Florida Currents March 2014

Glades Electric Cooperative

M A R C H 2014

Major League Dreams

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen watches the ball fly out of McKechnie Field in Bradenton during a 2013 spring training game. McCutchen’s smooth, lightning-quick swing led to another All-Star season and honors as the National League’s MVP. He was the first Pirate to win the award since Barry Bonds in 1992.

Read about baseball’s spring training on page 12.

PHOTO BY DAVID LABELLE

Annual Meeting March 15

PAGE 4



A Day in the Life of a Lineworker PAGE 29

FloridaCurrents Mar x5339:2014 Master

12/11/13

12:39 PM

Page 1

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Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

Prepare for Summer Heat Now Members acknowledge that $3.96, plus actual postage, is the cost to publish 12 issues a year of Florida Currents (USPS-8300). Published by Ruralite Services Inc., 2040 A St., Forest Grove, OR 97116—a not-for-profit Oregon cooperative corporation—the magazine serves the communications needs of consumer-owned electric utilities in Florida. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Forest Grove, OR 97116 and at additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Please send address corrections to P.O. Box 558, Forest Grove, OR 97116.

HOW TO CONTACT FLORIDA CURRENTS

Have a problem receiving your edition of Florida Currents? Utility members should contact the local utility office listed on the back cover.

Nonmembers should contact Ruralite Services, P.O. Box 558, Forest Grove, OR 97116-0558; (503) 357-2105; email info@floridacurrents.com.

Subscription services: Nonmember subscriptions $12 (US) per year; $25 (foreign) per year. Prepayment required. Allow 4 to 8 weeks for first issue. Be sure to identify which local edition you want to receive.

Extra copies: $2 each, pre-payment required. Supply is limited. Identify edition, month and year. Contact Ruralite Services.

Reprint permission: Direct all requests to Ruralite Services.

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DISPLAY ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

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By B. Denise Hawkins

Adding a few items to your list of spring chores can help make your home more energy efficient and deliver electric bills that won’t make you sweat when temperatures soar.

Start with your air conditioner. Spring and early summer are good times to make sure your air conditioning unit is ready to work when you flip the switch.

Get help from a professional who can inspect and service your unit.

Give your air conditioner a do-it-yourself cleaning. Shut the unit off, and clear away leaves and yard debris outside. Inside the unit, clean or replace filters that can restrict air flow and reduce overall efficiency by making the air conditioner work harder on hot summer days.

Dust the fan blades if you can do so safely.

Make sure air can flow freely over the inside and outside coils. Vacuum registers to remove any dust buildup.

Check weather stripping. When using window units, ensure that weather stripping is in place. Placement should be between the middle of the top window pane and the bottom pane.

Check out your roof. See how well your roof has weathered the winter. Few things can shorten the life of your home faster than a roof leak. Even a minor one can damage your attic

Top your household spring to-do list with a call to your co-op. Help from an energy-efficiency expert now can pay off later with lower utility bills during the summer.

Photo courtesy of Greg Brooks, Walton EMC

insulation before you know it. A roofing professional can assess loose or missing shingles, repair leaks and clear gutters.

Make your electric cooperative a resource.

Member service representatives at Glades Electric Cooperative can give you more energy-saving tips and suggestions to help you determine the right steps for your home. You can also visit www.togetherwesave.com to find out how little measures around the house can add up to big energy savings as temperatures outside climb. 

Inside

March 2014 Vol. 3, No. 5

Major League Dreams 12 All kinds of dreams are lived out at baseball’s spring training.

Also In This Issue Side Roads 10 In the Kitchen 16 Florida Gardener 18

Festival Roundup 22 Outdoor Pursuits 24 Parting Shot 30

Your utility pages: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32

MARCH 2014

3

Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

2014 Sample Ballot 2014 Official Ballot Glades Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Proposed Amendment to Article IV, Trustees, Section 3: Qualifications Check One Box

Candidates for Trustee & Proposed By-Law Amendments

Proposed Amendment to Article III, Meeting

Check One Box

of Members, Section 3: Notice of Members’ Meetings

SA M PL E

Ladd Bass (Incumbent)

Nominated by Committee District 7

Check One Box

Jim Aul (Incumbent)

Nominated by Committee District 9

Check One Box

RESOLVED, that the By-Laws of the Cooperative be, and they are hereby amended by the following change to the first sentence of Article III, Meeting of Members, Section 3: Notice of Members’ Meetings: Written or printed notice stating the place, day and hour of the meeting and, in case of a special meeting or an annual meeting at which business requiring special notice is to be transacted, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be delivered not less than ten days nor more than forty five seventy five days before the date of the meeting by, or at the direction of the Secretary, or by the person calling the meeting, to each member.

YES

NO

Check One Box

Irene Lofton (Incumbent)

Proposed Amendment to Article IV, Trustees, Section 2: Election and Tenure of Office

Nominated by Committee

Check One Box

RESOLVED, that the By-Laws of the Cooperative be, and they are hereby amended by adding after the last sentence of the first paragraph of Article IV, Trustees, Section 2: Election and Tenure of Office a sentence stating: “In the event of a tie vote between an incumbent Trustee and any opposition candidate, the incumbent shall retain the position.”

YES

RESOLVED, that the By-Laws of the Cooperative be, and they are hereby amended by inserting at the beginning of the sentence in item A. and by inserting within the sentence of item D. and by adding after the existing item E. of Article IV, Trustees, Section 3: Qualifications: A. Be a natural person or individual and be a member of the Cooperative for at least 12 months, maintain their primary residence in the district which the Trustee represents and purchase electric energy from the Cooperative at that residence;

SA M PL E

District 5

D. Not be employed by the Cooperative or any entity controlled by the Cooperative or an entity in which the Cooperative owns a majority interest and must not have been employed by the Cooperative for a period of two five years before becoming a Trustee, and no Trustee may become an employee of the Cooperative or any entity controlled by the Cooperative or an entity in which the Cooperative owns a majority interest for a minimum of two five years after leaving the Board of Trustees; F. Not been convicted of a felony or any misdemeanors involving dishonesty;

G. Subjected to a criminal background check administered by the Cooperative;

H. Subjected to and passed the initial drug screenings administered by the Cooperative for its employees; I. Subjected to a credit check performed by the Cooperative without evidence of a history of financial irresponsibility; and J. Is a member in good standing of the Cooperative without any disconnections for non-payment of utility services within the last five (5) years.

All persons desiring eligibility to become or remain a Trustee shall be required to (1) execute a document that affirms compliance with the qualifications as stated in this Article IV, Section 3 of these By-Laws, and (2) provide a release for the Cooperative to investigate and acquire reports necessary to affirm such compliance in order to be deemed qualified.

NO NO

YES Page 1

Page 2

Glades Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees Glades Electric Cooperative’s mission is to provide exceptional service.

Jack Coxe President District 8 4

m a r c h 2 0 14

Jim Aul Vice President District 7

Russell Henderson Secretary/Treasurer District 3

Donnie Lundy District 1

Please Join Us! Glades Electric cooperative Inc. annual meeting March 15, 2014 Glades Electric cooperative Inc.’s 2014 annual meeting will be Saturday, march 15, 2014, at clewiston middle School, 601 W. Pasadena ave., in clewiston, Florida.

The purpose of the meeting is to elect Trustees, vote on proposed By-Law changes and hear officers’ annual reports. registration, entertainment and voting will begin at 8 a.m.

The business meeting will begin at 10 a.m.

Join us for great entertainment, fun and prizes, including a 2003 Ford Expedition for one lucky member. Plan to attend!

Barney Goodman District 2

Shannon Hall District 4

Ladd Bass District 5

Lee Henderson District 6

Irene Lofton District 9

march 2014

5

Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

Meet Your Board Candidates The Nominating Committee proposed these candidates for re-election.

District 5, Venus and Hicora Ladd Bass, Incumbent

District 7, Lorida Jim Aul, Incumbent

District 9, Okeechobee Irene Lofton, Incumbent

A sixth-generation Floridian, Bass spent most of his childhood in Glades County, graduating from Moore Haven High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in food and resource economics from the University of Florida and has been actively involved in some aspect of the commercial cattle business his entire adult life.

Bass works for Great Plains Feed Yard based in Hereford, Texas; co-owns B&S Cattle Co.; and is an independent contractor with Cargill Cattle Feeders.

He has first-hand experience in, and a complete understanding of, the economic challenges facing the agriculture industry in South Florida. He has 20-plus years in marketing, management and sales.

Bass has lived in Highlands County since 1998. He and his wife, Renee, have been married 19 years. They have two children: Mattie, 17, and Amery, 14.

They are members of Venus United Methodist Church. n

A resident of Lorida, Aul has been a member of the cooperative since 1986. He is an office manager for a general construction firm in Lake Placid, which gives him the opportunity to work with people to design and build new homes and businesses.

Aul was elected to the Board of Trustees in March of 1996 and is completing his sixth term as a Trustee. He is a member of the Seminole Electric Cooperative Board of Trustees, serving on the administrative committee and various subcommittees.

