Green Bench Monthly Vol. 8, Issue 1, January 2023

From the Bench

A note from the Publishers

Happy 2023, St. Pete!

If you're like us, you skipped the resolutions this year. There's plenty we'd like to improve, but starting on the first just doesn't ever seem to stick. For those of you that commit to starting anew — we salute you!

This month, Nikki Whitehead explains how her path led her to the St. Petersburg Free Clinic (pg. 9), Dr. Bob Wallace shares his experience and commitment to curing and preventing HIV (pg. 10), Mark James' builds a donation box in memory of his dog Hank (pg. 12), and we explore Campbell Park (pg. 16). Also read about what's

on the horizon for downtown (pg. 18), and mark your calendars with upcoming events (pg. 21) — you won't want to miss these!

Till next time, Ashley & Tony

All are welcome on this bench.

The history of the green benches is layered. For some, it is a reminder of a painful period of racism and segregation. To others, it is a symbol of welcomeness and hospitality. We carry this name to shine a light on our city’s history and in celebration of those who work tirelessly towards a more inclusive St. Pete. To read more about our story and the history of the green benches visit greenbenchmonthly.com/about.

Port St. Pete. Photo by City of St. Petersburg

Tony and Ashley Sica Publishers / Owners

St. Petersburg Woman’s Club at 110: Remembering Year One

By Tina Stewart Brakebill

As St. Pete moved into the 1910s, local women proved they could be a force for change. The elite white women of the Women’s Town Improvement Society (WTIA), in particular, were vital in a variety of reform efforts, including a push for temperance and the establishment of a variety of “city beautification” statutes. When Mrs. Benjamin (Nancy) Greene relocated from Evanston, Illinois, however, she found the WTIA to be an insufficient outlet for her “wide intellectual and cultural interests.” She soon met other women seeking additional intellectual entertainment and civic engagement. Together, 14 charter members formed the St. Petersburg Woman’s Club in February 1913. With Greene as president, the new club joined a growing wave of women’s organizations that dated back to the mid-19th century.

The Club Movement

Initially, women’s organizations (or clubs, as they were commonly called) primarily pursued literary endeavors, self-improvement, or social opportunities. As membership grew, so did their focus. By the early 20th century, these clubs increasingly used their numbers to influence laws and policies affecting women and children, especially in matters of health and education. In 1890, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) united these individual clubs under a national umbrella as a way to strengthen their efforts to achieve common goals. GFWC’s affiliate clubs nearly always excluded non-white women. In 1896, Black women organized the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs (NACWC) to provide unified strength as they pursued their goals. Each of these national organizations offered ways to wield significant influence in a time when women still had no direct access to political power. The GFWC, in particular, was difficult to ignore. By 1914 its membership topped 2 million.

Season One: February – April 1913

From its first days, the St. Petersburg Woman’s Club (SPWC) was clear in its mission. “The object of the club is to instruct, to entertain and to follow along the lines prescribed by the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. …” Meeting every Thursday afternoon, SPWC members socialized, shared refreshments, and enjoyed musical performances before engaging in a variety of programs “along the lines prescribed by the GFWC.” Like other GFWC-affiliated clubs, the SPWC focused on legislation and policies they saw as protecting the health and welfare of women and children, protecting and beautifying the natural world, and protecting and empowering the

Saint Petersburg Woman’s Club - Saint Petersburg, Florida. 1951 (circa). State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory.

working classes (especially working women). SPWC’s weekly “instructions” addressed topics falling under that wide umbrella. For example, in early March, Dr. Charles Faber discussed Oklahoma Senator Robert Latham Owen Jr.’s proposed bill to establish a United States department of health. The next week, Mrs. Franklin W. (Carolyn) Johnson presented “How Immigration is Affecting our Civilization.” April’s topics included child labor and the Pope’s attitude regarding “the modernist movement.” In those first three months, the members also established a constitution, by-laws, and agreed on the importance of joining the Florida Federation of Woman’s Clubs (FFWC), which by this point had become the state’s most powerful women-led organization. By the end of their first short season, they had grown to 23 members and stood ready to begin the 1913-1914 season in full force.

