We have opportunities for new Recreation Coordinators in Polk County, Florida!
Polk County Parks & Recreation are looking for organized, youth-oriented leaders to join our team as recreation coordinators. As a Recreation Coordinator, you will be involved in helping Polk County Parks and Recreation to create and maintain programs to brighten the day for youth, adults, and seniors. Qualifications are for a two-year degree from an accredited institution. Some experience in organizing, managing or overseeing youth programs is a plus.
Positions are available now in Homeland, Bartow and Winter Haven. Use the link below to get started! https://fa-eqpz-saasfaprod1.fa.ocs.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/943/?utm_medium=jobshare&fbclid=IwAR0T5H4lhq5ByyzV2SQY92hYdxbXl3j-ubIiUfr_Z0LJLS6nYcHKbt8L0-w
Family, friends, City staff members and Commissioners gathered to celebrate promotions and welcoming new members to the Public Safety Team Wednesday in Nora Mayo Hall. We are so proud to have these fine men and women join our great family of dedicated personnel who serve our community faithfully each and every day.
The City of Winter Haven is delighted to announce the Creative Threads: Winter Haven’s T-Shirt Design Contest, a unique city-wide initiative aimed at fostering and recognizing local talent across all age groups.
Starting now through September 15, 2023, we invite community members of all ages to showcase their artistic flair and create designs that represent our beautiful city. Entries are divided into five age categories:
7 years and under,
8-12 years old,
13-18 years old,
19-24 years old,
and 25+ years old.
We welcome diverse perspectives and creative interpretations of what makes Winter Haven special to each participant.
Submission Process: Submissions are now being accepted and can be turned in at Winter Haven City Hall or via email to Tishawna Soleyn at[email protected]. Remember, the deadline isSeptember 15, 2023. Don’t miss this chance to have your creativity represented on a city-wide platform!
Selection & Recognition: The winning designs will be selected by the Cultural Arts Advisory Committee and the Library Advisory Board. Winners will be honored at an upcoming City Commission meeting, adding to the recognition of their artistic talents.
Exhibition & Sale: All submitted designs will be displayed in City Hall for the month of October, showcasing the richness of creativity in our city. Moreover, the winning designs will be featured on t-shirts available for purchase at the “Hands-On Haven: Trucks, Tech and Tails” event on October 21, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Central Park, Virginia Miller Park, and the Winter Haven Public Library. This is a wonderful opportunity to own a piece of local art that represents our community’s spirit!
We encourage everyone, regardless of age or artistic ability, to participate in this unique contest. It’s a great opportunity to express your creativity, share your vision of Winter Haven, and potentially see your design worn by fellow citizens!
Let’s weave some creative threads together and celebrate Winter Haven’s vibrant community through art!
For More Information:
Tishawna Soleyn, Communications and Marketing Intern [email protected]
Here’s a great way to enjoy some awesome BBQ and support the Winter Haven Police Explorers! Explorers are youth ages 14 – 21 who work alongside Department members at events, train in law enforcement procedures and learn everything there is to know about a career should they choose. The most important thing Explorers learn is Teamwork and Leadership! They compete against other Explorer Posts across the State. And there is no cost to the families! This fundraiser will help with the expenses to ensure our Explorer Post continues to be one of the best Posts in the State! For more information, contact Detective Ragusa at 863-291-5694.
For the second week of Timeout Tuesday, we are going to the Auburndale Fire Department for a fun day playing in the sprinklers. Only this is no ordinary sprinkler, it’s a water cannon from the top mount of our L-421 aerial apparatus!
We will have some fun features like a big slip-and-slide set up in the open field next to the fire station on Ariana Avenue. Our free snack for the week will be popsicles.
We hope you can join us for a splashdown at Timeout Tuesday on Tuesday, July 18, from 11 AM to 1 PM at the Auburndale Fire Department!
Are you ready for the new school year? If not, we got you covered at Polk County Parks & Recreation’s Back 2 School Bash at the Wilfred Smith Resource Center in Winter Haven. On Saturday, July 29, children entering kindergarten through 5th grade will receive a backpack with free school supplies to kick off the new school year (first come, first served). Backpacks are limited to 400.
This year’s free event will feature arts & crafts, games, and prizes.
Parents and children must be present together to receive a backpack and supplies. This event would not be possible without the support of our community sponsors American Builders and Duke Energy. Stop by our event page for notifications and reminders about this year’s Back 2 School Bash here: https://fb.me/e/4spuDTj1q
The Winter Haven Recreational & Cultural Center is opening their after-school program for this upcoming school year! Registration starts Monday, July 17, 2023, at 7:30 a.m. at the Winter Haven Recreational & Cultural Center, 801 MLK Blvd NE (863)-291-5675.
Look who gets to enjoy retirement!!!!! K-9 Logan served a good solid 7 years alongside Sgt. Garcia dedicated to protecting his handler while making the citizens of Winter Haven safe! And all of the kiddos who enjoyed seeing him through the years. Enjoy your retirement Logan! You’ve Been A Good Boy!!!
Applications are now open for Youth Leadership Winter Haven – Class 2 Youth Leadership Winter Haven is an opportunity for 10th and 11th-grade students to explore Winter Haven in a whole new light. One day a month from October through May, students in our youth leadership class will have the opportunity to explore new and exciting industries, meet local decision makers and young professionals, and see firsthand the collaboration that makes Winter Haven a great place to live, work, learn, and play. Applications are due Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 5 p.m.
Link to Apply: https://www.winterhavenchamber.com/ylwh.html
Winter Haven City Commission Declares July as Lakes Appreciation Month
by James Coulter
With more than 50 lakes within its Chain of Lakes, it only seemed natural Winter Haven would recognize the month of July as Lakes Appreciation Month. During their meeting on Mon. July 10, Winter Haven City Commissioners presented an official proclamation recognizing July as Lakes Appreciation Month.
The proclamation read: “Whereas, Winter Haven, Florida, as part of a global community desires to take action to create positive environmental change…and whereas the City of Winter Haven has taken the lead in protecting and restoring water quality to its lakes…I Bradley T. Dantzler, Mayor of the City of Winter Haven, Florida, do hereby proclaim July 2023, as Lakes Appreciation Month in the City of Winter Haven and urge all citizens to visit a lake and consider what they can do to contribute to a healthy and sustainable future.”
Lake Appreciation Month was started in 1998 by The North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) to, according to its website, “raise awareness about the value of lakes, and access educational materials on lakes and lake ecology.”
Spokespeople from the city’s Lakes Advisory Committee attended to speak on behalf of the proclamation. One spokesperson spoke glowingly about the city’s many lakes and the importance of conserving and protecting them through official events such as this.
“There is nowhere else in the country where it means more than our Chains of Lakes City,” she said. “Our lakes are the most valuable and unique natural feature. We have a lovely interesting renovated downtown that matches any other city in Central Florida, but those other cities do not have the Chain of Lakes to tie it together.”
She urged the local community to read the 2022 Annual Lakes Report from the city’s Natural Resources Division: “I strongly urge our community to start by reading the executive summary and then concentrate on favorite lakes. If a person cares and understands a lake, there is a great chance that person will protect that resource.”
Todd Jennings, another representative from the Lakes Advisory Committee, offered various suggestions on how residents can help and appreciate their lakes. He recommended organizing a lakes appreciation night at a local eatery, hosting a lake cleanup, and even painting and photographing your local lake.
“You can enhance the Florida summer with Lake activities like boating swimming and fishing to build a deeper appreciation for our lakes,” he said. “If you are a natural enthusiast, go photographing, if you are artistic, draw or paint a lake for your enjoyment.”
