• MercedesGrullon...FitnessChampion• OC“WalkstheWalk”forSafety• OnTheJobStressBusters

INSIDE:

O R A N G E C O U N T Y E M P L O Y E E N E W S L E T T E R

September 2012 • ORANGE SPIEL 1

Carlos Morales is a self-proclaimed fraud fighter! On any given day, this “big dog” at the County’s Consumer Fraud Office uses his super hero-like tactics to handle fraud complaints, conduct special investigations to build legal cases against evil-doers and coordinate sting operations to catch local villains.

Proud to be a “do-gooder,” Carlos has helped bring down a string of notorious scammers including Pete Spanziano, Aaron Cemoni and James Metts— who was famous for trolling the isles of the local Home Depot for unsuspecting seniors who would fall for low-ball quotes and requests for upfront payment. He has helped countless residents obtain full restitution, including one citizen who was awarded $220,000 for a real estate scam. So what keeps crime-fighter Carlos Morales going? “Protecting residents against fraud and the thrill of catching the bad guys,” he says.

Dr. Cindy Boyles says what she enjoys most about her 27 years with the County are the opportunities she’s had in her career to help others. From Corrections as a treatment counselor, to managing Family Services’ programs, and back as a Corrections manager, “I’ve had some really great experiences creating programs that really work!” she says.

One of her favorites is Future Correctional Leaders, a course designed to assist line staff with their professional development. “It has been rewarding to see so many being promoted and getting specialty positions,” she comments. Another is WOVEN (Women of Vision Empowerment and Networking), a program she started about a year ago to help women working in corrections get ahead.

“There is no better pleasure than helping others to succeed,” says Dr. Boyles and her best advice… “Make it happen for yourself, take advantage of opportunities others bring to you…push open the door if you have to.”

BY COUNTY STAFF: JUDI KERR, MIMI REGGENTIN, CHRISTINA GROVER AND KASEY BRINKLEY

Labor ofSince most of us spend at least one-third of our time at work, having a job you are passionate about is important. Just ask these Orange County employees—all driven by a “labor of love.”

September 2012 • ORANGE SPIEL 1

Carlos Morales, Consumer Investigator Supervisor

Dr. Cindy Boyles, Community Corrections Manager

Alex Lupinski says he loves his job, “Because it is never the same, it keeps me on my toes and I get to meet people from all around the world.” A rigger since 2004, it’s not unusual to find him walking an 8 inch beam 40 feet or higher to pull up a 100 pound display or hang a screen, operating an aerial lift or installing miles of truss for events. He even hangs cars!

Alex came here from Latvia to study finance at the University of Central Florida. But when he took a job as a rigger at the Convention Center and discovered the thrill of hanging in the rafters, he was hooked. If you think it’s an easy job, guess again. Alex is quick to point out that, while you need to be strong and have excellent

balance, being safety conscious is a high priority for a rigger. Alex is a certified entertainment technician, which makes him one of the industry’s best.

Alex Lupinski, Convention Center Rigging Coordinator

Greetings,

For this issue of the Orange Spiel newsletter, we celebrate all of the hard-working and dedicated County employees that help to make our community a better place to live! So many of you put your hearts and souls into your jobs. It shows in the great work you do. This month’s top story, “Labor of Love,” features a few of these employees, but it is also a tribute to all workers on the Orange County team!

Enjoy your Labor Day!

Mayor Teresa Jacobs

VOL 42 • ISSUE 6 • SEPTEMBER 2012

ORANGE

❤

A R O U N D T H E C O U N T Y

2 ORANGE SPIEL • September 2012

OC “Walks the Walk” for Safety

When Edward Johnson (left) and Bob Olin in Growth Management heard that Corrections was sponsoring a “Ties for Teens” project, they reached out to County Administration employees for donations. In a few short weeks, they

collected five overflowing boxes of shirts and ties which were donated to a local high school to help homeless and underprivileged teens “dress for success” at job interviews.

