Down to donate

A Seminole Chronicle Article

Chad Vickery prepares a bag of canned food from the food pantry at The Forgotten Ones, Inc. in Oviedo.

Photo by: Ed Ruping

By Steven Ryzewski | November 13, 2013

Halloween is in the rear-view, the temperature is dropping - well, sort of - and, yes, there have even been a few Santa sightings.

It's mid-November in Central Florida and with Thanksgiving just around the corner and Christmas on the horizon, it is a time when many consider ways to give back and help out in the spirit of the holiday season.

There are several local organizations that need donations and volunteers in the days leading up to Thanksgiving and beyond.

Here is an overview of some of the local organizations that are welcoming donations and volunteers and how you can get involved:

The Forgotten Ones

The Forgotten Ones in Oviedo, an organization that, among other things, helps to provide identification, access to benefits, cellphones, an emergency food pantry, vision services and referral services, has events coming up for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The day before Thanksgiving, Nov. 27, there will be a free lunch, groceries and live music at the First Baptist Church in Oviedo. Volunteers and donations are needed. There will be a similar event on Dec. 21. Cindy Shadron, executive director of The Forgotten Ones, encourages people to donate to help fill the pantry for these events. Information can be found online at theforgottenonesinc.org.

Donation drop-off location: 98 West Broadway St., Oviedo

The Sharing Center

The Sharing Center in Longwood is in need of donations for its upcoming programs and events in November and December. The organization will have food drives for both Thanksgiving and Christmas with the goal of providing complete meal ingredients to thousands in Central Florida. The Sharing Center is encouraging food donations to help families prepare their own meals and is also providing ready-to-eat packages for homeless individuals. More information about what types of ingredients and foods are needed can be found online atthesharingcenter.org.

With regard to volunteer opportunities, The Sharing Center has a thrift store and warehouse that utilizes volunteers to sort, organize and prepare donations. These are opportunities for which people can serve one time or on an ongoing basis. Regular, ongoing opportunities are available in the organization's food pantries at the Sanford and Longwood locations.

The Sharing Center also has programs to provide shoes to children in need, with a program that gives $20 gift cards to Payless or somewhere comparable so that parents and children can go pick out a new pair of shoes. Patricia Shields, the coordinator of volunteer opportunities for the organization, said being able to pick out their own shoes gives the children a heightened sense of self-esteem.

"Years ago, we made a decision to focus on providing new shoes to children since there were already so many others working to collect toys," Shields said. "Shoes are a common Christmas list item for most kids we see ... our shoe program has been hugely successful providing over 1,500 pairs of shoes to local children annually."

More information about the shoe program can be found online, or by contacting Shields at Patricia.Shields@thesharingcenter.org.

Donation drop-off location: 600 N. Highway 17-92, Longwood

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army's Greater Orlando location is in need of donations, both physical and monetary, for its upcoming events and programs in November and December. For general questions about donations, call 407-423-8581, ext. 252, or email Kyle_McNeil@uss.salvationarmy.org or Jaylen_Christie@uss.salvationarmy.org.

Donation drop-off location: 416 West Colonial Drive, Orlando

Second Harvest Food Bank

The Second Harvest Food Bank is in need of volunteers to help sort donations and to staff the organization's Share Your Christmas event on Dec. 12 and Dec. 13. Mindy Ortiz, the volunteer services and food drive manager for Second Harvest, encourages those interested to check out the organization's calendar online which lists the many opportunities to sign up and get involved. Information can be found online here or by contacting Ortiz at 407-295-8844.

Donation drop-off location: 411 Mercy Drive, Orlando

Celery Stalks

A Seminole Voice Article

Celery Stalks

By Janet Foley March 28, 2013 6:29 pm.

Did you all happen to read the article in the Orlando Sentinel last Saturday by Beth Kassab on where our chickens will fit in our new down town? We are not finding many of our feathered friends around town now, but people are saying they are beginning to show up – so now we are to worry about them fitting in around Oviedo on the Park. That will take time. Meanwhile, let’s worry about their bravery navigating around town when the buildings are being moved. I can just hear the dinner table conversations now.

This is the last call to place historic items – “photography, writing and local artefacts” – in one of the Seminole County Public Library branches’ time capsules. The deadline is Saturday, March 30, at 5 pm. The capsules will be sealed at special ceremonies on April 14 at 2 pm., and will be opened in 2063. For more information, call the East Branch Library at 407-665-1560.

Saturday, March 30, is a very busy day for all little ones. The First United Methodist Church of Oviedo is having a Community Easter Egg Hunt at 11 am. Bring the kids and grand kids along with a couple dozen filled plastic eggs for a great fun morning.

Also, the city of Oviedo will have its Marshmallow Drop at 10 am. at the Oviedo Sports Complex, 1251 E. Broadway St. Tickets are $1 before the event, and $2 the day of the event. Children will collect marshmallows to redeem for candy. For more information, please call 407-971-5575.

The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life will begin on Saturday, April 6, at 2 pm. and run until 8 am. on Sunday, April 7, at Hagerty High School. If you’d like to get involved, please visit relayforlife.org/oviedofl

This year once again, the Historic Walking Tour on Saturday, April 6, will begin at the First United Methodist Church with a pancake breakfast from 8 to 10:45 am., with tours from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. The cost is free but donations will be cheerfully accepted. Recommended donation for the breakfast is $5, and $2 for tours. This year’s theme is “Tall Tales,” with guided tours leaving every 15 minutes. The hike is 1.4 miles long. It is always a very nice event presented by TOPP (The Oviedo Preservation Project).

The Oviedo Garden Club presents its annual plant sale from 8:30 am. to 12:30 pm. on Saturday, April 13, at the Oviedo Cemetery on the corner of Broadway Street and Aulin Avenue with ample parking. All are welcome. The plant sale has been a tradition of the club for decades. Many of the club’s members grow many of the plants from seeds in their own greenhouses and backyards. The sale is unique in many ways, as the club’s 30 members are available to share their knowledge and experience of growing these plants. All plants are reasonably priced, and proceeds from the sale are given to local groups such as Florida Trail Association, Ed Yarborough Nature Center and other environmental related organizations, as well as the local library. For more information, please call Barbara at 407-366-5380.

The Forgotten Ones Inc. continues to cultivate hope in the hearts of others with free lunch, groceries and haircuts available on the last Saturday of the month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Vine Outreach Thrift Store, located at 98 West Broadway Street. in Oviedo. Volunteers are needed for cashiers and resource center help. For more information, please call 407-971-8135 or visit theforgottenonesinc.org

Happy Easter to one and all.

A thought: ”Books are more than books. They area the life, the very heart and core of ages past, the reason men lived and worked and died, the essence and quintessence of their lives. – Amy Lowell