Ocala Magazine November 2021 Digital Issue

Ocala’s City Magazine Since 1980 Serving the Horse Capital of the World®

OCALA MAGAZINE

NOV 2021

Live arts are back

Ocala Symphony Orchestra opens its 2021-22 season

+ Buddy MacKay, Jane Lynch,

and the Ocala Civic Theatre

$5.95

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NIRVANA MEDICAL SPA 3020 SW 27TH AVE. OCALA,FL 34471 (352) 671-1591

CELEBRATING OUR 41ST YEAR!

NOVEMBER • 2021 FEATURES 18 Ocala Symphony’s season in bigger, better digs 24 Buddy MacKay: Three decades of working

for the people 32 Jane Lynch brings holiday show to North Florida 38 A new season and new leadership for the Ocala Civic Theatre DEPARTMENTS 10 Letter from the Publisher 12 Letter from the Editor 14 From the Mayor 43 EAT 44 Fruitful fare: Recipes for sweet things 47 Dining Out

Fine Arts For Ocala — p. 66 art by Robert Goodlett

ON THE COVER: The Ocklawaha River Photograph by Ralph Demilio

Ocala’s City Magazine Since 1980 Serving the Horse Capital of the World®

OCALA MAGAZINE

NOV 2021

Live arts are back

Ocala Symphony Orchestra opens its 2021-22 season

+ Buddy MacKay, Jane Lynch, and the Ocala Civic Theatre

6

| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

$5.95

49 50 54 56 58 60 61 62 64

PLAY Happenings: What’s going on MCA’s Applaud the Arts Awards Vystar and Belleview High team up FAFO shows us the art The Alzheimer’s Walk Ocala Electric customer appreciation event A fund raiser for Ocala veterans Anthology: Poetry in Motion

67 68

EQUINE Everything Equine: Ocala well represented at the Breeders Cup

73 74 76

78 80 82 84 88

ETC Charity Spotlight: Getting fit in the garden Health Journal: Ways to focus on fitness in any season State of the City: Avoiding holiday cooking fires State of the County: 2022 Legislative priorities Kiwanis Corner Rotary Circle Looking Back: Who was Dr. N.H Jones?

STILL OCALA’S MOST AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE BEST OVERALL AWARDS

Best Overall: Design Bronze Award

Best Overall: Magazine Bronze Award

GENERAL EXCELLENCE

Best Advertorial “Nirvana” | Bronze Award WRITING EXCELLENCE

Best Writing Dept.

“Looking Back” | Bronze Award DESIGN EXCELLENCE

Best Photo Illustration

“Oct 2020 Cover: Spirits in the Material World” | Silver Award Sage words from local culinary experts in barbecue, confection and libation

Consumer magazine. Circulation: 20,000 and under

Call to advertise with us today!

Ocalamagazine.com

|

352.622.2995

Volume 41, Issue 5

NOVEMBER 2021

OM

photo by Ralph Demilio

OCALA’S #1 MOST AWARD-WINNING CITY MAGAZINE

CELEBRATING OUR 41ST YEAR! Philip Glassman, CCIM | Publisher philip@ocalamagazine.com

Penny Miller | VP/Corporate Development penny@ocalamagazine.com

EDITORIAL Brad Rogers | Contributing Editor brad@ocalamagazine.com

ART Jessi Miller | Creative Director jessi@ocalamagazine.com

Carlton Reese | Senior Writer carlton@ocalamagazine.com

Duane Schor | Marketing +

Multimedia Director duane@ocalamagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS Louisa Barton | Equine Columnist Stacie Causey/Marion County | Writer Ashley Dobbs/City of Ocala | Writer Mark Emery | Photographer Mayor Kent Guinn | Columnist

PHOTOGRAPHY Ralph Demilio | Chief Photographer ralph@ocalamagazine.com

OPERATIONS Randy Woodruff, CPA | CFO randy@ocalamagazine.com

Sharon Raye | Copy Editor Leighton Okus | Social Correspondent

Ocala Magazine Wins Five 2021 Florida Magazine Association Awards!

EDITORIAL OR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES 352.622.2995

www.ocalamagazine.com OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER HOPS — Historic Ocala Preservation Society MEDIA PARTNER & PRESENTING SPONSOR of the Tailgating Competition at Live Oak International OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR 2021 International Women's Day Celebration EXCLUSIVE MEDIA SPONSOR FOR George Albright Annual Golf Tournament OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR FINE ARTS FOR OCALA

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Make your holidays energy efficient!

Check out these useful tips to minimize energy costs when preparing meals for your family and loved ones this holiday season!

• Use the microwave to cook faster and use less energy.

• Be sure to match your pots with the right size lids and burners to reduce heat loss.

• Use glass or ceramic pans for faster cooking on lower heat settings.

• Try cooking side dishes with your turkey to reduce cooking times.

• Try to avoid opening the oven door to check on your meal to reduce heat loss and save energy.

• Load the dishwasher to full capacity before you run it.

For more conservation tips, please visit

ocalaelectric.org

LETTER

from the publisher

I’VE SEEN THE GUY TOOLING AROUND TOWN and made the same assumption that I know a lot of you have made: Here’s a guy who appears homeless and might even have mental issues.

I’m talking about Brett Wood, who is the feature of this issue’s Charity Spotlight.

Perhaps I should have let my curiosity get the best of me and actually approached him at some point. Had I done so, I would have discovered that I know this man and we go back 25 years to when we were both competing in amateur bodybuilding tournaments. In 1988, Wood even won the Mr. Space Coast competition.

Wood has become the talk of the citizenry due to cycling everywhere he goes with his unmistakable carriage donning a palm frond roof and his dog Roxy. I remember in our younger days we would work out together at the old Galaxy Gym on the S-curve and he exuded the infectious personality then that draws people to him today.

His story today is not one of hardship, as it appears at first glance, but one of selflessness and a ministry that uses his knowledge of fitness to help others stay healthy. His program, “Get Fit in the Garden,” allows homeless and indigent folks to get the same workout opportunities as those who would go to a regular gym.

He said he followed God’s advice by giving his truck to a charity that was in need, leaving him with just his bike to get around town. As his dog grew too big for the small satchel in which he rode, Wood ordered a trailer for Roxy to ride in, then built a cover of palm fronds that could provide shade.

It’s that unique roof with a dog resting beneath that draws the attention of everyone – it’s certainly not something you see that often.

The peculiar sight of Wood pedaling down the street with his dog gets even more distinctive come Christmas season. If you missed him before, you surely won’t miss him as he dresses up as the Grinch while his dog sports reindeer antlers.

He’s not homeless – he has a great job pinstriping vehicles for local dealerships – and he has a great hook in helping to spread his ministry. It didn’t start out that way, but Wood is certainly grateful in how it has evolved: from a guy just wanting to get from Point A to Point B with his dog, to a guy whose every move now promotes his ministry in even some small way.

Keep in mind, Wood is in his 60s and he’s still cut. By that I mean, of course, that he still packs on some muscle and enjoys the physique of a younger man. No doubt that travelling almost exclusively by bicycle keeps him healthy and strong, something the rest of us should adhere to. Either way, I look forward to seeing Brett on the street and shouting, “Hello, Brett!” I think you should, too.

WITH NOVEMBER COMES THANKSGIVING, and that means family above all other things. When I get together with my parents and my own children I will savor every moment, knowing that I have been blessed beyond measure to have been afforded such a wonderful mother and father as well as two special children. It’s around the holidays that we all get together and relish time together, but wouldn’t it be nice if we reflected this way all year round?

Life is full of pleasure and pain, and when you have a loving family around you it all becomes a journey with true meaning.

Here’s to a happy Thanksgiving with friends and family to you all!

PHILIP GLASSMAN, PUBLISHER

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Brett Wood

GIVING KIDS A CHANCE

The Fifth C foundation was created to express the Leclerc’s family values and traditions of philanthropy.

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LETTER

from the editor

Run out of Plymouth by the Pilgrims

T

hanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

I mean, what ‘s better than a full day of food, football and family?

Of course, when you get family together, it’s always fun to share family stories.

Some of my ancestors came over on the Mayflower. Not bad, as Thanksgiving tales go.

But the better family story is about Thomas Morton, a relative from my paternal grandmother’s side of the family who arrived in Plymouth in 1624, four years after the Mayflower. He was a lawyer, businessman, author and adventurer who came to the New World seeking his fortune in the trading business.

Cousin Thomas (not sure what relation he is to me, so I’m going with “cousin”) and his partners prospered in their new venture, but they didn’t get along too well with the Puritans, who settled and ran Plymouth. So, in the words of my great-uncle Mike Morton, he “got run out of Plymouth. He was hard to get along with.”

Yes, Cousin Thomas got kicked out of Plymouth by the pilgrims.

Turns out he and his colleagues, who were Anglican not Puritan, liked wine, women and song, and didn’t hold back, much to the Puritans’ chagrin.

Oh, the shame, right?

Not exactly.

Cousin Thomas took his trading business and moved it to what today is Quincy, Massachusetts, and named the new outpost, appropriately, Merrymount (emphasis on “merry”). Some historians describe it as a utopia, given the time and place, where the English welcomed the Native Americans as both friends and trading partners. There also were no restrictions on imbibing liquor, or dancing, or cavorting with Native American women. Things were blissful and bountiful in Merrymount, and that it was prosperous and booming in comparison to Plymouth made its success that much sweeter.

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Then came the Maypole of Merrymount.

On May 1, 1627, Cousin Thomas and his cohorts held a May Day party reminiscent of similar celebrations in jolly ol’ England. They brewed a keg of beer, erected an 80-foot Maypole with stag horns adorning the top and invited their Native American friends to join in three days of frivolity.

The Puritans in Plymouth, who controlled the new province of Massachusetts, were not amused. And Cousin Thomas knew it.

So, when the next May Day celebration came along, and the same kind of celebration took place, the Puritans hired Capt. Miles Standish and armed soldiers to go to Merrymount and end the party – at gunpoint, no less. They arrested Cousin Thomas, cut down the maypole and took him to an uninhabited island six miles off the coast of New Hampshire. There he was dropped off, with only the clothes he was wearing and, as he would later write, “without gun, powder or shot, or dog or so much as a knife to get anything to feed on.”

Luckily, Cousin Thomas had made friends with the Native Americans, who came to his rescue, bringing him food, drink and weapons. Eventually he caught a ride on a passing English fishing ship back to England.

He would return to Merrymount two years later to find his settlement disintegrating. He resumed his business -- and his partying ways. The Puritans had had enough.

BY BRAD ROGERS They arrested him again, burned all his belongings, his house and most of Merrymount, and sent him back to England to face charges of selling guns and gunpowder to the Native Americans and “engaging in licentious behavior” with their women. He served a short jail sentence and went on to be an influential lawyer and author in England, writing the “New English Canaan” in 1637. In it he celebrated the beauty and bounty of New England but also sharply criticized the Puritans for their treatment of the Native Americans, too many of whom they killed or sold into slavery, and for imposing their strict and unbending religious doctrine into everyday law. The book made him a celebrity in England.