Season Two: November 1913 - April 1914

When the SPWC met in November to begin the 1913-1914 season, club president Nancy Greene delivered a full report regarding her attendance at the recent FFWC’s Annual Meeting in Orlando. As it grew in numbers and influence, the FFWC produced progress reports and legislative recommendations on topics ranging from bird conservation to education, civil service, and health reforms. Women’s voting rights also were a priority, and the state’s Equal Suffrage association was organized “in the tearoom at the [November, 1913 annual] meeting of the FFWC.” The SPWC’s focus correlated with the FFWC. During the 1913-1914 season, both visiting speakers and club members spoke on topics pertaining to “Health in Home, City, and State,” including food-storage safety, vaccinations, and the dangers of “The Fly Family.” The club also championed efforts to fund and establish a “visiting nurse” to serve the health needs of the local Black community denied care at segregated white-only facilities. Local Audubon Society founder Katherine Tippetts spoke on the Migratory Bird Act she championed. Noted Florida writer Minnie Moore-Wilson presented “A Plea for the Seminoles.” Like the FFWC, Moore-Wilson advocated for a federally designated Seminole reservation in South Florida. Toward the statewide FFWC effort to provide books to the less fortunate, the SPWC established a donation-funded traveling library. Less-popular issues were also addressed, including support for “prohibition and right living” and “equal suffrage.” By the end of its second season, the club had celebrated its first anniversary, grown to 75 members, and once again stood ready to serve the community.

One hundred and ten years after its founding, the St. Petersburg Woman’s Club is still here. Its influence and membership fluctuated over the decades, but the club proudly remains a “gathering place for women to chat, giggle and provide hands-on service in the community.”

Sources available on request.

Raleigh and Nancy Greene with Wm. Housner (r) at the Florida Exhibit, NY World’s Fair, 1964. Photo courtesy of the St. Petersburg Museum of History

People of St. Pete: Nikki Whitehead

By Tina Stewart Brakebill

St. Pete is celebrated for its fabulous weather, beautiful vistas, worldclass food scene, and thriving cultural atmosphere but the people of St. Pete truly make this city something special. In appreciation, each month Green Bench shines a light on one of the many people that make St. Pete unique. This month we are focusing our attention on St. Petersburg Free Clinic’s We Help Fresh Pantry Program Director, Nikki Whitehead. Looking back at her journey, she feels as if she’s been preparing for this role her entire life.

Finding Her Path: A Foster Care Success Story

Whitehead’s childhood was tumultuous. Frequent moves meant that by the time she reached high school, she had attended four elementary schools and three middle schools in the Tampa Bay area. At 14, her relationship with her mother grew so volatile that ultimately her mom gave up her parental rights and allowed Whitehead to enter the state foster-care system. Once removed from a “toxic environment,” she thrived during the four years she lived with the same foster family, even earning a scholarship to attend college. After a year of working and attending classes, she decided to pursue a career in banking rather than completing school. Today, she regrets not continuing her education, but at 19 she thought she had found the path to her future and was ready to get started.

Navigating a Twisting Path

Two years after leaving school to work full-time, Whitehead felt stuck. Wanting a change, she moved to Maryland with a friend, started a new job at a hotel, and even did some runway modeling on the side. When her longtime boyfriend drove up from Florida, declared his love, and asked her to come back, she did. A year later, they were no longer a couple, but they were expectant parents. Determined to be a present and positive role model in her child’s life, she decided to shift career paths. Wanting to “help people,” she became a life coach and a live-in aide for a young woman (Jessica) with spina bifida. For the next six years, Whitehead and her son, Sean, shared a home and their lives with Jessica. As Whitehead moved closer to 30 and Sean started school, she knew it was time for a change. With her sister prepared to step in to take her place with Jessica, Whitehead felt secure enough to move forward.

