Clermont, FL – The South Lake Chamber of Commerce hosted its 33rd Annual Teacher Appreciation Breakfast on Monday and Tuesday, August 7-8, 2023, at the Living Hope Church of Clermont. The event was presented by CEMEX and AdventHealth and celebrated 1,600 local educators just days before the start of the new school year.

Teacher Appreciation Breakfast was a resounding success, with every teacher receiving a goodie bag filled with gift cards from local businesses. The Chamber also gave away more than 350 door prizes, valued at over $25,000.

The event was well attended by teachers who enjoyed a delicious breakfast and an inspiring address from Lake County Superintendent Diane Kornegay and Lake County Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership, Scott Flowers.

“Our teachers work tirelessly to educate and inspire our children, and this event is a way to display our appreciation for their hard work,” said David Colby, President & CEO of the South Lake Chamber of Commerce.

One of the most exciting and loudest parts of the program is the Spirit Award Contest sponsored by Addition Financial, J Sterling Wellness Spa, and Office Depot. This competition is designed to recognize the school that displayed the most spirit. The grand prize winners were awarded $1,000 in printing services to Office Depot. The three schools that embodied the spirit contest were South Lake High School, Cecil E. Gray Middle School, and Grassy Lake Elementary.

The South Lake Chamber proudly announced that it has donated a total of $6,000 to our local schools. This contribution was divided equally among Lake Minneola High School, Cecil E. Gray Middle School, and Sawgrass Bay Elementary School, with each school receiving a $2,000 South Lake Chamber School Grant. In the past, we have seen these donations go towards creating a more comfortable and welcoming environment for our hardworking teachers, as well as providing exciting events and new technology for our students.

The teachers were visibly thrilled with the gifts and felt appreciated for their hard work and dedication. The event was a great way to kick off the new school year and left everyone feeling uplifted and appreciated.

The South Lake Chamber is committed to supporting local educators and looks forward to continuing the Teacher Appreciation Breakfast that celebrates their hard work and dedication.

We want to extend a special thank you to our Teacher Appreciation Committee. This event would not be possible without their dedication and commitment to the success of this event:

• Michelle Michnoff, Chair
• Amanda Hansen, Seacoast Bank
• Amanda Nethero, New Heights Communication
• Dallis Wehr, Living Hope Church of Clermont
• David Colby, South Lake Chamber Staff
• Jill Swidler, Everly Marketing & Events
• Kelly Armstrong, South Lake Chamber Staff
• Kelly Stone, Lake County Sheriff’s Office
• Leesa Hodges, The Hauff Company
• Lori Wuchevich, A-Z Bookkeeping Services
• Meghan Brummert, Orlando Health South Lake Hospital
• Nate Edmund, South Lake Chamber Staff
• Pat Carricciolo, Pat the Dog Pet Resorts
• Renee Lowe, Roe Family Chiropractic
• Shahanaz Rahaman, South Lake Chamber Staff
• Sheri Spivey, CEMEX
• Stephanie Walter, Stephanie Walter Promotions
• Stephen Elmore, Living Hope Church of Clermont
• Timothy Smith, Thrivent

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our wonderful sponsors for their unwavering support and contribution towards the 33rd Annual Teacher Appreciation Breakfast.

Presenting Sponsors

• CEMEX
• AdventHealth

Premier Sponsors

• Kroger Delivery
• Living Hope Church of Clermont
• South Lake Democratic Club
• Stephanie Walter Promotions

Community Partner Sponsor

• BlueLight Health

Spirit Sponsors

• Addition Financial
• J Sterling Wellness Spa
• Office Depot

Partnering Sponsors

• Dahl Family Law Group
• State Representative Keith Truenow
• Lake-Sumter State College
• New Beginnings
• New Heights Communication
• Orlando Health South Lake Hospital
• Sai Photography (Official Photographer for Teacher Appreciation Breakfast)
• Uncle Matts Organic

Centerpiece Sponsor

• Kim E’s Flowers

Contributing Sponsors

• City of Clermont Police Department
• DWC Outdoors & Hauling
• Find, Feed & Restore
• Insight Credit Union
• Modern Orthodontics
• Optima One Realty
• Sylvan Learning of Clermont
• Watson Realty Corps. Realtors

Supporting Sponsors

• Be Like Ike Foundation
• Beta Theta ESA
• City of Clermont
• Educational Foundation of Lake County
• First Baptist Church of Groveland
• Foxtail Coffee Co.
• Hancock Real Estate
• HouseMaster Home Inspections
• Regina Cruz-Morales – Keller Williams Elite Partners III Realty
• Kiwanis Club of Clermont
• Lake County Sherrif’s Charities
• Metes & Bounds Title Company
• Story Church

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