Confidence took center stage at North Florida School of Special Education’s signature runway event. Students dazzled the crowd, celebrating individuality, empowerment and the joy of shining bright.
A Community in Color
Artists turned up the color at the 2026 Jacksonville Mural Festival, a week-long event that that celebrated and added to Jacksonville’s vibrant network of public art. This year, the festival focused on Murray Hill with nationally acclaimed muralists working alongside local artists to add six new murals to Murray Hill’s already eclectic collection of murals.
Housing Market Shows Signs of Balance
Northeast Florida’s housing market is shifting toward balance as the new year begins, with rising inventory and improved affordability.
Closed sales fell 36.2% to 584, with 565 pending. The county added 1,303 new listings, a 62.9% increase, bringing inventory to 3,321 homes, nearly a six-month supply.
In January, the median single-family home price dropped 6.3% from December to $313,950. Homes averaged 46 days on the market. Duval County’s Home Affordability Index rose to 109, second in the region behind Putnam County at 149.
Source: NEFAR
Preservation Awards Honor Those Shaping Riverside Avondale’s Future
The Riverside Avondale Preservation Awards were held Feb. 19 in the sanctuary of Riverside Church at Park and King, recognizing individuals and organizations contributing to the neighborhood’s preservation and continued growth. Among those honored was Dori Thomsen, president of the Five Points Association and co-owner of Soluna Yoga + Spa with her husband, Christian, reflecting her leadership in both neighborhood advocacy and small business.
The annual event celebrates those helping shape the future of Riverside Avondale while honoring the character and history that define the district.
Long Running
Laundry Site Cleared for
Restaurant
Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission approved a Certificate of Appropriateness on Jan. 28 for 2216 Oak Street, advancing plans to renovate the long-condemned Deluxe Laundry buildings into a restaurant
a 2-to-7 vote on Feb. 18, the Downtown Investment Authority Board declined to endorse a $9.8 million retention grant aimed at keeping EverBank at its 801 Bay Street headquarters beyond its Jan. 31, 2027
Riverside Presbyterian Church Associate Pastor of Community Outreach Dana Riley, District 7 City Councilmember Jimmy Peluso, Five Points Association President Dori Thomsen, RAP Development Manager Casey Roth and Cheryl Croft.
Photo:
YOU ASKED FOR IT
Safety and legal guidelines for electric rideables
Older children, teenagers and young adults zipping by on electric bikes, electric scooters or motorized bikes are becoming a common sight within our communities. What rules and regulations should drivers, parents and kids be aware of regarding these rideables?
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Media Relations Manager Christian Hancock, there is no specific legislation pertaining to electric rideables, and, therefore, operators are expected to follow the same traffic laws concerning bicycles, as detailed in Florida State Statute. While state statute requires youths under the age of 16 to wear
Riding Smart
a helmet, no licensing requirements exist for electric bikes, scooters or motorized bicycles. Where speed limits are concerned, Hancock shared the following: “There are no specific speed limits for bicycles, again, riders are expected to follow the rules of the road occupying lanes of travel as it relates to speed and traffic control devices.”
Red Snapper Rebound
39-day season in sight
Florida anglers may finally see movement on Atlantic red snapper after more than a decade of tight federal restrictions.
Since 2010, recreational seasons in the South Atlantic have been severely limited, sometimes lasting only two days. Even as state and federal science report the stock is healthy, abundant and not overfished, access has remained minimal, with brief openings in 2022 and 2024 lasting only a few days. Many anglers, especially in North Florida, say the restrictions no longer reflect what they see offshore.
To address that gap, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has submitted an Exempted Fishing Permit request to NOAA Fisheries. The proposal would
allow Florida to test improved, state-led recreational data collection to produce more accurate harvest information and strengthen long-term management.
If approved, the permit could pave the way for a 39-day Atlantic red snapper recreational season in 2026, a significant shift from recent years.
NOAA Fisheries is accepting public comments through Tuesday, March 10. Anglers may contact Andrew Strelcheck, regional administrator, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, call 727-824-5305, or submit comments at Regulations.gov by searching 91FR6827 or document ID NOAANMFS-2026-0496-0005.
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PUBLISHERS’ NOTE
March brings a renewed energy to our neighborhoods. Gardens are in bloom, neighbors are out walking and catching up, and the longer days make it easy to spend more time outside. You can feel the season shift. Home projects are underway, real estate activity picks up, and front porches and back patios become gathering places again.
It is also one of our most active social seasons. We are proud to launch our 11th annual Circles Charity Register and Social Datebook, the city’s go-to guide to philanthropy. In communities as engaged and generous as ours, the calendar quickly fills with luncheons, galas and events that make a real difference. There is something truly special about our Historic Districts. They feel safe, connected and not hurried. The architecture is distinctive, the neighbors know one another, and there is a genuine sense of belonging. We are grateful to serve as the conduit that connects these neighborhoods and to witness such good people doing meaningful things every day. It is a privilege we do not take for granted.
