MEMBER MICRONEWS

JUNIOR SERVICE LEAGUE'S BOOTS AND PEARLS EVENT
     Junior Service League of Bartow is hosting their annual dinner auction fundraiser, Boots and Pearls next Friday, November 13th at Sackett Ranch. This is a fun event for a great cause as all proceeds go back to help our community. You can still purchase tickets from a JSL member or at www.jslbartow.com
     Tickets are $40 or $75/2.
     Bring canned goods with you to help stock up the Church Service Center and you will receive 1 free drawing ticket for every canned good donated.

JUNIOR JACKETS BASKETBALL
Registration has begun for Junior Jackets Basketball. Participants will learn fundamental skills of basketball like shooting, passing, dribbling, rebounding, and offensive and defensive strategies during the basketball game clinics. Volunteer coaches make our youth basketball program successful, so please volunteer your time to help our kids have a great basketball experience! Adult coaches are needed for all upcoming Junior Jackets basketball teams. Head Coach’s child plays for FREE (Only applies to one child per household). To apply, complete and return the coach’s application found on the City of Bartow website at www.cityofbartow.net/programs or contact Cherry Alston at 863-534-0161.

MOBILE OFFICE HOURS FOR SEN. GRIMSLEY
     Senator Denise Grimsley’s (R-Sebring) staff will hold “mobile office hours” during the month of November to assist constituents with state agency concerns and to gather public input on legislative issues.
Polk County Mobile Office hours:
Wednesday, November 18th
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Mulberry Public Library
1^st Floor Civic Center
905 NE 5th Street
Mulberry, FL 33860
1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Fort Meade Community Center
10 SW 3rd Street
Fort Meade, FL 33841
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Latt Maxcy Memorial Library
15 North Magnolia Ave.
Frostproof, FL 33843
Senator Grimsley Deputy Majority Leader for the 2014-2016 legislative term and represents Senate District 21, which consists of Okeechobee, and parts of Highlands, Martin, Osceola, Polk, and St. Lucie counties. Senator Grimsley served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2004-2012 and was elected to the Senate in 2012.

SNOW WILL BE FALLING ON BARTOW FORD DEC. 5!
Mark Your Calendars: The snow is falling on Bartow Ford: Bartow Ford and 97 Country have teamed together to create a FREE Winter Wonderland Event. Join them December 5th from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. for flurry-filled family fun. Free breakfast with Santa; 30-foot snow slide and snow play area; Polar Express Train; and Musical Appearances by Elsa, Anna, & Olaf.
     Bartow Ford is located at 2800 US Hwy. 98 North, Bartow. For more information, call 800-303-4016.

2016 POLK SENIOR GAMES SCHEDULE
      The 24^th Annual Polk Senior Games are scheduled for February 27 – March 14, 2016 and offers a two-week series of 99 athletic and recreational Olympic-style events. It attracts more than 2,500 men and women, 50 and over, with a variety of skills - the serious competitor, the fun at heart, the seasoned athlete, the late bloomer, and the physically challenged. The purpose of the Games is to promote friendly competition, fellowship, health and wellness, an active lifestyle, and volunteerism.
      Competition, held at various locations throughout Polk County, is offered in Archery, Badminton, Bag Toss, Basketball Shooting, Basketball 3 on 3, Billiards, Bocce, Bowling, Bridge, Checkers, Chess, Cribbage, Ballroom and Social Dancing, Square Dancing, Darts, Euchre, Field Events, Fishing, Fly Casting, Golf 18 Hole Singles and Mixed Doubles and Putt & Chip, Horseshoes, Lawn Bowling, Pepper, Pickleball, Punt Pass Kick, Racquetball, Road Race 5K, Scrabble, Senior Smarts, Shooting – Rifle, Skeet, Sporting Clays and Trap, Shuffleboard, Softball, Sudoku, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track, and Walking. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in each event and age division.     Registration begins the first week of January. The individual entry fee is $10 for the first event and $3 for each additional event up to a maximum of $28. Fees for team sports are $125 for Softball, $50 for Basketball 3 on 3, and $50 for Square Dancing. There are also facility fees for some events. Everyone receives a T-shirt specially designed by artist Chryssie Tavrides. A free Closing Celebration at The Lakeland Center for participants, family and friends includes goody bags, health fair, entertainment, special awards, and door prizes.
      To request an entry booklet to be mailed in January or for more information about participation, volunteering or sponsorships, contact Deena Wilbur at 863-533-0055 or polkseniorgames@verizon.net or check out the website at www.polkseniorgames.org.

