Gulf Breeze Magazine Fall 2014

GulfBreeze Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce Magazine

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Issue 20/Fall 2014

Inside Public Art in Gulf Breeze

Gulf Breeze Business & Family Expo: Celebrating 25 Years Michael Brandon Gulf Breeze Middle School Has a New Principal

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The Future of the Shoreline Tennis Courts

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What’s Happening in Gulf Breeze

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Fall/2014

contents inside Gulf Breeze Magazine Cover photo by Guy Stevens

feature 19)

Gulf Breeze Business & Family Expo: Celebrating 25 Years

slices

22) profile Michael Brandon

8) commentary 10) businessofthemonth 11) businessbriefs 11) who’snewtothechamber 12) ambassadorofthequarter / chambernews 14) Public Art in Gulf Breeze

Gulf Breeze Middle School Has a New Principal

24) inthebreeze The Future of the Shoreline Tennis Courts 26) Healthy Lunch and Snack Ideas for Back to School

28) calendar 30) partingshots

24) 22)

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GulfBreeze Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce Magazine

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GBACOC EXECUTIVE BOARD

What’s Happening in Gulf Breeze

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SHARON PITTS, CHAIRMAN LOFTIS MARINE DIVISION KAREN JURKOWICH, CHAIR ELECT LEVIN & RINKE RESORT REALTY DAVE MUNGAI, PAST CHAIRMAN CHOICE VIDEO SERVICES KAREN ALOY, TREASURER A LOYAL VISION SHANNON WESTMORELAND, SECRETARY BAYSIDE COLLISION CENTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS DON ABRAMS, GULF BREEZE CINEMA 8 ANGELA CARTER, GULF POWER COMPANY MICHAEL HAMSTRA, APPRIVER LLC MICHELLE HORTON, PENSACOLA STATE COLLEGE - SOUTH SANTA ROSA CENTER JAN HRUSKA, BREEZY BOAT CITY MIKE LAYTON, FSI GROUP STEVE MCNALLY, J.W. DUNNWRIGHT CONSTRUCTION LLC LISA NEWELL, GULF BREEZE NEWS & SPLASH! MAGAZINE DON RICHARDS, UNITED PENINSULA ASSOCIATION JIM ROBERT, PLASTIC ENGRAVING SCOTT SHANKS, CFP, EDWARD JONES - SCOTT SHANKS, CFP TODD ST. ORES, GULF COAST AIR CARE DAVE SZYMANSKI, CITY OF GULF BREEZE - LIAISON JAMIE WALKER, EGIVINGS TIM WISE, PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL STAFF KRISTEN LOERA, PRESIDENT/CEO SHARON WEST, BOOKKEEPER LORAINE CERNA, MEMBER ADMINISTRATOR ALICIA CANDELA, INTERN GULF BREEZE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 409 GULF BREEZE PKWY. • GULF BREEZE, FL 32561 (850) 932-7888 www.gulfbreezechamber.com • www.gulfbreezemag.com

Gulf Breeze Magazine is a joint venture of Ballinger Publishing and the Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce.

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SALES & MARKETING S HARYON M ILLER , A CCOUNT E XECUTIVE EXT. 28 B ECKY H ILDEBRAND , A CCOUNT E XECUTIVE EXT. 31

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Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions.

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commentary As I write this letter, we are well into a gorgeous summer and we are already looking forward to the temperatures and activities of fall. It’s been a crazy year with a little too much cold this winter, and a little too much rain in the spring, but business in Gulf Breeze has never been better!

We are excited about new businesses coming into the area bringing numerous jobs and boosting economic opportunity. Our very own Gulf Breeze students will be the business owners of the future and, once again, their academic performance is at the top of the state. Not only is Gulf Breeze doing a great job of bringing in new business and industry, we are also training our own students to take on leadership positions in the near future. This exceptional talent pool will be attractive to businesses looking to relocate to our shores.

We look forward to the Gulf Breeze Business and Family Expo with great anticipation. The event this year will be at the recently renovated Gulf Breeze Community Center on Sept. 12 and 13, 2014. The Expo is one of the largest events of the year, and many people from Gulf Breeze and the surrounding communities will come out for the festivities. In addition to showcasing our local businesses, Friday night, Sept. 12 will showcase our area restaurants at the Taste of Gulf Breeze, and Saturday, Sept. 13 will be a wonderful family fun day. Please come out and join us.

Thank you all for supporting our local economy and the Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce. It is wonderful to be a part of such a vibrant community. If there is ever a way that I may be of service to you or help with your business interests, please let me know.