Seth and Pamela Williams
Dearest Seth and Pamela, I am writing for a few reasons. Your comments on the loss of Ariel were so touching, and I’ve never met him. Your words helped the reader capture what was amazing about this young man. His kind spirit and courage will be something that I will carry within my heart. Next, Circles was absolutely excellent this year as you delved into the attributes of so many unforgettable people. The cover with the amazing design work was incredible also.
Thank you for being so smart and talented!!
On a personal note, meet Clover, our newest Resident News mascot and a proud rescue. I was raised by veterinarian parents, so a sweet rescue face never stands a chance with me. Sophia and I simply couldn’t
Wolfson
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City, Groundwork Jacksonville Launches McCoys Creek Branches Restoration Project
A rendering of this restoration project as it relates to the Emerald Trail
By Michele Leivas
The City of Jacksonville and Groundwork Jacksonville took another step toward restoring McCoys Creek to the free-flowing waterway it once was with a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 4, for the McCoys Creek Branches restoration project.
City officials and community stakeholders gathered at Hollybrook Plaza to officially launch this project, marking a critical step toward returning the waterway to a healthier, more natural state. However, Groundwork Jacksonville CEO Kay Ehas said the ceremony meant so much more than simply the beginning of construction.
“Breaking ground on the McCoys Creek Branches is more than a construction milestone – it represents the beginning of a healthier, more resilient future for this community,” said Ehas. “Restoring the
headwaters is essential to healing the entire creek system, improving water quality, reducing flooding and creating access to nature for generations to come. This is what environmental equity looks like in action, and we’re proud to lead this effort and work hand-in-hand with the City and our neighborhood partners to bring it to life.”
Once complete, the project will restore 4,752 linear feet of the McCoys Creek headwaters – including nearly 15 acres of stream and wetlands and 3.9 acres of open space for future recreation. It will eliminate polluted and eroding ditches, restore natural areas within the neighborhood and bring more than 10,000 new trees and tens of thousands of native plants.
Thanks to a grant from the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board, Groundwork Jacksonville will be able
to study potential nutrient-reduction strategies and estimate that this restoration project will remove 3,600 pounds of nitrogen and 570 pounds of phosphorus from the creek annually.
flooding and disinvestment. Today marks the beginning of repair – not just of the creek, but of the relationship between people and the natural environment that surrounds them. We’re honored to partner
– Kay Ehas CEO, Groundwork
Jacksonville
with Groundwork Jacksonville to return McCoys Creek to the community as a beautiful asset along the Emerald Trail.”
WSP is the design engineering firm for this $12.65 million project; Kiewitt is the construction contractor and C&ES is the construction engineering inspection firm. Funding is supported by a $5.18 million grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Resilient Florida program grant, awarded to the City of Jacksonville in collaboration with Groundwork Jacksonville, and a $2.6 million grant awarded to Groundwork Jacksonville from the NOAA Fisheries Office of Habitat Conservation’s Community-based Restoration program. Remaining project costs, including remediation of contaminated soils from a former ash-dumping site, will be funded by the City of Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan shared remarks about the impact that public-private partnerships can have on a community.
“This project reflects what is possible when government, nonprofits and residents work together toward a shared vision,” Deegan said. “For decades, neighbors here have lived with the impacts of pollution,
McCoys Creek Restoration Project –An Update With the first phase of the McCoys Creek Restoration project complete, residents can expect ongoing work for subsequent phases.
The Stockton Street Bridge, which was closed last summer during Phase I construction, is currently under construction and is expected to be completed later this spring.
Phase II – “Brooklyn Myrtle Avenue to May Street” is currently in design by the City, while site work and utilities improvements are ongoing for the Outfall segment of the project, which stretches from May Street to the St. Johns River.
Future work for this segment also includes replacing the section of the Northbank Riverwalk that had to be removed to allow for the construction of the new channel.
Groundwork Jacksonville CEO Kay Ehas speaks at the Feb. 4 groundbreaking ceremony.
6
Renovations Approved for Deluxe Laundry Property in Riverside
By Fabrizio Gowdy and Michele Leivas
An application for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) was filed for 2216 Oak Street, reviving speculations surrounding an incoming restaurant at the defunct and condemned Deluxe Laundry and Dry Cleaners and Deluxe Launderette buildings in Riverside.
The Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission approved COA-25-32909 at its Jan. 28 meeting with conditions. According to the application, this was a resubmission of a previous COA (23-28602) that had since expired.
Architectural drawings titled “Tenant Improvements for The Roost” were submitted with this new COA application.
Martin E. Stein of Roost Restaurants, LLC, Jason Canning of Jason Canning Architect, Inc. and property owner Anthony Saleeba were listed on the expired application. Though Stein’s name does not appear on the one approved by the JHPC in January, several sources told Resident News it is their understanding the same investors –Ted Stein and J.C. Demetree – remain behind this project.
The COA seeks to install an awning, pave the parking
lot adjacent to the building, replace existing windows and a skylight, and build masonry walls among other renovations, which the commission approved with conditions pertaining to materials and other factors.
While the commission initially stipulated that brick pavers be installed in the incoming parking lot to retain the property’s historic and aesthetic charm, Canning warned that frequent traffic from delivery trucks would likely cause pavers to crack, commissioners amended that conditions to allow asphalt everywhere except for the parking spaces themselves, which would be bricked.