He has completed numerous training sessions as a Trustee and has earned the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Credentialed Cooperative Director’s Certificate and Board Leadership Certificate.

Aul has two sons: Corey, 22, and Garrett, 20.

He and his family are members of First Presbyterian Church of Lake Placid. n

A lifelong resident of Okeechobee County, Lofton graduated from Okeechobee High School. She owns and operates a cattle ranch, which keeps her extremely busy.

“Being a Trustee takes a lot of time and commitment,” she says. “We cannot afford to miss meetings because the business of the cooperative must be handled. Keeping up with the changing utility environment in order to make sound business decisions is an ongoing challenge. I am particularly proud of our Operation Round Up program and system restoration.”

Elected to the board in March 1996, Lofton is completing her sixth term as a Trustee and also serves on the Glades Electric Educational Foundation. She has completed all certification classes through NRECA and earned a Credentialed Cooperative Director’s Certificate.

Lofton is a member of the Okeechobee Cattleman’s Association and the National Cattleman’s Association. n

Goodwill

McDonald’s

Clewiston Middle School 2014 Annual Meeting Location

W. Circle Drive

Lopez Street

Wal-Mart

N. Berner Road

Directions to Clewiston Middle School, site of the 69th Annual Meeting

U.S. Highway 27 Wendy’s To Moore Haven, Lake Placid & Sebring

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m a r c h 2 0 14

CVS

Hendry Regional Medical Center

To Miami

Proposed By-Law Amendments Glades Electric constantly seeks ways to more effectively and efficiently manage your cooperative. changes to procedures and policies have led to cost savings and improved service to our members. Periodically, we ask members to consider amending the By-Laws of the cooperative to help us better manage their investment.

With this in mind, we ask you to consider the following amendments (changes are underlined).

First Proposed Amendment Explanation: This remedies a lack of a solution in the event an election for trustee should result in a tie vote. We are suggesting the trustee retain their seat, the rationale being an incumbent has not been defeated if their opponent did not receive more votes.

RESOLVED, that the By-Laws of the cooperative be, and they are hereby amended, by adding after the last sentence of the first paragraph of Article IV, Trustees, Section 2: Election and Tenure of Office a sentence stating: “In the event of a tie vote between an incumbent trustee and any opposition candidate, the incumbent shall retain the position.”

Second Proposed Amendment Explanation: This helps ensure trustees have suitable credentials and exhibit the qualities required of this demanding position. Also, this helps eliminate the possibility of any conflicts of interest by restricting a trustee from being (or becoming) an employee of any entity owned, or controlled, by the cooperative for a period of 5 years.

RESOLVED, that the By-Laws of the cooperative be, and they are hereby amended, by inserting at the beginning of the sentence in item a and by inserting within the sentence of item D and by adding after the existing item E of Article IV, Trustees, Section 3: Qualifications: a. Be a natural person or individual and be a member of the cooperative for at least 12 months, maintain their primary residence in the district which the trustee represents and purchase electric energy from the cooperative at that residence; D. Not be employed by the cooperative or any entity controlled by the cooperative or an entity in which the cooperative owns a majority interest and must not have been employed by the cooperative for a period of two

five years before becoming a trustee, and no trustee may become an employee of the cooperative or any entity controlled by the cooperative or an entity in which the cooperative owns a majority interest for a minimum of two five years after leaving the board of trustees; F. Not been convicted of a felony or any misdemeanors involving dishonesty; G. Subjected to a criminal background check administered by the cooperative; h. Subjected to and passed the initial drug screenings administered by the cooperative for its employees; I. Subjected to a credit check performed by the cooperative without evidence of a history of financial irresponsibility; and J. Is a member in good standing of the cooperative without any disconnections for nonpayment of utility services within the last five (5) years. all persons desiring eligibility to become or remain a trustee shall be required to (1) execute a document that affirms compliance with the qualifications as stated in this article IV, Section 3 of these by-laws, and (2) provide a release for the cooperative to investigate and acquire reports necessary to affirm such compliance in order to be deemed qualified.

Third Proposed Amendment Explanation: This aligns the annual meeting notification parameters with the production and mailing schedule of Florida Currents magazine, the cooperative’s newsletter. This alleviates the need to delay, or otherwise alter, the normal mailing date of Florida Currents and provides GEC members with additional notification of the annual meeting.

RESOLVED, that the By-Laws of the cooperative be, and they are hereby amended, by the following change to the first sentence of Article III, Meeting of Members, Section 3: Notice of Members’ Meetings: Written or printed notice stating the place, day and hour of the meeting and, in case of a special meeting or an annual meeting at which business requiring special notice is to be transacted, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be delivered not less than 10 days nor more than forty-five 75 days before the date of the meeting, by or at the direction of the secretary, or by the person calling the meeting, to each member.

march 2014

7

Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

Operation Round Up Monthly Report More than 70 percent of Glades Electric Cooperative members participate in Operation Round Up. This program helps people in GEC’s service area who have exhausted normal avenues of financial assistance. Sign up today, and your electric bill will be rounded up to the nearest dollar. The extra is placed in the fund for deserving individuals and organizations.

As of February 5, your Charitable Trust Board of Directors has approved $813,929.25 in disbursements. These funds have provided assistance with food, emergency lodging, disaster relief and specific

emergency needs for 538 individuals and/or families and 112 community organizations.

The trust does not fund utility bills (electric, phone, water and gas) or budgets of organizations.

Organizations in our service counties may apply for funding for a specific need or project.

The Charitable Trust Board of Directors meets monthly to review applications for funding.  If you know of people who need and deserve assistance and live within our service area, encourage or help them to complete an application. Applications can be picked up at each of our three offices: Moore Haven, Lake Placid and Okeechobee.

High-Quality Surge Protection Offered by GEC Glades Electric Cooperative is proud to offer members a new choice in home surge protection with Meter Treater, manufactured by M-Ti. This Floridabased company’s meter-base protection devices have been protecting Florida homes since 1986. M-Ti also manufactures superior surge protection devices for commercial and industrial applications. The company has earned a reputation for innovative design, high-quality workmanship, and friendly, responsive customer service. Our members deserve nothing less! Contact a GEC office for more information.

Barbara Hughes District 1 Moore Haven Beverly Eaves District 2 Hendry County Kelly Brantley District 3 Ortona/Palmdale Dori Evans District 4 Lakeport Lori Thompson District 5 Venus/Hicora Lee Andrus District 6 Highlands Park

$25

Credit Winners

Jerry Chasteen District 7 Lorida

William and Lisa Lucas No. 104014-001 Robert and Donna Miles No. 13985-001

David McCadam District 8 Lake Josephine

Winners should call (800) 226-4024 or sign their name on this page and mail it to:

Angela Hodges District 9 Okeechobee

Florida Currents $25 Credit Glades Electric Cooperative P.O. Box 519 Moore Haven, FL 33471

8

Charitable Trust Board of Directors

M A R C H 2 0 14

Church of the Month

First Baptist Church of Lake Josephine 111 Lake Josephine Drive Sebring, FL 33875

The next meeting of the Charitable Trust Board of Directors is March 27 at 1 p.m. in Lake Placid.

Side Roads

Discoveries Off the Beaten Path

Pitching Ballpark Fun and Games Promotions director for minor league team provides baseball fans with extra entertainment

By Susan Suggs

Postcards From Florida

Hendry House, LaBelle

aven

s, Moore h

ale Conyer

Photo by D

On February 5, 1998, the Captain Francis A. hendry house—located at 512 Fraser St. in LaBelle—was added to the National Register of historic Places.

The frame vernacular house was built in 1914 for Captain hendry, LaBelle’s founder and county namesake. It is the only surviving building associated with hendry in the county.

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M A R C h 2 0 14

Blue Wahoos baseball involves more than pitching, hitting and running bases. On game day, Pensacola Bayfront Stadium becomes a big outdoor party.

The players, coaches and umpires are important pieces of the minor league product, but so are the behind-thescenes workers whose mission is to fill each game day with activities and promotions to Donna Kirby, right, promotions and community relations director keep the crowd entertained for the Blue Wahoos, visits with Daniel Rose, the team’s clubhouse and, often, out of their seats. attendant, prior to a game.

The leader of fun and games is Donna Kirby, whose “As soon as the Angels clinched the title with the Blue Wahoos is director of World Series, my team and I worked 36 promotions and community relations. hours straight preparing for interviews, “I’m involved in all sorts of fun things parades, getting product into and distribin my promotions role: find entertainment uted throughout Disneyland, etc.,” Donna acts, source and design stadium giveaway says. “We were running on pure adrenaitems, and layer in things for fans to line. I was able to meet nearly all of the do that will be fun for the whole fam- players and staff of that squad. As a dieily,” says Donna. “My ultimate job is hard Angels—and baseball—fan, being a to create a game-day atmosphere that part of that was like living in a dream.” is fun, interesting and exciting.”

Donna came to Pensacola for a “threeHer typical game day starts with week visit” in 2009 and was hired to join an 8:30 a.m. all-hands-on-deck prethe Wahoos—the Class AA Southern game meeting.

