/OurTown-Spring2011

GAINESVILLE BUCKET LIST | HARRY CREWS | CINEMA VERDE

Spring 2011

FREE TAKE ONE

Building the Future Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency

HARVEST OF HOPE pg.24 The music may be silent – but support for migrant farm families continues

FASHION WEEK pg.50 Designers and artists get geared up for more than just runway shows in 2011

BOCA FIESTA + PALOMINO pg.96 In the heart of downtown Gainesville, six uncommon entrepreneurs follow their passions

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To learn more, visit www.NFRMC.com or call 1-800-611-6913.

2 | Spring 2011

A Little Dazzle Doesn’t Hurt...

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Specializing In Diamonds, Luxury Bridal, Fashion Jewelry, Pandora, Computer Aided Design

North Florida’s only JA Certified Master Jeweler

9119 SW 52nd Ave. Suite C-102 Inside the Haile Plantation Village Center 352.331.6100 | www.SandersJewelers.net Rick & Melinda Sanders

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 3

Ashton Ridge S U B D I V I S I O N

CBC #1256897

NEW HOMES STARTING AS LOW AS $116,900 — MODEL HOME PRICING — Madison ....................... $116,900 Moultrie......................... $118,852 Macon ............................... $121,775 Newnan .............................$124,113 Hampton ..................... $125,277 Albany ............................. $125,962

Albany Two............... $129,910 Henderson.................$130,106 Charleston ................ $135,534 Savannah ....................$138,670 Charlotte ....................... $141,510 Douglasville........... $152,488

Drive a little save a lot!

www.ashtonridge.me For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call

352-359-1070

The Camerons… Make it happen!

5110 SW 91st Drive, Suite A • Gainesville, Florida 32608

Ralph Cameron.........................352-359-1060 MOBILE Bonnie Cameron..................... 352-359-1070 MOBILE 4 | Spring 2011

Affordable Services of Florida Formerly known as Mr. Goodtree of Florida, Inc.

Complete Tree Service

Including:

Safe Removal

Tree Trimming & Removal Stump & Debris Removal

Sabal Palms Professionalism at it’s best

Palms (Buy & Sell)

Florida’s State Tree

We Specialize In All Aspects of Tree Service — Serving Gainesville and the surrounding communities since 1974 —

352-262-PALM (7256) www.mrgoodtree.com • www.palmtreecharlie.com • www.tikis4u.com — INSURED BY LLOYDS OF LONDON —

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 5

Cyndi Vista CNM, ARNP

Michael Cotter M.D.

Carmen Peden M.D., Ph.D.

PERSONALIZED CARE YOU CAN TRUST AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE At North Florida Woman Care, we strive to provide the highest level of obstetrics, gynecology and midwifery care. Offering in-office procedures utilizing state-of-the-art technologies, we are devoted to addressing the individual needs and demands of our patients in a warm, caring environment.

— W E AC C E P T M O S T M A J O R H E A LT H I N S U R A N C E —

WE ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME

Carmen Peden

North Florida Woman Care Obstetrics and Gynecology

352.371.2011 www. CotterOBGYN .com

MD, PhD, board eligible OB/GYN

6 | Spring 2011

GAINESVILLE: 6400 W. Newberry Road, Suite 207 CHIEFLAND: 1415 NW 23rd Avenue

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When Experience Matters…

Dr. Reddy has been in this area since 2002, practicing in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, with a doctorate from Osmania University/ Gandhi Medical College; Residency & Fellowship at Chicago Medical School; an additional Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio; and is Board Certified by the American Board of Gastroenterology, specializing in Hepatology.

The majority of Dr. Reddy’s patients have the convenience of traveling to only one location for consultation as well as any procedure that may be needed. Dr. Reddy’s experience makes him one of the leading physician experts in Gastroenterology and Hepatology and is frequently consulted on difficult cases.

Dr. Reddy consults with patients needing care in Gastroenterology and/or Hepatology, treats Hepatitis patients, performs colonoscopies and endoscopies at Central Florida Endoscopy & Surgical Institute of Ocala, LLC as well as area hospitals, with privileges at Munroe Regional Medical Center, Ocala Regional Medical Center and West Marion Community Hospital.

Medicare & Most Health Insurances Accepted Ocala

E. Silver Springs Blvd.

Dr. Vishnu Reddy 7 Hill Gastroenterology, PA 316 SE 12th Street, Building 200 Ocala, Florida 34471 352.401.1919 M-F: 8am – 5pm

Dr. Vishnu Reddy

Ocala Regional Medical Center

SE 17th Street

Hospital Affiliations: Munroe Regional Medical Center, Ocala Regional Medical Center and West Marion Community Hospital

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 7

Don’t Spend Your Time Sweeping, Scrubbing & Dusting...

Leave the Cleaning to Us! Gainesville’s #1 residential cleaning service. Our professional team arrives in a company vehicle, in uniform and with our own equipment and supplies. We are trained, supervised, insured and bonded. Your home will shine like never before.

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• Remove cobwebs • Vacuum & mop tile floors • Dust ceiling fans/blinds • Remove trash • General pick-up • Freshen air • Load dishwasher

Additional services affordably priced. Call for a quote!

352-374-4141 MiniMaidGainesville.com Free Phone Estimates MC & Visa Accepted Bonded, Dependable & Insured

8 | Spring 2011

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Cannot be applied to previous cleanings. Additional charges may be added. Some restrictions apply. ©2010 Mini Maid Gainesville. All rights reserved.

AVA I L A B L E A T

fine jew welry

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2 4 41 N W 4 3r d S T R EE T, S U I T E 2 A

T H O R N E B R O O Kwww.VisitOurTowns.com VILL AGE • G A I N E S V I L L E Spring 2011 | 9

Start living in the light, replace your windows today.

VALUE, BEAUTY and RESPONSIBILITY.

When you choose us to replace your windows you can be confident in our commitment to make it a pleasant experience. No cheesy sales approach, free estimates, locally owned and operated, involved in your community and North Central Florida Builders Association, receiving Presidential award in December for service.

Visit Chris and Amy March 5th & 6th at the Home Show in the O’Connell Center

1105 SW 4th Street • High Springs, FL

386-454-0295 www.whitfieldwindowanddoor.com Licensed & Insured Lic.# SCC131150877

• SAVE ON YOUR ELECTRIC BILL • INCREASE RESALE OF YOUR HOME • IMPROVE THE LOOK OF YOUR HOME • LOW MAINTENANCE CLEANING

P e o c

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10 | Spring 2011

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SAMANT DENTAL GROUP, P.A. 2727 NW 43rd St., Suite 8 | Thornebrook Complex 352.376.5120 | Call for a Complimentary Consultation

SamantDentalGroup.com People who are looking for ways to enhance their smile have a variety of options to choose from, including veneers, ceramic crowns, bonding, and whitening.

Crowns cover an entire tooth to affect the overall appearance without the black-line effect and will appeal to people who want a more signifcant change.

Veneers are a cosmetic dentistry option that have increased in popularity over the years, involving thin pieces of porcelain that are applied to the surface of the tooth. Veneers are often used to mask discolorations, gaps or to change tooth shape. They are long lasting and offer a natural appearance.

Bonding uses tooth-colored ďŹ lling material to close gaps, improve color or correct other minor imperfections.

Whitening can give you more conďŹ dence in your smile. Just imagine the difference a whiter smile could make for you!

Call for a complimentary consult. www.VisitOurTowns.com

Dr. Paivi Samant, M.A., D.D.S. Prosthodontist

Spring 2011 | 11

*Use Promotional Codes to save 50% off the original price on Teeth Whitening Kits (was $391.00; code D9972) and Limited Exams (was $62.00; code D0140). This limited time offer ends 3/31/11.

CONTENTS SPRING 2011 • VOL. 02 ISSUE 01

50

>> MAKE IT WORK!

Fashion Week

Make it Work!

Extends Beyond the Catwalks & Stages STORY BY VICTORIA LASAVATH | PHOTOS BY SARAH HSU

T

he Gainesville Fashion

“aims to enhance the lives of our

providing materials, research and

show is not just about the models, photographers

community’s youth by building awareness of the need for quality

support for the upcoming generation of artists.

art programs,” said Albert Coronel, GFW producer.

This collaboration between GFW and Rocket for the arts came about

picture: the arts.

There are many types of artists

The program aims to make sure school art programs are of higher

because GFW has been “interested in partnering with a non-profit

needed to put on Gainesville Fashion Week; designers, stylists, DJs, graphic

quality by using the money raised for grants, free workshops, art

since day one but our challenge was to find an organization that

designers, photographers, musicians and journalists. All of these different types of artists started somewhere.

Perhaps it was in an art class where the young artist had the opportunity to perfect his or her skill. A new non-profit organization

supply donations and to hopefully cover the initial start-up costs, Coronel said. Now is a crucial time for a program like this to evolve because the budget available for art programs is not enough to cover costs. Additionally, if teachers do

would match our objectives. Rocket for the Arts will support the next generation of artists, the same people that will be involved in the next generation of GFW participants,” Coronel said.

This spring rings in the fourth

recognizes the importance of having a strong art program within Alachua County that will help students by creating an outlet for the next generation of artists.

Rocket for the Arts, the program being introduced at the show,

not spend all of their budget in the beginning of the school year, the money becomes unavailable.

The vision behind Rocket for the Arts is to expose the younger generation to as many different artistic experiences as possible by

season of GFW April 6-10. Last year’s show brought in 3,500 people in both the GFW main and promotional events, Coronel said.

There has been a steady 30 percent increase in turnout every time they do an event, he said. This event is

and designers, and this year’s event is focused on a bigger

By Victoria Lasavath

50 | Spring 2011

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 51

Gainesville Fashion Week makes another appearance this April with creative minds from designers and models to photographers and hairstylists coming together. This year’s fashion week will focus not just on the catwalk but on the arts and education as well. A new nonprofit organization, Rocket for the Arts, will be introduced at the event.

>> AMERICAN NOVELIST

A

cclaimed author Harry Crews has enjoyed

medical care was scarce for the poor in the rural South.

has returned in the form of postpolio syndrome.

worldwide literary success.

During the past few decades, he

“Our main concern was finding enough food to keep our bellies from

“My legs are gone,” he said. “I couldn’t walk from me to you, if you

has appeared in movies and hung out with Hollywood types like

growing to our backbones,” Crews said in the trailer of the documen-

had a .45 to my head.”

The next hardship young Crews

Sean Penn, Charles Bronson and Madonna, all while writing and

tary “Survival is Triumph Enough.”

Early on, Crews knew he wanted

encountered was being burned over most of his body a few years later.

growing his cult status into a largerthan-life persona.

to be a writer. And like many writers, he had his share of hard

He was playing the game “Pop the Whip” with friends while the adults

In addition to his literary success, Crews has roots in the Gainesville

times to drive his creativity. Not just poverty, but death, debilitating

on the farm were butchering hogs.

During the excitement of the game,

academic world. He not only graduated from the University of Florida,

illnesses and horrifying mishaps were part of his childhood.

Crews fell into a kettle of boiling water. Fortunately, he was able to

he taught creative writing there for nearly thirty years.

Crews’ father died from a heart attack at the age of 31. Crews and his

keep his head above the scalding water until an adult pulled him out.

With more than 18 novels, an autobiography and countless magazine articles to his name, Harry Crews has left no stone unturned, but in the process has acquired a few scars along the way.

Residing in northwest Gainesville, Crews’ home sits among

A Life of Scars

a thick forest of scrub oaks that block most of the sun. It could have easily been the setting for one of

He has appeared in movies and hung out with Hollywood types, all while writing and growing his cult status into a larger-than-life persona.

his many novels. Seated in a blue recliner, surrounded by bookshelves loaded with books by various authors and photos reflecting his

older brother were very young when their father passed away. His mother

While in bed and under twentyfour hours of light to dry his burnt

lifetime of writing, Crews’ persona

did what many folks did back then

skin, Crews wrote his first story.

fills the room. His natural Southern hospitality sharply contrasts his commanding speech.

— she kept pushing forward, keenly aware of the desperate times she and her kids were living in.

“I wrote a damn sort of detective story. What else would I write? And, this little boy was a detective. He

Crews, whose bite and bark are

BY JASON E. HODGES

Harry Crews Leaves No Stone Unturned

sometimes difficult to distinguish between, expounded on his early days as a struggling writer and

Diagnosed with infantile paralysis at five years of age, Crews was bedridden for almost two months.

The doctors were not sure if he

couldn’t have a gun, so he had firecrackers. He was after some crooks.

He would pull out his firecrackers

would ever regain the use of his

and light them: bang, bang, bang,”

legs. He eventually learned to walk again using a fence line for balance.

“I needed something to hold on

Crews said.

As a teenager in high school, Crews continued to develop as a

of sharecroppers Ray and Myrtice Crews. Life during the Great

to, hold me up, because my legs wouldn’t do it. So, I held on to the

writer. Crews did not show the stories he wrote to the people

Depression was a harsh and bleak existence. Many of the children suf-

fence and learned how to walk again by holding onto the fence,

around him. He realized his work still needed to be polished.

fered from rickets, malnutrition and hookworms during a period when

staying on it.” Crews said.

Crews now believes the illness

“I wasn’t associating with any people, but I was writing. I was

www.VisitOurTowns.com

PHOTO BY JOHN ZEULI PHOTOGRAPHY | Harry Crews in 2004

had firecrackers in his pocket. He

his humble beginnings marred by poverty and heartache.

Crews was born June 7, 1935 in Bacon County, Georgia, the son

Spring 2011 | 67

Literary legend Harry Crews, UF graduate and retired professor, has churned out numerous novels and magazine articles, has inspired bands and songs, has appeared on talk shows, documentaries and movies. Recently, he welcomed one of our writers into his Gainesville home for an interview.

Uncommon Entrepreneurs Pursue Their Passions in the Heart of Gainesville

BY MOLLY LARMIE Oakes who talks, they decide. A for-

PHOTOS BY TJ MORRISSEY

courtyard on a freezing Wednesday in January, hands jammed in coat pockets,

mer drummer for punk rock band “Against Me!” Oakes is accustomed to the press. And, because someone

are the men who made it all happen.

goofing off.

There is Warren Oakes, Geoff Humphrey and Jacob Ihde from

has to speak for Palomino, Jeff McMullen steps up to the plate.

Oakes and McMullen share

Boca Fiesta restaurant, and Jeff McMullen, Cameron Brown and Mitch Eadens from Palomino Pool

more than a birthday (January 23); they share a history. Oakes was born in Gainesville but grew up in

Hall. They have been assembled to talk about the Cinderella success of their downtown establishments.

Sarasota. He knew McMullen, who lived in Clearwater. Both made their way to Gainesville and now

In between photo shoots, they sneak outside to smoke cigarettes and try to shirk interview duty.

It should probably be Warren

call the city home.

When Oakes returned to Gainesville in 2009 after touring with the band for eight years,

96 | Spring 2011

12 | Spring 2011

By Molly Larmie

Uncommon Entrepreneurs

Runnin’ Down a Dream ix guys stand around the

By Jason E. Hodges

Harry Crews

96

>> DOWNTOWN

S

66

for LOTUS STUDIOS

Posing in the Boca Fiesta restaurant

(Top; from left:) Jacob Ihde, Mitch Eadens, Cameron Brown, Jeff McMullen, Geoff Humphrey and Warren Oakes.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 97

Nestled in the heart of downtown Gainesville near the Hippodrome are three separate establishments established by six entrepreneurs.

The owners of the Boca Fiesta restaurant and Palomino Pool Hall teamed up to own and operate the Back Yard Bar in a space in-between these two establishments.

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY / LOTUS STUDIOS

>> FEATURES

ON THE COVER

24

Anthony Lyons helped revitalize an old mill town in New Hampshire before moving to Gainesville and assuming his role as manager of the Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency. Here he stands before one of the CRA’s recent projects, its new office space, completed in 2010.

Harvest of Hope The Music May Be Silent — But Aid Work for Migrant Families Goes On

BY MOLLY LARMIE

28

Gainesville Bucket List Things to do in Gainesville

BY ALBERT ISAAC

42

Adam Cianciarulo: Driven by the Dirt PHOTO ESSAY BY LINDSAY WADELTON

56

Building the Future The Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency

BY CAROLYN TILLO

76

Art, Music, Community The Haile Village Arts & Music Festival

BY ALBERT ISAAC

104 Happy Trails Bike Florida’s Annual Weeklong Bicycle Tour

BY ALBERT ISAAC

114

Down Stream Life Goes On in the Shadow of a Toxic Waste Site

COLUMNISTS 40 Crystal Henry NAKED SALSA 92 Brian “Krash” Kruger GATE CRASHING 122 Albert Isaac DIFFERENT NOTE 156 Janice C. Kaplan ADVENTURES IN APPETITE

INFORMATION 70 Going Out to Eat 80 Community Calendar 160 Advertiser Index

BY MOLLY LARMIE The articles printed in Our Town Magazine™ do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Tower Publications, Inc. or their editorial staff. Our Town Magazine endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we can not be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Our Town Magazine reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. All rights reserved. © 2010 Tower Publications, Inc.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 13

Published quarterly by Tower Publications, Inc. www.towerpublications.com

PUBLISHER Charlie Delatorre charlie@towerpublications.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Albert Isaac editor@towerpublications.com fax: 1-800-967-7382 OFFICE MANAGER Bonita Delatorre bonita@towerpublications.com ART DIRECTOR Hank McAfee hank@towerpublications.com

76 PHOTO BY ALBERT ISAAC

Artist David SchwARTZ works on his sketch book during the December reception held at the Haile Village Bistro/Queen’s Arm Pub.

>> FEATURES 124 A Book Lover’s Delight Friends of the Library Prepares for its Spring Sale

BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

SENIOR DESIGNER Tom Reno tom@towerpublications.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kevin Allen Jessica Chapman Jason Hodges Janice Kaplan Bonnie Kretchik Mollie Larmie Carolyn Tillo Lindsay Wadelton Amanda Williamson INTERN Victoria Lasavath

130 Reboot Dignity Project, a Gainesville Charity, Begins a Second Generation of Giving

BY KEVIN ALLEN

136 Cinema Verde Second Annual Gainesville Environmental Film & Arts Festival

BY ALBERT ISAAC

142 Take in the Greenery Kanapaha Botanical Gardens Spring Festival and Moonlight Walk

BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

148 Devil’s Millhopper

ADVERTISING SALES Jenni Bennett 352-416-0210 jenni@towerpublications.com Larkin Kieffer 352-416-0212 larkin@towerpublications.com Amanda Skadhauge 352-416-0196 amanda@towerpublications.com Pam Slaven 352-416-0213 pam@towerpublications.com Helen Stalnaker 352-416-0209 helen@towerpublications.com Annie Waite 352-416-0204 annie@towerpublications.com

A Walk Through Florida’s Legendary History

BY JESSICA CHAPMAN

152 Girls on the Move!

Life Lessons for Pre-teen Girls

BY BONNIE KRETCHIK

14 | Spring 2011

ADVERTISING OFFICE 4400 NW 36th Avenue Gainesville, FL 32606 352-372-5468 352-373-9178 fax

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W of me Ce ing cu tio fro eig

You Have a Choice for your child’s education.

Alachua Learning Center Elementary and Middle School located just North of the town of Alachua on State Road 235, serves students from all parts of Alachua and neighboring counties.

Charter Schools are part of the Florida Alternative System of Public School Choice and charge no tuition.

While having the benefits of a “small-school” environment the Alachua Learning Center provides a challenging and fulfilling academic, cultural and physical educational program for students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

The Alachua Learning Center has consistently been rated an “A” school by the State of Florida.

Our varied physical education curriculum includes on-campus rock climbing and subscribes to the “President’s Fitness Program”.

The Alachua Learning Center offers inspiring classes on a variety of subjects: Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Math, P.E. Sports, Rock Climbing, Drama, Music, Clay Sculpting, Computer Graphics, individual Student Book Publishing (writing, design, illustrating), Drawing, Painting, Crafts, Community Service Display Projects, and exciting Field Trips.

Alachua Learning Center 386-418-2080

alachualearningcenter.com Spring 2011

www.VisitOurTowns.com

| 15

MESSAGE >> FROM THE EDITOR

Isn’t it nice stepping into the bright sun of a spring day after a long, cold Florida winter?

I know my northern friends laugh when I complain about our winter temperatures, but it’s a damp cold, I tell them. Bone-chilling cold. And while I may complain about the cold, I wouldn’t trade our Florida winters for those arctic temperatures.

I enjoy watching the landscape turn from brown to green – seemingly overnight – and seeing the azaleas, dogwood and other plants begin to bloom. Warm weather, sunny days and an explosion of flowers come to mind when I think of springtime in Gainesville. It is time to get outside and enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer.

I am pleased to announce that this issue marks the 1-year anniversary of the Our Town Magazine, Gainesville edition. I’m not quite sure where the year 2010 went, but here we are, celebrating spring 2011.

All of us here at Tower Publications continually strive to find ways to improve our magazine by bringing you the very best local content and photography.

I think you will like our new look, and will discover that the Our Town Magazine is getting better and better.

Inside, you will find the usual wide variety of interesting stories about things in Gainesville, and profiles of some of the people who help make this city a great place to live.

From festivals to books sales, from non-profits to community redevelopment, from young entrepreneurs to seasoned authors, you will find Our Town chock-full of fascinating content.

At any given time, it seems like there’s more going on here than we can tell you about in a single issue. But we did throw together a list of just a few of the things people should see and do before leaving Hogtown.

Read all about it, and some of the other great things happening in Gainesville, in this edition of Our Town Magazine. s

CORRECTION NOTICE: In the Winter 2010 edition of Our Town, we misspelled the name of the woman on our cover.

The correct spelling of her name is Gosia. Additionally, the name of one of the individuals in the article entitled “Living History Lessons” was misspelled. The correct name is Melanie Davis. We sincerely apologize for these mistakes.

16 | Spring 2011

CALENDAR >> SPOTLIGHT

Tango Inferno Sun. 2/20 Tango Fire Company of Buenos Aires returns to North America with their brand new show Tango Inferno – The Fire Within.

A dazzling display of tango at its most seductive and fiery.

GREAT PEOPLE GREAT DEALS FOR OUR COMPLETE MENU & MORE GREAT DEALS, VISIT

www.gatordominos.com

2-4-10 DEAL TWO MEDIUM PIZZAS w/ ONE TOPPING EACH

$

NO COUPON REQUIRED! JUST MENTION COUPON CODE 2410 WHEN ORDERING.

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ANY LARGE PIZZA UNLIMITED TOPPINGS!!

HAND TOSSED OR THIN CRUST NO DOUBLE PORTIONS. PLEASE MENTION COUPON CODE 8303 WHEN ORDERING.

99

9 $ 99 5

$

MEDIUM 2-TOPPING PIZZAS

The Sedoctaves Thurs. 3/24 + Sun. 3/27 UF’s only all-female a cappella group, not to mention its sassiest. Brought together by a passion for a cappella and a flair for the performing arts, these young vocalists sing their own renditions of everything from ‘80s pop to alternative rock, and are not afraid to push the envelope OUR COMPLETE UPCOMING AREA EVENT LISTINGS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 80.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

MUST ORDER TWO OR MORE. WE SUGGEST “OR MORE”!

NO COUPON REQUIRED! JUST MENTION COUPON CODE 9151 WHEN ORDERING.

EACH

O2B KIDS SPECIAL LARGE UNLIMITED TOPPINGS PIZZA + MEDIUM 1-TOPPING PIZZA + 2PC. ORDER OF CHOCOLATE LAVA CRUNCH CAKES

18.99

$

NO DOUBLE PORTIONS. PLEASE MENTION COUPON CODE O2BK WHEN ORDERING.

TWO CHOCOLATE LAVA CRUNCH CAKES $ No coupon required! Just mention this offer when placing your order.

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18 | Spring 2011

Serving Gainesville for 40 Years!

FROM LEFT: Dean Welton - Team Alachua; Jamie Sortevik - Team Main Street; Lunese Young - Team University Avenue

GREAT PEOPLE OUR #1 INGREDIENT For over 40 years, Gator Domino’s has been serving Gainesville’s best pizza to hungry families, friends and businesses. And although we pride ourselves on using the freshest ingredients, our most important ingredient is our team members. Gator Domino’s is locally owned and operated, and our 180 Team Members are the real reason we’ve been voted the best pizza in Gainesville. With 8 locations to better serve you, there’s a Domino’s in your neighborhood!

OPEN FOR

LUNCH

34th & University Ave.

2106 SW 13th Street

NW G’ville, Jonesville & Newberry

Alachua & High Springs

352-377-4992 352-373-2337 352-333-3333 386-462-2000 4620 NW 39th Ave.

25 NW 16th Avenue

Tower Rd/Haile/Archer Rd.

HAILE HOTLINE

352-692-2222 352-373-5555 352-373-8888 37-HAILE From Your Laptop or Webphone right to Your Door!

www.gatordominos.com

www.VisitOurTowns.com Spring 2011 | 19 PARA ORDENAR EN ESPAÑOL 1-888-DOMINOS (1-888-366-4667)

STAFF >> CONTRIBUTORS Molly Larmie

Carolyn Tillo

was born and raised just north of Daytona Beach. She misses the sand and the sound of the waves but has fallen in love with the Gainesville community. There are always at least three books resting on her nightstand.

wanted to go to law school until she realized she hated arguing. She plans to attend graduate school for public relations and pursue a career as a communications coordinator for a nonprofit or philanthropic organization.

molarmie@gmail.com

carolyntillo@gmail.com

Bonnie Kretchik

Lindsay Wadelton

grew up in Pennsylvania, but has spent her winters in Florida for the past 10 years.

Aside from writing, Bonnie has been riding horses since the age of six. She enjoys running long distance and training for triathlons.

is a 2010 graduate of the UF Photojournalism program.

