Pensacola Magazine December 2012/January 2013

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Pensacola • Your City • Your Magazine December 2012/January 2013

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Pelican Drop • Guilt Free Treats • Good Deeds That Go Rewarded

Inside

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December 2012/January 2013

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editor’s note > my two cents on the subject

Kelly Oden Executive Editor

As 2012 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on what has happened over the past year. On a personal level, I am floored by my daughter’s remarkable growth both physically an intellectually. I love watching her learn and grow—it’s so rewarding. I am also proud of the summer garden I planted this year as well as my efforts to lead a healthier life.

It’s also been a year of remarkable growth for the City of Pensacola. The Maritime Park and Wahoo stadium were finally finished and have changed the face of our downtown waterfront very much for the better. Plenty of new businesses have sprung up and there are so many festivals and events that I often have a hard time choosing what to do. One annual tradition here at Pensacola Magazine is our year-end interview with Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward. It’s been an interesting year for Mayor Hayward—one full of challenges and triumphs. We hope you enjoy the interview and Mayor Hayward’s perspective on his second year in office.

And speaking of traditions, don’t miss Pensacola’s New Year’s tradition—The Pelican Drop. Read all about it on page 11. This issue also holds some healthy holiday recipes, profiles on the winners of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Philanthropy awards, information on Our Lady of the Angels clinic and so much more. I hope you enjoy this issue and that you have a very happy holiday and a fantastic New Year.

Pick up any of our magazines at one of these fine locations: Barnes and Noble Ever’man Natural Foods Bookseller 315 W. Garden St. 1200 Airport Blvd.

Pensacola, FL 32501 Pensacola, FL 32504 850-438-0402 850-969-9554 Varona’s Airport Gift Shop Family Christian Stores Area Books-A-Million 1520 Airport Blvd.

Area Walmart Stores Pensacola, FL 32504 Area Bruno’s Stores 850-474-9324 Area K-Mart Stores

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Contents departments

features Mayor Ashton Hayward ...............30 Still Going Strong

celebration Pelican Drop Ushers in the New Year . . .11 food Guilt Free For Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

14.

philanthropy Good Deeds That Go Rewarded . . . . . .17 architecture Platinum Award Honors NAS Project . . .20

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health Our Lady of The Angels Medical Clinic: Free Healthcare and Hope . . . . . . . . . . .23 UWF book club The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks . . .26

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holidays Great Ways to “Green” Your Holiday Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 repeats datebook .....................42 pensacola scene ..........44 Cover photo by Kassie McLean

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December 2012/January 2013 P UBLISHER M A L C O L M B A L L I N G E R

malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com E DITOR K E L LY O D E N

kelly@ballingerpublishing.com A RT D IRECTOR R I TA L AY M O N

rita@ballingerpublishing.com G RAPHIC K A S S I E M C L E A N D ESIGNER & kassie@ballingerpublishing.com A DVERTISING C OORDINATOR C OPY E DITOR E M I LY L U L L O

emily@ballingerpublishing.com E DITORIAL J O S H N E W BY A SSISTANT josh@ballingerpublishing.com E DITORIAL C H R I S T I E N N E C L O U T I E R I NTERN christienne@ballingerpublishing.com S ALES & SHARYON MILLER, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 28 M ARKETING sharyon@ballingerpublishing.com

CAROLINE MARTIN, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 31 caroline@ballingerpublishing.com C ONTRIBUTING J O D I B R O W N W RITERS A N D R E A J O H N S O N L I S A H I TC H C O C K

O WNERS M A L C O L M & G L E N Y S B A L L I N G E R P UBLISHER M A L C O L M B A L L I N G E R

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E DITORIAL J O S H N E W BY A SSISTANT josh@ballingerpublishing.com S ALES & SHARYON MILLER, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 28 M ARKETING sharyon@ballingerpublishing.com CAROLINE MARTIN, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 31 caroline@ballingerpublishing.com SIMONE SANDS, ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE EXT. 21 simone@ballingerpublishing.com W EBSITE

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NW Florida’s Business Climate Magazine and Pensacola Magazine is locally owned and operated. All Rights Reserved. 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. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. © 2012

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Could You Be Our Next Cover Model?

Weddings 2013

February/March 2013

We’re looking for the perfect wedding model for the cover of Pensacola Magazine Weddings 2013, and that model could be you.

Submit up to three wedding photos —high resolution please— to weddings@ballingerpublishing.com, and you could be featured on the cover of the February 2013 issue. Candid shots by your professional photographer are best. Please include Bride, Groom and Photographer’s name. For more information, visit www.pensacolamagazine.com or email us at the address above.

Please send us the high resolution photos

by January 25, 2013.

Winner 2012

celebration

By Josh Newby

Pelican Drop Ushers in the New Year For the past four years, tens of thousands of locals have been

entertained and enthralled by Pensacola’s newest reason to party: the Pensacola Pelican Drop.

Kids and adults alike find the experience to be a local, stress-free, safe way to celebrate the passing of one year and the beginning of the next.

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The celebration, which is marketed as far east as Tallahassee, balances the entertainment value of many larger cities’ drops around the country with a distinct Gulf Coast feel and family-friendly value that only Pensacola can provide.

Fifty thousand spectators have been attending the annual event for years, and the Downtown Improvement Board (DIB) that has been overseeing the event for the past two years expects just as big a crowd this year.

“It’s a really important event for both Downtown and the community as a whole,” said Alexandra Colley, assistant executive director of the DIB. “After these past several years, it has become a staple event. It is quickly becoming a Pensacola legacy.”

Last year, area hotels were sold out and the Downtown area saw a huge boom in business before, during and after the event.

The event begins for kids at 5 pm and the official music and live entertainment begins for all attendees at 8 pm.

Kids have their own countdown from 5 to 8 pm as they enjoy a competitive dance-off, karaoke, and bubble stomp—an activity that lets them stomp out thousands of bubbles, mimicking the sound that fireworks make, as the Pelican ascends into the air to prepare for the drop.

The Blue Wahoos and Ice Flyers are expected to attend and interact with attendees as well.

As usual, there will be three stages, the CAT Country Stage, the Go Pensacola Stage, and the Main Stage, each featuring different

The event is always well attended and some may find the crowd intimidating, so here are some easy, helpful tips to ensure a fun and safe time for all.

Tips 1. LOCATION Palafox Place will close down for a massive party. Street closures begin on the morning of December 31 and continue until 1 am on January 1.

2. PARKING There is plenty of handicap and regular parking in the Jefferson garage, as well as the local parking lots downtown. An interactive parking map is available at pensacolaparking.com/where/events.php.

3. ARRIVE EARLY FOR THE BEST VIEW OF THE PELICAN DROP Folks begin arriving as early as 5 pm on December 31 for the family-friendly events. Some of the prime viewing spots will be filled by mid-evening.

4. HIT THE BATHROOM FIRST There are public portable restrooms throughout the event location.

5. FOOD AND BEVERAGES The local bars and restaurants will be open to buy food and drinks, as well as food vendors on the streets. No coolers please.

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6. BE READY FOR CROWDS Approximately 25,000 people will end up on Palafox Place the night of New Year’s Eve. 7. NO ANIMALS Only service animals allowed.

8. BE PATIENT AND HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR Your feet will get stomped on. People will block your view. Someone is bound to bump into you. Keep your cool and you (and those around you) will enjoy the New Year's Eve Pelican Drop.

9. CONSIDER THE WEATHER The weather in Pensacola on New Year's Eve can vary widely. If it's going to rain or be bitterly cold, you might want to consider dressing for the weather, with extra layers to add as it gets later and colder. Remember, for the Ball Drop in New York City the average temperature is 28 low and 42 high compared to Pensacola’s temperature of 45 low to 63 high.

10. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU PLAN TO ARRIVE HOME SAFELY.

musical acts from different genres and an ultimate headliner.

The CAT Country Stage will feature Whiskey River from 8 to 9:15 pm and the Wes Loper Band from 9:45 to 11 pm. The Go Pensacola Stage will feature Lucky Town from 8 to 9:15 pm and Cold Hard Truth from 9:45 to 11 pm. The Main Stage will feature the Emerald Coast Blues Brothers from 8:45 to 10:45 pm and Steel Magnolia from 10:45 pm to 12:15 am.

As the hours and minutes tick by, as the air cools and the excitement swells, the party never stops as locals prepare for the drop that signals the start of another great year in Pensacola.

New York has the crystal ball and Atlanta has the peach, but Pensacola’s Pelican, inspired by the local brown pelican, is significant as the city’s mascot that is representative of the area’s seaside setting. It was constructed over the course of 300 hours by local artist Michael Dicks and his crew and strengthens Pensacola’s foundation as a cultural Mecca of the southeast.

