Paranormal Investigation in Four Corners Theme Park
March 22, 2010 by Jim Siegel
Filed under Around Town
Local resident Gary Revelt doesn’t seem like a ghostbuster. He doesn’t wear a Proton-Pack or carry a containment trap. But he does have a passionate curiosity of paranormal activity. So he couldn’t pass up an opportunity to actually participate in a real-life paranormal investigation, at perhaps the most lucrative location in Central Florida, Fantasy of Flight.
Fantasy of Flight, located a few miles down I-4 from Celebration, is the home of the largest private airplane collection in the United States. The collection, owned by entrepreneur Kermit Weeks, features 40 fully restored vintage aircraft, displays of a long-gone era.
Since the collection opened to the public in 1995, staff and visitors began exchanging stories of unexplained occurrences such as unidentifiable noises, temperature changes and the detection of mists and shadows. Reports of these occurrences spread into the paranormal community. Apollo Paranormal Investigations (API), a non-profit investigative team out of Apollo, Fla., took notice (www.apolloparanormal.com). Explained Fantasy of Flight General Manager Kim Long, “API contacted us and requested an opportunity to investigate. At first I was skeptical, but after a few meetings with them, we agreed.”
Surprisingly, there are over a dozen paranormal investigations organizations in Florida. Most, including API, seem to specialize in investigations in private residences.
Last year, API’s team of paranormal investigators (or “ghost hunters” to which they are more dramatically referred in the popular media) conducted a series of scientific explorations through Fantasy of Flight, and on a paranormal-activity scale between 1 and 10 assigned the vintage aircraft collection … an 11! Based on API’s conclusions, Fantasy of Flight decided to open the experience to the public in an event named “nightFlight,” an after-hours program that offers adventurous visitors such as Revelt four full hours to “explore the unexplained.”
“I personally believe the apparitions and energies that have been experienced are not only connected to specific airplanes exhibited, but the environment they are housed in as well,” said Fantasy of Flight owner and creator Kermit Weeks. “There have been movements of objects, voices heard, apparitions showing up in photos and actual sightings! Fantasy of Flight is all about going beyond ourselves and we encourage not only our guests, but our paranormal friends as well!”
The nightFlight program was limited to 30 participants. The event began at 9:30 pm on a Saturday evening with a summary of occurrences to date and investigation results. The 30 participants were then organized into three groups of 10, and an API investigator was assigned to lead each. Participants were trained in the use of the scientific instruments and the use of a scientific approach to paranormal investigations, in order to determine the difference between coincidences and inexplicable phenomenon. In addition, API had already installed a variety of video cameras and other devices around the facility to continuously collect additional data to validate or refute group observations.
For the next several hours, the groups alternately visited a half dozen mostly-World War II aircraft locations within the cavernous Fantasy of Flight buildings, quietly seated or standing with senses on high alert, collecting electromagnetic and temperature data, and investigating strange noises, temperature gradients, and what seemed to be voices. Revelt had brought his own instruments, a K2 meter and an electromagnetic field sensor.
The three groups rendezvoused about 12:30 am and spent over an hour discussing observations, some of which might be explained but others that could easily not. Following the evening of investigation, API planned to evaluate the data and issue a report to all participants.
Revelt seemed very excited with the experience. “I got a chance to work with real paranormal investigators. It was great. If I can, I’d like to bring my 18 year old daughter next time.” His own observations and instrument readings suggested to him that there was actually something paranormal there.
A Celebration resident who preferred to remain anonymous agreed. “I experienced some unusual activity in there,” that person said. “I could sense the presence of paranormal entities, particularly strong in the World War II B-17 briefing room, the aircraft carrier flight deck lined with Corsairs, and the inside of a double-decker 1930s trans-oceanic airliner. I was surprised by the willingness of the spirits to communicate.”
