VSTYLE Magazine, June 2018

F e at u r i n g

6 Manning up The Sophisticated Gents of Florida mentors local high school students.

Plus

2 To the point A Villages woman takes a stab at fencing.

12 Put your best foot forward Simple steps to make walking more pleasurable.

* MVESEtT yAlVeI L L A G E R

En garde Doreen Lowther says fencing helps her become ‘more courageous.’

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“Where else can you hit somebody with a weapon and still be friends?”

— DOREEN LOWTHER

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STORY: THERESA CAMPBELL // PHOTO: FRED LOPEZ

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tanding a tad over 5 feet tall, covered from head to toe in protective white gear, and wearing a steel mesh mask over her face, fencer Doreen Lowther, 70, was fearless.

She didn’t hesitate to go after her target—a taller male opponent—and when their bout came down to a tie, Doreen lunged forward the fastest with her sword to claim the winning touch.

After her victory was declared by the referee, the pair laughed as they shook hands.

“Where else can you hit somebody with a weapon and still be friends?” says Doreen, who cherishes the camaraderie of The Villages

Fencing Club, the group she founded four years ago.

Fencers in the club happily chat before a bout, “but when you get up to that line, it’s an adrenaline rush and it’s all business,” says Doreen, who relies on her legs for her physicality.

“And I try to get them down there,” she says with a grin, referring to the male groin area. “That’s how I got an award,” she adds, pointing to the handmade “Shish Kabob Award” which shows where fencers have been hit.

The group fences foil, sabre, and epée, and uses electric scoring equipment. For foil fencers, the valid target is the torso, but not the arms and legs. With epée, the entire body is a target, while in sabre, the target is above the waist.

“When I am looking at my opponent, I’m concentrating on where I want to hit, and try to keep away from being hit at the same time, so you start look for an opening,” she says.

After moving from Hawaii to The Villages with her late husband, Doreen recalls she was captivated by a picture of a child and adult fencing as a promo for the former Villages Lifelong Learning College.

“I thought if a 6-year-old can do that, I can do it,” she recalls.

Doreen took a year of classes at the college in sabre, her favorite weapon, and she considers fencing to be good exercise, an art form, and a fun sport for her 21-member group.

“It’s tense and it is all mental and physical; it’s 75 percent legs and the rest of it is a chess game,” Doreen says. “We have such a good time. We are absolutely like family.”

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The old axiom is right: “If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.

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he internet is one of the best ways to gain useful information about nearly everything. That’s why I keep my spam filters very low. Open access to my email address helped me discover the truth behind claims made for various healthand appearance-enhancement products— things to control blood pressure, lower blood sugar, grow hair, lose weight, and manage pain.

What I’ve learned is these products could help you avoid being taken in by unscrupulous marketers. Although these items—prescription or over-the-counter— work for some people but not for others, many of them work for no one. The old axiom is right: “If it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.”

Also know that these long-winded (45 minutes or longer) internet offers making extraordinary claims for certain brands can be verified on the internet. Say you find one promising to stop painful migraine headaches. You’re tempted to buy it. It’s not very expensive. The first month’s supply is free…and there’s a “no-hassle” money-back guarantee.

But before you click on the “purchase” icon, do this: Type the name of the product in your browser and see what comes up.

Usually, a number of reports and critiques appear. Some may be glowing testimonials

and written by the manufacturer. Disregard these. Some may be written by so-called product research firms also providing positive comments. Don’t be fooled by these. Many reviews are bought by the manufacturers.

Pay close attention to write-ups containing negative comments about the product or its manufacturer. The more of these you find, the more you should be concerned you’re considering a “fake” brand. Criticisms posted by independent sources and not by competitors, most likely to present the truth.

Remember, free or deeply discounted offers may end up being more expensive.

They almost always contain a “forced resupply” requirement permitting the seller to renew your order until you instruct them by phone or in writing to cancel the order, and these are often difficult to terminate.

Internet research can lead you to the best, most effective brand of what interests you. However, buying a trial bottle, even at full price, may actually save money.

Finally, regardless of where you purchase any product, internet or a retail store, if it has a “money-back” guarantee, always return it if it doesn’t work. Most people don’t, and that enriches an unscrupulous marketer.