After 13 years in England, Cousin Thomas returned once again to Massachusetts, only to be imprisoned and, finally, exiled to the new colony of Maine.

Cousin Thomas would die there in 1647 at the age of 68.

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote of Cousin Thomas’ struggles with the Puritans, “Jollity and gloom were contending for an empire.” I guess gloom won. But not without a dogged fight by my ancestor Thomas Morton.

The New England Historical Society summed up Cousin Thomas’ place in history this way: “Today, people might call him America’s first hippie.”

Cool. Now, how about a turkey leg and beer?

MAYOR

from the

Finding a need and addressing it

BY MAYOR KENT GUINN

I

will never tire of extolling the virtues of Ocala and the caring nature of the people in this community. We see it every day here, sometimes in grandiose gestures and sometimes in small, subtle ways.

One recent example made the local and national news, shining a light for all to see what is commonplace here. The episode involved a police officer and a child in need, one who had to walk a great distance to and from school every day.

Jorge Fernandez is a resource officer at Howard Middle School and he noticed Yometh Torres walking each day and decided to ask him about it. Fernandez’ suspicions were proved correct when the boy informed him he had no means of transportation except by foot.

Our officers are trained to look out for situations where people are in need and then address those needs, and that’s exactly what Fernandez did. When the boy’s 13th birthday came around, officer Fernandez surprised him with a bicycle that would make his journey much easier.

Not stopping there, funds were also secured through a private donation to buy Yometh’s mother, Lucie, a bicycle.

The scene of Fernandez giving the bikes away was published on social media and thousands of shares later the posts made their way to national network news organizations which broadcast it to the entire country. It’s a feel-good story that is still in the works.

Two things really stand out to me about this story. The first which I have already mentioned is that it is an accurate reflection of the people in this community. I have noticed that people of all backgrounds in this town are willing to step up for others when a need arises. The Charity Spotlight monthly section in this magazine is a fine record of Ocala’s giving nature – it isn’t just organizations, but everyday people going out of their way to help others.

The other thing I reflect upon with this story is how it reveals the true nature of our police officers. Too often we hear people denigrating the police, an unfair generalization if there ever was one in my opinion. Whether working the streets on a beat, acting as a resource officer at a school, or investigating crimes, an officer is potentially in grave danger every day. Unfortunately, little thanks is offered to them in light of whatever bad publicity takes precedence regarding a bad cop somewhere else.

Officer Fernandez’ reaction to this situation was not an outlier – the men and women of our local police force serve in similar manners all the time, just not in the same spotlight.

The OPD motto of “We proudly pledge to serve all citizens with respect, are committed to protecting life and property” is not just a bunch of words on a wall or printed on the side of a vehicle. That pledge is honored faithfully by those on the force and Fernandez is proof positive.

I’m proud of Officer Fernandez and of the job the Ocala Police Department does and so too should all our great citizens.

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Horse Drawn Carriage

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Reservations are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to guarantee a spot.

Choose from: • 15 mins around the Downtown Square area or • 30 mins through the Historic District.

The tours are very popular and space is limited. Call or text now for reservations: 352-727-0900.

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Brand New New 30,000 30,000 sq sq ft ft Clubhouse Clubhouse Brand To celebrate the opening of our New Clubhouse, we are offering, for a limited To celebrate the opening of our New Clubhouse, we are offering, for a limited time, Great Sale Pricing on many of our homes. Lakeview is a wonderful place to time, Great Sale Pricing on many of our homes. Lakeview is a wonderful place to live and the Clubhouse, with its gorgeous performance stage and many dining live and the Clubhouse, with its gorgeous performance stage and many dining areas, will give our residents even better accommodations, activities and service. areas, will give our residents even better accommodations, activities and service.

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Ocala Symphony’s

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| OCT 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

6th

A new symphony season set in a bigger, better Reilly

BY BRAD ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY RALPH DEMILIO

T

he Ocala Symphony Orchestra’s 46th season gets under way on Nov. 20 in a bigger and better Reilly Arts Center that has undergone a big expansion that will allow the symphony and the Reilly to grow audiences and offerings.

The season starts the weekend of Nov. 20-21 with “Variations on Opening Night” and runs through May 8, 2022, with Symphony Under the Stars. Along the way will be a variety of performances covering the spectrum of music old and new.

Returning from a pandemic-truncated 2020 season, the OSO will not only return to a full eight-performance schedule in 2021, but it will do so in a greatly expanded Reilly Art Center, which has undergone a $4 million, 16,000-square-foot expansion.

Among the new spaces is a 60 footby-60 foot “flexible black box theater” that can be transformed for a variety of purposes. Reilly officials say the blackbox theater is ideal for smaller events that may not draw a crowd big enough for the main auditorium, such as theater in the round, stand-up comedy or intimate jazz performances.

The expansion also includes “a community music conservatory, funded through a gift from the David and Lisa Midgett Foundation. The conservatory will feature teaching studios and rehearsal and performance spaces that will provide a place for music programs for people of all ages. Initially, those programs will include music appreciation classes, guitar instruction and basic music theory.

The lobby has been expanded to double the size it was before with a wall of glass windows overlooking Tuscawilla Park, as well as additional restrooms and a bigger concession area.

The box office also is undergoing an expansion as well.

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | OCT 2021 |

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THE OCALA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA’S 2021-22 CALENDAR: Variations on Opening Night Saturday, Nov. 20 – 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov.21 – 3 p.m.: Pianist Jasmin Arakawa joins the OSO for Rachmaninoff ’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and the variation theme continues with music from Ives and Elgar’s Enigma Variations Pops! Goes the Holidays Saturday, Dec. 4 – 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 5 – 3 p.m.: The OSO will bring Howard Blake’s score to the animated short film, “The Snowman”, to life, with the film itself.

The Four Temperaments Saturday, Jan. 29 – 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 30 – 3 p.m.: Raymond Chobaz leads the orchestra with Nielsen’s incredible Symphony No. 2 – The Four Temperaments.

90 Years of John Williams Saturday, Feb. 19 – 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 20 – 3 p.m.: OSO will celebrate John Williams’ 90th birthday with a review of his extensive film scores from Star Wars and Harry Potter to Superman and Jaws.

The Unfinished Saturday, March 19 – 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 20 – 3 p.m.: The winners of our Young Artist Competition take the stage with the OSO. 21st Century Anthology Saturday, April 9 – 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 10 – 3 p.m.: What works written today will be played in 100 years? This concert is his answer.

SPECIAL EVENTS: Symphony Under the Lights Friday, Dec. 3 – 7 p.m.: The OSO and members of the Ocala Youth Symphony bring this joyful annual free concert to the community under the incredible oaks of Tuscawilla Park.

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| OCT 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Architectural Rendering

Bowie and Glass Return Saturday, March 5 – 7:30 p.m.: The return of one of our favorite collaborations, the indelible music of David Bowie and composer Philip Glass.

Handel’s Messiah Sunday, April 24 – 3 p.m.: Choir master and conductor Joshua Mazur leads the combined orchestra and choir through Handel’s Messiah.

Symphony Under the Stars presented

by Fine Arts For Ocala Sunday, May 8 – 7 p.m.: At the Ocala Golf Course.

Pamela Calero Wardell shows off the new box office and entrance

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | OCT 2021 |

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OFMC OCALA FAMILY

OCALA FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER OFMC Welcomes Dr. Jorge Fernandez - Cardiologist!

Dr. Fernandez is a bilingual, Spanish speaking Cardiologist who just relocated from Buffalo, NY to be closer to family! He will provide comprehensive Cardiac care and has extensive expertise in managing arrhythmias and implanted cardiovascular devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators, loop recorders, etc. We are very excited to have Dr. Fernandez join our Provider team here at OFMC and look forward to seeing his impact not only on our patients, but also in the community!

Our highly skilled Cardiology team here at OFMC, Dr. James London, Dr. Yasmin Amin and Dr. Jorge Fernandez specialize in the prevention, treatment and management of various heart and vascular diseases.

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4/15/2021 1:40:13 PM

Political Workhorse Ex-Gov. Buddy MacKay made a political career of tackling the toughest, most complex issues

F

or parts of four decades, Kenneth H. “Buddy” MacKay was a force in Florida politics, a Democrat who was respected by his peers and the press for his eagerness to take on complicated issues and craft workable solutions in a state that was quickly transforming. Ironically, enough, the Ocala native who became a Democratic icon almost became a Republican.

“When I was in the Air Force, I wrote to the supervisor of elections in Ocala and asked for documents to register as a Repub-

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

lican,” he said in a 2010 interview. “She sent me the paperwork to register as a Democrat.

I called to inform her of the mistake, and she said, ‘If you register as a Republican, you will embarrass your entire family.’ This is how I became Democrat.”

It’s a humorous anecdote, considering MacKay’s most high-profile campaign – a 1988 bid for the U.S. Senate against Republican Connie Mack – was defined, and some say determined, by his opponent’s relentless charge, “Hey Buddy, you’re a liberal!” The

tactic worked, and MacKay lost by 30,000 votes, the closest statewide contest in history.

It was arguably an inaccurate moniker to hang on a man who fought for balanced budgets, government efficiency and supported the death penalty.

But it also was nothing new. Throughout his career, as a student, a lawyer and a lawmaker, MacKay was active in civil rights, especially here in his hometown.

“The liberal has to do with race relations,” he said on a recent sun-splashed af-

Photos courtesy of Buddy MacKay

BY BRAD ROGERS

ternoon while sitting on the back porch of his historic family home overlooking Lake Weir. “You’d go out to west Ocala and reach the city limits, and there were no sidewalks, no street lights.”

MacKay helped lead the effort to annex west Ocala into the city and bring essential public services and public safety to the area.

It wasn’t his first or last foray into civil rights.

It was, however, a springboard for MacKay to enter politics, an arena in which he would be a dominant figure for the next three decades. An arena in which he scored soaring victories and crushing defeats. He would serve as a state representative, state senator, U.S. congressman, lieutenant governor and, briefly, governor.

THREE DECADES IN OFFICE Kenneth Hood “Buddy” MacKay Jr. was first elected to office in 1968 when voters sent him to the Florida House of Representatives. Six years later, he would be elected to the Florida Senate.

While he was in the Legislature, MacKay made a name for himself as a serious and wonkish lawmaker who took on some of the most complicated issues and politicians of the day. He challenged the rule of the “Porkchop Gang,” a group of North Florida lawmakers who held an iron grip on power in the halls of the capital. As for issues, MacKay tackled some of the state’s most complex ones: reforming auto insurance, creating a public counsel’s office to represent consumers on utility rates, deregulating the trucking industry, establishing a stable funding system for public schools, championing workers compensation and establishing single-member legislative districts.