The building’s historic and distinctive blue signage will be addressed under a separate COA application.
The restaurant was originally proposed in 2015 as The Roost before being rebranded in 2023 into The Local’s next location. The Local currently operates three other restaurants in Miramar, Neptune Beach, and Ponte Vedra.
First constructed in 1923, the building housed Deluxe Laundry and Dry Cleaners for decades until it closed in 2006. The structure deteriorated and was condemned by
the city in February 2019.
Snap Fitness has been a tenant in the building on the other end of the small commercial strip since 2012. Under the proposed restaurant project, the gym would gain an additional 2,000 square feet of floor space from the back portion of 2224 Oak St., the middle building in the strip.
Snap Fitness owner Judy Peek told Resident News she is looking forward to the transformation the new restaurant will bring.
“The renovation and parking improvements will be a big boost for the street, and we’re excited about the opportunity to expand our gym space as part of the plans,” said Peek.
Resident News reached out repeatedly to both Stein and Demetree for comment regarding the incoming project but did not receive a response by press time.
Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission has approved a COA for the
orlando valle v. proficient auto transport, Inc., et al
$14.5 MILLION
(verdict, 5/4/2022)
Personal Injury: Trucking Crash
kathleen thomas* V. geico insurance company
$14.4 MILLION
(verdict, 8/5/2022)
Personal Injury: car accident
*Names changed to protect client privacy
john and debra Smith* v local glass company, Out-of-state glass company*
$4.5 MILLION
(set tlement, 8/17/2021)
Personal Injury: Workplace Negligence
*Names changed to protect client privacy
The Work of Preservation, The Power of Connection
By Michele Leivas
Riverside Avondale residents gathered at Riverside Church at Park and King on Thursday, Feb. 19, to celebrate the people, projects, and residences that contribute so thoroughly and passionately to the community’s unique charm and character at Riverside Avondale Preservation’s Annual Meeting and Preservation Awards.
RAP Executive Director Shannon Blankinship welcomed guests to the historic church and thanked community members for their continued support of the organization as it pursues its mission not just of preservation within a historic quarter but also of fostering community within the Riverside Avondale neighborhoods.
“The work that RAP is doing to connect communities is serving a critical civic role,” Blankinship said. “Connecting neighbors builds resilient, safe, supportive communities, and people connect for inperson events like farmers’ markets, volunteering, and gardening. Those kinds of events build safe spaces, they help reduce loneliness and they strengthen bonds.”
Awards were given across seven categories, with special recognition for Bold City Properties, Angela Schifanella, and Rick Pariani for their contributions to The Buckland House renovation project, which was completed last April.
Award recipients included:
• Preservation Awards: Michael and Anne Ballard and Centerbeam Construction | Charles Sessa with The Tides Group
• Craftsmanship Award: Dr. McGreggor Lott and Dr. Mary Elizabeth Lott and C. Douglas Lane with the Lane Group, Precast and Restoration Services, Inc. and W.S. Bryant
• Lifetime Preservation Award: Walter Suslak
• Individual Service Awards: Maggie Thoeni, Riverside Park Steward | Dori Thomsen, Five Points Association President
• Community Partner Awards: The Law Firm of Pajcic and Pajcic | Riverside Presbyterian Church
• RAM Maker of the Year Award: Annsley Edwards, Anney Life Designs
Riverside resident Richard Ceriello is awarded the prestigious Wayne Wood Award for his tireless devotion to community and neighbors.
RAP Executive Director Shannon Blankinship with Lifetime Preservation Award winners Walter and Sally Suslak and RAP Board Chair Jeffrey Graf.
Curt Pajcic with RAM Director Chloe Kuhn
Photos: Sindy Gonzalez
Spring cleaning often focuses on what’s easy to see –closets, countertops, and the places dust settles in plain sight. But some of the most important cleaning happens where homeowners rarely look.
Every time an air conditioner turns on, air moves through a network of ducts hidden behind walls and ceilings. Over time, dust and allergens collect there, recirculating through living spaces. For many families, that buildup can show up as stuffy noses, lingering coughs, headaches, or a persistent sense of fatigue.
The invisible nature of indoor air quality became harder to ignore during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people began spending more time indoors and paying closer attention to the air they breathe.
Danny Towers, vice president of operations at Jacksonville-based Weather Engineers, said the pandemic brought the state of indoor air quality and its health effects to the forefront, noting that they’ve been able to fill a significant need for customers seeking quality air purification systems that support overall well-being. These days, homeowners and businesses have a variety of options. But often, it all starts with the state of the AC duct system.
According to Towers, the Weather Engineers Envirovac division, which specializes in indoor air quality, has seen increased consumer demand over the years. And while many homeowners assume replacing an air filter solves the problem, the reality is more complex.
Simply changing the air filter in an AC system doesn’t eliminate all the irritants that pass through the ductwork when the air conditioner is running.
“The filter catches it. You throw the filter away. All of that dirt is gone. But the dust that’s in the duct work is still there and it accumulates,” Towers explained.
To better understand what’s happening inside a duct system, Weather Engineers sends out their NADCA inspector –certified by the National Air Duct Cleaners Association – to diagnose conditions and provide an expert evaluation. By following NADCA guidelines, the company follows best practices set by the leading trade organization in the HVAC industry.