Weighing in at half a ton, the pelican stands 13 feet tall and has a wingspan of 17 feet. It features 2,000 hand-cut metal feathers and requires 3,000 watts of power. It will be bright enough to be seen all over the city.

At midnight, the Pelican will descend its perch at the intersection of Palafox and Government Streets as fireworks fly high into the night and explode.

Sponsors for the event include WEAR and WFGX; International Paper; the Pensacola News Journal; Go Pensacola; CAT Country; Wilson, Harrell, Farrington, Ford, Frickle, Wilson & Spain, PA; ADJ Connection; and the City of Pensacola’s Community Redevelopment Agency.

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food

By Jodi Brown, the Ultimate Kitchen Commando

Guilt Free for Me

I might just be the luckiest gal I know.

I eat the most amazingly delicious foods on a regular basis that add to the quality of my life rather than subtracting from it. And while I don’t live a completely raw lifestyle, one aspect of that movement’s way of thinking that I am totally on board with is desserts. Raw desserts rock my world. If you have a sweet tooth that is working against you because it is rooted in traditional processed foods, I highly recommend that you go to your computer and Google “raw dessert recipes.” Just do it. You’ll be astounded at what you discover, really you will.

Raw Chocolate Truffles

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Cookie Dough Power Balls

Cookie Dough Power Balls The holidays are a great time of year to go the extra mile when it comes to preparing food. I tell people that I have three opportunities every day to make myself happy – breakfast, lunch and dinner. I will admit here and now that I have made some amazing raw pies in my life (key lime and chocolate cream) that were so good after dinner, I had them again for breakfast the next morning. Guiltfree, of course.

Raw cacao butter is not something you can run down to the store and pick up so buy some online and it will keep in the refrigerator for months. A little bit goes a LONG way, and as you try and move towards a more healthful lifestyle, ingredients like these will be key to your success. You can go to my website and find links to a variety of food and supplement items that I enjoy using when I prepare these and other recipes.

Raw Chocolate Truffles 2 oz. raw cacao butter 1/2 cup raw almonds ground into a flour 2 ½ tbsp. raw cacao powder 1 ½ tsp. vanilla Pinch of sea salt 1/2 of a small-medium ripe Hass avocado 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper 2 ½ tbsp. raw local honey Grind the almonds into a flour and set aside (use a coffee grinder or magic bullet to do this). Grate 2 oz. of raw cacao butter and put it into a food processor fitted with an “S” blade. Add the cacao powder, salt, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and pulse until well blended. Then add vanilla, avocado and honey and blend, scraping the sides down occasionally, until you get a smooth paste.

Fill a small bowl with about 1 inch of cacao powder.

With two spoons work the paste by scooping truffle sized bits onto one spoon, then pushing it off with another spoon into the cacao powder. Do about 5 or 6 at a time, and roll them quickly in the powder before picking them up and rolling them between your palms until you achieve finished pieces. The cacao powder helps to keep the paste from sticking to your hands. Makes about three dozen, depending on how you size them.

Keep refrigerated. Best if consumed within 3-4 days.

Optional: Substitute the cinnamon and cayenne with mint oil or orange zest. Or roll them in cinnamon instead of cacao powder, or a combination of both. Play with this. You’ll come up with some interesting combinations, I’m sure.

I decided to make these into “balls” rather than bars just because I’m a gal that likes to grab a taste frequently, rather than having a whole serving. If you want, you can make these into bars, instead of balls.

Why are they powerful? They are made with raw nuts and seeds, which means that the nutrition inherent in those items is still intact. Roasted nuts and seeds are heated to very high temperatures thus ultimately depleting much of what they have to offer nutritionally.

Hemp seeds are loaded with protein and fiber and chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as fiber, calcium, phosphorus and manganese. Goji berries are super rich in antioxidants and maca powder will give you a great boost of energy. Oh, and they taste like cookie dough.

1/2 cup of raw pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas) – ground into a flour 1/2 cup of raw almonds – ground into a flour 1 cup of raw walnuts Zest from one organic lemon 1/8 cup goji berries Pinch of sea salt 1 tbsp. hemp seeds 1 tbsp. chia seeds 1/2 tbsp. maca powder 8-12 medjool dates (depending on size) Combine ground nuts, seeds, walnuts, goji berries, zest and salt into a food processor and process until the walnuts are ground and the ingredients are well combined. Add hemp, chia and maca powder and pulse until integrated.

While the machine is running, drop the medjool dates into the machine one at a time (pits removed) until the mixture starts to pull together into a more solid mass.

You’ll see it start to change around date number eight.

When you think it is done, open the processor and squeeze a bit between your fingers and thumb. If it sticks well and isn’t dry, it’s ready to roll.

Portion into bite-sized balls and roll between your palms to create a uniform shape. Makes about 40 balls.

Refrigerate for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

You can, if you choose, make these into any shape you like. You can make bars by evenly pushing the “dough” into a square or oblong pan, refrigerating for a few hours, then cutting into shapes that make you happiest.

About the Author: Jodi Brown is the Ultimate Kitchen Commando and loves to turn people on to delicious and healthy foods.

She assists people with food transitions and teaches healthy cooking classes. She shares her time between New Orleans and Pensacola. To learn more, visit www.ultimatekitchencommando.com.

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philanthropy

By Josh Newby

Good Deeds That Go Rewarded

They say that no good deed

goes unpunished, but that is certainly not the case for many philanthropists and generous non-profits that were awarded on November 16. The National Philanthropy Day awards luncheon, presented by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) in northwest Florida and hosted by Gulf Power, provided a forum where individuals and groups could be recognized for their hard work and dedication in philanthropy. It was a unique opportunity for non-profit organizations in the community to recognize those treasured friends who helped make a difference throughout the past year.

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among the recipients of this award. I have always believed that life is not about how much we live, but about how much we give back.”

The Studers have also supported programs for autistic children and hospice care. They are the sponsors of the Pensacola Pledge scholarship program, which awards eligible recipients attending the University of West Florida or Pensacola State College money towards classes. Quint also founded the Better Pensacola Forum, a non-profit organization designed to help local leaders develop practical strategies to improve quality of life.

The winner of the second award was the Panhandle Charitable Open, which has hosted an Two types of awards were presented at the luncheon, one for outstanding philanthropist, and another for outstanding philanthropic foundation, organization or corporation.

Criteria for the first award state than an individual or family must exhibit exceptional generosity and civic responsibility, demonstrated by significant financial contributions to charitable organizations in the community. The recipient’s personal generosity and community leadership should motivate others to give and to become involved in philanthropy.

Criteria for the second award include a foundation or charitable organization whose grant programs, donations and charitable activities significantly enrich the community. The recipient must provide visible leadership and incentive for others to pursue philanthropic activity that serves many segments of the community. A corporation or business is recognized for its philanthropic impact in the community through direct and indirect support of charitable projects. Leaders in this entity must demonstrate a high level of community spirit and participation, motivating employees and colleagues to support charitable activity.

The winners of the first award were Quint and Rishy Studer, both of whose longtime charitable and business commitments to Pensacola are well known. Quint and Rishy brought their vision and love of baseball to the community. In the past year, the Community Maritime Park, sandwiched between the waterfront and the Downtown district, was completed. In support of the Wahoos employees, Quint has transferred Studer Group’s Quality of Service model, exemplified by winning the 2010 Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award and his latest book, The Great Employee Handbook, to the 300 plus employees in his baseball organization.

“It is an honor to honor them,” said Kyle Marrero, vice president of university advancement at the University of West Florida, as he presented the award. “They are responsible for the improvement and revitalization of Pensacola.”

“On behalf of Quint and myself, I’d like to thank everyone,” said Rishy Studer. “It’s an honor to be counted

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annual golf tournament for charity every year for the past 12. Since 2006, the open has been responsible for giving a total of more than $310,000 to 20 non-profits in the area, including Council on Aging of West Florida, ARC Gateway, Manna Food Bank, Escambia Charter School, and Child Guardians, Inc. John Clark, the president and CEO of Council on Aging of West Florida, nominated the organization and its founder, John Peacock.

“The purpose of this open is to help others in the community,” said Clark. “Through John Peacock’s involvement in the community, he has gathered likeminded individuals with a passion to fund local charities.”

Peacock, who began the charity in honor of his late son, spoke on the importance of staying positive.

“You can either go through life miserable or positive,” said Peacock. “The community has surrounded this venture with love and support, and the past few years have exceeded our wildest expectations. On behalf of my board, thank you. I don’t know of a more giving community.”