It was a transformational time for Florida, as the state went from being a poor, agricultural state to a modern, boom state that was increasingly urban and populated by outsiders. Landmark laws regarding water management, environmental protection and education were passed during this time, and MacKay was at the center of it all.

His hard work and leadership in the Legislature resulted in the Tallahassee press corps voting him Most Effective Legislator a record seven times.

In 1980, MacKay ran for U.S. Senate, losing in the primary. He would run for office

“She said, ‘ register Republican will emba your en family.’ Th how I bec Democr

“She said, ‘If you register as a Republican, you will embarrass your entire family.’ This is how I became Democrat.” again in 1982 in a newly drawn congressional district that stretched from Gainesville to Polk County. He won the seat and went to Washington where, again, he became known as an intellectual with a penchant for working hard.

The work ethic was instilled in MacKay and his three brothers by their father. A third-generation Floridian whose family owned large tracts of citrus and timber as well as construction and retail businesses, MacKay grew up somewhat privileged, but his rural upbringing was defined by strict discipline, a devout Presbyterian faith and

hard work.

“His daddy was a firm believer in that his boys should be working,” MacKay’s wife, Ann, said. The family still owns a 400-acre farm in Ocklawaha with citrus and cattle.

And work he did. In Washington, MacKay became known as a deficit hawk.

He helped create a group of similar-thinking Democrats known as “The Blue Dog Democrats,” and he was instrumental in helping draft the landmark Gramm-Rudman Act that aimed at cutting the federal deficit. A controversial piece of MacKay’s deficit-cut-

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

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“It bothered me a great deal that there was such a difference in the black side of Ocala and the white side,”

ting stance was freezing Social Security benefit increases.

One of his proudest accomplishments in Congress was leading the fight to deauthorize the Cross Florida Barge Canal, a battle that pitted him against the beloved and powerful Miami Congressman Claude Pepper – and MacKay won.

Soon, the national media was describing him as one of the new breed of smart, moderate Democrats.

Nevertheless, while he was born in Ocala and came home to Ocala when his political career was over, MacKay knows that it was the more-liberal voting sect in Gaines-

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

ville that time and again delivered him the votes he needed to stay in office.

“Gainesville saved my fanny over and over,” he said. “I was sort of known as the liberal – spelled L-I-B-R-U-L – from Gainesville.”

With his political star rising, MacKay decided in 1988 to run for the U.S. Senate.

As the Tampa Bay Times reported, “It ended up being MacKay, the maverick policy guru vs. Connie Mack, the candidate with simple Reaganesque answers.”

It was a brutal loss that came down to absentee ballots. It was the closest statewide election in history.

A NO. 2 WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE But MacKay was not finished. Two years later, in 1990, he would run for lieutenant governor with gubernatorial candidate Lawton Chiles. MacKay aspired to be governor, and Chiles recognized his partner’s legislative and government brilliance, so the governor gave him big jobs in the administration. He, in fact, became Chiles’ chief troubleshooter.

During his tenure as lieutenant governor, MacKay led a statewide commission to improve public schools. He oversaw the revamping of the state’s economic development program, leading to the Department of Commerce being replaced with the pub-

lic-private Enterprise Florida. After Hurricane Andrew hit, he moved to Miami for six months to oversee disaster relief efforts. He even took over running the former Department of Health and Rehabilitative Service (precursor to Department of Children and Families) for four months after it was enveloped in scandal over chronic computer problems and a grand jury investigation. When Miami teetered on financial collapse in the ‘90s, Chiles sent MacKay to lead an oversight board to clean things up.

Today, MacKay is considered Florida’s most influential lieutenant governor.

Florida political historian David Colburn, before his death in 2019, assessed MacKay’s impact on the state as a politician.

“The more I look at where we are now and what we’re dealing with, the more impressed I am by his contributions to the public good and his understanding of the crucial issues,” said Colburn, who was director of the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at the University of Florida. “He was the best lieutenant governor we ever had. Lawton realized what a talent he was by giving him many of the most difficult issues to resolve.”

The next logical step for MacKay was the Governor’s Mansion. He ran for that office in 1998, facing political newcomer and presidential offspring Jeb Bush. Despite MacKay’s record of experience and results, Bush won handily.

A month after the election, though, while the MacKays were in Boston on a trip, Chiles suddenly died. MacKay had finally reached the office he had long aspired to, but under the saddest of circumstances. He and Chiles were friends and had accomplished a lot as a team. MacKay would serve 23 days as Florida’s governor.

He left politics after 1998, once telling a reporter, “I retired because the voters got sick and tired of me.” But his life as a public servant was not over.

Soon, President Bill Clinton recruited MacKay to be his special envoy to Latin America. Clinton was trying to build on NAFTA and create the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

HOMETOWN CHANGE AGENT As Jesus once told the people of Nazareth, “A prophet is not without honor except in

his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.”

While political scribes and historians focus on what MacKay did in Tallahassee and Washington, he had a profound impact on Ocala as a civil rights activist, and it is what launched his political career.

His passion for racial equality actually started when he was attending law school at the University of Florida. MacKay was president of the John Marshall Bar Association when a black, 24-year-old former Army officer named George Allen entered the law school. Straw votes showed most students did not want Allen in the John Marshall group, but MacKay persisted, eventually convincing his fellow students. Allen was in and would go on to be a prominent Fort Lauderdale lawyer.

Five years later, back in Ocala, MacKay once again took up the cause of racial integration when he challenged his segregated church to allow black parishioners. The church rejected the notion but worked with MacKay and a handful of other members who spun off and started a new church, Fort King Presbyterian, where black and white Ocalans could worship side by side, and where MacKay still attends.

Then came west Ocala.

“It bothered me a great deal that there was such a difference in the black side of Ocala and the white side,” he said. “And I don’t want to appear more heroic than I was.

Some of it was behind the scenes, some of it was in public.”

Regardless, MacKay and a handful of

other citizens convinced the city to annex west Ocala.

There was, however, a bigger civil rights battle on the horizon locally – integrating the schools.

MacKay jumped into that controversy as well. Meeting secretly with a small group of like-minded people – Superintendent of Schools Mac Dunwoody, lawyer John McKeever and School Board member Ed Anderson – the group devised a plan to integrate the schools. In a 2012 interview, Dunwoody talked about how angry the issue made many people, and how they would meet at the end of MacKay’s lake dock so no one would see them or hear them.

The battle was pitched, and there was a lot of community resistance, but the group convinced the School Board to embrace their plan, which included renaming the black Howard High to Vanguard High and the white Ocala High to Forest High. In the end, there was little conflict or violence like so many other Southern communities had experienced.

“You can give Buddy and the School Board credit for desegregating the schools without any problems,” said Anne Anderson, widow of Ed Anderson. “A lot of communities had a lot of trouble.”

Today, at age 88, MacKay still remains involved in public issues, most significantly continuing to push for the draining of the Rodman Reservoir and the restoration of the Ocklawaha River. He also keeps a wary eye on Lake Weir, which he believes is constantly threatened by the ever-expanding development of The Villages.

MacKay came up during a kinder, gentler political era when Republicans and Democrats could actually work on big measures about things like the environment or education without being accused of being a traitor to their tribe.

In his memoir, “How Florida Happened: The Political Education of Buddy MacKay,” MacKay deplores the new age of scorched-earth political warfare in which “compromise was increasingly portrayed as less than honorable and a new fantasy, ideological purity, was becoming accepted in lieu of bipartisan problem-solving.”

So, would he do it all over again” Flashing his trademark grin, he said, “Probably … if I could talk Ann into it.”

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

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The

Ja ne Lyn ch

The award-winning actress brings her musical show to north central Florida

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

BY CARLTON REESE

Photo by Kathy Hutchins, Shutterstock

Versatile

Q

uite the understatement would be in claiming Jane Lynch to be a versatile actress. A star on television and the big screen, Lynch has carved a path for herself in the industry mainly through the comedic genre, but also in dramatic roles. Simply noting this, though, does not even begin to account for the multi-faceted nature of Lynch’s talents.

Lesser known to most of the fans who fell under her spell in the role of Sue Sylvester on the television show “Glee,” Lynch’s career has been a tour de force of stage acting, singing, writing books and plays, and hosting TV game shows. A winner of multiple Emmy Awards and Golden Globes, Lynch brings her talents to north central Florida Nov. 29 with “A Swingin’ Little Christmas Tour 2021,” a show that combines a bit of comedic kitsch and sentimentality of the classic Christmas albums of the 1950s and 60s.

In the show, she is accompanied by Kate Flannery, who most remember for her role on TV’s “The Office” as Meredith. Also co-starring is Tim Davis, who arranged all the vocals for the show as he did for six years on Glee. Davis was also recently named music producer for The People’s Choice Awards, The Game Awards and the new feature film musical “Love is Afoot.”

Early in her career, Lynch was seen in minor roles next to Judge Rheinhold in “Vice Versa” and Harrison Ford in “The Fugitive” and it’s been all big-time since. Starring roles in blockbuster comedies alongside the likes of Steve Carrell, Will Ferrell and Christopher Guest, Lynch has most recently made perhaps her biggest mark on the small screen. In addition to her role on Glee, Lynch has also made award-winning appearances on “Two

and a Half Men,” “Hollywood Game Night” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”

“A Swingin’ Little Christmas Tour 2021” will take place at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Gainesville and will feature the Tony Guerrero Quintet.

Lynch took time recently to discuss the show and her career in Question & Format with Ocala Magazine.

OM: First, please tell me a little bit about the Christmas Tour and what audiences can expect.

JL: Audiences can expect a toe-tapping joyous old time Christmas with all their holiday favorite songs. We love Christmas music of the late 50s and early 60s, the Christmas hits that we listen to up to this very day. That also happens to be our favorite kind of music to perform so all of our Christmas classics are arranged in that Jazzy style.

“I love being a part of a team. I never wanted to be out there by myself.

In these types of projects, the best joke always wins and there’s a great equality, a level playing field.”

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

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“Christmas was a huge thing in my house and the music was front and center. We listen to the same stuff over and over again: Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, some of the devotional music.”

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

OM: As an entertainer, you are quite versatile on screen, in the recording studio and with the pen. Which of these do you think most defines Jane Lynch?

JL: One of the great joys of my life is that my career is so diverse! I love it all. However, I do have a special place in my heart for live performance. It’s where I started, it’s what drew me to a life in this business we call show! And performing with Kate Flannery is a delight and has been for decades now. We met each other in the late 80s and we’ve been singing and performing together ever since. We ratcheted it up after both of our shows were canceled and we hit the road together.

OM: On screen, you have worked with a lot of major players in the industry.

