Extending Grace

Uniquely-abled students find the support they need to succeed at The First Hope. One of the first lessons we learn in life is that change is inevitable. While consistency is comfortable, change promotes growth. Unfortunately, over the last few years our boundaries of change have been challenged, and we’ve all been asked to take on more than our share. While we’ve all been affected,... Read More

Parenting Guide: Health Care

Local professionals offer tips for parents whose young children fear a trip to the dentist or orthodontist. Spend just a few minutes with any pediatric dentist or orthodontist, and it usually becomes quite clear why they got into the field in the first place. Most come off as cheerful, positive people who genuinely take pride in helping patients, and their gentle approach works... Read More

Parenting Guide: Special Needs

Transitioning to adulthood is a big step for individuals with special needs, but there are local organizations that can help lead them to a secure future. Of the many challenges that parents of special needs children face, one that keeps many mothers and fathers up at night regards their child’s transition into adulthood. While school can provide a safe haven, much-needed services... Read More

Off the Beaten Path

Summer fun in an RV has never been easier with the help of the experts at Giant Recreation World. As summer sets in and folks eagerly anticipate their seasonal getaways for some much-needed R&R, many are opting for a different style of vacation this year and instead of hitting the beach, they are hitting the open road in a RV for a one-of-a-kind experience that the entire family... Read More

Ask the Expert: Fravel Brewer Orthodontics

Why are braces still a great option to straighten teeth? Every time I open my ESPN app, I get a barrage of ads from a company who wants to straighten my teeth with mail-order aligners.  This option has become a popular option for some adults, but it can often lead to disappointment when results do not live up to expectations. Aligner therapy under the supervision of an orthodontist... Read More

A Promising Approach

Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, affects millions of people worldwide and poses a significant public health challenge. As the global population ages, the burden of Alzheimer’s is expected to increase exponentially. While no cure for the disease exists, there has been growing interest in preventive testing to identify individuals at high risk of... Read More

Cool Under Pressure

With over 35 years of service to the community, Matt Thurman built Advanced Refrigeration & Air into an incredibly successful business based on integrity, innovation and top-notch service. Now he turns over the reins to the new CEO, his son John Thurman. Established in 1986 in Orlando, Advanced Refrigeration & Air is a family-owned and operated company with five locations... Read More

Bringing It Home

No matter if you’re buying or selling a home, it’s a big process and one that can be stressful without the right guidance to help you see things through. Our annual list of the Top Real Estate Professionals in South Jersey is full of trusted experts who know the ins and outs of the marketplace and repeatedly deliver for their clients.    REAL ESTATE SALES John Alexandrou... Read More

An Empathetic Ear

Dan Marcone’s interest in mental health is rooted in his youth. He grew up in a warm, loving home, but struggled with anxiety and depression for years without knowing how to describe those challenges.  Like any good mental-health professional will emphasize, though, nothing is quite as formative as those childhood experiences. And nothing cuts through emotional barriers, mental-health... Read More

Have You Had Your Skin Checked Lately?

With the arrival of spring, more and more Central Floridians will be eager to spend their time outdoors and enjoying the favorable weather conditions. However, all that time soaking up the sunshine is not without risk and it can ultimately lead to serious skin damage and dangerous outcomes.  Skin cancer rates are steadily rising in the United States where more than 3.6 million... Read More

Here to Help

Life for many has settled back into its pre-pandemic routine, though maybe with a little more caution and other behavioral adaptations that come from living through that unprecedented societal upheaval.  But even with a few seasons of getting reacclimated to “the old normal,” the psychological damage born of constant uncertainty, long-term isolation and a world gripped by fear... Read More

Enjoying the Journey

At Giant Recreation World, it’s not just about the destination. The journey is an equally important part of the adventure. “We are a recreational dealership. We have RVs—the difference here is we are a destination dealership,” Dwayne Adams explains, “meaning people will take a trip just to get to us.” Adams is the marketing manager at Giant Recreation World, a dealer... Read More

Ready for Takeoff

Planning a family vacation, especially with little ones in tow, can be a stressful experience, but once all the reservations are made and the suitcases are packed, a feeling of anticipatory excitement takes over. The only thing left to do at that point is get on the plane and start creating lifelong memories. Of course, the path to boarding isn’t always an easy one, and obstacles... Read More

Making Mental Health a Priority

Lindsey Phillips is not unfamiliar with the affects mental health struggles can have on families. As the director of external affairs for Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, she knows how difficult it can be to not only recognize that intervention may be necessary—whether it’s for a child who may be continuously acting out or a teenager who is suddenly full of angst—but... Read More

A Trusted Ally

Adopting a child can be a long and arduous process with plenty of twists and turns to navigate. But the road to adoption can prove even more difficult for same sex couples and other members of the LGBTQIA+ community, who are often discriminated against and faced with further obstacles and complications. Luckily, here in Central Florida is where you’ll find 26Health, an organization... Read More

Animal Instincts

There’s a tradition at Winter Park Veterinary Hospital in which every new hire to the team is asked to read a book by Dr. Spencer Johnson titled Who Moved My Cheese? A guide to preparing for change in the workplace—and learning how to embrace it—the bestseller’s theme fits in perfectly with the philosophy of a practice that has been one of Central Florida’s leading providers... Read More

Top Vets

The animals in our lives are treated like members of the family and so it’s only right that they receive the utmost in medical care. Thankfully, the Orlando area is full of top-notch animal care facilities and leading veterinarians who are using the latest technologies and treatments to better serve their patients. The following list of Top Veterinarians in Greater Orlando were... Read More

The Perfect Fit

Although the patients who visit Dr. George Patounakis at Reproductive Medicine Associates (RMA) Florida can be described as hopeful parents, often, “hope” is exactly what they are most in need of. Many have been told at other fertility clinics that they cannot use their own eggs or sperm to make an embryo or will not be able to carry a pregnancy, and their dreams of becoming... Read More

Excitement Awaits

Magic Kingdom’s: Tron Lightcycle/Run With spring upon us and summer not far behind, it’s time to take a look at some of the bigger things taking shape at Orlando’s theme parks and nearby attractions. From new rides, experiences, shows and more, there’s lots of reasons to eagerly await your next visit to any one of these destinations for family-friendly fun and lasting... Read More

Building a Community All Year Long

April might mark the beginning of World Autism Month but for those whose lives have been touched by autism spectrum disorder (ASD), awareness and advocacy efforts aren’t limited to just one month a year. “We have to educate every day,” affirms Silvia Haas. “We have to keep educating our audience.” Haas is the chief executive officer and one of the “founding sisters”... Read More

A Winning Formula

In addition to being former No. 1 overall draft picks and current NBA superstars, there is another common thread that binds Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons and Cade Cunningham: They were all once mentored by the man who many consider to be the best high school basketball coach in the country. First at St. Patrick’s in New Jersey and for the past 12 years at Montverde Academy here in... Read More