“We have a NADCA-certified inspector come out to inspect your home,” Towers said. “He goes to every single residence, and we go in and talk to our homeowners, find out what their problems are, and we provide them a solution for those problems.”
NADCA recommends cleaning duct systems every three years, but Towers noted that certain conditions can accelerate buildup, including shedding pets, nearby dirt roads, or chronic health concerns.
Over the years, the family-owned company has provided duct cleaning services to both residents and commercial property owners that move large volumes of air, such as laundromats.
“It’s like a spring cleaning,” he noted.
In addition to duct cleaning, Weather Engineers offers
germicidal ultraviolet light technology designed to work continuously within HVAC systems, helping neutralize viral particles that accumulate over time, including those associated with SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and noroviruses.
A 2022 study published by the National Institutes of Health showed that, for many common viruses, these specialized air purifiers achieve near-100% inactivation;
– Danny Towers, VP of Operations
the energy from the UV light creates a disinfectant zone that neutralizes viruses within particles as they pass through the air system.
“There’s probably 20 different viruses that the device has the ability to kill,” Towers said.
“When our customers call, we want them to talk to the same set of people on the phone in our customer service room,” Towers said. “We want them to know each other. We want to form that relationship. When they need us, we’re here to service them.”
As spring cleaning season gets underway, homeowners may want to consider not only what they can see, but what’s moving through their homes every day.
Founded in 1963 by James Griffin, Sr. Weather Engineers has remained family-owned for more than 60 years. Today, the company is led by Dan Griffin who works alongside his daughter Kayla Yeager and his son, Jamie Griffin, as the third-generation of family stewards continue to lead the company.
CELEBRATING 60 YEARS!
Riverfront Dining Projects Make Progress on Both Sides of the River
By Fabrizio Gowdy
Several projects that could finally bring more riverfront dining options to Jacksonville’s North and Southbanks are simultaneously moving forward.
A café space is already built in Riverfront Plaza, the planned Friendship Fountain restaurant is in an advanced stage of the design process, and the City is eyeing a large riverfront restaurant in Riverfront Plaza. Meanwhile, developer Related Group plans to break ground this year on a 25-story mixed-use residential project that will feature a ground floor restaurant, and the City’s beer garden is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year, though each of these projects still faces hurdles.
Coming to the Southbank
According to Allan DeVault, Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) redevelopment manager for the Downtown Investment Authority (DIA), the design process for the proposed restaurant immediately west of Friendship Fountain is 70% complete, and a procurement process to find an operator is underway. The operator that is selected will then work with the design team on the remaining 30% of the design process.
“I hope that by the end of March we have a chosen operator so that the design can recommence and then construction can begin sometime toward the latter part of 2026,” said DeVault.
The 2,400-square-foot restaurant will feature a 1,000-square-foot outdoor patio area with 1,800 square feet of an additional upstairs space.
Construction of the restaurant’s shell will cost roughly $3 million, with the eventual operator responsible for the interior build-out.
DeVault says DIA is seeking a family-friendly, general
food restaurant, perhaps American or seafood, but “nothing too niche.”
Nearby, on the former site of the River City Brewing Company, Miami-based developer Related Group is planning a 25-story tower with a ground-floor restaurant. Ground is expected to break on the mixed-use residential project this year after the Jacksonville City Council voted unanimously to grant $58.79 million in public incentives in late 2024. According to published reports, the project is in permitting.
Riverfront Plaza Dining Options
Food and beverage options are also taking shape across the river on the Northbank. DIA has identified a riverfront parcel in the southwestern corner of Riverfront Plaza, currently a grass field, as the ideal location for a new restaurant. Last month, DIA issued a notice of disposition for a Riverfront Plaza restaurant operator, inviting “proposals from experienced food and beverage operators to assist with design, lease and operate a signature restaurant at Riverfront Plaza in Downtown Jacksonville.”
Responses are due March 27.
DIA CEO Colin Tarbert addressed concerns and answered questions about the restaurant parcel at the Special Committee on the Future of Downtown meeting on Feb. 9, during which he told committee members he strongly feels a restaurant is needed on that parcel to activate the park.
He explained that the plan is for the City to retain ownership of the parcel and lease it to the restaurant operator.
However, Tarbert was met with pushback by some committee members, including District 7 City Councilman Jimmy Peluso, who questioned the wisdom
Bolles Receives Historic $8M Gift
The Bolles School has received an $8 million planned gift from the realized estate of Kernan and George H. Hodges, Jr.
This gift marks the largest single contribution in the Bolles’ history.
The funds are designated for the upkeep, maintenance, and support of the George H. Hodges Field at the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus – named in honor of George H. Hodges, the donor’s father and former Bolles Board of Trustees member who helped shape the venue’s legacy.
“Hodges Field is where so many Bolles stories begin – from Friday nights under the lights to championship moments and personal firsts,” said Bolles Chief Advancement Officer Carol Nimitz. “George and Kernan’s extraordinary estate gift safeguards this tradition and strengthens the future of every program and student-athlete who calls this field home. We are deeply grateful for their enduring commitment to Bolles.”