Money! Money! Money! Did you know that the Neighborhood

Preservation & Revitalization Division offers

grants to Orange County neighborhoods

for improvement projects? Neighborhood

Pride Grants can be used on anything

from landscaping to a wall repair

to safety.

If you think your neighborhood would

benefit from one of these grants, call

407-836-5606 for more information.

Orange County wasted no time stepping up efforts to improve pedestrian safety, after a 2011 transportation study by Dangerous by Design ranked Orlando as the worst area in the country for pedestrian deaths.Several employees participated in the Federal Highway

Administration’s (FHWA) “Planning and Designing for Pedestrian Safety” course and a community sponsored training and “walking audit” of downtown Winter Garden with pedestrian safety expert Dan Burden.

Public Works recently hosted two more sessions of FHWA’s “Road Safety Audit” (RSA) for County staff, area engineers and law enforcement. The department also conducted

several road safety audits, including those in the Bithlo/Christmas area and Waterford Lakes.

And it won’t stop here. Orange County has the green light to address pedestrian safety through its

Community Traffic Safety Team in partnership with Orange County Public Schools, the support of Central Florida’s “Best Foot Forward” campaign and applying for grants to fund projects.

September 2012 • ORANGE SPIEL 3

One can never be too prepared when faced with a possible disaster. As National Emergency Preparedness Month and the peak of hurricane season, September serves as a time to remind us that being prepared is always the best line of defense during any emergency.

The Orange County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) offers Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training to groups of 15 or more in disaster preparedness, team organization, light search and rescue, fire

suppression, triage and medical operations to help Orange County first responders.

During an actual disaster, CERT volunteers can assist with crowd control, canteen duty, communications, documentation, and curiosity seekers. By knowing what to do during a crisis, they make

a difference in how quickly a neighborhood returns to normal.

OEM has trained over 1,000 citizens in emergency preparedness, but we can always use more helping hands. After all, during a disaster, we are all on the same recovery team!

This summer, Mayor Teresa Jacobs joined Public Works staff to help clean up a portion of Orange County’s Cady Way Trail. At the Crane Strand Canal, just south of Aloma Avenue, they trimmed trees and removed underbrush to open up the area to improve visibility and safety for trail users. The Cady Way Trail runs from the Fashion Square Mall area to Cady Way Park in the community of Winter Park.

DURINGADISASTER,we’reallinthistogether.

Sea Cadets at Freedom High train as TEEN CERT

Left to right: Chief of Staff Graciela Noriega Jacoby, Equipment Operator Dan Garramone, Public Works Coordinator Jeff Charles, Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Foreman Mark Herrmann, Equipment Operator Oneal Weathers, Equipment Operator Maurice Haywood and Sergeant Mike Crabb

This signed football commemorates a new Citrus Bowl renovations agreement between Orange County and the City of Orlando. Do you know where it is currently on display? (Answer on page 6.)

If you are interested in forming a CERT team, call 407-836-9140 or visit www.ready.gov

Mayor’s Cleanup Project

??

WhereAm I

SAVETHEDAY!PuttogetheraCommunityEmergency

ResponseTeamwith...

neighbors, church

or civic groups,

school clubs,

organizations, etc.

.

ONClockTHE

MercedesGrullonFitness ChampionBY MIMI REGGENTIN, FAMILY SERVICES DEPARTMENT

240 miles a week! That’s what the preschool

children at the Taft Head Start Center log each week walking at Cypress Gove Park thanks to Mercedes Grullon.

“Let’s Move”Mercedes, the Center

Manager at Taft, is an enthusiastic supporter of Orange County Head Start’s “I am moving, I am learning” campaign and their healthy nutrition partnership with Nemours Hospital. So, when she heard about the national “Let’s Move” movement, she thought “this is a great idea. Let’s do it with the kids.” And, that’s exactly what she did. Three times a week

40 preschoolers and staff at the Taft Head Start Center

hop on a bus and travel to Cypress Grove Park for a 2-mile hike along the trails. By week’s end, all 120 preschoolers have had a turn. It’s become such a big hit that parents regularly join their children on their weekly stroll. Students are rewarded

with 15 minutes of fun on the playground or, if people are fishing off the dock on Lake Jessamine, they are treated to a hands-on science lesson as they watch the fish being reeled up.