ALL GAVE SOME, SOME GAVE ALL . . .
Bartow’s Purple Heart Committee and The Bartow Area Chamber Foundation, Inc. need your help in honoring our local PurpleHeart and POW Veterans. Monuments will be erected in theirmemory at the Civic Plaza located on Davidson Street, across from the Polk County History Center in Downtown Bartow. Your tax-deductible gift, in its entirety, will be used to fund a Purple Heart Memorial and a POW Memorial similar to the ones pictured below. The goal is to raise $25,000 that will be used to erect the memorials and necessary enhancements to accommodate these important tributes to those who have fought to protect our freedoms. Donations may be dropped off at the Chamber.

26th ANNUAL BREAKFAST WITH SANTA & MRS. CLAUS
Saturday, Dec. 5, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Holy Trinity Church
500 W. Stuart St., Bartow
Pancakes, Sausage, Juice, Coffee
Free Craft Activities for children
Sponsored by Zonta Club of Bartow and
the Women’s Care Center of Bartow
Tickets $6 in advance, $7 at the door
Available at The Democrat, 190 S. Florida Ave., Bartow
Bartow Ford Co., 2800 N. Broadway
Church Service Center, 495 E. Summerlin St.
Members of the Zonta Club of Bartow
And members of the Women’s Care Center board

NOVEMBER HISTORY CENTER EVENTS:
Journey into Polk history this month at the Polk County History Center. The following programs and events are open to the public and free of charge:

November’s Family Program – Curators of Curiosity - All Month

Uncover kid-friendly activities at the History Center and explore why we celebrate Veterans Day in November. Follow the clues on a specially crafted kids-only tour of the museum to find out why. When you have solved the mystery, regroup in the Children’s Discovery room to decorate a poppy for a Veteran to hang on our Honoring Vets Wall and write a thank you letter to a soldier to be sent overseas. Curators of Curiosity is an ongoing, family-friendly program that will feature a different activity every month.

Nov. 12, 4 p.m. – Blue Star Memorial Highway Historical Marker Re-Dedication at Fort Fraser Trail and Lyle Parkway, Bartow.

Join us for a ceremony rededicating the Blue Star Memorial Highway marker, which was originally placed in 1971 in the median of US Highway 98 by the Garden Gate Circle of Bartow Garden Club. Over time, the marker sustained damage and has recently been refurbished and relocated to a more secure location along US 98 at Fort Fraser Trail and Lyle Parkway. The Blue Star Memorial Program has been in existence through the garden club movement for more than 65 years and is committed to placing Blue Star Memorial markers on our highways and byways in honor of our nation's military. The ceremony is sponsored by the Historical Marker Committee of the Polk County Historical Commission.

Nov. 17, 12:15 to 1 p.m. - Lunch and Learn – Farm to Fork
- Join the History Center as we welcome Mary Beth Henry for a discussion on small farms and agritourism. Mary Beth is the UF/IFAS extension agent in Polk for Small Farms and also a co-leader of the Statewide Small Farms Extension Team. The program focuses on opportunities for farms outside of the main commodities of citrus and cattle. Examples of Small Farms programs include: beekeeping, canning under the cottage law, agritourism, small scale poultry production and hydroponics. The lunch lecture will highlight examples of ways that residents can connect with Polk farms including agritourism and wineries. She will also discuss trends around the country, such as hosting farm dinners and selling to restaurants and institutions, that could present opportunities for farms in Polk. Those in attendance will receive an overview of resources available to connect with local farms including websites and farmers markets.

Book Club recommended reading is, “Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation.” For the founding fathers, gardening, agriculture and botany were elemental passions: a conjoined interest as deeply ingrained in their characters as the battle for liberty and a belief in the greatness of their new nation. This book is an exploration of that obsession, telling the story of the revolutionary generation from the unique perspective of their lives as gardeners, plant hobbyists and farmers. Acclaimed historian Andrea Wulf describes how George Washington wrote letters to his estate manager even as British warships gathered off Staten Island and why James Madison is the forgotten father of environmentalism.

Nov. 20, 7 to 9 p.m., Festival of Wreaths Opening Night/Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus

Take in the sights and sounds of the season and enjoy the Fifth Annual Festival of Wreaths. The striking wreaths that fill the halls of the History Center are decorated and donated by local businesses, individuals and organizations. Do you see a wreath that you want to hang on your door for the holidays? Cast a bid in the 2015 silent auction with proceeds benefiting the History Center. On opening night, the History Center will offer extended hours and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 7 to 9 p.m. ($5 suggested donation). The wreaths will be on display through Dec. 12. Online bidding will begin on Nov. 20. To bid, go to www.polkhistorycenter.org and click on the Festival of Wreaths icon.

