Category Archives: Places And People Putting Clermont, Florida on the Map

Central Florida Top Real Estate Agent, Maria Rodriguez

By: Weber Way to Wellness Reporter

Maria Rodriguez is recognized by many as a top real estate agent in Central Florida for her track record of long-term success, community building, and for her strengths in communication, organization and knowledge of the area.  Learn more:  http://mrodriguez.clermontcoldwellbanker.com/
Maria Rodriguez is recognized by many as a top real estate agent in Central Florida for her track record of long-term success, community building, and for her strengths in communication, organization and knowledge of the area. Learn more: https://m.facebook.com/MariaRodriguezLakeandOrangeFlHomes

Maria Rodriguez has been a licensed real estate agent since 1994, but she is recognized as a real estate marketing expert, custom broker, and an individual who goes above and beyond to help people meet their goals. She has a following of many happy clients of many years and they refer to as their “real estate agent for life.”

She is bilingual in English and Spanish and she works with buyers and sellers. Maria has been working in Clermont as a realtor, since 1999. She has high end or fixer-uppers and everything in between as well as houses in gated communities and 55+ communities. She has clients wanting to list houses or buy houses all over Central Florida in the following areas:
1. South Lake County including Groveland and Clermont
2. Winter Garden
3. Ocoee
4. Davenport
5. Windermere

Maria Rodriguez has a passion for the areas where she lists and sales as she has grown up in the area with her family. She has watched the area grow and she has become very attached and knowledgeable. Maria Rodriguez is known as a person who is mindful of each person’s needs, reliable about meeting with people, and credible in giving the answers they are seeking to know.

One of Maria’s clients is still in touch after more than 10 years. She calls Maria, “The best broker I have ever had.” She went on to buy a business and two houses from Maria as her family followed suit.

Maria’s strengths are in communication and bringing people together. She has a track record of being very effective when it comes to selling property, getting closings, organizing and helping people in the process, working with bank negotiation, and working with insurance and title companies.

Another client of Maria’s who has been a client for more than 13 years said, “Maria shows much patience and kindness. She gives you the info you need. She is very knowledgeable about real estate and she goes above and beyond to help you with your needs.”

Maria Rodriguez can be your Real Estate Agent for life too! You can contact her about listings or buying a house at 407-921-7936. You can learn more here:
https://www.realtor.com/realestateagents/maria-rodriguez_clermont_fl_2008975_056534937

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First Wellness-themed Team Race in Clermont, Florida Big Success

By The Weber Way to Wellness Reporter

Alicia Weber, Honorary Chairperson for Inaugural Clermont MADD 5k and Mile Walk/Run event

CLERMONT, FL—On Sept 15, 2018, Alicia Weber, was the Honorary Chairperson for the first Wellness-themed “Team” race in Clermont (known as a world-class race destination). She had approx 30 athletes attend and become “Trendsetters for Wellness” where her mom volunteered.

The goal of the 1 mile and 5k races was to create an awareness and culture for fitness and wellness. It starts with caring.

Alicia’s mom, Carol Weber, lost her brother to drunk driver and she lost her mother when she was seventeen. These negative situations gave her the greatest motivation of her life as she pursued a 30 year career in the medical field. She was the stronghold for her family with her inner-strength to overcome obstacles. She instilled in Alicia at an early age the motivation to set high standards for herself and others.

Alicia teaches people to become determined and relentless to achieve results as no one can argue with results. Make a Positive Difference.

Watch the Race and “Trendsetters for Wellness”… Race then Ceremony starts @ 7:30

The first wellness race brought over 140 competitors. Alicia had 36 individuals complete a fitness makeover and race challenge (although about 10 only did the fitness makeover part). The fitness makeover consisted of a pre-race waist line health check, two minute knee tuck test, and two minute shoulder width grip pushup test. There were modified and advanced ways to do the exercises, but only the advanced ways were allowed for Overall Titles (except for Adult Female Title). The max score was 400 points.

