Happy Monday, South Laker!

I've missed this. Two weeks without hitting "send" on our newsletter, and honestly, it didn't feel like a break at all.

I heard from several of you wondering where I'd gone, so let me explain: I took an accidental pause while digging deeper into our corner of Lake County, and I'm grateful for the nudge to get back to it.

As you know, I do this for you. So let's catch up on everything happening around Clermont and South Lake.

Let’s dive in.

— Charlie Ferrer

Free Seminar Connects Entrepreneurs with Lenders
The Florida SBDC at Lake County is hosting a free seminar on September 24 at Cooper Memorial Library in Clermont, featuring an expert lenders panel. Local entrepreneurs and business owners can meet face to face with representatives from Bank of America, Regions Bank, and the Small Business Administration to explore funding options.

Montverde Students Help Pack a Million Meals
Upper School students from Montverde Academy teamed up with Light Orlando's Project Hunger to assemble meal kits for families facing food insecurity. Volunteers, including members of the girls' volleyball and basketball teams, helped power a community wide effort that produced one million meals.

New Eye Clinic Expands Vision Care on SR 50
Central Florida Eye Specialists celebrated the grand opening of its new office on State Road 50 with a ribbon cutting hosted by the South Lake Chamber of Commerce. The new location gives Clermont area residents expanded access to specialized vision care and advanced eye treatments.

Golf Tournament Tees Off for Student Athletes
The South Lake County Fellowship of Christian Athletes will host its 3rd Annual Heart and Soul Golf Tournament on October 2 at Clermont National Golf Club. The shotgun scramble brings together local leaders, business partners, and volunteers to raise funds supporting youth sports ministry, coaches, and student-athletes.

Place to Eat Right now
Mochiry Clermont brings an exciting, trendy dessert and street-food concept in Clermont that specializes in freshly fried mochi donuts and authentic Korean rice hotdogs. Check out their Instagram.

Factor offers chef-crafted, dietitian-approved meals ready to eat in 2 minutes. Choose from 100+ weekly meals, including High Protein, GLP-1 Support, Calorie Smart, and Keto options.

Get 50% off your first Factor box + Free Breakfast for a year *1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription active.

Try Factor Now

Quick note: A reader-recommended find I wanted to pass along. I haven't tried it myself yet, but the concept (chef-made meals ready in 2 minutes, no cooking) seemed worth sharing if you're short on time these days.

Here are some construction and road updates in the South Lake area.

🚗U.S. 27 Resurfacing (North of S.R. 50 to C.R. 561A / Southern Breeze Dr): Resurfacing along this 2.6-mile corridor with overnight single-lane closures (8:30 PM - 6:30 AM) and ADA sidewalk upgrades. (Track Project 450740-1)

🚜 S.R. 50 / S.R. 33 Realignment & Widening (C.R. 565 / Villa City Rd to 2nd Ave): Major corridor work addressing intersection safety, drainage improvements, and capacity for daily East-West commuters. (Track Project 427056-1)

🚴‍♂️ South Lake Trail Phase IIIB Extension (2nd Ave to Silver Eagle Rd):
Active connector trail construction expanding non-vehicular paths linking South Lake to regional trail systems. (Track Project 422570-3)

🛑 All Lake County Roadwork & Active Lane Closures:
See the complete live list of District 5 resurfacing, traffic light enhancements, and bridge inspections across all Lake County corridors. (View All FDOT Lake County Projects)

In 1895, two brothers established a turpentine still just north of the local lake. The settlement soon prospered through turpentine and lumber operations. But by 1922, the town council decided that the growing, tree-lined citrus community needed a new identity.

^{*Answer at the bottom of this email.}

Veterans are warmly invited to join for coffee, conversation, and camaraderie. This welcoming gathering is a chance to connect with fellow veterans, share experiences, build new friendships, and learn about helpful local resources.

📅 Wednesday, September 16 | 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
📍 1601 Hooks Street, Clermont, FL 34711

Click here for event details

Martini Monday in Dobel Lounge | Clermont
📍 The View
🕰️ 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Pokemon Card Trade Night | Clermont
📍 The View
🕰️ 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Tuesday night Run Group | Clermont
📍 The View
🕰️ 6:45 PM - 9:45 PM

Vet-to-Vet Cafe | Clermont
📍 1601 Hooks Street
🕰️ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Wednesday Social Bike Ride | Clermont
📍 1675 Hancock Rd.
🕰️ 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Music Bingo Hosted by Funk Master K & Sweet Beatz | Clermont
📍 The View
🕰️ 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Voice your concerns!

Clermont

Clermont City Council Workshop
📍 Clermont City Hall
🕰️ September 15, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Smoke Alarm Battery Replacements
📍 Clermont Fire Department
🕰️ September 16, All Day

Minneola

Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting
📍 Minneola City Hall
🕰️ September 14, Starts at 6:30 PM

Final Budget Hearing
📍 Minneola City Hall
🕰️ September 14, Starts at 6:30 PM

Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting
📍 Minneola City Hall
🕰️ September 15, Starts at 6:30 PM

City Council Meeting
📍 Minneola City Hall
🕰️ September 15, Starts at 6:30 PM

Groveland

First Public Budget Hearing
📍 E. L. Puryear Building / Community Center
🕰️ September 16 17, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Montverde

Town Council Special Meeting
📍 Town Hall
🕰️ September 15, Starts at 6:30 PM

Mascotte

No council meetings this week.

The trivia answer is Groveland.

If you found something useful in this newsletter, pass it along to your friends and family, and especially those still looking for things to do.

See you in the next edition!