Sharon Pitts Chairman of the Board Gulf Breeze Area Chamber

It seems like just yesterday that the school year was ending and we all had beaches and BBQs on our minds. In just a couple short months, that has switched to school supplies, the anticipation of cooler weather, and for some, the even more anticipated beginning of football season. As activities, schedules, and priorities shift once again, I am reminded about one of the things that I love about our area and our people. While some people get overwhelmed by constant changes and the shifts that occur during the year, I think we have something special that differentiates us from other places. We have the ability to do work, but also have fun—to not balance the two, but to incorporate them. This is something that I have not seen in all of the places I have lived or visited. Maybe it has to do with our landscape, or maybe our lifestyles. Maybe there is something in the salty breeze that comes off the Gulf. Whatever it is…I think it lends to a great climate for doing business and living life.

Whether it is the playful banter of rival college football fans at a networking event or combining great food and family fun with a business expo, the ability to incorporate fun and laughter into our business activities is one of the things that makes the Gulf Breeze Area a great place to do business.

As fall approaches and our schedules get hectic, I don’t worry about getting bogged down because I know that I am going to encounter someone or something every day that reminds me to have fun, smile, and not take things too seriously. I hope you encounter the same and the playful spirit of our area continues to impact the way we work and live.

Kristen Loera President/CEO Gulf Breeze Area Chamber

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Place a classified ad in the Gosport and over 25,000 people will see it every week.

Call 433-1166 ext. 24 and thin out that garage.

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businessofthemonth May 2014 – Pro Health & Pro Clinic Pro Heath and Pro Clinic has locations in Gulf Breeze, Pensacola, Milton, Ft. Walton Beach, Santa Rosa Beach and Crestview. Specializing in providing Northwest Florida with affordable health services, their team offers low-cost lab work for people without health insurance, or those who have high deductibles. They also provide DNA paternity testing; adult, travel and flu immunizations; occupational, respirator fit testing, DOT and employment physicals; tuberculosis screenings; and health fairs. It is also important to note that they welcome walk-ins for most services!

If you are an employer you can trust them for DOT and non-DOT drug and alcohol testing to help you have a drug free workplace. Remember: if you’re not drug testing employees, you’re the employer-of-choice for drug-users.

Regardless of which media you are planning to use, our business of the month can create the unusual graphics required to demand your audiences’ attention and increase your business’ profits.

August 2014 – Gulf Breeze News Community newspapers are critical because they can return to issues repeatedly, shedding light on them until they are resolved. Large newspapers and TV news, on the other hand, may drop in on the neighborhood once to report on a problem but are unlikely to return for months, if at all. And reporting in community papers almost always leads to coverage further up the media food chain. These remarks are attributed to Jordan Moss in an article titled, The Power of the Community Press.

Gulf Breeze News is an award winning weekly community newspaper. Founded in 2001, they serve Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach, Tiger Point, Midway and Navarre. Not only do they offer news in an accurate, fair and balanced manner, they also provide support to countless worthwhile organizations, including the Gulf Breeze Chamber of Commerce. GB

June 2014 – 3Sixty Design 3Sixty Design is dedicated to helping to take your business to the next level combining creativity and eye catching design with unique graphic solutions and quality printing products. They cater to clients desiring a high level of service, quality and expertise, along with quick turnaround, friendly service and reasonable prices.

They specialize in identity, eye-catching graphic design, layout and collateral marketing materials that reinforce your product positioning. Combined with fast full-color printing, mail services and web design they help support your communications strategy and coordinating messages across a broad range of media.

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here. The college offers full-service campuses in South Santa Rosa County, Milton, Pensacola and Warrington, as well as corporate training at the Downtown Center.

Pensacola State College is widely recognized as a premier, student-friendly college that competes with the best – offering more than 100 first-rate programs, high-tech resources and exciting opportunities. Students earning the A.A. degree have guaranteed admission to Florida’s 11 state universities. Students transfer easily to nationally recognized colleges such as Cornell, Duke, Vanderbilt and Tulane.

July 2014 – Pensacola State College Pensacola State College is a public, comprehensive community college that was founded in 1948. Today, the college serves traditional and non-traditional students in Northwest Florida and Southern Alabama. In the 1948-1949 academic years, 136 students enrolled.

Currently, enrollment exceeds about 30,000 students. More than 37 percent of graduating seniors from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties begin college life

businessbriefs Council on Aging of West Florida, Gulf Coast Air Care & Pen Air Federal Credit Union receive Torch Awards Ever since 1999, the Better Business Bureau has been nominating Businesses for the “Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics.” The Torch Award recognizes businesses who have high ethical standards. They set a good example for other businesses in the marketplace. We want to congratulate Gulf Breeze Area Chamber members who have won this award, Gulf Coast Air Care, Pen Air Federal Credit Union, and Council on Aging of West Florida. Gulf Coast Air Care (1 – 10 employees) won the Honorable Mention Torch Award, Pen Air Federal Credit Union (50 + employees), and Council on Aging of West Florida (charity) were Torch Award winners for District 1 area representing Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Congratulations and thank you for being such good role models for the community!

