The Polk Experience

Josh Hicks takes us on a tour of Davenport‘s newest community center

Growing by leaps and bounds, Davenport needed a community center.

Josh Hicks has been there since the doors opened and shares the town's vision for their future.

Artist and entrepreneur, Lakeland‘s Gillian Fazio

Both artist and entrepreneur, Gillian Fazio has paved her own way to success. Her murals can be found throughout Central Florida and even on the Central Florida Visitor Information Center in Davenport. Listen in to how, just four years out of college, she's created her own career path. 

Amada Anderson of Winter Haven Food Tours

With more than 30 restaurants in a two mile radius of downtown, Amada Anderson knew that Central Florida's Winter Haven was the perfect spot for a food tour. 

We talk food, her YouTube channel and more on this episode of the Polk Experience.  

An RV park so nice that Margaritaville came knocking

It started as a blueberry farm.

It became an RV resort

And in just a few months, Cabana Club will finish its transformation into Camp Margaritaville RV Resort and Cabana Cabins in Auburndale. The hospitality brand, named after the Jimmy Buffett beach bum classic, is known around the world.

Less known are the Cabana Cabins. More tiny house than rustic abode, these charming overnight options allow we who don’t RV to enjoy this amenity package destination.

Giving us our tour today are Alexa Russo and Beth Wiley, their marketing department’s dynamic duo.

Lakeland Originals: Gene Engle and The Orange Cup

The Orange Cup has been one of the premier powerboat races in the Southeast for nearly 90 years. For nearly all of those years, a member of the Engle family has been at the helm. Today we talk to Orange Cup Race Director Gene Engle about the fastest sport on water, powerboats that go nearly 150 mph, and the future of the Orange Cup -- to be held this year Oct. 16-17, 2021. 

A day trip to Bartow

Here's something a little different -- a proposed day trip to Bartow. 

 

We visit the Cookie Jar, Rafal Natural, the LB Brown House and the Netflix-featured, Wonder House. 

Lakeland‘s RP Funding Center hosts the world‘s largest box lacrosse event Sept. 17-19

Box lacrosse -- a six-man sport played on a court the size of a hockey rink -- might be the fastest growing discipline in the game. The Interstate Box Lacrosse Association is brining the top 17 teams in the nation to the RP Funding Center in Lakeland from Sept. 17-19 to determine its champion. 

 

We talk to Brandon Scharaga of the IBLA to learn more about the sport and what to expect this weekend.

A golf guy and a baseball guy walk into a podcast...

Meet Alex Dry and Gerald Richardson, two new members of the Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing team. 

 

Gerald comes to use from First Tee Lakeland, where he used golf as an outreach to area youth. 

 

Alex Dry comes to use from IMG in Bradenton and has an extensive background in the sport and business of baseball. 

Married living Florida Southern College legends who shaped women's sports, Norm and Kathy Benn

We start the second season of The Polk Experience with two living Florida Southern College legends, Norm and Kathy Benn.

Mrs. Benn spent 48 years at Florida Southern as a faculty member in the school’s physical education department and was instrumental in organizing the school’s women’s athletic program. She was their first coach in women’s basketball, volleyball and tennis.

Mr. Benn was the head women’s basketball coach from 1985-97. He led the Lady Moccasins to five SSC regular season titles, six SSC Tournament titles, and the team’s only South Region Championship and Elite Eight appearance.  

Union Academy graduate and NFL great Dr. Sam Silas

Wanting to test his skills against all comers, Sam Silas left Union Academy for Southern Illinois and, eventually, an eight year NFL career -- and then a career in academia. 

He's a 2020 Polk County Sports Hall of Fame inductee and one of the greatest scholar athletes ever from Polk County.