She seeks out visual beauty in our every day reality and lives for a compelling story. For her, travel is not only a hobby — but a priority. lawadelton@gmail.com

bonniek83@hotmail.com

Crystal Henry

Jason E. Hodges

is a freelance writer and columnist born and raised in West Texas. She received her B.S. in Journalism in 2006 from the University of Florida. She is in love with the Florida landscape.

has been a freelance writer since 1994. His recent works can be found in the 2009 Cross-Time Science Fiction Anthology Volume VIII and this year’s Volume IX as well. He enjoys writing, drawing, painting, and being with friends.

ces03k@gmail.com

jhodges@bellsouth.net

Kevin Allen

Jessica Chapman

is a veteran radio reporter/ editor who taught broadcast journalism at the University of Florida for more than 15 years.

Originally from Texas, he’s been right at home with the climate and culture in Florida.

is a student in UF’s College of Journalism and Communications. When she’s not writing, she enjoys volunteering, playing the piano and reading. jessicalorriane@gmail.com

kmareporter@aol.com

Amanda Williamson

Brian “Krash” Kruger

is a student in UF’s College of Journalism and Communications. She has been writing for as long as she can remember. She enjoys spending time with her friends, family and animals.

is writer, musician and a graduate of the UF College of Law. He has played in some 17 or so local bands, playing most every Gainesville venue friendly to original music (and some not so friendly).

awilliamson@ufl.edu

bkrashpad@yahoo.com

Victoria Lasavath

Janice Kaplan

is a proud Florida Gator studying journalism at the University of Florida. In her free time she loves to read, write, re-write, cook, shop and spend time with her family and friends.

has been a freelance writer for five years. In her spare time Janice loves cooking, Gator sports, Jimmy Buffett anything and spending time with her husband and kids.

victorialasavath@yahoo.com

20 | Spring 2011

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>> SUPPORT

Harvest of Hope The Music May Be Silent â&#x20AC;&#x201D; But Aid Work for Migrant Families Goes On

BY MOLLY LARMIE ost people know the Harvest of Hope Foundation by its largest fundraiser, a rollicking three-day benefit concert in St. Augustine, Fla. A quick Internet search turns up amateur video of the Harvest of Hope Music Festival.

It is a thronging multi-stage venue replete with tattoos, tight jeans, piercings, mosh pits, jam sessions, jumping, screaming and sweat.

Harvest of Hope Fest gained national acclaim in 2009 and 2010, but due to a lack of resources, the music festival for 2011 has been cancelled. There are plans to resurrect the festival, but for now, the foundation turns back to its main focus: providing emergency aid to migrant workers around the country.

M

The Foundation The heart of the foundation lies with Phil Kellerman, an advocate for migrant workers for 22 years.

24 | Spring 2011

In 1995, Kellerman helped pilot the first national migrant education hotline. Today, about 80 percent of his time is devoted to answering calls like the one he got recently from a migrant worker in Immokolee, Fla., where tomatoes are picked for the University of Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food service provider. The man had just returned from Ohio and needed a new truck motor, which cost $3,000. Kellerman coordinated with other migrant education programs to find the man a cheaper motor.

The national hotline has received more than 200,000 pleas for help. Kellerman has personally answered about 50,000.

But government funds for the hotline can not be used to provide emergency financial aid to migrant workers. Kellerman and his colleagues were forced to rely on other organizations to provide relief money.

In 1997, Kellermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandmother Helen Zand died. Zand had devoted her life to social work for

PHOTO BY ALBERT ISAAC

Phil Kellerman, founder and director of the Harvest of Hope Foundation, sits in front of his Gainesville home holding a HOH poster. Kellerman has been an advocate for migrant workers for 22 years.

the poor, so Kellerman used his slice of the inheritance to begin the Harvest of Hope Foundation, which works to raise private funds to assist migrant farmworkers and their families around the country.

Since its initiation, the Harvest of

MIGRANT FARMWORKER PHOTOGRAPHS BY CELIA ROBERT’S PHOTOGRAPHY – WWW.CELIAROBERTS.COM

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 25

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Hope Foundation has distributed more than $834,000 to migrant families in need.

The foundation has limited funds and determines aid on an individual basis, Kellerman said. The migrant workers must demonstrate they are willing to help themselves.

“We give a hand,” Kellerman said, “not a handout.”

In the past four months, migrant

Harvest of Hope Fest After Phil Kellerman established the Harvest of Hope Foundation headquarters in Gainesville, the organization caught the attention of local band “Against Me!”. One year, six benefit concerts and $18,000 later, an idea was born.

Kellerman assembled a team that included workers from the foundation, family members and 300 volunteers to create a sprawling

9

TS )

PHOTO COURTESY HARVEST OF HOPE

The band Anti-Flag performs at a Harvest of Hope Festival, a three-day benefit concert held in St. Augustine, Florida. This year there will be no Festival, but Harvest of Hope is still going strong.

workers and their families have received more than $13,000 in emergency aid and educational scholarship money.

A student in Florida received a $400 scholarship to attend college.

A former migrant worker in Palatka received $600 for a deposit on a prosthetic leg.

A family traveling to Texas received $300 to buy tires and gas after they were stranded in Ohio.

A woman and her six children in Texas received $312 for a week’s motel stay when their house burned down.

A couple in Jaspar, Fla., received $200 to bury their nine-month-old baby.

music festival with proceeds going to help migrant workers.

One of Kellerman’s colleagues knew someone on the St. Johns County Tourism Board. The St. Johns County Fairgrounds in St. Augustine were picked for the venue. The date was set for March 2009.

The group rented stages, vendors and camping sites. Advance threeday tickets sold for less than $40.

More than 15,000 people walked through the gate for 42 hours of punk rock and metal from 160 “progressive bands who will never be heard on commercial radio but still make great music,” Kellerman said. About 4,000 spectators camped out around bonfires for night shows and dancing.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

In 2010, Harvest of Hope Fest brought 190 bands to the fairgrounds. The music selection was more eclectic, with bands playing folk, country and kids songs. Even better, the bands were more committed to the cause, Kellerman said.

Band members used the venue to let people know how migrant workers contribute to the food industry and national economy.

Feedback from the festivals was tremendous. People loved the cheap tickets, relaxed mood and good music. Spectators left anticipating the concert next year.

There was only one problem: there would not be a next year. The festival weekends did not make money. Without an adequate number of sponsors, the foundation bore too much of the financial burden.

“We were new at this,” Kellerman said.

The Harvest of Hope Fest for 2011 was cancelled. The foundation could not afford to produce such a massive event without the support of a financial backer.

The festivals did earn millions of dollars in publicity, “which we would never have been able to pay for ourselves,” Kellerman said.

Bands kept calling, wanting to take part, so the foundation has been able to produce smaller benefit concerts throughout the year.

The foundation is not giving up on the Festival. Kellerman hopes to bring the concert back, maybe as soon as 2012, with the help of more sponsors and a corporate backer to keep the selection diverse and the ticket prices reasonable.

In the meantime, foundation workers continue to organize smaller benefit concerts. They sell Sweetwater Organic Coffee and bumper stickers. They auction antiques on Ebay. They accept donations.

The music may be silent for the year, but aid work for migrant families goes on. The phone in Phil Kellerman’s office never stops ringing. s For more information, visit www.harvestofhope.net

Spring 2011 | 27

THE GAINESVILLE BUCKET LIST E

ver since “The Bucket List” hit the silver screen, Bucket Lists have been making appearances in publications and web pages and water-cooler conversations everywhere. The movie follows two terminally ill men (played

by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) who escape from a cancer ward and take a road trip with a wish list of things to do before they die.

Following that line of thinking, we have spent exhaustive hours (not really) researching all of the things one should do in Gainesville before kicking the figurative bucket — that is, before leaving town. We also asked a few Gainesville residents to tell us what they like about living in Gainesville.

There’s plenty to do in Hogtown, so get out and have some fun.

Tube down the Itchetucknee To escape the blistering heat of a Hogtown summer, few things are more refreshing than an inner tube float trip down the Itchetucknee River. This pristine, 72 °F., spring-fed river attracts thousands of people each year, who come to hike, see wildlife, picnic, swim, canoe, snorkel, scuba dive and, of course, tube down the river.

There are several tube renting companies just outside the Itchetucknee Springs State Park entrance. Visitors can rent large tubes and rafts for anywhere from $5 to $20 per flotation device, according to ichetuckneeriver.com.

28 | Spring 2011

PHOTO BY CRAIG R. LEE

Attend a Gator Football Game

See a concert at the Bo Diddley Community Plaza There was a time not long ago when visitors could actually see the late-great Bo Diddley perform downtown. Although the man is now gone, his memory lives on. The plaza was renamed in 2008, after the death of the legendary rock ‘n’ roll singer. Each Friday from May to October, live music can be heard echoing off the walls of nearby buildings as local and regional bands take the stage. www.VisitOurTowns.com

Orange! Blue! Orange! Blue!

Can one truly be a Gainesvillian without going to at least one Gator Game? (of course, but still…) Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, AKA the Swamp, is home to the Florida Gators. With an average attendance of over 90,000, Florida Field is one of the eight largest on-campus collegiate football stadiums in the nation and the largest in the state of Florida. Each home game brings a throng of tailgaters who gather on foot or bikes or in RVs. Many put up tent canopies to enjoy a good pre- and post-game party.

Go Gators!

Spring 2011 | 29

John Krigbaum Associate professor of Anthropology, UF What do I like about Gainesville? Community, friends, and family.

Gainesville has much to discover locally in the people, places and hinterlands of North Central Florida - certainly a lot more than meets the eye.

I have been here 10 years and keep discovering opportunities coast-to-coast from prehistoric springs and culture-rich shell mounds, to art museums and holein-the-wall treasures. As a college town, Gainesville is steeped in arts and sciences but still has a grit and green ethic from local farmers markets to live music venues, to its very own community Internet radio station: growradio. org. Plus, who wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want Paynes Prairie in their own backyard!

30 | Spring 2011

See a play at the Hippodrome Where can you see a play, visit a gallery, watch a ďŹ lm, and get a glass of wine? The Hipp! Since 1973, the Hippodrome Theatre has produced more than 350 plays and has touched the lives of more than 1.8 million audience members. Housed in the old Federal Building, in the heart of downtown, the Hippodrome Theatre is a little touch of Broadway right in our own backyard.

Paint the 34th St. wall Some call it art. Some call it graffiti. Others consider it an opportunity to express artistic freedom and get their work into the public eye. Whatever you call it, since 1979 the 1,120-foot-long wall that runs along 34th Street near SW 2nd Avenue has become the “concrete blog;” a palette for people to offer congratulations, greetings, expressions of love, celebrate national championships and to even honor the dead. While not exactly legal, to date no one has been arrested for participating in this long-standing tradition.

Steve Everett Teacher I most enjoy living in Gainesville because of the easy access to an abundance of natural systems. There are few places that can boast about rivers, lakes, swamps, springs, caves, forests, prairies and beaches, all within an hour’s drive. The availability of incredible educational opportunities is just icing on an already delicious cake.

Camp Crystal If you haven’t been to Camp Crystal, chances are your kids have (or will). During the school year, 6,800 Alachua County students attend camp during the school year. In the summer, children — about 2,100 of them every year — attend five- or 12-day summer camp sessions at Camp Crystal Lake. Campers choose five classes they would like to attend from 21 available activities — ranging from camp newspaper to dance class to kayaking. From June to August, the campers can count on having as much peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches, milk, and protection from the sun as they want and need.

Ride or walk the Hawthorne Trail What began as a railroad line a century or so ago has been transformed into a 16-mile paved corridor that stretches from Boulware Springs Park on Southeast 15th Street all the way to the city of Hawthorne. Along the way, bicyclists can expect to see prairie vistas, lakes, and beautiful woodlands. www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 31

Bill Bryson GrowRadio.org Gainesville is an enigma, which always keeps me guessing. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s this somewhat typical small southern town on ďŹ rst glance, but further exploration reveals a multifaceted cultural mixture that is rich and deep and truly unique in its makeup.

As much as things seem to stay the same change is always going on, and that dynamism is refreshing.

The Artists, the Writers, and the Musicians The concentration of these people and the force with which they impact our local culture is something that makes Gainesville particularly special in our state.

The Nature We are surrounded by a variety of natural wonders, some more subtle than others, that create a setting for our community that offers and encourages a connection to our natural surroundings.

The People We are blessed with powerful minds and spirits that contribute to the forward progress of our community and provide for the sustainability of these elements that make living here special.

32 | Spring 2011

Attend Festivals / Art Shows Spring Arts Festival Billed as one of the three largest annual events in Gainesville this festival takes place in the downtown historic district. More than 130,000 visitors are anticipated each year to come and enjoy art and jazz music amid restored turn-of-the century homes, stately palms and abundant azaleas.

Downtown Festival and Art Show Each year, for two days, the city closes some streets to motor vehicle traffic in downtown historic Gainesville and welcome thousands of visitors to join in the festivities. Meet the exhibiting artists, enjoy live music and dancing, and sample international cuisine.

This nationally recognized event offers works from more than 250 of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most talented artists.

Some other festivals just a short drive from town: High Springs Pioneer Day Newberry Watermelon Festival Alachua Spring Festival Cedar Key Seafood Festival

Paynes Prairie If you have ever driven down 441 between Gainesville and Micanopy, you have seen the vast expanse of Paynes Prairie. Stretching for an eye-boggling 21,000 acres, the prairie is home to bison, cracker horses and cattle, alligators, sandhill cranes and more than 270 bird species. Eight trails provide opportunities for walking, hiking, picnicking, camping, horseback riding and bicycling.

Ranger-led activities are offered on weekends, November through April.

Fishing on Lake Wauburg is allowed and a boat ramp provides access for canoes and boats with electric motors.

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Golf & social memberships available. Non-members are welcome to enjoy our golf course & sports bar. Golf lessons available.

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Spring 2011 | 33

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Take a Solar Walk Ever wondered about those 10 large monolithic sculptures seen along Northwest 8th Avenue? It’s known as the “Gainesville Solar Walk,” and if you haven’t already done so, you should take the time to park the car and check them out. In a cooperative project with the Alachua Astronomy Club, Artist Elizabeth Indianos created these monuments to represent the planets of our solar system. These fourteen-foot-tall concrete monoliths are adorned with scientific facts, symbols and poetry. Stretching along 8th Avenue in a straight line, they are spaced in ratios of the actual distances between the planets on a scale of 4 billion to 1.

Marjorie K. Rawlings It is said that the only door ever locked by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings at her cracker-style house in Cross Creek was the door to her liquor cabinet. Visitors to the old homestead can learn this and other quirky facts about the author at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park.

Park rangers and volunteers hope that through their tours and preservation of the Rawlings property, people from all over the world will discover and appreciate the legendary author who blossomed in Old Florida.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 35

Doug Jones

Visit the Florida Museum of Natural History

Director and Professor Florida Museum of Natural History With its small-town feel, combined with the cultural amenities of a much larger city, Gainesville is a great place to live and raise a family. I find Gainesville to be pleasantly manageable, not overwhelming. I enjoy the diversity of restaurants, the vibrant arts community, and the spirit of innovation that is balanced by a respect for history, the natural environment and our cultural heritage. And of course, as a collegiate sports enthusiast, there are few places to rival the excitement found in the capital of the Gator Nation during every season of the year.

Where can you find ancient dugout canoes, butterflies, fossils and the skull of UF’s first live mascot, Albert the Alligator? This and much more can be seen at the Florida Museum of Natural History. The Butterfly Rainforest consists of a 6,400 sq. ft. screened, outdoor enclosure with tropical plants and hundreds of living butterflies. Discover the world’s largest archaeological find — 101 ancient dugouts at Newnans Lake — and see how scientists study dugouts from the past. Learn all about the original Florida cowboys and 500 years of cattle ranching — but hurry up, because this exhibit ends on May 18.

Eleanor Blair Artist Gainesville is the perfect town for me. When I arrived here in 1971, I was glad to find affordable rent and a welcoming community.

The town was charming then, and thanks to wise leadership, the ‘small town’ feel hasn’t been lost to development. I love that we’ve grown into a sophisticated city with great theaters, restaurants and museums, surrounded by the wonder and beauty of natural Florida. Head out of town in any direction; the prairie! the springs! the gulf! the ocean! Who could ask for more?

36 | Spring 2011

Eat at Satchel’s Pizza / Visit Lightning Salvage Art. Junk. And Pizza. The iconic Satchel’s Pizza has much to offer, from the Fountain O’ Junk to a repurposed van in which to eat, to a playground to keep children entertained while waiting for a table. Don’t forget to visit Lightning Salvage (They call it a Junk Museum, but it’s really a lot more than that — including a live music venue). There’s also a greenhouse, a Bocce court, the walk-o-junk and a never-ending supply of visual stimulation.

GNV

PHOTO COURTESY OF UF COMMUNICATIONS

Brandon Spikes

“Ten things I will miss about Gainesville” In no particular order

1. PLAYING IN THE SWAMP There is nothing like a home game in the swamp. It gives you so much energy to be able to play in front of sold-out crowds every weekend.

2. FLORIDA WEATHER Even though some days seemed unbearably hot, I would rather be hot than playing and practicing in snow!

3. PLAYING WITH MY TEAMMATES

We specialize in the

Rare & Unusual

My teammates turn into family because those are the people you have to trust and the people you are around 24/7!

4. GATOR FANS There is nothing like true Gator fans! I am so happy I have them cheering for me and not against me!

Haha! They’re the most loyal fans I have seen in college football!

5. PLAYING FOR CHARLIE STRONG I will miss playing for Charlie Strong! I have so much respect for him and he is one the best defensive coaches in the NCAA!

6. HANGING OUT WITH MY TEAMMATES AFTER THE GAME. I have made some of the best relationships with my teammates and I am definitely going to miss hanging out with them outside of football.

7. BEING IN COLLEGE I don’t know an adult who doesn’t miss being in college, and having no worries.

8. MY GIRLFRIEND My girlfriend still has another year of eligibility left for volleyball and another year until she graduates, so I will miss her very much.

9. EMBERS RESTAURANT This was one of my hangout spots while I was here. They have some of the best food and service in Gainesville!

Fine Jewelry • Rare Coins Bullion • Paper Money Appraisals

10. PLAYING FOR COACH MEYER AND HIS STAFF I had a great four years here in Gainesville, and that’s thanks to Coach Meyer and the people who surround him are the best and most qualified at their jobs.“

GNV

There’s a lot more that we love about Gainesville. Below are a few other Gainesville essentials that we couldn’t fit in the main list: Look for fossils at Hogtown Creek; Enjoy a burrito from Burrito Brothers; Meet Tom the Bartender at Lillian’s Music Store; Get a slice at Leonardo’s Pizza; Coffee at Maude’s; Listen to a Carillon concert on UF Campus; Visit Devil’s Millhopper; See Lake Alice and the Bat House; Eat a Hare Krishna Meal on the Plaza of the Americas; Run the Gator Gallop; Visit the Santa Fe College Zoo. There are so many more amazing things to do and see — get out there and discover.

Coin & Jewelry Gallery In the Newly Renovated Millhopper Shopping Center

2007 NW 43rd Street, Gainesville

352.378.3983 www.CoinAndJewelryGallery.com

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 37

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Honoring Our Wartime Heroes The Veterans Administration’s Aid & Attendance Benefit helps veterans and spouses enjoy their golden years at The Atrium

Written by Janice C. Kaplan for The Atrium

T

here are more than 11 million veterans or surviving spouses over the age of 65 living in the United States today.

After serving their country with valor and sacrifice, these heroes deserve to live their golden years with a distinct sense of comfort and freedom. At The Atrium in Gainesville, they can find exactly that when they take advantage of the Veterans Administration’s Aid & Attendance Benefit.

“Wartime-serving veterans gave to their country,” said Prem Paul Murrhee, Director of Sales and Marketing for The Atrium.

“Now it’s time for their country to give back to them.”

The Aid & Attendance Benefit is a generous federal program that provides financial aid to veterans or surviving spouses who require services for any number of daily activities. These benefits are $1,632 per month for a veteran, $1,055 per month for a deceased veteran’s surviving spouse, or $1,945 per month for a veteran and spouse together.

These amounts could cover as much as 75% of the all-inclusive 38 | Spring 2011

monthly rent at The Atrium.

“It’s a great program from the federal government,” said Murrhee. “This benefit is for wartimeserving veterans and it’s very inclusive. I’ve been moving people in on this program for three years and have helped more than 100 people apply for Aid and Attendance benefits. (The government) really wants to help people get the benefits that they deserve.”

Eligibility for the benefit is based on three criteria. You must be a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran with 90 consecutive days of active duty and one day of service during a declared war. A doctor must indicate your need for aid and attendance (because The Atrium provides meal service, transportation and 24-hour attendance, the benefit can be used for rent).

There are also financial qualifications to be met, with each application considered on a caseby-case basis. Local veterans advocates can help you evaluate your financial situation to see if you qualify, and The Atrium hosts a veterans benefit talk at noon on

the last Thursday of every month.

The approval process takes anywhere from four to nine months, but that does not have to delay your move. The Atrium will defer the portion of your rent that would be covered by the benefit until the Aid & Attendance funds are granted.

“In the past people have had to dip into their savings to pay their rent, and then they would be paid back,” said Murrhee. “We will defer the rent by the benefit amount, so they’re effectively receiving benefits immediately.

When they get that retroactive payment, they just pay it back.

We don’t charge interest, and there are no extra fees for the service.”

Nestled in a quiet yet central location in Gainesville, The Atrium is an all-inclusive retirement community of 225 residents enjoying their golden years in style. Its namesake five-story atrium has a glass ceiling, baby grand pianos and plenty of trees and foliage.

Apartment residences range in size from 400-1600 square feet and all include a full kitchen.

Paul Murrhee, Director of Sales and Marketing, just before the Atrium’s Veteran Benefit Talk.

Monthly rent includes all utilities except personal phone service, three meals a day, weekly housecleaning, activities and entertainment, transportation, 24/7 live-in management and more. A post office, a branch of Wise’s Pharmacy and a hair salon are just a few of the other conveniences provided all under one roof.

Freedom of choice is a central theme at The Atrium. Leases are month to month so residents aren’t bound to long-term contracts and there are no entrance fees. And because the facility is

not owned by a medical company (as many such facilities are), residents can choose the amount of medical care they want and the company that provides it. If you move into an apartment and later your abilities change (for example, you need more regular in-home care), you don’t have to move apartments; that’s your home, and you can stay as long as you want.”

As a property of the Holiday Retirement Corporation, The Atrium shares visiting privileges with over 300 Holiday locations

across the US and Canada. All Holiday properties include a fully furnished guest suite that is just like a hotel suite. Normally rented at a nominal fee for guests visiting property residents, these suites are also perfect for traveling Atrium residents to stay in at no charge.

Modern retired veterans are more active than ever, and The Atrium strives to match it with unprecedented freedom and flexibility. Said Murrhee, “You’re in complete control every step of the way.”

The Atrium at Gainesville features beautiful and spacious studio, one and two bedroom apartments.

Your month-to-month rent virtually includes all of your living expenses, with absolutely no long term commitment or entrance fees.

Serving seniors since 1971

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2431 NW 41St St., Gainesville

352-378-0773 Spring 2011 | 39

COLUMN >> CRYSTAL HENRY

Naked Salsa And the mome raths outgrabe.

My darling 18-month-old is quite literally addicted to nonsense. made the mistake of introducing her to the deranged Disney Classic, “Alice in Wonderland,” and now she’s jonesing for some Alice, or Owlie, as she calls her.

Forget the fact that just the act of watching this on a television will almost certainly rot her brain. I’ve read the reports and I have been made aware that there are evil brain cell gnomes that leap out of the television to feed on the minds of those couch potatoes vegging out in front of the boob tube. I get it.

But to really ice the mind-numbing cake, she is totally fixated on a movie all about nonsense.

It’s a one-way ticket to crazy town that she craves every day before her nap, and I just stand by and let it happen.

My brother came to visit for a few weeks. After a few Golden Afternoons of unbirthday parties he’d had enough and suggested we torch the sucker. And I can’t say I wouldn’t have loved to. After all, the movie serves no educational purpose, and as a writer I believe very strongly in the power of imagination that is found through reading. I don’t want my firstborn to be dumbed down by a rabbit with a waistcoat and a watch.

That being said, if I don’t let that child unwind with a little Owlie before nap it is World War III, I don’t get anything done that day, and no one is happy in all the land. So string me up and beat me, but I let the kid have her fix.

I do have to admit I feel a bit of guilt about letting her watch such a silly and nonsensical movie. Her other televised love is Sesame Street, but because she can identify the letter S and understands the concept of two, I just don’t feel as bad about that show.

But Owlie is just one ridiculous scene after another.

I

The made-up words and pointless conversations Ol’ Al has with the critters in her world are surely just going to confuse my little boo.

The all-knowing and all-powerful American Association of Pediatrics recommends that kids under 2 not even be exposed to one minute of the evil that is television. And after 2, they should only watch limited amounts of highly educational TV. There are countless studies coming out saying that kids who watch too much television are prone to lower academic performance, obesity and psychological disorders.

So basically I’m just setting her up to be a Tweedle Dum. She’s going to be a stupid fat psycho because she saw a chain-smoking caterpillar before she was 2.

I don’t know, though. I’m just a little skeptical.

Now I know every ol’ crow thinks her chick is the blackest, but my child is no dummy. Little Miss Jabber Jaws is certainly not deficient in her vocabulary. She’s speaking in sentences while some of her peers are still struggling with simple words. She can already recognize a few letters of the alphabet, and even tries to sing and sign her ABC’s. Heck, maybe that caterpillar taught her a thing or two with his AEIOU song. As long as she doesn’t take to mushrooms and hookahs we’ll probably be fine.

At 18 months old she can understand the concept of one plus one equals two. And she seems to know the difference between two and three of something.

Believe me, when I give her two blackberries she looks me straight in the eye and demands, “Three.” If I tell her two is enough she loses her mind until I give her just one more, so I doubt her math skills are slacking either. So maybe emotionally she’s a train wreck, but intellectually I think she’s doing just fine despite her

I don’t know any welladjusted adult who wears their potty as a hat.

40 | Spring 2011

exposure to a talking Dodo Bird.

And as anyone who knows her will tell you, Miss Crazy Pants never stops moving, so I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have issues with obesity. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consistently on the lower end of the weight scale, and she almost has to be physically restrained in order to fall asleep. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a crazy ball of energy, so the fact that Owlie can even capture her attention and make her sit still for a second still amazes me.