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Making an impact A philanthropic group, the Sophisticated Gents of Florida, is devoted to youths and community.

STORY: THERESA CAMPBELL

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handful of men first met to socialize 12 years ago, and now they’ve grown to 110-members strong and are devoted to extensive community outreach in Lake, Sumter, and Marion counties.

Meet the Sophisticated Gents of Florida.

Club President Vernon Haley says 99 percent of the members are retired African-American professionals living in The Villages. More men in the tricounty area are invited to join the organization.

Vernon is a retired vice president of student affairs at Palm Beach State College and worked for 30 years in higher education at four different colleges. He says other members of the club have had significant careers in many fields, including government, law, medicine, and the postal service.

Realizing some young males grow up without father figures was one of the reasons he says the group was formed and began its community outreach.

“We are very interested in minority males and seeing them succeed,” says Vernon, who is in his fourth year as president.

The Sophisticated Gents club has 10 mentors serving youth at Wildwood and Leesburg High School. The club also works with The Villages Charter High School and Lake Weir High School.

“We went out to the high schools and what we saw was a lack of minority role models in the high schools,” Vernon says.

“There are very few minority professionals or teachers in the schools, and as a result, we needed to reach out to them.

When we come into the schools to interview students, we sit in the cafeterias and they are so pleased to see minority males because they don’t see them in the schools. We

try to talk to them about various opportunities for them.”

The group is also committed to providing college scholarships.

“The majority of the scholarships that we give out are to minority males because that is our focus,” Vernon says.

The members first began their scholarship fund by asking each member to put in $50. Five years ago, they expanded their scholarship fund by having the Friendship Golf Tournament, an annual event that is now hosted every November at Harbor Hills Country Club in Lady Lake.

“In the last four years, we have raised over $90,000,” Vernon says. “We are most proud of the scholarship piece. We are reaching out to basically first-generation students, the first person in their family to go to college, and that is our priority.”

He says the schools work collaboratively with the group. School counselors are involved in recruiting students from November to

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April, and the Sophisticated Gents, along with their friends in The Villages African-American Club, aims to provide 20 scholarships this month to students of The Villages Charter High School, Leesburg High School, Wildwood Middle High School, and Lake Weir High School. The scholarships range from $500 to $1,000.

Vernon expects about 200 people at the June 2 scholarship luncheon. Each scholarship recipient was encouraged to bring two guests to the all-expenses paid meal, and the event is hailed as the highlight of the year for the Sophisticated Gents and their friends in the AfricanAmerican Club.

that’s because we have doubled the amount of money that we were receiving from our golf tournament.

Before, we couldn’t do it because we didn’t have enough resources.”

The group has come a long way from its early days.

According to the organization’s website, Lawrence Parker gathered a group of African-American men at Katie Belle’s Restaurant in The Villages for a meet-and-greet session. To keep the camaraderie going, the group agreed to continue to meet monthly at a local restaurant.

Nelson Bickley helped Lawrence make phone calls inviting men to the monthly meeting, and both Lawrence and Nelson are hailed as the club founders.

“WE ARE REACHING OUT TO BASICALLY FIRSTGENERATION STUDENTS, THE FIRST PERSON IN THEIR FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE, AND THAT IS OUR PRIORITY.”

—VERNON HALEY

“Every year, we give out scholarships to students from those four schools, and we are now entering into a scenario where we are giving out awards to prior students to help them in terms of retention,” Vernon says.

“Now that we have a financial stream, we thought there was a need to start looking at some of the retention of our students—those students who meet certain criteria and are in good academic standing at their institution can apply for a second scholarship as well.”

Vernon says this was the first year his group was able to consider retention-based scholarships, “and

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“Both are very proud of the group,” Vernon says of the founders being pleased of the group’s initiatives and success. “At our first Black and White Ball, they were our keynote people that we recognized as being the founders of the organization. We are probably the largest minority male professional group in the area.

This is a group that serves as role models in the tri-county area.”

A waitress is credited with helping the group get its name.

At one of the earliest meetings, before taking food orders, a server asked the men, “What can I do for you gentlemen?”