The Hodges family legacy at Bolles stretches back decades: The Hodges Field was dedicated to George H. Hodges in 1955 and rededicated in 1976 by his widow, Nellie A. Hodges and Hodges, Jr. Substantial gifts from Kernan and Hodges, Jr., both of whom were prominent philanthropists and real estate investors and developers in Jacksonville, led to further rededications in 1984 and 2006.
of pursuing a Riverfront Plaza restaurant when the Plaza’s proposed beer garden and the Friendship Fountain restaurant have not been built yet.
“I think a lot of people don’t want to see this park get overly saturated with restaurants,” said Peluso. “I would like it to remain grass for now and hold off.”
Councilman Raul Arias echoed Peluso, suggesting that the city wait to see if the proposed model worked with the Friendship Fountain restaurant before spending funds on another riverfront restaurant.
In response, Tarbert argued there is a sense of urgency to bring dining to the riverfront, adding that DIA is prepared to free up about $4 million of its funds to get the project off the ground.
“[I want to] move fast and get things done downtown. All I’ve heard since I got here is that there’s absolutely no place to eat on the riverfront … I don’t think this is premature at all,” said Tarbert.
Tarbert explained that part of the difficulty in attracting an operator at the Friendship Fountain restaurant site is its smaller footprint. By contrast, the Riverfront Plaza parcel would accommodate a much larger 10,000-square-foot, two-story restaurant that would likely be a full-service restaurant appealing to families and downtown employees, though it would ultimately depend on what proposals DIA receives.
The beer garden Peluso mentioned is part of phase two of Riverfront Plaza, which has an anticipated completion date of late 2027 and is under the purview of the City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services. That department is also working to find an operator for the café space that has been constructed as part of Riverfront Plaza’s newly opened playground.
An aerial view of George H. Hodges Field at the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus
A site plan depicts the City-owned pad designated for a riverfront restaurant at Riverfront Plaza.
Another dining option is planned for St. Johns River Park, adjacent to Friendship Fountain and nearby RD River City Brewery.
Demolition, Development and Deals on the Southbank
By Michele Leivas
It’s two steps forward, one step back for development along the Southbank as residents enjoy brand-new living spaces and public parks while watching a deal fall through for the years-long anticipated sale of the Duval County Public Schools administrative headquarters on Prudential Drive. Still, the Southbank riverfront is evolving as residents move into completed developments and plans for new projects advance. Resident News is taking a look at the moving pieces shaping Southbank.
Haskell Renovations and MOSH Demolition
Last spring, Resident News reported on Haskell’s plans to move its headquarters to the Prudential Building at 701 San Marco Boulevard, near the soon-to-be-demolished MOSH building.
This move will consolidate approximately 650 Haskell team members into a single location.
According to Haskell Vice President of Corporate Marketing Dave Auchter, the interior build-out is underway, and he anticipates a summer move-in date for team members.
“It’s a significant opportunity for our team to be in the same space after having outgrown our former headquarters,” Auchter said.
In the new space, Haskell team members will occupy four floors connected by an internal staircase. Auchter added that having everyone in one consolidated office space will continue building on the values that are integral to Haskell’s office culture.
“I can’t overstate how important our culture is at Haskell, and supporting a culture when teams are spread out across different buildings by necessity is not ideal,” Auchter said. “So we’re really excited to get our team members in one contemporary, productive space where we can continue to feed our culture.”
TrailView and DCPS HQ
It’s a significant opportunity for our team to be in the same space after having outgrown our former headquarters.
– Dave Auchter, VP of Corporate Marketing, Haskell
Property owner Mike Balanky, through Chad Development LLC, has announced he’s brought on Lennar Homebuilders for his TrailView development, located on just under four acres of vacant land on Reed Avenue abutting RiversEdge. San Marco architecture firm Cronk Duch Architecture has also been brought onto the development team, with updated design renderings expected soon.
Granted conceptual approval by the Downtown Development Review Board at its August 2025 meeting, the multi-family residential unit will feature 53 units with plans to provide boardwalk access to the Riverwalk via the RiversEdge.
While DDRB final approval is still required, Balanky said he anticipates that it will go smoothly and expects construction to begin within six to nine months once permitting is completed.
Meanwhile, the DCPS administrative headquarters building is back on the market after Chase Properties terminated the sales agreement. As a result, DCPS also subsequently withdrew from the purchase contract for its intended new headquarters in Baymeadows. According to published reports, DCPS lost its $250,000 deposit when it cancelled the sale after the inspection period ended.
Moving In, Settling Down
While the Southbank continues to grow around them, many residents are already calling the area home, as residential projects have come online. Corner Lot’s Artea Apartments in Southbank officially launched in March 2025, featuring 340 multi-family units. As of Feb. 20, occupancy for this development is nearly 55%. The Toll Brothers at RiversEdge continues to bring new units online, with just six of its 36 homesites still available, another
Renderings depict the interior design of Haskell’s new headquarters on the Southbank.
DIA Board Rejects $9.8 Million
Incentive Request for EverBank to Remain Downtown
By Michele Leivas
Following the Feb. 18 Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) Board meeting, EverBank has hit a snag in its request for nearly $10 million in city incentives to remain at its downtown headquarters location.
