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Tag: Emma Delamo

  • Veterans from Polk assemble floats for annual Orlando’s Veterans Day Parade

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — A group of Central Florida veterans is working on a special project together — assembling floats for Orlando’s 26th annual Veterans Day Parade on Saturday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Orlando’s 26th annual Veterans Day Parade is Saturday, Nov. 8

    • This year, the parade is relocating to Lake Nona from downtown and steps off at 11 a.m.

    • Festive Floats, based in Polk County, has a group of veterans who works on floats for the parade


    Bob Collins spent 22 years in the Navy. He enlisted in September 1971 and worked as a boiler operator before retiring in March 1993.

    Collins works for Festive Floats, a company based in Fort Meade in Polk County. This week, he worked on wiring electrical boxes for a float so speakers and lights can get plugged in.

    “After my military days, I’ve been a stationary engineer now for about the last 25 years working in hospitals, doing basically the same thing I was doing in the military,” Collins said.

    This year, Festive Floats co-owner Billy Attix said his team is working on floats for Commissioner Jim Gray and the Orlando Veteran Affairs office.

    “We’ve been working on the Veterans Parade for about three weeks,” Attix said. “We’re customizing some of our floats to make it military-based to honor those who have served, those who have lost their life.”

    The parade is a long-running event for residents to remember and honor those who served our nation.

    “We’re able to give back to the good, give back to humanity, bring that smile that somebody needs. Just an escape for five minutes of your normal life,” Attix said.

    Collins said he enjoys pulling the floats and seeing people have a good time, while connecting with other veterans along the way.

    “It’s kind of an honor, it really is, especially driving in the parade with the veterans on it and the Wounded Warrior people,” Collins said. “They do a lot of good work for the veterans.”

    The long-standing tradition is moving from downtown Orlando to Lake Nona for the first time.

    This year’s Veterans Day Parade will step off at 11 a.m. Saturday. The route starts at Laureate Park Elementary School and will finish at the Lake Nona Town Center.

    A ceremony and more activities for families will follow.

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    Emma Delamo

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  • New Smyrna Beach business shares boat prep for bad weather

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    NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — As Central Florida keeps a close eye on the tropics, a business in Volusia County is preparing for any strong winds or rain that could affect them from Imelda.

    What You Need To Know

    • A boat rental company in New Smyrna Beach prepares its boats for possible bad weather

    • This comes as Tropical Storm Imelda formed over the Bahamas Sunday afternoon

    • Staff have some extra steps they take if they know a storm is coming, such as moving the boats into a warehouse

    Staff at Sand Dollar Boat Rentals in New Smyrna Beach has put everything away and locked it tight to prevent damage to their boats in case a storm rolls in.

    Employee Brittany Cisco put the tops down on dozens of pontoon boats at the marina before clocking out Sunday.

    “We want to make sure, in case there is an extra gust of wind, that it doesn’t blow it up and catch in the wind and either bend it out of shape or put anything in the water,” said Cisco.

    This is her first hurricane season working at Sand Dollar Boat Rentals.

    “It’s been interesting just helping everybody, getting back with the weather,” said Cisco. “So, we’ll see if it gets worse if people do rent.”

    She has a list of tasks to ensure that each boat is prepared in case of bad weather: storing life jackets, tying boats to the docks, parking them together, and locking the boat doors.

    “Most of the time we don’t have too much to worry about as far as that goes cause we stay always prepared because you know Florida, the rain everyday changes so much,” said Cisco.

    If staff know a storm is coming, they will remove the boats from the water and store them in a warehouse.

    “We kind of try to wait until the last minute because you never know what the storm is going to do,” said manager James Brannigan.

    Brannigan says they had some dock damage and flooding years back — describing previous hurricane seasons as “chaos” — but adds it is not a big deal.

    “We deal with it. We’re Floridians,” said Brannigan. “We know it’s going on. It’s going to happen. We fix the docks; put the boats back on the water. It’s a lot of work.”

    The team says the business is open and ready to take people out on the water as long as the weather is safe enough to do so.

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    Emma Delamo

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  • 6 unit transitional housing complex nearing completion in Clermont

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    CLERMONT, Fla. — Staff at New Beginnings of Central Florida in Clermont are working on move-in ready transitional housing, called New Beginnings Village.