League affiliate of the Cincinatti Reds— “We review everything we need in 2012, their inaugural year. to know for the night’s game: spon“Our first year was like any new basesors, performers, national anthem ball team’s existence: a whirlwind and an singers, first pitches, groups on anomaly,” she says. “Our biggest takeaway the party decks and any special from year one was listen to the fans. celebrations—maybe a wedding “I’ve never known a more dedicated, proposal is taking place or a flyover,” warmhearted fan base than ours, and Donna says. “It’s a comprehensive overthat’s so energizing. Responding to fan view of how the night should go behind surveys, suggestions and comments is the scenes. Our front office staff is here an important foundation to the Blue until approximately one hour after the Wahoos’ philosophy for providing excelgame concludes, and then right back at it lent customer service.” the next morning at 8:30 a.m.”

The Blue Wahoos have made comWorking long days in baseball was not munity support a priority as part of their new for Donna. In 2002, when Disney commitment to excellent customer service. owned the Angels, she worked for Disney In her community relations role, Donna in Orlando managing a department called works with schools and nonprofits to help “Themed and Sports Memorabilia.” raise awareness for each entity’s cause.

Vietnam Memorial Wall Traveling to Florida

Donna represents the Blue Wahoos at the Flora-Bama 29th Annual Interstate Mullet Toss.

“Our community work involves things like having Kazoo (the team’s mascot) and the Street Team appear at events or sending players out to a grand opening or anything else we can do to help out in the community,” Donna explains. “Last year, we were honored to receive the John Henry Moss Award for Community Service for the entire Southern League.

“It was important because we are always looking to make a positive difference throughout the community.”

Asked what she likes best about her job, Donna starts with the fans and being part of the “baseball family.”

“I’m surprised by the small and connected world of baseball—across both minor and major leagues,” she says. “It’s an incredible industry to be a part of.

“I had the great fortune of meeting Sharon Robinson, daughter of the legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson, last year at an event out in Baker, Florida.

She sent a very thoughtful note which she ended with, ‘I’m so glad to have you as a part of the baseball family.’

“It was the first time I’d thought of my role or the Blue Wahoos’ role on such a stage, and it gives me chills on the spot.”

Donna also appreciates the staff that comes together at the stadium to make it all happen.

“I work with an incredibly smart, dedicated, loyal and perfection-driven team year-round,” Donna says. “There is a palpable family atmosphere among the front office staff. While everyone has their own responsibilities and tasks, we all work toward that common goal of providing our fans with the ultimate in affordable family fun.”

Donna promises that the Blue Wahoos’ third season—which opens at home on April 3 against the Tennessee Smokies— will be better than ever.

“My team and I challenge ourselves daily to stay organized, run efficiently and to be proactive so that we’re delivering a top-notch experience year-round,” she says. “Our mantra this season is take your best and make it better. Go Wahoos!” n

A three-fifths-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., will travel to four Florida communities during 2014.

The 6-foot-tall, 288-foot-long v-shaped black granite wall will be at Key Largo Community Park April 10-14; Wickham Park in Melbourne April 27-May 4; and Turner Agri-Civic Center in Arcadia December 4-7.

The memorial honors the 58,286 men and women who sacrificed their lives and the more than 3 million Americans who served with the U.S. armed forces during the Vietnam War. “For our young people and children, our hope is to build the bridge of understanding through education about the Vietnam War,” said Army veteran Carl Roy, founder of the group bringing the memorial to the Keys.

“For generations familiar with this war, we hope to bring a level of healing.

“Our society cannot forget those great sacrifices or the values those veterans exemplified through their service and heroism. Although the active American role in the war ended 41 years ago in 1972, it is important that all our citizens know about and honor the sacrifices that were made.”

The traveling memorial honors those who gave their lives during the Vietnam War. Photo by Maureen Welsh

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11

Major League Dreams All kinds of dreams are lived out at baseball’s spring training

By David LaBelle

Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen— honored as the 2013 National League MVP—watches a homerun ball fly out of the park during a 2013 spring training game.

McCutchen was the first Pirate to win the award since Barry Bonds.

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m a r c h 2 0 14

Like sleeping seeds in the cold winter earth, baseball dreams awaken in March with the warmth and hope of spring training. And like plants that burst through melting snow, some of those dreams will blossom into beautiful flowers by summer.

This month, hundreds of prospects and non-roster invitees—many unpaid, except for meal money— arrive in camp armed with dreams of playing in the major leagues. For many, this tryout will be an experience of a lifetime, as close as they will ever come to the big leagues. But for a lucky few, spring training will be the door that opens to the “show.”

As a young boy, I would whack creek stones with mop handles and broomsticks and watch them sail out of sight, pretending I was Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays. I dreamed of playing in the big leagues.

I also dreamed of going to spring training. As I aged, it became one of those “bucket list” things I longed to do while still young enough to enjoy it.

Five decades removed from my boyhood dreams, I was on a plane for Arizona, then on to Florida.

A Cactus League Dream Come True Leaving cold, gray, snowy climes for warm, sundrenched Arizona and Cactus League spring training felt too good to be true. The cloudless desert sky couldn’t have been bluer and the late morning sun warmed my thawing flesh—a perfect day for baseball.

Coaches and players sauntered onto the field.

Dodgers Matt Kemp and newcomer Yasiel Puig worked down the right-field foul line toward the dugout, signing baseballs, cards, programs, hats and jerseys. Near home plate, Manager Don Mattingly and Hitting Coach Mark McGwire patiently autographed everything pushed at them.

The next day, I watched the Angels play the Padres with superstars Albert Pujols, newly acquired Josh Hamilton and 2012 AL Rookie of the Year Mike Trout. San Diego had a highly touted rookie from West Virginia named Jedd Gyorko I hoped to see play.

If I were looking for an omen it was going to be a great baseball year, I needed to look no further than the seat I had purchased. It was occupied by Peter Gammons, the great baseball writer. He immediately got up and quietly apologized.

“Oh, no, please stay,” I offered. “You’ve earned the right to sit wherever you like.”

But he slipped away, trying to be invisible while watching the game and taking notes.

Baseball Memories Passed to Next Generation Waiting for the game to begin, I closed my eyes and breathed in the swirling scents of roasted peanuts, grilled onions, sunscreen and that sweet, sweet smell of infield earth aroused by sprays of water.

The aromas carried me back to my first professional baseball game with my grandfather at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. I was 9 or 10 years old.

For a boy raised on a rural frog farm—and who played Little League on an outfield pocked with gopher holes—stepping up through those dark cement tunnels out into the bright light changed me.

Washed in golden light and brilliant color, I had never seen greener grass, redder earth or straighter white chalk lines. I stood in disbelief reading the names on the backs of jerseys, names of my heroes, names I had heard on the radio.

I had never seen anything more magnificent or beautiful. I wanted to stay there forever.

Now, sitting alone bathed in sunshine and nostalgia, my throat tightened. I thought about my grandfather’s dream. Clarence was a high school knuckleball pitching star in Oklahoma, with dreams of playing in the majors. Scouted by the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was offered a contract. But his parents refused to sign

for him. They believed baseball was a game with no money and no future. Their son needed to get a real job and help out the family.

Angry, my grandfather ran away, lied about his age and joined the Army. He was sent to France, where he mostly played the tuba in the Army band and pitched for Army baseball teams.

After World War II, he played a lot of semi-pro ball, but his window of opportunity had closed.

He passed his love for the game to me, his oldest grandson. He hoped someday I would do what he could not: play in the major leagues.

A Grapefruit League Adventure Florida was magical, mostly because I had my son Tucker with me. This second half of my dream trip was a father-and-son adventure, a 13th birthday present for my second-oldest son. Watching Tuck buddy up to other kids—he has never been shy— and together race to get autographs and beg players for broken bats warmed and tickled my heart.

We visited McKechnie Field in Bradenton, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Originally built for the St. Louis Cardinals and the onetime home of the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, I tried to imagine the

players whose spikes had cut into the thick grass and sandy soil on this piece of sacred earth. Legends like Ruth, Williams, Mazeroski, Clemente, Aaron, Stargell and Schmidt honed their skills here.

During batting practice before a game with the Orioles, I told Pirate skipper Clint Hurdle that I had photographed him during his rookie year in Kansas City. Seated on a bucket, feverishly working gum, he stopped, grinned and extended his hand. “Well, that means we’ve both been around a long time,” he said.

Near a practice field, Red Sox prospects, mostly pitchers, were taking a break in the shade. I asked where they were from. They named different states.

I asked if any felt they would make it to the majors.

“Yeah, I’ll get there,” quipped 23-year-old Braden Kapteyn, in his second full year of spring training.

Drafted out of the University of Kentucky in the 15th round in 2011, the former infielder, designated hitter and pitcher from the Chicago area was assigned to Class A Greenville. “I will be one of those names you hear about. I’ve always believed that.”

One of my favorite players, Dodger Andre Ethier, sent female hearts racing when he came near the dugout and began signing.

Ethier grew up in the Phoenix, Arizona, area, attending ChandlerGilbert Community College and Arizona State University.

