The Tigers will begin the exhibition schedule on Tuesday, March 2 as the club battles Florida Southern College in the annual matchup against the Moccasins. The club opens the home portion of the Grapefruit League schedule against the Toronto Blue Jays at Joker Marchant Stadium on Thursday, March 4. The schedule is highlighted by visits from the World Series Champion New York Yankees on March 10, March 13 and March 27. The schedule also features two visits from the National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies on March 12 and March 20. Tickets for the 2010 spring exhibition season will be priced at two separate levels. The first set is for premium games, which include all games against the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees and all Friday, Saturday and Sunday games. The second price level is for the remainder of the schedule. Premium game ticket prices range from $11-22, while the ticket prices for the remainder of games range from $8-19.

Full season ticket packages for the 2010 Tigers Spring Training exhibition season are on sale now at the Joker Marchant Stadium ticket office, via phone at (863) 686-8075 or by visiting www.tigers.com. Fans may also now purchase partial season ticket plans of five-or-more games by calling (863) 686-8075. Individual game tickets go on sale beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 9th, and can be ordered by visiting the ticket office at Joker Marchant Stadium, calling 866-66-TIGER or visiting www.tigers.com. For additional ticket information and special group pricing, call the Lakeland office at 863-686-8075.

Tues. March 2 vs. Florida Southern College – Lakeland 1:05
Wed. March 3 at Toronto – Dunedin 1:05
Thur. March 4 vs. Toronto – Lakeland 1:05
Fri. March 5  vs. Houston – Lakeland 1:05
Sat. March 6 vs. Baltimore – Lakeland 1:05
Sun. March 7 at Toronto – Dunedin 1:05
Mon. March 8 vs. Atlanta – Lakeland 1:05
Tues. March 9 at Washington – Viera 1:05
Wed. March 10 vs. New York Yankees – Lakeland 1:05
Thur. March 11 at Philadelphia – Clearwater 1:05
Fri. March 12 vs. Philadelphia (SS) – Lakeland 1:05
Sat. March 13 vs. New York Yankees (SS) – Lakeland 1:05
at New York Mets (SS) – Port St. Lucie 1:10
Sun. March 14 vs. Tampa Bay – Lakeland 1:05*
Mon. March 15 vs. Toronto – Lakeland 1:05
Tues. March 16 at Philadelphia - Clearwater 1:05
Wed. March 17 at Pittsburgh – Bradenton 1:05
Thur. March 18 vs. Houston – Lakeland 1:05
Fri. March 19 at New York Yankees (SS)-  Tampa TBD
at Atlanta (SS) – Disney World 6:05
Sat. March 20 vs. Philadelphia – Lakeland 1:05
Sun. March 21 at New York Yankees-  Tampa TBD
Mon. March 22 at Toronto – Dunedin 1:05
Tue. March 23 vs. Washington – Lakeland 6:05
Wed. March 24 – - – - – - – - – - – - – — – - O p e n D a t e – - – - – - – - – - -
Thur. March 25 vs. Toronto (SS) – Lakeland 1:05
at Washington (SS) – Viera 7:05
Fri. March 26 at Atlanta – Disney World 1:05
Sat. March 27 vs. New York Yankees – Lakeland 1:05
Sun. March 28 at New York Yankees – Tampa TBD
Mon. March 29 at Toronto – Dunedin 1:05
Tue. March 30 at Baltimore – Sarasota 1:05
Wed. March 31 vs. Pittsburgh – Lakeland 1:05
Thur. April 1 vs. Atlanta (SS) – Lakeland 1:05
at Houston (SS) Kissimmee 1:05
Fri. April 2 at Milwaukee-  Milwaukee 8:10
Sat. April 3 at Milwaukee – Milwaukee 2:10

All time is Eastern (Detroit) Time * Daylight Savings Time begins

DIRECTIONS:  From the intersection of US92 and US17 go north to Lake Alfred and turn right on Mackay Blvd. Follow this road to the second set of black gates on the right – turn right, parking is inside gates on the right.

This year there are a total of 20 trails from which to choose.  All trails include approved geocaches that can be located with or without a GPS unit!   Five new properties have been added and additional or new caches have been placed on some of the original trails. Three Bok Bonus Treks are available this year; entrance fees to Bok Tower Gardens are waived for those participants who present their game card at the gate showing 4 validated treks. 

Trek Ten Trails is a web-based program.  Instructions for all hikes are posted on the Friends of the Parks website and available for downloading at www.friendsoftheparks.net .  New game cards, which participants stamp and return to be entered into the year end prize drawings, are available at libraries, Polk Outpost 27, the Lake Wales Depot Museum and at the ten hosted hike events listed below.  Validated game cards must be received by mid October 2010 (date TBA) to be eligible for prize drawings and a certificate of completion. 

