Celebrating the people, places & events in our community
ST. JOHNS April 2021
CELEBRATING EARTH DAY IN ST. JOHNS
magazine
SUMMER CAMP IDEAS
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS www.stjohnsmag.com
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Designed with Love
Publisher & Creative Director Debbie Gaylord debbie@stjohnsmag.com 1 904-687-8538 Photographer Mindy Kerr, Nature's Child Photography St. Johns Magazine is dedicated to covering the topics readers care about - from hometown stories and community spotlighs to food, health & business. St. Johns Magazine is designed to engage readers and inspire them to enjoy the good life in Northern St. Johns!
All rights reserved ©2012-2021 ©St. Johns Magazine LLC. St. Johns Magazine is published monthly and distributed by US postal Service to select homes in Northern St. Johns. It is free of charge to consumers receiving it in the mail. It is also availalble at many drop points in Northern St. Johns. All material is compiled from sources believed to be reliable and published without responsibility for errors and ommissions.
ST. JOHNS
magazine
Connecting the Growing Communities of Northern St. Johns since 2012
Dear Neighbor,
April 2021
On the cover this month is the majestic sea turtle in honor of earth day. I have always been fascinated by sea turtles and the way they return to the place where they were born to give birth to their own babies. It is an amazing aspect of the symbiosis of the earth, its inhabitants, energies, plants, oceans and the sky. Nature is a spectacular mystery! I hope everyone is able to get out in St. Johns and enjoy this beautiful place where we live. April is also Autism awareness month, a topic close to my heart as I have a son with special needs. Jake’s journey began when he was only 2 years old and is about to change dramatically as he becomes a legal adult in a few months. I hope families who have a loved one with autism will appreciate our Autism Resources Guide on our website (stjohnsmag.com) But Autism is only one area of mental health, as everyone's outlook has been challenged by the pandemic. We have a great article about mental health to give you some tips to improve your life. Also look for articles on Summer Camp and a new place in St. Johns for kids to learn how to code - which as they say is the literacy of the future. These articles make me realize that in today’s world kid’s need balance between two worlds. The screen world they will need to navigate to be part of the twenty-first century and the equally important need to get outside, spend time with friends and enjoy the earth. Thank you to our contributors and please let our sponsors know you found them here! Have a wonderful month and a Happy Earth Day - get out there and celebrate - maybe if you are lucky you will see a sea turtle!
Debbie Gaylord
Publisher & Designer, St. Johns Magazine
@St JohnsMagazine facebook/St.JohnsMagazine 4
Writer Lori Allen and I enjoying our delicious dinner at Ember & Iron Read Lori's review inside the issue
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Mental Health Awareness! by Epic Behavioral Health
MENTAL HEALTH IS AS IMPORTANT AS PHYSICAL HEALTH In these unprecedented times of COVID-19, people are experiencing heightened anxiety, depression and stress due to unemployment, social isolation, economic uncertainty, social unrest and are not connected to community, friends, and family. Even with the feeling that things will get better with a vaccine, people are still hurting now. The coronavirus (COVID-19) has presented a direct threat to people and communities. Here at EPIC Behavioral Healthcare, we know (and our national behavioral health leaders agree), that right now people are being impacted by these forces and many will experience new or increased mental health disorders and/or new or increased substance use issues. We are seeing an increase in anxiety, depression, suicide ideation and substance use as people attempt to find a way to cope with our current environment. For many people, knowing what to do to address mental health concerns is difficult. Or many addressing mental health concerns is not as important as addressing physical health. Yet research shows that the two greatly impact the other. You know what to do if there is a physical ailment…it is simple: call your doctor. It can be harder (and less instinctive) to know what to do when your child/spouse/friend is crying for seemingly no reason, is down, is angry. The answer is as simple…seek help from a behavioral health specialist. As a local behavioral health company serving St. Johns County since 1973, EPIC has kept our doors open and worked to provide services to those in need. We have recently opened an office in your area and stand ready to help you or your loved ones through any difficulties they may be experiencing. You now have easy access to qualified behavioral health professionals offering outpatient mental health and substance use counseling, psychiatric evaluations, and parenting and prevention programs. EPIC sees children ages 5 and up, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.