AppRiver Opens Office in Barcelona AppRiver announced on July 17th that they have opened their second European office in Barcelona, Spain. The cloud based email and web security provider headquartered in Gulf Breeze, Fla. has seen business in Europe steadily increase since opening their EMEA Headquarters in Switzerland in 2012. Demand for cloud-based security services remains high for businesses looking to outsource IT skills, reduce costs and comply with security regulations. A recent Gartner survey on security spending shows that European firms plan to increase their consumption of cloud services during the next 12 months, with 74 percent of respondents rating email security as their top priority among those services.

AppRiver has been protecting more than 47,000 businesses around the world from IT threats since they were founded in 2002.

who’snewtothe chamber?

Gulf Power Economic Symposium The Gulf Power Economic Symposium is right around the corner! Held Oct. 12 – 14 at the Sandestin Resort, this year’s symposium is sure to be another great event for business leaders throughout our region. The Symposium is designed to inspire, educate and motivate attendees to support business and economic development in Northwest Florida. This year’s theme, “Game Plan for the Future, What’s Your Next Move?” will feature incredible speakers including entrepreneur and author of How Money Walks, Travis Brown; Air Force Veteran and Founder of Afterburner, Inc, Jim Murphy; CEO of ChangeLabs and author of six books, including the international bestsellers Fl!p and Generation Y, Peter Sheahan; Chairman of the Newport Board Group and Entrepreneur in Residence at the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship at Florida State University, Doug Tatum; and a managing director and senior economist at Wells Fargo, Mark Vittner responsible for tracking U.S. and regional economic trends. To register, visit www.gulfpowersymposium.com. GB

One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating Assisted Living Locators Fresenius Medical Care – Gulf Breeze West Florida Obstetrics & Gynecology Real Estate House, Inc. Dumas Realty GB

Your City, Your Magazine

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ambassadorofthequarter

chambernews Volunteers Needed for Chamber Committees The Gulf Breeze Chamber of Commerce is seeking volunteers to join our many issue-centered and event committees. Joining a committee is a great way to get connected to what is going on in the Chamber and the community as well as network with other chamber members and help grow your business. Time commitments will vary depending on the committee. Our issue-centered committees include the Business Development, Governmental Affairs, Education, and Technology committees. These committees generally meet once a month with a one hour time commitment. Is event planning more your cup of tea? Join one of our event-related committees that include the Annual Gala, Fairways to Freedom Golf Tournament, Gulf Breeze Business and Family Expo, and Gulf Breeze Christmas Parade. These committees meet more frequently for a short period of time to plan the event. For more information about the committees contact the chamber at (850) 932-7888 or ceo@gulfbreezechamber.com.

Gemma Gatdula What company do you work for?

Manpower International – Staffing Services.

What is your job title and main responsibilities for your company?

Staffing Specialist. My responsibility is to deliver high quality service to clients and associates by matching the skills of associates to meet client needs, develop and retain business by providing outstanding customer service through successful placements. I determine optimum recruitment methods to develop and maintain a highly qualified candidate pool. My duties includes performing a variety of administrative tasks that support the overall mission of quality performance and service.

What do you enjoy most about volunteering with the Gulf Breeze Chamber?

The people! Aside from the warmth and hospitality of everyone, they all seemed to be on the same page of bringing the best out of their peers and looking out what’s best for their colleagues and business partners. I also find GB Chamber to be very community-oriented and genuinely supportive of their members and residents.

What do you like to do in your “off ” time?

What little “off ” time I have, I spend mostly with my family just driving around town trying new local restaurants, and attending local shows and events.

GB

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Santa Rosa County Legislative Coalition Supports “NO VOTE NO VOICE” Voting Initiative The upcoming 2014 elections are destined to change the look of our county commission, the state legislature, our Governor and the Representatives in Congress. The issues facing all citizens of Santa Rosa County, our state and our nation demand that we choose our elected officials wisely.

The five Chambers of Commerce that represent the businesses and concerned individuals of Santa Rosa, through the chambers’ Santa Rosa County Legislative Coalition, have united to encourage voter participation and awareness through the No Vote No Voice campaign.

No Vote No Voice will encourage eligible citizens to get registered and registered voters to participate fully in the upcoming primary in August and the general election in November. There are too many important issues facing our community, state and nation to leave it to a small number of the voting public. Of the approximately 122,000 registered voters in Santa Rosa County, historically less than 25 percent of them will vote in the August primary. For many local races, the primary is the main event. Our county commission is elected by less than a quarter of the voters!

No Vote No Voice is a non-partisan effort to encourage voter participation in Santa Rosa County. No Vote No Voice does not endorse candidates and will not take a position on any specific issue. The only goal is to encourage more eligible citizens to exercise their hard-earned right to vote and have their voice heard. Those that choose not to exercise that right, have decided to let others speak for them.

No Vote No Voice signs are being printed to show our support during this vital election season. We will also be encouraging business owners to display “No Vote No Voice” prominently at their businesses during the election

season. Please contact your local Chamber of Commerce to obtain a sign and to get more information on this campaign and the Santa Rosa County Legislative Coalition.

