups that contributed time, materials, and food.  They include CROA, Celebration Town Hall Staff, Joseph Judge, Hank Wake, Desiree Eastman, Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Joe Magic, Mike Gaw, Family Fun Station, Lee Moore, Town Tavern restaurant, other local businesses and entertainers, and scores of resident volunteers.

Deployment date for Headquarters Company is now set for January 6.

We will be following the progress of both the soldiers in theater as well as families left back home, and we will be periodically reporting on how they are doing.

Celebration, Florida – Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra

Bring the whole family and experience the Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra at the Community Presbyterian Church in Celebration, Florida. This  concertwill feature classic favorites performed by some of Central Florida’s best muscians.  The concert will take place in Celebration, Florida on January 30 at 7:30 p.m.

For infomation call The Celebration Foundation at 407-566-1234.

 

Corpus Christi Opens New Church in Celebration

Celebration’s Corpus Christi Catholic Church, which had previously held its services at Celebration High School Cafeteria, recently competed its new church building on Celebration Avenue and Waterside Drive, just in time for Christmas.  The result is a stunning, classical-style building inside and out that not only fits well with the architectural pattern established by The Celebration Company, but also becomes an attractive, prominent landmark of the community.

Groundbreaking for the church was held in November 2008, though construction did not begin in earnest until the following January.  “It seems remarkable that they could finish such a large and complex building in such a relatively short time,” said Celebration resident Dan Tomsick, who during his daily walks past the site kept track of progress.  Brasfield & Gorrie, the general contractor for the project and a Fortune 500 company, kept up a steady pace, especially in the last three weeks when the seating, altar art, and stained glass windows were installed.

As a consequence, pastor Father Gregory Parkes, was able to celebrate the first Mass in the new building on December 24 morning to a nearly full house of excited parishioners from not only Celebration, but also Orlando, Kissimmee, and the entire Four Corners area. In a ceremony beforehand outside the front doors, Tim Dwyer of Brasfield & Gorrie handed the keys over to Building Committee Chairman Jack Blitch, who in turn presented them to Father Gregory.   After humbly thanking the Committee, Father Gregory acknowledged the hard work and support of the trades people, the Parish, and the Town.

“We received the certificate of occupancy only a few days before,” later confided Father Gregory, “and the parishioners scrambled to move our liturgical materials from the High School and to set up the church, complete with the Nativity scene and various Christmas flowers and decorations.”  Parishioners were particularly touched by the members of the Celebration Presbyterian Church down the street; they brought two lighted Christmas trees that were placed alongside the exterior front doors of the church, as well as some beautiful Christmas wreathes that were hung on the front facade.

Fortunately, everything worked relatively smoothly at that first mass.  Seven hours later, the Church hosted an overflow crowd for its 5 pm Christmas Eve Mass that featured the Children’s Choir. Father Gregory opened the liturgy with a greeting and then the rhetorical exclamation, “Can we give glory and praise to God for this beautiful church?” — to which the congregation responded with enthusiastic and prolonged applause.

Even without any advertising or notices in the neighboring hotels, the turnout for the four Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses was remarkable.  Observed Bert Fitzgibbons, “We had about 3200 people attend those four Masses, nearly double the number at the same number of Masses held last year in the High School cafeteria.”

The Church will be formally dedicated at 5 pm on Saturday January 16, with Bishop Thomas Wenski of the Orlando Diocese presiding.

Details about Corpus Christi Catholic Church can be found at www.celebrationcatholic.org.

Central Orthopedics

 

Central Orthopedics has been one of Central Florida’s primary orthopedic doctors since 1989.  Dr. Maury Fisher, owner of Central Orthopedics, provides joint injections and fracture care.  He also specializes in total joint replacement of the hip, knee replacement, and shoulder replacement, as well as and other surgical and general orthopedic services. 

Dr. Fisher is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery (AAOS), Florida Medical Association (FMA), and has served as Chief of Surgery from 2006 to 2008 at Winter Haven Hospital. 

Central Orthopedics
222 E. Central Ave.
Winter Haven, Florida 33880
Phone (863)299-5667

Originally posted 2009-08-18 11:00:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Concierge Services in Orlando – Ousley Concierge Services

Ousley Concierge Services in Orlando is one of Central Florida’s best personal concierge services and resources. Ousley Concierge Services exists to assist Orlando and Central Florida residents in bringing a better balance to life.

Ousley Concierge Services understands that your most important commodity is time. Life is busy; making time for work, family, and friends is no easy task. Ousley’s personal concierge service can handle any request you may have. Your personal concierge can arrange social events, book flights, secure reservations, and even run errands.

Ousley Concierge Services in Orlando offers a variety of concierge services to the Central Florida region. Many businesses in Central Florida utilize Ousley’s Business Concierge Service for various services as well as a part of their company’s employee compensation package. Additionally, many residents of Orlando and Central Florida benefit from Ousley’s personal concierge services such as arranging transportation and running errands.
Other services offered by Ousley are notary services, restaurant recommendations, reservations, travel arrangements and accommodations, transportation services, pet services, and much more! Ousley Concierge Services can even get you tickets to any venue or event in the Central Florida region.

