“Love Week 2019,” hosted by the “Bless Fruitland Park” team, will celebrate the community with activities being held Feb. 8-16. Those activities will include things such as community clean up and restoration, pre-school day at the library, appreciation for first responders, senior adult luncheon, Bless Day, a 5K race, Winterfest and Carpenters for Christ assisting area disabled with ramp assistance, to name a few. Here are some of the opportunities area residents can take advantage of.
Partnership with new Code Enforcement: Scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 9, volunteers will help those within the city limits who have code violations and need assistance addressing those cleanup concerns. To volunteer or for more details, please contact Bart Lucas at (352) 267-6702.
Preschool Day at the Fruitland Park Library: People are invited to come to the library, located at 205 W. Berckman St., on Wednesday Feb. 13 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Parents and their preschoolers will move through stations that will include music, story time and crafts. Lunch, goody bags and books will be provided by the local Kiwanis Club. This is a collaborative effort between Fruitland Park Elementary, Tri County clowns, community churches and businesses and civic organizations. To volunteer or for more details, contact Joann Glendinning at the Library at (352) 360-6561 or [email protected].
Bless Days: Fruitland Park officials are encouraging area restaurants and businesses to “Bless” their customers through discounts or other special acts of kindness. In addition, they are asking people during “Love Week” to be mindful of how they can carry out random acts of kindness toward others. Area residents can make a difference by participating and help spread the word. To volunteer your business or for more details on how your business can be involved, contact Sherry Polk at [email protected] or (352) 431-3935, or Marianne Milke at [email protected]. Those with ideas are encouraged to tell what you will be doing and take pictures so they can be posted on the Bless Fruitland Park Facebook page, which can be reached by clicking HERE.
Senior Adult Luncheon: A community fellowship and bingo is scheduled to be held at Fruitland Park City Hall, located at 506 W. Berckman St., on Wednesday Feb. 13 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. For more information on how you can help or be part of the event, contact Fruitland Park Recreation Director Michelle Yoder at (352) 516-9149. A meal will be provided, as well as giveaways and door prizes that will be donated by area businesses and groups. There will be a visit from the Fruitland Park Elementary chorus as well.
First Responders and public service personnel to be honored: Local churches and area residents will bring cookies and sweets to the Fruitland Park Fire Department, Police Department and Public Works office during “Love Week”. In addition, Citizens First Bank, located at 3290 U.S. Hwy. 27/441. Fruitland Park will provide a free lunch for first responders from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Friday, Feb 15. Contact the Rev. George Mulford at (352) 516-9134 for more information on how you can participate.
Love Week 5K for local food pantries and Fruitland Park Family Nights: This event helps bring awareness to hunger within the community and raises funds to help neighbors in need, as well as provide funding for the monthly movie night held on the lawn at City Hall. The race will be held on Saturday, Feb. 9. For details on the race and to sign up, click HERE. You can also check out the Facebook page by clicking HERE. This year, Fruitland Park Cafe is sponsoring sandwiches for those who attend and Citizens First Bank will sponsor the Kids Fun Run. For more information, call Yoder at (352) 516-9149.
Building ramps for the elderly and disabled: This project is being supervised and carried out by Carpenters for Christ, a non-profit in Fruitland Park. For more information about when and where they will be building, as well as how you can support their local thrift store that benefits the ministry, contact Art Knack at (248) 376-3551.
The Citizens First Bank branch in Fruitland Park will host “Bank and Bite” every day from Feb. 11-15. Events will include Meatball Monday, Coffee Time Tuesday, Wings Wednesday, Ice Cream Thursday and Hot Dog, It’s Friday. The branch is located at 3290 U.S. Hwy. 27/441. For information, contact Cindy Farlanga at (352) 751-2025.
“Bless Fruitland Park” started in January 2015 and is an ongoing effort of individuals, churches, businesses, and local civic and social groups in the Fruitland Park area that are committed to working together to make a difference and create an atmosphere of partnership and generosity within the community. In August 2018, Bless Fruitland Park’s “Generosity Week” raised more than $20,000 in cash donations for Fruitland Park Elementary School.