Which stars did you most enjoy working with?

JL: I love the ensemble comedies like “40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Talladega Nights.,” “Best in Show,” “A Mighty Wind,” etc… I love being a part of a team. I never wanted to be out there by myself. In these types of projects, the best joke always wins and there’s a great equality, a level playing field. No one‘s trying to be the star! Cooperation is key.

OM: We are often told fans should never meet the stars they adore as they will be disappointed. Should Jane Lynch fans follow this advice?

JL: No. They’ll want to meet me. I’m a delight.

OM: You are so well known as a comedic actress, but have also played dramatic roles. Do you consider yourself a comedian who acts or as an actor who performs comedy – or is there a difference?

JL: I try to stay away from considering myself it’s anything at all!

OM: When did you first realize that you were funny and people were drawn to you for that?

JL: I remember in grade school making the kids laugh. It was intoxicating.

OM: Which of the roles you have played most resembles Jane Lynch off the screen?

JL: I bring myself to everything or else it wouldn’t be genuine. But I will say that Sue Sylvester is just below the skin!

OM: Performing a Christmas show, is it too much to assume Christmas is a special time for you? What is it about Christmas that is so appealing to Jane Lynch?

JL: Christmas was a huge thing in my house and the music was front and center. We listen to the same stuff over and over again: Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, some of the devotional music. It’s that type of music we exemplify in our Christmas show!

The Tony Guererro Quintet specializes in that jazzy, big band style and Kate and I are throwbacks for sure!

OM: Everyone has a tale to tell regarding the pandemic and lockdowns. How was your tour and career affected by the pandemic and do you feel things are getting back to normal for you?

JL: We missed our Christmas tour entirely last year because of Covid. That was sad but you know you do what you have to do and take it in stride. We’re thrilled to be back on the road this Christmas. It’s become a holiday tradition for us.

OM: Show mates Kate Flannery and Tim Davis should be well-known to audiences. Tell me about the dynamic you have with those two.

JL: Tim Davis is not only a beautiful singer and a knockout in the tux, he also arranges all of our vocals. He did the same thing for every song on Glee for the six years we were on television. So, we get to do these really tight three-part harmonies that we just

love. It is a real joy being on stage with these two. They are such pros and so delightful and entertaining.

OM: When you are not working, what occupies your time in terms of leisure or hobbies?

JL: I love my dog, I love my house, I love to walk for our long stretches. That’s about all I’m interested in!

OM: Your show is coming to Gainesville, Florida – how familiar are you with north central Florida and what has been your experience here?

JL: I don’t know North Central Florida at all! So, looking forward to meeting all of you and enjoying some holiday spirit!

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

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The show does go on Ocala Civic Theater is back with new vigor, new leadership and a new strategy

BY BRAD ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY RALPH DEMILIO

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| OCT 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

I

t’s been a disquieting couple of years for the Ocala Civic Theatre.

First, in early 2019, its leader of more than 30 years, Mary Britt, died at age 64. Britt was the heart, soul and face of OCT. She nurtured OCT into one of the most respected community theaters in the country and a cornerstone of Ocala’s cultural arts community.

Then, in 2020, came the COVID-19 pandemic. It caused OCT, like most businesses and entertainment venues, to close temporarily and, later, to sharply curtail their activities and audiences. OCT was lucky, though. It was not among the 80 percent of community theaters across the United States that closed for good.

OCT carried on, albeit in a much more limited way. Bottom line: it survived.

The pandemic, while a threat to OCT’s survival, turned out to be an opportunity for the theater, which had changed little in Britt’s years at the helm. The pandemic imposed a pause in which theater backers could regroup, find a replacement for the venerable Britt and assess the finances, long-range vision and relationship with the community that Britt had overseen for a generation.

The result of those steps is OCT has come back from the shutdown with new leadership and a new strategy for growth going forward.

For OCT board president Laurie Zink, getting to this point meant stepping back and looking at the full picture. What Zink and others saw was a wonderful, aging old lady who everyone loved but that had not kept up with the times. With time to work -- and some federal pandemic dollars to keep things going -- it was obvious change was needed.

“I was a friend of Mary’s,” Zink said.

“But if we kept doing things the same way that we had always done them, there would be no legacy for Mary.

“Yes, the Ocala Civic Theatre is 71 years old. And yes, it has served the community well. But the whole community has changed, and OCT has to change, too. We evolve. We have to.”

That evolution started with finding someone to lead OCT going forward. Britt had been both the artistic director and the business manager for OCT. Zink said board members determined that model does not

World premier of Paper Thin

work in 2021. So, they conducted a search and hired a two-headed executive team with Katrina Ploof as artistic director and Rosie Miller as business and development director.

Ploof, who has spent a career in theater doing everything from acting and directing to stage management and costume design, had been a director at OCT once a year for eight years before being hired to lead OCT forward artistically. She served as interim director after Britt died. Ploof arrived in Ocala in March 2020, “the day Walt Disney World closed, and the state basically locked up,” she said.

Miller, meanwhile, had been a nonprofit executive in the Orlando area for many

years and was hired to oversee the theater’s business operations and fund-raising efforts.

Her first act was to examine OCT’s business model. What she found was the theater was “too heavily dependent” on ticket sales. Her focus will be on expanding the sources of OCT’s revenues and its audience base.

THE 21ST CENTURY VISION Determining a strategy for the future meant examining OCT’s audience. What they found was the longstanding and dependable ticket-holders of the past were aging and dwindling. The result, Ploof said, was OCT was not taking any chances, not trying

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | OCT 2021 |

39

anything new and in omnipresent fear of offending the audiences.

“There was just this terror that people were going to get mad,” she said.

Both Ploof and Miller agreed the pandemic facilitated a change in direction for OCT – to a smaller season, smaller productions, more focus on good plays rather than well-known ones and renewed emphasis on its popular and burgeoning Education Department. All in all, the goal is to attract younger audience members and stimulate support from arts lovers.

“My focus is excellence,” Ploof said. “I might pick a play you don’t know, but I’m not going to pick a piece of crap. You may not know it, but it won’t be a waste of your time.”

The first two productions OCT has put on since COVID restrictions were lifted are “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” a comedy that had a few suggestive and racy scenes, and “Paper Thin,” a never-before-seen three-act play by relatively unknown but award-winning Mississippi playwright T.K. Lee. Both have attracted strong audiences, an encouraging sign to Ploof and Miller.

“We are cautiously optimistic about the return of audiences,” Ploof said. “Every play and every musical has had more people in the audience, but it can’t come back fast enough.”

Lee is a perfect example of the kind out-of-the-box thinking the OCT leadership believes can help set OCT even farther apart from other community theaters.

He has written a number of plays, and he is also a poet. He worked for 10 years on “Paper Thin” to get it where it is today. When OCT presented the play’s world premiere last month, both playwright and playhouse saw it was a win.

When asked how important OCT’s invitation to produce his play was to his career, Lee was emphatic.

“Oh my god, I’m excited anytime any theater wants to tell my story … because at any theater, there is a lot of money involved,” he said. “It’s very hard to get a name without theaters like this.”

“I mean, OCT is ranked in the top 10 (community theaters) in the country,” he added. “At one point it had a membership of 60,000. It’s hugely impactful not only in Ocala, but beyond. It’s very hard to get a name and it’s hard to get a name without theaters

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| OCT 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

like this. This is a big thing to me.”

For Ploof, any performance OCT puts on must be “relevant and feel like it was written for today.” She believes “Paper Thin,”which ran at OCT from Oct. 14-31, accomplished that – and maybe helped launch Lee’s career to the next level. That would be something that would benefit OCT. “A rising tide floats all boats. That’s the advantage,” the theatrical veteran said. “If Kris Lee’s ‘Paper Thin’ catches the eye of a regional theater, or theaters in New York or London see it, the Ocala Civic Theater goes with it. What if we become known (for launching new playwrights)? What if we did a new play festival, what would that mean?”

Zink said the board of directors is all in on the new approach.

“We want to get to the point where people will come not because the play is known, but because they know OCT means quality,” she said. “The goal is to introduce more and more people of all ages and backgrounds to this theater and make it vibrant for the next 70 years.”

WHAT’S NEW AT OCT The changes Ploof, Miller and Zink talk about are already happening. The coming OCT season will be six performances, as opposed to the traditional eight it used to stage.

Tickets will remain $25 per performance.

Ploof and Miller say that will allow for more focus on quality and audience appreciation

as well as a new emphasis on other aspects of OCT, namely its Education Department and promoting its new outdoor stage as both an outdoor performing arts facility and an events venue.

The Education Program at OCT is of special interest to the new leadership as part of their new strategy.

Headed by Terry LeCompte, the Education Program provides classes and instruction in theater for young people. Currently, the program is “exploding,” according to Ploof, and has about 200 participants with a waiting list.

“The thing about an education program, specifically for theater, and especially for children, is it creates empathy,” she said. “Theater kids are good people. They learn about the world and about the people in it. They learn how to tell other people’s stories. … and what we’re creating are our future audiences.”

Miller concurs that the education program is important to OCT, both present and future.

“The biggest thing I’d like to focus on is our education program,” Miller said. “We have an amazing education director. We’re at full capacity. And the education program actually grew during the pandemic.”

A production of the “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” put on by the Education Department over the summer, sold out, which was music to Miller’s ears.

The outdoor stage, meanwhile, offers OCT a second venue for presenting plays

T.K. Lee.

and musicals. Miller said that in addition to that, it can also provide income for OCT as an outdoor event venue.

Financed through a grant from the Marion Cultural Alliance, the outdoor facility is lighted with twinkling lights and, of course, has a stage.

MOVING FORWARD Now that things have returned to some semblance of normal, OCT’s plan for the future is to re-engage the community, restructure its approach to business and look for new ways to solidify its finances.

What Miller and Ploof say is a saving grace for the theater is the $1.3 million in federal dollars it received through the Shuttered Venue Operations Grant and other pandemic relief programs. “We applied for every grant we could,” Miller said.

It allowed OCT to avoid laying off any of its 15 employees and put a little money

into its endowment. Once venues were allowed to begin having live audiences, the theater began having 60-person audiences – the theater seats 362 – and that helped keep the operation alive, Miller said.

“I think we coped with it very well,” she said. “I think the audiences coped with it very well.”

In the past, Miller said, OCT has focused almost exclusively on artistic direction and the stage – to the hindrance of fund-raising opportunities. That has to change.

Zink agreed, noting that OCT “is a 71-year-old girl who needs some TLC.” “We’re going to start a fund-raising campaign dedicated to making sure the building is going to be with us another 71 years,” she said. “If we don’t have a building, we don’t have a theater.”

Miller said OCT will continue to be aggressive in seeking grants and soliciting more sponsorships and memberships, in-

cluding going outside of Marion County, and pursuing more rentals as a venue for outside events.

