HAMPTON INN OPENING DECEMBER 2015
RIBBON-CUTTING, DEC. 1, 10:00 a.m.
205 Old Bartow / Eagle Lake Rd. Bartow, FL 33830
Bartow.HamptonInn.com   Hotel (863) 535-5007   Fax (863) 535-5012
 
Feel Welcomed at Bartow:
89 beautifully appointed guest rooms, in a 100% smoke free hotel.

• Hot breakfast served daily – including fresh baked waffles and oatmeal, both with delicious toppings.
• Free Wi-Fi
• Stay connected with the office, email friends and family back home, search for local attractions in-room, or enjoy free wireless internet access in the public areas.
• Enjoy a warm and inviting lobby designed with you in mind. Have a free hot breakfast, schedule a meeting and catch up with friends all in the Perfect Mix Lobby.
• Exercise room. Work in some time for a workout in our fully equipped fitness room. At Hampton, we make it easy for you to keep your exercise regimen on track while you’re on the road.
• Business services. Being away doesn’t mean you can’t get to work. Fax and photocopy equipment plus complimentary wireless access in the lobby area.
• Lap desk. Reading, working or jotting down notes? Grab our lap desk and make yourself comfortable anywhere in the room.
• Specifically designed to cater to the needs of today’s busy traveler.  Enjoy the conveniences of both home and office—while on the road.

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.

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. 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. 26 and 27 for the Thanksgiving holidays and will reopen for regular operating hours Dec. 1.

 
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.

THREE NEW MEDICAL PROVIDERS AT WATSON CLINIC
Watson Clinic is pleased to introduce three new additions to our exceptional team of medical providers.  These highly trained nurse practitioners and physician assistants offer personalized care in compliment to the efforts of the physicians they collaborate with, and their inclusion in these practices allows for an elevated level of service and enhanced patient appointment availability.
     Luis Berrios, ARNP-C will assist patients of internal medicine specialist Agustin R. Tavares, MD from our South location at 1033 N. Parkway Frontage Rd. in Lakeland.
Berrios received his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in nursing from the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY.  Fluent in both English and Spanish, Berrios is a licensed nurse practitioner whose areas of expertise include general wellness care and the management of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, COPD, and obesity.
     Eric Shelton, PA-C works alongside board-certified orthopaedic surgeon Phuc Vo, MD from our Main Clinic location at 1600 Lakeland Hills Boulevard in Lakeland.  
Shelton achieved his Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL, and his Master of Science in physician assistant studies at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY. Shelton will provide a range of services including joint injection and fracture repair, and will assist Dr. Vo with in-office care and consultations, as well as surgical efforts performed out of the hospital setting.
      Mike Juneau, PA-C assists general surgeon and surgical oncologist Scott Kelley, MD in the treatment of patients from our Bella Vista Building at 1755 N. Florida Avenue in Lakeland. Juneau achieved his Master of Science degree in physician assistant studies at the University of New England in Biddeford, ME.  He assists Dr. Kelley with in-office consultations and minor surgical procedures, as well as with the daily management of surgical patients, consults and operating room services for patients during their stay at Lakeland Regional Health. 
     Appointments may be scheduled by calling 863-680-7190 for Dr. Agustin Tavares’ internal medicine practice, 863-680-7214 for orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Phuc Vo, and 863-680-7486 for appointments with general surgeon and surgical oncologist Dr. Scott Kelley.
     For more information on these and hundreds of additional providers throughout Watson Clinic, visit www.WatsonClinic.com.