• Oct. 31, 2009 – Circle B-Bar Reserve
• Nov. 14, 2009 – Mackay Gardens & Lakeside Preserve
• Dec. 12, 2009 – Colt Creek State Park
• Jan. 9, 2010 – Lake Kissimmee State Park
• Jan. 30, 2010 – Peace River Hammock
• Feb. 13, 2010 – Tiger Creek Preserve
• Mar. 13, 2010 – Lake Wales Ridge State Forest
• Apr. 10, 2010 – Lakeland Highlands Scrub Preserve
• Sep. 18, 2010 – Van Fleet State Trail
• Oct. 2, 2010 – Mosaic Peace River Park

 For more information contact Marian Ryan 863-293-6961, marianryan@gmail.com  or Glenda Mink 863-534-4340, glendamink@polk-county.net

Jerry Uelsmann, Untitled, 1987, Gelatin Silver Print, 16 x 20 inches, Collection of Lee and Becky Jackson

Polk Museum of Art’s upcoming exhibition, The Surreal Photography of Jerry Uelsmann, is certain to be a favorite among people who love photography or surrealism. The artist, Jerry Uelsmann, is a former University of Florida photography professor, and he’s been creating dream-like images in his darkroom longer than Photoshop has been around! He uses up to 7 enlarges to create composite images from his original negatives, and then develops the paper using traditional chemical processes.

The exhibition will be a 50 year retrospective of Uelsmann’s work, and it will be on display November 14 – January 17.

- Assorted Salad Display
- Peel & Eat Shrimp
- Antipasto & Cheese Display
- Chef Carved Ham & Turkey
- Teriyaki Grilled Salmon
- Chicken Italian
 Mashtini Bar
- Mashed Idaho & Sweet Potatoes served up in a martini glass with all your favorite toppings
- Cheese Tortellini Alfredo
- Chef’s Selection Seasonal Vegetables
- Fresh Green Beans Almandine
- Dessert Display featuring Chocolate Mousse, Miniature Pastries,Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Pie, Pecan Pie, Cheesecake and more

On Saturday, November 7, join Winter Haven designer and caterer Phillip Burkhart for this hands-on opportunity. All you have to do is provide your own container. Phillip is bringing the rest, including a boxed lunch that will be served in between the two sessions: one session is 10:30am-1:30pm and the other is 12:30-3:30pm. The cost for the workshop, including lunch, is $30 for Museum Members and $35 for Non-members.

Call 863-688-5423 to register because space is limited!

We have already told you about the great event that Bok Tower Gardens hosts in November called Sunset & Symphony, but now we want to give you the opportunity to go to the event and see for yourself how great it is….for FREE. Just leave a comment on this post (make sure to leave your name and email address-so we can contact you if you win) and we will select two winners who will each receive a pair of tickets to the event on Saturday, November 7th at 6pm. The deadline to leave a comment is 5pm on Monday, October 26. So, comment away and good luck!

Also, please remember to follow us on Twitter– @sunnycentralfl –for the latest information about all there is to see and do in Sunny Central Florida.

This year’s theme is “Fanfare for Opera” and the Orlando Philharmonic will perform selections from “Candide” by Leonard Bernstein, “The Phantom of the Opera” by Andrew Lloyd Webber, “Can Can” from “Orpheus in the Underworld” by Jacques Offenbach, “Carmen Suite” by Georges Bizet, “The Barber of Seville” by Gioacchino Rossini along with patriotic favorites and more under the direction of guest conductor Joseph Mechavich. Soprano Janette Zilioli will sing selections from “La Boheme” by Giacomo Puccini, “The Merry Widow” by Franz Lehar and “Summertime” from “Porgy and Bess” by George Gershwin.

Event gates open at 3:30 p.m. The Instrument Petting Zoo will begin at 4:30 p.m. Located on the Garden Activities Center lawn, families can try their hands at a variety of instruments with the help of Orlando Philharmonic musicians.Visitors can also enter a drawing for a tour of the Singing Tower or a $100 gift certificate to the Tower & Garden Gift Shop. Tickets will be available at the Information Tent near the concert seating area. The popular picnic contest will award prizes for Most Elegant, Most Original and Best Fall. Winners will be announced during intermission.

Preordered boxed picnic selections are available from the Blue Palmetto Café for $8.50 and $10.50 plus tax and can be picked up November 7 until 5:45 p.m. Call 863-676-1355 for advance orders. Chicken and yellow rice, hot dogs, snacks and beverages including beer and wine will be available for sale at the Hilltop Café from 3:30 to 8:00 p.m. The Gift Shop and Visitor Center will remain open until after the concert.Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets, insect repellent and flashlights. Handicapped parking and shuttle service will be available.