Three teams (12 on each team competed for most points). Additionally, there were 4 individuals recognized for Top Points.

Alicia’s Team of kids and their parents representing her Archery, Fitness, Sport League placed First with 2,686 points. Dylan with 340 points and Jane with 242 points won the Overall Youth Titles with most points in the advanced exercises.

Praise Temple Christian Academy Team Placed Second with 2,424 points.

The 3 A’s representing Michael Spartz Financial Advisor, Advocare, and AdComm Placed Third with 1,880 points.
Michael Spartz a Financial Advisor Won Overall Adult Male with 257 points and Claire Vaccaro of Advocare Won Overall Adult Female with 193 points.

“It’s really good to exercise your whole body, while having fun. People are good at different exercises, so this gives them the opportunity to stand up for Health and Wellness, while showing how healthy they are,” said the young Joe Arnold, the 1st person to be tested in the fitness makeover.

“It’s a great idea because it gives people goals in a team atmosphere. It’s goal setting and achieving something,” stated Michael Spartz, a Top Orlando financial advisor.

“It’s a very well put together and organized event,” said Ron Smart of the 3 A’s, an experienced event organizer and founder of AdComm and an Advocare Rep.

Meet the Individual Winners in this short video

The event opened doors for people to take their physical fitness seriously. Physical fitness has to be everyone’s goal, since a life of ease causes disease. Stay alive with Exercise.

Meet the Businesses in the Race

Contact Alicia for future sporting events at Awinningway@gmail.com

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Weber’s Team Becomes Third Largest in World at the 2018 World Championships and more…

By Weber Way To Wellness Reporter

Alicia Weber’s youth team (ages 12 and Under) became the third largest youth team in the World (and first largest US team for third straight year) at the 2018 Indoor Rowing Sprints World Championship held in early March. Weber’s team trains out of Clermont, Florida USA with 13 youth athletes. The world’s largest youth indoor rowing team came from the College of Punaaula in French Polynesia (for the second straight year) with 28 youth athletes, while runner-up was a team in China with 21 youth athletes.

“Everyone was motivated to excel and it came down to everyone completing the 1,000 meter indoor rowing world competition including the second youngest female in the world who was on our team, in order to achieve our status,” stated the elated Weber.

Photos Copyrighted © 2018 AliciaWeber.com

World’s Third Largest Indoor Rowing Youth Team out of Clermont, Fl USA

The 2018 World Championship was the third straight year for the event and the goal was to attract the greatest participants into an intense sport of Concept 2 indoor rowing, which requires 86 percent of muscles to be worked at once. This year was the most competitive and largest world event thus far with 5,372 competitors from 66 countries. Weber also competed for the third straight year and improved her time and place. She performed a new personal best time for the 1k in 3:48.8 placing 21st out of 546 lightweight women (under 136lbs).

Click Lightweight Women results here.

Highlights on our youth boys team, Matteo (returning rower from 2017 World Championships) dropped an incredible 30 seconds to lead our team with a time of 5:40. Runner-up was Zak another returning rower who blazed his way to a new best time of 5:45.2. New rower, Ezra, did a marvelous job with his first time at 1,000 meters in a time of 5:52.8.

Click Boys (12 and Under) results here.

Highlights on our youth girls team, all 4 girls competed for the first time. Nina led our team with a fantastic time of 5:40.3

Click Girls (12 and Under) results here.

Team Awinningway youth team was excited for the challenge and now they can say they represented the USA in a World Championship!! When asked about their motivations to compete the answers varied from learning how to improve strength to doing an exercise to burn calories to seeing how fast they could go and if they could win!

Members of the team have been conditioning their bodies for the intense 1k World Championship by training in a strength and conditioning class with Weber or by doing Mind + Body Challenges as well as Body Challenges. The motivated youth athletes also learned about eating healthy as some made a visit to VIDA 365 for a hearty, healthy lunch and an Improv Comedy Workshop with Weber to challenge their mind and creativity!! Overall, the young athletes learned how important it is to get their mind and body fit and how to be positive with good sportsmanship to create a winning team! Congrats to Team Awinningway Youth Athletes on becoming third largest team in WORLD!!