Dreams Abound Amidst Fears of Failure Spring training is alive with hope, optimism and outward confidence. Few players like to admit it, but march 2014

13

Signed right out of high school, lefthanded pitcher Tom Richardson played minor league ball for the Pirates from 1956-1959. As a player, he attended two seasons of spring training. This was his first from the stands. Read his story at www. floridacurrents. com/baseball-tom.

Drafted in 2011 as an outfielder by the Chicago Cubs, Ben Klafczynski got a second chance in the majors as a relief pitcher with Boston. Read his story at www. floridacurrents. com/baseball-ben.

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thoughts of injury or poor performance are everpresent. The pressure is real, in spite of what appears to be a fun, relaxed environment.

Players and parents know the odds: Fewer than 1 percent of all players will make it to the big leagues.

Stories of high school and college stars falling on their faces, languishing in the minor leagues or suffering career-ending injuries are plentiful.

But on this warm spring day, dreams push down any secret fears.

For some, like Yankee prospect Pat Venditte Jr., major league dreams began even before baseball’s only ambidextrous pitcher could throw a baseball with either arm. Pat’s parents carried their 3-monthold son to his first World Series between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985.

Later, his father, Pat Sr.—a skilled baseball player in his own right—trained his son to throw and pitch with both hands, hoping to give the child an athletic edge. He also taught him to kick with either foot.

It has been has been a long, emotional, but good road for the Venditte family, Pat Sr. admitted.

“There’s been a lot of eating at McDonalds and sleeping in campers,” he says.

Twenty-seven years after the I-70 World Series, and after six seasons in the minor leagues and playing out of the United States, the talented “switch” pitcher who throws equally well from either side was promoted to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for opening day of the 2012 season.

Then, just when it appeared Pat was on the cusp of realizing his dream to pitch in the major leagues, he suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder. He spent the entire 2013 season rehabilitating it.

Pat Sr. said his son’s shoulder healed fine, and he is ready for spring 2014.

“What a great adventure for us, and always as a family,” said Janet, the pitcher’s mother. “We have friends all over Venezuela and Mexico. Pat and I are enjoying the ride as long as it lasts. We are thankful.”

Bonding Over Baseball Spring training is about more than player or parent dreams. It is about relationships and traditions.

In the cozy, sun-bleached Toronto Blue Jays stadium in Dunedin, Florida, sunrays bounced off blue and white seats and balding heads, sending fans hunting for shade, liquids and sunscreen.

A father and son, each wearing a jersey with their favorite player’s name on the back, arrived early to watch their beloved Phillies. It was their first spring training game together.

“He is taking off school,” Harry McKenna said of 11-year-old son Matt. “This is more important than

what he does for school. This is life experience.”

In Phoenix, after a long, successful day of snagging practice balls, getting autographs and watching a night game, Todd and Cherrie Winebarger splashed in a motel pool along with their two children, Kristin, 13, and Gavin, 11. This was the Winebargers’ 10th consecutive year of wrapping a family vacation around spring training.

“My father used to take me to games. Now I am taking my children,” the proud father shared.

Luis Marrero, 51, from Miami, waited hours in the cold with his son, Javier, 14, for players to arrive at the Yankee complex, hoping to get autographs.

After 15 years of spring training camps and 3,150 autographs, Marrero still gets excited meeting players and getting autographs. He has some of the greats, including Derek Jeter, Jackie Robinson (his father got that one), even George Steinbrenner.

On this day, he was on a special mission: to get the autograph of Yankee catching prospect J.R. Murphy on a black bat with the player’s name stamped onto it. The high school star from Bradenton, Florida, was drafted by the Yankees in 2009 and given more than a million-dollar signing bonus.

“He will go all the way,” Marrero assured excitedly.

He spotted Murphy and called to him. Graciously, the young star in pinstripes came close to the chainlink gates and signed the barrel of the bat in silver.

A giddy Marrero thanked him and patted him on the back. The wait had been worth it.

Game Looked Different Through Older Eyes After the Cactus League games, I felt confused.

I didn’t feel the excitement I had hoped I would.

Maybe spring training was a dream that belonged to my youth, something I should have done 30 years earlier, when the Dodgers were still in Vero Beach.

Or maybe it was because I was alone in Arizona, with no one to share what I was experiencing.

I am not sure what I was looking for or hoped to find on these fields of dreams, but some things became crystal clear: The game I dreamed about as a child looked different through older eyes.

Though I watched many young people line up to get autographs, I never saw the same wonder in the eyes of the youth that I felt as a boy. I wasn’t sure why, which troubled me no small amount.

Maybe it is because they have seen the players up close many times on television, computer screens and iPods. I had only seen the faces of my heroes on baseball cards before I saw them in person.

Many rant that the game of baseball is different now, that it was ruined by money. I don’t believe either premise. What I do believe is that television

Boston Red Sox prospects and accomplished players enter Little Fenway in Fort Myers, Florida, prior to a spring training game.

was the thief that stole our imaginations.

But what I felt missing in the youngsters I found abundant in the older players and fans—those who had seen baseball’s great ones play, who had played on ragged fields, and rode slow trains and brokendown buses, yet never fulfilled their dreams of playing even one day in the major leagues.

I watched reverently as a Red Sox minor leaguer from the past, now in a wheelchair, was hoisted onto the Little Fenway infield by three pairs of strong hands. Floridian Pat Lewis, 86, once dreamed of playing in the major leagues. After signing a minor league contract in 1944, he labored 51/2 seasons in the Red Sox farm system, never quite making it to the majors.

An Antidote for Forgetting Life’s Challenges Baseball is such a healing game. In Dunedin, a businessman from Michigan, who turned usher for 10 days, said he came to spring training hoping to take his mind off a recent divorce.

“It is working,” he confessed.

In Arizona, I watched several players give highfives and fist-bumps to a child in wheelchair. Six year-old Isaac Lill and his family traveled from Albuquerque, New Mexico, courtesy of the Dodgers’ Matt Kemp, the child’s favorite player.

Kemp and the boy struck up a friendship when

Kemp was rehabbing in Triple-A. Kemp has paid to fly the boy and his family to several Dodger games.

The touching scene reminded me that though the game grows more complicated, and some salaries are impossible for the average working American to comprehend, baseball is still about people—and dreams. And dreams do come true.

Nearly a year after the journey, my son Tucker still talks about the spring training trip, about meeting players and getting broken bats and signed baseballs, and staying alone with his dad in a motel with a great breakfast and dinner buffet.

J.R. Murphy, who began the 2013 season with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders of the Triple-A International League, was called up by the Yankees on September 1, when rosters were expanded. The next day he entered the game as a pinch hitter for superstar Robinson Cano. Murphy promptly beat out a hard smash to third for a single in his first at-bat.

My youngest son, Henry, is a gifted athlete with a fiery, competitive spirit who dreams of becoming a professional baseball or basketball player. He never says “if,” but “when” I make it to the pros.

And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, he will realize the dream his great-grandfather never could. n To read additional stories, visit www.floridacurrents.com. For more photos, see www.facebook.com/floridacurrents.

During spring training, the Boston Red Sox paid tribute to Pat Lewis, 86, who spent 51/2 years in the organization’s farm system in the 1940s. “I’m in awe,” the Floridian said from his wheelchair, which was hoisted onto the field. “I never saw fields like this in the minor leagues.”

Isaac Lill looks up to a player from his favorite team, the Dodgers. Star Matt Kemp struck up a friendship when Isaac—who has a spinal condition that prevents him from walking—ran the bases without the use of his legs at the Albuquerque Isotopes park. march 2014

15

In the Kitchen

Recipes That Satisfy

Pasta with salmon and green beans is a delicious way to incorporate seafood into a healthy diet.

Choose Seafood for Healthy, Delicious Dining Eating seafood at least twice a week can help protect against heart disease, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines for Americans. To keep hearts healthy, the USDA recommends eating eight ounces of seafood per week.

Following are ways to add delicious, heart-healthy seafood to your diet: • Prepare lean and flavorful seafood by using healthy cooking methods such as grilling, roasting or baking. Skip calorie- and fat-laden methods such as frying and breading, or by adding rich sauces.

• Add flavor using spices and fresh or dried herbs as seasonings.

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• Serve seafood with healthy sides, such as whole grains, roasted vegetables and crisp greens.

Salt Black pepper, freshly ground Lemon wedges and sprigs of thyme for garnish

Salmon Penne with Green Beans Vinaigrette

Cook pasta in boiling water for about 8 minutes—or according to package instructions—until al dente. Add green beans during the last 3 to 4 minutes of cooking time.

Drain pasta and beans, reserving 3 tablespoons cooking liquid. Return pasta, beans and reserved liquid to pan. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme leaves, garlic salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

While pasta cooks, rinse any ice glaze from frozen salmon under cold water.

Pat fish dry with a paper towel.

12 ounces whole-wheat penne (or other pasta) ½ pound fresh green beans, trimmed and halved Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves ½ teaspoon garlic salt 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 12 ounces salmon, fresh, thawed or frozen

Heat a heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Brush both sides of salmon with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place in a heated skillet and cook, uncovered, about 3 to 4 minutes, until browned. Shake the pan occasionally to keep from sticking.

