Remember When
By Ann Dupee
As Clermont prepares to celebrate its 125th anniversary, we Remember the Centennial Celebration of 1984. VFW member Elbert Ritchie coordinated the Centennial Parade held in downtown Clermont. One of the participants was Miss Laurence Barthe, a college student from Clermont - Ferrand, France, who was living at Walt Disney World and working at EPCOT's French Pavilion in a program designed to enhance cultural opportunities for foreign and American students and co-workers. Miss Barthe was also entertained at a get-together of Centennial Commission and city officials by Mr. and Mrs. Bob Wade in their home.
20 Years Ago - 1989
-- Groveland High School's "Old Grads" Reunion was held at Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort April 29.
Congratulations went to the Class of 1939 celebrating its 50th. There were 20 graduates in this class, attending 50 years later were Thomas Burns, James Carter, Jr., Verna Tomlinson Gano and Marion Winson Merritt.
Officers for the 1990 and 1991 reunions will be: president, James Carter, Jr.; vice president, Eddie Frances Pritchett Hitchcock; secretary, Rose Marie Schmidt and treasurer, Dolores Gano Walker.
-- Clermont Elementary School news: Mrs. Haines' 1st graders have been reading about John Audubon and his work with birds.
5th grader Robbie Mitchell's piano solo earned him a spot to participate in the Lake County Fair.
Miss Clark's 5th grade class has been studying American history. They will hear a lecture on Washington, D.C. and see slides of the city and several students will visit the city with Miss Clark soon.
Mrs. Saunders' 2nd graders had Clermont High School sophomore Justin Miller as a guest in their room. He brought several friends with him, including a baby boa constrictor, a red rat snake, a boa constrictor, a gecko and several other lizards.
Leading a Test Buster Rally of all CES students, which is a tradition to prepare students for testing, were cheerleaders Scheureka Collins, Starr Gladieux, Tiffany Beighley, Schwanda Berry and Jamie Harper.
Set designers included teachers Nancy Hettinger, Robin Goodmiller and Denise Knowles. Stagehands were Sean Lord, Clay Turville, Stephanie Creech, Kizzy Smart, Kesha Moton and Kristen Watson.
Rite Media, a billboard company located in Clermont for three years that owns more than 500 signs in Florida from Miami to Pensacola, asked CES students to design a poster about a subject that was important to them.
Corporate vice president Carlos Solis said they chose the billboard design of first grader Jenna Caldwell, daughter of Jim and Mary Beth Caldwell. Jenna's poster was reproduced on a stand Rite Media billboard located on US 27. Carlos and his wife Sandy live in Clermont with their three children, Jessica, Charlie and Michael.
-- Safety Harbor residents Victoria Suzanne Kelly and Michael Gerard Bucher exchanged with wedding vows April 22 in Albany, N.Y. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Shaw Buck of Groveland.
The bride is a 1972 graduate of Groveland High School and a 1977 graduate of Arkansas State University. Her husband holds a 1979 undergraduate degree from St. Michael's College in Vermont and a l981 master's degree in business administration from the University of South Carolina. (The couple now resides in Clermont where he is affiliated with United Southern Bank and she with Sumter Electric Cooperative.)
-- The Clermont High School Highlander Club put on one of the largest ever awards events at the Christian Life Center of First Baptist Church.
Former Florida Gator and NFL passing star John Reeves was guest speaker. Reeves reminisced about the days at UF with Carlos Alvarez and Jack Youngblood when he led the nation in passing yardage.
-- Southern Truss Central, Inc., South Lake County's newest industry, held open house May 21 for the citizens of Mascotte and local businesses.
-- Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission's fish attractor construction crew moved into the area last week to start refurbishing 14 hardwood brush attractors in the Clermont Chain of Lakes.
Fish attractors are man-made structures placed underwater and serve to concentrate fish. The program started in the Clermont area during the early 1970's.
Friday, June 26, 2009 - www.dailycommercial.com/0626AnnDupee