EverBank is Downtown Jacksonville’s largest employer; its current lease at 801 Bay Street is set to expire on Jan. 31, 2027, and while it has expressed its desire and commitment to remaining downtown, the company is considering relocating to a suburban space to eliminate costs associated with operating in the urban core, including those related to security and parking expenses.
In a 2-to-7 vote, the DIA Board voted against endorsing the $9.8 million retention grant at its February meeting, with DIA Board Chair Patrick Krechowski expressing concerns about the precedent the approval of this grant could set.
“Unique circumstances can create very powerful precedent, and I think that that’s what this will do, and I don’t think it will do it in a good way,” Krechowski said before casting his vote. “I think this is antithetical to what this agency has been working on since long before any of us sat up here.”
DIA Vice Chair Sondra Fetner and Board Member Micah Heavener voted in favor.
According to the term sheet for this conditional retention grant, the City would contribute up to $9.8 million over a 10-year term, or $980,000 per year, based on compliance for the 139,000-plus square feet that EverBank would lease and occupy. In return, EverBank would commit to retaining at least 800 full-time employees at its Downtown headquarters. Additionally, EverBank would invest a minimum of $35 per rentable square foot in tenant improvements within the first three years of execution, and the building owner would also contribute a $10 million investment in building, security, systems, amenities, and site improvements within that same period. Among other items, the term sheet also details parking considerations,
compliance requirements, and a pro rata clawback should relocation or a material breach of contract occur.
In a statement dated Feb. 9, EverBank Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications Michael Cosgrove said that good-faith discussions began in June 2025 between EverBank, the City of Jacksonville and other stakeholders regarding its downtown headquarters.
The statement read, in part:
“EverBank is a dynamic nationwide company serving consumer and commercial clients from coast to coast, and we have many options about where we choose to build our business. We contribute considerably to the Jacksonville economy, and for decades, we’ve been honored to serve and support community-based organizations dedicated to improving the lives of Jacksonville’s citizens. The economic and social vitality of this city is enormously important to us. We remain in downtown Jacksonville because we love and believe in our hometown.”
In conclusion, the statement read, “We’ve made no decisions yet about our future headquarters location in Jacksonville. One thing is certain: As we move ahead, we look forward to growing our company here and supporting the Jacksonville community.”
A DIA staff report recommended approval of the proposed incentive. Likewise, Michael Weinstein, chief administrative officer to Mayor Donna Deegan, shared
the administration’s support for the grant at both the DIA meeting and the Feb. 9 meeting of the Special Committee for the Future of Downtown.
“When I look at the vacancy rate, and I look at the protection of the hundreds of millions of dollars that we’re putting into downtown, I come across, and the mayor’s come across, that we should do what we can within reason to keep the momentum going and not have our largest employer to date leave,” Weinstein told DIA Board members.
While he also expressed concerns about setting a precedent, At-Large Group 4 City Councilmember Matt Carlucci initially supported the proposed grant at the Feb. 9 committee meeting in council chambers at City Hall, suggesting a five-year review of the grant, as conditions downtown will likely change by then. Following the DIA vote, however, Carlucci said he was “not entirely unhappy” with the board’s decision.
“I am concerned with the prospect of losing that size and our largest employer downtown,” Carlucci said.
– Patrick Krechowski, DIA Board Chair
“With the direction that the DIA went, and the fact that they are not a political board, they are an appointed board, I think that was a strong message to EverBank, and I’m going to be curious to see what EverBank’s reaction will be to that.”
District 7 City Councilmember Jimmy Peluso, who represents the area in which EverBank’s headquarters are located, said a denial from the DIA board is a “terrible first step” for the grant proposal if it were to come before the City Council.
“That basically means it’s coming up on life support,” Peluso said.
Peluso said he expects EverBank will likely restructure the deal.
“But if it came to us right now, I know I’d vote it down,” Peluso said. “…If they [EverBank] really believed in Downtown Jacksonville, they shouldn’t need to be incentivized by this much.”
Resident News asked Cosgrove for details regarding EverBank’s next steps following the DIA vote; Cosgrove declined to comment further.
Closets by Design Expands Headquarters in North Florida
New showroom positions company for continued growth and craftsmanship excellence
Over the past seven years, husband and wife team Mark and Frances Hutto have steadily grown their Closets by Design franchise operation by expanding their team, their footprint, and their vision for what a design-driven storage company can be. Their latest milestone marks a defining moment in that journey with the purchase of their building and the opening of a dramatically expanded showroom designed to showcase the full scope of what they offer.
The Hutto’s and their Closets by Design team opened the new space on Saturday, Feb. 7, welcoming clients, friends, family, and fellow franchise owners to their showroom at 3728 Philips Highway, Suite 360. Visits to the showroom are available
moves beyond samples and renderings, offering an immersive environment where visitors experience complete solutions in real-world settings. The showroom itself exemplifies the level of quality and craftsmanship that distinguishes Closets by Design in the Jacksonville market.