For further information on how to bring a better balance to your life or to hire your personal concierge today, visit www.concierge-services-orlando.com or call Joe Ousley at 407-963-3733.

Ousley Concierge Services
17421 Summer Oak Lane
Clermont, FL 34711
(407)963-3733

Best Orlando Restaurants

Our Dining in Orlando area includes reviews about the Best Orlando Restaurants.  Steakhouses, Seafood, Italian, Cuban, Fine dining and more.

Orlando Area Restaurants

Best Orlando Steak Houses in Central Florida
Best Seafood Restaurants in Orlando
Best Italian Restaurants in Orlando Central Florida
Best Latin Restaurants in Orlando
Best Asian Restaurants in Central Florida
Best Mediterranean Restaurants in Central Florida
Best Latin Restaurants in Central Florida
Best American Restaurants in Central Florida

Originally posted 2009-08-17 14:54:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Florida Hospital Celebration Health – Dr. Redan

Dr. Redan: A Highly Accomplished Name in Laparoscopic Surgery

Less pain, no large incision scar, reduced hospital stay, and extremely short period of recovery are all benefits offered by modern laparoscopic surgical techniques. However, having a highly skilled surgeon is just as important as the surgical techniques in order to fully exploit the potentials of laparoscopy. Dr. Jay A. Redan, director of minimally invasive surgery at Florida Hospital Celebration Health, is known as one of the best laparoscopic surgeon in the United States. The majority of Dr. Redan’s patients recover without pain, scarring, or complications due to his outstanding skills in laparoscopic surgical techniques.

Dr. Redan and his team at Florida Hospital Celebration Health conduct laparoscopic and endoscopic surgeries by inserting a scope through a very small incision, or no incision at all Dr. Redan and his team use advanced endoluminal and laparoscopic techniques that are usually not available in general medical practices. Due to non-availability of these state-of-the-art facilities and services closer to home, a large number of patients travel to Central Florida from around the world to come to Florida Hospital Celebration Health. Dr. Redan conducts many surgeries including colo-rectal, hiatal hernia many others abdominal and thoracic procedures. However, his expertise is in removing the polyps and tumors with the laparo-endoscopic approach. Dr. Redan also works with world-renowned gynecologist, Dr. Steven McCarus, at Celebration Health to perform endometriosis and female reproductive surgeries including complex and complicated abdominal surgeries.

Dr. Redan has performed over 4,500 minimally invasive operations in the last 20 years. Dr. Redan also provides services for those patients dealing with complications arising from their previous traditional surgeries. Many patients come to Dr. Redan after having suffered with such complications. Typically these post-surgery complications cannot be identified with CT scans or MRIs and patients are often told to take medications to offset the effects of these traditional complications. At Celebration Health’s Center for Complex Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Syndrome, Dr. Redan uses his laparoscopic surgical skills to treat these patients and results are often exceptionally positive.

His dedication to laparoscopic surgery is not only beneficial to humans but animals as well. Dr. Redan recently performed laparoscopic surgery on an antelope at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom with great success.

To disseminate his immense knowledge and experience, Dr. Redan travels around the world to train other surgeons in these specialized laparoscopic techniques. He has published many researcher papers and has served on the editorial staff for the Journal of Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons and the Trocar Online Videojournal of Gynecologic and Surgical Laparoscopy.

Dr. Jay A. Redan, Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery
Florida Hospital Celebration Health
Center for Complex Abdominal and Pelvic Pain Syndrome
410 Celebration Place, Suite 302
Celebration, FL 34747
407-303-4602
888-303-4602

Downtown Disney in Orlando

 

Experience the magic of Disney for free!  Downtown Disney in Orlando is located within walking distance from Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa on the banks of Village Lake.  Admission and parking are free.

Downtown Disney offers over 70 shops, entertainment venues, and restaurants such as Wolfgang Puck Café, Bongos, and the Rainforest Café.  The west side is home to the House of Blues Orlando and world renowned Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba.  Come experience Disney Quest, check out the largest Disney character store in the world, visit Planet Hollywood, or simply relax and experience leisurely lakeside dining.

Downtown Disney
Walt Disney World
Lake Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, FL
407-828-3058

Originally posted 2009-08-16 13:01:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Animal Kingdom Walt Disney World

 

Disney World’s Animal Kingdom is one of four parks part of Walt Disney World in Orlando.  This exotic theme park is dedicated to the conservation and restoration of nature and wild life as it leads the way in animal care, education and research.  It is also home to one of Disney’s most thrilling roller coasters, Expedition Everest, as well as spectacular shows, exhibits and rides.

Dinsey’s Animal Kingdom is divided into 7 exotic areas.  

• Oasis
• Discovery Island
• Camp Minnie-Mickey
• Africa
• Rafiki’s Planet Watch
• Asia
• Dinoland U.S.A.

Each section features different animals, exciting roller coasters, and unique entertainment.  Don’t miss your opportunity to experience the largest animal-themed park in the world!

Animal Kingdom Walt Disney World
(407) 939-6244

Originally posted 2009-08-13 14:51:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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