The Santa Rosa County Legislative Coalition is a committee with representatives from all five county Chambers of Commerce with the stated goal of keeping our business and professional members apprised of county and legislative issues of interest to them. For more information on how you can participate in the Santa Rosa County Legislative Coalition, please contact Ed Carson at ccicarson@aol.com or the Gulf Breeze Area Chamber at ceo@gulfbreezechamber.com.

Networking’s a Breeze Networking’s a Breeze, a lunchtime networking event created by the Gulf Breeze Chamber’s Business Development Committee, started in February 2014 and has quickly become one of our most popular networking events. This lightly structured event is heavily focused on networking, meeting new people and helping attendees grow their business. Attendees draw a table number when they arrive. Drawing a table number allows attendees to sit with new people each month rather than gravitating towards the people they already know. We begin by everyone in attendance giving a brief introduction of themselves and their business. After introductions, each group will go more in depth about their businesses with the use of facilitation questions. At the end of the event, one business card is drawn and that person shares more about their business with the entire group.

Networking’s a Breeze is held at the Hampton Inn & Suites Gulf Breeze the third Thursday of every month at 11:30 am. Lunch is provided, $10 for Chamber members, $12 for guests.

Contact the Chamber at (850) 9327888 or reception@gulfbreezechamber.com for more information or to RSVP. GB

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Public Art in Gulf Breeze

By Alicia Candela

As

you enter Gulf Breeze from Pensacola, a fiery, glowing figure grabs your attention from the left in Wayside Park. Titled “Fuego,” the 17foot LED lighted double helix is by renowned Pensacola artist Kevin Marchetti, and it’s one of the three specially commissioned art sculptures in Gulf Breeze.

The art project, which will eventually consist of five public sculptures located throughout Gulf Breeze, was spearheaded by local dentist Dr. Steve Zieman to celebrate 50 years of incorporation as a city.

“Once the art pieces were selected by the committee, we had people from the community come forth to contribute money to the art project, like Joanne and Mike Price, who contributed the seed money for ‘Fuego,’” said Zieman.

The company AppRiver sponsored the second piece ‘Starlight’ by LouMitchell Courtney and the HighPointe Hotel Corporation sponsored the third, ‘Gulf ’ by Peter King and Xinia Marin.

Zieman emphasized that this project is not a fully city sponsored project and is completely dependent on donations from people and businesses in the community.

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“This is not a city project; this is a community project, funded by private donations and corporations. The city does offer in-kind help with it, for instance like helping with the infrastructure, like the stands the sculptures fit on,” said Zieman.

The three sculptures on display were all created by local artists and are in different places around the Gulf Breeze Proper area and they each have a unique name and meaning.

“Fuego,” was created by Kevin Marchetti and unveiled in the spring of 2012. This sculpture can be seen glowing at night right by the foot of the bridge and the colors of the lights change depending on the time of year or what’s going on in the community.

“The lighting is computer driven and can be changed to suit the season,” Zieman said.

The Spanish word “fuego” means “fire” in English and the plaque in front of the sculpture explains how this relates to the Gulf Breeze Community: “The swirling and twisting helical shapes are a homage to the creative flame of the human spirit. We are born not just to live, but to ‘be alive’ and participate in life’s creative flame.”

“Starlight,” located at the Woodland Park off Fairpoint Drive, was created by Lou-Mitchell Courtney.

This sculpture represents the light of the human spirit: “Celebrating Hope and the transformation and illumination of the human spirit.”

“Gulf,” located across from the Gulf Breeze Community Center on Shoreline Drive, was created by Peter King and Xinia Marin.

Peter King is an internationally known artist who is from Gulf Breeze. The sculpture is covered with a collage of different elements that represent Gulf Breeze, like leaves, sea life and shells indigenous to the area. The front of the sculpture explains the history of Gulf Breeze and tells the story of the Naval Live Oaks that cover the local landscape.

Zieman explained that he wanted to bring something of a permanent nature to celebrate the 50 years of incorporation.

He also said that he wanted fine art and something different for the Gulf Breeze area that people could interact with in public spaces. Whether responses are positive or negative, Zieman says he appreciates the reactions people have to works of art.

“Art enhances life. Art brings life to an area. You walk into a room without art in it and you feel that it’s sterile. It is the same thing when you walk into an area where there is nothing there. Yes it’s pretty, but when you put a sculpture, it brings focus and people love it, hate it, want to be with it, or don’t like it, so it’s an emotion. Art brings emotion to a space,” Zieman said.

There will be two additional sculptures to complete the project by Michael Boles and Sam Nettles and they will be making their respective debuts very soon. The fourth sculpture will hopefully be completed by the end of the year and the fifth sculpture will be completed by the beginning of next year. GB

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Gulf Breeze Business & Family Expo:

Celebrating 25 Years

By Alicia Candela

The Gulf Breeze Community Center will once again be filled with local businesses for the Gulf Breeze Business and Family Expo, hosted by the Gulf Breeze Area Chamber, the City of Gulf Breeze, and Montgomery Realtors.