“It’s A Choice”Mercedes believes proper

health and nutrition is critical. “It’s a choice you have to make for yourself.

It’s really difficult, but it’s important and it’s for

you,” she says. Mercedes, 56,

has seen

close family and friends struggle with chronic health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, and vowed she would do what she could to stay healthy. Her regular routine includes walking 3-4 miles three times a week. But her favorite activity is line dancing at the Renaissance Senior Center, because it is both physical exercise and fitness for the brain. Now an empty nester

with two daughters settled in California, Mercedes can’t wait to explore more programs at the Renaissance Senior Center and bring back ideas for her fledging preschoolers.

By theNumbers

Mercedes’ Simple Tips

for Staying HealthyDrink eight glasses of

water a day. ✔

Follow Head Start’s nutrition

motto “Take 5” fruits &

vegetables a day.

✔ Focus on

a rich Omega 3 diet.

✔ Exercise

your brain and your body.

4 ORANGE SPIEL • September 2012

11 ... Average years of County service

44 ½... Longest years of County service (Hired in January

1968 and still employed)

45 ... Average County

employee’s age

69 ... Percent of employees are Orange County residents

1,446... Staff in the largest County department: Corrections

6,505 ... Regular full-time County employees as of July 2012

56,049... County job applications received in 2011

September 2012 • ORANGE SPIEL 5

OFFQueen of the DerbyBY JUDI KERR AND LAUREEN MARTINEZ, COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION

THEClock

Get into the Spiel! Seasonal polls are

posted in the Spiel Extra e-news online.

September 2012 • ORANGE SPIEL 5

Roberta Alfonso describes roller derby as a mixture of football and hockey, but to the outsider it’s more like boxing on wheels. “I would say that it is choreographed roughness,” says Alfonso, a.k.a. Mona DeMarkov as she’s known in the rink. Alfonso, who works as legal

counsel in the Orange County Attorney’s office by day, found her passion in roller derby three years ago when she was looking for something fun to do. “It’s easy to get caught up in a cycle of work-home-work-home-work. Derby gives me an extended family, of sorts, and we have a blast,” she said. Roller derby has seen a rebirth in

recent years thanks to the movie “Whip it” where girl-skaters duke it out wearing low-cut shorts over fishnets and skin-tight spandex.The Orlando Psycho City Derby

League is similar, although you

won’t find Alfonso in costume; instead she wears her black and white referee uniform. She’s more comfortable in that role. “The rational thinking that we use in legal practice totally lends itself to officiating. There are sometimes different rules that can apply to a single situation in derby — just as there may be several laws and regulations that apply to a transaction at the county.” Alfonso, whose five-foot

frame is dwarfed next to some of the players, says she enjoys the camaraderie between the skaters, the exercise and above all, the sense of fairness she feels when she makes a good call.

10 Ballroom dancing

9Playing with my rescue pets

8Performing stand-up comedy, chasing food

trucks and getting my kids ready for college

7 Sitting on the back deck sipping wine

6Creating something

in the kitchen

5In my wife’s vegetable

garden providing appropriate supervision

4 Cutting the grass –it just won’t stop

growing

3Doing church ministry or helping

someone else

2Enjoying the outdoors

1Spending time with my family

Know an Orange County employeewho goes “above and beyond”

that should be recognized in the Orange Spiel?

Or do you volunteer “off-the-clock” and wouldlike to share your story with our readers?