Nov. 21, 11 a.m. - Architectural Tour

Join us for a family friendly architectural tour of the History Center and learn more about neoclassical architecture, the construction of the building and the stories behind the iconic Old Polk County Courthouse. The architectural tour is on the third Saturday of each month at 11 a.m.

Holiday Closings
- The History Center will be closed on Nov. 11 in observance of Veteran’s Day.
- The History Center will be closed on Nov. 26 and 27 for the Thanksgiving holidays and will reopen for regular operating hours Dec. 1.

On-going Temporary Exhibits

Four Decades of Phenomenal Service, Leadership, Philanthropy and Cultural Enrichment

The Kappa Omicron Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha exhibit includes a biographical media presentation of the musings of the chapter’s golden members, those holding membership in the sorority in excess of 50 years. Albums depicting community involvement, completed service projects and contributions to cultural programs in Polk during the past 40 years are an integral part of the exhibit. The exhibit will be on display through November.

Very Much A Lady: Lifestyle and Fashion of the Proper Woman, 1900-1920

Return to a more elegant and stylish era with this exhibit featuring unique and vintage couture fashion and accessories. The exhibit is curated from the private collection of Polk County resident Joanna Godwin. Mrs. Godwin will lead personalized tours of the exhibit every Thursday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. For the holidays, the gallery housing the exhibit will be gilded in Edwardian era decorations. The exhibit is on display through December.

Good Reasons for Good Roads: Celebrating the Dixie Highway at 100 Years

The exhibit explores early highways, the people who travelled them and a new era of development in the state’s history. Artifacts in the exhibit include dozens of mid-century souvenirs from Polk County’s early attractions and the first automobile license plate ever issued in Polk County. The Dixie Highway’s initial route officially opened in 1915 and transformed the cultural landscape of Florida. The exhibit will be on display through August.

Victory Florida: Honoring Polk County’s WWII Contributions

The exhibit tells the story of ordinary men and women doing extraordinary things for their country during World War II. This is the 70th anniversary of V-Day, or Victory Day, which marked the end of World War II in 1945. Victory Florida: Honoring Polk County’s WWII Contributions will be on display through September.

About the Polk County History Center: The History Center is located at 100 E. Main St. in Bartow and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Visit www.polkhistorycenter.org or call (863) 534-4386 for more information on exhibits and programming. All events and programming are free and open to the public.