Some youth team members make a visit to VIDA 365 for an Improv Comedy Workshop Lunch.

Youths Challenge World-Class Coaches with Questions in an Improv Skit

Some Youth Team Members trained in Mind + Body Training and Body Training (here Weber gives examples of these advanced training methods).

Contact Alicia at Awinningway@gmail.com to enroll in her NEW Mind + Body Training Class for youth and adults.

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Last Year’s Conditioning Produced January 2018 New Benchmark in Aerobic Capacity Wellness Test

Alicia Weber bringing in New Year 2018 now with 1,100 world records all in physical fitness.
By Weber Way to Wellness Reporter Anyone who knows Alicia Weber really well knows her famous line – “It’s just training.” It is her relentless training or constant conditioning, which allows her to keep setting new standards in physical fitness. Training is not everything though, the right fuel is imperative. Alicia knew the best way to be successful at setting one of her hardest world records to set and re-set would be getting a Greek Salad and Wild Salmon at VIDA 365(before attempting this challenge).

The energy from healthy foods kicked in and KA BOOM!! Alicia pushed out an intense bout of the Incredibly challenging Aerobic Capacity Wellness Test (she invented after 9 years of study) and set a new benchmark. She was able to shave 3 seconds off the previous record and re-set this record for the 4th time on January 14, 2018. She can also call this her first record of 2018!!

Alicia’s 2018 Aerobic Capacity Wellness Test

Success is not an accident..the smart planning and conditioning get results. Get in shape with Alicia Weber and attend a Wellness Workshop or Online Fitness Makeover Program. Contact Alicia at Awinningway@gmail.com for info.

Leading up to this record, Alicia has been very busy living it up in Las Vegas and training muscle groups to prepare her for this record. We will get fans up to speed on the latest with the World Record Wonder Woman, since we have not heard from her since November!! Alicia and “The Clan” did 8 firsts in Las Vegas for Christmas and New Years as you will see in this video:

Alicia is very adventurous. She went to her first Vegas Golden Knights Hockey game and watched them WIN BIG against Tampa and she has turned into a HUGE FAN!! She definitely recommends going to their games in LAS VEAGS – THE ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

Watch Vegas Golden Knights Win a Game Against Tampa

A fabulous new adventure-themed park opened in Las Vegas in Summerlin on December 16th and Alicia was one of the lucky individuals to be one of the first to test the new state of the art equipment!

Alicia on NEW Las Vegas Adventure-themed park

Back to records, Alicia brought in the New Year with a record category she created back in 2016 and she tried a new ab exercise. Alicia also had an “Ab Lab” for Christmas. Finally, Alicia listened to suggestions by long-time fans and she made a series of 11 very tough cadence test exercise events to count down to Christmas 2017. All the videos are below for fans to learn tough moves and enjoy.

Last Records of 2017:

2017 YEAR IN REVIEW: Alicia competed in 11 races in 2017(4 sports). She won 4 events and placed 26th in World in her 6th World Championship (Indoor Rowing Sprints World Championship). Alicia set the most world records ever in 2017 and they have not all been tabulated yet…but she set at least 250 world records all in physical fitness. She has been recognized as the World’s Most Prolific Female Record Setter, since 2012. Alicia also turned PRO in record breaking at RecordSetter in May 2017.

Alicia Wishes her Fans ALL THE BEST IN 2018!!!

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Alicia Weber and 27 Champions Produced in 17 Days in 2017

By Weber Way to Wellness Reporter

Learn more…Visit www.AliciaWeber.com/archery

Alicia Concluded her 17 Day Track to producing Champions on November 11, 2017, where young men from the Champion Circle Program awaited to do a 45 minute “Mystery Activity.” They were surprised that they competed in a self-esteem booster known as an Archery Fitness Challenge where they officially became ARCHER ATHLETES!! They worked on many skills and excelled in their activity in a timely manner. They learned that in order to develop self-esteem they need to do something and accomplish something. They were all Champions to learn new skills and complete this challenge in only 45 minutes!!