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We accept most insurances and will work with you to provide the level of care you need. Reach out today and let us know how we can help! Call (904) 829-2273, email info@epicbh.org, or visit www.epicbh.org. TIPS TO BOOST YOUR MENTAL HEALTH ♥ Track gratitude and achievement with a journal – include 3 things you were grateful for and 3 things you were able to accomplish each day. ♥ Experiment with a new recipe, write a poem, paint or try a Pinterest project – creative expression and overall well-being are linked. ♥ Go off the grid – leave your smart phone at home for a couple hours or a day and disconnect from constant emails, alerts, and other interruptions. ♥ Relax in a warm bath once a week – try adding Epsom salts to soothe aches and pains and help boost magnesium levels, which can be depleted by stress. ♥ Take 30 minutes to go for a walk in nature – research shows that being in nature can increase energy levels, reduce depression and boost well-being. ♥ Along with physical activity, it is also important to practice an activity with a focus on self-regulation which can include mindfulness/breathing exercises, yoga or tai chi. These help build self-management skills for calming and regulating our physiological reactions to the current stressors. ♥ Has something been bothering you? Let it all out…on paper – writing about upsetting experiences can reduce symptoms of depression. ♥ Practice forgiveness – even if it’s just forgiving that person who cut you off during your commute. People who forgive have better mental health and report being more satisfied with their lives. https://www.mhanational.org/31-tips-boost-your-mental-health
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So Long Screens:
Why Traditional Summer Camps are More Important Than Ever
By Candace Burrows, Day Camp Experience Executive, Youth Development YMCA
While you may still be recovering from Spring Break, April is a good month to start considering your child’s plans this summer. After a year of masks, online education and virtual celebrations, a traditional summer camp experience may be the perfect antidote to the pandemic. Summer camp offers kids the unique opportunity to step away from their normal lives and get outdoors without the internet or mute button. While summer camp may look slightly different than in years past, the YMCA is doing everything we can to keep the spirit of camp alive safely. A few things that will continue from last year include increased safety and sanitary precautions such as daily temperature checks and health screenings, requiring staff and students to wear face masks when not social distancing and cleaning and disinfecting all areas and supplies used. We continue to assess safety protocols as we get closer to the summer.
The benefits of the camp experience on a child’s development, whether its summer day camp or overnight camp, cannot be overstated, including: 1. Fostering Real, In-Person Relationships: While Zoom and remote learning provided us so many opportunities to connect this year, there is no substitute for real, human interaction. Summer camp is the place for kids to connect and make new friends while trying new things. 2. Becoming More Independent and Resilient: Summer camp builds many vital life skills such as independence, resiliency and confidence. Camps provide the right instruction, equipment and facilities for kids to improve their sports abilities, artistic talents and adventure skills. The sheer variety of activities offered at camp makes it easy for kids to discover what they like to do. Additionally, being on their own and communicating with fellow campers helps children establish problem-solving skills that will motivate them to become independent individuals. 3. Understanding and appreciating diversity and inclusion: When you take a child out of his or her daily environment, it opens new windows of understanding of the world. In camp, kids gradually learn to see the similarities within the differences, which is a definite shift in perspective. At a young age, broadening the horizons of a child helps to educate them, adding complexity to their character. This type of education exceeds what your children traditionally gain from the classroom. In fact, this year the YMCA is adding diversity, inclusion and cultural
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awareness as part of its camp core curriculum. 4. Supporting Mental Health: While summer camp is widely known for its physical health benefits, according to the CDC, “Children’s mental health during public health emergencies can have both short and long term consequences to their overall health and well-being.” Being surrounded by real people in the outdoors, away from screens, can greatly improve the mental health of introverted and extroverted kids. There are so many camps across the First Coast for you to choose from. This year, the Y’s summer day camp is all about L.E.A.P. – where campers Learn, Explore, Accept and Play to discover new skills, build self-confidence and feel a sense of achievement and belonging, in addition to regular camp activities like STEM, sports, arts & crafts and outdoor games. The Y has 21 summer day camp sites across the First Coast with seven in St. Johns County. The First Coast YMCA
also has a resident overnight camp, Camp Immokalee in Keystone Heights. Prices vary and there are special rates for Y members and military families. Registration is available online at FCYMCA.org.
Life. Just right. 2020
AWARD-WINNING COMMUNITY
Life at Shearwater is the blissful combination of amazing amenities, a deep connection to nature, and a true sense of togetherness. Start with a swim with the kids in our resort-style pool. Play doubles with friends on our stadium tennis court. Then gather around the fire pit with friends at the Kayak Club.
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Homes from the mid $200s to $700s | 100 Kayak Way, St. Augustine | 904-671-6760 David Weekley | Dream Finders | Lennar | Richmond American | MasterCraft | Drees | Toll Brothers Materials are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. All rights in these materials are reserved. All products and company names marked as trademarked (™) or registered (®) are trademarks of their respective holders. Copying, reproduction and distribution of materials without prior written consent of Freehold Communities is strictly prohibited. All information, plans, and pricing are subject to change without notice. This information does not represent a specific offer of sale or solicitation to purchase property within Shearwater. Models do not reflect racial preference.