Response to nightFlight has been so strong that 4 more sessions are planned. Two are already sold out, but reservations remain for the nights of February 20 and March 6, both at 9:30 pm Saturday. (www.fantasyofflight.com)
At a per person cost of $75, the experience is a bit pricey, but extremely unique. The best aspect of the experience was to take part and actually operate the instruments to collect data. A nice assortment of food was served during the initial briefing; coffee and sweets were served for the final debrief.
We didn’t get slimed with ectoplasm, see any demonic apparitions, or run into the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. There were no rattling chains or floating white sheets.
But even the skeptics seemed to have fun, and to some others the implications seemed profound. And Revelt seemed more convinced than ever that there really is paranormal activity that can’t be explained.
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Celebration, Florida Church Dedicated
March 18, 2010 by Jim Siegel
Filed under Around Town
Father Gregory Parkes (left), pastor of Celebration’s Corpus Christi Catholic Church, leads an overflow congregation in thanking Orlando Diocese Bishop Thomas Wenki (seated, third from left) on the occasion of the January 16 formal dedication of their new church on Celebration Avenue. It was Bishop Wenski who created the parish, directed the purchase of the land, and supported the parishioners during the fund-raising and construction phases. The two-hour dedication rite that makes a structure and altar sacred is heavy on both ritual and prayer, and its purpose is to prepare the faithful to receive the Eucharist, which Catholics believe is Christ’s body and blood. The dedication ritual originated in the fourth century and has evolved since. Over time, more expressive and ceremonial elements were added to the dedication, including the sprinkling of holy water, rubbing the top surface of the altar with scared chrism, and the anointing of the church’s walls with oil. Said Bishop Wenski at the conclusion of the Dedication Mass, “God really does not need this temple — the earth and all that it contains is his temple. No, God didn’t need this church. You did. The people of Celebration needed this new temple … so that you could worship in better surroundings, with more adequate seating, so that your celebrations would be more fitting for the Sacred Mysteries that you are celebrating.” Weekend masses are 5:30 pm Saturday, and on Sunday at 8:30 am, 10:30 am, and 5:30 pm.
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Celebration Students in State Concert
March 14, 2010 by Jim Siegel
Filed under Around Town
Two Celebration high school students recently participated in an annual concert sponsored by the Florida Music Educators’ Association and held in Tampa. The concert not only features the best high school musical talent in the State but also raises awareness about the importance of the Arts in a well-rounded education. The four-day event included intensive instruction and coaching by several renowned conductors.
North Village resident Camilla Tassi performed in the final event of the week, the All-State Concert Chorus which highlighted both vocal and orchestra high school performers. Camilla graduated from Celebration K-8 School a few years ago and is now a junior at Winter Park High School. Winter Park’s Music Department was recently named a Grammy Signature School Finalist, one of seven in Florida and about 100 nationwide. Camilla is a student in the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) Program, performs in 3 of the school’s choral groups, is an accomplished pianist, and sings in the Corpus Christi Church Choir. Last year Camilla was among 150 high school vocalists chosen to perform Mozart’s Kronungsmesse (Coronation Mass) with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra in the 2009 Florida Choral Directors Association Honor Choir.
In the All-State Concert, Camilla performed with the mixed chorus Star Spangled Banner (John Stafford Smith), Soul of the World (Henry Purcell, arr. Holland Jancaitis), Hanacpachap (17th Century Peruvian, arr. Oscar Escalada), Laudate Pueri (W.A. Mozart), Vereih uns Frieden (Felix Mendelssohn, arr. John Rutter), Somewhere (Leonard Bernstein, arr. Robert Edgerton), and with the All-State Symphonic Band I’m Seventeen Come Sunday (Percy Grainger).
Kalen Mercer, a Celebration High School sophomore who also graduated from Celebration K-8 School, won a B flat clarinet position in the All-State Concert Band in a highly competitive statewide audition. Only 32 were selected from over 1000 applicants. Confided Kalen, “When I joined band in the middle school, I was given the opportunity to try out all the instruments to see which one I liked best. I found that I had a natural talent for the clarinet. However, I also play the guitar and saxophone for fun.” Kalen, who is also a member of the National Honor Society, is the first musician in the history of Celebration High School to be selected for All-State honors.