Turn the salmon over; cover the pan tightly and reduce heat to medium. Cook 3 to 4 minutes for fresh/thawed salmon, or an additional 6 to 8 minutes for frozen salmon. Cook just until fish is opaque throughout.

Break fish into large chunks and remove any skin. Add fish to pasta. Cook and stir gently over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon wedges and thyme sprigs.

Serves 5

Cod Moroccan-Style with Mango-Carrot Slaw 4 cod fillets (4 to 6 ounces each), fresh, thawed or frozen 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped (2 to 3 shallots) 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 2 teaspoons ginger, freshly grated 14.5-ounce can vegetable broth, divided 1 teaspoon sugar 4 cloves garlic, chopped Large pinch of saffron 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon allspice 2 cups dry couscous ¼ cup almond slices, toasted

Mango Slaw 1 mango, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups) 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely sliced 1/2 cup carrot, shredded ¼ cup cilantro, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon grated lime peel 2 teaspoons orange juice 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Rinse any ice glaze from frozen fillets under cold water. Pat fillets dry with a paper towel.

Heat heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of cod with 1 tablespoon oil.

Place fish in a heated skillet and cook, uncovered, about 3 to 4 minutes, until browned. Shake pan occasionally to keep the fish from sticking.

Turn fish over, cover pan tightly and reduce heat to medium. Cook 3 to 4 minutes for fresh/thawed cod, or an additional 6 to 8 minutes for frozen cod.

Cook just until fish is opaque throughout. Remove fish from pan; keep warm.

In the same pan, sauté shallots in 1 tablespoon oil just until soft, about 2 minutes. Add cilantro, ginger, 1 cup vegetable broth, sugar, garlic, saffron, cinnamon and allspice; cook until thickened.

Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions, using remaining vegetable broth as part of the liquid.

To make slaw, combine mango, bell pepper, carrot and cilantro in a large bowl.

In a separate small bowl, blend lime juice and peel, orange juice, honey and cinnamon. Pour dressing over slaw; toss.

For each serving, place about 3/4 cup couscous on a plate and top with 1/2 cup mango slaw. Top with a fish fillet. Pour 1/4 cup shallot sauce over fish and garnish with 1 tablespoon toasted almonds.

Serves 4

Warm Halibut Potato Salad 1 pound small white or red new potatoes 4 halibut fillets (4 to 6 ounces each), fresh, thawed or frozen 1 tablespoon olive oil Pepper, to taste 1 teaspoon dried dill 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped 1 cup fresh (or canned) mandarin orange segments*

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped ½ teaspoon seasoning salt 5 ounces arugula

Dressing ½ cup green onions, sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup orange juice 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Boil potatoes in salted water just until tender; drain and cool slightly. Slice potatoes in 1/4-inch-thick rounds.

Rinse any ice glaze from frozen halibut under cold water. Pat fish dry with a paper towel.

Heat a heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Brush both sides of fish with olive oil. Place in heated skillet and cook, uncovered, about 3 to 4 minutes, until browned. Shake pan occasionally to keep the fish from sticking.

Turn fish over; season with pepper and dried dill. Cover pan tightly and reduce heat to medium. Cook 3 to 4 minutes for fresh/thawed halibut, or an additional 6 to 8 minutes for frozen halibut. Cook just until fish is opaque throughout. Break fish into large chunks and remove any skin.

Mix parsley, celery, red pepper, orange segments, fresh dill and seasoning salt together in large bowl. Add potatoes and stir.

To make dressing, sauté green onions in olive oil. Add orange juice and mustard; whisk. While warm, pour dressing over salad. Add fish chunks and mix gently.

To serve, portion a handful of arugula onto plates, and top with halibut potato salad. *If using canned mandarins, omit orange juice and use the juice in the can.

Serves 6

All recipes and photos courtesy of Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute Correction: The measurements for two ingredients were missing in last month’s recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Bread. The recipe should include 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon vanilla. march 2014

17

Florida Gardening

Advice From the Front-Yard Farmer

Five Keys to Growing Vegetables For many, “we’re not in Kansas anymore” invokes childhood memories of the lovely Judy Garland, a motion picture and more adventure than most would expect from one young woman and a dog.

But for me, those words sum up Florida vegetable gardening for newcomers.

The unique challenges created by our climate, soil and pest pressure often require approaches and applications that range from slightly dissimilar to wildly different than those found in other areas of the country.

Addressing and dealing with those differences are the foundation of my five keys to successful vegetable gardening in Florida: right place, right soil, right variety, right time and right now!

The right place for your vegetable garden is one that gets lots of sunlight—at least six to eight hours a day for most vegetables. Leafy, green veggies can tolerate a little less.

We can improve poor soil, but there is no substitute for sunlight. Do not underestimate its importance.

Successfully grow sweet corn and other vegetables in your Florida home garden by planting the right varieties in the right place at the right time, and giving your crops the care they need when they need it.

Photo by Dennis Gilson

Choose a location with sufficient sunlight in both winter and spring, close to your source of water and conveniently located near the house.

The right soil for vegetable gardening does not occur naturally in Florida, so we must amend the soil to make it more favorable.

Organic matter, such as compost, is added to the soil to provide nutrients and hold moisture. Testing the pH of the soil—and correcting it, if necessary—increases a plant’s ability to take up nutrients. Local cooperative extension services typically offer soil testing.

The right variety often means a cultivar other than what is commonly grown outside the South. Select varieties that are resistant to

Dennis Gilson lives and gardens in Niceville.

Widely known as the Front-Yard Farmer, Dennis has grown vegetables, fruits and berries in the Florida Panhandle for more than 30 years. He shares his experience and offers timely advice at his website, FrontYardFarmer.com.

18

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disease, stand up to the heat and humidity (often labeled as a “Southern Performer” or something similar), and which grow and mature in our somewhat abbreviated growing periods.

The right time to plant in Florida is often madly different than other parts of the country. While planting times vary for north, central and South Florida, in most instances, we are planting crops long before most.

Getting an early start on our warm-season garden often is vital because most vegetables will not grow during the heat of the summer, as they do elsewhere.

Recommended planting dates for the state can be found at my website, www.frontyardfarmer.com.

Remember, the dates are meant to serve as guidelines and are not set in stone.

The right time also applies to the application of fertilizer, disease control and pesticides.

Plants in the garden susceptible to disease should be treated early on and regularly as a preventative measure.

Most pesticides are applied only after observing a growing population of insects or unacceptable insect damage.

There are exceptions, such as treating corn for corn worms and squash for vine borers in anticipation of their arrival.

Fertilizer, too, must be applied regularly and in a timely fashion. Most warmseason vegetables require a side dressing of fertilizer every three to four weeks. The timing of fertilizing is even more important in organic gardening because of the lack of fastrelease nitrogen in organic fertilizers and compost.

Right now! My last, but immensely crucial, key to success. Don’t let the new season catch you unprepared. There is no better time than right now to get things organized and ready for your next vegetable garden. 

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Travel Journal

Tips for Affordable Family Adventures

Go Fly a Kite

Whether you fly your own or sit on the sand and watch the pros at work, there is no shortage of fun or places to go when it comes to flying a kite.

This time of year brings ideal weather for flying a kite.

Clear skies, large open areas with no obstructions or power lines, and breezy winds offer the best conditions.

Wind speeds of 5 to 15 mph are best, though different types of kites are suited for different winds.

When the winds get a little stronger (15 to 25 mph), box kites and stickless parafoil kites—which resemble parachutes—are your best bet.

Parafoil kites are easy to fly regardless of age. And no worries if this type of kite happens to crash. There is nothing that can break.

Florida beaches offer the perfect setting for kite flying, as well as a kite shops and kite festivals. A few choice sites just right for flying a kite include Clearwater Beach in Clearwater, Treasure Island Beach in St. Petersburg, Sanibel Causeway in Sanibel Island, Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park in Key West and Okaloosa Island in

Photo courtesy of VisitFlorida.com

the Gulf-front beach community of Fort Walton Beach.

Try your hand at a single line kite first. For mastering amazing loops and spins, opt for the two- or four-line stunt kites. Once you get the kite up in the air, aim for a height between 50 to 100 feet.

Now go out, pull some strings and watch your inhibitions soar into the skies along with your kite.

Seeking Shells Sanibel Island is supreme for its shelling potential. But you also will find some treasurefilled shelling opportunities along the coastal islands of Lee County.

Kris Wetherbee is an author and award-winning recipe developer. She writes about outdoor living, travel, gardening, natural health and cooking for numerous publications, including Florida Currents.

Visit her website at www.kriswetherbee.com.

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If starfish, conch and sand dollars are the treasures you prize, head to Upper Captiva and Cayo Costa, or charter a boat for specialized shelling excursions to offshore islands.

No matter where you shell, remember that wildlife refuges are off limits for shelling.

Go to Court Add this to your must-see list of historic places to visit.

The Old Wakulla County Courthouse in Crawfordville is Florida’s only wood-frame courthouse still in use.