Both winners received letters of congratulation from Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward and Certificates of Achievement from Congressman Jeff Miller.

Kenda Hembrough, vice president of communications for the AFP of West Florida, has been with the association since 2001 and spoke highly of the work they do both for

fundraising professionals in the area and for non-profits in the community.

“We provide support for one another,” said Hembrough. “We are able to connect with mentors, and help non-profit professionals be ethical and maximize opportunities to do good work in the community. We’re very blessed to live in a generous community with companies and individuals who go above and beyond to meet the needs of the counties. It’s important that they are recognized for the difference they make. It would be interesting to imagine what our community would look like without the influence of donors. So many give so much and do so much.”

Patrice Whitten, president of the West Florida chapter of AFP and executive director of Alumni Affairs at Pensacola State College, has been a member since 1995 and said that she believes the community impact of those honored is immeasurable and long-lived.

“Our mission is one of promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of area professional fundraising executives, and improving communities through the affective action and leadership of trained non-profit leaders and volunteers,” said Whitten. “By equipping our non-profit leaders, and by building public awareness of

families of critically ill children; the Pensacola Opera and Pensacola Museum of Art provide quality cultural events; and the United Way of Escambia County provides support for many non-profit agencies in the Pensacola area.

“Our members are helping those in great need among us,” said Whitten. “They are healing and comforting our sick and chronically ill and providing food and shelter for indigents and the homeless. They are training future nurses, teachers and scientists and providing better futures through educational opportunities that are affordable and accessible. They help break the cycle of poverty and promote health and fund research for cures. Non-profit executives dedicate their careers to serving others through non-profit organizations. This is why we do our work and why volunteers and donors willingly support area causes. We are all in it to be a part of something that is greater than ourselves and impact the future.”

That future is bright as long as hard-working, dedicated, generous philanthropic leaders continue to give freely to deserving organizations. It seems that the gifts are uniquely beneficial for both the recipients and the givers, a trend that associations like the AFP hope to keep alive for a long time to come.

“It is important to recognize our benefactors because they champion causes and set the standard for others who give,” said Whitten. “To honor their gifts is why we celebrate National Philanthropy Day in America. The task of ‘paying it forward,’ of carrying on the tradition of giving back and providing for our ‘forces for good’ relies on professional non-profit leaders and resource development officers. We must be the conduits through which our benefactors can express their goodwill toward humankind.”

Gulf Power staff who gave of their time and expertise to National Philanthropy Day include Bentina Terry, JT Young, Sandy Sims and Doris Mink.

For more information on the AFP, visit afpwestflorida.org.

the power of philanthropy, AFP West Florida champions philanthropy as a cause—an element essential to our community’s future.”

The current membership of AFP West Florida includes many leaders of area non-profit organizations. Their impact is best defined as farreaching and perpetual. Manna Food Bank feeds the hungry; Pensacola State College, the University of West Florida and Northwest Florida State College provide quality educational opportunities with accessible, affordable tuition; the Foundation for Excellence in Education provides an extra margin of support for the Escambia K-12 schools; Baptist Health Care heals the sick; the Ronald McDonald House provides temporary housing for December 2012/January 2013

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architecture

By Christienne Cloutier

Platinum Award Honors NAS Project Caldwell Associates Architects, in

conjunction with Greenhut Construction Company, received a prestigious national design award for renovating the old Navy School of Photography building on NAS Pensacola.

The award, presented by Building Design & Construction Magazine’s 29th Annual Reconstruction Award Program, recognizes the teamwork between owners, architects and contractors to successfully deliver excellent building projects.

The project received one of two Platinum Awards, the highest given in the program. Only one other restoration was given the same accolades: New York City Hall.

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“It was an honor to be selected among the many distinguished entries,” said senior project manager Keith Bullock.

Building Design & Construction Magazine is an industry publication. The building reconstruction was submitted for the design award because the project exemplified the collaboration and partnering required to deliver a complicated renovation to a historic structure.

The project renovated Building 1500 for use as the new Command Headquarters for Pensacola NAS. The 63,000 square foot, four-story structure now houses the Base Command Headquarters, as well as the numerous other base functions that support command operations.

The building was originally constructed during the 1930s as a barracks for Army personnel. The building was renovated numerous times over the years for a variety of uses. The many renovations significantly altered interior spaces of the building, but surprisingly, the exterior was never substantially altered.

The scope of work that Caldwell and Greenhut did included compliance with the Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitation. The extent of work also included antiterrorism/force protection and progressive collapse protection required of Department of Defense buildings.

Additionally, the project was subject to federal guidelines regarding protection of archeological assets. The entire area around the project site is designated as a significant archeological zone.

“We needed to have an archeologist on site in order to protect any artifacts,” Bullock said. “Seven hundred test pits were dug to determine if any sensitive objects were in the area.”

The program also called for preservation and rehabilitation of the exterior components that are the character-defining elements. Miscellaneous noncontributing attachments to the building were removed and wall surfaces were repaired. The existing roofs were retained and repaired. New exterior windows that comply

with both the Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitation, the requirement of anti-terrorism/force protections and wind load/impact resistance criteria of the IBC were provided.

There were many challenges the design team faced. One included bringing the original staircases up to code while still preserving their integrity.

“The four existing stairwells were kept in place, but modified with removable architectural panels and guardrails to bring them up to code,” Bullock said. “A unique design solution created an asset out of a potential eyesore.”

"Balancing the many complex and sometimes conflicting program requirements of this project required a great deal of teamwork,” explains Miller Caldwell. He went on to recognize the leadership of senior project manager Keith Bullock and project architect Michael Crawford.

Bill Greenhut commented that, “The challenges of this project required extraordinary solutions to ensure the owner’s objectives were met.” He also noted the contributions that project managers Kevin Spellman and Justin Varnadoe made towards achieving those goals.

The project was directed by Bryan Moeller and Eddie Todd on behalf of the Navy, representing NAVFAC Southeast and the local Facility Engineering and Acquisition Department.

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health

By Josh Newby

Our Lady of The Angels Medical Clinic: Free Healthcare and Hope

It is estimated

that there are 76,000 uninsured people living in Escambia County and 18,000 in Santa Rosa County. While many of these people are not in need of immediate medical care, there are a few that need professional healthcare, yet have no access to it. Whether for the occasional sniffle or for something more serious like diabetes, high blood pressure or the flu, a local medical clinic is ready and willing to help the disadvantaged with the assistance of tireless volunteers and a trained staff.

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Our Lady of Angels, located Downtown on Intendencia Street, is a non-profit medical clinic that provides high quality medical attention to the Pensacola area’s working poor, the uninsured, the homeless and many military veterans with partial VA coverage. The only requirements these patients must meet in order to receive the free medical attention are that they be uninsured and make less than 200 percent of the national poverty level, which amounts to about $22,340 for single people. The clinic is commonly referred to as St. Joe’s Medical Clinic for its affiliation with St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.

This ministry of healthcare and hope all started when Dr. David Conkle, still the head doctor at the clinic, got together with a group of church parishioners in the fall of 2001. They saw the need for competent, no-cost medical attention for the city’s homeless and talked with the priest and bishop about the idea of opening a clinic.

In May of 2002, the doors were open. Not many knew of the wonderful resource located in the heart of Downtown, and Dr. Conkle humorously commented that it took three weeks to receive their first patient. Now, a decade later, in 2012 alone, the clinic will help approximately 6,000 patients, 2,000 of which are new this year.

“At that time, there were no clinics, facilities or services for people who were homeless,” said Lily Townsend, a founder and volunteer of the clinic. “It was and is an all-

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free service to them.”

The clinic has also increased its days of operation from once per week to three times per week—Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday—to meet increasing demand.

“Our numbers have certainly increased exponentially since that first year,” said Dr. Conkle. “People recognize what a wonderful resource this is and we are more than happy to assist them in whatever way we can.”

Surprisingly, the clinic does not receive any governmental assistance. Rather, the clinic relies on the financial support of private individuals, businesses, foundations, community support of the biannual “Gospel and Gumbo” event and other fund-raising events held at St. Joseph’s Church.

In 2009, the clinic won the much-coveted Impact 100 grant and expanded from four exam rooms to eight. There is now room for laboratory services and non-narcotic medications, which are also provided free of charge if the patient cannot afford them.

“We also recently received a BlueCross BlueShield grant that has helped with prescriptions and medical supplies,” said Millie Green, organizer for the new Community Advisory Board for the clinic.

The clinic operates with a 100 percent volunteer staff of more than 50 individuals that include doctors, nurses, social workers and skilled assistants. One of the reasons for this is to ensure that every penny that is given to the

ministry goes to the patients. There are no administrative or managerial costs. The clinic’s annual services cost about $90,000 a year, services that would cost more than $1 million elsewhere.

