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Pictures

Additional Feature Information

• Commentary transcript
• Mary Lou Andrews bio
• City of Oviedo, Fl.

Doing aerobic exercises in the water is a popular way to improve or maintain fitness. Don Boyd and Elvia Woods are certified water aerobic instructors at an Oviedo, Florida fitness center. In this genial and informal conversation, they share their expertise and humorous stories from their many years as instructors. Feature length – 9:48

Water aerobics are cardio and strength-building classes held in a swimming pool. All the traditional land-exercises like jumping jacks, bicep curls and jogging are instead done in the buoyancy of the water. This builds fitness without jarring stress on joints. Many doctors and physical therapists recommend this form of exercise for rehabilitation. Runners and other athletes often use them to keep in shape while recovering from an injury. The Arthritis Foundation encourages patients to participate in these water exercises to cushion painful joints.

In Oviedo many people enjoy these “Aqua Aerobic” programs. They are held at public facilities like the Oviedo Aquatic Facility, The Oviedo YMCA and at private fitness clubs. Retirement centers often offer classes at their pools.

Don Boyd and Elvia Woods are certified water aerobic instructors at the LA Fitness health clubs. Don is 69 years old and has the muscles of young athlete. He served 20 years in the Navy and then another 27 in the Civil Service. He became an instructor 2 years ago after enjoying water aerobic classes. The exercises helped restore his painful back and in the process he lost 60 pounds and gained a great physique.

Elvia Woods served 20 years in the U.S. Army and has been an aerobic instructor in Oviedo for more than 5 years. Elvia’s infectious laugh encourages everyone to “try harder and feel it!”

Extended Interview & Pictures

Don Boyd and Elvia Woods Extended interview (18:18)

Additional Feature Information

• Medical site with information on water aerobics and health
• Oviedo Recreation Dept. Water Aerobic Program | 407 971-5570
• Oviedo YMCA | 407 369-3606
• Arthritis Foundation

The history of a geographic area of 700 acres in Seminole County,Florida has not yet come to a close. Perhaps this is because the area is not yet history. In this on-going History of Our Communities series, we explore the Village of Taintsville through the voices of a local historian and an original “Tainstvillian.” Feature length – 12:43

Immediately east of the city limits of Oviedo, Florida and just west of unincorporated Chuluota in southeast Seminole County there is one official road sign. Looking east, the sign is located on the south side of County Road 419 and so is a secluded lake. It’s called Lake Eva. On the sign is one 11-lettter word. It spells “Taintsville.”

There used to be one more sign like this one. It marked the other end of Taintsville a bit further down the road. No one has seen that other sign for quiet a while, years maybe. Yet, this one, lone sign has sparked a good deal of interest over the years. Perhaps not the actual sign, but what is stand for.

For some, it’s just an eye catching name – prompting much curiosity from the occupants in cars that pass by it on CR/419 heading to Chuluota. For a few teenage pranksters, the sign or its predecessor became the object of theft or target practice or the occasional graffiti.

And for a few others — back in the days, say the 1960s and 1970’s — the sign represents a story about local David’s and a municipal Goliath.

In our quest to know more about this lone sign, its missing sister, and that for which both stand, we visit with two persons…each has a story to tell.

Extended Interview & Pictures

		Thomas W. Chitty and Stephen McKenney Steck Extended interview (27:36)
		Karen Jacobs and Stephen McKenney Steck Extended interview (28:43)

Additional Feature Information

• Seminole County Board of County Commission resolution of 12/14/1971 designating area as the Village of Taintsville
• Map – Village of Taintsville (general area noted within yellow lines)
• Oviedo Historical Society
• Museum of Seminole County History
• Orange County Regional History Center
• Central Florida Memory Project
• Florida Historical Society

Shepherd’s Hope Health Clinic of Oviedo is a free walk-in clinic located at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church.  On Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6 to 8:30 pm, it provides health care services to patients who are uninsured or are unable to pay.  Staffed by volunteer doctors, nurses and community members, the clinic is meeting a critical need during this challenging economic period. Feature length – 24:18

Shepherd’s Hope Health Clinic of Oviedo was established 7 years ago to provide health care to the uninsured and those who can’t afford to visit a doctor when they become sick. It is part of Shepherd’s Hope of Central Florida which supports 9 clinics in Orlando and surrounding communities. These clinics have served more than 16,000 patients in the first 10-months of 2009 with the help of 2000 volunteers. This is their twelfth year of operation.

In Oviedo, the health clinic is located at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church. The inspiration for its founding came from Dr. Brian Roberts, a pastor at St. Luke’s who was concerned after an uninsured member of the congregation delayed treatment and died of a heart attack. The church rallied behind Pastor Roberts’ suggestion to establish a clinic ministry. St. Luke’s provides a facility with fully equipped exam and waiting rooms as well as rooms for a pharmacy, records and offices. In addition the church budgets $10,000 a year in support for electricity, custodial service and some supplies. The main Shepherd’s Hope organization allots $70,000 to the Oviedo clinic and provides medicines to the pharmacy.

The heart of the Oviedo health clinic is the volunteers. Of the 232 people who worked at the clinic in 2008, 107 were doctors, physician assistants and nurses. Their schedules are arranged by the Clinic Health Care Managers Kathryn Soucy and Caroline Luckhart. The rest were general volunteers who register patients, check eligibility, act as interpreters and guide them through the process. Each night approximately 10 general volunteers support 1 or 2 doctors and a nurse. They see 16 to 18 patients during the 2 ½ hours the clinic is open. From January to September 2009 the clinic was open 55 nights and served 1286 patients with 4,517 total volunteer hours. Thirty nine of these volunteers have dedicated time to the Oviedo clinic since it opened in 2002. Nancy Herbon schedules all the general volunteers.

All nine clinics in the system act as free walk-in clinics and are primarily for acute care, flu, sprains, infections, etc. Patients with chronic illnesses are referred to the Primary Care Access Network (PCAN) in Orange County to receive long term care. Emergency cases like heart attacks or broken bones are sent immediately to the hospital.

All Shepherd’s Hope clinics are associated with a religious organization. The Longwood, Florida clinic has five supporting churches and the Ocoee, Florida clinic is supported by a mosque. The annual budget is $950,000 which comes from donations and fundraising events. Donations may also be made to a special fund set up by St. Luke’s Lutheran Church to specifically supplement the Oviedo clinic. New volunteers are welcome at any of the Shepherd’s Hope Clinics.

Extended Interview & Pictures

Additional Feature Information

• Shepherd’s Hope of Central Florida | 407 876-6699
• St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Oviedo
• Primary Care Access Network