The Path Comes Full Circle: Changing Lives

Whitehead found a job helping to connect people recovering from work-related injuries with positions in nonprofit organizations. Quickly earning several promotions, she was able to get her own place. For the first time, she and Sean had a home of their own, with no roommates. She also rediscovered her high school passion for playing football and joined the Tampa Bay Inferno as defensive cornerback and end. As her company grew, it also grew more “corporate” and less “joyful,” she says. Whitehead left her management position and briefly worked from home during the height of the COVID pandemic for a home-health aide company. Her goal, however, remained: She wanted to find a place where she could “be a voice for those who can’t speak.” Last spring, the St. Petersburg Free Clinic (SPFC) reached out, and Whitehead “fell in love” with the opportunity. As her foster family did for her, she now has the opportunity to change lives by offering a helping hand with dignity. Whitehead says she feels as if her path has come full circle.

Photo by Brian Brakebill

Love the Golden Rule

By Suzanne Driscoll

Dr. Bob Wallace decided to specialize in treating patients with HIV/ AIDS for one simple reason: Many of his friends were dying. A 1982 graduate of the University of Florida College of Medicine and among the first students there to be openly gay, he started his career when many members of the LGBTQ community were infected with a mysterious new disease for which there were no treatments.

After working in a walk-in clinic for a few years, Dr. Wallace opened his own practice in St. Pete in 1987. He made it his passion to do all he could to stop the spread of HIV. “I participated in every clinical trial possible and attended every HIV conference related to the treatment of HIV/AIDS,” Dr. Wallace recalls. “In one particular trial, I had more patients enrolled than any other practice in the world.”

One drug for which he worked as a lead investigator would become known as Emtriva. Today it is a key component of some of the oncedaily medications now available. Dr. Wallace is also a founding board member of the organization that would come to be known as the American Academy of HIV Medicine.

The good news is that anyone now infected with HIV/AIDs can expect to live a normal lifespan. Patients take one pill, once per day, that generally has no side effects.

However, prevention remains a major goal, since Florida has the highest rate of new HIV infections in the country. Today those at risk can take a daily pill known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). It is highly

effective for preventing HIV when taken as prescribed. It reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99%, and from injection drug use by 74%.

For those interested in an alternative to daily prevention pills, there is now Apretude, which is injected every two months. It has been shown to reduce the incidence of HIV infection by 99%, but since it does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), those sexually active are advised to use condoms.

Other Specialties

Love the Golden Rule was founded in 2013 and specializes in treating and curing Hepatitis C. An added benefit is that it negotiated agreements with large pharmaceutical companies to provide Hepatitis C medications at no cost for patients not covered by insurance.

The practice also provides primary medical care and addiction treatments for adults. It accepts many forms of insurance and works on a sliding scale with patients who have no insurance or are out of network. Anyone can get a free HIV or Hepatitis C test by scheduling an appointment.

Removing the Stigma of Monkeypox

As the monkeypox virus began to spread earlier this year, Dr. Wallace sprang into action. “I was interviewed on a variety of news channels six times in two weeks to emphasize this was not a disease of just the gay community,” he says.

Dr. Wallace named his practice “Love the Golden Rule” because he was brought up to believe people should be treated how he would want to be treated. “When I worked for the health department, I remember being at a homeless shelter in a medical mobile van where patients were left standing in a parking lot in 95-degree weather with no water and no shade for hours,” he says. “I vowed then I would always treat my patients with dignity and respect, and we practice this each and every day.”

Love the Golden Rule is at 3000 First Ave N in St. Pete, and appointments can be made by calling (727) 826-0700. For additional information or to make a donation to help those not covered by insurance, please visit LoveTheGoldenRule.com.

Dr. Bob Wallace, Treating Patients with Dignity, Love, and Compassion. Photo by Musaweron

Hank’s Bark Box: Pet Food for Those in Need

By Suzanne Driscoll

“Hank barked at anything that moved,” Mark James recalls about his beloved dog. “Which is ironic, because when I chose him at the rescue shelter when he was only 8 weeks old, he was the only dog in the place not barking.”

