Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation Donates 21st AED to Twisted Prop

by James Coulter

Marcia and Rick Smith know the pain of losing a loved one to cardiac arrest. Both their fathers passed away from heart attacks. Not wanting anyone else to suffer a similar fate, they gladly accepted an automated external defibrillator (AED) donated to their eatery, Twisted Prop in Winter Haven.

Twisted Prop received the 21st AED donated by Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation, a local non-profit organization dedicated to promoting heart health. Founder Melanie Brown Culpepper and her team arrived on Tuesday evening to install the AED at the Winter Haven eatery.

“We are thrilled to have it,” Marcia said. “Both of our fathers passed away from heart attacks. So we are very excited to have it and to be able to be prepared just in case a need arises that requires an AED.”

Both Marcia and her husband, Rick, have worked alongside Melanie in her many endeavors for a long time. Melanie approached them with the prospect of receiving an AED, and they gladly accepted the offer.

“We are very blessed that Melanie decided to give us one,” Rick said. “It is good to be able to save a life. Seconds matter when someone is having a heart attack.”

Melanie decided to donate her newest AED to Twisted Prop because she knows the owners, who have assisted her for many years, and because she knows that their location near the water would necessitate such an emergency device if the need arose.

“I reached out to Marcia several months ago to add them to my list because I know they are out here on the water,” Melanie said. “I figured we would donate one AED here because we need to be able to save a life on the water here, especially with all of the events they host on the water here. In the afternoons, they have a lot of people over here for music, and I want to make sure they have an AED.”

Following the tragic passing of her late fiancée, Michael Culpepper, from cardiac arrest two years ago, Melanie started Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation to raise proceeds to donate and install AEDs across the county. So far, she has donated more than 20 AEDs at local establishments like Tanner’s Lakeside, Old Man Frank’s, and Caribbean Bay.

Melanie was recently interviewed for Bay News 9 in Tampa. Since then, she has been contacted by potential locations for AED donations. So huge has her list grown that she is booked until April, Melanie said.

“They are high in demand, so I need to keep funding in to keep them coming out,” she said. 

She and her team at Culpepper’s Cardiac Foundation have been invited to the Clearwater Arena. Nov. 2 and 3. A Canadaiancompany will also be installing their own AED there. They will also be joined by a Nashville AED company along with the National Heart Association.

For more information about the Culpepper Cardiac Foundation, visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/honoringculpepper/

Polk County Parks & Rec

We’ve got Salsa Night coming up at the Eloise Resource Center on Friday, October 13!

Join us for an exciting evening of Salsa dancing led by instructor Al Lewis. This beginner friendly class offers free monthly instruction on salsa dance techniques and steps. Come on out to meet new people and have some fun!

Eloise Resource Center
710 Snively Ave.
Winter Haven, FL 33880

We are excited to invite you to our 2023 Family Fall Festival.

There will be food, vendors, kids activities, raffles, entertainment and much more!

• FREE entry.
• Authentic Spanish treats for purchase.
• FREE turkey raffle.
• FREE popcorn and snacks while supplies last.
• Hourly prizes.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Sheriff Grady Judd will attend and speak at the “Stand With Israel Rally” on Wednesday, October 11, at Temple Emanuel in Lakeland (600 Lake Hollingsworth Drive). The Rally will be held at 5:30 p.m. Sheriff Judd has been asked to be one of the scheduled speakers by the organizers of the Rally.

The Temple Emanuel Community invites those interested to join with them in this unity event: “Join us for a community solidarity rally as we seek comfort and strength through unity at this dire moment in history.”

“The moment we received information about the unprovoked and murderous terrorist attack on Israeli citizens, we put an operation in place to help protect those in Polk County’s Jewish community from anti-Semitic attacks. I unequivocally condemn the horrific and barbaric attack by Hamas terrorists. The level of violence and depraved indifference to human life displayed by the terrorists are almost inconceivable. The victims, their families, and all the people of Israel are in my prayers.” Grady Judd, Sheriff

New 132+ Acre Development with 666 Lots Potentially Coming To Winter Haven

by James Coulter

With Polk County being the fastest-growing county in Florida, cities like Winter Haven are approving new developments to help facilitate this growth. One new development in Winter Haven is being considered by City Commissioners.

During their regular commission meeting on Monday evening, Winter Haven City Commissioners considered a request by a local developer for a new community development. KRPC Willowbrook, LLC filed a petition with the City requesting to establish the Willowbrook Community Development District (CDD).

The proposed development would consist of approximately 132.94 acres with nearly 666 lots. The development would be located south of Lucerne Park Road, west of Lake Fannie, and north of Martin Luther King Boulevard, NE. The total cost of infrastructure is estimated at $30,274,423 and would be financed by non-ad valorem revenue bonds.