“Our staff is not limited to members of the church,” said Green. “Those of Jewish, Catholic, Christian and other faiths come together to serve the greater good.”

Billy Brown, a volunteer since 2006, said that he is blessed to help the less fortunate and considers volunteering its own reward.

“I’ve been blessed in so many ways, and this clinic is such a worthwhile place to pass those blessings along,” said Brown.

The patients often form relationships with their attending physicians and nurses, who seek to provide guidance and help in all aspects of life.

Kiara Burden, a patient at the clinic, is unable to afford medical attention and treatment for diabetes.

“I don’t have insurance of any kind,” said Burden. “I feel so fortunate that this service exists and that the doctors and staff are so friendly.”

Mary Bond, who helps to screen patients when they first enter the clinic, has been volunteering for more than a decade and spoke about the importance of the clinic and of volunteering to help society in any way.

“Volunteering is a great thing to do,” said Bond. “We all love each other and this is a wonderful way to show that.

The patients are fantastic and the staff are so special. It’s a truly edifying experience.”

While those whom the clinic serves are well aware of its selfless and unflagging efforts to help all who walk through its doors, many in the community at large are unaware of the wonderful and indispensible service being provided to those less fortunate. As a result of all this increasing demand, more volunteers are needed to regularly offer the medical attention that the clinic’s patients rely upon.

In order to increase community awareness and volunteerism, the clinic recently announced the formation of a Community Advisory Board. The members are Harris Reynolds, David Peaden, Susan Bullock, Justine Simoni, Josefina Divito, Charles Carrier, Millie Green and the Chair, Judson Brandt. The advisory board held its first meeting in August to outline goals and will continue to meet quarterly. These goals include advancement of community awareness about the important work of the clinic.

“Up until now, the clinic has been too much of a wellkept secret,” said Townsend. “We’re hoping to change that, both so we can get more volunteers and so we can help more people.”

“We are another resource to help the clinic,” said Brandt. “Our goal is to use various community support systems to continue the mission of the clinic.”

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UWF book club Myths Dispelled: Organ and Tissue Donation Q: How many people are on the waiting list for an organ donation?

A: Currently, 114,052 people are on the list, and 18 people will die each day waiting for an organ.

Q: Who can be an organ donor?

A: Anyone can be a potential organ donor, regardless of age or medical history.

Q: Where does my religion stand on the matter of organ donation?

A: All major religions in the United States advocate organ donation, viewing it as a selfless and generous act. However, speaking to a clergy member or religious advisor may help ease anxiety surrounding the decision.

About The Book “Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells - taken without her knowledge - became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first ‘immortal’ human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they'd weigh more than 50 million metric tons - as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb's effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.” Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the ‘colored’ ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells, from Henrietta's small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia - a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo - to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells.

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Q: Can I have an open casket if I’m an organ donor?

A: An open casket is an option in all cases of organ donation.

Q: Will my family be responsible for any medical costs surrounding the donation?

A: No cost will be incurred against the donor or donor family. Responsibility for transplant costs falls upon the recipient.

Q: Will my status as an organ donor affect the quality of the medical treatment I receive?

A: No. Every effort is made to save the life of the individual before organ donation is considered—regardless of age, gender, health status, or cost.

Q: How do I become an organ donor?

A: Sign up on the state’s donor registry— registration provides a record of personal consent to organ donation, and is the first place a transplant team will check to determine eligibility. Also, talking to family members and friends about the decision is of utmost importance, as in some cases family members may still be asked to provide consent. Selecting the “organ donor” option on a driver’s license also provides a record of the decision.

For more information about organ and tissue donation, visit: www.organdonor.gov, or www.donatelife.net.

The Haunting Story of Henrietta Lacks

By Andrea Johnson, Graduate Student, UWF Department of English

Published in 2010, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is still on the New York Times Best Seller list. Rebecca Skloot’s grace and sensitivity in telling the story of Henrietta Lacks, a 31 year old black woman who unknowingly made an invaluable contribution to medical research, is matched by her ability to begin a much needed conversation about the ethics of biomedical research.

In January of 1951, Henrietta Lacks went to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore to receive uranium treatments for cervical cancer. But her cancer was incredibly aggressive, and she died in September of that same year. During her first treatment, her doctor took a sample of her tumor, and this nickel-sized sample became the basis of modern cell and tissue research. Henrietta’s cells, called HeLa cells, were the first human cells successfully grown in a laboratory, the first “immortal” cell line developed for medical research.

Henrietta’s family knew nothing about the double life of her cells, and when they found out, it seemed to them the stuff of bad science fiction. Skloot’s focus on the lives of Henrietta and her family reveals the racial politics that have plagued medical research and the ordeals of her family as they attempted to come to grips with a painful paradox: Even though Henrietta’s cells were the basis of research that earned other people a lot of money, they could not even afford health insurance. For this reason, it is especially remarkable that Deborah, Henrietta’s youngest daughter, takes an historical view of the situation. As she tells Skloot, “Like I’m always telling my brothers, if you gonna go into history, you can’t do it with a hate attitude. You got to remember times was different.”

The doctor who took the sample from Henrietta’s tumor did not gain consent for that procedure. In 1951, doctors and researchers were under no legal obligations to get patient consent before taking biological samples. Doctors in hospitals like Johns Hopkins, hospitals that offered free medical services, felt that the taking of samples was part of the trade for those services.

Researchers were unconcerned about consent because they were not working with a person, just a few discarded cells of a person that were technically medical waste.

While the laws regarding informed consent are far more stringent today, the bits and pieces a person leaves behind as a result of medical treatment are still deemed medical waste. The courts have consistently ruled against individual ownership of cell and tissue specimens in order to protect the impetus of for-profit medical research. But the advances in technology over the last 50 years mean that these biological specimens reveal far more information than they once did, which, as Skloot points out, creates privacy issues for donors. At one time, a few of your cells could tell a researcher how a cell worked. Now, a few of your cells can tell a researcher about your family tree.

We all recognize the need for medical research. As Skloot reveals, experiments with HeLa cells made innumerable advances in medical treatment possible. We must question, however, whether medical researchers and the judicial system recognize the humanity of the people who make these advances possible.

Breathing Freely

By Lisa Hitchcock, English Capstone 2012

My five-year-old nephew Trevor spun around the living room floor, arms flung out, dark lashes framing his blue eyes against flushed cheeks, while my 63-year-old father played the trombone. Only slightly winded, my dad hit a final note and rested the trombone against the music stand while Trevor collapsed onto the rug. Eight years ago, my father would not have had enough air capacity in his lungs to ascend a flight of stairs, much less play the musical instrument. He is the recipient of a lung transplant.

My father had been diagnosed with a genetic form of emphysema, exacerbated by his history of smoking in the 1950s and 60s. His doctors gave him less than a few years to live and placed him on the waiting list for a lung transplant.

He had to carry around a beeper, a novelty in the 1990s, to alert him to the untimely death of a stranger who might be a match for him. We were told that at any moment, the transplant team could find a donor lung; yet there was also the very real possibility that he could die waiting for one. He was completely dependent upon a ten-pound oxygen tank, which he carried with him at all times. When I once asked how it felt to try to breathe with uncooperative lungs, he thought for a moment, and then simply replied, “Most people never really appreciate how good it feels just to take a big, deep breath of air.”

We were at Waffle House the morning his pager went off. I remember hearing its innocent chirping and a disconnected feeling, like I was watching the scene unfold from the other side of a movie screen. They had found a match. After five hours of surgery and seven days in the Intensive Care Unit, he walked out of the hospital with a new lung from an 18-year-old boy named Lewis. The oxygen tubing that had been his tenuous lease on life remained coiled into a pile in the car trunk on the way home.

In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, doctors procure a woman’s cells without her knowledge, and these cells go on to revolutionize medical care. HeLa cells helped make possible the polio vaccine, cancer research, and even organ donation. Whether Henrietta Lacks or her family would have given informed consent is unclear. What is clear, however, is that because of her, countless lives have been saved and improved.

Admittedly, Henrietta’s story is enough to invoke anxiety in even the most medically knowledgeable individual. It presents questions surrounding the ethics of patient privacy and informed consent, the treatment of poor people within the healthcare system, and whether the end result, or the greater good, ever justifies the means. Yet another facet of Henrietta’s story is the enormity of her unwitting contribution. Her daughter Deborah muses, “I really don’t know how she did all that, but I guess I’m glad she did, cause that mean she helpin lots of people. I think she would like that.” As I was reading Henrietta’s story, I thought of the boy whose lung lay beneath my dad’s rib cage. Because of the compassionate decision of a complete stranger, my father was able to breathe freely again.