So maybe the tel-exposure will just cause the psychological issues. I do have to admit that she isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the most emotionally stable person Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever met. I mean, to have a meltdown just because you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get your way over a piece of fruit doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem very healthy. She cackles maniacally over silly games like peek-a-boo or ring around the rosie. And I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know any well-adjusted adult who wears their potty as a hat.

But come to think of it, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know any welladjusted adults at all. We all have our little twinges of crazy; our own little neuroses like a fear of heights or the need to have our canned goods arranged just so.

So big deal. She watches Owlie for a half hour a day, naptime goes smoothly, Mommaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happy, and my kid turns out to be a very trim, perfectly intelligent little lunatic, just like the rest of us. Big whoop.

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42 | Spring 2011

>> PHOTO ESSAY

Adam Cianciarulo

Driven by the Dirt

BY LINDSAY WADELTON

A

dam Cianciarulo, now 14, has been riding motocross bikes since he was 5. After seeing the sport on television, Adam dreamed of becoming a professional rider and has since dedicated his life to training and racing. In 2009, he won both the Stock and Modified 85cc titles in Loretta Lynnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Amateur MX National Championships in the

12-13 age group. He is a sponsored amateur rider as a member of Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green. Though he is originally from Port Orange, Fla., Adam spent two months last spring living in an RV at Waldo Motorsports in Waldo, training daily with the help of his father, Alan Cianciarulo, and other young riders.

The innocent eyes of 13-year-old Adam Cianciarulo look through his racing goggles just before a practice run at Waldo Motorsports. It is just after noon and he is already gearing up for his second moto of the day.

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Spring 2011 | 43

TOP: At Thundercross in Okeechobee, Fla, Adam (right) and other riders warm up with jumping jacks before mounting their bikes at the starting line.

MIDDLE: Adam rides his pit bike for fun with friends in a back muddy area of Waldo Motor Sports. Though he is training early for a career in motorcross, Adam cannot go pro until he is 18 in the United States.

At 16, he plans to move to Europe and race there, where the age limit to enter pro races is younger.

BOTTOM: Adam grips the handles of his racing bike in preparation for a practice moto with two other young riders. The boys are quiet this time after a disappointed earlier run resulted in a half-hour reprimand from Adamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father, Alan. This will be Adamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last chance today to try and match his fastest lap time.

44 | Spring 2011

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ABOVE: Adam brought home 2 of the 17 championship titles won by the team at the nation’s biggest race at Lorretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

RIGHT: Adam pressure washes his practice bike outside his RV at Waldo Motor Sports after finishing motos for the day.

LEFT:Adam (#92) is joined by his sister, Katie, and fellow riders Zach, 13, and Jon Jon Ames, 11, goofing off in between races.

46 | Spring 2011

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“Often times, customers believe that our cabinet projects maybe outside of their budget and decide to use one of the big home centers to find something less expensive,” says Steve Carson, owner of Carson’s Cabinets. “However, the manufacturers we represent can often beat those home center prices by up to 10 percent.

48 | Spring 2011

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>> MAKE IT WORK!

Fashion Week

Extends Beyond the Catwalks & Stages STORY BY VICTORIA LASAVATH | PHOTOS BY SARAH HSU he Gainesville Fashion show is not just about the models, photographers and designers, and this year’s event is focused on a bigger picture: the arts.

There are many types of artists needed to put on Gainesville Fashion Week; designers, stylists, DJs, graphic designers, photographers, musicians and journalists. All of these different types of artists started somewhere.

Perhaps it was in an art class where the young artist had the opportunity to perfect his or her skill. A new non-profit organization recognizes the importance of having a strong art program within Alachua County that will help students by creating an outlet for the next generation of artists.

Rocket for the Arts, the program being introduced at the show,

T

50 | Spring 2011

“aims to enhance the lives of our community’s youth by building awareness of the need for quality art programs,” said Albert Coronel, GFW producer.

The program aims to make sure school art programs are of higher quality by using the money raised for grants, free workshops, art supply donations and to hopefully cover the initial start-up costs, Coronel said. Now is a crucial time for a program like this to evolve because the budget available for art programs is not enough to cover costs. Additionally, if teachers do not spend all of their budget in the beginning of the school year, the money becomes unavailable.

The vision behind Rocket for the Arts is to expose the younger generation to as many different artistic experiences as possible by

providing materials, research and support for the upcoming generation of artists.

This collaboration between GFW and Rocket for the arts came about because GFW has been “interested in partnering with a non-profit since day one but our challenge was to find an organization that would match our objectives. Rocket for the Arts will support the next generation of artists, the same people that will be involved in the next generation of GFW participants,” Coronel said.

This spring rings in the fourth season of GFW April 6-10. Last year’s show brought in 3,500 people in both the GFW main and promotional events, Coronel said.

There has been a steady 30 percent increase in turnout every time they do an event, he said. This event is

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 51

not just geared toward those interested in fashion but also to those who are open to the local music, art and design scenes as well.

Those behind the production include about 150 people including sponsors, boutiques, models, photographers, the GFW team and volunteers, Coronel said. All of those who are part of the GFW team participate voluntarily while working their day jobs. It makes sense to team up with others and have creative people come together to put on such a productions, said Melanie Ling, GFW media coordinator.

Ling said it is important to hold events like GFW because there needs to be more recognition for the raw, under-35 talent in Gainesville.

She also said that this year guests can anticipate a higher caliber of designers and models.

She hopes this year’s show will make someone remember that one art class that might have inspired them, and realize having a strong art program is essential in the education system.

Another GFW volunteer included Gainesville’s Mode Salon’s nail technician Jessica Davis. She was responsible for ensuring the models’ fingernails were catwalkready. She said she did not have to be asked twice to do the event.

After working a couple of these shows, Davis said her favorite moment is after the event when everyone who has worked behind the scenes gets to walk on the cat walk and be recognized for their

work. She said working with GFW has brought more recognition to the salon.

Davis said there can be many unexpected issues that arise while working in a fashion show.

You learn to “deal with the stress and keep going with” the show when things unexpectedly happen backstage, Davis said. This year

making this event bigger and better every season, “Coronel said. “We need to make sure the community knows this event is for everyone, all inclusive... fashion, art, music, culture for all.”

Coronel said it is important to hold events like GFW to help shape the culture, perception and future of Gainesville.

Davis said she will not be working but hopes to attend as a guest.

Besides the show’s new focus on the arts, guests can also expect more shows, a black tie event, new venues, a silent auction, and a possible youth art exhibit, Coronel said. He also said they are hoping to launch a GFW publication.

“We are reaching out to new demographics and working hard in

“As new companies, people and developments look into Gainesville, they need to know there is something for everyone here and that our community is serious about supporting the arts,” he said. “’Southern Living Magazine’” has named GFW one of the best fashion shows in the south. We helped put Gainesville on the map, and that’s important.” s

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Community Redevelopment Agency Manager Anthony Lyons in the CRAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new ofďŹ ce space. Lyons, who moved to Gainesville in 2006, said that redevelopment means creating positive change in the urban quarter of a city.

56 | Spring 2011

>> CREATING POSITIVE CHANGE

Building the Future The Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency PHOTOS BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS STORY BY CAROLYN TILLO he Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has been planting seeds of change in Gainesville since 1981.

And now, said CRA Manager Anthony Lyons, these seeds have started to take root and grow into a harvest of new buildings, new ideas and new promises for the future of Gainesville.

The goal of the CRA is to foster redevelopment in areas of the city deemed by state law to have blighted conditions, Lyons said. These areas include the Eastside, Downtown, College Park/ University Heights and Fifth Avenue/Pleasant Street.

T

www.VisitOurTowns.com

In the next 10 years, projects such as Depot Park, the Cade Museum for Innovation and Invention, and Innovation Square all promise, with help from the CRA, to provide residents and visitors with economic, entrepreneurial and recreational opportunities.

Lyons, who moved to Gainesville in 2006, put the concept of redevelopment in simple terms: it is about creating positive change in urban areas.

This change could be in the form of building projects, historic restorations and preservations, streetscape repairs or loans to business owners. Property taxes generated in the four

Spring 2011 | 57

David Castine, chair of the CRA’s Downtown Redevelopment Advisory Board, stands in Salon La Di Da, the business he and his wife started in 1999.

redevelopment areas help to fund the projects in each area, Lyons said.

Residents of these areas are not taxed more to fund redevelopment work, Lyons said. Rather, when the value of their property or the property of a neighborhood business increases, the tax revenue of the property increases. This additional tax revenue goes to the CRA, according to the CRA’s website.

Lyons said the CRA does not have a budget if the neighborhood does not improve. In other words, the CRA has to foster development in order to spur the growth that leads to increased tax revenue in a redevelopment area.

The CRA’s budget for October 2010 through September 2011 is about $5.9 million. After subtracting payroll, operating expenses, debt service and development agreements, this leaves about $3.5 million in project funding.

To decide which projects get funded or implemented, the CRA staff holds an annual meeting with members of its citizen advisory boards to examine

58 | Spring 2011

economic development, infrastructure and other projects or needs within each redevelopment area, Lyons said. Project ideas may be proposed by staff members, board members or citizens.

The CRA then has to determine what ideas should be considered the highest priorities and what it has funding for, Lyons said.

“The goal is to try to make great things in the city happen that meet redevelopment goals,” Lyons said.

Members of the CRA citizen advisory boards help to reach these goals. They have close connections to the neighborhoods where they work, and their stories are often intertwined with the stories of their communities.

Eastside Vivian Filer was too young to go to the Cotton Club while growing up on the Eastside in the early 1950s, but now she is helping to preserve it.

Filer, 72, the former chair of the Eastside

Eric Wild, chair of the College Park University Heights Redevelopment Advisory Board, poses before the Jackson Square Condos, which he developed.

Redevelopment Advisory Board of the CRA, lived within one block of the African-American club, which she said hosted live acts by music legends including B.B. King, Ray Charles and Bo Diddley. The building opened as a theater in the early 1940s before becoming the Cotton Club and then The Blue Note club, according to the Cotton Club website.

With the restoration project, Filer hopes the history of the club and the people who lived near it can be preserved.

Filer said the CRA has provided a $250,000 grant for the restoration project. The Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center Inc., the nonprofit that is sponsoring the restoration, has also received grants from the Florida Historic Preservation Board and the Plum Creek Foundation. About $808,000 has been raised so far, but the nonprofit hopes to raise close to $1.4 million, Filer said.

Filer said the Cotton Club Museum and Cultural Center Inc. plans to restore the Cotton Club and convert the former Perryman’s Grocery into a café and coffee shop that will generate revenue for the site. Four houses, two on Southeast 8th Street and

two on Southeast 9th Street, will be restored to host community-oriented programs for children. She said a farmers market may also be located on the grounds.

The restored buildings will provide visitors with a slice of African American history and will illustrate how people lived during segregation. Filer experienced segregation and integration, but she knows many children do not understand this part of history.

“I’ve lived through all those things, but it’s a foreign language to children born today because they have no acquaintance to that,” Filer said.

Through this restoration, she hopes African American history will be preserved.

“I am so afraid that we’re going to lose it when those of us that are my age die,” Filer said. “There’s a lot of history written but there’s not a lot of black history written...”

Downtown It would be hard for David Castine to find 19-foot ceilings, mahogany paneling and suspended wood floors in the salons located in the modern shopping centers

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 59

Innovation Square, located on Southwest Second Avenue and includes the former Shands AGH site, will house start-up companies, retail businesses, restaurants and residential areas, said UF spokesman Steve Orlando. The university and the community need to team up to ensure the success of this project. “This is something the university wants to work on with the city and the county along with local business leaders,” Orlando said. He hopes Innovation Square will maintain what is already a great quality of life in Gainesville while also boosting the local and state economies.

throughout Gainesville.

When he and his wife decided to start Salon La Di Da in 1999, they found all of these architectural features in the historical building downtown where they opened their business.

Castine, the chair of the CRA’s Downtown Advisory Board, loves the historic charm of his building and the experience of working downtown, but he has found that not all residents of Gainesville enjoy visiting the city center.

They worry about finding parking and being panhandled by the homeless, but the CRA is hoping to change these negative images of downtown, Castine said.

“The reality is these are problems that any area of town has, including the mall,” Castine said. “We’re working to clear up those perceptions.”

The CRA plans to revitalize downtown with Depot Park, a project whose first phase will cost $4.5 million, according to the CRA site. The 32-acre site, located at the intersection of South Main Street and Depot Avenue, will function as Gainesville’s Central Park, according to the site.

“Gainesville has great parks, and now Gainesville will have a signature park,” Lyons said.

It will include the renovated historic train depot

60 | Spring 2011

and the Cade Museum for Innovation and Invention.

Phoebe Cade Miles, the president of the Cade Museum Foundation and the youngest daughter of Gatorade inventor Dr. Robert Cade, said CRA Manager Anthony Lyons has helped research funding for the museum in the form of new market tax credits, which will help cover the museum’s cost.

The museum is expected to cost about $24 million, Miles said.

Miles said construction crews will break ground on the museum in three years. It will feature interactive exhibits and hands-on experiences. One exhibit will include different stations where guests can learn about what exercises are best suited to their body types and why electrolyte consumption is important for athletes. The exhibit will also share the story of Gatorade and how it helps athletes, she said.

However, the museum is not just about Gatorade.

Its exhibits focus on the importance of creativity, Miles said.

“We live in a world now where creativity is more important than intelligence in determining success,” Miles said. “Where most museums emphasize increases in intelligence, ours is emphasizing increasing their creativity.”

College Park / University Heights At the start of his sophomore year at the University of Florida in 1997, Eric Wild rented a white Victorian house in the University Heights neighborhood and turned it into a college student’s dream home.

He converted the dining room into a bar and placed sand on the side yard to create a beach, complete with a speaker system and tiki huts.

More than 13 years later, Wild is applying his love for renovation and redevelopment to projects that

impact the entire College Park/University Heights neighborhood, not just his own home. He serves as the chair of the College Park University Heights Redevelopment Advisory Board, he owns and serves as a broker for Alligator Realty, and he is a partner in the F & G Land Company that rented the white house to him.

Wild, who developed the Jackson Square Condos, will soon see other new developments in this area.

The University of Florida is working with the city, the county and local business leaders to transform the former Shands AGH site on Southwest Second Avenue into Innovation Square, a mix of start-up companies, retail businesses, restaurants and residential areas, said Steve Orlando, UF spokesman.

Orlando said the site will create an estimated 3,000 creative class jobs and boost local and state economic development. The CRA has helped guide the project

to ensure it becomes a bridge between UF and the Gainesville community, Orlando said.

He noted that urban economist Richard Florida has cited Gainesville as having the highest projected percentage growth in the nation for creative class jobs, with a projected 17.7 percent increase between 2008 and 2018.

“I think that [Innovation Square] will probably help make that prediction a reality,” Orlando said.

However, the economic downturn has still taken its toll on this area of Gainesville. According to Wild, this neighborhood was once fueled by private development, but now development is at a standstill. He said the CRA has had to find new ways to help local businesses and prepare for future growth.

The CRA is cooperating with government agencies and private firms to release more loan money for local business owners, Wild said.

The money is not bailout money, he said. Rather, the money can be used for buying additional facilities or lots or expanding businesses within the buildings they are already using.

“It’s basically a way to help accelerate those who are succeeding on their own,” Wild said.

Lyons said these economic development projects can be implemented in all four redevelopment areas.

Since they were launched toward the end of 2010, he cannot be sure of the impact they will have, but they should start taking effect this year. Entrepreneurs starting businesses will also have the chance to receive loans, Lyons said.

In preparation for when the market improves, Wild said the College Park/University Heights area is also implementing projects that will make land more likely to sell when developers are ready and able to buy.

Small projects, such as improving stormwater retention and underground utilities, can help prepare properties for being put on the market.

“It’s about improving the district, and, if we do it right, the district will profit as a result, but [profit] can’t be the motivation for the decisions we make,” Wild said.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 61

Fifth Avenue / Pleasant Street A year from now, Russ Ingram hopes the smells of barbecue will mingle with the other signs of change in the Fifth Avenue/Pleasant Street neighborhood.

Ingram, a member of the Fifth Avenue Pleasant Street Redevelopment Advisory Board, wants to open a barbecue restaurant in the building he and his wife have owned for the past three and a half years, and his wife wants to open a consignment store for unique household items.

With the bottom floor of their two-story building recently vacated, they are ready to pursue their business venture.

Their business will be just one of the new features in a neighborhood where changes have already taken place. The CRA is working with the City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to restore the house of A. Quinn Jones, an educator and civic leader, according to the CRA site.

Lyons said the home is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

According to the CRA website, it will serve as the starting point of the Historic Heritage Trail, which will have signs and markers pointing out the contributions of former important residents in the Fifth Avenue/Pleasant Street neighborhood. Although the outside of the house has been restored for about $72,000, an estimated $300,000 will be needed to fund the museum, the exhibits and the trail. Lyons said fundraising efforts will help supply this money.

Ingram said he hopes the trail will help people see that the Fifth Avenue/Pleasant Street area is not as blighted as it used to be.

But Robert Pearce, a member of the Fifth Avenue/ Pleasant Street Redevelopment Advisory Board, said the neighborhood still has problems such as drug dealing and prostitution. He suggested that the CRA should be addressing neighborhood-wide problems rather than spending large amounts of money to

62 | Spring 2011

renovate individual locations.

Pearce, who works as a state-certified building contractor and has been renovating houses in the Fifth Avenue neighborhood for about 30 years, said he suggested infrastructure improvements, such as making public rights of way more attractive and appealing, in order to reduce these problems.

“If you redo a streetscape ... then the private property owners will be much more likely to invest money in their properties.”

Pearce recommends improving the overall appear-

The new CRA building, located in the Fifth Avenue Pleasant Street Redevelopment Area was completed in 2010. The offices are on the second story and there are plans for the first floor to be used for retail shops.

ance of the neighborhood in order to encourage private investment in private properties. He said this strategy will help to displace neighborhood slums and blight, but the city also needs to lend a helping hand.

Lyons said the CRA does not turn a blind eye to these problems, but it has to stay focused on the problems it can solve. It has built a new office on Northwest Fifth Avenue and remodeled streets with brick sidewalks and pedestrian lighting on Northwest Fifth Avenue.

“At the end of the day, usually, economic prosperity helps some of those sorts of problems,” Lyons said.

“That I do know.” s

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A DVE RTI S E M E N T

Getting to the heart of the matter A personal reminder from Caretenders about heart health…for you and the ones you love.

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ccording to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease (including stroke) is the nation’s #1 leading cause of death.

February is “American Heart Month,” and the CardioCare Program at Mederi Caretenders of Gainesville helps cardiac patients live their lives to the fullest.

Caretenders’ CardioCare Program includes services such as comprehensive evaluation and coordination of care, patient and caregiver education 64 | Spring 2011

regarding signs and symptoms of heart disease, vital sign monitoring, home and environmental safety assessment/ modifications, rehabilitation therapy and medical social services.

“It’s not unlike much of regular home care; we’re just targeting the cardiac component,” said Pamela Morgan, Director of Professional Services for Caretenders. “We’ll make sure our patients understand their medications, the disease process, and the signs and

symptoms they need to watch for. We also bring therapists in to develop a home exercise program for our cardiac patients.”

The Caretenders professionals educate clients on healthy lifestyle, diet and nutrition (cardiovascular patients should stick with a diet low in sodium, fat and cholesterol). They also teach them how to keep an eye on their blood pressure and weight, often using telemonitoring technology to help keep physicians and other practitioners updated on a patient’s vital signs, especially patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).

“Telemonitoring is when we monitor patients’ vital signs and trends from their homes,” said Morgan. Wireless monitoring equipment such as a scale and blood pressure cuff are set up in the home. This technology sends the patient’s vital sign data to a central TeleStation, a device attached to the patient’s phone line or modem, which then transmits the data to a remote location where a nurse monitors the results on a daily basis.

Caretenders, with their mission of senior advocacy, helps seniors take active steps in managing their cardiac condition within the comfort of their own homes.

Homecare is also a critical part of helping to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and provides a vital link to your physician through the plan of care.

If you think Caretenders can help you, please call today. Healthy heart care begins with you!

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2011 | 65

A Life of Scars

BY JASON E. HODGES

Harry Crews Leaves No Stone Unturned

PHOTO BY JOHN ZEULI PHOTOGRAPHY | Harry Crews in 2004

>> AMERICAN NOVELIST

cclaimed author Harry Crews has enjoyed worldwide literary success.

During the past few decades, he has appeared in movies and hung out with Hollywood types like Sean Penn, Charles Bronson and Madonna, all while writing and growing his cult status into a largerthan-life persona.

In addition to his literary success, Crews has roots in the Gainesville academic world. He not only graduated from the University of Florida, he taught creative writing there for nearly thirty years.

With more than 18 novels, an autobiography and countless magazine articles to his name, Harry Crews has left no stone unturned, but in the process has acquired a few scars along the way.

Residing in northwest Gainesville, Crews’ home sits among a thick forest of scrub oaks that block most of the sun. It could have easily been the setting for one of his many novels. Seated in a blue recliner, surrounded by bookshelves loaded with books by various authors and photos reflecting his lifetime of writing, Crews’ persona fills the room. His natural Southern hospitality sharply contrasts his commanding speech.

Crews, whose bite and bark are sometimes difficult to distinguish between, expounded on his early days as a struggling writer and his humble beginnings marred by poverty and heartache.

Crews was born June 7, 1935 in Bacon County, Georgia, the son of sharecroppers Ray and Myrtice Crews. Life during the Great Depression was a harsh and bleak existence. Many of the children suffered from rickets, malnutrition and hookworms during a period when

A

medical care was scarce for the poor in the rural South.

“Our main concern was finding enough food to keep our bellies from growing to our backbones,” Crews said in the trailer of the documentary “Survival is Triumph Enough.”

Early on, Crews knew he wanted to be a writer. And like many writers, he had his share of hard times to drive his creativity. Not just poverty, but death, debilitating illnesses and horrifying mishaps were part of his childhood.

Crews’ father died from a heart attack at the age of 31. Crews and his

has returned in the form of postpolio syndrome.

“My legs are gone,” he said. “I couldn’t walk from me to you, if you had a .45 to my head.”

The next hardship young Crews encountered was being burned over most of his body a few years later.

He was playing the game “Pop the Whip” with friends while the adults on the farm were butchering hogs.

During the excitement of the game, Crews fell into a kettle of boiling water. Fortunately, he was able to keep his head above the scalding water until an adult pulled him out.

He has appeared in movies and hung out with Hollywood types, all while writing and growing his cult status into a larger-than-life persona. older brother were very young when their father passed away. His mother did what many folks did back then — she kept pushing forward, keenly aware of the desperate times she and her kids were living in.

Diagnosed with infantile paralysis at five years of age, Crews was bedridden for almost two months.

The doctors were not sure if he would ever regain the use of his legs. He eventually learned to walk again using a fence line for balance.

“I needed something to hold on to, hold me up, because my legs wouldn’t do it. So, I held on to the fence and learned how to walk again by holding onto the fence, staying on it.” Crews said.

Crews now believes the illness

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While in bed and under twentyfour hours of light to dry his burnt skin, Crews wrote his first story.

“I wrote a damn sort of detective story. What else would I write? And, this little boy was a detective. He had firecrackers in his pocket. He couldn’t have a gun, so he had firecrackers. He was after some crooks.

He would pull out his firecrackers and light them: bang, bang, bang,” Crews said.

As a teenager in high school, Crews continued to develop as a writer. Crews did not show the stories he wrote to the people around him. He realized his work still needed to be polished.

“I wasn’t associating with any people, but I was writing. I was

Spring 2011 | 67

writing through the whole thing.

No, I knew how bad I was, and it’s a great gift to know how bad you are,” Crews said. “But that’s what young writers do. They write dreadful things so they can write better things. They write another dreadful thing, then they do it again, then they write another dreadful thing.

Eventually, if he’s lucky, he meets writers that will help him. Writers are probably the most generous people in the world with their time.

Finally, they get to where they can trust their own ear.”

When asked if there was a book or turning point in his life that made him want to be a writer, Crews said, “Writers often have a book that is a turning point or a book that led them into what they are doing. I

I read forever,” Crews said. “And ultimately, I met him in England and he read a manuscript of mine, said this won’t do, but it’s almost there.”

Although Crews said he tried to follow Greene’s advice, he was not very successful, initially.

“I kept writing, and kept writing, and kept writing and kept writing,” Crews said. “First novel I ever published, I was 31 years old. But after that, I published one at 32, 33, 34, 35, and a whole river full of magazine articles.”

Among these magazines were Playboy and Esquire. Crews has fond memories of his days writing for Playboy — and for its creator.

“Hugh Hefner was really good to me as he’s been to a lot of writers,” Crews said.

Among the many adventures Crews had throughout his life was a year-and-a-half motorcycle journey to Canada, then south to Mexico. could pick out things that turned me toward writing and the rest of it. But the thing is, long before I could do anything, long before I could write, I was a writer. I said that’s the way I’m going to go. That’s what I’m going to do with my life, my whole life.”

After high school, Crews kept writing and reading. He joined the Marines during the Korean War. While in the military, Crews read everything he could get his hands on. After his time was up, Crews pursued his writing career fulltime. He was able to eventually track down one of the great literary writers of his time, Graham Greene, and showed him some of his work.

“I suppose Graham Greene in England was my main-most man.

I read him through and through, forever. Can’t read all of Graham Greene, there’s too much of it. But

68 | Spring 2011

Writing for these magazines and working with Hollywood types helped to establish Crews’ cult status.

Crews had a brief role in Sean Penn’s movie, “The Indian Runner.”

Crews’ book “The Hawk Is Dying” was made into a film in 2006. Movie rights have been sold to many of Crews’ books. Overall, Crews has enjoyed his involvement with the industry.

“I like to be in them,” he said. “I like to write them.”

While teaching creative writing at the University of Florida, Crews made a lasting impression. Maud Newton, 2009 Narrative Prize winner and one of his former students, recently discussed Crews and referred to a November 22, 2009, LA Times article in which she stated, “At 19, at the University of Florida, I took a fiction class from the formidable Harry Crews. When Crews

handed back an inchoate story I’d lamely based on my father, I could feel his scorn radiating off the paper.