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In honor of the 25th Anniversary of the Expo, we decided to take a look back and see how Expo started. Melanie McMillen of Breeze Promotions chaired Expo for five years, from 2006 to 2010 and before that was co-chair with Marc Mellor. McMillen remembered that when she started out as Expo chair in 2006, it was in its 17th year. “So the event dates back about 13 years or so before my time being involved,” said McMillen. She also mentioned that the “Gulf Breeze Business and Family Expo” was originally named “Gulf Breeze Marketplace.”

“It was started as a venue for our area businesses to showcase their business and goods. It gives them the opportunity to reach hundreds of prospective customers in a short time frame,” said McMillen.

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For business owners, interacting with potential customers isn’t the only benefit of Expo. “It is also a great opportunity to network with other businesses,” McMillen said. “It provides attendees with the ability to check out many of our local businesses in one location in just a few hours of time.”

The Expo has grown tremendously in the past 25 years and has undergone many changes and additions over that time, which incorporated a wider range of citizens along with the business community.

“We elevated the marketing of the event by incorporating media partners. An outdoor exhibit area and Family Expo component was added to draw additional attendance and allow families to spend time together since the main event was on a

Saturday,” McMillen said. “Taste of Expo/Preview was a great addition in 2008 to include our area restaurants and we incorporated that with an All Area Chamber After Hours event the night before, which was an exciting addition.”

There are some businesses that have participated in the Expo every year. Todd St. Ores, president of Gulf Coast Air Care, shares how being a part of Expo is beneficial for businesses.

“The Gulf Breeze Expo is a great event for our local community and for the business in this area,” St. Ores said. “It is a great opportunity for exposure to show all the services and resources in the Gulf Breeze area. We like to meet the people from the local area that are our potential customers and to also have them meet our employees and service techs. The Expo is also a nice event because it showcases the Gulf Breeze Community Center. I always get a booth so that I can collect names and meet people that may be in need of our services now or in the future.”

Both chamber members and non-member businesses are part of the Expo. The Expo is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12 and 13.

The Taste of Gulf Breeze is back and for the second year this tasty exhibition will be open to the public. There will be 20 restaurant and beverage providers throughout the exhibit space providing samples of appetizers, desserts and beverages. There will also be awards for Best Appetizer, Best Dessert, Best Beverage and Best of Taste. The Taste of Gulf Breeze will start at 5 pm and lasts until 8 pm. Because this event serves alcoholic beverages, only those who are 21 and older will be admitted.

Saturday is the day when the kids can come out and enjoy the activities that the non-profit organizations have planned for them. Last year some of the fun additions included temporary tattoos, cookies and balloons, arts and crafts, a dunking booth and a putt-putt golf game. The fun begins at 9 am and lasts until 2 pm.

Registration is still open for businesses who are interested in participating in Expo this year. Regular Registration is still open for members and non-members until Sept. 1 and Late Registration is open until sell out. To find more information about Expo visit the Gulf Breeze Chamber website.

GB

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profile

Michael Brandon

Gulf Breeze Middle School Has a New Principal

By Alicia Candela

As students pack up their book bags and head to Gulf Breeze Middle School this fall, they’ll start the new semester under fresh leadership. Starting in August, Gulf Breeze Middle School will have a new principal. Michael Brandon, who previously served as the school’s assistant principal, will be at the helm.

Brandon’s background is ripe with experience in Santa Rosa’s school system at various levels, giving him a greater understanding of the needs of both students and staff. Before stepping up to his positions at the middle school, Brandon started out as a teacher at Gulf Breeze High School in 1992 and taught health, P.E., math, and driver’s education.

From 2003 to 2005 he was the Dean of Students and then in 2005 he became the assistant principal for Navarre High School. Brandon came back to the Gulf Breeze schools in 2009 and became assistant principal for Gulf Breeze Middle School.

The high-performing schools throughout the area have an exceptional standard in place for academics. As principal, Brandon already has some goals in mind for the upcoming school year.

“Maintain the high academic standards that have been set by the people before me and venture into the new Florida standards that we are having to do.”

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Brandon stated that this is a new age for education and that the FCAT as it’s now known will undergo serious changes. There will be more assessments and his main priority is to make sure that the children are ready for these tests.

One of the best qualities of Gulf Breeze Middle School, according to Brandon, is the family atmosphere that is present in the school. The area is known for having very involved parents that help to foster an atmosphere of progress for students and faculty alike.

“We have such a family atmosphere at Gulf Breeze Middle, between faculty, staff, students and it is important that we maintain that,” said Brandon.

Brandon mentioned that the best quality about the Gulf Breeze area is the supportive community and good education.

“Everybody here is focused on education and a lot of people move here for our schools,” he said. “They want Gulf Breeze to be successful. We have a very educated community and they want the kids to be successful.”