Built in 1892-93, this site was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on May 3, 1976.

Crawfordville is the county seat and most populated area of Wakulla County.

Reader Tip “My husband and I have taken a lot of day trips and

some longer ones around the state in search of interesting historical sites, breathtaking views of the ocean and Gulf, and peaceful out-of-the-way Florida places. We especially enjoy getting off of the interstates and turnpike and seeing what the towns off the beaten path have to offer. And to aid in our search, I have collected some Florida books at our local library’s used bookstore and use those as travel guides.”

—Kay McCullough, Ocala Tell Us Your Travel Tip What’s your favorite activity in winter, spring, summer or fall? Where’s the best beach and why? Where do you like to go for a weekend getaway?

What hidden gem or familyfriendly activity is your go-to?

Send us your reader travel tip in 100 words or less to info@floridacurrents.com. 

Festival Roundup

Things to See and Do

February 27-March 9, Key Largo Art Guild of the Purple Isles 48th Annual Members Judged Show Paintings, photography and sculptures are showcased from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at the Key Largo Library Community Room at the Tradewinds Shopping Center, MM 101.4. Vote for your favorite and visit with artists. Admission is free.

March 1, Key West 52nd Annual Conch Shell Blowing Contest Contestants in several age categories attempt to make “music” on fluted conch shells in the garden of the Oldest House, 322 Duval St. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. and the contest is at noon.

www.artguildofthepurpleisles.com; (305) 451-2726

March 1, Marathon Annual House and Garden Tour and Celebrate Spring Flower Show The Marathon Garden Cub hosts a judged flower show at its headquarters, MM 50 bayside, and a house and garden tour in the Key Colony Beach area. Both events begin at 10 a.m. and run until 4 p.m. Tickets are $25 or $20 if purchased in advance.

February 28-March 1, Moore Haven Chalo Nitka Festival and Rodeo Celebrating Glades County’s relationship with the Seminole Tribe, the event features traditional huts, Indian food vendors, traditional Native American arts and crafts, midway games, rides, a parade and vendor booths. Admission is $5.

Cindy Wooten, (305) 289-7700; clmwooten@aol.com

March 1, Marathon 8th Annual Sombrero Beach Run The Southernmost Runners Club invites you to participate in a 10K run or a 5K walk to benefit the local food bank. The event starts at 8 a.m.

March 1-2, Tallahassee Re-enactment of the Battle of Natural Bridge The event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park marks the 149th anniversary of the Civil War battle that took place 12 miles south of Tallahassee.

www.sombrerobeachrun.com

www.floridastateparks.org; (850) 922-6007

March 1-2, Bradenton Orange Blossom Festival Visit Mixon Fruit Farms from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the famous Wallenda tightrope walkers, citrus-themed games, bungee jumping, a zipline, a car show, music, dancing, circus performances, crafts and food. Kids can pretend to farm on real tractors and interact with animals. Compete in a frying-pan toss, ice cream eating and seed-spitting contests. www.mixon.com; (941) 748-5829

Karyn Adamek of Lutz, Florida, created “Iron Horses” from recycled metal. It will be displayed at Centennial Park.

Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition The Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency is participating in the 14th Annual Florida Outdoor Sculpture Competition. Hosted by the Polk Museum of Art, more than 50 pieces of outdoor sculptures are submitted for exhibit consideration in Lakeland, Winter Haven and, this year, Sebring. Six sculptures will be installed in downtown Sebring by March 7. The exhibition runs through January 25, 2015. Sculptures will be secured on a concrete slab and accompanied by a plaque with details about the artist and sculpture. For more information, visit www. downtownsebring.org.

march 2 0 1 4

www.swampfestweekiwachee.com

(305) 294-9501; oldisland@comcast.net

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March 7-9, Spring Hall SwampFest 2014 Weeki Wachee Springs State Park hosts the 21st annual event, which features a swamp monster contest, food and entertainment. Admission is $8.

March 1-2, Bushnell World War II Weekend Re-enactors, camp equipment, military vehicles, weapons demonstrations, Big Band music and battle engagement commemorate World War II from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park.

Admission is $3, but free to WWII vets and children 6 and younger. www.floridastateparks.org; (352) 793-4781

March 7-8, Pensacola Smokin’ in the Square Cookoff Professional barbecue teams from around the U.S. compete for cash and points, and local barbecue enthusiasts compete for cash and bragging rights. The event is Friday, noon to 9 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Seville Square.

Proceeds benefit local charities. www.smokininthesquare.com

March 8-9, Milton 25th Riverwalk Arts Festival Entertainment, arts, children’s activities and great food are featured Saturday,10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. 5 p.m., at Riverwalk Park. www.sracf.org; (850) 981-1100

March 8-9, Okeechobee Speckled Perch Festival and Parade The downtown event kicks off with a parade that wraps around Flagler Park, where local talent, and food and arts and craft vendors are featured. www.okeechobeemainstreet.org

March 8-9, Marathon Original Marathon Seafood Festival Delicacies from the waters of the Keys highlight this munch-fest sponsored by the Organized Fishermen of Florida and the Marathon Chamber of Commerce at Marathon Community Park, MM 49 oceanside. Florida Keys Art Guild also hosts an open-air art show at the entrance to the festival. www.marathonseafoodfestival.com; (305) 743-5417

March 9-13, LaBelle 13th Annual Big “O” Birding Festival Look for more than 300 species of birds that call Glades and Hendry counties home along the southwest shores of Lake Okeechobee. Bus and boat tours are available, along with self-guided tours. Speakers address bird topics each evening. www.bigobirdingfestival.com; (863) 675-0444

March 11-16, Okeechobee Okeechobee County Fair A petting zoo, banana derby, magic show and animal exhibits are among the highlights. www.okeechobeecountyfair.com; (863) 467-1690

March 14-15, Key West 54th Annual Key West House & Garden Tours From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., tour elegant and unique private homes of Key West, ranging from exquisite restorations to creative renovations.

Tickets are $30. Proceeds benefit the Old Island Restoration Foundation. www.oirf.org; (305) 294-9501

March 15, Islamorada Pops in the Park Bring blankets or lawn chairs to Founders Park, MM87, bayside, and listen to the Florida Keys Community Concert Band. The free performance begins at 4 p.m. www.keyscommunityconcertband.org; (305) 853-7294

How to Submit Your Events Want to include a family-friendly event in an upcoming listing?

Send it to info@florida currents.com. Include the date, town, times, details and a way for readers to get more information.

Please submit the item at least 60 days before the event. If you own the rights to a high-resolution photo promoting this year’s event, or from a past year’s event, please attach it along with photo credit information.

The Story of Noah This theatrical adventure staged at the Hardee County Cattleman’s Arena in Wauchula features more than 200 people and 100 live animals. Typically, the account of Noah is presented as a charming children’s story with the eccentric old man who builds his ark, gathers his animals and faces the great flood. This production is intended to capture the challenges Noah faced as he struggled to build the ark and preach to a wicked world. Performances are at 7:30 p.m.

Fridays and Saturdays beginning March 28 and continuing through April. All performances are interpreted for the deaf. Don’t miss the patriotic pre-show Pictures of Freedom at 7 p.m.

Tickets—which go on sale March 3—are $21 for adults, $19 for children, seniors and groups of 25. For more information, visit www.storyofnoah.org or call (863) 375-4031.

March 15-16, Estero Antique Engine Show All kinds of engines, tractors, vehicles, gadgets and gizmos are displayed throughout Koreshan State Historic Site from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. www.floridastateparks.org; (239) 992-0311

March 16, Islamorada In the Garden Jazz Brunch A benefit for the United Way of the Florida Keys features live music by the Island Jazz Ensemble and a catered brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kaiyo Grill, MM 81.7, oceanside. All money raised stays in the Keys. Tickets are $60, or $25 for children 10 and younger.

(305) 735-1929; admin@keysunitedway.org

March 22, Islamorada 5th Annual Woofstock Enjoy a day of peace, paws and music from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Founders Park. The event— which promotes dog adoption—features live

music on two stages, Woofstock merchandise, an adoption village, food, beverages, vendors, a lure chase course and dock-diving dogs. Local rescues, breed specific and the Marrvelous Pet Rescues tent are invited. Free to the public. Wellbehaved, leashed dogs welcome. www.keyswoofstock.com; (305) 453-1315

March 22-23, Osprey 10th Annual Sarasota Folk Festival Musicians from around the state share their love of folk music from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Oscar Scherer State Park.

MM 81.8, across from the Hurricane Monument. Music and fun for the entire family. walter.mason@islamorada.fl.us

March 29, Ellenton 8th Annual Pork Butts and Blues Festival Enjoy live bands, food, auctions, raffles and a beer tent from noon to 8 p.m. at Ellenton VFW Post 9226, 3511 12th St. E. Admission is $5 at the gate. The event benefits the VFW Retirement Home at Fort McCoy. www.vfwveteransvillage.org

March 30, Marathon 17th Annual Taste of the Islands Presented by the Marathon chapter of Business and Professional Women, enjoy tastes of local restaurants vying for honors for appetizer, dessert or entree. The event is from noon to 4 p.m. at Key Colony Beach City Park. Music, vendors, a fashion show, and a live and silent auction are among other activities. Admission is free, but tastes are 10 tickets for $20. Proceeds benefit BPW scholarships and Keys community projects.

