Veterans Day Ceremony at Evergreen Cemetery

Posted on by Thor

On Veterans Day a small group of Orlando Urban Sketchers went to Evergreen Cemetery in Casselberry. The cemetery dates back to 1890 when 18 acres of land was donated for the establishment of a cemetery for black slaves. At the time blacks and white were not allowed to be buried together. The cemetery was surrounded by forest with oak trees, sand pines,
evergreen, camphor and palm trees, along with wild fern growing though
out. The first pioneer trustees of the cemetery worked in the fern industry and they went on to build their own grocery store and shotgun homes on the site of the cemetery.

A shotgun home was a narrow house without halls. If a bullet were to be fired through the front door, it would go right out the back door without hitting a wall. These homes were rent free and known as the Barnett and Casselberry quarters. Five churches helped maintain the cemetery. One common cemetery maintenance practice was to cut the sand pines as Christmas trees. The original name of Evergreen Cemetery was forgotten over the years. It came to be known as Altamonte Colored Cemetery and Fern Park Cemetery. In 2007 Alton Williams found the original name in his research it was restored.

Alton Willaims was the Master of Ceremonies for this Veteran’s Day Ceremony. People crowded under a tent to stay out of the Florida sun. The Seminole County Sheriff Office Honor Guard performed a pre ceremony drill followed by a trumpet player performing taps in the distance. The sad notes resonated through the cemetery. Behind Alton was the framework for a shotgun house being built as a museum on the cemetery grounds. Volunteers are desperately needed to help finish the construction.

Cora Sneed called the names of all the fallen soldiers who were buried in Greenwood Cemetery. One woman in the audience seemed to know many of the family names being called and she picked up the certificates to be given to each family. Entire families went up to honor their relatives who had given their lives for our freedom. After the ceremony we all were given Bubbalou’s BBQ.

Earth Fest Casselberry Florida

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The performers stood on a truck bed stage under two large red umbrellas. There was no shade on the lawn in front of them and a few people watched from the shade of trees on the outskirts of the lawn. IT was boiling hot.

9th Annual EarthFest, Central Florida’s second largest environmentally friendly festival will be held on Saturday, April 28, from 10 AM to 3 PM at Lake Concord Park in Casselberry

Sponsored by the City of Casselberry, Casselberry Friends of the Park and Keep Seminole Beautiful, EarthFest 2018 brings awareness about protecting our environment, creating clean energy and reducing our carbon footprint. The goal is to educate, encourage and empower citizens to create a sustainable environment by participating at the many fun activities located at the Green Vendor Area, Green Transportation and Energy Area, Entertainment Area, Kids Zone, and other fun zones throughout the entire park.

 EarthFest 2018 highlights include a special performance by Beth McKee and The Swamp Sistas, the Arbor Day Free Tree Giveaway, free plant giveaways, butterfly releases, eco-fun activities and live entertainment. Throughout the day, numerous workshops and educational presentations will be held both indoors and at the individual environmental vendor booths.   The Art House features the Recycled Art Show with art that is totally created from re-purposed material.  The Commission Chambers will host the Drop Savers Award Program.

Emotions Dance Presents Untold Stories.

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Emotions Dance has a new rehearsal space at 105 Melody Lane west. Casselberry, FL. Founder and choreographer, Larissa Humiston,  greeted me in the lobby. Others in the lobby turned out to be members of the Emotions Dance board of directors. They were here to see a full run through of the latest show entitled, UntoId Stories.  This show explores stories of everyday life with a message of
courage and hope. The performance engages audiences with stories about
struggles to inspire dialogue and societal change.

The new rehearsal space is cavernous. Larissa let the board know that she has developed so m mad skills as a light in designer. Indeed each dance piece was colorfully lit, giving the individual piece their own color tone from warm to cool. The first dance had two dancers in black tights who wore white kabuki masks. This gave the dance a rather mysterious and primal feel. I was amazed by how many young new dancers were in the company. I didn’t count but there must have been over a dozen. This allowed some dancers to rest and change costume as of he performed. Several powerful dancers from last year were gone, but I was amazed by the new talent.

The black costuming was replace by white flowing that its in the next dance. Earthy weighted movements turned to a graceful flowing routine. The spark that ignites each performance is always an inner emotion. A dancers face and body gesture can show that emotion and bring it to light. I usually identify with one dancers crisp performance and I follow that one dancer and use line to try and rediscover what they are expressing.

In the notes session after the run through, It became clear that different dancers helped choreograph each piece. In one dance, the performers wore loose men’s stiff collared dress shirts. One dancer was bound in a red ribbon. The choreographer explained that it was a story about diabetes which is an invisible affliction. The ribbon was unfurled and it tied all the dancers together with one crimson line.

Other dances felt familiar, like being reunited with old friends. Larissa’s touch must have been in those routines. Angst, hope, and striving all radiated through in the dances. The modern dance was at times gymnastic as dancers tumbled and supported each other. It takes an amazing amount of trust to know you will be caught when to fall.



Untold Stories

Friday Feb 19 and Saturday Feb 20 at 8pm.

Lowndes Shakespeare Center’s Mandell Theatre (812 E. Rollins St. Orlando).

Pre-sale ticketing will be available until Feb 15 GA $18 and
Students/Seniors are $14. At the door- general audience is $20 and Students/Seniors
(65+) are $15