Tickets may be purchased online at www.boktowergardens.org, at Bok Tower Gardens, Citizens Bank & Trust, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra (407-770-0071), and Chambers of Commerce in Lake Wales, Bartow, Haines City, Lakeland and Winter Haven. For more information, call the event line at 863-734-1222.

Here is a list of movies you can catch during the month of October in the historic theatre:

Food, Inc.: October 2 – 4
Starring:Eric Schlosser, Joel Salatin, Richard Lobb, Carole Morison, Troy Roush
Directed by: Robert Kenner II
Running time: 1 hr. 34 min. – Rated PG
The veil on our nation’s food industry is lifted, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that’s been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government’s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment.

 Is Anybody There?: October 9 – 11
Starring:Michael Caine, Bill Milner, Anne-Marie Duff, David Morrissey, Rosemary Harris
Directed by: John Crowley
Running time: 1 hr. 32 min. – Rated PG-13
Set in 1980’s seaside England, ten-year-old Edward’s parents have turned their house into a retirement home. Edward’s is a lonely existence until he meets Clarence, the latest arrival at the home, a retired magician and grieving widower who refuses to give in gracefully to old age. Together they discover what magic is possible when life is lived to its fullest.

Everlasting Moments:  October 17 & 18
Starring:Maria Heiskanen, Jesper Christensen, Mikael Persbrandt, Amanda Ooms
Directed by:Jan Troell
Running Time: 2 hrs. 11 min. – Not Rated
In early 1900’s Sweden, a time of social change and unrest, war and poverty, a young working class woman wins a camera in a lottery. The camera alters Maria’s whole life, granting her new eyes with which to see the world. Trouble ensues when her alcoholic, womanizing husband feels threatened by his wife’s newfound outlook on life.

American Violet: October 24 & 25
Starring:Nicole Beharie, Tim Blake Nelson, Will Patton, Michael O’Keefe, Xzibit
Directed by: Tim Disney
Running Time: 1 hr. 43 min. - Rated PG-13
Based on the true story of Dee Roberts, a single African-American mother, who struggles to clear her name after being wrongly accused and arrested for dealing drugs in an impoverished town in Texas. She is faced with fighting an unyielding criminal justice system, risking everything in a battle that forever changes her life and the Texas justice system.

Rocky Horror Picture Show: October 30 & 31 – 8:00 p.m.
General admission tickets: $15 adults
Let’s do the TIME WARP again…featuring choreography by the Lipstick Players. An annual joint fundraiser
to benefit the Polk Theatre & Florida Dance Theatre.
Doors open at 8:00 p.m.for live music and pre-show activities. Movie starts at midnight. Tickets are $15 at
the door, from the Polk Theatre office 863-682-7553 or on line at www.polktheatre.org

My adventure at the Florida Skydiving Center began at 4:45 a.m. on what seemed to be a cloudy with a chance of showers day.  I live in Tampa four days out of the week so I had quite a drive to the other side of Polk County on the day of my dive.  The cool part was that I was able to being 4 friends from Tampa with me so they got to experience a little bit of Polk County that day as well. We arrived in Lake Wales at the Florida Skydiving Center around 7:45 a.m. & were shocked to see how many other people were arriving to sky dive that day.  If I had to guess, I would say that well over 100 people jumped that day, many for the first time.  The staff members were very helpful and once outfitted with gear for my Tandem jump I was ready to take off with my videographers in tow. For me, the best part of the jump was the actual exit from the plane.  And, I can definitely say that I never even thought for a second about how fast we would be going during free fall.  My free fall was at 128 mph for 52 seconds from 15,000 feet!  It was amazing.  I was in disbelief that I was never afraid.  I just kind of got in the plane and jumped out. After free fall to 6,000 feet my instructor pulled the chute (because I couldn’t find it) and we floated in and out of clouds for the next 7 minutes.  After some maneuvers with the chute, I am not going to lie, I got a little queasy.  Actually, I was very queasy. As we prepared to land all I could think of was “I was never good at sliding in softball, so this should be interesting.”  Despite my uneasiness, our landing was great! Now, days later, I am planning another trip to the Florida Skydiving Center.  Some of my friends that jumped that day are planning to attend the Accelerated Free fall instruction so they can become certified and jump alone.  I am not so sure if that is for me, but who knows, I never thought I would skydive to begin with. I highly recommend skydiving at the Florida Skydiving Center at least once in your life!