Sadly, Hank died of cancer of the spleen when he was only 8 years old. “It bothered me deeply to have to put him down,” James says, “and I thought, ‘How can I do something with this sadness?’ ”

It occurred to him there were Little Free Libraries in people’s yards as well as food pantries for humans, so why not offer free pet food? “I thought surely this must have been done before but found out the only places to get pet food donations were shelters such as the SPCA, where one has to fill out paperwork and prove they are in need.”

James is a woodworker who builds custom guitars. He constructed a cute donation box for his front yard. Since October 2021, he has distributed over 11,471 pounds of dry dog and cat food and 10,877 cans. He donates about 35 percent of the food, and the rest other people have dropped off at the box. He was also able to get a contribution from the Chewy pet food company.

“It’s been my experience that folks who have fallen on hard times often take better care of their pets than they do of themselves,” James says. “I think it speaks volumes about the character of the people of St. Pete that I have received so many food donations so others will be able to keep their pets at home.”

James has as much as he can handle at the moment and was pleased to see a woman in Pinellas Park set up a pet-food donation box in her yard. “Perhaps others will do the same,” he says, “so those in need will be able to save what little money they do have to better care for themselves.”

Hank’s Bark box is at the northwest corner of 65th St. S and Third Ave. in St. Pete if you would like to drop off or pick up a donation of pet food. There is a Hank’s Bark Box wish list on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/ hz/wishlist/ls/2XRM2PANAB4FM?ref_=wl_share where you can make a food purchase that ships directly to the organization. Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Hanks-Bark-Box-104414038731809

Mark James, founder of Hank’s Bark Box

Photo by Kristina Holman

Parks of St. Pete: Campbell Park

By Tina Stewart Brakebill

Beginning with City Park (today’s Williams Park) in the late 19th century and expanding to the waterfront in the early 20th, St. Petersburg’s parks have a long history of providing locals and visitors with a wide variety of amenities. Today, St. Pete can boast more than 150 city parks and numerous Pinellas County parks. According to the Trust for Public Land, 77 percent of residents live within a 10-minute walk to a park. Park amenities vary depending on location and size and can include picnic areas, playgrounds, beaches, boat ramps, fishing docks, playing fields, sports courts, fitness equipment, trails, nature preserves, art installations, and historic sites. Dogs and skaters even have their own spaces. Parks & Recreation also offers classes, service projects, camps, and a variety of after-school educational programs. Choose an activity or choose to relax, and there’s a park or recreation center that fits your needs.

Something For Everyone

Campbell Park and its recreation center originally were intended to serve only the segregated Black community living just south of the rapidly developing Central Avenue corridor. Today, Campbell Park is a sprawling complex with something for everyone. From Fifth to Seventh avenues S between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and 16th streets.

Its 30-plus acres offer visitors a wide variety of outdoor activities. Walkers and runners can enjoy more than one mile of paved sidewalks. These paths meander through green space and across Booker Creek while also taking visitors by the park’s many amenities, including two playgrounds, an exercise zone, and a skate park. The park also has several athletic fields and ball courts where outdoor sports enthusiasts can play basketball, softball, and football. It also is the home field for the St. Pete Lil Devils Football and Cheer Youth Organization.

Recreation Center

The mural-adorned recreation center serves as the hub for many of the Lil Devils’ activities, as well as the many other scheduled activities, programs, and classes the park offers. For kids, the center provides numerous before- and after-school programs and activities as well as summer camps. For teens, the Rec Center sponsors before- and afterschool programs and trips as well as TASCO leagues, open gym time for basketball, a video and board game room, and tutoring specialists. Adults can sign up for a variety of sports leagues including indoor basketball. In addition to the park’s 12 shelters and four convenient parking lots, the Campbell Park Recreation Center also has a banquet room with a kitchen so the park can serve as a great place to host entertainment events or a family gathering such as a baby shower, family picnic, reunion or wedding. Summer and winter, Campbell Park offers something to keep adults and kids active and engaged.