‘The creation of a monster is not the creation of fiction,’ he’d written, in all caps. Crews taught me that an event doesn’t make for a resonant story merely because it’s weird and bad and actually happened; he helped me to see that the books I love most — like Graham Greene’s “The End of the Affair” — are powerful and moving because the author breathed life into them through hard work and imagination.”

Among the many adventures Crews had throughout his life was a year-and-a-half motorcycle journey to Canada, then south to Mexico.

Along the way, he slept in the woods and worked odd jobs. Gazing into space as if he could still see the people and places of a time gone by, Crews shared his memories.

“I left here on a motorcycle. 650 CC Triumph Twins Champion was the bike I was riding,” Crews said.

“I finally got back here, purified and holy.”

Crews’ road trip gave him a newfound energy and creativity.

“I wrote out of that for years,” Crews said with a satisfied voice.

Crews also talks about this adventure in the introduction to his book “Classic Crews.”

“During that year and a half I was jailed in Glenrock, Wyoming; was beaten in a fair fight by a one-legged Blackfoot Indian on a reservation in Montana; washed dishes in Reno, Nevada; picked tomatoes outside San Francisco; had the hell scared out of me in a YMCA in Colorado Springs, Colorado, by a man who thought he was Christ...”

Through many rough years that followed, including the death of his son and later, his divorce, writing was the constant in his life.

At times, Crews has been compared to other writers of his generation. Crews reflected on two: Charles Bukowski and Larry Brown. Like Crews, both came from humble beginnings.

“He’s gone now, but I knew him,”

The iconic Harry Crews has appeared in films, inspired songs, and even had a band named after him.

The band, “Harry Crews” was a

Harry Crews plays the part of Mr. Baker

short-lived project that lasted for

in the movie “The Indian Runner” (1991).

only 13 live concerts in Europe in

The film was written by Sean Penn and

September 1988. This hardcore band

is based upon the Bruce Springsteen

was made up of Lydia Lunch (guitar),

song “Highway Patrolman.”

Kim Gordon (bass) and Sadie Mae (drums). The album, too, was named after Crews, and songs such as “Car,” “The Knockout Artist”

Canadian pop band “Men Without Hats”

and “The Gospel Singer” were also named after Crews’

has a song called “Harry Crews” on their

novels. The song “Bringing Me Down” is introduced as a

1991 album Sideways, and Colorado band

song about a snake festival, a subject Crews wrote about in

“Drag The River” has a song called “Mr.

the novel “A Feast of Snakes.”

Crews” on their 2006 album “It’s Crazy.”

he said of Buskowski. “Seems like everything behind me is dead.”

When asked about Larry Brown, Crews replied, “Larry Brown was a great, great friend of mine.

When he first started, he came to see me. Well, I went to see him first. I looked him up... So I called everywhere and I finally found him.

He came and visited me and I got him a gig out at the school. Paid him about $1,500 and expenses so they flew him down here and he spoke at the University. It was a great thing for him ‘cause he could make some money.”

Crews also described Brown as a “a hard-knuckled roust-about.”

“He was something else,” Crews said. “A very honest writer. Of course, you know, he died rather suddenly. Nobody was expecting him to die. He looked great, but he

drank considerably.”

Crews’ affection for his fellow writers was a two-way street.

In a recent e-mail interview, Shannon Ravenel, co-founder of Algonquin Books and Director of Algonquin’s Shannon Ravenel Books imprint, described Brown’s respect for Crews.

“Larry Brown’s admiration for Harry Crews was enormous,” Ravenel said. “As soon as Larry began writing himself, he also began reading more and more widely. I don’t know just when he discovered Crews’s work, but whenever it was, it was exceedingly important to him. He always listed Harry Crews at the top of his list of writers who influenced him. When Larry and I first met in person (in Oxford just after the publication of “Facing the Music” in 1989), he

spent the first hour talking about his favorite writers — Harry Crews and Cormac McCarthy. He made me promise to read their books... which I did, happily.”

Despite his age and health problems, Crews’ grasp on the writing industry is firmly intact.

“I tell you man, it’s a hard, hard task,” Crews said. “But once you get a grip on it, you start seeing what it is, you might publish one or two stories, you’ll be alive, you’ll be all right, but it’s hard to get the first things published.”

From his hard Georgian beginnings of sharecropping, to becoming a world-renown novelist, Harry Crews has always done it his way. Although his life reads like a great fiction novel, it is a journey that Crews masterfully penned himself. s

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Visit thes e fantastic restauran ts!

R E S T A U R A N T

A D V E R T I S I N G

Going Out to Eat

CALL 352-372-5468 TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HIGHLIGHTING YOUR RESTAURANT IN OUR TOWN MAGAZINE

Adam’s Rib Co. 211 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, Florida 32609 Monday - Saturday: 7am to 9pm — Sunday 9am to 9pm

BARBECUE – Looking for the best BBQ in Gainesville? Then look no further than Adam’s Rib Company. Adam’s Rib is North Florida’s Premier Barbecue restaurant, serving North Florida’s finest beef brisket, pulled pork, bbq spare ribs and slow smoked chicken and turkey. Choose from over 20 sauces – from honey sweet to habanero hot – and everything in between. Don’t forget dessert, like their scrumptious “Mom’s Banana Pudding” and their famous Peach Cobbler. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Adam’s can cater any event locally. Come see why Adam’s is putting the Ribs back in BBQ!

352-373-8882 www.AdamsRibCo.com

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Bagel Bakery 4113 NW 16th Blvd., Gainesville (In the Millhoper Plaza) Mon-Fri: 6:30am to 5pm • Saturday 7:30am to 4pm • Sunday: 8am to 4pm

The Bagel Bakery, located in the Millhopper Shopping Center next to Publix, is the perfect neighborhood bakery and eatery. From freshly made bagels to scrumptious breakfast and lunch sandwiches, the friendly staff is always eager to help in any way. Menu options include bagels, bagel sandwiches, salads, melts, flavored cream cheeses, fair trade coffee roasted on-site and coffee drinks, smoothies, fruit bowls/cups, danish, huge muffins, cookies, brownies and more! A popular choice for either breakfast or lunch, why not have them cater your next office or staff meeting? Locally owned and operated, the Bagel Bakery is perfect way to start your day!

352-384-9110 70 | Spring 2011

Make sure to visit our new location (co-branded with TCBY) at 3102 SW 34th Street. It’s just south of Archer Road next to Crispers!

Calico Jack’s (CJ’s) 3501 SW 2nd Ave., Gainesville, FL (In the Creekside Mall) OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

SEAFOOD & OYSTER BAR – Located in the heart of Gainesville, CJ’s is still serving the freshest seafood in town. For almost 30 years, thousands of Gainesville residents have enjoyed what Calico Jack’s has to offer – something for everyone. As the area’s finest oyster bar, Calico Jack’s serves over 7000 oysters per week. Known for their great wings, ice cold beer and full service bar, it’s the perfect place to meet friends and family or tailgate before a Gator game on one of the largest patio’s in town. Open 7 days a week with happy hour everyday, join them each Thursday for 40 cent Oysters.

352-371-1675 www.CalicoJacks.net

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Dave’s New York Deli 14145 W Newberry Road, Jonesville FL 32669 OPEN 7 days • Mon thru Fri 8am-8pm • Sat 8am-7:30pm • Sun 10am-3pm

Located just 4.5 miles west of the Oaks Mall on Newberry Road in Jonesville, Dave’s NY Deli is quickly establishing itself as “The Real Deal” when it comes to NY deli food. Owner Dave Anders says he knew from the start that he wanted to serve only the best, so he has all of his pastrami, corned beef, and cheesecake shipped in from New York’s Carnegie Deli. Dave’s offers Nathan’s hotdogs, real NY kettleboiled bagels, nova, knishes, cannolis, authentic Philly cheesesteaks, Cubans, subs, kids menu, and more.

352-333-0291 www.DavesNYDeli.com

Francesca’s Trattoria 4410 NW 25th Place, Gainesville, FL 32606 Mon-Thurs: 11am-10pm Fri: 11am-11pm Sat: 12pm-11pm Sun: 11am-9pm

ITALIAN – Francesca’s honors itself on being a special place with a special taste. Family owned and operated, this Northern Italian restaurant offers almost everything in house being made from scratch daily. With a great atmosphere, delightfully priced lunch specials, and Live Jazz Sundays this restaurant is a total gem.

Mention this listing in Our Town magazine to enjoy $5.00 off any order of $20.00 or more. Offer may not be combined with any other discount or offer. Limit one redemption per table. Offer ends April 30, 2011.

Located behind SunState Federal Credit Union on 43rd Street.

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352-378-7152 www.francescastrattoria.com

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Spring 2011 | 71

Gator’s Dockside 3842 Newberry Road, Suite 1A, Gainesville, FL 32607 Mon-Sun: 11am-Midnight or later

352-338-4445 www.gatorsdockside.com

Gator’s Dockside is the premier sports restaurant in Gainesville and Ocala. With 7 jumbo screens you’ll feel like you’re at the game!

Gator’s Dockside serves great food, including fall off the bone ribs, succulent grilled chicken wings, fresh mahi and our world famous gator tail. Bring your appetite every Monday night and feast on all you can eat wings. Every Tuesday is Kid’s night—kids eat free with each paying adult! Also, ask about our “Lunch Rewards” program. After 6 paid lunches, the 7th is on us!

When you need catering, Let the Gator cater! Gator’s Dockside offers custom catering services for any size event. We can accommodate you at the restaurant or we can bring the party to you!

Find out more on Facebook and Twitter!

Gator Q 222 NE First Avenue, High Springs, FL 32643 Monday — Saturday: 11:30am - 8:00pm

BARBECUE – Gator Q is a neighborhood BBQ joint using local black jack oak soaked in apple cider for smoking pork, turkey, St. Louis ribs, split chickens, and chicken wings, with the occasional beef brisket thrown in for good measure.

Brette and Bob ‘Yogi’ Liebler serve made from scratch collards with attitude, bold BBQ beans, gourmet Mac-n-cheese, and a dill and ranch potato salad that will get in your craw and leave you craving more. They’re open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Check them out online at www.gatorq.com or follow them on Facebook. Ask your friends — the food really is that good!

386-454-9823 www.gatorq.com

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Great Outdoors 65 North Main Street, High Springs, FL 32643 Open at 11:00am Monday through Sunday

CUISINE DESCRIPTION -A 2010 Golden Spoon recipient, the Great Outdoors uses only the freshest ingredients and offers a menu that you won’t soon forget. Enjoy award-winning Boston clam chowder served in a crusty bread bowl or try the famous Fried Green Tomatoes. Entrées range from hand-cut prime aged steaks, fresh seafood prepared with your favorite spices, to fabulous burgers. Sit by the fireplace while enjoying live music as you dine under the stars on the outdoor patio. Happy hour is famous throughout the area with delicious appetizer specials and drink specials every Monday - Friday from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

386-454-1288 www.greatoutdoorsdining.com 72 | Spring 2011

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Joe’s Place 5109 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville, Fl 32606 Monday to Saturday 11:00am - 2:00pm — Sunday 1:00pm to 11:00pm

Founded in 2004 on the principles of quality food, exceptional value and family fun, Joe’s Place operates in Timberwood Village on the Northwest side of Gainesville. Joe’s draws people of all ages and lifestyles with its signature bar and grill menu items and family-friendly atmosphere. Since 2004, we have built a local following of salad bar lovers with our award-winning, homemade soups and salad bar. Meat eaters will enjoy our steaks and famous burgers, while vegetarians will love our locally produced tempeh options. All of our guests are given 110% customer service and treated like family.

352-377-7665 Find out more on Facebook!

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Luca’s Pasta 607 West University Ave., Gainesville 32601 Monday thru Thursday: 11am to 9pm — Friday & Saturday: 11am to 10pm

Luca’s Pasta is a quick-service, European style, take out restaurant bringing to it’s patrons healthy, fresh, delicious, quick and convenient pastas and other menu items, all served in environmentally safe and convenient to go containers. The new concept focuses on the cupa-pasta – a container conveniently fitting in one hand and holding a full, well-balanced meal. Offering a customizable menu with over 100 different pasta combinations and sauce influences from around the world. Customers can pick from a variety of pastas including organic, whole wheat, omega-3 and Gluten-Free, and combine them with sauces and sides to suit their own individual tastes.

352-338-1700 Find out more on Facebook and Twitter!

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Northwest Grille 5115 Northwest 39th Ave., Gainesville 32606 Monday thru Thursday 11am to 10pm — Friday & Saturday 11am to 11pm

Northwest Grille has been providing the finest quality fish and seafood entrees in a friendly atmosphere since 1996. Our menu sets us apart from your average seafood restaurant--- whether it’s our fresh, local seafood and fish, hand-crafted sauces or specialty desserts, we have something to please your palate. Meat lovers will enjoy our hand-cut steaks and vegetarians will love our locally produced tempeh. All guests are given 110% customer service and treated like family.

352-376-0500 Find out more on Facebook and Twitter!

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Spring 2011 | 73

Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza 5200 NW 43rd St. #302, Gainesville, FL 32606 Mon-Thurs: 11am-10pm Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm Sunday: 12pm-10pm

ITALIAN – Piesanos family friendly restaurant is proud to use only the finest ingredients available, including Grande® brand premium mozzarella, provolone & romano cheeses. Dough is made fresh daily & all pizzas are baked in our unique Granite Stone Fired Pizza Oven. Specialty pizzas, calzones, and fresh salads complete a large selection of Italian cuisine. An excellent choice for lunch, specials start at only $6.99. Their full service bar compliments any meal.

Call ahead for pick-up for those busy nights. Delivery is also available through GatorFood.com

352-371-7437

Full menu and ordering available online.

www.PiesanosToGo.com

Tempo Bistro To Go 1516 NW 13th Street, Gainesville FL 32601 Mon-Sat: 11am-5pm (closed at 3pm on Wednesdays only)

EXPRESS BISTRO – Rediscover the brown bag lunch at Tempo Bistro to Go. Presenting artful combinations of simply good ingredients in a brown bag. Great taste doesnt have to be complicated. Wholesome and delicious, featuring the best of local ingredients. Sandwiches made with artisan bread made and delivered daily. Soups and salads made from our finest local and organic produce. From a classic BLT to a not so classic Chocolate Elvis. Think Slow food. Call ahead orders are welcome and delivery available for larger orders.

352-336-5834 www.bistrotempo.com

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Flying Biscuit Café 4150 NW 16th Blvd., Gainesville, FL 32605 Located between The Fresh Market and Hollywood Video

BREAKFAST – The Flying Biscuit is out to reinvent breakfast in Gainesville! Maybe you’ve tried their soon-to-be-famous creamy, dreamy grits or their “moon dusted” breakfast potatoes, but did you know you can have them at anytime? With a unique open menu, all the items that appear are available throughout the day. With a variety of healthy and hearty dishes, The Flying Biscuit caters to a variety of tastes. With options ranging from the Smoked Salmon Scramble, the Bacon Cheddar Chicken Sandwich or the Tofu and Tater Salad, there’s something for everyone.

352-373-9500 www.flyingbiscuit.com 74 | Spring 2011

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Kid’s Corner

COMMITTED TO YOUR CHILDREN, THESE BUSINESSES INVITE YOU TO CALL THEM AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SERVICES THEY OFFER. TELL THEM YOU SAW THEM IN OUR TOWN MAGAZINE.

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Spring 2011 | 75

>> HAILE PLANTATION

Art, Music & Community The Haile Village Arts & Music Festival

BY ALBERT ISAAC n March 19, the Haile Village Center will come alive with artists and musicians for the third consecutive year. And this year there is an additional perk.

Artist David SchwARTZ (that is how he spells it), who hails from California, has been commissioned by the Haile Village Center to produce an original artwork in celebration of this year’s annual Art and Music Festival.

David, and his wife Tammy, recently visited the area to take photos, make sketches and get a feel for the area in order to create his work.

“It gave him a chance to talk to the people, find out what attracts them,” Tammy said. “For this particular series, the Main Street USA series, it is important for David to get a good feel and insight into the community. What makes it

O

76 | Spring 2011

tick? What makes it unique and special? Those sentiments get conveyed in his artwork.”

In December, there was a “Meet the Artist” reception at the Haile Village Bistro/Queen’s Arm Pub, offering visitors a chance to talk to the artist and see some of his work.

Tammy and David will return for the festival to unveil his new art.

Sara Landis, owner of The Perfect Gift and head of the upcoming Art and Music Festival, started the event three years ago. She is pleased with the way the festival is developing.

“We bring in about 75 to 100 artists,” she said in a recent telephone interview. “It is definitely growing. We had 98 booths last year. In the first year we had about 60. We spread it out last year to include more roads. Last year we added two more roads, so we have tons of parking. And you can park on 91st Street.”

Prior to the event, there will be a workshop in acrylic stain March 17.

“The workshop is geared toward the novice or amateur painter,” states the event website. “Under the close tutelage of Haile Village Guest Artist David SchwARTZ, students will learn to paint in the style of abstract impressionist Helen Frankenthaler, with the spontaneous influence of SchwARTZ.” This workshop includes wine tasting and cheese and crackers, while each artist works toward the completion of a still-life composition.

Landis said they will be accepting applications for the workshop through the month of February, until about two days before the event.

Visitors to the Art Festival can expect to see art, dancing and live music in four venues. Plus, all of the restaurants will serve food outside.

“We also have the Cameron Dance Studio that comes out and does dancing during the festival,” Landis said.

David is perhaps best known

A

B

C

for his controversial use of decommissioned American flags as canvas for his art. He came upon the idea after finding some discarded flags in the trash.

“This series is contrary to how most artists use the American flag to denigrate their country,” he said in a press release. “I intend to use my rights of freedom of expression and freedom of speech to make a positive, patriotic statement about America.”

His work has received support both from the international

community as well as American military veterans. He began receiving flags in the mail and, according to his website, “The most noted canvas to date was gifted to SchwARTZ by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. This flag, which flew on the State Capitol, is the foundation for the artwork entitled “I WANT YOU to Honor a Hero, Hire a Vet!” and the basis for a grassroots partnership between the artist, businesses, non-profits, and government agencies.”

David has built a reputation as

www.VisitOurTowns.com

PHOTOS BY FOOTSTONE PHOTOGRAPHY

A. Klezmer Katz performs during a previous Haile Village Arts and Music Festival.

B. Visitors to the Arts and Music Festival in Haile Villages can expect to see the work of 75 - 100 artists.

PHOTO BY ALBERT ISAAC

C. Artist David SchwARTZ works on his sketch book during the December reception held at the Haile Village Bistro/Queen’s Arm Pub. He’s been commissioned to produce original art for the upcoming Art & Music Festival.

Spring 2011 | 77

HAILE VILLAGE ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL March 19 and 20 10:00am - 6:00pm 5323 SW 91 Terrace

THE ART OF WINE March 17 6:00pm - 9:00pm Workshop. Please contact Sara Landis to sign up for the class. SaraLandis@bellsouth.net a patriotic painter.

“He celebrates America by reflecting our values in his artwork,” Karen Koegel was quoted as saying in a press release. “I don’t know of any other contemporary artist who captures the quintessence of Americana on canvas the way David does.”

Koegel, who lives in Haile for part of the year, is in charge of PR and volunteers for the festival. She has known David for years and has been following his career since the

1980s. The two had met decades ago and David had even lived in her attic space for several months.

“In 1990, I moved to the Venice Beach area,” David said. “And I was going to make it as an artist but I couldn’t afford a studio apartment.”

Koegel offered to rent out a space at her home.

“I spent 10 or 12 hours a day in my studio, so I would come home and stay in her attic,” David said.

On one occasion he even gave her a painting in lieu of rent.

The two have remained friends and Koegel recently bought some art from David, which led to his involvement with the Haile Village Arts and Music Festival.

“I wanted one of his pieces so he sent me the lithograph of one of the Main Street things in Ventura,” Koegel said. She felt that Haile Villages had to be part of the Main Street USA series.

“Haile Village is the American dream of owning your own business, your own home, contributing

to your community,” David said. “In this series, each town has its own flavor, its own ethic that makes it uniquely American. Those are qualities I seek out and celebrate when I put my brush to the canvas.”

Tammy said she is proud of her husband and his artwork. She believes people can connect to his paintings that depict American values and inspire conversation.

“I so proud of him for being a patriot and putting art back in the hands of the people and giving them meaningful conversations,” she said.

The two are looking forward to their return to Haile Villages for the festival, and the unveiling of his artwork.

“It’s got its own vibe, it’s own color palette,” Tammy said. “When you go into Haile, it just feels like you can sit down and take a deep breath and listen to the whisper of the wind. You don’t have to drive.

You walk downtown, sit outside, drink coffee.” s

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Spring 2011 | 79

CALENDAR If you would like to have an event considered for publication in this calendar, please submit information directly. post 4400 NW 36th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32606 | e-mail editor@towerpublications.com | fax 352-373-9178

JAZZ WITH KARL WEISMANTEL AND FRIENDS Every Wednesday 6:30p to 10:00p EMILIANO’S CAFE - Karl Weismantel on guitar and vocals with Ricky Ravelo on acoustic bass play jazz, standards, pop and original tunes.

352-375-7381.

FRUIT TREE & PLANT SALE First Wed. of Month 4:00pm & 7:00pm BO DIDDLEY COMMUNITY PLAZA - The Edible Plant Project’s spring sale, at the Union Street Farmers Market.

An eclectic selection of edible plants, fruit trees, & seeds will be available. This a great time to plant: warm season vegetables & greens, sugarcane.

BEGINNERS MINDFULNESS MEDITATION Every Thursday 7:00pm SHANDS CANCER HOSPITAL - Just sitting and relaxing in our beautiful meditation room can make a difference to your day. We offer gentle guidance suitable for everyone.

YOGA FOR ALL Every Thursday 4:00pm SHANDS CANCER HOSPITAL - Join us for an hour of gentle stretching, accessible postures and breathing exercises designed to

80 | Spring 2011

tone your body and lift your spirits. This class is suitable for patients, family, staff and members of the community.

COMEDY SHOWCASE Every Fri. and Sat. 7:00pm CLARION INN - A live stand-up comedy show featuring the best of local amateur and professional stand-up comedians.

352-332-2224

UNION STREET FARMERS’ MARKET Every Wednesday 4:00pm - 7:00pm BO DIDDLEY PLAZA - Each week local farmers, bakers, artisans, musicians, and dancers join with our intensely loyal customers in a timeless celebration of this community’s seasonal bounty.

www.unionstreetfarmersmkt.com

AMRIT YOGA Every Thursday 5:30pm - 6:30pm DOWNTOWN LIBRARY - Think you’re not flexible enough? Learn that yoga is not just about postures. We begin with a 15-minute relaxation and then move, with evenness of mind, into skillful action for your body.

Experience all the benefits of this guided practice. Appropriate for all levels. No registration needed.

vedalewis@aol.com

GAINESVILLE INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCE Every Friday 8:00pm UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP - Come join our experienced and expanding International Folk dance group in the new year. Suitable for all ages and abilities.

No partners needed.

Beginners welcome.

352-359-2903

www.gifd.org

RAINBOW BINGO First Tues. of Month 6:30pm PRIDE COMMUNITY CENTER - Fun, Cash, Prizes!

Doors open at 6pm.

Early bird bingo at 6:30pm. Regular bingo at 7pm. $15 at the door includes all early bird & regular games. Food and beverages available for purchase.

URBAN MEYER SCRAMBLE FOR KIDS Thurs. 2/17 & Sat. 2/19 7:00am UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA GOLF COURSE - This two-day event benefits Children’s Home Society of Florida, Boys and Girls Club of Alachua County, and Girls Club of Alachua County.

CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF A. QUINN JONES Thurs. 2/17 5:00pm - 7:00pm

THOMAS CENTER MAIN GALLERY - Reception celebrating the life of A. Quinn Jones. An exhibition of vintage photographs, artifacts and memorabilia tells the story of Prof.

Jones, one of Alachua County’s most revered educators, and the students he inspired during his 36-year career as principal of three African American schools in Gainesville.

The exhibition opened Jan. 15 and will remain on view until March 20.

352-393-8532

www.gvlculturalaffairs.org

UF SCHOOL OF MUSIC WIND SYMPHONY Thursday, 2/17 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM Wind Symphony with Joseph Alessi, guest trombonist. Dr. David Waybright, conductor. $10 for General Public.

Call the box office at 352-392-2787 for more information.

DANCE 2011 Feb. 18-20, 22-27 Event Times vary NADINE MCGUIRE BLACKBOX THEATRE - Stupendous, hilarious, poignant, and outrageous -- a few words that only begin to capture the glory of this highly original work of dance theatre created by New York choreographer and UF faculty member Neta Pulvermacher.

SWING INTO SPRING Sat. 2/19 7:30pm - 11:00pm RION BALLROOM - UF Jazz Band, under the direction of Scott Wilson and returning special guest Michael Andrew of NYC Rainbow Room fame, will provide music that will surely get your feet moving and your hips swinging! Our newest addition to the line-up: School of Music and Center for World Arts faculty member Dr. Welson Tremura will team up with Scott Wilson in a special performance with a Latin flavor.

GOLD COAST GREYHOUND ADOPTIONS

Tioga Winter Fine Art Fair Friday - Sunday 2/25/11 - 2/27/11 Times Vary JONESVILLE Tioga Town Center.

85 artists and fine craftsmen, music, food vendors and children’s activities. (shown: booth for UF Ceramic student organization H.O.T. Clay at the 2010 Fair.)

PHOTO BY MEAGAN CHANEY

The e Harlem Harlem Globetr Globetrotters 3/3/11

Saturday, 2/19 10:00am

7:00 pm

STARBUCKS TIOGA TOWN CENTER - Gold Coast Greyhound Adoptions is a non-profit all volunteer organization dedicated to finding loving, permanent homes for retired racing greyhounds.

They used to race for their lives, now let one race into your heart.

Come out and see us!

HARN MUSEUM FAMILY DAY Saturday, 2/19 1:00pm to 4:00pm

O’CONNELL CENTER - This beloved exhibition basketball team combines athletic ability, comedy and theatre. A perfect event for the whole family.