Archery Fitness Challenge Self-Esteem Booster

Alicia Weber re-set her own world record in the 30 minutes of shoulder-width grip chin ups on November 7, 2017, when she did more than 500 (over 50 reps over her previous world record set back on August 10, 2012). She gains great self-esteem when she is able to set, re-set, and re-set her longer more arduous records.

Alicia Weber breaks another record with over 500 reps of proper form chin-ups in 30 minutes!

Alicia captured her 118th overall victory on November 4th, 2017, when she ran a 5k race on packed-sand to raise funds for pediatric cancer. She was over-joyed by the wonderful environment, friends, and new friendly people (and Sandhill Cranes) she met at the event. She had a runner’s high and self-esteem high that day!

Alicia’s 118th Victory!

October 26 – October 31

Nineteen of Alicia’s Archer Athletes would agree that success is achieved in self-esteem building activities. They all took the Qigong Halloween Archery Challenge. Three Teams qualified for the event and they finished in a Wicked Witch nail-biting close match as they took shots to ghost and pumpkin targets.

Top Shots from the Halloween Challenge

Finally, a Big Fan of many years challenged Alicia to an isometric shoulder exercise. Alicia took in the suggestion and created a new type of isometric strength and endurance challenge for Halloween 2017 involving holding two bows and doing lunges on a BOSU. The video reached 2,000+ views in just a few days and has become one of her most popular challenges for this year. Success comes from self-esteem and achievements, which makes people feel secure. Great Achievements make people popular!!!

Alicia’s Halloween Isometric Bow Arm Lunge BOSU Balance Challenge

Last but not least, in order to celebrate Halloween in style, World Record Weber Wonder Woman performed a new Feats of Strength Compilation. She had such a natural high from self-esteem that she had to do a little extra in her cape.

Alicia’s Halloween Feats of Strength Compilation

For archery lessons and/or archery exercise training in the Clermont and Winter Garden Area Contact Alicia at Awinningway@gmail.com

ALICIA WEBER is recognized as the “World’s Most Prolific Female Recordsetter” and she was one of 10 selected to be in the Most Extraordinary People of Lake County, October 2013 Issue of Lake-Sumter Style Magazine. Weber is the 7th person down in Extraordinary People List. Weber has set over 20 archery fitness world records at Recordsetter and she guided archery athletes to world records too.

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Champion Circle Learns 8 Commandments of Possibility Thinking and More in First Session

By Weber Way to Wellness Reporter

October 21, 2017 CLERMONT, FL—The first session of Champion Circle was underway as nine young men (ages 13-19) started their day with lunch sponsored by Chick-fil-a. Then, they visited dedicated professionals in the area of identity and discovery (with Patrick Backer), career development (with David Taylor), financials (with Kate Toscano), and volunteerism (with Otis Taylor). The young men engulfed all their information and they received binders to keep info organized.

Champion Circle Young Men
They finished their day with an energizing visit with Alicia Weber. They heard a real-life story about Weber’s obstacles and triumphs to reach her goals of going to the University of Florida where she received her degree in telecommunication and film studies as she became a letter winning track/cross country runner and the first UF letter winning runner to become a professional triathlete. Based on Alicia’s obstacles, the young men agreed that they did not believe Alicia would ever reach her goals. However, Alicia followed the 8 proven principles of success and she reached ALL her goals!!