“This has been a long process for us to get to where we are right now,” shared Mark Hutto. “One of my main passions was having a place where people can come and see everything we have to offer in one spot. Being able to showcase different vignettes of what we do is priceless. It helps the sales process and gives people a much better understanding of what their space can become.”
by appointment, allowing clients dedicated time to explore the displays and consult directly with designers. Some visiting franchisees traveled from as far as Texas to see firsthand how the expanded space brings the brand’s capabilities to life.
After operating in the location for several years, purchasing the building in 2024 gave the team the opportunity to rethink how they engage with clients. The expanded footprint
A key differentiator is that the company manufactures its product locally, utilizing specialized equipment that few competitors in Jacksonville can match. That investment allows the team to control quality, timelines, and customization at a level that supports both homeowners and builders. For many clients, the conversation becomes less about whether to move forward and more about when.
One of the most striking features of the new showroom is a dedicated garage and collector-focused area. Designed with automotive enthusiasts in mind, the space demonstrates how garages, man caves, and private show spaces can be transformed into highly functional and visually compelling environments. As car condos grow in popularity, the showroom illustrates how similar concepts can be incorporated into residential builds, complete with custom cabinetry, specialty storage, and layouts that can accommodate car lifts and curated collections.
“For us, this was our first real foray into a garage condo concept,” Mark said. “It was fun figuring out what that looks like, from how many cars fit to what people are looking for and how we can design a garage that works whether it’s a condo or someone’s home. It gives clients all kinds of ideas.”
Beyond the garage experience, the expanded showroom features a wide range of vignettes highlighting custom closets, cabinetry, and storage solutions throughout the home. Visitors can explore master bedroom closets with jewelry and accessory displays, hardware options, pantries, laundry rooms, wall beds, wine storage, and entertainment centers designed to reflect individual lifestyles.
For Frances Hutto, the new space enhances both the design process and the client experience, particularly for customers who may still be in the planning phase of a build.
“This gives people a place to come even if they don’t have a house built yet,” Frances said. “If they have blueprints or are still in the planning stages, they can walk through, touch the product, and really understand what’s possible. Our designers can work with them here and help them visualize their space in a very tangible way.”
The expanded headquarters also supports a growing team of more than 30 designers, serving as a hub for training, collaboration, and client consultations. For the Hutto’s, the investment reflects years of strategic growth and a belief that exceptional design begins with craftsmanship clients can see, touch, and trust.
Mark and Frances Hutto
Oak Street in Its Wellness Era A concentrated hub for health-focused businesses
By Fabrizio Gowdy
HairPeace Salon Owner Bruce Musser recently noticed something exciting about the three blocks of Oak Street stretching from Barrs to Copeland streets: an organically forming health, beauty and wellness corridor was taking shape.
“I looked at what’s happening on Oak Street [and] I’m like, ‘Oh, look, this is interesting.’ We’ve got multiple gyms. We’ve got a makeup studio, a hair studio, and a massage studio. This is kind of interesting to me, this collection of businesses,” said Musser.
He sees his business as promoting personal and emotional wellness in a way that complements other aspects of self-care, including physical exercise.
“Working out is a really great way to change the way you look, but it’s not immediate,” said Musser.
“Getting a haircut or color or extensions, that’s an immediate result. And my idea is, go ahead and start looking good and feeling good now, while you continue to make an investment in your overall health.”
Musser operated HairPeace in Five Points for 20 years before relocating the business to his current location near the intersection of Oak and Barrs because it offered more space. At that point, Snap Fitness was the only other wellnessoriented business nearby, down at the other end of the business corridor near Oak and Copeland streets.
That was nine years ago. Since then, the “wellness corridor” has really filled in. In 2018, Paulina Perez moved her boutique hair and makeup studio – Makeup by Paulina Perez – near Oak and Osceola after falling in love with the neighborhood. She has worked on the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, a presidential primary debate, cable news shows and major advertising campaigns, and said she loves making people feel their best.
“Being able to contribute to somebody’s wellness is such an important part of our job,” said Perez. “We really focus on making the person in our chair feel confident to maximize their day.”
In 2023, Rhonda Bell opened Uma Lumina Massage Therapy next door to Perez’s business. Her apothecarystyle massage wellness business offers clinical body work, neuromuscular and Swedish massage, and traditional Ayurvedic therapies called Shirodhara.
“Human touch is lost in the world right now. With massage, we feel better, but the camaraderie of having someone listen to you, hear you out, or just be in proximity is very healing beyond measure,” said Bell, who also has 25 years of yoga experience and teaches yoga at the Church of the Good Shepherd.
The corridor welcomed its newest health-focused business, Kathy Brooks Aesthetics, which opened in late
Healthcare has become very corporate and very painful, and you feel like you’re being processed. And at least in this little area, it’s a completely different vibe.
Dr.
One of the two buildings HairPeace occupies was built in 1915 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Likewise, the brick structure that houses Snap Fitness dates back to 1923 and has a rich history, having served as the home of Deluxe Laundry and Dry Cleaners for decades. Also built in 1923 was the building housing Uma Lumina and Makeup by Paulina Perez, which was designed by the same architect as the HairPeace building and was once a grocery store owned by a family of Lebanese immigrants.