352-392-5500.

NHRA Gatornationals 3/11/11 3/14/11

HARN MUSEUM OF ART - Come explore the exhibition, Africa Interweave: Textile Diasporas, which focuses on African textiles that range from the ordinary to the extraordinary, including items of everyday use, high-fashion garments, textiles worn for masquerade costume and woven material reserved fro sacred ritual contexts.

After a family-friendly tour, make your own

Times Vary GAINESVILLE RACEWAY - Come one and all to enjoy the midway, meet the drivers and crews, and watch thrilling drag races at one of the fastest tracks on the NHRA circuit www.gainesvilleraceway.com

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 81

Daniel Tosh

MISS UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PAGEANT

4/6/11

Mon. 2/21 7:00pm

7:00pm - 10:00pm

PHILLIPS CENTER - Call 352-392-1900 for more information.

O’CONNELL CENTER - Daniel is currently one of the most requested headliners in the country. He has also quickly evolved into one of the most popular and successful college acts, performing at more than seven hundred campuses.

Daniel’s casual style and sharp material have proven to be greatly appreciated by his audiences, young and old (but mostly young). 352-392-5500.

cardboard loom and yarn weaving to take home! Free and open to the public.

352-392-9826

THE FLORIDA INVITATIONAL STEP SHOW Sat. 2/19 & Sun. 2/20 7:00pm - 12:00am O’CONNELL CENTER Organized by the UF Black Student Union, it is one of the premiere collegiate events of the south. In nine rounds of powerful stepping, dance, and music, deep-rooted in African American history, the NPHC organizations will face off center stage in a match that is sure to defy tradition and captivate the audience.

CAPE TOWN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

are joined by the Holy Trinity Choir in music for choir and two organs.

Sat. 2/19 & Sun. 2/20 7:30pm - 12:00am

CHAMBER MUSIC

PHILLIPS CENTER - UFPA presents Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra Martin Panteleev, Conductor with Philippe Quint, Violin.

UNITED CHURCH OF GAINESVILLE - Recital by Helen Kirklin.

TWO ORGAN SPECTACULAR Sun. 2/20 3:00pm HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH - Holy Trinity Church comes to life with the sound of two organs, played by John Lowe, Indiana University graduate, Timothy Denton and Peter Kinzie. The organists

THE KEY TO YOUR FINANCIAL SUCCESS! Seeking 10 individuals who want to earn extra income from home.

Sun. 2/20 3:00pm - 4:15pm

208-317-7214 82 | Spring 2011

HARN MUSEUM OF ART - “Gifts Set Before a King: American Images and Things Made for the Spanish Royal Court of the 16th Century” SA+AH Harn Eminent Scholar Chair in Art History presents lecture by Thomas Cummins, Dumbarton Oaks Professor of PreColumbian and Colonial Art, Harvard University.

Free admission.

352-392-0201.

www.saahharnscholar.net

TANGO INFERNO Sun. 2/20 7:30pm & 12:00am

Tues. 2/22 6:30pm - 9:00pm

PHILLIPS CENTER - Tango Fire Company of Buenos Aires returns to North America with their brand new show Tango Inferno – The Fire Within. A dazzling display of tango at its most seductive and fiery. It will leave you breathless!

352-392-1900.

Adult High School

at home FAST!!

Serious inquiries only.

Limited availability.

Monday, February 21 6:00pm

MARCO RAZO PAINTING EXHIBIT

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1-800-470-4723

HIPPODROME ART GALLERY - Painter Marco Razo exhibits work derived from literature, poetry, and movies. He uses figurative elements as a way of expressing artist vision from his cultural heritage in Mexico, and as a way to communicate with viewers’ personal and cultural backgrounds.

WINTER ART FINE ART FAIR

Wed. 2/23 8:00pm - 10:00pm

2/25 - 2/27 Event Times Vary

NADINE MCGUIRE PAVILION - Come out to laugh the night away as Kronberg shakes up the house with his clever oneliners, catchy songs, and unique brand of self-deprecating dark comedy.

TIOGA TOWN CENTER - Seventy artists and fine craftsmen showcase paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolor, photography, mixedmedia, ceramics, fiber, handcrafted jewelry, graphics and wood.

Musical entertainment, food vendors, children’s activities. 352-331-4000

FOREST STEWARDSHIP WORKSHOP

www.tiogatowncenter.com

Thurs. 2/24 8:30am

SERENDIB

AUSTIN CARY MEMORIAL FOREST LEARNING CENTER - Longleaf Pine Forest Restoration & Management. Once growing across much of this region, longleaf pine has many favorable characteristics for landowners with longterm, multiple-use land management objectives.

HIPPODROME CINEMA - This witty, comical hit of the First Light Festival explores the meaning of monkeysee, monkey-do while pondering “who is the primate in charge?

ART LECTURE Thurs. 2/24 6:00pm HARN MUSEUM OF ART - “A Primitive Effect on the Pictures:” Norval Morrisseau and the Global Emergence of Indigenous Modernism”

UFPA PRESENTS: TOMMY TUNE IN STEPS IN TIME Thursday, February 24 7:30pm to Midnight PHILLIPS CENTER - UFPA presents Tommy Tune in Steps In Time, A Broadway Biography in Song & Dance featuring the Manhattan Rhythm Kings. Sponsored

by Gainesville Today and Residence Inn on 13th Street. Reserved Seating: $30-60. Open to the public. Call 352392-ARTS (2787) for more information.

Tues. 3/1 8:00pm

www.thehipp.org

JANIS IAN Thurs. 3/3 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER - Janis has been writing music, recording and touring since the mid 60s.

352-371-0761

SECOND ANNUAL RUN FOR HAVEN Sat. 3/5 2:00pm TIOGA TOWN CENTER 5K and 10K runs, along with live music, food, drinks, expo booths, an awards ceremony and more. Registration starts at 2 p.m. The runs start at 4:30 p.m.

During the festivities, Sun Country Sports Center in Jonesville will offer a children’s fun day. All donations will benefit Haven Hospice. If interested, please pre-register your child by calling Sun Country at by March 4. 352-331-8773

SCRABBLE LOVERS OF GAINESVILLE FLORIDA

FLOW Wed. 3/2 7:00pm - 10:00pm ORANGE AND BREW Poets Inc. presents: Flow, an outlet for students and residents of the local Gainesville area to come and express themselves through poetry and music for no charge.

Sun. 3/6 5:00pm PRIDE COMMUNITY CENTER - Relax with the gals, enjoy a nice dinner, & catch a new movie — all for just $5

www.gainesvillepride.org

GAINESVILLE COMMUNITY BAND Sun. 3/6 2:00pm PHILLIPS CENTER Featuring Bill Prince & A Salute to Big Bands.

352-392-1900.

SWING & SWAY DANCE CLUB Fri. 3/11 8:00pm THELMA BOLTIN CENTER - Live music by Don Letbetter’s Blue Notes for ballroom dancing on a beautiful wood floor. 352-334-2189

PARK

3/1, 15, 29 & 4/5, 19 5:30pm - 8:30pm TOWER ROAD PUBLIC LIBRARY - If you love Scrabble like we do, then you know exactly why this group was formed and you also know why you want to join this group: To Play Scrabble! We play on the 1st, 3rd & 5th Tuesday. 352-333-2840

WOMEN’S DINNER AND A MOVIE

10% OFF

Up to 6 people admission, camping.

HS/ALA mag. Exp 5-15-11

COMEDIAN BEN KRONBERG

COUPON NOT VALID ON MAJOR HOLIDAYS

• Covered pavilions • Concession stand • Large tiled bath house • Canoe & tube rentals • Nature trail • Volleyball courts • Horseshoe pits

• Playground • Picnic tables & grills • Campsites w/ electric and water • Primitive wooded campsites • Dump station

Located in beautiful High Springs

386-454-1369 www.bluespringspark.com

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 83

Photo by Anne Fishbein

David Sedaris

PASSPORT TO COWBOY FLORIDA

4/17/11

Sat. 3/19 7:00pm

7:30pm

PHILLIPS CENTER - NPR Humorist and Bestselling Author of Naked, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, and Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk.

With sardonic wit and incisive social critiques, David Sedaris has become one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. The great skill with which he slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness proves that Sedaris is a master of satire and one of the most observant writers addressing the human condition today.

THE ANNUAL SPRING PROMENADE

ADVENTURE CLUB MEET & GREET

Fri. 3/11 (6p - 9p) Sat. 3/12 (10a - 4p)

Fri. 3/18 6:00pm

THOMAS CENTER Featuring a tour of six beautiful homes in the historic Northeast District. Friday reception and candle light tours and tours on Saturday.

MOTHER’S PUB & GRILL Third Thursday of each month. We are a group of over 100 members, ave age 40ish, who stay active and involved in everything from windsurfing lessons, to bowling, theatre, skydiving, biking, community service, and of course, socializing.

GREEN THUMBS Tues. 3/15 10:00am - 11:00am GAINESVILLE GARDEN CLUB - Speaker Gayle Phelan, Master Gardener, on “Favorite Spring Plants.” Free and open to the public.

352-416-6624

MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT Fri. 3/18 7:30pm

GORDON LIGHTFOOT

HAIRSPRAY Fri. 3/18 7:00pm PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AT P.K. YONGE - Call for details. 352-392-1554

www.pky.ufl.edu

NADINE MCGUIRE BLACKBOX THEATRE Adapted by Maurice Valency and Directed

by Yanci Bukovec. This poetic satire written

by French dramatist Jean Giraudoux in 1943 portrays the life of a woman living in Paris while forced to deal with prudish authority.

352-392-1653.

Mon. 3/21 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER - Call for more information.

352-371-0761.

FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - Don’t miss Florida Museum‚‘s “Passport to Cowboy Florida” fundraiser.

352-846-2000

www.flmnh.ufl.edu/

BEFORE YOU TIE THE KNOT Mon. 3/21 & 28 5:30pm - 7:30pm ALACHUA EXTENSION OFFICE - Before You Tie the Knot is an educational program offering constructive guidance to couples as they begin life as a married couple.

THE SEDOCTAVES Thurs. 3/24 at 2:00pm Sun 3/27 at 2:00 pm SQUITIERI STUDIO THEATRE - UF’s only all-female a cappella group, not to mention its sassiest.

Brought together by a passion for a cappella and a flair for the performing arts, these young vocalists sing their own renditions of everything from ‘80s pop to alternative rock, and are not afraid to push the envelope.

352-392-1900.

Need Help Finding The Perfect Fit? WE ARE COMMITED TO HELPING YOU! TOTAL ORTHOTIC SUPPLY NEEDS including complete mastectomy supplies

MANY INSURANCES ACCEPTED Including Medicare & Medicaid & Tricare

We offer wide selection with same day convenience

DIABETIC SHOES

We fit patrons from 10 to 100!

84 | Spring 2011

4615-B NW 53RD AVENUE • GAINESVILLE OPEN: TUES-FRI

9:30am – 5pm

352-377-7003

Personal Chef Services Offering delicious, nutritious and convenient upscale cuisine.

Order ahead online or Grab & Go now!

Located at the corner of Archer and 34th Street

Visit us on Facebook!

CATERING • PREPARED MEALS-TO-GO • COOKING CLASSES • GIFT CARDS

www.TakeAwayGourmet4U.com

352.374.4433 Amy Katherine Kirby, P.A.-C., a graduate of the University of Florida and a Physician Assistant since 1990, provides professional, compassionate care to patients of all ages.

Palms Pediatrics of Palms Medical Group has expanded it services in Gainesville.

Services for ALL AGES now include: ● ● ● ●

Complete primary care Physical exams HIV testing Family planning

● ● ● ●

Minor surgical procedures Urgent care Preventive healthcare Mental health counseling

Ruth Trimmer, L.M.H.C., treats children and adults.

Ms. Trimmer specializes in Brief Solutions Purpose Therapy and has more than 25 years experience.

Same day appointments Open Saturday mornings!

352-376-8211 1010 NW 8th Avenue Most insurance accepted.

Sliding scale fee for those who qualify.

www.palmsmg.org

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 85

Our Family Serving Yours Since 1961 RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL INSTALLATION REPLACEMENT

SPRING AWAKENING Tues. 3/22 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER - A musical that takes its inspiration from one of literature’s most controversial masterpieces – a work so daring in its depiction of teenage self-discovery, it was banned from the stage and not performed in its complete form in English for nearly 100 years. 352-392-2787.

THE WINE EXPERIENCE Thurs. 3/24 7:00pm PHILLIPS CENTER - Dance Alive National Ballet brings you Wine Tasting!

DANCE ALIVE NATIONAL BALLET: ZOOM Fri, 3/25 7:30pm

Receive up to $1985 in Rebates and Tax Credits on a Trade-In. Trade in your old air conditioning and heating system and receive up to $1985 in rebates and tax credits.

Offer ends March 31, 2011.

RAY FRENCH AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING, INC.

352-372-3705 Lic# CA-C058278 www.RayFrenchAC.com *Rebate savings vary depending on the equipment purchased. Expires 3/31/2011.

See dealer for complete details. Available on qualifying Energy Star equipment.

86 | Spring 2011

PHILLIPS CENTER - Dance instruction is offered during the intermission

by Ray Parris.

PLAYFUL ESCAPES Fri. 3/25 8:30am - 4:30pm FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Antarctic Expedition.

Leave sunny Florida behind and take a trip to the South Pole. Discover why Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and driest place on Earth! Preregistration is required.

Call 352-273-2054.

BIKE FLORIDA 2011 “FLORIDA’S EDEN” Sat.3/26 9:00am MLK JR. RECREATION CENTER - A week long, fully supported bicycle camping tour through what is considered “Florida’s Eden.”

ANDRÉ WATTS Sat.3/26 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER André Watts has had a long and frequent association with television, having appeared on numerous programs produced by PBS, the BBC and the Arts and Entertainment Network, performing with the New York Philharmonic and Boston Symphony among others.

352-392-2787.

ALACHUA COUNTY MARCH FOR BABIES 2011 Sat. 3/26 7:00am WESTWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC FIELD - Join Honorary Chairs Danny and Nancy Ponce at Alachua County’s 41st Annual March for Babies, the walk that aims to give every baby a healthy start! This 8.5 mile street party is a celebration of the lives we are changing through outstanding fundraising efforts in Alachua County. Join us for plenty of food, fun and festivities as we continued the march to help save babies.

SPRING GARDEN FESTIVAL Sat. 3/26 10:00am KANAPAHA BOTANICAL GARDENS - This is an outdoor festival celebrating the advent of spring by offering plants, landscape displays, arts and crafts relating to the garden, environment theme, seminars, and children’s activities.

352-372-4981

www.kanapaha.org

Retiring at The Village means meeting friends for life.

Our cheerful residents and staff are the perfect sidekicks with whom to enjoy a full calendar of activities, entertainment and socials. And, as a rental retirement community, we never charge large upfront fees or lock you into a lifetime commitment.

Call To Experience Firsthand Why Life At The Village Truly Is, “Retirement The Way It Should Be!”

Gainesville, Florida

1-800-654-2996 • www.TheVillageOnline.com ©2011 North Florida Retirement Village. All Rights Reserved. Assisted Living Facility #4855

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 87

CONTRA DANCE Sun. 3/27 3:30pm - 7:00pm NADINE MCGUIRE PAVILION - The Contra Dancing Club is working with the Gainesville Oldtime Dance Society to host a contra dance on campus. Contra dancing is a fun, social dance that is easy to learn. There will be an introductory workshop before the dance. Live music.

HIPPODROME THEATRE SPRING PLAY OBSERVERSHIP

Participants will witness rehearsals with cast, designer presentations, observation of rehearsals and other elements of the artistic process.

www.thehipp.org

5TH ANNUAL HANDS DOWN SHOWCASE Fri. 4/1 6:30pm - 11:00pm NADINE MCGUIRE PAVILION - Hip hop dance teams from all of the state of Florida and surrounding areas come together to compete for $500.

Fri. 4/1 3:00pm - 5:00pm

HIGH SPRINGS PIONEER DAYS

HIPPODROME THEATRE Go behind-the-scenes and witness the creative process of THE 39 STEPS by Alfred Hitchcock, the fastpaced whodunit which was a hit in London and on Broadway.

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HIGH SPRINGS Incorporated in 1892, the pioneering families of High Springs, some of whose decedents still live here today, will be honored during

this celebration. Enjoy a shoot-out re-enactment, a Heritage Village with demonstrations and Antique Tractors.

Food vendors, kids activities and rides, and Fine Art and Craft Vendors. 386-454-3120

STRIDE AGAINST SILENCE 5K WALK/RUN Sat.4/2 7:00am - 10:00am NADINE MCGUIRE PAVILION - Stride Against Silence is a 5K Walk/Run that raises money for cochlear implant patients at Shands Hospital.

BELA FLECK, ZAKIR HUSSAIN AND EDGAR MEYER Sun. 4/3 2:00pm PHILLIPS CENTER - Three of the most limitless creators and composers

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WALK THE TALK FOR EPILEPSY AND SEIZURE DISORDERS Sat. 4/9 8:00am WEST SIDE PARK - Last year more than 100 people came out and walked to raise money and awareness for Epilepsy and raised $10,000.

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the date for Children’s Home Society of Florida’s 24th annual Puttin’ on the Ritz! We invite you to join our night out as you dress your best in black and white. 352-846-2000

SANTA FE COLLEGE SPRING ARTS FESTIVAL Sat. 4/9 - Sun. 4/10 Event Times Vary DOWNTOWN Celebrating 42 years of fine arts celebration with a twist of jazz. The festival draws hundreds of top-quality artists from more than 25 states in a juried show that includes sculpture, printmaking, painting, 2-D and 3-D mixed media, jewelry, photography, drawing, watercolor, wood, fiber and glass. 352-395-5355

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EBENE QUARTET Sun. 4/17 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM The word is out about the Ebene Quartet — these guys can play anything. Listen to them rip through Dick Dale’s surf-rock classic “Miserlou” and then turn on a dime to saunter through a Nat King Cole song.

PESTICIDE LICENSE WORKSHOP Thurs. 4/21 9:00am - 1:00pm ALACHUA COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE - This workshop is designed to provide training in practices related to Private Applicator Agricultural Pest Control License for anyone working in the agriculture industry.

HOME RUN! GAINESVILLE! Sat. 4/23 6:00pm - 10:00pm UNIVERSITY AIR CENTER The Matheson Museum holds its 3rd annual Small Town Saturday Night benefit with a nostalgic look at the magic of our home town baseball teams.

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WORK OF HEART AWARDS BANQUET Tues. 4/26 6:00pm - 9:00pm PARAMOUNT PLAZA HOTEL - annual Work of Hearts Awards banquet, which recognizes volunteers from throughout the community, is meant to celebrate and honor their selfless work.

FARM AND FOREST FESTIVAL Sat. 4/30 10:00am - 4:00pm MORNINGSIDE NATURE CENTER - View historicbreed farm animals, hear period music, and observe traditional crafts and trades like sheep shearing, blacksmithing, and more.

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MOONLIGHT WALK Sat. 5/14 7:00pm - 11:00pm KANAPAHA BOTANICAL GARDENS - Large sections of Kanapaha’s extensive walkway system will be lighted by 1500 luminaries, as well as paper lanterns and other light sources. Live entertainment will be provided. 352-372-4981 www.kanapaha.org s

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COLUMN >> BRIAN “KRASH” KRUGER

Gate Crashing On Deck: BTB Trio, Fick, Bearstronaut, Neighborhood Watch, Sweet Babies DATE: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23 VENUE: 1982 BAR reetings, live music aficionados! This issue finds us at one of my favorite live music venues in town, the cozy 1982 Bar, in Midtown on University Avenue.

Longtime residents may recall the venue as the original location of Common Grounds, and having been a couple other bars after that. It’s a small room but with a more than sufficient PA, and a friendly staff that I will freely admit includes some old bandmates and fellow travelers in the local scene. The only downside to the small size is that there is smoking, and if you need to get away from the smoke you pretty much have to step outside.

The BTB Trio kicked things off. I’m not one hundred per cent sure whether this was something thrown together for this occasion or is/was a freestanding band otherwise, but the band played all instrumental jams.

Gearwise it was an interesting juxtaposition seeing a very inexpensive bass rig and an expensive (PRS) guitar into an expensive “boutique” amp in the same group, which just goes to show that gear cost does not have a direct relationship on the quality of music being

G

played. The distortion for the guitar remained on for the whole set, with influences like Hendrix, Sabbath, Rush, Eric Johnson and Gary Moore in the mix.

Second on the bill were Fick, a quartet with guitar, bass and drums line-up, and the addition of a singer.

They fell more into the modern rock genre, with some breakdowns and time signature changes that got to be a little much for me. The bassist did some nice running bass lines that were busy without being obtrusive, but once into the set the singer adopted a more declarative monotone-ish theatrical almost punky style that to me didn’t completely gel with the more proggy/altrock leanings the music seemed aimed at. Fick did a well-received set that included a cover of Hendrix’s “Manic Depression,” and the possibility of a stylistic mismatch within the band didn’t seem to bug anyone but me, so what do I know? And the guitarist’s Les Paul Custom, yum.

Up in the sweet spot at the middle of the bill was my favorite band of the evening, Bearstronaut. This band featured the guitarist for BTB Trio, but playing drums!

The guitarist playing the same PRS/boutique rig and singing lead was reportedly his brother, and the two

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did share a resemblance, so that made sense. Another guitarist played through a Marshall, switching between a black Les Paul and a white Schecter with EMG pickups (traditionally used by “metal” players), and the bassist played a couple Ibanez ATK’s (one 4-string, one 5-string) through an Ampeg 2x10 cab and a GallienKrueger (no relation) head.

The guitars were thick and chunky, and there seemed to be both a little Rush and Soundgarden type influences. Prog-grunge? Sounds odd, but whatever it was it really worked; the proggy bits were never held too long or overtook the very melodic songwriting.

There was some instrument switching, which was kept under distraction level, including a “5th member” who came up for one song with the band. This is the kind of thing that could easily have been a negative, or even a set killer, but these guys were on a roll. Did I mention some possibly celtic Thin Lizzy/Big Country-inspired dual guitar work? On paper this sounds like a mess, but trust me, these guys kick all kinds of behind.

The penultimate band, Neighborhood Watch, took things more into an indie/power pop/fun direction.

The shoeless female singer was asked by an audience member during soundcheck about her lack of footwear, and her response was priceless: “Because I’m like EIGHT FEET tall!” In addition to her, the band was rounded out by guys on guitar (two, one of whom shared lead vocals), bass, and drums. There was some nice Vampire Weekend-type guitar interplay (without so much pseudo Afropop influence), some syncopated dance beats, one song with a reggae touch, and the exhortation to “Dance, dance, dance!”

PHOTOS BY BRIAN KRUGER

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Bearstonaut, Fick, Sweet Babies, BTB Trio, Neighborhood Watch

The singer was clearly a naturally gifted singer, but seemed still to be finding herself as a live singer.

Occasionally she went out of tune (as all singers do), but in a more noticeable way than a more experienced performer would show. That will come with time.

The last band up was Sweet Babies, with the same gal singer who also played some minimalist keys (a la the singer in the Killers), backed up by guitar/backing vox, bass, drums and a percussionist/backing vocalist.

They were a little more arty/edgy than the predecessor band with some Pixies/Breeders influences, but any band that opens a set with a song exhorting the crowd to “C’mon, c’mon!” is OK in my book.

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>> DOWNTOWN

Runnin’ Down a Dream Uncommon Entrepreneurs Pursue Their Passions in the Heart of Gainesville

BY MOLLY LARMIE ix guys stand around the courtyard on a freezing Wednesday in January, hands jammed in coat pockets, goofing off.

There is Warren Oakes, Geoff Humphrey and Jacob Ihde from Boca Fiesta restaurant, and Jeff McMullen, Cameron Brown and Mitch Eadens from Palomino Pool Hall. They have been assembled to talk about the Cinderella success of their downtown establishments.

In between photo shoots, they sneak outside to smoke cigarettes and try to shirk interview duty.

It should probably be Warren

S

96 | Spring 2011

Oakes who talks, they decide. A former drummer for punk rock band “Against Me!” Oakes is accustomed to the press. And, because someone has to speak for Palomino, Jeff McMullen steps up to the plate.

Oakes and McMullen share more than a birthday (January 23); they share a history. Oakes was born in Gainesville but grew up in Sarasota. He knew McMullen, who lived in Clearwater. Both made their way to Gainesville and now call the city home.

When Oakes returned to Gainesville in 2009 after touring with the band for eight years,

PHOTOS BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

Posing in the Boca Fiesta restaurant are the men who made it all happen.

(Top; from left:) Jacob Ihde, Mitch Eadens, Cameron Brown, Jeff McMullen, Geoff Humphrey and Warren Oakes.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 97

McMullen got in touch with him. He told Oakes he was trying to open a pool hall downtown.

McMullen’s friend Cameron Brown had worked at Happy Hour Billiards, a longtime Gainesville institution. When the business shut down, the owner sold the pool tables and equipment to Brown at a cheap rate. McMullen, Brown and another friend, Mitch Eadens, set their sights on an abandoned Pontiac service station downtown.

When McMullen brought Oakes along to check out the space, the two noticed something unexpected.

A Thai restaurant was going out of business next door.

So Oakes began scheming too.

Along with friends and “kindred spirits” Jacob Ihde and Geoff Humphrey, Oakes planned to fill the soon-to-be vacant space with a Mexican restaurant.

“As long as I can remember there has never been a place downtown where you can sit down and get free chips and salsa,” Oakes said.

When he was traveling with the band, Oakes noticed “every other college town in America has a cool taco joint near campus and downtown.” He hoped to bring Gainesville into the fold.

BOCA FIESTA The three friends got keys to the space at 232 SE First Street on May 5, 2009 — Cinco de Mayo. They scrubbed and designed, working furiously to meet an ambitious opening date less than a month away.

On June 1, Boca Fiesta opened for lunch, dinner and late night.

The restaurant boasts a full bar with friendly bartenders who make killer homemade margaritas. The rustic brick interior is jammed with tables and comfortable booths.

