Orlando Central - Issue #11 (January 2024)

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OFM_Stars_0124_Stars 12 / 7 / 23 4 : 39 PM Page 1 Each month , Stars features exceptional students , student - athletes , OrlandoFamily educators and all - around boons to the Greater Orlando area . ? KNOW SOMEONE WHO DESERVES STAR TREATMENT ? Submit your nominees to Karen @ OrlandoFamilyMagazine.com Ailynn Chen Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Núñez recently visited Lake Highland Preparatory School ( LHP ) to recognize Chen , a fifth - grade student , as the 2023 Florida Space Art Contest grand - prize winner . Open to all Florida K - 5 students , over 1,500 kids submitted original , two - dimensional artwork based on this year’s theme , Time Travel 2123 : Florida’s Future as the Space Capital . Submissions were broken down into two categories : kinder - garten through second grade and third through fifth grade . Six art pieces from each group were selected as finalists . Finalists won tickets to the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center and will have the Winn - Dixie , Second Harvest Food Bank of opportunity to work alongside internation - Central Florida and Advanced Senior Center ally renowned and featured artist Romero This past November , Winn - Dixie partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank of Britto to paint a custom piece imagined Central Florida and Advanced Senior Center to distribute 600 turkeys to local fami - and sketched by Britto . As the grand - prize lies experiencing food insecurity during the holiday season . In addition to the frozen winner , Chen’s original artwork will be turkeys , the grocer also donated essential Thanksgiving food items as a part of its flown into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon . continuedcommitment to fight food insecurity and help families access the nutri - tious food they need . Volunteers distributed the donations on Nov . 6 at an event in Kissimmee , followed by a second distribution on Nov . 16 in Orlando . Second Harvest is currently distributing enough food for 300,000 meals a day , the same Walt Disney World level reached at the height of the pandemic in April 2020 . Swan and Dolphin & Friends of Fisher HouseOrlando Embrace Families Thispast Veterans Day , the Walt This past November , judges in Orange , Osceola DisneyWorld Swan and Dolphin andSeminole counties presided over National donated $ 10,000 to Friends of AdoptionDay ceremonies , officially marking a FisherHouse Orlando , its chari - new start for 36 children who had been in foster tablebeneficiary for the 14th annual care . Embrace Families is the lead nonprofit Swanand Dolphin Food & Wine agencyoverseeing foster care and child welfare Classic.The donation comprised proceeds from the event . The Fisher services in the tri - county area . Since its inception House , located at the Orlando VA Medical Center , provides free accommo - in 2004 , the organization and its case manage - dationsand resources for military and veteran families in several Central mentpartners have helped more than 3,329 chil - Floridacounties while a loved one receives medical treatment . It is one of dren find their forever families . Although adop - over95 comfort homes across the United States built by the Fisher House tionsoccur throughout the year , National Foundation in support of military veterans and active - duty service mem - AdoptionDay was initiated in 2000 to raise bersand their families . awarenessabout the thousands of kids across the country in need of a safe and nurturing home environment . On any given day , approximately 2,300 children are involved Yahzee Maure with the child welfare system across Orange , Osceola and Seminole counties . Maure , a 2023 graduate of Econ River High School , joined the Marine Corps five months DaVita ago . Currently a student at The national 2023 DaVita Health MarineAviation Training Tour , a mobile testing center that pro - SupportSquadron 1 ( MATSS - vides free health screenings and 1 ) , located at Naval Air Station kidney care education to thousands in Meridian , Mississippi , of people across the country , recently Maure is learning the skills made a stop to the Orlando area . needed to be an aviation sup - Over 100 free health screenings were portequipment manager . provided . Each screening was fol - lowed by a personal and confidential patient result review with qualified nurse practitioners . 44 ORLANDO FAMILY january 2024 ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM

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OFM_Profile_Tree of Life_0124 - edit_Profile 12 / 7 / 23 4 : 47 PM Page 1 PROMOTION B U S I N E S S S P O T L I G H T and drink . It’s about choice and comfort . ” Tree of Life offers birthing suites that are thoughtfully designed to emulate a home - like environment , promoting relaxation and comfort . While each room is equipped with the same medicine and emergency equipment as hospitals , and amenities to enhance the birthing experience , it’s the team of experienced and caring staff that makes the major differ - ence in the birthing experience . “ Our team of certified midwives , doulas and health care professionals is committed to providing personalized care , ensuring that each woman receives the attention and support she deserves , ” explains Richards . “ That type of intimate care prepares expectant parents for childbirth , prenatal care , breastfeeding and even postpartum wellness — an often overlooked topic for new mothers . ” Postpartum Support Tree of Life care extends beyond childbirth , with postpartum support ser - Nurturing vices to help families transition smoothly into their new roles . They help guide in newborn care , breastfeeding support , emotional well - being , and most importantly lifelong support for health and wellness . “ Our motto at Tree of Life is , ‘ With women for a lifetime , ’ and we hold a lot of impor - tance in that messaging , ” Richards says . the Essence of Birth Richards has applied that motto along with her own passion for femi - nine empowerment , a progressive step forward at Tree of Life with the recent investment in two new treatment options for feminine wellness . The center now offers Cynosure Mona Lisa for vaginal therapy after birth Tree of Life Birth & Gynecology and for menopausal symptoms of atrophy , dyspareunia and incontinence , offers expectant mothers and their and a Cynosure Tempsure for skin tightening , fat reduction and cellulite reduction with radiofrequency . families a range of delivery options “ As a provider , I can say that there aren’t a lot of nonhormonal , non - surgical options to help middle - aged women , and I wanted to change that andunmatched personal care . narrative , ” Richards says . “ Women deserve to age whilst still being able to by KRISTEN JORGENSEN enjoy life physically , sexually and emotionally . The Mona Lisa Touch is used during perimenopause , menopause vaginal tightening and ree of Life Birth & Gynecology is a dedicated and compassionate toning , and increasing lubrication . establishment that redefines the childbirth experience . Nestled in a It’s also used for women in post - Tserene and oasis - inspired environment , Tree of Life is designed to cancer situations who have experi - offer a holistic approach to childbirth , providing a safe and supportive enced vaginal atrophy and dryness , space for expectant mothers and their families . and even for those suffering from When speaking with founder and certified nurse midwife Kaleen urinary incontinence . Richards , the mission is clear : to empower women and families throughout “ Tempsure is a radiofrequency the childbirth journey , fostering a sense of connection , respect and joy machine designed to help dissolve during this transformative period , and offering continued support fat and tighten the skin , ” she con - throughout the patient’s lifelong feminine journey . tinues . “ It can be used around the eyes and face , and reduce the appearance “ Our approach encompasses physical , emotional and mental well - of C - section scars while eliminating fat deposits left behind afterward . being , ensuring that mothers receive comprehensive care that extends Tempsure can also be used in the belly region to help women get rid of beyond the delivery room , ” Richards says . loose skin hiding their abdominal muscles . It also helps to stimulate and build collagen and can be used vaginally to help rejuvenate the area that The Vision may have experienced trauma during childbirth . Both of these machines At Tree of Life , Richards ’ vision is a world where childbirth is embraced as a are designed to enhance the body’s natural ability to heal and repair . ” natural and empowering process . “ Our goal is to create an environment where Tree of Life feels strongly that every birth is a unique and sacred event , mothers feel empowered to make informed choices , families are actively but more importantly , that the overall care and well - being of the women involved in the birthing process , and each birth is a unique and cherished expe - who visit the center stay a priority . Richards believes all women deserve to rience , ” she says . “ So many of our families opt for a birthing center like Tree of make choices during their birth process as well as in the years that follow . Life because they view birth as a normal physical event and not illness . They are She and her staff consider it a true honor to help offer natural childbirth looking for more compassionate treatment and want to be included and edu - options to families in the community . Tree of Life invites patients on a cated in the care , and not treated as though they are sick . transformative journey , where they nurture the essence of birth and cele - “ Our patients also believe that birth is a family event , so they want brate the miracle of new life . their partners and other children included . We recognize the importance of family in the birthing process and strive to create an inclusive and sup - portive atmosphere for partners , siblings and other family members . Tree of Life Birth & Gynecology Additionally and most importantly , they want to have choices : the choice to have a water birth or wear their own clothes , move around , and even eat AltamonteSprings , ( 407 ) 878 - 2757 | TOLBirth.com ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM january 2024 ORLANDO FAMILY 45

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