Email: judi.kerr@ocfl.net

What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not working? The Orange Spiel recently polled employees to find out:

TOP

TOPTEN

TOP

TOP

TOPTOP

TOP

6 ORANGE SPIEL • September 2012

Have a question for an Orange County employee? Email: judi.kerr@ocfl.net

B E N E F I T S & W E L L N E S S

Benefit FairsDo you have questions

about a particular benefit? Who better to ask than the benefit vendors themselves! These fairs will give you the opportunity to speak face-to-face with a knowledgeable representative as well as our Orange County Benefits team. They will be held

at numerous locations throughout the County from October 4 - 22, 2012.

Open Enrollment Assistance Sessions

This is your opportunity to get hands-on assistance with making your 2013 benefit elections online. Throughout the Open Enrollment window,

Human Resources will have computers set up along with staff to assist you at various locations. These sessions will be especially helpful this year, considering we’re using PeopleSoft to enroll (instead of Bentek).

Contact your HR representative for a location near you.

The Human Resources benefits team is available to assist you via e-mail at benefits@ocfl.net and through the Benefits Hotline at 407-836-2900. You can also visit HR Corner on the Intranet for more information, and keep an eye out for comprehensive benefits information.

Open Enrollment is Only a Month Away!

the expertAsk

S E R V I C E A W A R D S & P R O M O T I O N S

BY KEYWA HENDERSON, HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION

Look who’s talking about Orange County…

@FLSrPrograms: Are you looking to get involved? We are looking for volunteers in@OrangeCoFL! #giveback #volunteer

@JoshuaCJohnson: I like to describe Orange County as “Sunny with opportunity.” I love the business climate and community here.

@Joe_Kilsheimer: Very cool! RT @OrangeCoFL: New Lake Apopka Loop Trail opens!

Join the conversation! Follow... twitter.com/OrangeCoFL facebook.com/OrangeCountyFlorida

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit _______________

at www.ocfl.net/____________

What are some great ways to de-stress at work? Slow, deep breathing is something so simple, but it helps improve your physiological functions (blood pressure, pulse, muscle tightness), as well as mental function and capacity. Other helpful de-stressors are: daily neck and wrist stretches, de-cluttering your desk at least once a week, listening to music (calming, upbeat, rock ‘n’ roll, or whatever works for you), a 5-10 minute walking break and good hearty laughter.

Why’s it so important to engage in activities to alleviate stress?

Chronic stress causes excess inflammation which leads to cell damage, disease and pain. Stopping the madness briefly and taking steps to handle

your stressors will lessen the negative effects of the inflammatory process.

What’s a quick and easy stress-buster?Take a breather with the “Legs up the Wall” exercise: lie on a mat or thick towel and get into an L-position (buttocks against the wall and legs straight up the wall). With arms at your side, palms up, and relaxed, close your eyes, breathe slowly. Stay there for at least 5 minutes.

Meet Erlene CavalereOrange County’s Wellness Coordinator

Take a look inside your Open Enrollment Toolbox for valuable resources to help you prepare.

Answer to “Where Am I?”I am located in the Orange County Administration Center in the 1st floor glass display cabinet.

Recent Posts

September 2012 • ORANGE SPIEL 7

S E R V I C E A W A R D S & P R O M O T I O N S

ADMINISTRATIVESERVICESCarlos Cuevas GonzalezFacilities Management Maintenance Coord.