As the bell rings for the start of the new school year, students may not notice the change of guard in the main office of Gulf Breeze Middle School, but Michael Brandon’s rich experience and talents will surely keep the school on its successful track toward further academic progress for Gulf Breeze students. GB

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inthebreeze Before the flood of April 30

The Tennis Courts covered in water

The Future of the Shoreline Tennis Courts

By Alicia Candela

During the April 2014 rainstorm the Shoreline Tennis Courts were flooded, seriously impacting the future of the tennis community in Gulf Breeze.

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“From the 24 inches of rain overnight on April 29th and 30th, we had three to four feet of storm water on the ten Shoreline Park Tennis Courts. The water sat on the courts for a week,” said Buz Eddy, city manager of Gulf Breeze.

Eddy mentioned that the tennis courts are constructed from asphalt and when there is a large amount of water, this leads to a separation of the base and asphalt. As of now there are many pot holes, ripples, and spongy areas all over the courts, making them unsafe and unusable for play.

So the question is what is going to happen to the tennis courts?

According to Eddy, engineering consultants have evaluated the conditions and have recommended that all ten courts be removed and rebuilt.

The city council has directed staff to advertise for bids for a paving contractor and tennis court coating firm to rebuild the courts.

Once the construction on the courts begins it will last until the middle of October.

The damaged courts have had a huge impact on the tennis community in Gulf Breeze causing people to look for other courts in the area. The administration of Gulf Breeze High School has opened their courts to the public so the tennis players have somewhere to play.

Using the Gulf Breeze High School courts is working for a short-term solution, but Gulf Breeze resident and tennis player Joyce Rand is concerned about the future and how the court situation will affect the start of the season for the Ladies League.

“Gulf Breeze has 11 teams playing in the Greater Pensacola Ladies Tennis League that require four courts for each team,” said Rand. “Considering the large Gulf Breeze tennis community is already faced with a shortage of courts with the ever increasing demand for court time, the challenge of finding courts to play on is becoming even worse.”

Rand is thankful that Gulf Breeze High School has allowed tennis players to use the courts, but the future for the teams remains unknown. With the vibrant and active tennis community that exists in the Gulf Breeze area, hopes remain high that the courts will be rebuilt and open for play as perfect fall weather approaches. GB Fall/2014/Gulf Breeze Magazine

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Healthy Lunch and Snack Ideas for Back to School

Courtesy of Brand Point Content

If schools and parents received report cards on the lunches they’re serving kids, most wouldn’t receive a passing score. Many lunches, whether served at school or brought from home, are made with bleached flour, artificial sweeteners, food coloring, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial preservatives, hormones and trans fats.

Studies have shown that these ingredients are linked to weight gain, defects in insulin and lipid metabolism, hyperactivity, increased risk of tumors, cancer, digestive issues, asthma, premature heart attacks, diabetes, and overexposure and resistance to antibiotics. Some of these ingredients are even banned in other countries.

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Fall/2014/Gulf Breeze Magazine

in favor of wholesome, real foods, and we’re able to help parents throughout that process,” Burbank says.

Until changes are made, Burbank advises actively engaging kids - starting when they’re young - in packing lunch at home. “Getting kids involved in packing their lunches makes them more likely to eat and enjoy them,” says Burbank. “They feel helpful and they’re learning along the way.” She says it’s important to include a protein, whole grains, fresh fruit, vegetables and healthy fats with every meal, and provides some ideas below.

Lunch box option one: • Lunch: turkey or ham sandwich with avocado and spinach on whole grain bread. Look for meat that is free of hormones, antibiotics, nitrates, artificial preservatives and other additives.

• Snack: orange slices and string cheese.

Lunch box option two: • Lunch: grilled chicken breast, avocado and roasted bell pepper or shredded carrots in a whole grain pita with a Greek yogurt based dressing or pesto.

• Snack: apple slices and almond butter. If your child’s school has a strict nut-free lunchroom guideline, include Greek yogurt with vanilla and/or honey.

Lunch box option three: • Lunch: a wholesome PB&J made with almond butter and 100 percent fruit preserves on whole grain bread.

• Snack: hard boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers with Greek yogurt based vegetable dipping sauce, or pita chips and peppers with hummus.

As a parent, what can you do to keep your child healthy? Life Time - The Healthy Way of Life Company, suggests checking in with your child’s school to learn where foods are sourced, the nutritional values and ingredients in order to make informed decisions.

“The more highly processed foods are, the more likely they are to contain the seven unsavory ingredients. Meaning they are foods it’s best to find alternatives for,” says Laura Burbank, a registered dietitian with the Life Time Foundation.