Alicia learned that the young men find inspiration in movie stars, basketball and football stars. When Alicia revealed her lifetime inspiration was Dr. Robert H. Schuller and that he discovered the greatest power a human can experience is the POWER OF COMMITMENT, the young men were shocked and it was all new information. Dr. Robert H. Schuller had a television show Called the Hour of Power from 1970-2010 and he died in 2015. Alicia’s favorite show was the Hour Of Power back when she was a teenager. Back then, she also enjoyed impersonating Dr. Schuller as she would go around in a long robe and preach for her sister. Dr. Robert H. Schuller researched success and failures and discovered the 8 Commandments of Possibility Thinking, which really do work wonders as Alicia Weber proved it. The young men all agreed that they have big goals, think big, and are currently working toward goals. Learning these 8 Commandments of Possibility Thinking and applying them in their life will certainly create everlasting victory in their life.

Alicia Weber instilled The 8 Commandments of Possibility Thinking with the Champion Circle Young Men in an Extemporaneous Skit (see below):

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Champion Circle Begins Transformation in October 2017

By Weber Way to Wellness Reporter

OCTOBER 14, 2017 IN CLERMONT, FLORIDA—-Six brave, motivated young men became the first group of Young Men at the NEW, empowering Champion Circle program this weekend. The talks by all of the professionals instilled that the boys are born to be champions. They are marked with greatness and they are to run their race with perseverance. In the organized program with many career development opportunities, they begin a process of identity and discovery. They will become volunteers and learn about giving back to get so much more out of life. They initiated a 4 month transformation process to begin winning in finances, school, sports, and life!

Alicia Weber captured a second place finish in the 2017 Clay Trail 5K on October 15, 2017.

Alicia Weber, The Barrier Breaker Coach, will guide the young men in fitness and wellness or as she calls it “mind and body training” in a wide range of innovative activities. Alicia may not win every race (she has 117 career victories out of 249 competitions to date), but it is the winning mindset that creates real winners. In fact, these young men will learn from Alicia that it was in her greatest loss when she was able to grow and achieve her greatest wins. Are you prepared to handle the obstacles? Can you congratulate a competitor when he/she wins? Can you stay positive and look at the bright side in your greatest defeat? Can you work overtime to get to goals? Do you visualize success and positive images on a daily basis? Are you disciplined in your diet, exercise, and emotional well being? If you answered “yes” to all of the above questions, then you are on the RIGHT track to winning in life, which is the ULTIMATE GOAL.

WATCH AS THE YOUNG MEN BEGIN THEIR CHAMPION CIRCLE TRANSFORMATION (DAY ONE: 10.14.17)

Some of the Game Changers in this program include Patrick Backer (Identity an Discovery), David Taylor and Kate Toscano (Business, Financials, and More), Otis Taylor (Volunteerism), William Graff, and Justin Nichols and others. We could not do this program without our sponsors including but not limited to South Lake Church and Chick-fil-A. Thank you parents for supporting your son in this phenomenal transformation process to make him the best he can be!

Stay Tuned for 2017-2018 Champion Circle Transformation!!

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10 Give A Day Foundation Volunteers Earn Presidential Awards for Volunteer Hours

CLERMONT,FL—-February 19, 2017, ten Give A Day Foundation Volunteers earned medals for their volunteer hours accumulated over the past years. GADF is now going into their sixth year of helping to keep Clermont Beautiful and Making a Difference in the community. Volunteers have many attributes and they standout at events with their blue and yellow shirts, but they will soon standout even more with their new logo. GADF volunteers are always ready to reach out and give a helping hand and 10 volunteers did an outstanding job this past year.

First and and foremost, the founder, Otis Taylor, met the highest benchmark of a volunteer by achieving the Lifetime Achievement Award after accumulating over 4,000 volunteer hours!

“This is cool and I like this achievement,” Otis Taylor exclaimed as his wife handed him the rare and well-earned award. This is the highest honor of a volunteer and something all volunteers can strive to achieve.

Ashanti Mattox earned an award last year and this year she earned the Bronze medal along with Samson Backer.

Four Volunteers earned the silver medal including Diamond and Genesis Backer, Dustin Smith, and Sandra Taylor. Smith has been a volunteer the longest as he finished his fifth year with 280 hours this past year. He already received a medal last year, so he decided to get a coin this year. The volunteers have some award options each year.