Christopher N. JonesEquipment Mechanic II

COMMUNITY&ENVIRONMENTALSERVICESTodd FletcherEnvironmental Team Leader

CONVENTIONCENTERTimothy W. GrothProject Manager

Richard H. HylandExhibitor Services Supervisor

CORRECTIONSAnitra A. JonesClassification Officer

FIRERESCUEMarcel A. LewisFirefighter Paramedic 40

Alexander Ralls NovoFirefighter Paramedic 40

David B. ShepardFirefighter Paramedic 40

Jeffrey L. HansenLieutenant 56 QP

Hogla M. ReyesSr. Fiscal Coordinator

Zonece L. StadomBattalion Chief 56 Hr

GROWTHMANAGEMENTEric Raasch Jr.Planner III

Jeffrey D. BallDevelopment Coordinator

HEALTHSERVICESChristopher L. HunterAssociate EMS Medical Director

OFFICEOFACCOUNTABILITYStephen C. LeeSr. Human Reources Advisor

Christine A. MurphySr. Human Reources Advisor

Yvette WeldonBusiness Unit Financial Advisor

UTILITIESJames E. BoothField Specialist III

Matthew S. CarterIndustrial Mechanic II

Jose Repollet FigueroaOperations Specialist

The Orange Spiel is a monthly newsletter for Orange County employees. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Orange County Government. For more information or to submit an article for consideration, send to: Orange Spiel Editor, Communications Division, 201 S. Rosalind Ave. or email judi.kerr@ocfl.net. We reserve the right to edit submissions for length and clarity.

S T A F F

September Service Aw

ardsJune Prom

otions

5 YearsConvention CenterJamar EdmondsNolan P. MayodongWilliam R. Nichols

CorrectionsShaketa Adams Jose E. FialaAmy M. FriesRachel J. FusherShawn V. KellyJontae L. RandleSteve J. RollinsJose Santana Jr.Ileana SantiagoClifford A. StynesMegan Valdivia

Fire RescuePage A. AmundsonChris L. BenincasaPatrick ConnorsJose O. CottiThomas S. DennerDavid C. DiehlPeter C. FontanezJason R. FranklinFederico A. GarciaDavid A. HallFernando Hernandez IIIJohn A. HippleheuserJonathan OrgeJulio L. RamosChristophre P. RubioBrian R. Shapiro

Dupree D. SmithWilliam K. SmithJohn P. SuliverasJuan Vandessppoll Jr.David R. VibertJean Paul Wooley

Office of AccountabilityCynthia A. PierceAnnette Rodgers

UtilitiesEric R. CadieuxDaniel CortesMilton R. MorenoMaria V. Virden

10 YearsAdministrative ServicesRonald Duffy Jr.Lucila GonzalezCarlton Phillips

Community & Environmental ServicesKelvin L. Atkins

Convention CenterFabio BottecchiaRosa L. Frazier

CorrectionsWilliam R. KeisterClarice L. Woods

Court AdministrationDebbie L. Julian

Family ServicesKatherine Clemente

Debra J. HolcombCarmen O. Laboy Alma N. Robles

Fire RescueMark C. AustinThomas A. DouglasEmily A. ElliottMichael A. FernandezAnthony L. FigelMatthew M. GreeneChristopher M. HenesyGary K. HoltonPatrick D. HusicIan A. LordMichael E. Quiles Christopher G. RitchieLuis Rivera Melisa RodriguezNicolas Wilhelm Vowden

Growth ManagementMahogany D. Lee

Office of Public Engagement & Citizen AdvocacyMichael P. Seif

Public WorksJonathan J. FongAntonio M. JusticeDennis L. Wheeler

UtilitiesJames W. BoggsRoberto Gonzalez- Lozada

Sheree Lewis-YorkeOswaldo LopezDeborah E. Sponsler

15 YearsAdministrative ServicesJean G. MarcelonGustavo A. Sebastiani

Convention CenterPamela J. Cavanaugh

CorrectionsJennifer A. Koropatnicki

Growth ManagementCrystal D. Abrams

Office of AccountabilityPeter E. MillerYvonne D. Pinnock

20 YearsCorrectionsToni M. Smithee

Family ServicesKhadija C. Pirzadeh

Office of Public Engagement & Citizen AdvocacyJudi K. Kerr

Public WorksRichard J. Furbush

25 YearsAdministrative ServicesMichael J. Schwartz

CorrectionsJohn Berrisford Jr.

Family ServicesHarriet T. Mathis

Fire RescueGregg T. ArnoldJon M. HaskettRobert H. Holterman Jr.Thomas D. SawyerJoel E. ThilmonyRobert L. Wilcox

Office of AccountabilityFrank Hughes III

Public WorksPraimraj RaghunandanLuis Soto-Alemany

UtilitiesFernando GranadaRichard A. McCoy

30 YearsFire RescueKim T. NguyenDennis Tillman Jr.

35 YearsPublic WorksMichael J. CaseyCalvin L. Dyal

UtilitiesIsaiah P. DunbarWalter S. Richards Jr.