At the All-State Band Concert, Kalen joined his fellow performers in Fanfare and Hymn: A Mighty Fortress (Jay Bobcook), Mock Morris (Percy Aldridge Grainger) , Forever Holding Close the Memories (Richard L. Saucedo), Four Dance Episodes for Band (Gary P. Gilroy), and Italian Rhapsody (Julie Giroux).
Said Kalen of the Tampa event, “It was inspiring to be there with other talented musicians my age. The event gave me insight to what it might be like to be part of a professional ensemble later in life.” Added Camilla, “The best part was so many talented musicians coming all together to make music. During the last few days there we would rehearse in the morning, go watch other groups perform in the afternoon and then sing on stage in the evening. I wish every day could be like this, filled with music — whether it’s studying, playing, or listening to it.”
Originally posted 2010-02-11 07:49:25.
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Corpus Christi Opens New Church
February 28, 2010 by Jim Siegel
Filed under Around Town
The new Corpus Christi Catholic Church is conveniently located on Celebration Avenue in Celebration, Florida, at the intersection of the Town's East, South, and West Villages
Celebration’s Corpus Christi Catholic Church, which had previously held its services at Celebration High School Cafeteria, recently competed its new church building on Celebration Avenue and Waterside Drive, just in time for Christmas. The result is a stunning, classical-style building inside and out that not only fits well with the architectural pattern established by The Celebration Company, but also becomes an attractive, prominent landmark of the community.
Groundbreaking for the church was held in November 2008, though construction did not begin in earnest until the following January. “It seems remarkable that they could finish such a large and complex building in such a relatively short time,” said Celebration resident Dan Tomsick, who during his daily walks past the site kept track of progress. Brasfield & Gorrie, the general contractor for the project and a Fortune 500 company, kept up a steady pace, especially in the last three weeks when the seating, altar art, and stained glass windows were installed.
As a consequence, pastor Father Gregory Parkes, was able to celebrate the first Mass in the new building on December 24 morning to a nearly full house of excited parishioners from not only Celebration, but also Orlando, Kissimmee, and the entire Four Corners area. In a ceremony beforehand outside the front doors, Tim Dwyer of Brasfield & Gorrie handed the keys over to Building Committee Chairman Jack Blitch, who in turn presented them to Father Gregory. After humbly thanking the Committee, Father Gregory acknowledged the hard work and support of the trades people, the Parish, and the Town.
“We received the certificate of occupancy only a few days before,” later confided Father Gregory, “and the parishioners scrambled to move our liturgical materials from the High School and to set up the church, complete with the Nativity scene and various Christmas flowers and decorations.” Parishioners were particularly touched by the members of the Celebration Presbyterian Church down the street; they brought two lighted Christmas trees that were placed alongside the exterior front doors of the church, as well as some beautiful Christmas wreathes that were hung on the front facade.
Fortunately, everything worked relatively smoothly at that first mass. Seven hours later, the Church hosted an overflow crowd for its 5 pm Christmas Eve Mass that featured the Children’s Choir. Father Gregory opened the liturgy with a greeting and then the rhetorical exclamation, “Can we give glory and praise to God for this beautiful church?” — to which the congregation responded with enthusiastic and prolonged applause.
Even without any advertising or notices in the neighboring hotels, the turnout for the four Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses was remarkable. Observed Bert Fitzgibbons, “We had about 3200 people attend those four Masses, nearly double the number at the same number of Masses held last year in the High School cafeteria.”
The Church will be formally dedicated at 5 pm on Saturday January 16, with Bishop Thomas Wenski of the Orlando Diocese presiding.
Details about Corpus Christi Catholic Church can be found at www.celebrationcatholic.org.
Originally posted 2009-12-29 10:00:16.
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