“We’re trying not necessarily to change the brand, just improve it,” Miller said. “So, we’ll be very careful who we allow in.”

The goal as far as audience count is concerned, is to get back, or exceed, the pre-pandemic annual headcount of 65,000.

To help achieve these goals, OCT has created a new marketing department.

For Zink, who has been board president for a year, she believes the community will and must rally around OCT because the two are good for each other.

“We’re the only live theater in Ocala,” she said. “There’s a beauty to that that you don’t get anywhere but live theater. … But it will depend on the community.”

To contact the Ocala Civic Theater, you can call 352/236-2274, or go onlineocalacivictheatre.com.

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | OCT 2021 |

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eat

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at OM to all of our readers.

We are thankful for each of you!

Fruitful Fare p44 | Dining Out p47

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FruitfulFARE A ShowStopping Strawberry Snack

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BY FAMILY FEATURES, Source: Culinary.net

hen you are craving something sweet, sometimes you just can’t get it off your mind until you have just one bite. You need something small, delicious and something that will ease your cravings. This recipe for Chocolate Coated Strawberry Treats is not only fun to make, but will give you that perfect little snack you have been longing for.

The recipe begins with fresh strawberries and ends with a drizzle of mouthwatering peanut butter sauce. This is a great recipe for little ones looking to help out in the kitchen. These strawberries are fun to dip and even more enjoyable to devour.

This snack can also be perfect for date night, a romantic date or just a picnic in the park with friends. They are easy to transport from place to place and don’t leave a huge mess behind to clean up afterwards.

It’s also simple to just melt, whisk, dip and repeat. The red, ripe berries are bursting with color and the chocolate is glazed right across the top for the perfect bite.

The best part is you can be creative and dip these strawberries into a number of your favorite ingredients you already have in your pantry at home. This includes, sprinkles, small candies, white chocolate drizzle and different kinds of nuts. The possibilities are endless.

Next time you can’t get chocolate off your mind, enjoy something delightful, rich and a show-stopping snack.

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CHOCOLATE COATED STRAWBERRY TREATS Servings: 5

INGREDIENTS » » » » » »

1 1/4 1/2 3 1

baking chocolate chips baking peanut butter chips tablespoons coconut oil, divided pound fresh strawberries shredded coconut crushed almonds

INSTRUCTIONS

• In saucepan, add baking chocolate chips and two tablespoons of coconut oil. Melt on low to medium heat and whisk until smooth.

• In a small bowl, add baking peanut butter chips and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Whisk together until smooth.

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Dip all strawberries into melted chocolate. Then, dip 1/3 in coconut, 1/3 in almonds and 1/3 just chocolate and lay on tray.

• Drizzle the melted peanut butter over the plain chocolate strawberries.

• Put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until strawberry treats are chilled.

Fresh, Better-for-You Fruit Flavor

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GRAPE DUTCH BABY Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Servings: 4

BY FAMILY FEATURES, Source: GrapesFromCalifornia.com

hether you’re enjoying a special occasion or simply spending deserved time with loved ones, you can gather at breakfast or brunch and enjoy this easy-to-make, divine pancake that tickles taste buds and delivers a satisfying start to the day.

Add the naturally sweet taste of fruit to the breakfast table with this Grape Dutch Baby recipe that requires just 15 minutes of prep time in the kitchen. Or serve it as a light main dish for those nights when having breakfast for dinner is the plan. Fresh California grapes offer a tasty burst of flavor that pairs perfectly with an egg-based pancake.

Whether enjoyed at breakfast or throughout the day, grapes can be a convenient, healthy, hydrating and energizing option. In fact, research suggests regularly eating grapes as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle contributes to overall wellness and healthy aging. Specifically, eating grapes is linked to beneficial impacts on the health of specific body parts and systems, including the heart, brain, skin and colon.

INGREDIENTS » » » » » » » » » »

6 1 1/3 1 1/3 1/2 1/2 5 2 2 1/8

large eggs cups all-purpose flour cups low-fat milk teaspoon vanilla teaspoon salt tablespoons unsalted butter, divided cups red California grapes, halved tablespoons brown sugar teaspoon cinnamon (optional) confectioners’ sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat oven to 450 F. Put large (10-inch) cast-iron or ovenproof skillet in oven.

• With electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs until frothy then beat in flour, milk, vanilla and salt, and beat until smooth, about 1 minute (batter will be thin).

Remove skillet from oven and add 2 tablespoons butter, swirling to cover pan.

Pour in batter and return to oven. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 14-19 minutes.

• While pancake is baking, in another skillet over high heat, melt remaining butter and add grapes, brown sugar and cinnamon, if desired. Cook until grapes are heated through and sugar has melted. Spoon grapes over pancake, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

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Going Plant Based

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BY FAMILY FEATURES, Source: Toufayan.com

hen you consume foods that boost your energy and give your body the fuel it needs, you can expect to feel healthier, both physically and emotionally. In many cases the foods that deliver are plant-based, and you can create delicious and healthy meals while adhering to a plant-based eating plan.

MAKE EASY SUBSTITUTES. Having a vegetarian meal once a day is a great start, or even try “meatless Mondays” at home. Swap out ice cream and instead go for frozen blended bananas as an after-dinner treat.

MAKE GRADUAL CHANGES. Even one change per day can lead to healthier eating, like swapping the meat in a normal sandwich for a plant-based protein, such as a salad made with chickpeas or lentils, for a quick and easy lunch.

START MEAL PLANNING. Meal planning can reduce the time you spend in the kitchen and cut the cost of your groceries while making plant-based eating easy. Keep healthy staples on hand like vegan, cholesterol-free and trans fat-free Toufayan multi-grain pita bread.

The pre-split pita is perfect to keep on hand and fill with your favorite plant-based ingredients for a quick meal or pair with hummus, chickpea salad or apples.

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

APPLE PIE STUFFED PITAS

Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 17 minutes Servings: 4 FILLING: » » » » » » »

4 1 1/2 2 1/3 3 1

green apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon nutmeg tablespoons plant-based butter cup white sugar tablespoons water teaspoon cornstarch

OAT CRUMBLE TOPPING: » » » » » » » »

1/2 1/2 1/4 1/2 1 1 2 4

cup flour cup rolled oats cup brown sugar teaspoon cinnamon tablespoon orange juice pinch salt tablespoons plant-based butter Toufayan Multi-Grain Pita Bread

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 F. • To make filling: In large saute pan over medium heat add apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, white sugar, water and cornstarch. Cook apples down about 10 minutes until they begin to get gooey.

• To make oat crumble topping: In medium bowl, mix flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, orange juice and salt. Cut in butter and mix until crumbs begin to form.

• Cut pitas in half and line baking sheet. Fill one pita half with apple filling and lay on its side, being careful to not let apples fall out. Top with oat crumble. Repeat with remaining pitas.

• Bake about 6 minutes. If desired, broil 1 minute for additional color.

EAT

dining out

Ocala is going out again!

Advertise with us to connect with our hungry readers.

Call 352.622.2995 and reserve your space.

Ivy On The Square Whether gathering with friends or family for lunch or a night out, you’ll enjoy fresh salads, mouthwatering comfort food, late-night tapas and drinks. Specials include our Pecan Salmon, Southern Fried Lobster and famous baked Krispy Chicken. After dining enjoy a stroll in our boutique where we offer a variety of gifts, jewelry, home decor and clothing. Looking to host a special event or dinner? Call and talk to one of our staff members on the options we have available.

Stop by our new speakeasy bar and enjoy our specialty drinks! Gift certificates available.

53 S. Magnolia Ave., Ocala | (352) 622-5550 Closed Mon, Tues 11am-2pm, Wed 11am-9pm, Thurs 11am-9pm 106 NW Main St., Williston | (352) 528-5410 Sun-Wed 11am-2pm, Thurs-Sat 11am-8pm | ivyhousefl.com

West 82° Bar and Grill Looking for a flavor party in your mouth with the best view in Citrus County to tantalize your eyes?

The West 82 Bar and Grill offers fun innovative dining options with niche regional and eclectic southern charm. We use the freshest ingredients to include locally caught fresh seafood, Florida beef, as well as locally harvested fruits and vegetables.

9301 West Fort Island Trail Crystal River, FL 34429 (352) 795-4211 plantationoncrystalriver.com

We invite you to catch your own in season fish and scallops which we can prepare in a variety of ways, served family style.

Overlooking the beautiful Kings Bay and Crystal River, the West 82 satisfies all of your senses in one place.

Call for reservations and weekly specials.

Breakfast: Monday-Sunday 6-10:30am Lunch: 11:30am-2pm, Dinner: Daily: 5-9pm 9301 West Fort Island Trail, Crystal River, FL 34429 | (352) 795-4211 www.plantationoncrystalriver.com

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

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play

30”x48” acrylic on canvas | ArtByAmanda@lyon.im | See more of Amanda’s work at the Magnolia Art Xchange

Happenings p50 | Society p54 | Anthology—Poetry in Motion p64

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

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T H I N G S TO D O I N N OV E M BER First Friday Art Walk

T

aking place the first Friday of each month (September through May from 6 to 9 p.m.), First Friday Art Walk is a free event located within Ocala’s historic downtown. Event festivities include over 30 artist displays, monthly live entertainment, free family art activities provided by local arts organizations and extended shopping hours. Enjoy an evening of art, live performances, and downtown shops and restaurants. Pick up your map on the square and take a self-guided tour of local artists displaying their works for sale in front of our downtown business.

November 5th, December 3rd • Downtown Square, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

TEDxOcala 2021

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D

ueling Pianos at The Lodge / Every 2nd Friday at The Lodge 3hours of non stop dueling pianos at The Lodge in Downtown Ocala! Special FREE showing edition!

Fri, November 12, 2021 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM EST Doors open 7:30 pm, show starts 8 pm The Lodge Ocala • 352.289.1390 36 S. Magnolia Ave Ocala, FL 34471

his is TEDxOcala's 7th Annual event, with the theme FORWARD. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Live speakers come together to spark deep discussion and connect. For tickets visit www.tedxocala.com

Sat, November 13, 2021 • 10:00 pm – 4:00 pm Central Florida Ocala Campus • 3001 Southwest College Road, Ocala, FL 34474 For tickets or more info visit tedxocala.org

Arabian Horse Association of Florida Holiday Festival Show

Nov 26 at 8 am – Nov 28 at 6 pm at World Equestrian Center 1390 NW 80th Ave., Ocala More info: www.ahaflorida.org

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R

egional Qualifying Arabian/Half Arabian Horse show offering Sport Horse, Performance, Halter, Dressage and Academy classes.

Art After Hours

P

oetry and Percussion Jam Session with Creative Collective Arts, LLC. Free admission, RSVP required.

