Travisma 1,317 Posted February 20, 2018 Report Share Posted February 20, 2018 Rollins College is honoring 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood' 50th anniversary with self-guided tour It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood as Monday marks the 50th anniversary of the "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" premiere on PBS. Fred Rogers' alma mater, Rollins College, is celebrating by offering patrons a free self-guided walking tour.The Orlando Sentinel reports the tour starts at the Cornell Fine Arts Museum where Rogers' sweater and sneakers, which he donated to the college in 1991, are on display.People are encouraged to "walk" in Rogers' sneakers by taking a stroll around campus as he once did. The stops include: Tiedtke Concert Hall, home to a large portrait of Rogers, painted by local artist Don Sondag; Rogers' old dormitory at Lyman Hall, which features a stone from his hometown in Latrobe, Pennsylvania; Strong Hall, where a marble plaque engraved with Rogers' motivational phrase "Life is for Service," is mounted; and Olin Library, where his personal collection of books, letters and photos are there for all to see. Admission is free at Cornell Fine Arts Museum, and the self-guided tours will be available starting Tuesday, Feb. 20 through Tuesday, March 20. Rogers graduated magna cum laude from Rollins College in 1951 with a degree in music composition. He met his wife, Sara Joanne Byrd, while attending classes."Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" ran on television from Feb. 19, 1968 through 2001. Shortly after, Rogers died at the age of 74 in 2003 due to stomach cancer. He leaves a legacy in Winter Park where his trademark combo of his cardigan sweater and sneakers continue to live on. ROLLINS COLLEGE1000 Holt Ave.Winter Park, FL 32789 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
djsamuel 322 Posted February 20, 2018 Report Share Posted February 20, 2018 If you go there, there is a great pizzeria on Fairbanks in Winter Park called Antonella's. Well worth the stop. Just down the road from Rollins. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PGHFiend 140 Posted February 21, 2018 Report Share Posted February 21, 2018 He's my hometown guy....I grew up with this man. If you ever get a chance, come to town and see his bronze sculpture. On a side note, when I was growing up, Handy Man Joe Negri lived in the house behind us. If you know who that is, upvotes for you! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Travisma 1,317 Posted February 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2018 21 minutes ago, PGHFiend said: He's my hometown guy....I grew up with this man. If you ever get a chance, come to town and see his bronze sculpture. On a side note, when I was growing up, Handy Man Joe Negri lived in the house behind us. If you know who that is, upvotes for you! I cheated and looked him up, amazing! I was the Howdy Doody, Captain Kangaroo, Soupy Sales, Romper Room generation. My kids didn't really watch Me Rogers that much. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted February 21, 2018 Report Share Posted February 21, 2018 Winter Park and Rollins College are cool places to visit. Here's something else near Disney that might be worth doing: Open-mic night at Pilars is a hot spot for Disney talent Associated Press Published: February 18, 2018 Updated: February 18, 2018 at 09:05 PM WINTER GARDEN — At the end of the day, when the tourists are gone, Disney performers head out to their favorite spot to keep on singing after their shifts are over. Every Thursday, they perform at open-mic night at Pilars, a Winter Garden martini bar that’s developed a loyal following the past five years. Joey Fatone of *NSync fame might show up — or the original Belle who opened up Beauty and the Beast Live at Hollywood Studios. Others are retired from performing but want a moment on stage again. Host Billy Flanigan, a 35-year Disney performer, once played Barbie’s famous boyfriend at Epcot. Kelly Richards, known for his piano-playing at Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Epcot’s Rose and Crown pub, provides the music. The mood is light. If a police officer walks in, Richards spontaneously bursts into YMCA. Flanigan introduces singers with fake biographies, like, "This woman is a nun," or, "Here is Miss Winter Garden 1959." Yet the talent can be serious. Winter Garden is a bedroom community for the people who perform at the nearby theme parks, says Pilars owner, Becky Roper. "You’ll hear people who sang for decades entertaining thousands and thousands of people. They come out and sing a song and you think, ‘Wow. They have something really special,’" said Juan Cantu, a performer and director who sang in Disney’s Tarzan show at Animal Kingdom. The regulars, who don’t like change so they sing their favorites over and over again every week, cheer her on. They scoff at the word "karaoke" — no, call it open-mic night. Broadway songs tend to be favorites. Even in a room full of Disney enthusiasts, you won’t ever hear Let It Go, the song from the movie Frozen that is on repeat for little girls everywhere. Let It Go is notorious for its difficult-to-hit high notes. A screechy singer who could be heard down the street was partly responsible for the bar owner’s permanent ban. On a recent night, Shari Skaling sets down her Bud Light and then nails a high note in a Phantom of the Opera song, All I Ask of You. Flanigan gives the microphone early in the night to a real-estate agent who isn’t intimidated by the Thursday traditions. He is here for the first time and confidently sings a Spanish song. A 94-year-old who sits in the corner with his cane gets up and performs a Glenn Miller big-band-era song. And What a Wonderful World serves as a go-to for Joy Andersen, who interacts with guests at Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, an attraction at Magic Kingdom. She calls Pilars her "safe place." As Andersen, 51, mourned her husband’s death, her friends coaxed her to go out on a Thursday night. Andersen kept coming back, sometimes bringing her tap shoes or a strawberry pie to share. "It’s become Winter Garden’s version of Cheers," Flanigan says. "Everybody knows everybody and if they don’t, I introduce them." http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tourism/Open-mic-night-at-Pilars-is-a-hot-spot-for-Disney-talent_165616784 I asked my daughters about this, and they haven't heard about this place- it sounds like it could be interesting. TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
twiceblessed....nacole 433 Posted February 21, 2018 Report Share Posted February 21, 2018 Very neat. This post made me smile ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ivy 36 Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 On 2/20/2018 at 8:19 PM, PGHFiend said: He's my hometown guy....I grew up with this man. If you ever get a chance, come to town and see his bronze sculpture. On a side note, when I was growing up, Handy Man Joe Negri lived in the house behind us. If you know who that is, upvotes for you! I grew up watching him too. Watched him everyday after school. He was a good man. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fladogfan aka Gretchen 259 Posted February 22, 2018 Report Share Posted February 22, 2018 A gentle man. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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