Hostesses Elaine Deuerlein, Shirley Cable, Kathy Glenn, Carolyn Miller, Marge Pollom and Dee Reilly prepared refreshments for the fellowship meeting.
Members meet at 9:30 a.m. the second Wednesday of each month at the Garden Center, at 715 Third Street N.W., Winter Haven. The public is invited to attend the meetings.
Public participation also is encouraged for the meeting at 10 a.m. April 11. Craig Huegel, a certified wildlife biologist with a Ph.D. in animal ecology from Iowa State University, will be the guest speaker. He will discuss how to create landscapes to encourage and sustain wildlife.
The author of “Native Plant Landscaping for Florida Wildlife,” Huegel is the managing ecologist with Ecological Services Associates, an environmental consulting firm that combines sound ecological leadership with cost-effective client support.
Huegel has been a faculty member of the University of Florida where he co-founded the Cooperative Urban Wildlife Extension Program. He also established the Environmental Lands Division within Pinellas County’s Department of Environmental Management and served as division administrator for 12 years.
Huegel has served as an environmental consultant since 2004.
For details and membership information, call 863-324-4800. To attend the April 11 meeting, call the same number to make reservations by April 4.
Record 33 Children in COMPETITION
Eight Winter Haven-area youngsters earned berths in the upcoming regional Knights of Columbus Free-Throw Championship in Altamonte Springs following impressive victories in council-level and district championships staged back-to-back Jan. 28 at Polk State College in Winter Haven. A record 33 boys and girls competed in the free throw contests.
Emerging as the most prolific free-throw shooter in the competition sponsored by Knights of Columbus Council 7091 of Cypress Gardens was Antwan Walker. After winning the Boys 11-Year-Old Division in the council contest by making 11 of his allotted 15 free throws, Walker put on a dazzling display of free throw shooting by sinking 22-of-25 shots from the charity stripe in the district championship.
Peyton Kaser of Northridge Christian Academy connected on 3 of 5 shots in a shootoff to edge out Jonguavis Lee for the Boys 13-Year-Old title. Kaser, who was forced into a shoot off with Lee when they both sank 13 shots in the opening round, later made 12 of his shots in the district championship.
Paige Kaser, also a Northridge Christian Academy student, won the Girls 10-Year-Old Division by making 10 free throws, and advanced to the regionals by sinking nine shots from the charity stripe in the district round.
Other girls who emerged as winners were Kimothie Jordan of Jewitt Middle Academy, who won the 12-Year-Old championship by sinking four of 15 shots and improved on that with a 10-for-25 performance in the district round, and Auntakira Lewis of Westwood Middle School, who captured the 13-Year-Old trophy by putting six shots through the hoop. In the district round she did even better, sinking 11 of 25 shots.
Jaron Jones of Westwood Middle School won the Boys 12-Year-Old title and Ralph Denis, a student at Adair Middle School in Lake Alfred , earned the Boys 14-year-old trophy. Both of these sharpshooters made 13 of 15 free throws in the council level contest. In the district round Jones made 15 shots while Denis connected on 19 free throws, including one stretch where he made 11 in a row.
John Lee of Lena Vista Elementary School won the Boys 10-Year-Old title by sinking his last four shots. In addition to advancing to the regional K of C Free-Throw Championships, all local winners received trophies and certificates.
The K of C Free-Throw Championship is a major youth initiative of the Knights of Columbus.
Youth Service Winner From Lake Region
Lauren Mayo, a student at Lake Region High School, is the Youth Service Award winner for the Warren LaSertoma Club. Mayo was presented a check for $300 at the recent Tasters Tea that was held at the Lake Bess Club House on Feb. 2.
Mayo, a freshman, chose to do all community service hours around the special needs children in the community. Her parents teach the special needs children in the school system.
For the past two summers, Mayo has volunteered at the Doris Sanders Learning Center, a school for teaching challenged children to learn self help skills and daily living skills.
Mayo is a member of Highland Park Church of the Nazarene where she helps her mother entertain special needs children and adults once a month and give parents a date night for two hours.
She also performs with the orchestra, plays the violin, is a member of the Key Club and volunteers at her church with toddler classes.
Brenda Eggert Brader’s Community Scene column appears each Sunday in the Accent section of the News Chief. Contact her with community news at com