November 23, 2021, 5:30-7 pm Brick City Center for the Arts 23 SW Broadway Street Visit mcaocala.org for more info

JUS

E

Light Up Ocala

T

Ocali Country Days Festival

he Ocali Country Days festival takes place on the second weekend of November each year.

This popular event celebrates the pioneer spirit and folk life of old Florida with live music, food, vendors and “old timey” craft demonstrations. Visitors can interact with skilled crafters to learn more about blacksmithing, making sugar cane syrup, cooking over an open hearth, log cabins, traditional Seminole cooking and arts, pioneer cattle and horses, spinning, weaving and quilting, and more.

Saturday, November 13 9:00 am - 4:00 pm 1445 NE 58th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34470 Cost is $8 per person with children 5 and under free.

L

ight Up Ocala will have over 100 vendors including crafts, art and plenty of food options to choose from! Live entertainment will fill the air with festive sounds and an interactive kids zone will keep the whole family entertained. You won't want to miss the Junior Sunshine holiday parade with a special appearance by Santa. All of which culminates in the most exciting part of the event: lighting up downtown Ocala!

Saturday, November 20, 2021 Downtown Ocala 4 - 9 pm

It's A Wonderful Life

T

he beloved Christmas classic is retold as a 1940s radio play. It’s the heartwarming holiday story you know and love, told “on the air” by a small cast of actors bringing dozens of characters to life through the magic of their versatile voices, special sound effects, and your imagination.

Ocala Civic Theatre • 4337 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, Florida UPCOMING DATES:

Friday, November 26 Saturday, November 27 Sunday, November 28

Thursday, December 2 Friday, December 3 Saturday, December 4 Sunday, December 5

Thursday, December 9 Friday, December 10 Saturday, December 11

Here are a few movies coming out in November to get excited about:

Shirley Valentine

S

hirley Valentine, now Mrs. Joe Bradshaw, who has been reduced to talking to her kitchen wall as she prepares her husband's evening meal. But as she sips her wine she dreams of drinking it in an exotic location. Then a friend offers her a ticket to Greece! Tickets/ linkets are $12 and may be purchased from showtix4u on their website.

Performed Live Online November 13th and 14th, 2021 More info: www.unboxed.productions

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Ocala's home for live entertainment!

National Artists, the Ocala Symphony Orchestra and more!

Variations on Opening Night

The Wood Brothers with The Dead Tongues

Nov. 20 | 7:30 PM & Nov. 21 | 3 PM

Dec. 2 | 7:30 PM

The Nutcracker

Chris Thile & Aoife O'Donovan Dec. 20 | 7:30 PM

Dec. 14 | 7:30 PM

Symphony Under the Lights Dec. 3 | 7:00 PM

Lee Ann Womack Jan. 21 | 7:30 PM

Take 6

Dec. 7 | 7:30 PM

Los Lobos

Feb. 12 | 7:30 PM

UPCOMING AT THE MARION THEATRE

Concerts, classic films, special events and more!

The Marion Theatre has something for everyone with a great lineup of movies and live concerts.

Additionally, this unique space is perfect for private film events! Host your next birthday party, company outing, or gather friends to watch your favorite film by renting the theatre.

Scan the QR code with your phone to visit our website with our complete listing of Reilly, Ocala Symphony and Marion Theatre events!

ReillyArtsCenter.com | 352-351-1606 | 500 NE 9th Street

Media Support provided by:

MarionTheatre.org | 352-820-3049 | 50 S Magnolia Ave

EVENTS

society

Applaud the Arts STORY+ PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEIGHTON OKUS | SOCIAL CORRESPONDANT

T

he leaders and lovers of art in our community came together for Applaud the Arts on October 10th at Ocala’s Civic Theatre. It was an absolutely beautiful day as Marion Cultural Alliance awarded some of our most outstanding leaders in service, education, vision and spirit.The outdoor stage was transformed into an ethereal garden party, complete with a harpist and delicious food and drinks. It was so refreshing to be amongst so many advocates for growth in the arts. Together, we reflected on Ocala’s history and shared our collective hopes and dreams for a very bright future.

Laurie Zink, Gerald Ergle and Maggie Weakley

Jessica McCune, Ken Colen, Blaise Bonaventure, Sheni Meghani, Cain Davis and Jim McCune

Leighton Okus

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Beth Cannon, Dorothy Pernu, Maggie Weakley and Lauren Deiorio

Jackie and Joe Harris

Diane Cahal, Dr. Scott Olsen, Mel Fiorentino, Lynn Burch, Xochee Smith

Tito Comas and David Midgett

Aaron Thomas and Nikki Upton

Victoria Billig and Joel Downing

Lynn Burch, Jen Normoyle, Stephani Schuster, Carol Toner and Ashley Justiniano

Mary Delancey, Pamela Calero-Wardell, Katrina Ploof, Jaye Baillie, Lisa Midgett, Laurie Zink and Ginger Cruze

Jessi Miller, Tom Dobbins, RJ Jenkins, Todd Rudnianyn and Angie Lewis

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

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EVENTS

society

VyStar Ribbon Cutting at Belleview High School STORY+ PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEIGHTON OKUS

O

ctober 18th was a very special day for Belleview High School and VyStar Credit Union. I was completely blown away by the incredible concept of opening a VyStar Branch that is managed and operated by students. Twelve students interviewed then interned for the whole summer to learn the fundamentals of financial literacy. I had the honor of spending time with the students, teachers and local leaders in education, discussing this distinctive project. This branch has already opened accounts with more than 200 faculty and students on campus! What a shining day for the Marion County Public School System.

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September 12th marks one year since we lost someone very special to our OFMC Family, our Founder, Dr. Robert Panzer. Even though he is not here with us physically, we feel his presence on a daily basis. We miss his warmth, sense of humor, kindness, compassion, endless stories and his uncanny ability to make you feel like you were the only person who mattered when you came to him for help or guidance. The wisdom he shared and his dedication to medicine shaped the foundation of OFMC! Today, and every day, we miss him and are so thankful for the years he dedicated himself to OFMC and all of the memories made.

In honor of him, let’s continue to practice what he stood for: LAUGH – Tell jokes, smile and laugh often!

LISTEN – Lend an ear, or shoulder to cry on for someone who needs it!

HELP – Lend a helping hand to someone you know may be struggling.

GRATITUDE – Practice this daily – be grateful for all of the blessings in your life!

BE THE GOOD – Especially with these trying times, take any opportunity to promote and spread goodness in the world!

There aren’t enough amazing words or ways to describe all of the wonderful things about Dr. Panzer and his lifelong impact on so many people. We are just extremely grateful to have had such an incredible person as the foundation of this practice for so many years.

The stories, laughter and memories will never fade – we will remember Dr. Panzer always!

EVENTS

society

FAFO Returns!

STORY+ PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSI MILLER

D

uring the COVID mayhem of 2020, Fine Arts For Ocala wisely decided not to bring thousands of people together in one place, so they canceled the annual October art festival and opted for several small events instead. This year the arts are coming back full-force and FAFO brought the festival back to downtown Ocala. Local and out-of-town artists happily greeted crowds with their beautiful work.

For a full list of artists and their contact info, visit: http:// www.fafo.org/this-years-artists/

Ryan Neumann

Todd K. Fox

Michelle Mcdowell Smith

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Dan McCarthy

Leslie Wengler

Gwendi Raymond

Jordan Shapot

Brian Meade

Rose Derkay

Leslie Peebles

Jemal Hayes

Justin Alsedek

Larry Maynard

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EVENTS

society

Walk to end Alzheimer’s raises $80,000

O

cala took part, raising $80,000 for the care, support and research programs of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Each person there had their own reason for walking. Patricia “Trish” Dennis of Team Patrick shared why participating was important to her: “We lost my daddy, Patrick Connolly, in 2017 to Alzheimer’s. The hardest part was the last 18 days he was with us, watching him beg for a cup of cold water just so he could swallow. He was supposed to be gone at 14 days but held on 4 more days to be with us all. We walk to hopefully find a cure before another family member has to go through what daddy went through.”

End Alz Now was the top fundraising team at this year’s event, raising nearly $30,000. The team’s largest fundraiser, Ride for the Cure, had been held the weekend before. Team member Ed Hancock shared why this team and the Walk to End Alzheimer’s means so much, “I walk to honor my parents and my sister, all who had Alzheimer's, and to reclaim the future for our children. My sister finally succumbed to Alzheimer's and passed away in 2017. By participating, I'm committed to raising awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s research, care and support.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease – a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 11 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Florida alone, there are more than 580,000 people living with the disease and 527,000 caregivers.

Donations are still needed to help Ocala residents meet their goal of $129,000.

Donate today at alz.org/cnfl/walk

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EVENTS

society

OEU Customer Appreciation

O

cala Electric Utility hosted their Customer Appreciation Day Friday, Oct. 1 at Citizens’ Circle.

This free event was held in conjunction with Public Power Week. To show appreciation for its customers, OEU provided food by the Mojo Grill and Catering Company, entertainment, family-friendly activities, educational items, and giveaways.

Appreciation prizes included bill credits to be used on customer accounts.

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

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EVENTS

society

MC4 fundraiser to benefit the Ocala Veterans Memorial Park

M

C4 is the Marion County Continuity of Care organization, which has been supporting Ocala Metro and Greater Marion County area for many years. They recently hosted a fund raiser to benefit the Ocala Veterans Memorial Park and the new projects they want to build upon for families and veterans to enjoy.

MC4 holds general meetings on the 2nd Thursday of each month. There is a nominal fee for membership but they encourage everyone to join as a guest to get a glimpse of how they support Marion County. MC4 provides an opportunity and forum for people to create professional networks while supporting our local businesses and non-profits.

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Tickets

ON SALE NOW Ocala

FORWARD November 13, 2021 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

College of Central Florida Fine Arts Auditorium

Visit our website: www.tedxocala.com eventbrite www.eventbrite.com/e/tedxocala-2021-tickets-170698091587

PLAY

anthology — poetry in motion

The owner, leader, manager, or boss are all at a loss if not for The Team The Team has your front The Team has your back The Team gives structure The Team gives marketing and sales The Team creates reputation The Team creates family The Team deserves respect

The

Team

BY JERRY GLASSMAN

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

The Team deserves participation based on success Everyone does well Everyone is proud The Team’s positive attitude is “Let’s get it done together” In the minds of The Team, this scenario would be a dream Hence the name, The Dream Team

The Junior League of Ocala’s

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Ocala Grads Make it to the Breeders Cup World Championships

A

ll good horsemen know that the way a horse is treated early on in its life can affect the way that he or she views human beings. Good horsemen also know how important it is to start a horse the right way. There are methods that can be used that create an environment where the horse is rewarded for doing the right thing and only feels any pressure when he or she does not make the right decision. A true horseman knows any horse who is forced into submission will never be a horse that the rider or handler can trust.