(305) 393-9501 or (305) 731-6368

www.sarasotafolkfestival.org

March 23, Islamorada Pig Roast and Silent Auction The Islamorada Firefighters Benevolent Association hosts its annual benefit to fund training and equipment. The barbecue is from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Islamorada Fire Station 20,

March 30, Sebring Bird Expo Birds, cages, supplies, toys, food and more are featured from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Johnson & Johnson Wood Products, 5948 State Road 66.

Admission is $4, free for children younger than 12.

Brenda, (863) 385-1966; birdnestbox@gmail.com

march 2 0 1 4

23

Outdoor Pursuits

Enjoying the Natural World Around Us

Open Season For Shark Teeth Shark-tooth hunting combines the best of adventure, science, sun and water, which is why it’s a family favorite in Florida.

Fertile hunting grounds await those who are willing to get a little wet and dirty. The key is knowing where to go, when to go and what to bring.

The Peace River and the beaches of Venice, Florida, are two premier locations. In fact, Venice is known as the sharktooth capital of the world.

This year’s season in the Peace River is shaping up to be an especially promising one, with below-normal water levels. The best times to go are the low-water months of March, April and May. Less water means better access and digging conditions.

At a minimum, you need a shovel and some kind of sifting apparatus, such as a household strainer, for draining water and sifting away sand. Many fossil hunters make their own sifter out of two-by-fours and wire mesh.

Public boat ramps along the river are popular places to search for fossils, but they often are crowded and the ground is picked over. A

Most of the land along the Peace River and other fossil-bearing bodies of water are privately owned.

Always restrict your digging to the riverbed and public areas where sharktooth hunting is allowed.

Photo by iStock.com/juicybits

canoe or kayak is a perfect way to get away from the crowds and find the exposed areas of gravel that mark the best hunting grounds.

Other things you might want to take include a collecting bucket, water shoes, sunscreen, hat, dry clothes, towel, snacks and plenty of water.

One last word: A permit is required for collecting anything other than shark teeth and invertebrate fossils.

It is available from the Florida Museum of Natural History.

The cost is $5 per year. For more information, visit the museum website at www. tinyurl.com/kkvlq6g.

Where the Bass Are Bass season is off to a great start, with its peak still to

Many of Curtis Condon’s fondest memories involve outdoor adventures with friends and family, whether fishing with old school buddies, backpacking in the mountains of the Northwest with his sons or bird watching along the Gulf Coast with his wife. He feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to write about the outdoors and other subjects for more than 30 years.

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MARCH 2014

come. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has compiled a list of the season’s hottest bass fishing sites, including Lake Istokpoga, Lake Okeechobee, Lake Tarpon and the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes. Visit www.myfwc.com/fishing and click on “Fishing Sites/ Forecasts” to see the complete list and get details about each hotspot.

Outdoor 101: On Guard for Giardia Most people are aware of the health hazards of giardia. It is a fairly commonplace parasite found in some lakes, streams and rivers. However, despite a popular misconception, you don’t have to drink water tainted with giardia to develop symptoms. It can be contracted by swimming or even washing your face in tainted water if it is ingested incidentally.

If you are unsure about the quality of a water source, boil it, filter it or avoid it altogether—even if it’s just

to wash your face or hands.

Use hand sanitizer or wipes instead of washing in a questionable water source.

What Day is It? Girl Scout Day, March 12 The Girl Scouts was founded on this day in 1912, when Juliette Gordon Low formed the first group in Savannah, Georgia.

Take a Walk in the Park Day, March 30 What a great excuse to get outdoors and get some fresh air and exercise. Take this opportunity to experience all of the wonders Florida parks have to offer.

Got a Tip or a Whopper?

Send us your favorite outdoor tip, photo or story. If selected for publication in Florida Currents, we will send you $25 for one-time use. When sending a photo, identify people and pets, and tell us the story behind the picture.

Email your submission to info@floridacurrents.com.

Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

Powering Your Home With Renewables When you think about renewable energy, what comes to mind? Wind turbines?

Sunshine and solar panels?

Chances are, when you picture renewable resources, you probably do not consider the contents of your garbage bag as a renewable energy option.

But for Seminole Electric Cooperative, the wholesale power provider for Glades Electric Cooperative, the renewable energy used is generated from materials you might not expect.

Seminole’s renewable energy portfolio includes 113 megawatts of electricity from waste-to-energy facilities, 17 MW from landfill gas-to-energy facilities and 13 MW from a biomass facility.

Municipal solid waste refers to residential and commercial waste that is collected and burned to produce electricity—also called waste-to-energy.

So, the next time you roll your garbage can to the curb or take your trash to the dumpster, keep in mind it may be used to generate electricity.

For waste or garbage that does not go directly to waste-to-energy facilities, it is likely stored in closed municipal landfills.

As the waste breaks down in landfills, methane gas is emitted naturally. It is captured and burned to generate electricity, making landfill gas another viable renewable resource.

While municipal waste and landfill gas use recycled trash and waste to generate electricity, biomass is known for using more organic resources such as crop residues: straw, husks or grass clippings you may bag after trimming the lawn.

Biomass also is generated from farm animal waste or citrus pulp from a nearby citrus processor.

Why invest in renewable energy?

Biomass energy is generated from crop residues, such as plant trimmings, and citrus pulp.

Seminole’s first source of renewable energy was established in 1999 with a waste-to-energy facility in southern Florida. The decision to buy renewable energy was not only an economical decision to meet member energy needs at that time, but presented the opportunity to diversify Seminole’s energy portfolio, while upholding Seminole’s value of being a steward of the environment.

In 2008, the Florida Legislature passed a bill requiring the Florida Public Service Commission to adopt rules for a renewable energy portfolio standard.

This proposed legislation prompted Seminole’s Board of Trustees, made up of 27 member trustees—including three GEC board members—to obtain additional renewable energy sources.

Although the legislation did not pass,

7 percent of Seminole’s energy now comes from renewable sources. That percentage gives Seminole honors among all Florida’s electric utilities with the largest renewable portfolio in the state.

Seminole also owns and operates two power plants that generate the electricity you use on a daily basis. Seminole’s coal-fired power plant, the Seminole Generating Station, is in Putnam County. The Midulla Generating Station, Seminole’s natural gas-fired power plant, is on the Hardee/Polk county line.

Seminole’s diverse energy portfolio— consisting of coal, natural gas and renewables—helps keep member electricity rates competitive.

In partnership, Seminole and GEC continue to keep your electricity affordable, safe and reliable. n march 2014

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Glades Electric

Neighbors Working for Neighbors

Organ Donation Helps Save Lives As National Donate Life Month nears, learn the facts about organ donation

By B. Denise Hawkins

April is National Donate Life Month, and those responsible for increasing the level of organ and tissue donation in the U.S. are renewing the call for donors who can help save lives of those in need of transplants.

The most pressing need in organ donation remains the shortage of donors. The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, which maintains the nation’s transplant waiting list,

reported that in the first nine months of 2013, there were 121,076 candidates waiting to receive new organs. New names are added every 10 minutes, and about 18 people a day die while waiting.

Most organ and tissue donations come from deceased donors. One person can save up to eight lives. But as the need for organs grows, more people are becoming living donors.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that about 6,000 living donations are made annually; the most frequent procedure is a single kidney transplant. Other common living donations include a lung, or a part of the lung, pancreas and intestines.

Of those on the nation’s waiting list

for kidneys, more than one-third are African American, according to the National Kidney Foundation. African Americans suffer disproportionately from high blood pressure, diabetes and certain genetic diseases, which puts them at high risk for kidney disease.

To become a donor, place your name in the Florida organ donor registry at www.donatelifeflorida.org. Designate your decision to donate on your driver’s license, and share your decision to be a donor with your family, physician, religious leader and friends. When you die, a family member must indicate that it was your desire to donate your organs.

Include organ donation in your advance directives, will and living will. n

Preparations Continue for New Metering System Glades Electric Coopertive will begin installing new advanced metering infrastructure and powerline carrier automated meters in April.

This will be a significant technological advance from the mechanical dial and digital automatic meters now used by the cooperative.

Powerline carrier automated meters transfer information through the same lines that carry electricity to your home. This technology will improve the reliability and efficiency of the existing electric distribution system.

Installation of the new meters is expected to take about 24 months.

Members can expect to lose power for a few minutes on the day of installation. n 28

m a r c h 2 0 14

GEC Introduces Advanced Metering Infrastructure

Glades Electric Cooperative is transitioning to new powerline carrier automated meters also known as AMI. The system uses two-way digital communication through power lines between GEC and its meters. The new system will bring many benefits to GEC members.

EFFICIENCY With remote meter reading and reconnection, we can save time and money (and reduce air pollution).  With more detailed data about demand and usage we can distribute power more efficiently. 