Three volunteers earned the gold medal including Ivy Minor, Aaron Upshaw, and Shelby Rosenwinkel. Minor was one of the youngest volunteers to begin volunteering in the organization. Now, Aaron Upshaw joins her as one of the youngest. Minor was excited to wear the gold medal this year as she won silver medal last year. Rosenwinkel won bronze last year and this year she is thrilled to wear gold.

If anyone is interested in becoming a volunteer, they can contact Otis Taylor at http://www.giveadayfoundation.org/

We thank the volunteers for their service to the community and we look forward to their continued success!!

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Clermont Youth Athletes Compete in Unordinary Opportunity for Extraordinary Results in the Indoor Rowing Sprint World Championships

HEADLINE NEWS: CLERMONT, FL—-First Ever Indoor Rowing World Sprint Championships has TEAM AWINNINGWAY from Clermont, FLorida, largest US Team represented in the these first-ever world championships!!!

By: Alicia Weber

The first ever World Indoor Rowing Sprint Championship was held March 11-13 where 3,226 adults and 726 kids competed worldwide. The goal of the championship was to attract new athletes into the sport and compete on a Concept 2 machine from anywhere. As a Clermont event director, I made the goal of recruiting the most youth (age 12 and under) into this competition where I provided free training and a free race. I’m happy to say that I had the largest US team of indoor rowers (age 12 and under) representing the USA in this world championship.

Team Awinningway

I also competed and placed 26th in the world among lightweight women with my new best time of 3:50.3 for the 1,000 meter. My youth team came into this event with zero experience and my mission was to follow their success and see how they felt to do so something out of the ordinary. They learned how to row on a Concept 2 Machine and then competed in the 1,000 meter event all in the same day.
Hannah Bibby, 8, never competed in a sport before and she was our 2nd fastest girl on our Awinningway Team, our youngest competitor, and she placed 59th in the world for girls (12 and under) with her time of 6:42.3.

“This is phenomenal for me. When Alicia asked me if I wanted to learn to row and compete, I said yes because I want to take advantage of every opportunity. It feels good to exercise on an indoor rower,” mentioned Bibby who can now call a world championship her first-ever sport competition.

All the kids learned proper breathing and proper form for indoor rowing and they all exceeded their expectations and mine in their performances.

“This is awesome. I have more confidence and I like testing myself physically and this is a good physical test,” said the excited Nico Kurihara-Taylor after completing his row. He placed 82nd in the world for boys (12 and under) in a time of 6:27.4.
The kids watched each other race and cheered for one another. They are looking forward to their next event now.

“I feel like I am on top of the world,” said the uber-competitive DJ Belanoff who expected to do 10 minutes, but finished in 7:30.7 for girls (12 and under).

Aisha Hak, 11, was the fastest youth girl on our team with her time of 6:16.7, which placed her 53rd in world for youth girls (12 and under).

“It takes a lot of energy and strength. I am surprised I did as well as I did. It’s my first day to do it and I know I will only be getting better,” commented Hak after her race.

Andrew Powell, 13, was the only athlete on our youth team who had experience in an aerobic sport. He is also a cross country runner. He was able to get faster and finish his first-ever 1,000 meter in 4:45.7. He competed against nearly 400 boys upto age 18.

“I felt fatigue in the last 300 meters, but I pushed myself to finish strong because I am really motivated to do this event and try something new,” said Powell who was thankful for the opportunity to compete in this world championship.

“This event has been a great opportunity to keep kids active and off electronics. We appreciate having this opportunity for our kids,” added two parents of the athletes.

Official 2016 Results here

Contact ALicia at Awinningway@gmail.com to join her sport league and do unique events.

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Give A Day Foundation Has A Track Record For Success and Making A Difference in Clermont, Florida

Eight Give a Day Foundation Volunteers Receive Distinguished Awards for their Volunteer Service

By Alicia Weber

On Friday, February 26th, 2016, Give A Day Foundation held their Annual Presidential Volunteer Service Awards Ceremony where eight volunteers were recognized with distinct awards including a medallion, certificate, and congratulatory letters from the President of US, President of Points of Light, and the CEO of the Corporation for National Community Service.

