Lake Wales Arts Council Celebrates Community Creativity with Opening Reception for ''Thrown Together:
LAKE WALES, Fla. — The Lake Wales Arts Council invites the community to attend the opening reception for Thrown Together: Celebrating America in Form on Thursday, July 16, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Lake Wales Arts Council Gallery, located at 1099 Highway 60 East, Lake Wales, Florida 33853. Made possible through a Freedom 250 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Thrown Together is a unique community ceramics exhibition inspired by the national motto E Pluribus Unum—“Out of many, one.”
Local nonprofits receive more than $180,000 in grants through GiveWell Community Foundation’s Empower Grant Cycle
LAKELAND, FL (June 11, 2026) – GiveWell Community Foundation (GWCF) is pleased to announce that 32 nonprofit organizations received grants through GWCF’s 2026 Empower Hardee, Highlands & Polk grant cycle. A total of $182,309 was awarded to help these nonprofits become more efficient and sustainable by funding capacity-building investments such as technology upgrades and training for board members and staff. Funding for this type of improvement can be difficult to obtain, making the Empower grants even more
Webber’s FBLA Celebrates Successful National Leadership Conference
Babson Park, FL (June 9, 2026)- Webber International University proudly celebrates the outstanding achievements of its Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Collegiate Chapter following a remarkable performance at the 2026 FBLA Collegiate National Leadership Conference held this week in Las Vegas, Nevada.FBLA Collegiate is one of the largest and most respected student business organizations in the United States, providing members with opportunities to develop leadership skills, enhance career readiness,
Polk State College names Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas as its Sixth President
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 — The Polk State College District Board of Trustees named Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas as the institution’s sixth president on Wednesday with a 5-0 vote. Kamoutsas, currently Florida’s Commissioner of Education, will join Polk State on July 6, following Dr. Anne Kerr’s completion of service as interim president in June. “We are confident in Mr. Kamoutsas’s leadership, experience and vision to move our College forward,” Board Chair Ann Barnhart said. “We look forward to the
Wawa Summer Fun Days Back in 2026 with 8 Days of Complimentary Admission
Lake Wales, FL - Wawa and Bok Tower Gardens are teaming up again to offer Wawa Summer Fun Days featuring complimentary admission on the last Thursday and Friday of May through August.The 2025 Wawa Summer Fun Days will be May 28-29, June 25-26, July 30-31, and August 27-28.Pre-registration is requested for this complimentary offer. Visitors can register at https://boktowergardens.org/wawa-summer-fun-days-2026/ The extremely popular seek & find game "Where's Wally" will be back again adding another level
CareerSource Polk Launches 2026 Annual Meeting with Interactive Theme and Community Fundraiser
POLK COUNTY, FL. (April 20, 2026) – CareerSource Polk announces that registration is now open for its Annual Meeting and Best Places to Work Awards Breakfast, taking place Thursday, August 20, 2026, at 8:00 am at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland. FL. This year’s event marks a major milestone as CareerSource Polk celebrates 30 years of workforce development and support in Polk County. The 2026 Annual Meeting and Best Places to Work Awards Breakfast will bring together business leaders, community
Why Every Lake Wales Business Should Have a Media Kit Ready Before the Call Comes
A media kit (also called a press kit) is a curated package of materials that tells your business's story to journalists, partners, and investors — on your terms, before they ask. For businesses in Lake Wales and the broader Lakeland-Winter Haven area, where the Economic Development Council is actively drawing new attention to the region, being prepared matters. Studies show that 70% of journalists prefer finding company information independently rather than waiting for an email response — meaning if your
Scaling Market Research for a Changing Business Landscape in Lake Wales
Local businesses across the Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council face a familiar challenge: the market never sits still. As customer expectations shift and regional opportunities evolve, companies must keep their research practices nimble enough to monitor new patterns, test assumptions, and make decisions with confidence. This article explores practical ways to expand and modernize your market research without overwhelming your team or your budget. Learn below about: Why
How to Get More Customer Referrals: Smart, Strategic Moves for Small Business Owners
Attracting new customers is essential, but when your existing customers become your biggest fans, you unlock one of the most cost-effective growth levers in business: customer referrals. Referrals build trust faster than advertising. They cost less than paid search. And they scale when you build systems—not just hopes—around them. But here’s the problem: most small business owners wait for referrals instead of engineering them. Let’s fix that.Summary in a Snap If you're a small business owner and want
These Are Smart Ways to Keep Your Costs Low When Starting a Restaurant
Opening a restaurant is exciting, but the financial side can be daunting. Rent, equipment, staff, and permits quickly add up. The good news: with the right strategy, you can keep costs lean without cutting corners. 1. Start Small Before Scaling Instead of investing heavily in a large location, many first-time owners test their concept in lower-cost formats: Food trucks or pop-up kitchens Shared commissary kitchens Weekend farmer’s market booths These options help validate your menu,
Beneath the Surface: What Founders Miss About Risk Until It Bites Back
Launching a startup is often described as a leap of faith, but that metaphor misses something important—it implies a single moment of risk. In truth, starting and scaling a company means walking a daily tightrope, balancing opportunity with uncertainty, growth with exposure, ambition with fragility. The mythology around entrepreneurship loves to spotlight risk-takers as if recklessness is a virtue, but smart founders know better. Risk isn't just something to stomach—it's something to study, strategize,
The CTA, BOI and FinCEN: What Does this Mean for Lake Wales, FL Businesses?
The Corporate Transparency Act may require certain U.S. companies to disclose beneficial ownership information to FinCEN to combat financial crimes. While a Texas federal district court’s preliminary injunction puts this requirement on hold, many experts expect that to be overturned. In that event, failure to file could lead to fines of $500 per day, up to a maximum of $10,000, and possible criminal penalties. Read more for details on how this may impact your business in the future. 1. Determine if
Business Acrobatics: Adobe Tools Help Women Entrepreneurs Nail the Landing
As we celebrate Women's Small Business Month this October, it's important to recognize the innovative tools that empower women entrepreneurs to streamline their operations and drive growth. Adobe Acrobat offers a suite of features designed to enhance productivity, making it easier to manage documents, collaborate with teams, and handle essential business tasks efficiently. For women business owners looking to save time and focus on scaling their ventures, these solutions can be a game-changer in