Lawrence took the phrase to Nelson and suggested the group be called Sophisticated Gents of The Villages, which was later changed to Sophisticated Gents of Florida, so the group could be open to more men.

Vernon says the Sophisticated Gents strives to be active in community outreach in more ways besides mentoring youths or providing college scholarships.

“We felt the best way to do that is to go out into the community and be visible,” Vernon says.

The Sophisticated Gents club participates in parades in the tri-county area, including the annual Martin Luther King Parade in Leesburg and Royal, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Breakfast in The Villages. Members also are active in the Adopt-A-Highway program, and in their clubsponsored activities, such as the Friendship Golf Tournament, golf trips, annual beach party at Eaton’s Beach, fishing trips, auto show, variety show, fashion

show, Super Bowl parties, Washington, D.C., trip, and the annual Black and White Ball.

The next ball—the third annual dinner and dance event—will be hosted March 9, 2019, at the Eisenhower Recreation Center in The Villages.

“At this dinner and dance, we recognized various member and outside members who have done some things for the organization,” Vernon says.

The club president also is pleased with the Sophisticated Gents’ civic activities, including Wreaths Across America, Camp Corral, Hot Dogs with Dads, the Florida A&M University Alumni Golf Tournament, Relay for Life, The Villages Vietnam Veterans Golf Tournament, and The Villages Memorial Park Brick Program.

As the Sophisticated Gents become more visible and popular in the tri-county area,

Vernon says the organization has been invited to participate in several other events, yet they can’t do everything they are asked to be involved in.

“We are trying to pick out the events that have the biggest impact,” he says, including events that allows the Sophisticated Gents to focus on community service and raise awareness about their mission and scholarships.

Sophisticated Gents Men in the tri-county area interested in learning more about the Sophisticated Gents are invited to attend a monthly meeting or call the club president.

Membership: Open to new members and to all men in the tri-

county area. There is no age limit. Men can be of all ethnic groups.

Annual dues: $25.

Meetings: Hosted at 4pm the first Wednesday of each month at Golden Corral, 3950 Wedgewood Lane, The Villages.

Vision: Informal nonprofit men’s club that will strengthen and embrace brotherhood of men in The Villages and surrounding communities of Central Florida.

Mission: To establish and maintain an

organization composed of men in The Villages and surrounding communities of Central Florida who will come together for intellectual, spiritual, educational, and emotional fellowship as well as

community service and scholarship.

Motto: “Emerging in Excellence. Exceeding all expectations.”

Contact: Club President Vernon Haley, 352.444.0734.

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Tips to get you up and walking Walking might not be the sexiest item on your exercise calendar, but it could be the most important.

STORY: CAROLEE BELKIN WALKER

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ven if you run or swim or cycle or practice yoga, the physical and mental benefits of regular walking are well documented. Walking is especially beneficial if you’re recovering from an illness or injury or suffer from joint pain or depression, So, how do you get yourself off your chair and out for a walk?

Here are some tips.

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Take a personality test

Get a walking stick

If you’re an extrovert and have a high tolerance for external stimulation, you’ll stick to a walking routine if there’s a social or exciting aspect to it, such as walking with a group or choosing a busy and crowded trail or street for your daily stroll.

If you’re low in motivation and self-control, like many of us, you’ll need a really big “why” to get yourself to go for a walk. Writing out a list of reasons for walking and posting it on your fridge door could help.

Whether you’ve got balance issues, trip easily, or want to alleviate pressure on your joints, lightweight and sporty walking sticks, canes, and poles offer stability and security on trails and sidewalks.

Sporting goods stores and specialty retailers stock the latest trends in walking sticks, including poles designed for people suffering from arthritis in their hands. You can also sign up for classes on how to use the poles safely for trekking on trails at some senior centers and sporting goods stores.

You are what you wear Of course, I’m talking about clothing and shoes, but it’s so much more fun to think about your walking outfits as “gear.” The key is selecting well-fitted items made from high-tech fabrics that are comfortable and stretchy and make you feel sporty. Yes, function is important as you want to wear fabrics that keep you cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather, but the good news is the latest exercise gear does it all. While you can spend a lot of money on excellent name-brand items, search for the great deals in bulk stores or outlet malls. Depending on your pace, experiment with how much to wear while walking, focusing on layers you can remove as you heat up and put back on when you’ve cooled off. Put your gear out before you go to sleep, so you see it when your alarm goes off.