GADF 2016 Volunteer Award Winners!

Give A Day Foundation has accumulated 12,000 hours of community service with a total of 360 volunteers, since its inception in Clermont five years ago.

“We are about making a difference in Clermont. Volunteering is not only helping the community, but yourself. It’s very calming and brings out smiles,” said Otis Taylor, President and CEO of Give A Day Foundation (GADF).

The minimum age to be a volunteer is five and it goes all the way up. Volunteers deliver a powerful message and inspire others to take action. GADF Volunteers have produced results that have positively impacted Clermont. The President’s awards are based on a 12-month period and there are different levels of gold, silver, and bronze recognition based on the amount of hours and age of the volunteer.

Ivy Minor, the youngest GADF volunteer at 11 years old, received a silver medal for her 90 hours of volunteer work. She was very thankful and honored to wear her silver medal. She shows the community that you are never too young to make a difference.

Shelby Rosenwinkel earned the bronze medal with her 101 hours, while Dustin Smith earned the silver medal with his 368 hours. Minor, Rosenwinkel, and Smith are commonly seen at the Downtown Clermont Farmer’s Market where they put smiles on peoples’ faces with their generous assistance they provide vendors and customers.

Otis Taylor received the gold medal with his 1,056 hours, while his wife, Sandra, received the bronze medal with her 123 hours.

“I thank Mr. Otis for starting GADF. It’s very good to look upto Mr. Otis as a mentor because of how much he volunteers and he shows us that we can do it too as a teenager. We see him working in conditions that are not optimal. It builds our character to volunteer and it makes us responsible for our actions,” mentioned bronze medal volunteer, Christopher Cooper-Bain who traveled a long distance to volunteer and put in 51 hours.

Ashanti Mattox received the silver medal for her 80 hours, while Richard Carroll received the silver medal with 286 hours.

“Volunteering teaches kids that you can do something out of the goodness of your heart. The older people volunteering really show children that it’s not all about getting paid,” said Carroll and his wife agreed.

“Volunteering is great for youth to learn organizational skills, communication skills, and management. The other side of the coin to volunteering is getting work experience, which can be great to put on a resume,” added Larry Rosenwinkel.

“I have written recommendations and received phone calls from potential employers for the volunteers,” added Taylor.

GADF has a track record of impacting Clermont to positive change especially when they asked Lake County to give them their worst roadway, Blackstill Lake Road, and GADF has turned it around into an attractive area where half a million dollar homes and developments are now moving in.

Nearly 40 volunteers clean roadways like Blackstill Lake Road monthly and Center Lake. When GADF first started cleaning Blackstill Lake Rd, there were 15-20 bags of trash along a 2 mile stretch and mainly beer bottles. Now, that the roadway has become attractive, drivers are happy and they give volunteers thumbs up as they drive by during clean up and people are motivated to keep their road clean.

Another major impact GADF makes is in the nursing homes where they do monthly visits for seniors in memory care where they are in locked wards. They do bowling, games, and bring out a lot of fun, which changes the seniors whole outlook on life. They volunteer at Superior Residences and Clermont Rehab Center. They have performed heartfelt volunteering at Meals on Wheels and during their End of Year Food Drive where families get a holiday dinner and kids receive shirts, pants, and sometimes shoes.

“Volunteering is about giving back and helping one another and this is what we should be doing,” said Carroll.

GADF volunteers are active in downtown Clermont events where they are the first to arrive and the last to leave to ensure the community is helped with event set-up and tear down.

“It was my passion to get something going, but a train without a caboose is just an engine. All the components get it moving and make it special. All the volunteers have made this community special,” declared Taylor.

Otis Tayor and his Give A Day Foundation Celebrate Five Years with a Phenomenal Track Record of Making A Difference in Clermont, Florida.

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