    What You Need To Know

    • New Beginnings of Central Florida is finishing up construction on its transitional housing complex

    • Each unit is 670 square feet and has two bedrooms and one bathroom

    • Families do not have to pay to participate, but they have to participate in the program, which can last between six and nine months

    • Construction is expected to finish next month, then applications will open


    Community Relations Manager Jeremy Elliott said staff will connect residents with services as part of their Helping Hands program.

    He said there has been an 18% increase in the number of families in Lake County who are experiencing homelessness for the first time in the past year.

    “They can really focus on serving themselves — working on their things that are going to create longevity, but also savings and financial literacy,” Elliott said.

    The housing is conveniently located at the back of the property, next to the thrift shop.

    Elliott said the goal is to create a safe space in each of their six homes. Each unit is 670 square feet and has two bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, living space, and an in-unit washer and dryer.

    He told Spectrum News it costs the nonprofit about $22,000 per family, but families do not pay anything as they participate in the program, which can last between six and nine months.

    “You’ve got to want it to be here, because it’s strenuous everyday doing that coursework, really working on yourself,” Elliott said. “It’s a rapid program so that we are able to get you into affordable housing, which is the next step, and open the door for the next family.”

    Elliott said construction is expected to wrap up next month. The total project has cost $1.4 million and was supported by multiple partners, who provided funding and donations to furnish the homes.

    The mission is close to his heart, as Elliott went through the program himself.

    “Being able to come back and walk and see someone else go through that process is emphatically the best gift I could ever see,” said Elliott.

    Applications are not live yet. Staff plan to open them closer to the construction completion date in October.

    Eligibility criteria:

    • Must be 18 or older
    • We serve single women, single mothers, and families (must be married)
    • Children ages 5-12 must be in school (no virtual)
    • Cannot have severe psychiatric issues that would contraindicate communal living with other residents and young children in a residential setting
    • Cannot be taking any controlled medications-prescribed or not
    • Must have a minimum of 6 months abstinence from substance abuse and /or be directly transferred/referred from another residential program
    • Must be willing and physically able to work 40 hours weekly, as this is a work therapy program
    • Willing and able to complete Life Skills Training Curriculum
    • Must be willing to attend church weekly and actively participate in Bible Study and Discipleship Program
    • No active warrants
    • No criminal history of murder, arson, battery, and sexual offenses (Level II)

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    Emma Delamo

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  • YMCA water aerobics keeps Orlando seniors social and active

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — A group of seniors, who call themselves the “Swimmin’ Women,” are taking fitness classes each week to stay active and social.

    What You Need To Know

    • YMCA of Central Florida offers exercise classes for senior citizens

    • The water aerobics class keeps participants social, while working out in the water

    • The low-intensity exercise increases strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular exercise


    Natilee Hamilton is one of them, bringing the energy to the water aerobics classes at the Leonard & Marjorie Williams Family YMCA.

    “I love to see people having fun and I love to make somebody’s day,” said Hamilton. “I don’t care who it is. I love the fact I can make somebody’s day.”

    For her, the class is more than social hour. It’s a low-impact way to keep her body moving, as she lives with back and knee issues.

    “I used to be a much, much bigger woman. I used to weigh 365 pounds. I’ve lost over 100-something pounds by not just swim aerobics, I’m able to do other workouts due to the fact that I lose the weight from swim aerobics,” said Hamilton.

    The class is part of the YMCA of Central Florida’s senior offerings to encourage healthy living. By using weights and alternating exercises, the seniors are increasing strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular exercise. Participants feel lightweight underwater too.

    “One third of senior citizens experience some sort of loneliness or socialization, so this is a great opportunity to bring people together, meet some friends, get connected, and really form their own community within the Y,” says District Vice President Justin Higa.

    Eva-Maria Lamott and her husband are also in the class. While they benefit from the exercise, they have also formed a second family after moving here from Germany.

    “I love these classes because all the people here are so amazing. We are already friends and we are meeting also in private sometimes. We are celebrating our birthdays together and it’s really a good, good group,” said Eva-Maria Lamott.

    To learn more about group classes, leaders say you can stop by or call any local YMCA or visit the YMCA of Central Florida’s website by clicking here.

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    Emma Delamo

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