For more information about any of St. Pete’s parks, visit www. stpeteparksrec.org or call (727) 893-7441.

For detailed information about Campbell Park Recreation Center’s hours, programs, leagues, and fees call (727) 893-7733 or visit www. stpeteparksrec.org/campbellparkrec/

Cambell Park stretches from From Fifth to Seventh avenues S between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and 16th streets. Photos by Brian Brakebill

Downtown Developments

By Brian Zucker, Owner of St. Pete Rising

It seems like each time we take a stroll through downtown there are new restaurants and galleries opening and more apartment complexes and condo towers being built. We realize it’s difficult to keep track of everything. Luckily, we’ve done the research, so you don’t have to. Each month we will feature a few of the most exciting new downtown developments that are on the horizon for the Sunshine City.

Sparrow, a rooftop bar with a 1960s retro vibe, will debut at the Moxy Hotel by Marriott, which is currently under construction at 1234 Central Avenue in the EDGE District. The beverage menu will include an abundance of custom cocktails as well as big batch cocktails for groups, such as Mixtape Punch, Psychic Visions Punch, and High Tea. Sparrow’s exterior will feature tables overlooking Central Avenue, larger dining tables for groups, and a secondary bar adjacent to the hotel’s rooftop pool. Sparrow is expected to open in the first quarter of 2024.

Runrun Kids Store is now open in a kiosk at the St Pete Pier Marketplace. Although it’s not a full-fledged, brick-and-mortar store (yet!), Runrun is the only kids store in the entire city of St. Pete dedicated to new toys and has already proven to be a popular stop for families with young children. The shop carries well-made toys created from non-toxic materials that foster imagination, problem solving, and creativity.

The Glass Noodle is coming soon to 681 Central Avenue. From the

owners of Mangosteen, The Glass Noodle will be an international noodle house serving the most popular noodle dishes from almost every country in Asia, including Korea, Singapore, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Taiwan. The menu will also include some rice dishes and appetizers, most under $10. There’s no set opening date for The Glass Noodle, but the owners hope to have the new restaurant up and running by the end of year.

Lost & Found, a vintage cocktail bar and lounge, is now open at 2420 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District. Lost & Found and will take you back to a simpler time — before social-media trolling, deep fake videos, and Zoom meetings. Guests can enjoy a drink while listening to 70s and 80s music like Foreigner, Van Halen, Madonna, Kool & the Gang, Beastie Boys and more by cover bands and DJs nightly. This is the latest concept from Hunger Thirst Group, which also operates other popular downtown restaurants and bars, such as The Avenue, Park & Rec, No Vacancy, Dirty Laundry, and Good Fortune.

Sparrow coming soon to 1234 Central Ave

Runrun Kids is now open in a kiosk at the St. Pete Pier

The Juice Shack is coming soon to 657 Central Avenue. The new juice bar will specialize in a wide range of cold-press juices, smoothies, and wellness shots. It’ll also serves a limited food menu, with items such as toast, acai bowls, paninis, and salads. In the future, they also plan to offer boozy smoothies in St. Pete featuring a healthier sangria and frosé. The Juice Shack is hoping to open their doors by the end of the year.

Hostess is now open at 2635 Central Ave

Hostess, a micro-event space and gift shop, is now open at 2635 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District. Set in a 1950s bungalow, Hostess’s event space is an ideal venue for intimate gatherings such as bridal showers, baby showers, and birthday celebrations. And the retail space carries anything you would bring as a hostess gift or anything you’d need as a hostess. Wine, beer, and grab-and-go food from Lolita’s is also available.

St. Pete Rising is an urban development blog covering future retail, restaurants, and real estate in Downtown St. Petersburg, FL. Stay up-todate, visit StPeteRising.com.