“We encourage parents to speak with school nutrition directors and cafeteria managers about reducing the amount of highly processed and artificial items served in their lunch rooms,

Healthier lunch room choices Burbank notes that sometimes making lunch at home isn’t a viable option. If that’s the case, she suggests parents discuss healthy lunch room options with their kids, as studies have shown that in addition to nutritional benefits, healthier diets also associate with higher academic performance. Things to consider include: • Choose a salad when available to include more vegetables in the meal.

• Choose white milk over chocolate milk to cut down on sugar intake.

• Choose 1 percent milk over skim or non-fat milk, the higher fat content is more satiating.

• Choose whole grain pasta over bread which may contain bleached flour and preservatives.

• Choose red pasta sauce (vegetable-based) over cream sauce (high in fat).

• Choose fresh fruit over canned fruit which may contain artificial colors, preservatives and sweeteners.

Parents should also be encouraged to talk to the nutrition directors and cafeteria managers about reducing the amount of highly processed and artificial items in the school meals. The Life Time Foundation is a great resource for more information on this.

The Life Time Foundation partners with schools to help them remove highly processed and artificial ingredients from school meals by providing resources and assisting with menu development. For more information on how your school can get involved, visit www.ltffoundation.org. GB Fall/2014/Gulf Breeze Magazine

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thecalendar 2014 September 2

1

3

Chamber Closed in 12pm, Leads Group Observance of Labor 1, Working Lunch, Meets at Various Day Locations

8:30am, Blue Ribbon/Real Estate Meeting, Chamber Conference Room Santa 9 11:30am, 10 8:30am, Technology Rosa Legislative Committee Meeting Coalition, Pace (Conference Call) 3pm, Chamber Connect 9am, South End TDC Meeting, & Ribbon Cutting, Navarre Visitor’s Chamber Conference Room Information Center

8

7

17

16

15

14

4pm, Executive 12pm, LEADS Committee Meeting, Group 1, Meets at Chamber Conference Various Locations Room

23

22

21

11

LEADS 12 12pm, Group 2,

13

Working Lunch, 7am, Rise and Shine LaBrisa Chamber Breakfast, 5pm, Taste of Gulf Breeze, Gulf Breeze Andrews Institute Community Center

9am, 2014 Gulf Breeze Business & Family Expo, Gulf Breeze Community Center

18 11:30am,

20

8:30am, Blue Ribbon/Real Estate Meeting, Chamber Conference Room

24

25 5:30pm,

Chamber Business After Hours, Bridging the Gap with Pensacola Beach Chamber, Bamboo Willie’s

19 11:30am, Powerful Women of the Gulf Coast, Hampton Inn & Suites – Gulf Breeze

27

26 12pm, LEADS Group 2, Working Lunch, Meets at Various Locations

30

29

28

9am, Business Development Committee Meeting, Chamber Conference Room

Networking’s A Breeze, Lunchtime Networking Event, Hampton Inn & Suites - Gulf Breeze

11:30am, Chamber Board of Director’s Meeting, Chamber Conference Room

6

5

4

SATURDAY

FRIDAY

THURSDAY

WEDNESDAY

TUESDAY

MONDAY

SUNDAY

October MONDAY

SUNDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

1 8:30am, Blue Ribbon/Real Estate Meeting, Chamber Conference Room

5

12pm, LEADS Group 1, Working Lunch, Meets at 6:30pm, City Various Locations 3pm, Chamber Connect Council Meeting, & Ribbon Cutting, Gulf Breeze City Hall Chamber Conference Room

6

12

14 11:30am,

28

3

4

9

10

11

7am, Rise and Shine 12pm, LEADS Chamber Breakfast, Group 2, Working Andrews Institute Lunch, LaBrisa

16 11:30am,

Networking’s A Breeze, Lunchtime Networking Event, Hampton Inn & Suites - Gulf Breeze

11:30am, Powerful Women of the Gulf Coast, Hampton Inn & Suites – Gulf Breeze

20

22

23

24

11:30am, Chamber Board of Director’s Meeting, Chamber Conference Room

5:30pm, Chamber Business After Hours, Hancock Bank

12pm, LEADS Group 2, Working Lunch, Meets at Various Locations

30

31

21

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Fall/2014/Gulf Breeze Magazine

15

28 8am, Santa Rosa 29 County Business Development Coalition, Santa Rosa Economic Office

SATURDAY

Development Committee Meeting, Chamber Conference Room

8:30am, Blue Ribbon/Real Estate Meeting, Chamber Conference Room 9:30am, Community Garden Meeting, Chamber Conference Room

6:30pm, City Council 12pm, LEADS Meeting, Gulf Breeze Group 1, Working Lunch, Meets at City Hall Various Locations

26

8:30am, Santa Rosa Legislative Coalition, Pace 9am, South End TDC Meeting, Navarre Visitor’s Information Center

8

2 9am, Business

Technology 4pm, Executive Committee Meeting, Committee Meeting, Conference Call Chamber 7pm, Midway Fire Conference Room District Meeting