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My Wandering Fork experiences
EMBER & IRON AT SHOPPES OF ST. JOHNS PARKWAY by Lori Allen
We've got a new place in town and boy have they stepped it up a notch! Ember& Iron is a must-try! Chef Mike and wife Brittany have created a restaurant that I like to refer to as Casual Chic. This is a restaurant where you can feel the cool vibe but yet it's not overly formal. It has a bar area that is lively and filled with unanticipated bar brands. It’s a place where you can share laughter, friendship, sumptuous meals, amazing hand-crafted cocktails all within a stylish comfortable atmospheric surrounding. So my friends and I jumped at a chance to see what all the commotion was about! Drinks first! The cocktail that caught my attention was the “Real Housewife of SJC”, named after our county! Of course, they know what they are doing because this cocktail is light and effervescent made with gin a splash of bubbly and sweetened with orange and hibiscus. It is so refreshing and makes it a perfect accompaniment to their super fresh raw oysters. These oysters have a lemon zest champagne mignonette poured over them so when slurped (yes, the only way) down you taste the saltiness of the oysters, the sour of the lemon, and when washed down with a sip of the sweet tingling RHSJC. You can’t go wrong! Another great oyster/drink combination I tried was the Not Your Average Margarita. This delicious concoction is made with tipplers orange liqueur, hibiscus,
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and smoked sea salt. (Note that none of the mixers are store-bought everything is made from scratch) along with their roasted oysters topped with this ingredient they called preserved lemon which is really cool, kind of like dried lemon candied bits along with an herbal horseradish butter giving it just the right amount of bright lemony, salty, and bitterness. We then decided to go for the cornbread because it seemed like a non-traditional kind of appetizer. And because this place is known for its rustic yet elegant fair using their custom oak burning grill, it’s got to be good right?? And it was. The cornbread came out piping hot right from the flames, served in a cast-iron skillet (which we all know keeps all the flavors within), and served with three different spreads, honey butter, pepper jelly, and a sweet jam. I slathered the honey butter on the warm cornbread and popped it into my mouth. It was the best fluffiest, sweetish cornbread with the creamiest of honey butter! Yum! The pepper jelly was equally as good, adding just the right amount of sweet heat. Of course, I did wash it all down with another one of their specialty cocktails called the ‘Honey I'm Not Coming Home’ cocktail created with Rye (I know I’m not a Rye kinda girl either, but this combination was great!) honey and cream. The cornbread was sort of like an adult milk and cake combination and who doesn’t like that??
I could not wait to try the beet salad. I am all about a beet (I used to steal all the marinated beets out of the fridge from my mom) and love to see what different twists chefs can create. This one had ember roasted beets (of course), goat cheese, and cashews- which I found very unusual all atop of some peppery arugula tossed with a tart sherry vinaigrette. So you got the earthiness of the beets, creaminess of the goat cheese, nuttiness all mixed together with the peppery tartness. Such a unique and tasty combination! Cesar was also selected and of course, this chef knew how to amp it up a bit. The romaine is grilled on the ember fire (and if you never have had grilled romaine this is a must for you!) Garlicky dressing draped over the leaves and sundried tomato pesto on the side for dipping into. Delish! For some reason, I was craving something from my roots so I went with the Lobster mac and cheese. Beyond creamy with its 5 cheese sauce and yet still infused with flavor from the sea. Ooey, gooey with chunks of lobster just what I was looking for. Pretty darn close to a dish made from my New England hometown. Hanger Steak was the next thing I managed to get my wandering fork into. Coming straight off of that ember flame it had the seared charr grilled outside and yet perfectly medium-rare inside. The chimichurri served with this added that herbaceous tang to each bite and the crispy fried rosemary potatoes were so good you couldn't stop eating them! Their signature dish buttermilk marinated roasted chicken is not your ordinary chicken. The way they marinated it makes the chicken so fork tender, yet you still have the crispy skin on the outside from the fire grill. It is then stuffed with grilled lemon, roasted pepper, and herbs which create each bite drenched in flavor. With a choice of two sides, I highly recommend the beef dripping fries. I was so surprised when I ordered these thinking that they would come with some sort of gravy on top, NOPE! These fries I am guessing are deep-fried with a combination of canola oil and beef drippings giving them extra crispiness yet a beefy flavor. Ingenious! Trust me you won’t be able to stop delving into these! Chef Mike said he is inspired by all the memories he made cooking with his grandma and grilling over an open flame with his family. He also loves to experiment with fresh seasonal veggies. You can taste the heart and soul that he puts into each dish meanwhile enjoying Brittany’s casual chic ambiance. www.stjohnsmag.com
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Learning to Code in St. Johns Coding essentially is the language of “now”, the new literacy by Shyla Talluri Co-Owner of Haedos, St. Johns All four owners are women who are IT professionals. Haedos is an online coding school offering private and semi private lessons. Our coaches are all US based so are our students. St Johns is the second headquarters of Haedos, the first being Chicago. Our plans for St Johns include partnering with families in preparing children for their future, coding undoubtedly is a must have skill regardless of the career path they choose.