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holidays

Courtesy of Brandpoint

Great Ways to Green Your Holiday Season With homes adorned in holiday

time to dispose of your tree, consider mulching it yourself, rather than just setting it out on the curb.

What would the holidays be without bright lights? But those little bulbs can consume lots of energy. Switching to LED lights will reduce the amount of power it takes to keep your home twinkling brightly this holiday season.

And a bonus of LED lights: they last longer, so you won’t have to buy new strands every season.

Earth-friendly feasting Americans are embracing organic foods for many reasons, from better taste on their plates and improved health in their homes, to the gentler impact on the environment associated with the production of organic produce and meats. If you’ve never tried organic dining before, give your family - and the earth - the gift of going organic this holiday season. And if you prefer organic foods throughout the year, there’s no need to set the habit aside just because of the holidays.

From main dishes of responsibly raised poultry and line-caught fish, to side dishes of sustainably grown vegetables and grains, it’s easy to serve a holiday meal that’s good for your family and the environment. You can find holiday-appropriate organic and local products at your local health food store or farmer’s market.

Guilt-free giving Gift-giving and the goodwill it brings are at the heart of the holidays, but that good feeling often also comes with ripped wrapping paper, pounds of packaging materials and a lot of energy consumed in shopping. It is possible, however, to give gifts with minimal impact on the environment - and your conscience. Handmade gifts are not only more eco-friendly, they show the recipient that you cared enough to invest time and effort in creating something unique. But if you’re not handy, look for gifts that are energy-efficient (like solar-powered items or gadgets that use rechargeable batteries), come with minimal packaging, are made of sustainably harvested natural materials, or that are locally produced.

Intangible gifts can also be “green.” Instead of gifting the cooking enthusiast in your life with a new set of pots and pans, sign him up for a cooking class and attend together. Give your gardening fan a “gift certificate” redeemable for your help when spring planting season arrives.

Greening your holiday season will take some thought and time, but giving yourself and your loved ones a more environmentally responsible holiday season will be something you can celebrate throughout the year.

hues of silver, gold and red, these are colorful times. This year, why not “green” your holiday by adopting some ecofriendly traditions? From making holiday meals with organic ingredients to wrapping gifts in recycled paper, it’s easy to find ways to celebrate the season and be kind to Mother Nature at the same time.

Decorating with heart Some traditional holiday decorations can be less than friendly for the environment, but a cut tree is not necessarily one of them. Consider that the production of artificial trees consumes large quantities of resources and creates wasted by-product. Also, keep in mind most tree lots sell trees raised on farms, so natural forests are not impacted by the tree you buy off the lot. When it comes

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g g

By Kelly Oden

Looking back on his first two years as Pensacola’s mayor, Ashton Hayward has learned much. It has been a year full of successes, including a greater reliance on clean energy, a program aimed at making first-time home buying easier, and a successful plan to bring jobs to the area. 2012 was not without its controversies though. Gallery Night street closures, disagreements with City Council and an increase in crime have made the mayor’s second year a challenging one.

Continuing an annual tradition, Pensacola Magazine sat down with Ashton to discuss these items and more, to dispel the rumors, report the facts and to take an intimate look at his leadership principles and the future of the city. His candor and belief in Pensacola always serve to remind citizens why he is dubbed the “strong mayor.�

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PM: How do you feel your second year has differed from your first year? What have you learned?

AH: That’s a good question. I’ve definitely learned a tremendous amount. I’ve learned more than I anticipated, I’ll tell you that.

When you’re in the trenches and in the job everyday, you’re cognitive of walking out of your house and there’s an expectation of you from the public, so I think that makes you a quick study and you have to know what you’re doing. I think we’ve been able to do a lot in the community. My main goal is always to get the community to rally around its city and to let them believe and know that they can have a successful city and to believe that they are winners. Hopefully the things that I’m doing now will impact the community 10, 15, 20 years from now.

I think that’s the most important thing. And then obviously, doing quality projects for the taxpayers, so they truly get to see their dollars at work. You have to have a quality city, from a landscaping standpoint, from a beautification standpoint. If you’re going to do a retention pond, do it the right way. If you’re going to build an amphitheater, do it the right way. All these things impact the lives of people who live here. So while I’m mayor, I want to make sure whatever my name’s on, that the leadership is doing it right. The second year I’ve obviously felt more comfortable in my skin. I think everything you do in life is politics. That’s clear to me. I’ve always known that. So that allowed me to maybe take on the job. But I think you get more comfortable if you do something—if you do it all the time.

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PM: Are you able to let criticism fall off your back a little easier in the second year?

AH: Everyone’s human, you know. I’ve never been scared of criticism, because I think if you live in fear it’s really hard to accomplish a lot of things in life and I’m not big on that. This is not a dress rehearsal for me. Criticism’s part of the game. We’re all going to have critics.

PM: Do you take stock of it and maybe readjust your thinking due to criticism?

AH: It’s a motivator for me. I’m one of those that if I read something in the paper, I’ll show up at their door and say, “How can I be better?” I’ve done that a few times. I’ll say, “Listen, let me fix this for you. How can we make it better for you?” I think sometimes people just want to be heard. I think that’s why it’s so important that we’ve been able to touch the community throughout our town hall meetings and bringing city hall, if you will, to the people.

PM: Speaking of town hall meetings, they seem to be packed and a lot of people show up. What are some of the strategies that you use to connect with community members and implement their feedback?

AH: I think it’s very important. I try to put myself in their shoes. Now that I’m the mayor and I’m in that position, I try to look at it from when I was a citizen in the private sector. I say, “How can I help you? Give me what you

Mayor Ashton Hayward at the Port of Pensacola

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think you need to make your city better.” I give them an overview of what we’re doing, what we’ve done, where we’re going. How can I make their neighborhood better, how can I make their city better? We get into a lot of discussions. We’ll share what we feel is better and we’ll try to impact those discussions. The most important thing that I take away from those meetings—and I think any good mayor will tell you—the things that are most important are public safety and neighborhoods. We hear that no matter what. The big ideas, we’ll get to those. If you focus on the little things, the bigger deals will be a lot easier.

PM: After a town hall meeting, do you come back on the next day or that week and talk to your staff about some of the things that were brought up?

AH: Well, I have a great staff, I have a great team, and I think it’s very important to make them feel comfortable and confident in their jobs. A lot of the department heads come to meetings and I’ll direct questions to them so they can answer. I think that’s a really good way to see where they’re coming from and give them an opportunity to share their ideas. We come back and discuss them.

Everyone has to fill out a yellow card and give us their information so we can follow up. I’ll send them a letter.

Whatever their issue was, we’ll have that department head or director follow up immediately, the next day usually.

Mayor Ashton Hayward at the Blount School PM: That’s great. I didn’t realize you were so quick to respond.

AH: I think that it's important to adapt, especially for politicians. It’s real-time, whether it’s social media or immediately delivering on something somebody asked you to do. You don’t get to everything, but you definitely need to make the effort. I remember one town hall meeting, I think it was this year, I showed up the next morning to address this guy’s issue about a sidewalk by Woodlawn Middle School. They couldn’t believe I really showed up and wanted to address the issue. I told them I would be there, and so it’s very important, if you tell someone you’re going to do it, to do it. At least try and give it 100 percent.

PM: You must have a clone hidden somewhere because you are everywhere in the community.

AH: You can’t do everything as the mayor. Joe Riley will probably go down in history as one of the greatest mayors in our country, and there was an article in the Wall Street Journal recently where he said, “For five days a week, I just kill it. And then on the weekends, I try to read, spend time with my family.” So that’s challenging for me. With my personality, I want to be going all the time, but my family’s the most important thing. But I enjoy doing it, so why not do it?

PM: Let’s talk about jobs. The Chamber is ahead of schedule in their plan to create 3,000 jobs by 2015.

What do you attribute that success to?

AH: Well, I think everybody being motivated and singing off the same sheet of music is important. Obviously, we are motivated to create an environment where business can thrive and people take risks and entrepreneurs will want to create a business, young people will want to stay here for the schools and quality of life. It's important that the Chamber and the mayor’s office work together and deliver to that potential business opportunity. We’re going to work together, we’re going to find the right incentive package, and we’re going to really try to close the deal.