Each year, many of the horses who hit the board in the top stakes’ races across the

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Photo by Susie Raisher

everything equine

BY LOUISA BARTON country have connections to the Ocala area.

These horses are sometimes bred here locally or graduate from a local training facility or pass through the Ocala Breeders Sales auction and are consigned by Ocala trainers. Some rest here and are rehabbed here on Ocala farms and start back into their training schedule right here.

This year at the Breeders Cup World Championships at Del Mar on Nov. 5-6, the situation is no different. The Breeders’ Cup World Championship races mark the yearend horse racing event. The results of these Championship races will play a large role in who wins Horse of the Year. The 1¼-mile Breeders Cup Classic is its richest race and

is a defining event in racing.

In the Breeders Cup Classic, there are a few connections I would like to focus this article on.

Knicks Go, foaled in 2016, is one of them. Knicks Go is one of the top-ranked older horses of 2021 after winning the Pegasus World Cup, Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap, Whitney Stakes and Lukas Classic. Knicks Go started his training at the Ocala training center of Nick and Jacqui de Meric. It is a family affair and their son, Tristan and his wife, Valeria, also train horses there. The de Meric family has a history of successful race horses every year. I rare-

Photos courtesy of Louisa Barton

EQUINE

ly remember a year that they did not have a grad of theirs in the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby, the Breeders Cup and other top stakes races.

Essential Quality is another champion race horse, who got his training at Niall Brennan Stables, also right here in Ocala.

Essential Quality is the top-ranked 3-yearold colt of 2021 after winning the Belmont Stakes and the Travers Stakes. His only defeat was in the Kentucky Derby, where he finished fourth, only a length behind the winner, after he had a troubled trip.

The third horse, Florida-bred Medina Spirit, has a story worth making a movie about. Medina Spirit, often referred to

by Bob Baffert as “the little horse,” or in some stories as the “Superstar from Sparr,” shocked the racing world when he went wire-to-wire in the Kentucky Derby. Medina Spirit was the seventh Florida-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. He came from a humble background, bred by a small breeder in Sparr, Gail Rice. He sold for a mere $1,000 as a yearling. Consignor and trainer Christy Whitman noticed him and thought he looked to have some talent. Whitman, who has a great eye for the underdogs with poten-

tial, was right on the money. When Medina Spirit ended up in the training barn of Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, he had his chance to shine. His breeder, Gail Rice, used to whisper in his ears that one day he would be a champion, and Medina Spirit has proven that to be the case this year. With questions surrounding the Derby win, due to use of a topical cream containing a steroid, Medina Spirit’s recent win in the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes has answered those questions.

Last, but certainly not least, I want to mention Thorostock Training Center in Morriston, just outside Ocala. I recently met Nick Sallusto on an early morning visit to this training facility. I was delighted to see Nick’s attention to detail with every horse in the barn.

I was so impressed with his professional staff and the quality of care provided to every horse.

Watching Nick and his staff in action during morning training allowed us to see his dedication. This is what provides every horse the best opportunity for success on the track and beyond. Watching the horses train and hearing about his vision for the future of this training center was very exciting. Hacking the horses to the track through the trees and allowing them to relax and just be horses is always phenome-

nal to see. Thorostock recently hired Michelle Hemingway. Michelle has a history of success with her equine grads also. I really believe this team will be unbeatable and this training center is certainly a huge asset to the Horse Capital. Between them, they have grads Mind Control, Bella Sofia and War Like Goddess to cheer on in the Breeders’ Cup races this year.

We are really proud that their training center calls Ocala home and we hope to see them in the Winners’ Circle at Del Mar! The Breeders Cup Championship races at Del Mar this year will be the culmination of the best of the best in the world of horse racing. As always, more than half the horses in the races have connections to the Ocala/ Marion County area.

There are many more horses worthy of mention, but for now just know that the contribution made to start a horse the right way, to recognize their greatness and give these horses all the tools they need to make it this far, is a credit to the professional training facilities in this area. It is a tribute to those who breed them, love them, raise them, handle them and train them. I don’t think they get as much credit as they deserve. Hats off to them all. Let’s hope one of the Ocala connections crosses the finish line first in the Classic – and safe travels to all.

Louisa Barton is the Equine Initiative Director at the Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership, Showcase Properties of Central Florida Farm Realtor and host of the Horse Talk Show on the Sky 97.3, Audacy.com and Equus Television

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

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charity

Getting fit on the bike... and in the garden

BY CARLTON REESE

H

is local travels almost exclusively occur via bicycle, in tow his dog, Roxy, perched proudly in the palm frond covered chariot.

Pedaling around town, Brett Wood has become a notable fixture of the local landscape, drawing stares and honks from well-wishers and curious onlookers.

For many, Wood is little more than a quirky spectacle whose backstory may even include some hardship that renders him indigent and reliant on the kindness of strangers.

“A lot of people think that I am (homeless),” said Wood, a former amateur bodybuilder who earns a living pinstriping cars for multiple dealerships in town. “People would stop us (he and Roxy), turn around in traffic and take pictures. Then, people started giving me money and I was like, ‘no, no, no,’ then I thought, ‘wait a minute; this can go to the ministry.’”

The ministry would be “Get Fit in the

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Garden,” where Wood provides exercise workout regimens for homeless and other needy folks. With the workouts, there is often a meal and a feeding of the souls with a Christian message.

The Get Fit program started with the Wear Gloves nonprofit and its initiative “Church in the Garden” outdoor services started by Ken and Wendy Kebrdle. When Church in the Garden moved from its location at 450 NW 2nd St., Get Fit in the Garden remained.

“We started out once a month and now it’s turned into once a week,” Wood said of the fitness program. “Every Saturday, we meet at 9 o’clock and we provide coffee and a lot of food.”

Wood also provides Bibles and a message for those who show up for the workouts that include weight equipment he provides.

“It’s anybody, not just homeless people,

and it’s really growing … especially since the food has increased.”

Most of those who show up are battling addictions or mental illness but may also be in need of simply staying physically fit.

Wood is there for them all.

“The main thing is trying to reach them and help them get off their addictions, help them in their mental illness and send them to the places they need to go, providing things they need for them,” Wood said. “More than anything, we’re trying to provide the spiritual growth, and the ones that don’t know Christ, we’re trying to make sure they do know Christ.”

BECOMING A PEDALING ICON Wood wasn’t always tooling around on his bike with Roxy in tow. He used to drive a truck like most people. Then one day in 2016, he heard that Kebrdle’s van had broken down and his ministry was in need of a

vehicle. Wood offered his truck temporarily, but Kebrdle explained there was a more permanent need. That’s when Wood said he heard the Lord calling to him.

“The thought came to me that I needed to give him my truck,” Wood recalls. “But, I liked my truck – why would I do that? That night, the same thought came to me: Give him your truck.

“The next morning, I read a devotion that said, in a nutshell, ‘Trust me everything you do; give up your worldly possessions and I’ll provide your needs.’”

Reading that devotion sealed it for Wood.

“So, I went and cleaned the truck out, took him the keys and title and he’s been driving it ever since.”

From that point, Wood became the mysterious man about town riding his bike with Roxy in tow.

The stares and honks increase dramatically over the Christmas season when Wood dons a Grinch costume while Roxy wears reindeer antlers. He says he plans on wearing the Grinch costume again this holiday season and should be easy to spot.

Wood says he has even been asked to show up at birthday parties wearing the Grinch costume and that it is a big hit with the kids.

Kebrdle just recently returned the truck to Wood, but that won’t change the cycling habits. He plans on driving the truck only for long trips while around town he will continue pedaling with his dog, for his health and for his ministry.

“I’m not going to stop doing that,” Wood said. “You don’t just see that every day and it draws people to me where I can then share the ministry with them. It’s almost the primary reason I do it.”

Working with Interfaith, Wood has even used his connections with the local car dealers to help provide transportation for the needy to attend church. Recently, Wood brought Interfaith’s needs to the attention of Jenkins Hyundai’s management, which wasted no time in donating a used van.

But don’t think you will see Wood driving the van – he’s committed to the bike with all its health benefits. The former bodybuilder, now in his 60s, still sports a young man’s physique.

“A lot of my older friends say, ‘Man, what’s your secret?’” Wood said. “I say, ‘Keep moving.’ Don’t stop moving; so this is me moving. If I don’t go to the gym or anything, I know I’m going to be on that bike.

“Everyone says, ‘You need an e-bike with the battery,’ but this is the only cardio I get.”

Wood grew up in Alabama, where he learned the art of pinstriping, then moved to Florida with his first wife in 1986. “I saw it on a map and saw ocean to ocean and said, ‘Let’s go there.’ I’ve been here ever since – I love it.”

Get Fit in the Garden can be found on Facebook and anyone wanting to donate money to the ministry can go to the Interfaith website, iesmarion.org, and earmark any donations to Get Fit in the Garden. Also, donations can be made directly to Wood while he’s tooling around town with Roxy.

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

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health journal

3to focus ways on

fitness, no matter the season BRANDPOINT

M

any Americans may be rededicating themselves to getting outside and focusing on their fitness. This may be especially important after so much time spent inside due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed to unwanted weight gain for 61% of Americans.

“Whether you are ready to return to public fitness centers or are pursuing an athome workout routine, the same priorities may remain key: daily exercise, proper nutrition and sufficient sleep,” said Dr. Donna

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| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

O’Shea, chief medical officer of population health, UnitedHealthcare.

To help with those efforts, here are three strategies to consider to help make health a priority year-round.

ROUND OUT YOUR HOME WORKOUT ROUTINE. While public gyms and group exercise classes may have appeal for many people, working out at home may have several advantages. At-home exercise is typically less expensive than a gym membership, which

may also help improve your financial fitness.

Exercising at home may provide greater flexibility and convenience when incorporating a workout into a daily routine, while offering a more private experience. To help make the most of your at-home exercise efforts, consider investing in resistance bands, which generally are an inexpensive, space-saving option that may help with pre-workout warmups and options for strength training.

A pair of adjustable-weight dumbbells may offer versatility, enabling scalable resistance to help improve your strength. Finally, heart

At-home exercise is typically less expensive than a gym membership, which may also help improve your financial fitness.

Research has shown consistent movement may help ward off depression and prevent issues like heart disease. rate monitors or activity trackers may help you evaluate performance during individual workouts and over time, while digital fitness apps may provide helpful instruction.

MAKE MOVEMENT A PRIORITY. Even if you don’t have a limited or full gym setup at home, it is crucial to still stay active and not fall into the trap of participating only in sedentary activities, such as binge-watching the latest TV series or movies. Consider taking short walks frequently throughout the day, aiming for six separate “mini-walks” of at least 300 to 500 steps. To help enhance cardiovascular fitness, consider at least one 30-minute “brisk walk” of at least 2,000 to 3,000 steps each day. To help build endurance, consider working toward 8,000

to 10,000 aggregate steps per day. Moving more and sitting less may help boost the immune system, ease joint pain and curb cravings for high-sugar foods that may contribute to inflammation and disease, according to a recent study.