RELIABILITY New meters help us locate— and respond to—outages faster and more safely.  New meters can help us improve power quality, reducing surges and blinking.  New meters mean consistent billing periods. 

AFFORDABILITY

new technology to help us serve you better

Operating more efficiently can help minimize cost increases.  GEc can use the new data to help our members address high bills.  Improved detection of power theft decreases the impact of cost for all our members. 

Lineworkers are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure customers have power. They work during inclement weather, before the sun rises and after the sun sets.

A Day in the Life of a Lineworker They wake before the sun, pour steaming cups of coffee and kiss their family goodbye. After swinging by the office to get the day’s orders, they climb into their trucks and head out.

Our lineworkers form a solid team with one job: to deliver safe, reliable electricity. But that job can change in a million ways when rough weather steps in.

We often take power—and the men and women who provide it—for granted. Let’s take a moment and stand in the boots of Glades Electric Cooperative’s linemen.

Linemen have to work safely, smartly and efficiently—all while 40 feet in the air wearing sturdy, thick rubber gloves.

On a typical day, lineworkers maintain electrical distribution lines or build service to new homes and businesses. They have a lot on their plates. But when our dispatch center calls crews with a problem, everything else takes a backseat.

Power restoration takes precedence on a lineworker’s to-do list. These brave men are always on call, standing by to serve you 24 hours a day, in the middle of the night, wee hours of the morning, weekends and holidays.

Can you imagine getting a call at 3 a.m. telling you to work outside during bad weather? Not many people are willing to face storms. Our lineworkers face harsh elements daily, all to serve you.

Lineworkers also focus on safety. Job safety is important, no matter the occupation. But for linemen, there can be no slip ups or careless actions. The lives of co-workers are on the line. Mistakes can cost a limb or life. That’s one of the reasons linemen form a brotherhood.

When you put your life in the hands of co-workers every day, they become more than colleagues. They’re family.

That sense of family extends to electric

co-ops across the nation. One of our principles is cooperation among cooperatives. We help other co-ops in their time of need, and they extend that service to us, too. It is reassuring to know if a severe storm strikes, a national team of lineworkers stand ready to answer the call.

Linemen are highly trained to be ready to respond no matter the situation or weather conditions. At Glades Electric Cooperative, lineworkers go through regular training to ensure they can work safely with various kinds of equipment.

The equipment gets tested regularly, too.

These highly skilled men and women light our homes and businesses every day. They endure harsh weather and long hours, all to make our lives better.

Today—and every day—please take a moment to thank them. GEC’s linemen are the heart of the co-op nation, proud and strong. n march 2014

29

Parting Shot

Readers Share Their Special Photos

Through the Ages It used to be that visualizing the action on a baseball field required imagination. Legendary voices such as Vin Scully painted vivid word pictures for fans, who followed their favorite team on the radio.

“It’s a long fly ball,” Scully proclaims, his voice rising in anticipation. “Back goes Mays ... to the wall ... she’s gone!”

Television has removed some of the magic, and other advances have made for a different viewing experience, as Harry McKenna, left, and his son, Matt, prove.

They captured their first spring training game together with smartphone images.

Oh, how times have changed! n Photo by David LaBelle, Kent, Ohio

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March 2014

We always are looking for photos to feature in Parting Shot, and pay $25 for one-time use. Send your best shots, along with the story behind the photo, to photos@floridacurrents.com.

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Why this policy? Why now?

Our graded death benefit whole life insurance policy can be used to pay funeral costs, final medical expenses...or other monthly bills.

You know how important it can be to help protect your family from unnecessary burdens after you pass away. Maybe your own parents or loved one did the same for you. OR, maybe they DIDN’T and you sure wish they would have!

The important thing is that, right now, you can make a decision that could help make a difficult time a little easier for your loved ones.

It’s a responsible, caring and affordable decision. And, right now, it’s something you can do with one simple phone call.

You may have been putting off purchasing life insurance, but you don’t have to wait another day. This offer is a great opportunity to help start protecting your family today.

Your affordable monthly rate will “lock-in” at your enrollment age* ... $5,000.00 Benefit

Male $16.75 $18.50 $23.00 $28.00 $33.50 $45.00 $61.00 80-85 $83.50 Age 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79

Female $14.00 $15.50 $19.25 $21.50 $26.00 $35.00 $49.50 $70.25

$7,000.00 Benefit

Male $23.05 $25.50 $31.80 $38.80 $46.50 $62.60 $85.00 $116.50

Female $19.20 $21.30 $26.55 $29.70 $36.00 $48.60 $68.90 $97.95

$10,000.00 $25,000.00 Benefit

Benefit

Male Female Male Female $32.50 $27.00 $79.75 $66.00 $36.00 $30.00 $88.50 $73.50 $45.00 $37.50 $111.00 $92.25 $55.00 $42.00 $136.00 $103.50 $66.00 $51.00 $163.50 $126.00 $89.00 $69.00 $221.00 $171.00 $121.00 $98.00 $301.00 $243.50 $166.00 $139.50 $413.50 $347.25

Life Insurance underwritten by United of Omaha Life Insurance Company, Mutual of Omaha Plaza, Omaha NE 68175; 1-800-775-6000. United of Omaha is licensed nationwide except New York. In NY, during the first two years, 110% of premiums will be paid. EASY WAY Whole Life Insurance is underwritten by United of Omaha Life Insurance Company, Omaha, NE, 68175 which is licensed nationwide except NY. Life insurance policies issued in NY are underwritten by Companion Life Insurance Company, Hauppauge, NY 11788. Each company is responsible for its own financial and contractual obligations. Policy Form ICC11L057P or state equivalent (in FL: 7722L-0505, in NY: 827Y-0505, in OR: 7736L-0505). This policy contains reductions, limitations and exclusions, including a reduction in death benefits during the first two years of policy ownership. ** In FL and MD policy is renewable until age 121. This is a solicitation of insurance, an insurance agent may contact you. *Age eligibility varies in some states: MD:55-85; PA: 60-85; MO: 45-75; WA: 45-69 Male, 45-74 Female; NY: 50-75 In OR, call for rates.

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Offices Open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday 26733 U.S. Hwy. 27 East/P.O. Box 519 Moore Haven, FL 33471 (800) 226-4024 or (863) 946-6200 Fax: (863) 946-2150 214 SR 70 West Lake Placid, FL 33852 (800) 226-4025 or (863) 531-5000 111 SW Park St. Okeechobee, FL 34974 (800) 226-4023 or (863) 467-5111

Power Interruption Number Moore Haven..............................(800) 226-4024 Phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays.

Please have your location or account number handy when you call.

Board of Trustees John “Jack” Coxe, President, District 8 Lake Josephine, (863) 655-3056 James “Jim” Aul, Vice President, District 7 Lorida, (863) 441-0441 Russell Henderson, Sec./Treas., District 3 Ortona and Palmdale, (863) 946-0865 Donnie Lundy, Trustee, District 1 Moore Haven, (863) 946-0402 Barney Goodman, Trustee, District 2 Hendry County, (863) 983-7324 Shannon Hall, Trustee, District 4 Lakeport and Brighton, (863) 946-3242 Ladd Bass, Trustee, District 5 Venus and Hicoria, (863) 441-2227 Lee Henderson, Trustee, District 6 Highlands Park, (863) 633-9281 Irene Lofton, Trustee, District 9 Okeechobee, (863) 467-1219 The next meeting of the Board will be at 9 a.m.

March 27 at the Moore Haven headquarters office. Any changes to this schedule will be posted in the lobby of all three district offices.

Executive Staff CEO Jeff Brewington CFO Jennifer Manning Dir. of Business Development Paul McGehee Dir. of Employee Services Yvonne Bradley Dir. of Information Technologies Bradley Hill Dir. of Member Services Margaret Ellerbee Dir. of Operations Tracy Vaughn

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CEO’s Message

It’s March ... Time for Our Annual Meeting Oh so quickly another year has passed and our Annual Meeting is upon us. We’ll gather in Clewiston this year at the middle school. You’ll find all of the directions and instructions within this edition of Florida Currents. As was the case last year, we will not send separate registration cards. All you’ll have to do to register is submit a picture ID that matches the name on your cooperative account.

This year we have several By-Law amendments up for your approval. Passage of these amendments will ensure cost-effective communication of the Annual Meeting, continue to provide strong and effective Board leadership and offer a solution for the highly unlikely outcome of a tied Trustee election. Please be sure to come and cast your vote, not only for these By-Law amendments, but in support of each of the candidates seeking election.

We also have a great prize lineup for you, including the grand prize: a 2003 Ford Expedition!

As always, we will bring you up to date in more detail during the business session of the Annual Meeting. For now, I will let you know we finished 2013 in good standing. All debt covenants were met or exceeded and, as a result, your equity level continued to climb. In the not-so-distant future, with this continued success we will be in position to meet one of my personal goals: refunding capital credits to you, our loyal members.

My hat is off to all our employees who made this year the success it was. Across every department, operating expenses were held under budget. We’ve already come up with new ideas to further improve in 2014.

I look forward to seeing you in Clewiston.

Jeff Brewington