Also, we need to enhance the businesses that are here locally. I think that we can do a better job at really trying to help the businesses that are here, because we have incredibly smart people in Pensacola and our region. We have to also reach out to people who have never been to Pensacola so when they do touch down here, whether the airport is their first impression or they drive in, that it sets the right expectations. I think that’s incredibly important. I think we’ve all been dedicated to doing that. Also we have great ambassadors in the community who have stepped up to give their hard-earned dollars to the Chamber to create the Vision 2015. I’m very blessed that a lot of those people are my friends and I’ve cultivated those relationships hopefully by being reciprocal, by being a good friend. They help tremendously, too. There December 2012/January 2013

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are a lot of ambassadors here that I try to take with me to see politicians or business owners or potential businesses that can lend themselves and say, “Why did you stay in Pensacola when you could’ve lived anywhere?” I think when you sell that story the right way, it’s a big impact.

PM: We used to be known as kind of a brain-drain community. Young people left for greener pastures.

Do you see that this effort and all of the economic efforts are turning that around?

AH: I think it’s definitely turned around. I have two young women in my office. There’s obviously a switch. I definitely feel that, because again, getting back to adapting to the 21st century and where we’re living today, young people are so advanced in the aspect of knowing what they want and they see that quality of life is such a main focus of how they want to live their life. So many people want to be where the quality of life is superior.

They want a walkable community and Pensacola has an incredible grid system, we have an incredible Downtown.

You have the bay, the beach, the military aspect, you have a great little airport. They recognize that and I think they believe too that businesses follow talent today.

Those businesses and CEOs want to be in an environment that has that quality. I think you’re starting to see that. I think the enrollment at UWF with 13,000 is incredible. I think Judy Bense is a heck of a visionary and a leader. She rallies the kids. They believe in her. It’s okay to be different. I think one of the greatest things in our country today is that it’s okay to be different. Everyone doesn’t have to think like each other to be successful.

You see that more and more. That’s how Pensacola is going to be successful, by welcoming different ideas and people.

PM: Talking about Downtown, there’s been a lot of talk about taking advantage of our cultural heritage and tourism on an economic level, such as the UWF plan, the ferry plan that would link all of our advantages. What do you think we can expect to come from some of these?

AH: I think you’ll see some stuff come out of that. One thing that I tried to do immediately is touch base with the folks up in DC, because obviously they’re talking to every city in America. Every city goes up to DC and has their hand out. I met with the Department of the Interior and I said, “Listen, we need a ferry between Ft. Pickens and Pensacola and our beach.” She was very kind and gracious. I met again after the oil spill and I had that identity with her and we’re still talking. I think you’ll see some of that. Look at Savannah, look at Charleston, and look at Williamsburg. Even look at San Antonio and what they did with building a canal through there to the Alamo.

We have so many amazing historical buildings. Obviously, they’re under the prevue of UWF and the state. We should be driving cultural tourism. If we can even pluck a

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million visitors, just think of the dollars that would impact the community. I think Pensacola is at a crossroads with what is going on. We’re going to start playing in the game. For so long, we've chosen not to be in the game and the only way you can win is if you’re in the game.

PM: That leads me to our attention on a national and international level. The Bay Center has received tons of national awards for its work, the airport is increasing in passengers, the stadium, obviously, is covered in a lot of national sports media when the Wahoos are in season. How else is Pensacola becoming more of a player on the national and international stage?

AH: I truly believe it’s about having a leader that’s willing to get outside their comfort zone and get out there and tell their story of who they represent and the people they represent, whether that’s at the state level or the federal level or with your congressmen. One thing that’s really benefited Pensacola is me cultivating my relationship with Gov. Scott. I think that has paid dividends and will pay dividends in the future. I let him know that we’re over here and that we’re not cut off from the rest of the state.

You have to do that and tell that story to people. I think we’re doing that with the new branding effort and trying to get me out there in front of as many people as I can.

That’s what the new form of government lends itself to.

You’re truly selling your city for your citizens. When revenues are down like they are now, you have to get businesses in there that can create jobs and have that net result of spending money and putting it back in the community. So, that’s one of the things that we’re focused on. I feel fortunate that we’ve done a lot, but there’s a ton more that we can do, and that’s one of my big efforts. I was just at a community leadership dinner at the governor’s mansion last Monday and the great thing about it was I was the only elected official there, but everybody that was there was from different parts of the state. Obviously they meet me, we network, we chat, we talk. Hopefully you do a good job of selling your city and then they’ll talk about it to other people who are influential. The only way you can help people is to get the right people on the same page.

PM: You mentioned the branding campaign. There was some criticism on that, but it seems to be moving forward and people seem to like it. What do you hope it is going to convey to first time visitors and tourists?

AH: Well we’re definitely the upside of Florida, and everything that’s great about Florida is better in Pensacola. I don’t think enough of us have said that when we’re outside of Pensacola. I think a lot of cities have ambassadors like I touched on. We need to have a collective group of ambassadors for Pensacola when we go out and meet potential businesses so we can talk about Pensacola. What I’m trying to do is definitely tell

that story. The branding campaign I think is far better than what we talked about in the beginning of the conversation. We need a modern, clean image—we’re a coastal city in the state of Florida and we’re never going to forget our history. We’re the first settlement in America. There are many cities that claim the City of Five Flags in our great state; however, we’re Pensacola and we’re going to create a better future.

PM: How has the response been since the initial unveiling? Have people come around a little bit more?

AH: I think so. I’ve been to a couple of events where in my speeches I’ve said, “We’re the upside of Florida.”

People loved it. We are. I know a lot of people in the advertising business outside of Pensacola who are very successful and they like it. It’s clean, it’s smart, and that’s what we’re trying to do.

PM: The first-time homebuyer loan program: what do you expect that to do to boost local housing and urban development?

AH: Well, I think when you look around Pensacola, so many people have suffered since 2008 and they’re still continuing to suffer. A lot of people I know, a lot of

friends and family, are still out of work. Anything to stimulate and motivate the public when you’re the leader of the community, you want in your creative ideas. The first-time homebuyer program does that. You know, we want people to invest in the city. Property, compared to the rest of the country, is less expensive. We want to get more people moving into our area and Downtown and the areas around Downtown and pick up some of these vacant properties and homes. We need to at least push that effort. The main focus for me was to say, “We want you in this city. We want you living here taking advantage of our incredible services.” If you look at Pensacola, our fire, police, sanitation, gas company, we have all these incredible assets and so that was a part of me working with the housing department, saying, “Let’s tell our story.”

And I think it’ll pay off. But you have to motivate people and any creative ideas that are out of the realm of government, I think you apply some of the private sector to that, and you work it in a little bit.

PM: You talked about some of the inner-city areas. I wanted to ask a little about crime. We’ve had some recent spurts of crime, such as shootings and breakins. Can you talk to me about what the city’s doing?

AH: That gets back to my number one thing, which is that public safety is incredibly important, whether it’s a

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crosswalk or someone’s car or home getting broken into, which is very, very personal. You feel violated. Obviously, being a small town, you know a lot of people. My mother and father live in Cordova Park, where I grew up. I live in East Hill. Right around the corner from my house, people have been broken into. It’s an effort that Chief Simmons and Sherriff David Morgan and myself and other leaders are really focusing on. We’ve totally ramped up, getting out there, where we feel that the crime is coming from. That question gets asked a lot. You have an issue with drugs and things of that matter that are going to drive that, especially in a down economy. It’s not an excuse. You want to solve the issue.

You want to make sure your constituents and your citizens feel safe. You can’t be everywhere, but the most important thing for me was to get involved in Reentry Alliance of Pensacola, the program with Judge Casey Rodgers. That has been a really unique opportunity for me to talk to a lot of these people that have been sent back to prison, gotten out of prison, and trying to start a better life. We want to use them to help us fight crime and Judge Rodgers has been amazing. There’s a program called Safe Streets in Chicago and Baltimore. We want to scale it down to a smaller scale where we can work with those people who can give us information and I think information is power, especially when it comes to fighting crime. The more information we have, the smarter we can be policing the community.

PM: Let’s talk about Gallery Night. There’s been lots of talk concerning the controversy of closing the streets.

What is your vision for Gallery Night in terms of working with the Downtown Improvement Board and the police department? What is your vision for making the transition from pedestrian traffic to vehicular traffic go more smoothly? Do you see it as something that should stay open till midnight or end at 9?

AH: Well, I think when you’re leading the city, you want to have as many amenities as you can have Downtown, whether it’s the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, whether it’s people coming to enjoy the green space. The Opera, the Ballet, and the Symphony can perform at the amphitheater, you can have a concert at Vinyl, you can have a show at the Little Theatre or the Saenger, or Gallery Night. I had a great meeting with all the restaurant and bar owners to get their feedback and opinion and see how we can really work together with the retail. I’m very focused on density and creating Downtown living and more people moving Downtown, creating that balance where it’s a win-win for the community. It’s a balancing act. It needs to be the right ingredients for the people and it’s the people’s city. They pay the freight, and obviously the business owners do because they’re the risktakers that are creating the jobs. The good thing about it is these conversations are happening because we’re growing.