IDENTIFY INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC MOTIVATORS. In general, people may be motivated by a combination of intrinsic factors, such as wanting to maintain a healthy weight, and extrinsic factors, such as financial rewards.

Daily exercise may offer several intrinsic motivators, given research has shown consistent movement may help ward off depression and prevent issues like heart disease. To potentially earn incentives for pursuing healthier

habits, it’s important to note that a majority of U.S. employers offer well-being programs, many of which include financial rewards for healthy activities such as walking, going to the gym or meeting certain health benchmarks (e.g., cholesterol levels, body mass index or non-nicotine use). Importantly, some health plans offer access to wearable devices that may enable people to earn more than $1,000 per year in financial incentives for meeting certain daily activity goals.

Following these tips may help you make well-being a priority, while encouraging healthier habits that may eventually translate to meaningful improvements.

The information provided is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be, nor should be construed as, medical advice. Check with your doctor to determine what activity level is right for you.

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

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state of the city

How About a Vegan Thanksgiving? … because no cooking fire ever started with deep-frying tofu.

BY ASHLEY DOBBS

S

witching to a vegan diet to avoid holiday cooking fires may be a stretch; but skipping the deep-fried turkey would help. Jest aside, it just so happens that the two holidays known and loved for their turkey feasts -- Thanksgiving and Christmas -- are the leading days of home fires involving cooking equipment each year. The distinction is due in no small part to turkey fryer accidents.

Despite this alarming statistic, we at Ocala Fire Rescue believe that the proper safety steps can spare even the most inexperienced cook from a “Griswold-sized” dinner mishap. Keeping a fire extinguisher within arm’s reach, using cooking appliances per manufacturer’s guidelines, and having an emergency plan, are ways to reduce your odds of injury and property damage in the event of a cooking fire. Best of all, they are fire prevention measures you can employ year-round.

However, holiday cooking requires more attention than your everyday dish.

After all, when else do we use the stovetop, oven, heating drawer, air fryer and microwave for a single meal? Whether you opt to bake, roast or fry your feast, the most critical action you can take for a cooking-fire-free holiday is to keep an eye on what you heat.

If you spot flames out of place, follow these guidelines to keep everyone safe.

‘WHEN IN DOUBT, JUST GET OUT!’ If a fire starts and you are unsure of what to do, evacuate the area, close the door behind you, and call 9-1-1.

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THINK YOU CAN HANDLE THE FLAMES? Advise your guests of the fire. Have them exit the building and call 9-1-1.

To fight a small stovetop fire: wearing an oven mitt, carefully slide the pan’s lid away from you and over the flames. Turn off the burner and keep the pan in place while it cools.

To smother a microwave or stove oven fire: turn off the appliance and keep the door closed. The lack of heat and oxygen will cause the fire to extinguish itself.

If despite better advice you choose to deep fry your bird, we urge you to follow these recommendations to maintain your safety and the safety of those in sight.

Use a turkey fryer only outdoors on a sturdy, leveled surface, 10 to 15 feet away from any structure or property that could burn.

Use no more oil than is needed. Determine the correct amount of oil necessary by first placing the fowl in the fryer with water.

Remove the water and replace with the measured amount of oil.

Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and dry before it goes in the fryer.

Use long cooking gloves that protect hands and arms when handling the fryer.

Use extreme caution when placing or removing your fowl from the fryer; splatter could cause devastating burns for the chef, bystanders, or pets.

For these and other cooking fire prevention tips, follow us on Facebook @OcalaFireRescue, or visit the National Fire Prevention Association’s website at www.NFPA.org.

Ashley Dobbs is the Marketing and Communications Manager for the City Of Ocala.

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state of the county

Marion County’s 2022 Legislative Priorities

BY STACIE CAUSEY

P

rior to the start of the Florida state legislative session, Marion County government researched the needs and interests of our residents and businesses. We worked to present a vision that will better our community’s resources, attractions and overall well-being. This year the county has continued to prioritize its veterans’ services, natural resource protection strategies, and economic vitality. We’ve listed several of the appropriation requests and identified statewide priorities below.

VETERANS’ NURSING HOME Marion County has been officially identified as the home for the next state veterans’ nursing home by the Florida Department of Management Services. However, Marion County has not yet been officially declared as the site for the ninth state veterans’ nursing home within the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs budget.

In 2019, the Legislature approved $500,000 for Marion County to conduct a detailed site assessment of a proposed location, which yielded an ideal site location. We are close to having the ability to impact more than 650,000 veterans within a service area less than 75 miles. The final design phase and the beginning of construction is pending the Legislature approving our allocation request of $6 million.

OCKLAWAHA GROVES Lake Weir, a nearly 5,000-acre freshwater lake located in southeastern Marion County, is currently listed as an impaired water body due to high nutrient-loading.

The lake’s excessive levels of nutrients is believed to be created by agricultural runoff and an abundancy of on-site sewage waste disposal systems, or septic tanks, within the

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lake’s contributing areas. Lake Weir is a very important recreational body of water for boating, fishing and general fun for Marion County’s residents and visitors. There are more than 600 residential lots, as well as numerous lakefront businesses, which all rely on the lake to be as healthy as possible.

As Marion County continues to find ways to improve and protect the water quality of Lake Weir, there is an opportunity to acquire an important piece of land within the lake’s watershed. The Ocklawaha Groves property consists of nearly 66 acres of upland areas along the shores of Lake Weir with active citrus operations and approximately 2,300 feet of undisturbed wetland and freshwater marsh ecosystems. This is the last undeveloped lakefront edge on the lake.

Currently the property is listed for sale at a price of $3,637,886. By securing the land, Marion County would assume management of the property and begin the process of restoring the property to a pine flatwood/mixed hardwood ecosystem while introducing more recreational opportunities to the offering at the connected Carney Island Recreation & Conservation Area.

Marion County is requesting $3,637,886 to purchase this land and help protect the quality of Lake Weir and its natural resources.

911 SERVICE FEE Marion County is supporting a statewide initiative to increase the 911 fee. The Florida 911 Coordinators Association is seeking support from multiple groups to change legislation and allow the 911 fee to be increased to $0.80 per month, per device.

The 911 fee was enacted over 25 years ago at an amount of $0.50 per month, per device.

In January of 2015, the amount was reduced to $0.40; a 20 percent reduction.

Marion County funds an astonishing 57 percent of the cost of 911 services. An increase of the fee to just $0.80 would decrease the contribution from our county’s general fund significantly. Florida’s 911 service fee rate is below that of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Mississippi, which have rates between $1.00 and $1.75.

We are asking the Legislature to approve the efforts of the Florida 911 Coordinators Association and increase the 911 fee to $0.80 or higher, eliminating the financial burden of property owners in the county and assisting with the funding of emerging technologies related to emergency services.

These topics were among those presented to our legislative delegation on Oct. 7, 2021.

We continue to support these county and state-level priorities as the Legislature goes into session this January in Tallahassee. To view Marion County’s full legislative packet visit marionfl.org/legislative.

Stacie Causey is a public information officer for the Marion County government.

Photos courtesy of Marion County

Highlighted appropriation requests

Highlighted statewide priority

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www.indus.travel/tour/classical-greece-with-ocala-rotary-club To learn more about joining Rotary, please visit: www.RotaryInternational.com

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Follow Rotary On Facebook

HOPS Set amid the ambience of the city’s oldest historic district and through the generosity of the homeowners, H.O.P.S. is pleased to showcase some of Ocala’s distinctive architecture, history, and culture. Since 1992, these home tours have provided a rare opportunity for guests to go inside some of our community’s most beautiful private residences.

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The Laurie Ann Truluck Team OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | NOV 2021 |

87

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looking back

The Legacy of Dr. N.H. Jones

BY CARLTON REESE WITH THE HISTORIC OCALA PRESERVATION SOCIETY

H

is name today is synonymous with an award-winning elementary school, a school that has garnered a reputation worthy of its nomenclature.

Dr. Nathaniel Hawthorne Jones was a prominent Ocala physician, beloved in the community from the time he opened his practice in 1926 to his tragic death in 1970.

He was the first African-American on staff at what was then called Munroe Memorial Hospital (now AdventHealth Ocala), trustee and treasurer at Harvey’s Fellowship Homes, Inc. (a low rent project for elderly people), member of the Ocala Housing Authority and Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church. Jones was also a free and accepted Mason, Pride of

88

| NOV 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Ocala Lodge 486.

Often the school that bears his name is noted to have been named so in his memory, but this is erroneous. When the school opened in 1960, the school was named Dr. N.H. Jones Upper Elementary in his honor while he was still alive.

Jones had an impeccable reputation and at his memorial service the day after his death, community leaders and lay citizens alike showed up at the school to mourn and celebrate his life. Among them was Police Chief Kenneth Alvarez, who was quoted by the Ocala Star-Banner as saying, “I know of no one more respected in the community, not only as a doctor but as a citizen.”

Daisy Pinder remembers Dr. Jones – he

was the attending doctor for the premature birth of her daughter Lisa in 1964. “He was very passionate, and he was very down to earth,” Pinder said. “He came to my house and he used to make daily reports to me about her in the hospital because she had to stay in the hospital for about six weeks.”

Pinder says she remembers the time they brought her sick brother-in-law up from Brooksville to be treated by Dr. Jones on a Sunday.

“He took him to his office downtown and treated him. He was one of those kinds of doctors.

“That’s why he was such an easy target.”

On the night of Oct. 15, 1970, a pair of young men claiming to need medical attention, arrived at Jones’ house then were able to force their way in. They held Jones’ wife hostage at gunpoint and forced him and his two daughters into a bedroom where Jones was instructed to get money from a dresser drawer. Instead of money, Dr. Jones pulled a gun from the drawer and a fight ensued.

During the fight, Jones was shot five times and his daughter, Olivia was shot once. Olivia was treated and released, but Jones was pronounced dead upon arrival at Munroe.

A stunned community mourned the loss of Dr. Jones at the next day’s memorial service. Thomas George, then principal at N.H. Jones Elementary, claimed at the service Dr. Jones “was the attending physician at the birth of almost 90 percent of the children attending the school.”

In the years since his death, Dr. Jones’ legacy has been honored by all the children he helped bring into the world and by the school that keeps his name in prominent display. In 1994, the Marion County School Board converted the school to magnet status and three times it has been selected a National Blue Ribbon school. When the school earned the honor in 2011, it was the only public school in the state of Florida with the distinction.

And what of that premature baby that Dr. Jones attended to back in 1964? She grew up to be Lisa Coleman, now assistant principal at a local elementary school – that’s right, Dr. N.H. Jones Elementary.

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