13

19

7

FRIDAY

THURSDAY

17

18

25

November MONDAY

SUNDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY

THURSDAY

SATURDAY

1

2

3

9

4

5

8

14

15

8:30am, Blue Ribbon/Real Estate Meeting, Chamber Conference Room

10

12 8:30am, Santa

13

11

17

18

6:30pm, City Council 12pm, LEADS Meeting, Gulf Breeze Group 1, Working Lunch, Meets at City Hall Various Locations

23

7

6:30pm, City Council 12pm, LEADS Meeting, Gulf Breeze Group 1, Working Lunch, Meets at City Hall Various Locations

Chamber Closed in Observance of Veteran’s Day

16

6

9am, Business Development Committee Meeting, Chamber Conference Room

24

25

Rosa Legislative Coalition, Pace 9am, South End TDC Meeting, Navarre Visitor’s Information Center

7am, Rise and Shine 12pm, LEADS Chamber Breakfast, Group 2, Working Andrews Institute Lunch, LaBrisa

Blue 19 8:30am, Ribbon/Real Estate Meeting, Chamber Conference Room 9:30am, Community Garden Meeting, Chamber Conference Room

20

11:30am, Networking’s A Breeze, Lunchtime Networking Event, Hampton Inn & Suites Gulf Breeze 5:30pm, Chamber Business After Hours, The Blake

11:30am, Powerful Women of the Gulf Coast, Hampton Inn & Suites – Gulf Breeze

21

22

26

27

28

29

Chamber Closed in Observance of Thanksgiving

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September Community Events

October Community Events

November Community Events

Bands on the Beach, Tuesdays, 7pm, Gulfside Pavilion, www.pensacolabeachchamber.com

Bands on the Beach, Tuesdays, 7 PM, Gulfside Pavilion, www.pensacolabeachchamber.com

“Winterfest” held in downtown Pensacola throughout the months of NovemberDecember, www.pensacolawinterfest.org

Blue Angels Practice, Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 11:30am, National Naval Aviation Museum, www.visitpensacola.com “Beaches to Woodlands” Tour in Santa Rosa County held during late September through October 5 Emerald Coast Beer Festival, Seville Quarter, downtown Pensacola, www.sevillequarter.com 12 Taste of Gulf Breeze, Gulf Breeze, www.gulfbreezechamber.com

“Boo at the Zoo” at the Gulf Breeze Zoo at various dates and times during the month, www.gulfbreezezoo.org 1-5 Songwriters’ Festival, Pensacola Beach, www.pensacolabeachsongwritersfestival.com 10-12 Greek Festival, Greek Orthodox Church, Pensacola, www.annunciationgoc.org

7&8 Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Pensacola, www.blueangels.navy.mil 7-9 Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, Seville Square, downtown Pensacola, www.ggaf.org 6-16 Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival, Pensacola Beach

16-26 Pensacola Interstate Fair, Pensacola Fairgrounds, Pensacola, www.pensacolafair.com

21 Gallery Night, downtown Pensacola, www.downtownpensacola.com

19-21 Taste of the Beach, Pensacola Beach, www.pensacolabeachchamber.com

17 Gallery Night, downtown Pensacola, www.downtownpensacola.com

22&23 Creek Indian Celebration Days, Florida Town Park, Pace, (850) 994-9633

19 Gallery Night, downtown Pensacola, www.downtownpensacola.com

19 Art and Wine Weekend, Pensacola Beach, www.pensacolabeachchamber.com

28 Elf Parade & Lighting of the Greens, downtown Pensacola, www.elfparade.com

13 2014 Gulf Breeze Business & Family Expo, Gulf Breeze, www.gulfbreezechamber.com

26-28 Seafood Festival, Seville Square, downtown Pensacola, www.fiestaoffiveflags.org 27 Seafood Festival 5K Walk/Run, downtown Pensacola, www.pensacolarunners.com

Fall/2014/Gulf Breeze Magazine

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Parting Shots

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Cathy Burleigh with Gulf Coast Community Bank and Beth Shoemaker catch up at our June Networking Breakfast.

Margaret Cunningham with Speedy Stamp and Engraving, Shannon Westmoreland with Bayside Collision, and Karen Jurkowich with Occasions by Karen and Levin Rinke Resort Realty are all big winners at our Business After Hours hosted by K9 Splash-n-Dash.

Our Ambassadors welcome Assisted Living Locators as new Chamber members at Chamber Connect.

Simone and Becky with Ballinger Publishing enjoy lunch and networking at Networking’s a Breeze.

Our May Breakfast Sponsor, Rob Williamson, owner of Rob Williamson Landscaping thanks our speaker Colonel Gary Kling for sharing with us an update on the mission at Whiting Field.

Cissi Milford with 3Sixty Design, Carol Loethen with Re/Max America’s Top Realty, Shannon Westmoreland with Bayside Collision and Rick Cantin with Richard H. Cantin, CPA, connect at Networking’s a Breeze.

Fall/2014/Gulf Breeze Magazine