There is a random assortment of artwork on the walls, some of it

created by employees.

The menu is full of vegetarian and vegan options. The restaurant uses fresh, local tempeh, a proteinpacked soybean product. Oakes has tried tempeh across the country, and Gainesville tempeh is the best, he said.

The owners ensure the vegan food on their menu is not a “consolation prize.” They do not want vegan customers to have to order complicated, boring meals. There is no chicken stock in the rice, no lard in the beans and no animal products in the collard greens.

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

Joanna Reynolds, bar manager, serves up a variety adult beverages including an extensive beer selection and Boca Fiesta’s very own fresh-squeezed, agave-sweetened, Boca Margarita.

“Every other college town in America has a cool taco joint near campus and downtown.”

When Oakes started touring with “Against Me!” he was practicing a vegetarian lifestyle. As his passport filled with stamps, he began to feel limited.

“Eventually, I found myself on the coast of Spain, and everybody was having this amazing seafood,” Oakes said. “I was like, ‘I guess I’ll have the French fries again.’”

He became an omnivore again, sampling regional specialties, even meat-filled ones.

He ate reindeer in Alaska and kangaroo in Australia. He tried putrefied shark in Iceland (“Probably the worst thing I’ve ever had”). He tried blowfish.

“Food was such a big part of experiencing where you were,” Oakes said.

He brought those experiences home with him. They manifested themselves on the menu at Boca Fiesta under the “monthly exotic taco of the month.” Ostrich, boar, rattlesnake and other unusual

meats all find themselves between the flour sides of a taco from time to time. Gator is always on the menu.

In Spanish, Boca Fiesta means “Mouth Party.” January’s exotic taco was called the “Open Mouth Taco,” an adventurous creation filled with queso fresco, corn salsa, fried pickled pork rind and beef tongue.

PALOMINO POOL HALL About eight months after Boca Fiesta opened, Palomino Pool Hall debuted in the extensively renovated Pontiac building at 19 SE Second Place. The pool hall is softly lit, with spare, industrial design.

Old auditorium seats line the large room. The atmosphere is masculine, warm and inviting.

Palomino Pool Hall is open afternoons and evenings, and offers 15 billiards tables available for an hourly fee, $4 before 7 p.m., $7 after.

The hall also has table shuffleboard, Ping-Pong and television. The staff does not serve

PHOTOS BY CAMERON BROWN

OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM - The adjoining space between Boca Fiesta and Palomino Pool Hall, which is referred to as “The Backyard.” Hardly an afterthought, the owners take particular pride in making this outdoor space comfortable and inviting.

98 | Spring 2011

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 99

PHOTO BY CAMERON BROWN

food, but customers can order from Boca Fiesta and have their entrees delivered.

Palomino maintains a full bar with beer and liquor. The selection includes cheap domestic beers, high-end craft beers, imports and local brews like Swamp Head. The owners are working to build an exceptional whiskey selection, McMullen said. Boca Fiesta is known for tequila. Palomino wants to be known for whiskey.

The low maintenance, no frills establishment employs only one person — the owners prefer to use their own labor — and caters to a good mix of students and professionals.

Recently, Palomino collaborated with the nearby Hippodrome State Theater, which was screening a documentary film called “Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo.”

The film featured photography

from a professor at UF. Several of his photographs were displayed gallery-style at Palomino.

Palomino also houses what McMullen claims is the first CD jukebox ever manufactured. The owners got it off Craigslist and rigged an MP3 player inside. The jukebox now plays a few thousand songs.

McMullen, a former manager at Satchel’s Pizza and Burrito Brothers Taco Co., grew up with a bumper pool table. He occasionally plays his patrons. Does he win?

“Usually,” he said.

THE BACK YARD BAR A narrow, stone courtyard called The Back Yard Bar connects the two businesses. White string lights are draped across a full outdoor bar, a big-screen TV, a stage and casual seating.

With access from both Boca Fiesta and Palomino, the courtyard

is jointly run by the six owners, who try to get together for weekly meetings to plan upcoming events.

On Monday nights, they show movies out in the courtyard, everything from cult classics to Hollywood blockbusters to indie and art films. Tuesdays feature a rotation of events such as open mic night and bingo. On Fridays, the owners bring in various DJs. The quirky space is friend to special events. A couple held their wedding reception out there. An upcoming high school reunion will be held out there too. On New Year’s Eve, the guys put a snow machine in the courtyard.

The restaurant business is notoriously unpredictable. In an economic recession, the market can be downright scary.

“It was terrifying,” McMullen said. “You put in all your money, you borrow money, and there are no guarantees.”

Summer was tough on the pool hall. Gainesville’s student population fell dramatically, and the new establishment struggled to take hold. The future of Palomino hung in the balance.

McMullen thinks the owners’ strong ties to the community helped tip the scales in their favor.

As the pool hall approaches its first-year anniversary in February, business is stable.

“We knew if we worked hard, we would be all right,” McMullen said.

The Boca Fiesta crew was more optimistic continued on page 102

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showcased new bands, featured art exhibits and hosted record swaps.

“The challenge is to make downtown irresistible,” Oakes said.

As the six guys stand around the courtyard that melds their lives together, they seem to defy common sense.

Common sense would presume that they did not make it, that a poor economy and a lack of ownership experience doomed their businesses; that despite creativity and hard work and community roots, the six friends bowed out and went their separate ways, back to management positions or the music scene.

Yet here they stand, and Boca Fiesta and Palomino Pool Hall are doing better than ever.

“It was like the stars aligned,” Oakes said.

In the future, Oakes hopes to make Boca Fiesta into a music venue for bands he knows and appreciates. He is still tapped into the music scene, even if his days

o continued from page 100 about opening in a shaky economy.

“We really weren’t worried,” Oakes said. “We had a lot of blind faith in what we were doing.”

Oakes said he believed the uniqueness of the space and Mexican theme could not fail.

The restaurant maintains a staff of 29 people. Almost all of the employees are longtime friends of the owners.

The staff continues to brainstorm ways to attract people to downtown. A bike pump was placed outside the restaurant, and Oakes is campaigning for more bike racks to be placed around downtown.

People come downtown to have something comfortable but also unique, McMullen said.

“You have to be able to go into a place and get a beer and watch the game, but you also have to have something different,” he said.

In an effort to draw new faces to their businesses, the owners have

touring with his drum set are over for now.

“Touring with the band was really fun,” Oakes said. “We traveled everywhere and made music I’m still really proud of.”

But there was a sense of closure as he played his last show.

“It felt like a complete experience,” he said. “I made the most of it, and I have no regrets.”

The day after he returned to Gainesville, Oakes visited the old Pontiac building with McMullen.

Dreams of a restaurant replaced dreams of the stage.

“I think it scratches the same itch, owning a restaurant,” Oakes said.

Occasionally, at 1:45 a.m., an employee climbs a rickety ladder up to the second-floor landing at Boca Fiesta. A single drum sits up there. Last call is sounded with a spontaneous jam session. s For more information, visit www.bocafiesta.com

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>> PEDAL POWER

Happy

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BY ALBERT ISAAC

104 | Spring 2011

Ride Director Rachel Weissler pose for a shot in front of the Newberry City Hall. These two are the driving force behind the 18th Annual Bike Florida tour through our communities.

Bike Florida’s Annual Weeklong Bicycle Tour

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

hey will arrive by the hundreds. Young and old alike. Traveling the highways and byways of our towns, bicyclists will soon be seen riding from Gainesville through Alachua to High Springs, Newberry and on to Micanopy.

Each spring, Bike Florida, a Gainesville-based organization, hosts a bike trek through a region

T

Bike Florida’s Executive Director Hope Howland-Cook (left) and

of Florida. Formed in 1994, this non-profit organization has hosted weeklong bike tours ever since, often for greater than 1,000 cyclists.

Beginning March 26 until April 1 (no fooling!) Bike Florida will offer its 2011 Annual Tour, “Florida’s Eden.” This weeklong bicycle camping event offers bicyclists of all skill levels a chance to experience all that is offered by the host cities.

The tour is fully supported, offering medical, mechanical and gear support. All registrations include maps, cue sheets, rest stops, nightly entertainment and meal options.

“This will be the 18th annual bicycle tour,” said Executive Director Hope Howland-Cook. “This is a state organization, and the route changes every year. Last year, one of our host cities was Deland.”

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Spring 2011 | 105

PHOTO PROVIDED BY BIKE FLORIDA

In October, the Bike Florida team attended Newberry Elementary School to pass out safety materials for International Walk to School Day. From left: Melissa Rigas (intern), Steven Sgro (intern), Hope HowlandCook (executive director), Rachel Weissler (ride director) and Mathew Pack (field experience intern).

Howland-Cook said Bike Florida has been to Deland on more than one occasion, and the city is always very welcoming.

“They are a community that really understands what we do and appreciates it,” she said. “They have rolled out the red carpet and have taken advantage of the resources.

So we continue to go back to the cities that benefit from it the most.”

The number of riders that participate in the bike tours depends upon the size of the host communities, and can range from 600 to 1,200.

“We are careful with the impact that we do have because we want it to be a positive experience for the communities as well,” HowlandCook said. “So, depending on the communities we visit, we cap it.”

Alachua County is the home county for Bike Florida, which is headquartered in Gainesville.

Howland-Cook and Ride Director Rachel Weissler oversee operations with the help of interns. In fact, Weissler began her career as a full-time intern in the UF College of Health and Human Performance in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management.

“Rachel and I, we have our finger in every pie,” Howland-Cook said. “We are perfectionists, and we want to make sure that every aspect of the events that we host and sponsor are taken care of.”

And while the group arranges

106 | Spring 2011

tours throughout Florida, the two are very excited to be putting together a ride in Alachua County.

“We really want to make sure that our county knows about the resources that they host,” HowlandCook said.

In 2008, Bike Florida began offering weeklong luxury tours along the 260-mile St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop.

“The spring tour is annual; the luxury tours typically monthly in fall and winter,” states the website.

“Although the spring tour varies its route from year to year, the luxury tours follow the River-to-Sea Loop, a virtually trademarked Bike Florida

provide awareness in understanding transportation issues, and relationship issues with motorists and non-motorists.

Bike Florida offers more than just bike tours. Its mission is to support bicycle-safety education throughout the State of Florida.

“We partner with organizations that do curriculums and trainings and actual education and implementation; organizations that do community awareness; bike-friendly communities and businesses.

And then, of course, our touring program has the biggest impact,” Howland-Cook said. “That’s our

The number of riders that participate in the bike tours depends upon the size of the host communities, and can range from 600 to 1,200. route. All routes link small towns with natural and historic landmarks along mostly scenic country roads.”

The upcoming “Florida’s Eden” tour will take riders to “turquoise springs and rivers, rich forests, rolling pastures covered with wildflowers and through the hidden treasures of Florida’s quaint towns and historic hamlets,” states the website.

The tour will also expose the host communities to cycling and

community awareness.”

Bike Florida starts far ahead of time preparing the communities for their visit, emphasizing education and awareness.

“We also make sure our cyclists follow the rules,” she said. “It’s important that everyone understands that we are not just cycling advocates, we’re safe-roadwayexperience advocates. And that’s motor vehicles, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians.”

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PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

Bike Florida’s annual bike and camping tour kicks off in Gainesville on March 26. From left: Jamie DaFrota (editor in chief), Steven Sgro (intern), Hope Howland-Cook (executive director), Mathew Pack (field experience intern), Rachel Weissler (ride director), Michael Gunshanan (field experience intern) and Melissa Rigas (intern).

In addition to the bike tours, Bike Florida stays active in the community. For International Bicycle Day, they visited Newberry Elementary School to help Safe Kids with their event. They volunteered their time distributing educational and safety materials to the children.

“We’ve done this over the years,” Howland-Cook said. “This grass roots exposure is what makes the most impact.”

For the upcoming “Florida’s Eden” tour cyclists will typically ride 40 to 60 miles each day, averaging about 300 miles for the entire

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week. The shortest day will be a 35-mile ride.

“We’re going to be in Gainesville Saturday,” said Ride Director Rachel Weissler. “Monday morning, we’ll ride to High Springs. We’ll be in High Springs Monday and Tuesday night, and then Wednesday morning we’ll

head to Newberry, spend the night there and on Thursday morning we’ll head to Micanopy, spend our last night and then we’ll ride back to Gainesville on Friday morning.”

“Of course, on beautiful back roads,” Howland-Cook added.

Both Howland-Cook and Weissler work hard prior to these events, meeting with city officials and planning far in advance.

“They’re all pretty much very happy to have us,” Weissler said.

They contract with the host site in each city and make arrangements for staying the night.

“The major thing to know is that there are all types of accommodations you can choose from,” Howland-Cook said.

“At the host facilities, we offer indoor and outdoor camping,” Weissler said. “About 20 percent of our riders stay in hotels, so we contact with local hotels to get them a group rate, and then they can make the reservations independently.”

The indoor camping is described as a big slumber party, and both indoor and outdoor camping are included in the registration fee.

“And we even have a vendor that comes to do luxury camping,” Howland-Cook said. “Which means if you still want the camping experience but don’t want to deal with pitching and breaking down your own tent, they do it for you.”

Bubba’s Pampered Peddlers is from Florida and travels all over the country. Howland-Cook said he comes to Bike Florida every year.

“He will blow up the air mattress for you and put a chocolate on your pillow,” she said. “We have cyclists that come on our tour because Bubba’s there. He’s part of our team, but he does his own tours, too.”

Both women emphasized that this is an event in which people of all skill levels can participate.

“We want to encourage families, young professionals and college students,” Howland-Cook said.

bicyclists at all times.

“We have between three to five SAG vehicles constantly patrolling the route,” Howland-Cook said. “And riders can always contact headquarters via their cell phones or via the volunteers at the rest stops.”

Whether they are organizing rides or visiting schools to volunteer their time handing out bicycle helmets and educating young riders, Bike Florida stays active spreading

Cyclists will typically ride 40 to 60 miles each day, averaging about 300 miles for the entire week.

“It’s all inclusive. This is a friendly event for all skill levels, all ages, all shapes and sizes and all different types of bicycles.”

Riders range in age from toddlers to seasoned cyclists in their 80s. In fact, Bike Florida’s Ride Marshal, Ken Magyar, is an 89-year-old World War II veteran who starts the ride every year. Howland-Cook said the average age for a Bike Florida participant is mid-50s, and in many cases retirees.

“People who can take an entire week off in the middle of a school semester are usually retired,” Howland-Cook said.

Support for the riders includes SAG and other support vehicles.

All a rider needs to do is tap his or her head to get their attention.

Support personnel are aware of the

bicycle safety and awareness.

“We’re trying really hard to meet our mission as much as possible without funding,” Howland-Cook said. “So everything that we can possibly do on our own — with our hands, with our heads, with our hearts — that’s how we meet our mission these days.” s

Bike Florida 2011 “Florida’s Eden” Gainesville, High Springs, Newberry, Micanopy March 26 through April 1 To register: Phone: 352-224-8602 E-mail: info@bikeflorida.org Visit: www.bikeflorida.org

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>> SUPERFUND SITE

Down Stream Life Goes On in the Shadow of a Toxic Waste Site STORY AND PHOTOS

BY MOLLY LARMIE t could be anywhere.

Old houses sit in rows, longtime inhabitants of the city. Cats sprawl in front yards and dogs pace behind wooden fences.

People leave bicycles on their porches and car parts and election signs on their lawns. They fly American flags. Everywhere, relics of a normal neighborhood.

But normal left the Stephen Foster neighborhood a long time ago. No children run trucks through the backyards. In some houses, the lights never come on.

Most of the others are for sale.

In one yard, someone staked a

I

sign that says, “Where are you Charlie Crist?” Posted along a chain link fence are warnings: “No trespassing, keep out.”

Normal left when residents found out the industrial site just east of their homes had been operating in violation of environmental policies, where workers treated utility poles with cancer-causing chemicals, and then disposed of those chemicals illegally, so that, over time, those chemicals leached into the soil and the groundwater, suffocated their creeks, poisoned their yards and, some say, their bodies.

Normal left and took with it the feeling of safety, where safety is expected most, and in the vacuum it

TOP: The serene waters of Springstead Creek mask a hidden truth. Stormwater runoff from the Cabot-Koppers Superfund site has polluted the creek with toxins, including arsenic and dioxins.

OPPOSITE: The Koppers portion of the Superfund site was used as a wood treatment facility for more than 90 years. Poor waste disposal contaminated the soil and the aquifer below the site.

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Spring 2011 | 115

created, all that remained was anger.

Being angry is easier than being desperate. So residents form groups and write their politicians.

They protest the Environmental Protection Agency’s cleanup plan.

They keep their windows closed, keep their children inside and search for someone to blame.

Corp. ran a pine tar and charcoal production plant on 50 acres in the southeast quadrant of the site. Poor waste disposal practices contaminated the soil and groundwater.

Cabot Corp., the responsible party, satisfied EPA cleanup goals and sold the property to a local investor. The area has since been redeveloped

A Toxic History

In 1984, the site was designated for Superfund status, the name of the environmental program established to address the most hazardous waste sites in the country.

The Cabot-Koppers industrial site covers 140 acres in the heart of Gainesville between Main Street and the residences east of Northwest Sixth Street, and from the businesses of Northwest 23rd Avenue to Northwest 33rd Avenue.

More than 7,000 people live within a mile of the site, which is surrounded by grocery stores and restaurants, hair salons, clothing boutiques, doctor’s offices, daycare centers and schools. For decades, companies operating at the site released a range of toxins into the surrounding neighborhoods.

From 1945-1966, Cabot Carbon

into an industrial park, a Chevrolet dealership and the Northside Shopping Center, which holds a Big Lots and a Winn Dixie.

The western portion of the site was used as a wood treatment plant for more than 90 years. The American Lumber and Treating Co.

initially operated the plant and used a thick, oily pesticide called coal tar creosote to preserve wood.

Koppers Company Inc. purchased the plant operations in 1954 and continued to use creosote to prevent insect damage and decay on utility poles. In later years, the Koppers facility operations were

modified to include two additional wood preservatives: Chromated Copper Arsenate solution and pentachlorophenol.

Workers used unlined trenches to soak wood poles in the chemicals and drip tracks to cool them.

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unlined lagoons. Chemicals seeped into the aquifer below the site, which is two miles from the Murphree Wellfield, the source of Gainesville’s water supply.

The Cabot-Koppers site was placed on the National Priorities List in 1984 and given Superfund status, the name of the environmental program established to address the most hazardous waste sites in the country. In 1988, Beazer PLC, a British building materials company, bought out Koppers and renamed the company Beazer East Inc. Beazer East is responsible for cleaning various sites Koppers polluted throughout the country.

Discovery The desire to live near water brought Robert Pearce to the Stephen Foster neighborhood.

He bought a house in 2006 along a ridge on Northwest 36th Avenue.

His backyard drops off into a ravine carved out by Springstead Creek.

Pearce, a 58-year-old contractor,

built a wooden deck that overlooks the water. At normal levels, about 6 inches high and 8 feet wide, the creek flows clear and quiet.

If it rains hard enough, the creek will rise to tree stumps 10 feet up the bank. Stormwater runoff from nearby roads, parking lots and the Superfund site turns the torrent brown.

When he bought the house, Pearce knew about the incident in 1967, when a developer breached the impoundment wall around wastewater lagoons on the former Cabot site, discharging pine tar and acid water into Springstead Creek.

He knew most of the sludge had worked its way past his property and into nearby Hogtown Creek.

But he couldn’t stop thinking about the other site still operating a halfmile away, and the rush of water in his backyard every time it rained.

One day, after a storm, he grabbed a video camera and followed the creek back toward the Koppers site.

He found gray-colored water gushing out of a culvert into the creek, slicked with a dark, oily sheen.

Stormwater runoff is channeled off the site in a trench and through a culvert at the Gainesville Public Works Department before dumping into Springstead Creek. A stormwater management system has never been installed at the Koppers plant, even after the site was declared a Superfund 26 years ago.

Copper, chromium, arsenic and other toxins flow unabated into the surrounding waterways.

Another time, Pearce brought a camera to the site. He photographed hundreds of chemically treated logs, sitting in piles, leeching contamination into the soil.

He photographed huge clouds of yellow dust, which billowed off the site for hours on end.

In 2008, Pearce brought his videos and photographs to a joint City/County Commission meeting.

As he spoke, a clear picture of the damage began to emerge.

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At the site, the manufacture of the wood preservative pentachlorophenol unintentionally produced dioxins, a highly toxic family of chlorinated compounds.

Dioxins are known to cause cancer, immune deficiencies and severe reproductive and developmental problems. Dioxins can attach to particles and travel through water and air.

Some of the most toxic chemicals ever made by man were flowing into the creek system and blowing westward with ash and dust into the Stephen Foster neighborhood.

the surface soil to a portion of the aquifer 65 feet below ground, and then cover the area with a cap to prevent rainfall from spreading the contaminants.

The EPA proposed the removal of sediment from Hogtown and Springstead creeks and the removal of dioxin-contaminated soil from some of the residents’ yards. The removed soil would be taken to the site and placed under the cap. The site and the yards would then be covered in two feet of clean soil.

Residents are wary of the proposed plan. They liken the enclosure wall to a “bathtub with no bottom” and the soil cap to a “tarp.”

One man said the consolidation of contaminated soils would create a “Mount Dioxin.” Robert Pearce said, “The remedy in the proposed plan is not the type of remedy the community wants, which is a clean-up, rather than a cover-up.”

EPA officials held a meeting in Gainesville this fall. Here came scientists, who unanimously

“A Clean-up, Not a Cover-up” In July 2010, nearly three decades after the Koppers plant became a Superfund site, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a cleanup plan.

The agency wants to wall in the most contaminated 30 acres from

derided the proposed plan for not doing enough to protect human health. Here came activists, who demanded the contaminated soil be taken away, not back to the site.

Here came residents of the Stephen Foster neighborhood, who wondered if it was too little, too late.

Here came David Pace, Kim Popejoy, Karen Epple...

And Sharon Sheets, who cannot garden or keep chickens on her property.

Gina Hawkins, Sandra Watts Kennedy, Renee Pinault...

And Cindy Harrington, a local realtor who put a sign in her own yard that reads “My house is worthless.”

Lee Norris, Susan Fairforest, Joe Prager...

And Sharon Woodruff, who lost two dogs to cancer.

Sallie Schattner, who was diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid disease.

Anne Lowry, who has multiple sclerosis.

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Horror Stories No comprehensive health study of the Stephen Foster neighborhood has been done. Ky Gress, who has lived in the neighborhood for 16 years, provided the closest thing to a study when she conducted a survey of 94 people who live within a half-mile of Koppers.

Gress is a 49-year-old Ph.D. student at the University of Florida studying the environmental and public health effects of chemical contamination. She canvassed the neighborhood and talked to people about living near the site. She did not ask directly about their health, but she got horror stories.

She heard testimony of chronic miscarriages and birth defects.

A woman who lives adjacent to Koppers has given birth to five children with serious birth defects, including missing internal organs.

A graduate student moved into the neighborhood and developed two unrelated forms of cancer. A

2-year-old died of nostril cancer.

Gress talked to a woman who lives just west of the Koppers property fence. While she was there, Gress noticed a bald cat lying in the dirt, listless.

“Is that an old cat?” she asked.

“No, it’s a kitten,” the woman said. “It was fine when we moved here.”

The woman has two children.

One of Gress’ neighbors cut a bike path next to Springstead Creek. He died of brain cancer at 37.

Gress and her adopted daughter Jialu used to walk down Hogtown Creek to the park. They would take off their shoes and wade in the water barefoot. There were no signs telling them not to.

Gress went into premature menopause. Her daughter developed undiagnosed skin irritations and mouth ulcers.

The EPA calls such testimony “anecdotal.” There is no documentation linking the residents’ illnesses to

contamination from Koppers, just stories that hiss through the neighborhood like swirling gas, with no one to light a match.

Seven residents have filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court against Koppers, Beazer East and Cabot Corp., seeking $500 million to screen for diseases and decontaminate thousands of homes they believe have been poisoned.

Some residents think the lawsuit is unnecessary, that such claims stigmatize the neighborhood and divert funds from the site cleanup.

Gress disagrees. She wants health experts to conduct a credible health survey of residents to determine if chronic, low-dose exposure to dioxin caused a higher frequency of illness in the neighborhood. People deserve to know, she said, if they got sick not because they smoked too much or ate too much or had poor family genetics, but because they chose the wrong zip code.

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Testing In February 2009, Beazer consultants collected soil samples in the neighborhoods north and west of the site. The testing showed almost every yard from the Koppers property line west to Northwest Sixth Street was above the seven

enrollment of close to 500. The school is .6 miles from the Koppers site. It has never been tested.

Ky Gress’ daughter Jialu used to go to Stephen Foster Elementary.

When a spot at Jialu’s old charter school opened up, Gress moved her daughter there, more than six miles away.

At least seven Koppers Co. properties have been placed on the National Priorities List (NPL), a federal record of hazardous waste sites created in 1982.

The abuses of the company reach across the United States.

Koppers Morrisville, N.C. PLACED ON THE NPL IN 1989 A plume of the wood preservative pentachlorophenol traveled more than a mile and contaminated wells underneath a neighborhood.

Koppers Texarkana, Texas PLACED ON THE NPL IN 1986 parts per trillion Florida soil cleanup target level for dioxins. A spot along Northwest 30th Avenue tested at 37 parts per trillion. Along Northwest 29th Avenue, levels reached 58 parts per trillion.

The levels of contamination did not taper off significantly as consultants tested westward from the site. Yet testing was not conducted west of Northwest Sixth Street, “as if airborne dust is stopped by what, 20 feet of open air space?” said Ky Gress, whose house is to the west of Northwest Sixth Street. The boundaries of contamination have never been clearly defined.

Beazer officials are contesting the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s strict cleanup level of seven parts per trillion. The company recommends action at 95 parts per trillion.

The difference in math is paramount: If Beazer must treat all properties that tested greater than seven parts per trillion, almost every yard directly west of the site boundary would have to be cleaned. If the number 95 prevails, none would.