Keep a bag with walking gear in your car in case you find yourself in a pretty spot with time on your hands.

Fitness apps You’re probably taking your phone with you when you go for a walk, so load it with a fitness app. They’re great for keeping track of exercise and sharing stats with friends can give you that extra push when you’re feeling lazy. My favorite is Under Armour’s MapMyFitness.

In the free version, you track your walk in real time and even set a goal at, say, two miles, so you know when to turn around and head back. The VIP version, which costs $5.99 per month, includes audio coaching, which is helpful if you tuck your phone away while you’re walking and prefer someone telling you how far you’ve walked. The audio coaching works even if you’re listening to music, a podcast, or talking on the phone. The live tracking works indoors if you’re walking in a shopping mall or down the aisles of the grocery store. If you’re walking on a treadmill, you must log the walk for it to be included in the feed you share with friends.

Plug in Going for a walk with friends is perfect for socializing, especially if you’re an extrovert. However, there are times you’ll want to leave your chair at lunchtime or pop out of bed in the morning and catch up on music, news, podcasts, and audiobooks.

Research supports the idea that when you’re walking there’s enough activity in your brain to keep it semi-activated, leaving plenty of cognitive space available to learn something new or get creative. Many apps have features that let you listen to podcasts or audiobooks at a faster or slower speed, depending on your preference.

The key is to stay aware of your surroundings. Some people use only one ear bud when they’re walking so they can still hear ambient noise, and you might want to look for headphones designed so that you can still hear what’s going on around you while you’re plugged in.

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Research supports the idea that when you’re walking there’s enough activity in your brain to keep it semi-activated, leaving plenty of cognitive space available to learn something new or get creative.

Carolee Belkin Walker Carolee Belkin Walker is the author of “Getting My Bounce Back” and host of “My Brain on Endorphins” podcast. Follow her on Twitter @ Carolee_Walker.

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* BVOSOtK yR lE VeI E W

‘The Food Therapist: Break Bad Habits, Eat with Intention, and Indulge Without Worry’

By Shira Lenchewski. Author debuts book to provide readers with stimulating one-on-one food therapy session.

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The author follows through with practical strategies on managing food obstacles, along with providing a food plan and a variety of recipes.

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STORY: THERESA CAMPBELL

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s a registered dietitian and nutrition expert, Shira Lenchewski knows the desire to eat healthy doesn’t always pan out. Uncontrollable cravings can get in the way; we may make hurried food choices driven by stress; or feel guilty after eating a decadent dessert.

The author says our relationship with food is one of the most emotionally charged, guilt-ridden, and yet instantly gratifying relationships in our lives.

Professionally, she’s heard clients rattle off things they ought to be doing: limiting added sugars, exercising portion control, and making better food choices at restaurants. Personally, she reveals her own days of being “the queen of Diet Coke and sad salads with dressing on the side.”

She adds, “Ditching this narrow mindset was a complete and utter game changer…You don’t have to choose between looking and feeling your best and eating delicious, flavorful, satisfying food.”

She tells readers to stop punishing themselves.

“Failure has the ability to teach us a lot,” she

writes. “It’s scientifically proven that at any age we can change the way our brain functions to boost willpower and develop consistent healthy habits and behaviors.”

In order to do so, she believes it’s vital to examine the root cause of emotional hang-ups around food and our bodies before we can ultimately reach our health goals.

Not to worry. It doesn’t mean heading to a psychologist’s office for answers or that this is a sign of eating disorders; this book focuses on the everyday issues with food.

Early on, readers are given an eye-opening quiz about food-related obstacles they face that can reflect trust and dependence issues, fear of food monotony, self-blame, shame, or the need for perfectionism.

The author follows through with practical strategies on managing food obstacles, along with providing a food plan and a variety of recipes.

“The most reliable way to create the future you want is to first envision it, and then work at it, a little bit at a time, every single day,” she writes, adding that ultimately the endgame is “to make food decisions that reflect what you really want for yourself while knowing how and when to loosen the reins so you can stay healthy, happy, and balanced for the long haul.”

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