MEMBER MICRONEWS JUNIOR SERVICE LEAGUE'S BOOTS AND PEARLS EVENT Junior Service League of Bartow is hosting their annual dinner auction fundraiser, Boots and Pearls next Friday, November 13th at Sackett Ranch. This is a fun event for a great cause as all proceeds go back to help our community. You can still purchase tickets from a JSL member or at www.jslbartow.com Tickets are $40 or $75/2. Bring canned goods with you to help stock up the Church Service Center and you will receive 1 free drawing ticket for every canned good donated. JUNIOR JACKETS BASKETBALL Registration has begun for Junior Jackets Basketball. Participants will learn fundamental skills of basketball like shooting, passing, dribbling, rebounding, and offensive and defensive strategies during the basketball game clinics. Volunteer coaches make our youth basketball program successful, so please volunteer your time to help our kids have a great basketball experience! Adult coaches are needed for all upcoming Junior Jackets basketball teams. Head Coach’s child plays for FREE (Only applies to one child per household). To apply, complete and return the coach’s application found on the City of Bartow website at www.cityofbartow.net/programs or contact Cherry Alston at 863-534-0161. MOBILE OFFICE HOURS FOR SEN. GRIMSLEY Senator Denise Grimsley’s (R-Sebring) staff will hold “mobile office hours” during the month of November to assist constituents with state agency concerns and to gather public input on legislative issues. *Polk County Mobile Office hours:* Wednesday, November 18th 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Mulberry Public Library 1^st Floor Civic Center 905 NE 5th Street Mulberry, FL 33860 1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Fort Meade Community Center 10 SW 3rd Street Fort Meade, FL 33841 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Latt Maxcy Memorial Library 15 North Magnolia Ave. Frostproof, FL 33843 Senator Grimsley Deputy Majority Leader for the 2014-2016 legislative term and represents Senate District 21, which consists of Okeechobee, and parts of Highlands, Martin, Osceola, Polk, and St. Lucie counties. Senator Grimsley served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2004-2012 and was elected to the Senate in 2012. SNOW WILL BE FALLING ON BARTOW FORD DEC. 5! Mark Your Calendars: The snow is falling on Bartow Ford: Bartow Ford and 97 Country have teamed together to create a FREE Winter Wonderland Event. Join them December 5th from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. for flurry-filled family fun. Free breakfast with Santa; 30-foot snow slide and snow play area; Polar Express Train; and Musical Appearances by Elsa, Anna, & Olaf. Bartow Ford is located at 2800 US Hwy. 98 North, Bartow. For more information, call 800-303-4016. 2016 POLK SENIOR GAMES SCHEDULE The 24^th Annual Polk Senior Games are scheduled for February 27 – March 14, 2016 and offers a two-week series of 99 athletic and recreational Olympic-style events. It attracts more than 2,500 men and women, 50 and over, with a variety of skills - the serious competitor, the fun at heart, the seasoned athlete, the late bloomer, and the physically challenged. The purpose of the Games is to promote friendly competition, fellowship, health and wellness, an active lifestyle, and volunteerism. Competition, held at various locations throughout Polk County, is offered in Archery, Badminton, Bag Toss, Basketball Shooting, Basketball 3 on 3, Billiards, Bocce, Bowling, Bridge, Checkers, Chess, Cribbage, Ballroom and Social Dancing, Square Dancing, Darts, Euchre, Field Events, Fishing, Fly Casting, Golf 18 Hole Singles and Mixed Doubles and Putt & Chip, Horseshoes, Lawn Bowling, Pepper, Pickleball, Punt Pass Kick, Racquetball, Road Race 5K, Scrabble, Senior Smarts, Shooting – Rifle, Skeet, Sporting Clays and Trap, Shuffleboard, Softball, Sudoku, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track, and Walking. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in each event and age division. Registration begins the first week of January. The individual entry fee is $10 for the first event and $3 for each additional event up to a maximum of $28. Fees for team sports are $125 for Softball, $50 for Basketball 3 on 3, and $50 for Square Dancing. There are also facility fees for some events. Everyone receives a T-shirt specially designed by artist Chryssie Tavrides. A free Closing Celebration at The Lakeland Center for participants, family and friends includes goody bags, health fair, entertainment, special awards, and door prizes. To request an entry booklet to be mailed in January or for more information about participation, volunteering or sponsorships, contact Deena Wilbur at 863-533-0055 or polkseniorgames@verizon.net or check out the website at www.polkseniorgames.org. ALL GAVE SOME, SOME GAVE ALL . . . Bartow’s Purple Heart Committee and The Bartow Area Chamber Foundation, Inc. need your help in honoring our local PurpleHeart and POW Veterans. Monuments will be erected in theirmemory at the Civic Plaza located on Davidson Street, across from the Polk County History Center in Downtown Bartow. Your tax-deductible gift, in its entirety, will be used to fund a Purple Heart Memorial and a POW Memorial similar to the ones pictured below. The goal is to raise $25,000 that will be used to erect the memorials and necessary enhancements to accommodate these important tributes to those who have fought to protect our freedoms. Donations may be dropped off at the Chamber. 26th ANNUAL BREAKFAST WITH SANTA & MRS. CLAUS Saturday, Dec. 5, 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Holy Trinity Church 500 W. Stuart St., Bartow Pancakes, Sausage, Juice, Coffee Free Craft Activities for children Sponsored by Zonta Club of Bartow and the Women’s Care Center of Bartow Tickets $6 in advance, $7 at the door Available at The Democrat, 190 S. Florida Ave., Bartow Bartow Ford Co., 2800 N. Broadway Church Service Center, 495 E. Summerlin St. Members of the Zonta Club of Bartow And members of the Women’s Care Center board NOVEMBER HISTORY CENTER EVENTS: Journey into Polk history this month at the Polk County History Center. The following programs and events are open to the public and free of charge: November’s Family Program – Curators of Curiosity - All Month Uncover kid-friendly activities at the History Center and explore why we celebrate Veterans Day in November. Follow the clues on a specially crafted kids-only tour of the museum to find out why. When you