In the neighborhood, most of the kids are zoned for Stephen Foster Elementary School, which has an

The residents of the Stephen Foster neighborhood do not want extravagant lives. They want to open their windows and put in swimming pools, to let their children play in the backyard. They want to feel safe again.

Ky Gress has been galvanized by her experience in the neighborhood. She wants to work for an organization that educates the public about risks associated with hazardous waste sites.

In the meantime, she goes to classes, raises a family and practices a vegetarian lifestyle.

Her backyard is modeled after an “edible landscape,” a trend that encourages homeowners to harvest entire meals from their properties.

Before she knew about the contamination, Gress used to eat from her garden. Recently, she put down mulch and topsoil to raise the earth about six inches. Still, she cannot bring herself to serve the produce to her family. Peaches, persimmons, lemons and figs ripen on the leafy citrus trees, and she cannot resist a nibble or two. But mostly she admires the sweet, delicate fruits, then lets them fall to the ground. s

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The Environmental Protection Agency spent $5 million to buy 78 homes and a church built atop a toxic waste site created by Koppers.

Koppers Charleston, S.C. PLACED ON THE NPL IN 1994 A fisherman motoring his boat near a Koppers industrial site noticed smoke coming from his cooler. His catch of shrimp had been contaminated with phosphorus and caught fire when the shrimp were exposed to air.

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Koppers Gainesville, Fla. PLACED ON THE NPL IN 1984 The manufacture of pentachlorophenol at the wood-treating plant produced dioxins, highly toxic chlorinated compounds. Dioxins are well-known to the public as the main contaminants in Agent Orange. Dioxins were airborne with dust into the Stephen Foster neighborhood.

Spring 2011 | 121

COLUMN >> ALBERT ISAAC

Different Note When I was 12, I fell off a horse and broke my arm. ut I was not the only one to fall off that horse; there was me, and my brother, and my cousin, all of us riding this big old workhorse, bareback, of course. The horse was sort of lumbering along the side of the mountain, until my brother began slapping the beast with a blackeyed Susan and it started to gallop.

Okay, truth be told it wasn’t exactly a gallop. It was more like a leisurely stroll to eat some grass on yonder hill. But it was enough to cause the insipient horsemen clinging to its back to slowly slide off. I was on the front and had no one to hold onto, whereas the other boys had me to hold onto.

I went tumbling down with the other two hanging on to me for dear life. I broke their fall and they broke my

B

arm, snapping it like a dry twig.

That was freaky. I lifted my arm and it looked horrific. I now had two elbows, my normal elbow and then another one between it and my wrist.

I shrieked. Thrice. Nearly got sick. I had never seen anything quite like that. I collapsed onto the ground in a state of shock.

My mother ran to the baby carrier, snatched it from the ground, and tossed out my baby brother, much to the horror of our cousins. It was actually just a pillow and blankie, but my cousins didn’t know this.

They thought something really serious must have happened for my mom to toss her baby off a mountain.

But Mom is a nurse and there was wisdom in her actions. She used the carrier as a splint for my twisty-twirly appendage (it wasn’t an arm anymore, it was a tentacle). We drove along winding North Carolina mountain roads in the middle of the boondocks — well, no docks actually, but it was near Boone — just winding roads and mountains and my arm wriggling like jell-o

After what seemed like days of travel, we got to the emergency room and the lady behind the counter looked at my deformed limb and asked, “Does his arm usually look like that?”

122 | Spring 2011

and feeling oh-so-unpleasant. And that’s putting it mildly. It hurt. Bad. Probably worse than any other injury I’d ever experienced in all of my 12 years, except for the time I was walking on a metal railing and lost my balance and fell spread-legged onto the rail, a la America’s Funniest Home Videos. Only it wasn’t all that funny.

Even my brother, who typically showed little regard for my well-being, stared at my malformed arm in abject horror.

After what seemed like days of travel, we got to the emergency room and the lady behind the counter looked at my deformed limb and asked, “Does his arm usually look like that?”

Yeah, just call me squid-boy, you danged maroon!

But I didn’t say that. In fact, I didn’t say anything.

More than likely, I moaned. My mom was more perturbed by that moronic question than was I. She still talks about it to this day. Then again I was in shock.

Little did I know that years later I would find myself working the front desk of a busy ER where I too would ask idiotic questions. I learned the hard way to refrain from such inquiries as, “How can I help you, ma’am, are you in labor?” when they were merely big-boned.

And not even female.

But I digress.

They fixed me. First they shot me up with some kind of drug that made that pain just sort of float right out my fingertips. As I drifted in and out of reality, I remember the doctor manipulating my fractured arm bones. As my head lolled about, I heard a loud snap, like a stick breaking.

“That sounded gross,” I said, amusing the staff. One laughed out loud. But it wasn’t humerus. In fact, it was my ulna and radius being popped back into place.

I looked down at my now-straightened arm, and smiled in narcotic-induced bliss.

This was certainly not the best of vacations, but I recovered. And I did not ride another horse until I got to college — solo — and never bareback. To this day I prefer a motorcycle.

And I learned to forgive the ridiculous comment made by the well-intending lady behind the desk in the ER. s

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>> TAKE A LOOK, IT’S IN A BOOK Spring Book Sale April 16 - 20 Saturday, April 16 9am-6pm Sunday, April 17 1pm-6pm Monday, April 18 Noon-8pm Tuesday, April 19 12-8pm 1/2 price day Wednesday, Apr 20 12-6pm 10 cent day 430-B North Main Street, Gainesville 352-375-1676

A Book Lover’s Delight STORY AND PHOTOS

BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

Friends of the Library Prepares for its Spring Sale n an unassuming warehouse on North Main Street hides a book lover’s dream. Stacks, rows and piles of books are sorted and categorized according to genre, filling the 1,500-square-foot space.

Friends of the Library opens its doors to the public two

I

124 | Spring 2011

times a year, in April and October. And, April 16 - 20 is right around the corner.

Books of all flavors can be found at the sale, from medicine to philosophy, gardening and self-help, or simply fiction and non-fiction literature. This wide

Dr. Peter Roode, president of The Friends of the Library, stands in the warehouse. Around him, staff members divide thousands of books into their respective categories. According to the Friends of the Library website, Gainesvilles FOL book sale is one of the largest of its kind in Florida, housing books, DVDs, VHS tapes, records, magazines and much more.

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PROGRAM variety can be attributed to the way the Friends of the Library receives its books. People bring donations 365 days a year. While the warehouse may not be open on a specific day, two drop boxes are located right outside the building.

Books can also be donated to the Friends of the Library book sale through the various library branches, which will transport them to the warehouse. The libraries in town continuously scan their shelves for books that have received less attention from the public.

Those books will be taken down and shipped to the warehouse, when, come April or October, the books can find a new home.

Donations tend to be a myriad of subjects, said Dr. Peter Roode, president of the Friends of the Library.

He suggested that when professors retire and has to downsize, they may donate all of their books to the sale. This allows the sections like medicine or physical science to grow.

“Gainesville is a unique town,” he said. “It’s more intellectual.”

Sarah Harrison, the board member in charge of publicity, said people find books at the sale that cannot be found anywhere else. Other board members agreed.

“Everything comes through here once,” she said.

The books are always interesting, up-to-date titles.

After the books are sorted into categories, they are placed in their designated area. Here, table coordinators will examine them and decide if they will sell.

Roode, a retired surgeon, works the medicine table.

He said the sale will not include books on medicine that are 10 years old or older because those books are not up to date. However, books like “Grey’s Anatomy,” even if it is older than 10 years, will still be on the shelf.

The anatomy never changes, he said.

While they do not count the items as they are donated or as they are sold, Roode guessed the Friends of the Library sells about 300,000 items each sale.

“You’re actually told to price things half or one-third of what Amazon sells them for,” Harrison said.

Harrison works the movie table. Years ago, she would save virtually all the VHS tapes that arrived at her table.

In recent sales, they have not been flying off the table the way they used to, she said. Now, she is pickier about the movies she saves for the event. She decided not to save VHS tapes that have no cover or a destroyed cover, whereas she keeps all DVDs that are donated.

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“You also have to learn your market,” Harrison said.

“The market here is a little different than the one on Amazon.” For example, she said that the book sale draws a lot of science fiction lovers.

And where does the money go? It goes, broadly, to promote reading.

After the Oct. 2009 book sale, the Friends of the Library donated $163,000 to the Alachua County Library.

Roode said the money is provided for the library to purchase books, not to fund their operating budget.

And while this is the bulk of the proceeds, Friends of the Library also contributes to “Snuggle Up and Read,” a program that distributes books to Head Start students in more than 50 classes. The program includes the Snuggle Up and Read Center at the Headquarters Library in Gainesville, as well.

The Friends of the Library mails books to deployed soldiers. Soldiers request books online and various organizations, including Friends of the Library, fill the orders. At the sale, containers placed at each register allow patrons to donate change. The change collected is used to pay for the postage to ship to books to the deployed troops.

In addition to $900 donated to the Family Literacy Festival in the 2008-2009 season, the sale donates money to mini-grant programs related to literacy, literature and library awareness. Harrison feels that more money should go to these programs, especially after reading

about the high illiteracy rate in Alachua County.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 11 percent of Alachua County residents lacked basic prose literacy skills as of 2003. Alachua County had a 6.1 percent dropout in the 2005-2006 school year, while surrounding counties such as Bradford (5.4 percent), Putnam (4.0 percent) and Gilchrist County (2.3 percent) all had lower rates, according to the Florida Literacy Coalition.

Books left over after the sale are not wasted.

Shands Children’s Clinic requested a mini-grant from the Friends of the Library to pay for books for the children or relatives of the children being treated at the clinic.

Roode said that the recession has helped the sale because less people want to spend $20 at a book store.

Twenty dollars goes farther at the Friends of the Library Sale, especially on Half-Price day or Ten Cent Day. Those days fall on the last two days of the sale.

Roode was concerned the bad economy may have hurt the Friends of the Library in terms of fewer donations and that maybe people would start trying to sell on eBay. But, he said, donations have not decreased. In fact, sometimes volunteers have to work on their days off just to empty out the drop boxes.

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Not even e-books have put a damper on Roode’s optimism. He suspects they are just a fad.

“They’re popular,” he said. “But, they are mostly current novels. How do they get older out-of-date books?”

The Friends of the Library book sale has books from all generations, and the Collector’s Corner stocks books from as early as 1907.

The Collector’s Corner is a small nook in the warehouse where higher-priced books or collector’s editions can be found. For example, Linda Connell, who works in the Collector’s Corner, said anything that has to do with Florida goes along the back wall of the Corner.

They are books by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, or books on old cracker Florida.

Some of the books are first editions or signed copies.

Books with a small press of limited copies, or simply out of print, find their way into the Collector’s Corner.

This coming April, the Collector’s Corner will have, for the first time, “The Orange Peel” in stock. Lila Moye, who also works in the Collector’s Corner, said that “The Orange Peel” is the original humor magazine created at the University of Florida following the return of World War II soldiers.

Books left over after the sale are not wasted. Prison personnel collect books for the prisoners, some are hauled over to a local homeless shelter for veterans, and children’s books are donated to local schools — all for free.

“At the end of the day, we still got a lot of books,” Roode said.

In the 1950s, the Gainesville Women’s Club started the Friends of the Library to help the public library. It was one sale a year back then. The ladies of the original Friends of the Library borrowed vacant stores and used the space for the sale.

“Each year it got a little bit bigger and a little bit bigger,” Connell said.

Finally, so many books were being donated that the method of storing them was not working. Back then, they collected donations and placed them in a storage unit. But this became a hassle when the time for the sale rolled around. In 1989, Friends of the Library and the Junior League got together and purchased the building in which Friends of the Library now resides.

Now, they are able to have two sales a year.

And people come from all over to visit the Gainesville Friends of the Library book sale. Customers from North Carolina, Miami and even Seattle flock in droves to the warehouse come sale days.

Harrison believes the book sale has developed into a staple in the community. She is uncertain why the sale has become such a wild success, but like most success stories she feels it is hard to pin down the reason.

“It’s just become a thing that you do, like going to Paynes Prairie or going to a Gator football game,” she said. “It’s become a phenomenon.” s

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>> GIVING

Reboot Dignity Project, a Gainesville Charity, Begins a Second Generation of Giving

BY KEVIN ALLEN

he hubbub in Hawthorne Middle/High Schools cafeteria was a bit louder than usual one day last fall, as students waited to see whose name Principal Veita Jackson-Carter would call. A few moments later, a smiling 18-year-old Jamisha Sheppard walked up to claim her prize: a new computer, courtesy of the Dignity Project Second Generation.

Sheppard predicted her mom would “probably be shocked” at her coming home with a new computer.

Besides schoolwork, she planned to use it to put together scholarship applications for college.

T

They have already repaired about 100 computers since the reboot began, and held at least two mail-in drawings for rebuilt computers.

It was a big moment not just for Sheppard, but also for the Gainesville charity organization that is striving to recapture some of the support and resources it once had in its original form.

Founded in 1998, the first Dignity Project won praise for its work in rebuilding cars — and later computers — and giving them to low-income residents for whom reliable transportation meant a chance at employment or medical care. It also provided training for students in repair skills that could translate to a later job. At its peak,

130 | Spring 2011

the charity was working on as many as 300 cars at a time.

But the project closed its doors in 2009, done in by financial problems aggravated by the failing economy.

Now, a combination of old hands and new helpers is trying to revitalize the group in a new form, known as the Dignity Project Second Generation.

“We’re trying to follow in the footsteps” of the original group, said the director, Kim Lapan, who worked with the first Dignity Project. At the same time, he stressed it is not quite the same old organization. “We want to try some new ways to do the old things,” he said.

What is not changing is the goal — as the motto puts it, “Helping People Help Themselves” — or the method of repairing and rebuilding older cars and computers for needy recipients. Nor is it the enthusiasm of the volunteers for their work, as evidenced by the way their faces light up when they talk about helping past clients, like the terminally ill woman in Levy County who needed a car to get to the doctor, or the family on vacation from out of state whose car died, and they had no money to get back.

“It’s great to see their smiles,” said Ron Williams, who is in charge of refurbishing computers, such as the one Jamisha Sheppard got.

Lately, that enthusiasm has been focused on rebuilding. With the termination of the original Dignity Project, the Second Generation has had to start again almost from the ground up. The group had to sell many of the assets, like repaired vehicles, to pay off the debts from the original project.

“We really had nothing to work with,” said Lapan,

PHOTOS BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

Ron Williams works on a computer in the Dignity Project’s computer workroom. Williams estimated he has repaired more than 100 computers since coming onboard last year.

RIGHT: Director, Kim Lapan, is working to get the charity back on its feet. “My heart’s always been here,” he said.

BELOW: Kirk Lapan and Caleb Coppock look over an engine.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 131

who added it cost $2,000 just to keep the doors open.

The charity has also had to re-establish its nonprofit status, known as a 501(c)3 application, and Lapan’s frustration was evident as he sat in his office and talked about being on the phone constantly grappling with issues ranging from licensing and insurance to seeking grants and private funding.

The group to some extent must also struggle with the success of its predecessor, with some potential clients expecting more than the Second Generation can provide right now. Lapan said it has been frustrating to see those expectations, and having to explain the new realities.

“So many people have trouble letting go,” said Terri Williams, who among other duties mans the front desk at the charity.

It is the drop in donations that has been the biggest challenge, particularly in the project’s automotive operation. “‘Cash for Clunkers’ just killed us,” noted Lapan, referring to the federal program that encouraged consumers to turn in old cars for newer ones — and in the process, took a lot of potential donations off the streets.

The first Dignity Project used to get three to four car donations a day, said Rich Lowery, the group’s chief mechanic (or as he puts it, the “doctor of moving metal”).

Now, the figure is more like two to three a month.

The drop in donated vehicles hurt in other ways as well. Lowery pointed out that the car donations did the

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most to help pay the bills. Even if the cars were beyond help, he said, they could still be used as “organ donors” for other cars, or sold as scrap, which kept overall repair costs down.

All this has the rebooted Dignity Project taking a slightly different approach to the mission. The biggest and most apparent change is that the group will not just give cars away as before, but rather will sell them to clients at a considerably reduced price. It is not just for financial reasons, Lapan stressed. In his experience, those who actually paid for the vehicles took better care of them. “They felt more like it was really theirs,” he said.

He also wants to combine providing the cars with helping owners plan ahead for the next car, showing how to save up for the future, and teaching them what to look for in buying a car. And he said the Second Generation would put more emphasis on working with and helping clients referred by social service agencies, as opposed to people coming to it directly.

Those agencies, ranging from schools to groups like Catholic Charities, are glad to see the organization getting back in business. Sister Marlene Payette, the self-sufficiency program coordinator for Catholic Charities, was enthusiastic about the potential of the new Dignity Project.

“I was impressed with what they want to do,” said Payette, who worked with the first Dignity Project. She agreed the agency’s new approach, relying more on

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Dignity Project 2nd Generation 352-371-6792 or Google: “dignity project gainesville” referrals from other groups, is fair. In fact, she hoped that would lead to more interaction and cooperation between the area’s social service agencies in general.

“I was like, ‘Great! Where have you been?’” said Hawthorne’s principal Jackson-Carter, describing her reaction when the Dignity Project Second Generation called to set up the computer drawing at her school.

She called the group’s regeneration “awesome.”

The schools in particular have been eager for another aspect of the Dignity Project to resume: getting students to help rebuild the cars and computers.

“As soon as we opened the doors, the schools were calling, asking ‘when do we send our students over?’” Lapan said. The workers at the project share that anticipation.

“There’s no place better than the Dignity Project to get hands-on experience,” bragged Rich Lowery, whose smile reinforced his enthusiasm. He and other volunteers talked about watching students’ progress from fearfully approaching a car or computer to telling their own parents how to fix their machines. “Sometimes we’ve changed guys,” Lowery said.

“I can pass on things I know to someone to use in the future,” Ron Williams said. His section of the Dignity Project, rebuilding computers, is a little more active, since computers are more plentiful and have fewer strings than cars (like legal titles) attached. The repair costs are also lower.

“We’re the Wal-Mart of computer repair,” joked Williams’ wife, Terri. “We’re not in it to get rich; we just want to cover our costs.”

The computer effort was also quicker to get up and running than the car repair, because there was already a lot to work with. When Ron Williams came on board the charity, he found hundreds of old computers and components, enough to cover a table 10 feet long and three feet high, plus fill wall-to-wall shelves in a workroom the size of a garage.

He has already repaired about 100 computers since the reboot began, and held at least two mail-in drawings for rebuilt computers. There have also been several drawings at area schools to give computers to students.

That way, he said, the “kids would have a better chance.”

While the economics of repairing and providing computers may be less than cars, the importance for people is just as great, observed Terri Williams. “The Internet is crucial for people in this day an age,” she said.

It was Terri Williams who also summed up the philosophy that drives the volunteers working to revitalize the charity.

“You have to give to receive,” she said simply. s

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>> GREEN EVENT

Cinema Verde Gainesville Environmental Film & Arts Festival

BY ALBERT ISAAC ast year, an estimated 3,000 people experienced the inaugural Gainesville Environmental Film and Arts Festival.

This year, cofounder and director Trish Riley foresees an even grander event, with multiple venues around town.

“We threw it together in three months, last time around,” Riley said in a recent interview. “We had one venue with only 90 seats and we estimate 3,000 people came last time. This includes numbers from the fair and participants in the art gallery and all of the other events.

We do think we are going to at least triple that number.”

Renamed Cinema Verde, this very green event is geared toward educating the public while entertaining all with a variety of events.

Over a 10-day period it will screen 25 environmental films, offer a film competition, art gallery exhibits, eco-tours, 5-K bike/run and an all day eco-fair.

For the first festival, Riley

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136 | Spring 2011

partnered with Shirley Lasseter, cinema director of the Hippodrome, and together they put together a multi-day event that offered environmental films at the Hipp, presentations by filmmakers and conservationists, water tasting and eco-tours. This year there will be things to see and do at the Harn, the Thomas Center, the Hippodrome, the Civic Media Center, the Bo Diddley Community Plaza and UF. “We are doing a lot of bouncing around,” Riley said.

Lasseter and Riley had met at a Green Drinks event; a group of like-minded people interested in or involved with environmental issues. The group meets once a month at a local restaurant.

“One of the Green Drinks members brought Shirley and introduced us,” Riley said.

The two talked about seeing environmental films in their travels to other parts of the country and decided they needed to bring these kinds of films into Gainesville. They also met with

Nick Williams of Florida Defenders of the Environment.

“All three of us met multiple times through the end of that year and wrote a grant proposal for the state... but it wouldn’t pay us until 2011,” Riley said. “We submitted it anyway. By the end of December, first of January, Shirley and I were all for just going ahead. We didn’t want to wait. Nick thought we were crazy and said, ‘I’m outta here.’ But we did it. And it was a crazy.”

This year Riley will have more help.

Cinema Verde: 2nd Annual Gainesville Environmental Film and Arts Festival Presented by GoGreenNation.org

MARCH 18-27 AT VARIOUS GAINESVILLE VENUES For sponsorship information, send email to: contact@verdefest.org | For event information, contact: Trish Riley, Director: 352-327-3560 trish@verdefest.org or Jackie Cassarly: jackie@verdefest.org; or visit cinemaverde.org.

PHOTO BY ALBERT ISAAC

Co-founder Trish Riley addresses visitors to a recent fundraiser for Cinema Verde held at ACT’s Prairie Creek Lodge.

Jackie Cassarly, a certified meeting professional, attended last year’s Environmental Film Festival and wanted to get involved. Soon thereafter she contacted Riley.

She is now the eco-fair director of Cinema Verde.

“We’ve got a lot of different things going on here, and there’s something for everybody,” Cassarly said. “The eco-fair, the films, the art — no matter what age group you are in, there’s something for everyone.”

This year, they anticipate having

even more exhibits with people showing products and services that are environmentally friendly.

“We will also have a kids area with fun things for kids to learn about different activities, and the environment,” she said. “We also plan to have some musicians at the plaza along with intermittent demonstrations throughout the day of how to do rain harvesting or how to do your landscaping in such a way that it is xeriscaped, depending upon the exhibitors.”

In addition to the entertainment,

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Cassarly said they plan on offering recycling opportunities as well.

“We want to inform people what is available and talk about things that they can do personally,” she said. “We have all of these people in the community that have all these services or products available. We’d like to have these people exhibit.”

At press time, plans were still in the works but they want to offer opportunities for people to bring in things to recycle, such as bottle caps, jeans and tennis shoes.

“I have been in touch with a

Spring 2011 | 137

PHOTO BY ALBERT ISAAC

The late Wes Skiles recounts some of his many cave-diving adventures, and answers questions from the audience at last year’s festival.

company that collects and processes bottle caps, because that goes into the landfill,” Cassarly said. “They are collecting all kinds of plastic caps, any size from any type of a bottle, and this particular company [capscando.org] makes all types of things out of them.”

Ken McMurry is the arts director for this year’s event, having just

joined in November. He is also the coordinator for the Gainesville Art Walk. On March 25, the theme for this monthly event through downtown Gainesville will be the Eco Art Walk.

“I want to involve as many as the venues as I can to host some sort of environmental art, and that is up to the artist’s interpretation, to make

a statement of an environmental nature,” McMurry said.

McMurry also talked of plans to offer an environmentally themed Pechakucha event at Volta Coffee.

Pechakucha began in Japan as a way for artists to exhibit their art in brief periods of time. For example, each artist might show 20 slides for 20 seconds each, depicting their work.

“People come together and see a barrage, a concentration of all these projects, and afterwards people can hang out and talk about it,” he said.

They are also asking Alachua County teachers to have students from K-12 create conservation projects, and environmental art and literature for a special exhibition throughout the festival, documenting things they have done in the

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community.

“The best of the works will be on exhibit in the Harn and the others will be in our venues throughout the town,” he said.

“We’ve invited the kids to do their own conservation projects,” Riley said. “We’re not coming up with them but we’ll reward them.”

“It’s a chance to come together to see a concentration of all these artists,” McMurry added.

Also involved is the Superfund Art Project, a group of artists that arose from the Protect Gainesville’s Citizens organization whose mission is to provide Gainesville Area citizens with accurate and comprehensible information about the Cabot/Koppers Superfund site.

“The owners of Wild Iris Bookstore learned about the Superfund site at a commission meeting, and then they got an EPA grant for Protect Gainesville’s Citizens, and out of that came the Superfund Art Project,” Riley said.

While things are in still being

worked out, the group plans to kickoff the event with a VIP opening night, followed by an eco-fair the next day. Last year, experts talked to the audience after the films. This time they would like to expand the education component and offer workshops during the week.

Last year, Pure Energy Solar, a local company that specializes in solar energy system design and installation, supplied electricity for the event. Organizers hope to bring back the “Tower of Power” this year.

Plans are also in the works for “Ciclobia,” where they will close off the streets to traffic so bicyclists, roller skaters and pedestrians can use them.

BikeFlorida will be having their kickoff dinner at the Bo Diddley Community Plaza that night so people will converge for the bike event and other activities.

“Sunday is eco-tour — same thing as last year,” Riley said. “We are publicizing tours that other people already have going on.”

Over the course of the summer, Cinema Verde became a nonprofit.

But, Riley is quick to point out, the organization is still looking for sponsors and volunteers.

“I love the staff of three but we will still need more help,” she said.

“If a company wants to help let the community know of their sustainability efforts, or their interest in protecting the planet, this is a good opportunity for them. If, on the other hand, they poison the Earth, we are not available.”

Cinema Verde is looking for volunteers for the 10 days of the festival, onsite and at all of the events, she said.

“It’s been so fun for me, to meet so many neat, good people,” Riley said. “When I moved here I knew that this is what I would find. I want people to have an opportunity to connect to the outside world. It’s an extension of my professional objective as an environmental journalist. For me it is very, very gratifying and fulfilling.” s

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>> CELEBRATE SPRING

Take in the Greenery Kanapaha Botanical Gardens Upcoming Spring Festival and Moonlight Walk

BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON arch heralds in the first day of spring, a time of laughter. And Ralph Waldo Emerson was not wrong to say the earth laughs in flowers. With winter behind, the community can welcome the Spring Garden Festival with open arms.