“Everybody in this country should learn to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think”. -Steve Jobs Living in the digital world we are witness to the effect technology has on our lives and the world around us. Today’s kids and young adults have already made technology an integral part of their lives; it is not an exaggeration to say they live and breathe technology. This makes coding an essential part of their life skills. However, they are limited to being consumers of technology for the most part. Learning to code will turn them into creators. Coding is not only relevant to future programmers and engineers, but should be considered basic literacy in the 21st century. Studies show that ability to learn a language is better at a younger age and that applies to learning to read and write code. Coding is also important for building computational thinking for fields beyond STEM. The process of learning to code teaches children how to address big problems by breaking them down into smaller problems. They learn about not giving up at the slightest challenge, rather will learn to find solutions strategically through debugging. They learn to collaborate with others and take ownership of their creation. The best way to learn to code is through Project Based Learning (PBL) that is being adapted in traditional classroom setting – Imagine, Research, Learn, Implement, Resolve, Present and step up to new concepts. Those who produce technology will be far ahead than the consum-
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ers in taking control of their own future. Every child should learn to code and should be presented with opportunities to read and write code. Computer coding has always been a male-dominated sector. Less than 20% of women hold computer science degrees and not many women owned tech startups exist. The female perspective is missing in the technology product and app designs even in those that are catered to women only. There is big divide to fill making it ever the more urgent to encourage girls to learn to code. Haedos, with its second headquarters in St Johns, is run by moms in STEM and know the importance of inspiring girls to learn to read and write code.
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A Message From The Vet
COMMON PLANTS
by Dr. Deckard, DVM, Pets R Family
That are Toxic to our Pets? Spring has begun, and in Northeast Florida many gardens are in full bloom! There are many homes adorned with beautiful ornamental plants, and although they look wonderful, some can be quite danerous for our pets. Here is a list of the five most common plants we have in this area that are toxic to cats and dogs. Azaleas: Azaleas are in bloom right now and they look lovely, but if a cat or dog ingests any of the parts of this splant, it can definitely do harm to them. Azaleas are known to cause vomiting and diarrhea, lethargy, cardiac arrythmias, seizures, and even coma and death if enough is ingested. Luckily they are not commonly eaten, but If you have these in your yard, keep a very close eye on your pets if they have access to them. If you know they have ingested the leaves or any other parts of the plant, see your Veterinarian right away. Sago Palms: Sago Palms are a very common ornamental palm tree that is native to FL and common in this area. All parts of the sago are toxic if ingested by dogs and cats, but the seeds and seed pods are the most. Sagos cause GI upset at first, that manifests into blood clotting issues, GI bleeding, seizures, and liver damage that can be irreversible if not treated quickly. Death can occur by sago palm ingestion within a few days if left untreated. It’s extremely critical to seek emergency treatment if you feel that your pet has ingested any part of a sago palm. It’s best to just not plant a sago palm anywhere your pet may have access to it. Oleander: Oleander is widely known to cause
toxicity in animals like horses and goats, but it’s also toxic to cats and dogs. Oleander is especially dangerous to our pets because it causes cardiac arrythmias and electrolyte imbalances, which can be deadly. Oleander is also toxic to humans, especially children, and it’s just not recommended to be planted where small children and pets have access to it. Lilies: The most-toxic plant to cats, ingesting any part of a lily - including just a small amount of its pollen, can be deadly to a cat within 72 hours if not treated. Lilies cause acute kidney failure and marked dehydration in cats. It is not toxic to dogs, however, and fortunately there are only certain types of lilies that are toxic to cats. Easter, Stargazer, Daylilies, and Japanese lilies are the most toxic and should never be allowed near your cat. Peace and Calla lilies cause mouth irritation and stomach upset if chewed on, but do not cause kidney failure. If you have a cat that likes to investigate plants, it’s best to not even bring lilies into your home unless you are 100% sure of the species. Bulb Plants: Tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils are common bulb-plants in our gardens in this area. If a dog ingests the bulb of one of these, it can cause cardiac arrythmia, as well as GI signs and mouth irritation. Most pets don’t bother these plants, but if you have a dog who enjoys digging, they might dig up a bulb and gain access to it that way.
Ask a Question Do you have a question for Dr. Deckard? She would like to answer it in an upcoming issue of St. Johns Magazine. Please send questions to debbie@stjohnsmag.com
non-toxic plants anywhere in your yard that your pets have access. Before you plant a new garden, it’s a good idea to research the plants you would like to grow. Unfortunately, most places you purchase plants, do not have information on toxicity to pets. The best resource is the ASPCA’s Poisonous Plants Website: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poisoncontrol/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants. This will give you great info that you can rely on to help choose the best non-toxic garden! If your pet ingests any plants and you are not certain what they are, please save some of it for identification and call your Veterinarian right away to see how it will affect your pet.
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