As the city memo states: “The collection of the non-ad valorem assessments may be contracted out by way of an inter-local agreement with the Polk County Tax Collector for collection…[and] the State of Florida, Polk County, and the City of Winter Haven will not incur any costs relating to the establishment of the CDD.”

Furthermore, according to the memo: “The Willowbrook CDD will consist of a five (5) member Board of Supervisors (CDD Board) having the authority to oversee the installation of infrastructure improvements, secure financing, and to levy non-ad valorem special assessments on future property owners within its boundaries.”

While the board would initially consist of representatives from KRPC Willowbrook, as new residents move into the development, future board members would include residents as voted in by said residents, the memo states.

The proposed development would be similar to the seven other current qCDDs within the city, including Lake Ashton, Lakeside Landings, Harmony at Lake Eloise, Villamar, Lucerne Park, Pollard Road, and Peace Creek Reserve.

Winter Haven Public Safety Department

Make your plans to attend our Job Fair!
On Saturday, October 14 from 10 am – 2 pm, we will have a Job Fair that will include both sworn and civilian positions.
Conditional offers will be given to any qualified applicant who currently holds Florida Law Enforcement Standards or is an experienced Florida Law Enforcement Officer.
We will have multiple displays and applicants will be able to meet with the Chief on site. Visit https://www.mywinterhaven.com/…/employment-and…/ where you can find a form-fillable application ready for you to have available to bring.
For more information, call our Personnel Recruitment Team at 863-298-4441.

Polk County Emergency Management

Road closure in Lake Hamilton:

A weeklong sewer extension project previously scheduled to close Lake Hatchineha Road just east of Scenic Highway (SR 17) on September 26 has been rescheduled to start Tuesday morning, October 10, with an expedited reopening no later than Friday afternoon, October 13. Traffic will be briefly detoured to Water Tank Road and Detour Road to bypass the work zone.

Motorists should drive carefully, be alert to crews and equipment and follow detour signs. Minor delays are possible, especially during peak-hour travel times.

For The 2nd Year, This Local Lady Won the Stein Hoisting Contest at Oktoberfest Winter Haven

by James Coulter

Lisa Yvette Fisher regularly does strength training at home–and it shows! This local lady became the two-time reigning champion of the Stein hoisting contest at Oktoberfest Winter Haven last Friday evening.

Lisa was one of several dozen contestants who decided to get into the German spirit by competing to see who could hold a one-liter glass Stein filled with nearly five pounds of beer.

For several minutes, many of the brave contestants managed to hold out, yet a few succumbed to their shaky grasp and were forced to call it quits. In the end, two contestants remained standing and holding their beer. Lisa, eventually, won out.

This year was her second year attending Oktoberfest Winter Haven, as well as her second year participating in (and winning!) the Stein hoisting contest.

When asked for comment about how it feels to win for the second consecutive year, Lisa let out an enthusiastic, “Woo hoo!”

“It feels amazing,” she said. “That was a tough one…I love this area. It [the event] is not huge, there are a lot of good people here and a lot of great beer.”

Downtown Winter Haven celebrated its 16th annual Oktoberfest, hosted by Main Street Winter Haven and presented by Victor Smith Law Group. Attendees could visit Central Park to celebrate their German heritage (or, at the very least, pretend to be German) by sampling craft beer from more than 40 local vendors, eating pretzels and sausages, and listening to traditional Oompa music.

This year’s event proved bigger and better than last year’s, as it had plenty more beer and food options, explained Anita Strang, Executive Director of Main Street Winter Haven. The success, she says, is owed to their many volunteers, their long-time planning, and plenty of local partners.

“It has been a great night,” said Meghan Mackie, Membership Director of Main Street Winter Haven. “The park is packed with people. Everyone is happy. The food trucks have lines. Everything is great.”

Winter Haven Public Safety

ROADWAY IS BACK OPEN

Traffic alert
The intersection of Cypress Gardens Blvd at Hwy 17 will be shut down until further notice due to a water main break.
Traffic is being rerouted. Drivers should be aware and consider alternate routes.

City of Winter Haven, Fl

Construction continues on Cypress Gardens Blvd from 1st Street to US17. Please note: you will see additional lane closures next week:

Northbound 1st Street South at the intersection with SR 540 has been reduced to one lane and will remain that way as this is a permanent alignment. A new permanent traffic separator is being built in the location of the old northbound inside lane.

Southbound 1st Street South will be reduced to one lane from 9 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., Sunday, October 8, through Friday, October 13, 2023.

SR 540 westbound approaching US 17 will be reduced to two lanes from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, October 9, through Friday, October 13, 2023.

US 17 Northbound will be reduced to one lane at the intersection with SR 540 from 8 p.m. to 9 a.m., Sunday, October 8, through Friday, October 13, 2023.

We’ll continue to provide updates as we receive information from FDOT. If you have any questions concerning this notice, please get in touch with the FDOT personnel listed on the project site: https://www.swflroads.com/project/444050-1