It’s obvious that the community wants the street closed till midnight when we’re having an event. I think collaboration is incredibly important as we’re growing in this city, as we’re growing out of this recession. Let’s really look at the same sheet of music so we can be a winner. I think that’s what we’re going to do.

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PM: Where does the ECUA property stand?

AH: There is some interest in the property from a few different developers. From the city’s perspective, we need to make sure it’s right for the citizens. I strongly feel that it should be mixed-use down there--a little bit commercial, a little bit residential. The more creative you are, the better. If New York City can create all these little green spaces down in the middle of Fifth Avenue, then we can definitely do it in Pensacola. That will add to more of the walkable city we’re trying to create. Right now we’re seeing more and more young families running with their children or running with their husband and wife or partners. A lot of people enjoy Downtown and we’re not even near where I see it. I think that property needs to be developed correctly. I use that word strongly because everything we develop from here on out needs to be first-class, whether that’s the airport, landscaping, a retention pond, an amphitheater or Admiral Mason Park. We won all these awards from the state that are not high-profile, but they’re big awards when they come to how you want your city. We got an award for the pavers out at the Maritime. We got the number one airport last year.

There’s an engineering award we won for Admiral Mason Park from the state. That’s a big deal. What it’s saying is we’re doing quality work in the city. Some of those aren’t the sexiest things, but I get more calls about Admiral Mason Park from people who don’t live here but are enjoying that because they’re close to the water. Everyone loves the water.

You've also got a huge asset in Joe Patti’s and the interaction of that whole social thing is important.

PM: How much say does the city have in who buys that property?

AH: The ECUA owns it. At one time, we owned our sewer and water. And then in the 80s we rolled it off and did a bond deal. A special act of legislation created the ECUA. They’ve been a great partner. Building our first fueling station was huge. I think they bought 50 plus sanitation trucks already, which is huge. The maintenance is low, the cost of fuel is nothing compared to gas. We have a great relationship with them. Steve Sorrell and myself have met numerous times, making sure it’s the right deal. If the city is able to work something out with them, I’m all ears. We want to be a partner with them on the planning and zoning of it and to work together to make sure it’s a win-win.

PM: You mentioned the natural gas. Tell me a little bit about that. We’ve got the first fueling station and 50 sanitation trucks.

AH: I believe it’s 50. It might even be 60. They’re saving over $1 million a year doing that. They’re buying our fuel at $2.05 a gallon. Think about natural gas as compared to fuel. It’s unbelievable. That has been a huge, huge win for us. We’re going to build two more stations. We want to do one right here where our maintenance is on Palafox and we haven’t decided the other one. Eventually, we'll start partnering up with the private sector. UPS is big into natural gas. Obviously, your supply chain vehicles are moving to natural gas if they’re transporting stuff across the country. We’ve had a lot

of big players contact us who are in that business of building fueling stations around the country. They’ve said, “How do you do this?” I’ll say, “Well, we own the natural gas company.

We did it.”

PM: Can we talk about the friction between yourself and the City Council?

AH: I don’t view it as friction because we’ve had great leaders in the past and I think we have a really great Council that was sworn in yesterday. I try to measure myself like we all do and see what we’re doing. We’ve been able to pass so many great things with the Council. I view it as a nice partnership. We’ve been able to do a lot for the city, and you have to have a majority to do that. I think in the new form of government, I’m happy I did my due diligence before I got in here to talk to a lot of mayors who took over in the new form of government. I talked to them to see what they did and didn’t do. The first two years were always going to be challenging, because it’s a new form of government and it’s different. For me, it’s all good. I don’t want the public to suffer ever. But this is a town that needs to be really, really united and focused on driving growth. I think we can leave the petty issues at home.

PM: What about newly elected members and officers?

Tell me about how you feel about them and how you plan to work with them.

AH: I think it’s terrific. Mr. Wu is going to be our Council President. He’s a true diplomat and a smart man, and I know how much he cares about the community, so that’s a big win.

Andy Terhaar is a young guy who can choose to live anywhere he wants and he chose to stay in Pensacola. We’re retaining talent like we talked about. That was my message when I ran for office. I think Andy is definitely focused on growing the business side of Pensacola and helping the community. I think he’s going to be a huge asset. Jewel Cannada-Wynn’s going to bring a lot of institutional knowledge. Jewel’s big on education. We’ve had terrific conversations, had lunch right before Thanksgiving and really focused on District 7 and helping me just like I am on helping her, which I think is great. Mr. Wingate is focused on District 5 and brings a lot wisdom. He’s big on education, too. We do a great job at picking up the garbage and cutting the grass and filling pot holes and providing services. That’s what government does. Let’s not forget that’s what we do.

That’s why there are taxes that we pay to make sure your city hums, but you need to have vision and leadership and create an environment for these companies and businesses that we want to move here. That’s why we need to be united and focused on that. I think the new Council coming on—I’ve talked to them obviously—they saw what happened the first two years and I don’t think they want to be a part of that negative minority. It’s great for healthy debate and questioning. All those things are terrific. I welcome that. But the petty stuff, the taxpayers don’t want to hear it.

PM: Speaking of which, will you run again when your current term is up?

AH: I strongly feel that this city definitely needs really good leadership forever, obviously. I can say I’m definitely strongly

Mayor Ashton Hayward at City Council

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leaning that way. My wife and I said we would discuss it December 2012 when it got close to my two years in office. I’m sure I’ll make a decision by early next year.

PM: Do you have anything else to add about the priorities of your second year and if you’ve accomplished them?

AH: Most definitely. For me, personally, I wanted the public to know how committed I am to Pensacola and how focused I am on making our city and their city a better place to live, work and play. I think the majority strongly feels that in the city, in the county, in our surrounding friends and neighbors outside of that. I think they’re starting to see Pensacola emerge in a leadership role again and that was my goal and I think we’re on the way to doing that. I’m definitely focused on continuing that, on being accessible to people. I try to be as accessible as possible. Maybe that’s my personality. If you look at what we did immediately, it’s amazing we’ve only been here two years. We have two community resource centers coming out of the ground, which are going to be really focused on the cultural side. It’s for everyone to really be a gathering place where kids can come and learn different things. One is off Ninth Avenue and one is off of Gregory Street in Legion Field.

There’s going to be a library there inside of Legion Field which is going to be really cool for the west side library.

Those are going to be two big wins that’ll be coming online. We’ve been very fortunate to tear down the Blount School which was dilapidated for 30 years. We’ve intelligently worked with our housing department and we were able to get that school torn down. There will be a development going there. We’ll make that decision in 2013 on what the best use for that two acres is.

PM: What’s on the horizon for 2013 that’s exciting that you can talk about?

AH: Most definitely getting off to the right start with the Council. People who know me know that I’m not big into having confrontations, so I think if you want to go that route, that’s great and I’m very competitive, but this town can do so much. It’s better when we’re all

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focused on doing that, so that’s going to be a big tell-tale coming out of the gate. I think you’ll see some really good things out at the airport in 2013. I really think you’ll start to see some investment from outside of Pensacola in 2013. That’ll be important to spur the growth of Pensacola and Northwest Florida. I feel positive for 2013. I think it’s going to be a good year for everyone who lives here.

PM: What did you take from the urban redevelopment report that is fairly quickly implementable?

AH: That’s kind of what it was. It wasn’t a study. It’s looking at how the market has impacted our city like it's impacted the rest of the world. What should we focus on right now in 2012 and 2013 and going forward? I think we all are on the same page that we need more housing downtown, obviously to sustain the businesses that have taken risks to open up downtown. Also to create that environment where you have a heavy populated city on our scale. What I would love to see is where you will eventually have a building where you might have a doctor’s office downstairs, you might have dry-cleaning downstairs, you might have a grocery store downstairs, and then you might have ten floors of apartments above that. Our city is ready for that. I definitely see that. When you have that mix of urban vibe, it’s a winner for everybody. Pensacola is on that edge of trying to gain more population, and then you have an older population that wants to downsize and they’re really liking the vibe of downtown, too.

They’re at that age where they want to walk. It’s a turnkey atmosphere and I think people like that. I’d like to see more of the university downtown, doing classes. Those are important things. The URAC Committee was terrific. I’m looking at it right now. They delivered right before Thanksgiving. We were pretty much on the same page with everything. I would also like to see in 2013 some research institute coming downtown and working in conjunction with IHMC. I think IHMC and Ken Ford’s leadership is such a huge asset for Pensacola. He’s growing and just got a big grant from NASA. So the more that he can do, that brings in more of the creative class. I think that’s incredibly important and I’m really focused on that.