have solved the mystery, regroup in the Children’s Discovery room to decorate a poppy for a Veteran to hang on our Honoring Vets Wall and write a thank you letter to a soldier to be sent overseas. Curators of Curiosity is an ongoing, family-friendly program that will feature a different activity every month. Nov. 12, 4 p.m. – Blue Star Memorial Highway Historical Marker Re-Dedication at Fort Fraser Trail and Lyle Parkway, Bartow. Join us for a ceremony rededicating the Blue Star Memorial Highway marker, which was originally placed in 1971 in the median of US Highway 98 by the Garden Gate Circle of Bartow Garden Club. Over time, the marker sustained damage and has recently been refurbished and relocated to a more secure location along US 98 at Fort Fraser Trail and Lyle Parkway. The Blue Star Memorial Program has been in existence through the garden club movement for more than 65 years and is committed to placing Blue Star Memorial markers on our highways and byways in honor of our nation's military. The ceremony is sponsored by the Historical Marker Committee of the Polk County Historical Commission. Nov. 17, 12:15 to 1 p.m. - Lunch and Learn – Farm to Fork Join the History Center as we welcome Mary Beth Henry for a discussion on small farms and agritourism. Mary Beth is the UF/IFAS extension agent in Polk for Small Farms and also a co-leader of the Statewide Small Farms Extension Team. The program focuses on opportunities for farms outside of the main commodities of citrus and cattle. Examples of Small Farms programs include: beekeeping, canning under the cottage law, agritourism, small scale poultry production and hydroponics. The lunch lecture will highlight examples of ways that residents can connect with Polk farms including agritourism and wineries. She will also discuss trends around the country, such as hosting farm dinners and selling to restaurants and institutions, that could present opportunities for farms in Polk. Those in attendance will receive an overview of resources available to connect with local farms including websites and farmers markets. Book Club recommended reading is, “Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation.” For the founding fathers, gardening, agriculture and botany were elemental passions: a conjoined interest as deeply ingrained in their characters as the battle for liberty and a belief in the greatness of their new nation. This book is an exploration of that obsession, telling the story of the revolutionary generation from the unique perspective of their lives as gardeners, plant hobbyists and farmers. Acclaimed historian Andrea Wulf describes how George Washington wrote letters to his estate manager even as British warships gathered off Staten Island and why James Madison is the forgotten father of environmentalism. Nov. 20, 7 to 9 p.m., Festival of Wreaths Opening Night/Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus Take in the sights and sounds of the season and enjoy the Fifth Annual Festival of Wreaths. The striking wreaths that fill the halls of the History Center are decorated and donated by local businesses, individuals and organizations. Do you see a wreath that you want to hang on your door for the holidays? Cast a bid in the 2015 silent auction with proceeds benefiting the History Center. On opening night, the History Center will offer extended hours and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 7 to 9 p.m. ($5 suggested donation). The wreaths will be on display through Dec. 12. Online bidding will begin on Nov. 20. To bid, go to www.polkhistorycenter.org and click on the Festival of Wreaths icon. Nov. 21, 11 a.m. - Architectural Tour Join us for a family friendly architectural tour of the History Center and learn more about neoclassical architecture, the construction of the building and the stories behind the iconic Old Polk County Courthouse. The architectural tour is on the third Saturday of each month at 11 a.m. Holiday Closings The History Center will be closed on Nov. 11 in observance of Veteran’s Day. The History Center will be closed on Nov. 26 and 27 for the Thanksgiving holidays and will reopen for regular operating hours Dec. 1. On-going Temporary Exhibits Four Decades of Phenomenal Service, Leadership, Philanthropy and Cultural Enrichment The Kappa Omicron Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha exhibit includes a biographical media presentation of the musings of the chapter’s golden members, those holding membership in the sorority in excess of 50 years. Albums depicting community involvement, completed service projects and contributions to cultural programs in Polk during the past 40 years are an integral part of the exhibit. The exhibit will be on display through November. Very Much A Lady: Lifestyle and Fashion of the Proper Woman, 1900-1920 Return to a more elegant and stylish era with this exhibit featuring unique and vintage couture fashion and accessories. The exhibit is curated from the private collection of Polk County resident Joanna Godwin. Mrs. Godwin will lead personalized tours of the exhibit every Thursday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. For the holidays, the gallery housing the exhibit will be gilded in Edwardian era decorations. The exhibit is on display through December. Good Reasons for Good Roads: Celebrating the Dixie Highway at 100 Years The exhibit explores early highways, the people who travelled them and a new era of development in the state’s history. Artifacts in the exhibit include dozens of mid-century souvenirs from Polk County’s early attractions and the first automobile license plate ever issued in Polk County. The Dixie Highway’s initial route officially opened in 1915 and transformed the cultural landscape of Florida. The exhibit will be on display through August. Victory Florida: Honoring Polk County’s WWII Contributions The exhibit tells the story of ordinary men and women doing extraordinary things for their country during World War II. This is the 70th anniversary of V-Day, or Victory Day, which marked the end of World War II in 1945. Victory Florida: Honoring Polk County’s WWII Contributions will be on display through September. About the Polk County History Center: The History Center is located at 100 E. Main St. in Bartow and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Visit www.polkhistorycenter.org or call (863) 534-4386 for more information on exhibits and programming. All events and programming are free and open to the public.
Newsletter1 - November 9, 2015