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens hosts the festival, the region’s premier horticultural event. It boasts about 200 booths, showcasing a variety of plants, tools and crafty items. Kanapaha expects the festival to draw about 10,000 visitors.

“The Spring Garden Festival is meant to be a celebration of spring,” said Alexis Caffery, assistant director of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for people to purchase plants.”

According to festival’s website, the vendors present an array of plants that will add color, shade or beauty to the customer’s yard and garden. For example, last year Abundant Edible Landscape, Inc. sold fruit trees, and Blooming Woods Nursery sold gardenias, dogwoods and more. The vendors are also selling plants

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that are newly arrived to the market.

In addition to shopping, informational booths provide patrons a chance to learn about plants, pests and the environment in general. Various Gainesville societies, such as the Gainesville Camellia Society and the Gainesville Orchid Society, will be there to represent, and perhaps instruct about, their respective plants. In 2010, visitors learned about green fertilizers from Green Technologies, LLC, and talked worm composters with Our Vital Earth, Inc. This year, the theme is “Small Things.” The festival will spotlight on bonsai trees by having a display, as well as speakers discussing different aspects of the tiny trees. The bonsai will also be the focus of the annual Spring Garden Festival T-shirt.

Live entertainment will perform on two stages.

Musicians and bands, such as Barry Sides and the Santa Fe Brass Band, volunteer their time to entertain guests during the festival. There will also be a live auction on stage and a silent auction that will span the

PHOTOS BY ALBERT ISAAC

Linnea Sutphin tries her hand at painting during the 2009 Spring Garden Festival at Kanapaha. Children can also enjoy creating floral arrangements, potting plants and designing newspaper hats.

142 | Spring 2011

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 143

two-day event.

“It’s just a wide array of great music that fits and enhances the gardens,” said Monica Cooper, the entertainment coordinator. The group of musicians selected by the committee to play at the festival includes country, folk and instrumental. Cooper said the music is always well-received. She has seen people take breaks from the bustle of the vendors in front of the stages, as

well as break up the two days by spending one listening to the music and the other enjoying the activities.

In the children’s area, a butterfly exhibit will allow both children and adults to view live butterflies. In addition, butterfly-themed arts and crafts bring spring into the hands of the younger visitors. The Natural History Museum will offer face painting, along with various other crafts.

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Spring is in the air, as an abundance of flowers bloom at the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens.

Children can also take part in creating floral arrangements, potting plants and designing newspaper hats.

Food found at the Spring Garden Festival is not the average hot dog and funnel cake. Vendors at the event provide everything from Greek, Indian, barbeque, chicken shish kabobs and apple dumplings with ice cream. And of course, hot dogs and funnel cakes are available. What festival would be complete without them?

Kanapaha’s specialty gardens will be open for the public to stroll through during the event. The gardens cover 62 acres, and the festival is limited to about 15 acres, Caffery said. Visitors can explore the butterfly gardens, herb garden, water gardens and rock gardens, among many more.

“Kanapaha Botanical Gardens is comprised of 24 major collections visually accessible from a one-and-a-half mile paved walkway,” states the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens website.

As a wildlife sanctuary, Kanapaha protects many endangered species of plants. It provides a green space of land that is guaranteed to be there forever, Caffery said.

The Spring Festival is the largest fundraiser of the year for Kanapaha Botanical Gardens. It is also the biggest fundraiser of the year for the organizations that produce

Saturday and Sunday, March 26 & 27 Saturday 9am-5pm; Sunday 10am-5pm $8.00 for adults; $5.00 for children under 13.

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the event, including Florida’s Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association, the Gainesville Garden Club and independent volunteers. The various organizations split up the money received from the event.

The proceeds go to benefit local community improvement projects and the up-keep of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens. Through money raised at this event, Kanapaha has been able to open additional parking spaces to help during the event, as well as expand its plant offerings in the specialty gardens, Caffery said.

They have also used the money to provide an outdoor bathroom facility for the patrons to use during the Festival. Caffery hopes that this addition will be upand-running by this year’s spring event.

Following the Spring Garden Festival, Kanapaha Botanical Gardens is hosting a Rose Show on April 16.

The Gainesville Rose Society will put on this show.

The Rose Show, as well as the other shows throughout the year, is there to promote that specific type of plant and to educate people about the plants offered.

“We do them to provide an outlet for a non-profit organization to connect with the community,” Caffery said. The prices into the gardens on a show day are the same as regular admission price, so it is no extra cost to the visitor.

Caffery said that during the show, the rooms of the Summer House are filled with roses. During the event, the Society sets up a competition where the roses are judged. Roses are also for sale.

In the beginning of summer, Kanapaha Botanical Gardens shines with its second-largest event of the year: the Moonlight Walk. This event takes place on May 14, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. It is a chance for patrons to see the flowers in a different light — the moon.

During normal business hours, the gardens close either at 5 p.m. or at dusk. Either way, the flowers never get to show their nighttime glory.

Once a year, Kanapaha strings 1,500 luminaries throughout its gardens. This year, the staff will be setting up the walk along the mile-long loop and into the water gardens.

“It’s really a magical feeling when you go to the Moonlight Walk,” Caffery said. “We have a lily pond, and we put candles throughout that. We will also put spotlights on some of our specialty plants.”

The stage and some of the fielded areas will be lit up as well. Entertainment will be provided. Caffery said that the music will fit the event, nothing like hard rock. Last year, she remembers there was a flutist at the event.

In the past, they have had food and beverages for sale.

Caffery is not sure if they will be available this year.

The Gainesville Astronomy Club will have telescopes positioned throughout the gardens, focusing on various stars and celestial bodies.

The event had phased out for a while, but because of public demand Kanapaha has brought it back. It is also a good moneymaker for the gardens. s

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Spring 2011 | 147

>> LANDMARK

Devil’s Millhopper

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

A Walk Through Florida’s Legendary History

BY JESSICA CHAPMAN ost people may not know it, but there is an old legend about the Devil’s Millhopper, Florida’s only geological state park. It goes something like this: Once upon a time, there was an Indian princess. The princess was very beautiful and everyone loved her. She ruled over a tribe in what is now present-day Gainesville. One day, the Devil met the princess and fell in love with her. He thought she was beautiful and wanted to marry

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148 | Spring 2011

her. But the princess did not like the Devil, and would not marry him.

When the Devil realized the princess did not like him, he became angry and kidnapped her. Once the Indians in the tribe realized that the princess was kidnapped, they chased after the Devil to save her.

As the Indians got closer, the Devil created a huge hole in the ground and the Indians fell in. When they tried to climb out of the hole, the Devil turned them to stone and took the princess home with him.

Legend has it the 12 springs cascading down the lime rock at the Devil’s Millhopper are the tears of the brave Indian soldiers crying from the stones for the beautiful princess.

Years later, farmers used a funnel-shaped device, known as a millhopper, to hold grain before it was ground in the mill. The mill was located near the sinkhole that is now known as the Devil’s Millhopper.

Farmers would find teeth and bones at the bottom of the Devil’s

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PHOTOS BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

The Devil’s Millhopper Devil’s Millhopper is a National Natural Landmark that has been visited by the curious since the early 1880s. Because of its geologic formation, lush vegetation thrives in the shade of the walls even in dry summers.

Millhopper. They say the Devil used the hole to send his victims to hell.

Of course, over the thousands of years that the Devil’s Millhopper has been around, these are but two of the many stories told about its creation.

However, as enticing as the legend might be, the sinkhole’s creation is much more scientific.

Sinkholes are formed when acidic ground water dissolves limestone, creating cavities and caves, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s website.

As the cavities continue to enlarge, the ceiling of the cavern becomes too thin to support the earth, and the surface collapses.

Scientists believe the bottom half of the sinkhole, which is 120-feet

150 | Spring 2011

deep and 500-feet across, was created no more than 15 thousand years ago, while the upper half formed no more than 1,000 years ago, according to information at the Devil’s Millhopper Visitor Center.

The Devil’s Millhopper has 12 different springs, including Deer Run Creek, which flow along the lime rock. The water travels from the sinkhole into the Floridan aquifer and some flows to the Santa Fe and Suwannee Rivers, said Park Manager Randy Brown.

One can find the bottom of the Devil’s Millhopper by following 232steps on a winding staircase that leads down the funnel-shaped sink.

The bottom is a mini-rainforest, and it is usually a few degrees colder than the top. From the observation

deck, about six or seven springs can be seen, and if visitors look up they can see the winding staircase from which they came. The circular shaped-sink is lined with tall, rainforest-like trees, fallen branches, moss and a variety of plants.

In the morning, before the afternoon rush arrives, it is quiet enough to hear the water falling into the large spring before making its way into Florida’s water system.

The park is an oasis, Brown said. It is an escape from everyday life, and Brown said he often sees UF and Santa Fe College students come to the Devil’s Millhopper to study during finals week.

“It’s a place to just get away,” Brown said.

As one descends, there are three

distinct ecological environments within the 67-acre park — pinecovered sandhills, moist hammocks with broadleaf trees and low vegetation, and swamp areas — all of which come in phases the farther down one walks.

According to information at the Visitor’s Center, the sinkhole provides a cutaway look into the Central Florida’s past. A wide variety of fossils have been found that show the different phases in Florida’s history, such as marine shells at the bottom of the sink, and bones and teeth in the layers above.

Sinkholes are one of the key features of Florida’s topography.

Although the Devil’s Millhopper is Gainesville’s most famous example, and one of the easiest to view, there are many sinkholes throughout Florida.

Sinkholes provide a pathway for rainwater to replenish groundwater, according to the “Plant Management in Florida Water’s” site, created through IFAS. The

rainwater flows into the Floridan aquifer, which supplies 95 percent of Florida’s drinking water.

In addition to taking the stairs leading down into the sinkhole, visitors can walk the nature trail that circles the top. On an average day, visitors can spend no more than two hours and take in all the geological history and trails at the Devil’s Millhopper. A few picnic tables sit in a grassy area surrounding a small, looped parking lot, where patrons can have lunch before — or after —heading down into the sinkhole.

Although each of the 160 state parks in Florida holds their own merit, only at the Devil’s Millhopper State Park can visitors get a glimpse into Florida’s geological history.

Walking down along the small deck in the rainforest-like park, if visitors listen close enough, they may hear the Indian soldier’s tears trickle down the lime rock, through the swampy ground and into the bowels of the earth. s

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>> SELF-ESTEEM

Girls on the Move!

Life Lessons for Pre-teen Girls

BY BONNIE KRETCHIK ooks of anticipation, nervousness and excitement can be seen on the faces of 20 girls as they stand on the starting line of their first ever 5k event. The race, held on a cool night in Haile Plantation is the culminating event of a 12-week journey. It is a journey that began in mid-September when nine girls from Northwest Gainesville and 10 girls from Gainesville Country Day School signed up for a program new to Alachua County, Girls on the Run. Girls on the Run, described by its creator Molly Barker as an experiential program for girls ages eight through 12, is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization. Barker, a runner and four-time Hawaii ironman triathlon finisher, said the idea for Girls on the Run came to her on an evening run in 1993. She realized that her own harsh self-judgment and poor self-esteem affected her significantly throughout her adolescent years. She found herself stuck in what she describes as the “girl box.”

Barker said the “girl box” is a place girls go when they are having a hard time conforming to society’s expectations. Dangerous and often unhealthy behaviors are often the consequences. Running was an outlet for Barker where she was able to discover who she was as a person. Thus, the idea for Girls on the Run was born.

She designed a program that combines life lessons

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and exercises in self-esteem and self-acceptance with lessons in running, fitness and nutrition. The curriculum consists of 24 lessons grouped into three main focus areas. The first eight sessions allow the girls to establish and understand their own identity. Exercises in positive self-talk and affirmations are combined with the physical act of running. The next eight lessons focus on cooperation and social interaction. The girls play running-oriented games that center around teamwork.

The last eight sessions incorporate community involvement. During these last few sessions, the girls create and partake in their own community service project. The culminating event of the program is their 5k race.

Girls on the Run came to the Gainesville area thanks to program director Pam Hess. She saw her daughter retreating into her own “girl box” and had heard about Girls on the Run through a friend. She organized the pilot program in the spring of 2010 with nine girls from the Gainesville Country Day School. Though there were some initial difficulties, the program was a success. The Spring 5k event last April raised enough money to allow for the program to expand into a fall session with two locations. Gainesville Country Day School once again ran the program with many of the same girls returning for another 12 weeks. Girls Place,

Girls on the Run began with a mere 13 girls in 1996 has grown to more than 137 councils in 43 states.

152 | Spring 2011

PHOTOS BY NANCY SMITH

ABOVE: Before the actual race, both teams of girls participated in a practice 5k event held at Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Place.

TOP: Girls, coaches and volunteers stretch out at the inaugural Girls on the Run 5k event held in April of 2010. The event was such a success that proceeds allowed for another two sessions to take place in the fall of 2010.

RIGHT: Maggie gets some help with her hair from volunteer Sam Bleiweis before the race. She dons the ofďŹ cial Girls on the Run T-shirt with matching tattoo.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2011 | 153

PHOTO BY NANCY SMITH

Girls, coaches and volunteers gather before their 5k race held in Hale Plantation on December 2, 2010.

a nonprofit organization focusing on the social growth of young girls, signed on as the second location with a total of nine girls.

Girls on the Run, which began with a mere 13 girls in 1996, has grown exponentially since then. There are now more than 137 councils in 43 states, with two in Canada. Hess said the Jacksonville area has a very strong Girls on the Run Council and has been established for almost 10 years.

“It starts out as a home office program and grows up and that’s what we’re hoping will happen here,” she said.

There are already plans in the works for opening three

more locations for future sessions. The ultimate goal for Hess is that Gainesville will develop a very strong council and the program can expand south into Marion County.

Funding, however, is a constant issue on Hess’s mind.

“We are always looking for more coaches or someone to sponsor a girl or a team,” she said.

While coaches are needed for new programs, donations in the form of snacks or water are always welcomed too.

The cost of the program is $150 per child, yet scholarships are available and are oftentimes the reason many girls can come.

“Our mission is to never turn down a girl. If you want your daughter to come we will find a way,” Hess said enthusiastically. Her passion for the program is evident in her commitment. She spends several hours a week educating the coaches and providing snacks and water to the girls in both locations.

Coaches are female volunteers from the area and are trained in the curriculum. They, along with Hess, guide the girls through their workouts. The goal is to build confidence and self-esteem through a series of fun and challenging workouts. Completing an entire lap on a track without stopping, or trying to fit in a certain amount of completed laps in a given time are some of the goals for the workout period.

Megan Coughlin, a coach at Girls’ Place, knows how important a program like Girls on the Run is for children. A runner herself, she has found an inner strength

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through the process of running. She became a coach to help pass that confidence along to a younger generation.

“I want every girl to have the confidence to overcome negative pressures and influence,” Coughlin said. “I want them to know that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to.”

Running, however, is not the only lesson these girls learn. Each practice incorporates running, but also gets the girls thinking about themselves and their actions.

Games such as a running rendition of the age-old game “telephone” illustrate the dangers of gossiping. Each girl runs across the field to deliver a message. All are amazed with how much the phrase changes by the end of the exercise. During other lessons, girls are asked to consider their own talents and why they are important members of their community.

The culminating event of the program is the girls’ participation in a 5k race. While the focus of Girls on the Run is not competition, the girls cannot help but feel a combination of anticipation and nervousness as they stand on the starting line. Hard work and team camaraderie has brought them all to this moment.

Lessons in individuality, social interaction and community involvement have brought the girls to the final chapter of their 12-week journey. Each girl is sure of one thing: they will finish their run.

Surrounded by coaches, volunteers and parents, the girls dress in the official Girls on the Run colors of

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pink and green. They are adorned with several bows, barrettes and trinkets while coaches apply face paint and hair color. These girls run in style.

One by one they cross the finish line with their running buddies, volunteers who run the race alongside them. Each girl has her own personal support team throughout the entire run. A smile lights up each face and fists pump in the air as they are welcomed by cheering fans at the finish line.

Though the program ends after the race and there will not be another practice next week, each girl has accomplished her goal and hopefully has learned something about herself in the process. s

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COLUMN >> JANICE C. KAPLAN

Adventures in Appetite One thing I love about Gainesville is what I call the “hidden variety” of places to eat. hile it’s tempting to go for convenience and find the nearest burger place or chain restaurant on the city’s main roads, there are plenty of small cafés in out-of-the-way locations that offer fresh, expertly prepared food at great prices. Such is the case with East End Eatery.

Given its location at 1202 NE 8 Avenue, just east of the Duckpond neighborhood, you might not have heard of this gem unless you live nearby or know someone

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156 | Spring 2011

who does. Yet it has been open for two years, owned by the people who run Elegant Events catering. East End Eatery serves lunch on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a menu featuring sandwiches, wraps, salads and soups, as well as daily specials such as Meatloaf Monday, quesadillas and ziti. The eatery also offers Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with dishes like Eggs Benedict, blueberry waffles, omelets, bagels and more. Children’s menus are also available.

I decided to try lunch on a Tuesday afternoon, and the first thing I noticed when I walked in was the warm, cheerful décor. The large front windows let in plenty of sunshine to play off of the light blue and white walls. Simple furnishings of light colored wood are softened with cozy touches of blue cushions, wicker baskets and serving pieces. There are a few chairs at the lunch counter, with the rest of the tables divided between three adjoining rooms. Throughout the restaurant there are magazines, books and games available for customers to enjoy, along with a kids’ nook that includes comfy chairs, books, games and toys to occupy children of many ages.

I chose a table, and soon after a server with a pleasant demeanor arrived to bring me a menu and take my drink order. My tastes run the gamut from vegetarian to carnivore, but in general I like to keep it simple with an occasional flavor twist to make things interesting.

So while the menu was not extensive, there were still several items that immediately piqued my interest.

I asked my server for a recommendation between two dishes. While complimenting both, she also suggested a third — the curry chicken salad wrap — that she mentioned is an establishment favorite. However, I’m not a big fan of curry, so she happily recommended the turkey and brie Panini that I ultimately ordered. All sandwiches come with the “side of the day,” which on this particular afternoon was a tri-color pasta salad.

My meal arrived in about 10 minutes, freshly

PHOTOS BY JANICE KAPLAN

The soft blue color palette and natural wood furnishings are complemented by homespun touches such as baskets, serving pieces, magazines and games.

A cozy nook for children includes plenty of books, toys and comfortable seating.

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Spring 2011 | 157

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prepared and attractively presented without much fuss. The bread was toasted to a beautiful crispy golden brown and the turkey was sliced thinly and generously portioned. Sandwiches with Brie can sometimes feel heavy and bland given the nature of the cheese, but in this case the Brie was creamy and not so thick as to smother the turkey. The roasted red pepper sauce gave it a nice shot of flavor, and I enjoyed the sandwich tremendously.

The accompanying pasta salad was very good, although the pasta might be slightly underdone for some tastes. Personally I liked it, because if the pasta is cooked too thoroughly the salad gets mushy. In this case it was firm but not chewy, with just the right amount of dressing and vegetables.

While there are no desserts listed on the menu, trays on the lunch counter display bite-sized homemade sweet treats for 25 or 50 cents apiece, each individually wrapped so you can eat it at the restaurant or take with you. I chose one brownie bite (crispy on the outside and very fudgy on the inside) and a small piece of zucchini bread (moist and delicious). It was a deliciously perfect ending to the meal.

The prices at East End Eatery are quite good, often a bit less than what you will find at bigger restaurants.

Regular menu items start in the $6.00 range, and during lunch that includes the side of the day. The total for my meal including a soft drink, dessert and tip was about $12.00, a very reasonable price for such fresh and tasty food served so quickly. Customers should take note that the restaurant only takes cash — no checks or credit cards — to help keep costs low.

I will definitely return to East End Eatery, with some girlfriends as well as with my husband and children.

Business lunchers and casual grazers are equally at home in the warm, welcoming atmosphere, and the food is fresh, delicious and served in a timely manner by a very friendly staff. s

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Menu: Lunch menu includes sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups, hot entrees and specials; brunch features eggs, waffles, bagels, sausage, fruit and other sides; beverages are non-alcoholic only and include soft drinks, juice, coffee (including French press) and tea.

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Pros: Pleasant atmosphere, friendly service, fresh food prepared quickly and presented attractively.

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Spring 2011 | 159

ADVERTISER INDEX 4400 NW 36th Avenue • Gainesville, FL 32606 352-372-5468 352-373-9178 fax AUTOMOTIVE Ernie’s Southern Offroad.................113 GT Motorcars ......................................125 Santa Fe Ford .................................... 163

FINANCIAL / INSURANCE Campus USA Credit Union .............26 Easy Tax and Accounting ................ 55 Sunshine State Insurance ............... 119 SunState Federal Credit Union .... 110

MEDICAL / HEALTH 1st Choice Immediate Care ........... 149 Accent on Eyes ..................................133 Affordable Dentures ....................... 138 Alachua Dental Center ................... 107 Altschuler Periodontic ......................41 Archer Family Health Care .............45 Caretenders ..........................................64 Center for Medical Weight Loss... 149 Exceptional Dentistry .......................95 Gainesville Opticians......................... 47 North Florida Orthotics ...................84 North Florida Regional Medical Center .......................................2 North Florida Woman Care .............. 6 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery ......54 Palms Medical Group ........................85 Samant Dental Group ......................... 11 Solantic Walk-In Urgent Care .........91 Vishnu Reddy, M.D. ...............................7

FITNESS and BEAUTY Big Ron’s Yoga College ....................118 Charisma for Hair .............................100 LAE Beauty........................................... 53 Spa Royale ............................................. 21 Star Martial Arts................................ 120 Swim America of Gainesville ......... 75 Veda Salon & Spa .............................. 90

EDUCATION & CHILD CARE A.C.G. Therapy Center .................... 126 Alachua Learning Center ................. 15 Fundamental Therapy Solutions .....78 Gainesville Country Day School ...34 Loften High School ............................117 Millhopper Montessori School ......128 Queen of Peace Academy ............ 154 St. Francis High School .................. 154 St. Patrick Interparish School ...... 154

160 | Spring 2011

PETS and VETS Bob’s Compassionate Pet Sitting ...141 Eager Pup ............................................ 141 Earth Pets...............................................41 Earth Pets Feed & Garden .............147 Flying Fish Pets & Aquatics ...........112 Haile Plantation Animal Clinic ...... 141 House Call Vet .................................... 141 Pampered Paws ..................................112

REAL ESTATE Atrium .....................................................38 Forrester Realty ................................ 108 Innovative Home Builders ................. 4 The Village ............................................ 87 Coldwell Banker/MM Parrish ........... 18

SERVICE A Classic Moment Limousine ........ 55 ACT Computer Solutions ................113 Action ChemDry .................................63 Affordable Services of Florida .........5 Alachua County EPD ....................... 116 AllState Mechanical, Inc..................155 BBI Construction Management....123 Big Blue................................................ 134 COX Communications .................... 105 Creekside Outdoor ...........................135 DirecTV ................................................ 144 Gainesville Regional Airport ......... 119 Lotus Studios Photography ........... 22 Mini Maid ................................................. 8 Our Town Business Association.... 55 Ray French A/C & Heating .............86 3-Way Electrical Service Inc. ........155

RETAIL / RECREATION Artful Upholstery & More ...............125 Beacher’s Lodge.................................69 Blue Springs .........................................83 Coin & Jewelry Gallery ..................... 37 Colleen’s Kloset................................. 158 Cootie Coo Creations .......................112 Dollar General .................................... 146 Enchanted Memories ........................113 Gardener’s Edge ................................127 Hippodrome Theatre ...................... 103 Jewelry Designs by Donna .............112 Klaus Fine Jewelry ............................... 9 Lentz House of Time, LLC ...............69 Lighting Gallery ................................ 102 Museum of Natural History.............45 New Smyrna Beach ........................... 79 Paddywhack......................................... 47 Renaissance Jewelers ......................125 Sanders Jewelers ................................. 3 Sapps Pawn, Gun and Archery .....151 Simply Gorgeous Gifts ..................... 52 Skate Station Fun Works....... 122, 123 The Studio of Alachua...................... 75 Target Copy ........................................ 129 TB Goods...................................... 88, 156 Turkey Creek Golf Club .................... 33 Valerie’s Loft Consignment ........... 101 West End Golf Club ......................... 109 Wood You Furniture..........................94

MISCELLANEOUS Financial Freedom ............................123 High School Diploma ........................ 82 Holy Trinity Episcopal Church....... 159 Key to Success .................................... 82 Outreach for Kids ............................. 145

HOME IMPROVEMENT Amira Builders ................................... 158 Carson’s Cabinetry & Design .........48 Fences & Gates by IMI ..................... 116 Graetz Construction ..........................89 Griffis Lumber.....................................125 Indigo Green Building Solutions ...147 Mike Hill Construction .....................128 Overhead Door ................................. 139 R&M Construction .............................132 Ronald Clark Construction ...........140 Whitfield Window & Door................10

RESTAURANT Adams Rib Company ........................70 Bagel Bakery ........................................70 Calico Jack’s .......................................... 71 Dave’s NY Deli ...................................... 71 Domino’s Pizza ........................ 17, 19, 75 El Toro.....................................................92 Flying Biscuit Café .................... 74, 162 Francesca’s Trattoria .......................... 71 Gator’s Dockside ................................ 72 Gator Q .................................................. 72 Great Outdoors ................................... 72 Joe’s Place ............................................ 73 Luca’s Pasta.......................................... 73 Mad Hatters Café ...............................113 Main Street Pie Co., A Pizzeria .....123 Mamma Mia Pizzeria .........................94 Northwest Grille .................................. 73 Piesano’s Stone Fired Pizza ........... 74 Take Away Gourmet ..........................85 Tempo Bistro to Go ........................... 74

page

56 >> LET’S HANG OUT

Anthony Lyons does not usually have time to hang around. He is the manager of the Gainesville Community Redevelopment Agency, which transforms blighted areas of Gainesville by building commercial and residential properties. Lyons said redevelopment involves careful and detailed planning in order to change streets, neighborhoods or sections of the city. “We always need to try to be ahead of where things are heading,” Lyons said. www.VisitOurTowns.com

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