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datebook Editor’s Pick 30A Songwriters Festival January 18-20, 2013 The 30A Songwriters Festival will heat up Florida's Scenic Highway 30A, January 18-20, 2013, where writers who perform their own music and performers who write their own songs meet for a weekend of soulful melodies, powerful vocals and compelling lyrics throughout the northwest Florida beach neighborhoods of South Walton. Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shawn Mullins, Jeffrey Steele, Nanci Griffith, Suzanne Vega and Fastball are among the co-headliners for the fourth annual event. The festival will feature more than 125 songwriters and 200 musical performances. Venues range from unique listening rooms to spacious outdoor amphitheaters. The Festival is produced by the Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County and is presented by Visit South Walton. Festival weekend passes are now available for $150 and can be purchased at www.30asongwritersfestival.com, at the Cultural Arts Alliance office and at Central Square Records in Seaside. For more information on the 2013 30A Songwriters Festival, including a full list of artists, venues, accommodations packages and to purchase tickets, visit www.30asongwritersfestival.com

Art Art Workshop at PMA December 22 Children ages 5 to 13 explore the elements of art and the principles of design, inspiring creativity. Learning in the Museum of Art gives children a new perspective on art and art history while they participate in fun, hands-on projects.

Workshops are subject to change and availability. Art supplies included. For more information, call 850.432.6247.

Youth Art Focus January 15 Experience the next generation of great Pensacola artists. The Pensacola Museum of Art, in recognition of National Youth Art month, and in partnership with the Escambia Country School System, presents the 57th annual Youth Art Focus exhibition. It highlights the best work from art students and educators in Escambia County schools. This exhibition of work from more than 500 students, grades pre-K through 12, recognizes their strong artistic achievements and area teachers' dedication to art education. Tuesday from 5 to 7 pm. For more information, call 850.432.6247.

Music PSC Presents Pensacola Civic Band Holiday Concert December 17, 18 The Pensacola Civic Band performs holiday selections, with proceeds going to student scholarships. Monday and Tuesday at 7 pm. Tickets are $5. For more information, call 850.484.1847.

Saenger Theatre Presents B.B. King January 8 Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to see the legend live at 8 pm on Tuesday. Tickets start at $59.50. For more information, call 850.595.3882.

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December 2012/January 2013

Theatre PLT Presents A Christmas Story December 13-16 America's #1 Christmas movie comes to life on stage as a hilarious holiday story. This play chronicles young and bespectacled Ralphie Parker as he schemes his way towards the holiday gift of his dreams, but many distractions stand between him and his Christmas wish. Tickets start at $14. Thursday – Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 2:30 pm. For more information, visit www.pensacolalittletheatre.com.

Ballet Pensacola Presents The Nutcracker December 14-16 In Ballet Pensacola's Nutcracker at the Saenger Theatre, audiences will be enthralled during this annual classic as the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky accompanies the story of Clara and her dream of the Nutcracker Prince. Don't miss this Pensacola holiday tradition! Tickets start at $20. Friday and Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 1:30 pm. For more information, call 850.595.3882.

PLT Presents Holiday Cabaret December 17-19 From classic Christmas carols and hymns to more modern holiday songs, Pensacola Little Theatre is celebrating the season with an evening of song and dance. Holiday Cabaret features nearly two-dozen local performers and a litany of beloved Christmas songs, including “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “Oh Holy Night.” Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm. Tickets start at $14. For more information, call 850.432.2042.

Saenger Theatre Presents West Side Story January 3 More than 50 years ago, one musical changed theater forever.

Now it's back and mesmerizing audiences once again. From the first note to the final breath, West Side Story soars as the greatest love story of all time and remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. Thursday at 7:30 pm. For more information, call 850.595.3882.

PLT Presents A New Brain January 11-13, 17-19 An energetic, sardonic, often comical musical about making the most out of life in the face of tragedy. When a neurotic, frustrated composer is confronted with a terminal illness, he finds comfort in the healing power of art. The show is in fact the William Finns autobiographical account of his own battle for life when he was afflicted with a seemingly terminal illness.

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm. For more information, call 850.434.0257.

Special Events Zoo Lights December 14-16, 21-24, 26-30 Guests are invited to enjoy the beauty of the Gulf Breeze Zoo at night as they admire thousands of sparkling holiday lights from 5 – 10 pm! Train rides are $3. For more information, call 850.932.2229.

Winterfest Trolley Tours December 14-16 Trolleys act as theaters taking passengers to a series of interactive performances along a two-mile route in Historic Downtown Pensacola. Fridays at 5:30 pm and Saturdays at 5 pm. For more information, call 850.435.9014.

Christmas Gala December 15 Pensacola’s tallest Christmas tree will be lit at 6:30 pm. Join other holiday revelers on the Lighthouse Lawn for cookies, hot cider and hot chocolate. Attendees are encouraged to bring their wish lists and enjoy a visit with Santa Claus! Lighthouse will be lit at 5 pm the remainder of the season. For more information, call 850.393.1561.

Santa’s Holiday Express Tour December 18-23 Take a jolly trip with Santa from Plaza Wonderland through highlights of the holiday season. This 30-minute tour is especially great for young children and out-of-town guests.

Tuesday through Friday at 5:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday at 5 pm. For more information, call 850.417.7321.

Christmas Eve Service December 24 Marcus Pointe Baptist Church will present a very special free Community Christmas Eve Service. This one-of-a-kind service will feature a choir of more than 200 from churches around the area and a special Christmas message from Pastor Gordon Godfrey.

The service will begin at 4:30 pm, giving attendees plenty of time to celebrate other Christmas Eve traditions afterwards. For more information, visit PensacolaChurch.org.

Pensacola Pelican Drop – Countdown to 2013 December 31 Festivities kickoff at 5 pm on New Year's Eve and continue until 12:30 am. Throughout the evening the giant Pelican (13 feet tall, with a 20-foot wingspan) is perched above the celebration on a 100-foot platform at the intersection of Palafox and Government Streets. Although Palafox and Government Street will be closed to traffic, area restaurants will be open and additional vendors will be providing refreshments. Live performances on three outdoor stages provide ongoing entertainment throughout the evening. The popular kids’ area will be expanded this year and will feature the special kids’ countdown at 8 pm with confetti and the “bubble stomp.” At the stroke of midnight, the whole city celebrates as the Pelican descends amidst fireworks and more confetti. For more information, call 850.435.1673.

Polar Bear Dip January 1 Great laughs and fun for the whole family await as locals and out-of-towners enjoy the annual splash in the Gulf of Mexico at the Florida-Alabama state line on Perdido Key. Afterwards, everyone joins in a Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day and warms up with good music and beverages at the world-famous Flora-Bama. Festivities begin at noon. For more information, call 850.492.6838.

WWE RAW World Tour January 4 The WWE RAW Superstars have announced their return to the Pensacola Bay Center. For the first time ever in Pensacola, watch CM Punk vs. Ryback in the main event for the WWE Championship Friday at 7:30 pm. Tickets start at $18. For more information, call 850.432.0800.

Mardi Gras Kickoff January 5 The historic streets of Downtown Pensacola will host the second annual Wind Creek Pensacola Mardi Gras Kickoff Celebration at 5 pm. Free to everyone. Come join us and celebrate the 2013 Mardi Gras Season along with the Krewes, their King and Queens for the upcoming season, King Cake and the town crier.

The King Cake will be cut at 12:01 am on January 6. For more information, call 850.436.7638.

Pensacola Beach Run: 1/2 marathon, 5K and 10K January 12 All three courses are flat and fast at Casino Beach. Participants choose the distance they want at the turns. Feeling good at the 5K turn? Just keep going for the 10K, and the same is true for the 1/2 marathon! Beautiful runs adjacent to the beaches for all three courses. Packet pickup: Grand Marlin, just across the bridge on Pensacola Beach. Friday, from 3 to 8 pm. Several exhibitors, and drink and food specials! For more information, call 850.932.1500.

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pensacola seen ...at the Elf Parade Downtown Pensacola

...at the Wreaths of Joy Sponsor Party at the home of Artie & Teresa Shimek

Eloise & Robert DeVarona and Jan Miller

Betty & Brad Roberts

Mary & Michael Riesberg

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Michael Jet Rosburg & Lola Oden

Carolyn & Dickie Appleyard

Artie & Teresa Shimek

Jane & Will Merrill December 2012/January 2013

Sammy & Patti Cantavespre

Gail & Todd Torgerson with Glenys Ballinger

Donna Fassett, Glenys Ballinger & Charlie Merritt