EDITOR Judi Kerr

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Gale Erwin

CONTRIBUTORS Christine Arrant

Cherie Boyce Kasey Brinkley Erlene Cavalere Toria Coughlin Lisa Damerst Tiana Davis

Christina Grover Pamela Harris

Keywa Henderson Sally Lassalle

Sharnita Marshall Christine Murphy Mimi Reggentin

Alissa Barber Torres Gwen Wilson

PHOTOGRAPHERS Mike Davies

Judi Kerr

ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISORS Laureen Martinez

Steve Triggs

Labor Day: Most Orange County facilities

will be closed.

Organic Practices in the Home Vegetable Garden:

Orange County Extension Education Center, 6021 S. Conway Rd. 2–3:30 pm. Must register. Please call 407-254-9200 for more information.

County Admin Blood Drive: Central Florida’s

Blood Centers mobile bus will be in the County Administration Building parking lot on 201 S. Rosalind Ave. Your donation today could save a life tomorrow.

Peanuts … Naturally: Exhibition from the Charles M. Schulz

Museum. Explore the “web of life” through Peanuts comic strips and fun

interactives at the Regional History Center, 65 E. Central Blvd. Adults $9/Seniors (60+), Students and Military $7/Children (5-12)

$6/Members, OC employees and children under 4 free. Details at:

thehistorycenter.org or call 407-836-8500.

at Lake Eola Park: Aimed at matching homeless pets with loving, forever homes, our rescue partners have adorable, adoptable pets in different breeds and sizes. There will be delicious cuisine, raffles, kids’ activities and information from Orange County’s best pet establishments! 10 am–4 pm. For more information, call 407-254-9145.

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Galactic Encounter Day: Stormtroopers reclaim the History Center for the Empire! See the

501st Legion: Vader’s First march through Heritage Square at 11 am. Build your own light saber, enjoy “Blue Milk,” “Wookie Cookies” and “Yoda Juice.” Price included with general admission. OC Regional History Center, 65 E. Central Blvd. Call 407-836-8500 for more information.

Fall Lawn Care: As the temperatures cool down, it is the perfect time to

start repairing the damage to your lawn caused by insects, weeds and diseases during the environmentally stressful summer months. Jessie Brock Community Center, 310 N. Dillard St., Winter Garden. Free! Pre-registration required. 6–7:30 pm. Call 407-254-9200.

2015

CPR Training: Sponsored by EMS Medical Director’s Office and Citizen’s CPR Foundation.

Four sessions: 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm & 3 pm. OC Convention Center, 9899 International Dr. Free! For more information or to register, visit www.OCFL.net/CPRtraining or call 407-836-6277.

15Family Adventure – What’s Your Story: This Grandparent’s Day, explore your family’s heritage, study your family tree, and learn family traditions with help

from your parents or grandparents. OC Regional History Center, 65 E. Central

Blvd. 1–3 p.m. $5 per child, adults free. Ages 15 & under must be accompanied by an adult. For more information,

call 407-836-8580.

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3 75 7-9 Orlando Home & Garden Show: Central Florida’s

largest and most attended home show at the OC Convention Center, North Building, Hall NB, 9400 Universal Blvd. Cost: $8 Adult/Children under 16 yrs. free/Evening rate $4. Details at www.eastcoastconsumershow.com or call 407-685-9800.

29 Dec. 31 to

Patriot Day: In memory of the victims and

heroes of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

11

SeptemberCalendar

22First Dayof Fall

First Presbyterian Health &

Fitness Fair: Flu shots, nutritional info, chair massage, Zumba demo, health food samples, & much more! First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, 106 E. Church St. Clayton Life Center (2nd fl).10:30 am–2 pm. Visit www.fpco.org/rec or call 407-206-2406.

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