published: Friday, February 13, 2009

Labor Day Jamboree drew big local crowd

Ann Dupee

59 Years Ago - 1960

An estimated 2,500 people attended the first Labor Day Jamboree sponsored by American Legion South Lake Memorial Post #55 at the Lake Minneola Beach, a project of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, according to Legion committee member Jim McDonald. This number includes duplicates since some people made two or three trips to the beach during the day.

Treasuries of the cooperating organizations will be enriched, according to early indications. On the basis of early sell-outs at the various booths the financial statement should be a healthy one.

The Jaycees sold out of meat early and had to replenish their store, while the hot dog stand of the Boy Scouts did a thriving business that exhausted its supplies. The chuck-a-luck, wheel of fortune, Dutch auction and other games all had a big play. The Legion will receive 20% of the profits.

Members of the Legion committee sponsoring the event were Orrin Ward, chairman; Bert Willis, Dick Willis, Col. Louis Ford, Charles Pool, Jr. and Jim McDonald.

Cooperating organizations and their representatives were: Welfare League, Mrs. Dorothy Smith; Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Mrs. Regina Harper; Altar Society, Mrs. Fran Sherry; American Legion Committee, Charles Pool, Jr.; American Legion Auxiliary, Mrs. Bert Willis; Clermont Fire Department, Dick Willis; Boy Scouts, Harry L. Brown; Girl Scouts, Mrs. Orrin S. Frase; Garden Club, Mrs. Vic Oswalt; Woman's Club, Miss Florence Holton; Lions Club, D.L. Moore; Junior Chamber of Commerce, Curtis Reed; Varsity "C" Club, Ed Stack and Minneola Progressive Club, Bob Black.

Although there was lots of excitement and crowds in town during the Labor Day weekend, Clermont passed through the entire weekend without a singe traffic accident.

20 Years Ago - 1989

"Gem of the Hills' owners Grace and William Strosberg and Dale and Darryl Ladd were pleased when County Commissioners approved their Planned Unit Development Jan. 10; Commissioners voted 4-1 with Commissioner Richard Swartz voting against. County Planning and Zoning had denied the request 8-0 in December.

The proposed, totally private housing development in the Clermont area is to be enclosed by a privacy wall with a security entrance and is on Lake Shore Dr.,west of Lake Susan on property adjoining the fire station on 561. Original request was 223 units on the 95-acre site.

Commissioner Tom Windram moved for approval, providing the treatment plant be internalized, that the total number be reduced to 195 single family dwellings (detached) for a net density of 3.5 units per acre or 2.1 units per gross acre and that the two-acre area for commercial be zoned C-1 for 6,500 square feet of building space and that it too be internalized, along with RV storage. (This property eventually developed as Lake Susan Landing.)

Mary Louise Haack of Groveland has garnered another award for her excellent administration of the Groveland Neighborhood Center and for her love and caring for the people it serves.

She was one of two people honored with the first ever Judges Award for outstanding contributions to Lake County at the Jan. 11 awards banquet and ceremony of the Lake County League of Cities and sponsored by the Lake Sentinel.

County Commissioners voted to accept title to the property in the Okahumpka area where the Garbage Burn Plant is being constructed. Ogden Martin Systems, who is building the plant, will lease the site from the county.

Las Vegas Night, Saturday, Jan. 28, 8 p.m.-12 a.m. Elks Club - Clermont. Donation - $15 per couple. All Proceeds Go To Charity. Hors d'oeuvres, Door Prizes, Prizes to Top Winners. Beta Theta Chapter - ESA, Clermont. Tickets available at the Chamber and Hilltop Stationery.

City of Minneola begins a street improvement project. Construction will begin on Oakland St., with Chester to follow.

Clermont City Council approved a Conditional Use Permit to locate the ambulance service to the corner of Hwy 27 and Highland Ave.

Clermont Council appointments. Hal Turville, Mayor Pro Tem; Lake Apopka Natural Gas Board, Jack Sargent; Liaison to Cooper Memorial Library, Mayor Bob Pool; Clermont Chamber of Commerce, Lester Cole -- Ken Norquist, alternate; Lake County Water Authority, Hal Turville; Lake County League of Cities Board, Ann Dupee -- Wayne Saunders, alternate; East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Ann Dupee, she also represents ECFRPC on the Florida Policy Plan Committee.

Mrs. Dupee has become a member of the Florida League of Cities Intergovernmental Relations Committee, which is spearheading the issue with the State Legislature to get the state to voluntarily stop mandating programs to local government without funding. (This passed on the ballot as Amendment 3 but was never enacted.)

P&Z reappointments: Marilyn George, Robert Mitchell, Bonnie Kranz, Adelbert (Buck) Evans, Cecil Smart; new appointee, James H. Brown. Code Enforcement Board reappointments: William McKinney, Martin Wright, Ed Ivey, Ed Whitehead. South Lake Council for the Arts reappointments: Nick Jones, Paul Lewis, Mary Ogilvie, Steve Monn, Bonnie Homan Ray, Chris Kurz. Parks and Recreation: Cuqui Whitehead, Bobby Pool, Bob Milke, Karen Turville, Robert Mitchell, Jack Gaines, Larry Maynor, Carol Whitfield, Howard Barry.