The Juice Shack is coming soon to 657 Central Ave

JANUARY 2023 EVENTS

Saturday Morning Market

When: Saturdays from 9am2pm (through May 27th)

Where: Al Lang Stadium, 230 1st St SE

Cost: Free Admission Over 125 vendors, including family-owned farms, readyto-eat, and artisan foods, handmade crafts, & more! Saturday Morning Market offers food assistance by matching your SNAP purchase on Florida fruits and vegetables. Saturdaymorningmarket.com

American Stage: Crimes of the Heart

When: Jan. 11th - Feb. 5th

Where: American Stage, 163 3rd St N

Cost: Tickets are $20 in advance or “Pay-What-You-Can” on the day of the show (pending availability).

The grave and yet, somehow, hilarious troubles of three very different sisters escaping their past to seize the future. americanstage.org

OPENING RECEPTIONS

Woodfield Fine Art: “Oil & Water”

When: Opening Reception Friday, Jan. 13th from 5pm9pm; on display through March 4th Where: Woodfield Fine Art Gallery, 2323 Central Ave

Cost: Free admission The oils on canvas paintings of Nancy Cohen and the watercolor paintings of Ellen Kaiden. woodfieldfineart.com

Creative Grape: Megan Garrison & David McCauley

When: Thursday, January 19th

Where: Creative Grape, 3100 3rd Ave

Cost: Free Admission

Opening reception for new creative works by Megan Garrison and David McCauley, members of the Artist Enclave of Historic Kenwood. creativegrape.com

(events cont. pg 22)

Fit City 5k & 1-Mile Walk, Glow In the Park. Event details on pg. 22.

Photo by City of St. Petersburg

(events cont. from pg. 21)

St. Petersburg Power & Sailboat Show

When: January 19th - 22nd

Where: Mahaffey Theater Yacht Basin, 400 1st St S Cost: GA 16 & up $21 The largest boat show on the Gulf Coast hosts an impressive selection of the latest powerboats, center consoles, motor yachts, and sailboats. stpeteboatshow.com

Spirit Fest Metaphysical & Holistic Fair

When: January 21st - 22nd Where: St. Petersburg Coliseum, 535 4th Ave N Cost: GA $12 /day, $20 / weekend; kids 12 & under free Vendors, readers, practitioners, artists, authors,

demonstrations, & more. spiritfestusa.com

Tampa Bay Job & Career Fair

When: January 23rd

Where: The Coliseum, 535 4th Ave N Cost: FREE

Meet over 50 local employers, higher education schools/ universities, and vocational/ technical institutions. Further develop your skills or the career prospects available in the Tampa Bay area. Presented and produced by Tampa Bay Times. tampabay.com/expos/job-fair/

6th Annual Fit City 5K & 1-Mile Walk

When: Saturday, January 28th at 5:30pm

Where: North Straub Park, 400 Bayshore Dr. NE Cost: Registration $20 & up

for 5k; $5 for 1-mile Ready, set, glow! The annual Fit City 5K and 1-mile walk returns to downtown St. Petersburg. Activities for all ages. Healthystpetefl.com

The Woodson: Classic Black

When: Sunday, January 29th at 5pm

Where: The Palladium, 253 5th Ave N Cost: $45

The Woodson African American Museum of Florida in partnership with the St. Petersburg Opera Company and St. Petersburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority presents black excellence in classic music, featuring all-black classical performers. mypalladium.org

MUSEUM SPECIALS

Thursdays @ Museum of Fine Arts

Every Thursday after 5pm admission for adults is only $12 (excludes special programming). Mfastpete.org

Thursdays @ The Dali Museum

Thursdays after 5pm admission for adults, seniors, and teens is $14.50; youth (612) is $10; and children under 5 are Free. thedali.org

Weekends @ The Imagine Museum

Weekend admission $7.50; children under 6 are Free. imaginemuseum.com

For more events, or to submit an event, visit greenbenchmonthly.com/events