In recent years, new speed bumps and bike lanes have calmed traffic and made the corridor more walkable and pedestrian-friendly, adding to its wellness-oriented identity.
“A lot of my clients walk to the doctor, walk to massage, walk home, the grocery – it’s just tying in everything, all the goodness about the neighborhood,” said Bell.
Nate Roche, Snap Fitness’s general manager, expressed a similar sentiment.
“What’s really nice about Oak Street is that it is so close to two major throughways and a few blocks from Five Points, but still remains quiet and easy to navigate. It’s become a great place for small businesses with less traffic, easy parking and a walkable atmosphere without the hassles of the main strips,” said Roche.
A couple doors down from HairPeace, Dr. Bethany
March, offering hydrafacial, hydrafacial keravive, massage therapy, and head spa scalp services. Brooks is a preferred partner with First Call Pediatrics for local expectant families.
Kathy Brooks Aesthetics followed the February opening of F45 Training. John and Tiffany Kovacs opened the new gym near Oak and Stockton Streets.
“[We] knew this was the ideal spot for a new location … It is our goal at F45 Training Riverside to bring a strong partnership to the community,” said John.
John and Tiffany have also commissioned a vibrant “Riverside Forever” mural to adorn the side of their building. According to Musser, the historic and aesthetic charm of the business corridor is one of its most appealing features.
“It’s a really successful cohesion of commercial and residential,” said Musser.
Burton runs Southern Smiles By Bethany Burton DMD, which has operated on Oak Street since 1971. A solo practitioner, Burton credits the area’s abundance of healthand wellness-focused businesses to neighborhood residents making a conscious choice to patronize small businesses.
“I believe this is attributed to like-minded individuals who have supported those businesses,” said Burton, who says her goal is to provide a “charming, memorable hospitality experience.”
Dr. Eduardo Balbona has operated his internal medicine practice out of the same building as Perez and Bell’s businesses since 2006. Also a solo practitioner, he touts Oak Street’s “gentle, non-corporate” feel.
“Healthcare has become very corporate and very painful, and you feel like you’re being processed. And at least in this little area, it’s a completely different vibe,” said Balbona.
Paulina Perez finds joy in making people feel their best.
Dr. Bethany Burton operates Southern Smiles by Bethany Burton DMD.
Bruce Musser, master stylist and owner of HairPeace Salon
The building that houses Uma Lumina was once a grocery store owned by Lebanese immigrants.
Kathy Brooks brings Kathy Brooks Aesthetics to the corridor.
Sarah Schuler with Tiffany and John Kovacs, owners of F45 Training
John and Tiffany Kovacs, owners of the new F45 Training, have commissioned a “Riverside Forever” mural for the side of their building.
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Eduardo Balbona
New Murals Bring Big Art Energy to Murray Hill
By Jennifer Jensen
Six new murals have joined Murray Hill’s collection of vibrant public art following the second annual Jacksonville Mural Festival.
The weeklong event – held Jan. 26 to 31 – brought together 15 artists, on local and national levels, to adorn some of the community’s blank building walls with new art and bring more smiles to the neighborhood.
The National Mural Awards, led by executive director Jason Tetlak, organized the event with local muralists.
Murray Hill is no stranger to murals: Its familiar Bill Murray mural, created by Tetlak, welcomed people to the community for years. Today, a new building has nearly covered it up.
“We want these to become a landmark for the neighborhood and become part of its identity,” Tetlak said. “There really is a lot of benefit that you see over time.”
The inaugural mural festival, held last year, took place in the Rail Yard District, and Tetlak hopes to move it to a different neighborhood each year.
“The goal is for it to act as a catalyst for people who have never been to that place before to come and support the local businesses,” Tetlak added.
Phoebe Joynt joined the festival from Austin, Texas, painting a large mural called “Howdy Partner” on Edgewood Avenue South, which can be seen from the Roosevelt Boulevard overpass, with help from another Austin-based artist, ZuZu.
“I said, ‘If I’m going to come out, let’s do something big,’” Joynt said. “The big cowgirl is a welcoming presence into the area. It’s Texas meets Florida. I want it to resonate happiness. She’s here for the people.”
Tracie Harris Thompson
A local artist, Mike McIntire, painted the young girl watering the bushes on the side of the senior living center.
“They wanted something youthful and happy,” McIntire said. “And the young girl watering the plants brings new growth and new life.”
Tracie Harris Thompson, along with her husband, Durwood, painted a pair of roseate spoonbills featuring bright colors on a wall across from the Bill Brinton Murray Hill Branch Library. Thompson was also an event co-organizer.
“We’re hoping to add some beauty to this old wall and bring some smiles to the neighbors,” she said.
The joy of painting murals lies in activating empty spaces and turning eyesores into something people can see and enjoy, she added; being able to interact with and learn from other artists is a bonus.
The event culminated in a festival on Saturday, Jan. 31, featuring music, food trucks, art, a guided bike tour, and other activities. The murals are located mainly along Edgewood Avenue South. Tetlak encouraged residents to explore these new murals while stopping in to support local businesses along the way.
Local artist Tracie Harris Thompson paints a pair of spoonbills for her mural.
Newton Tapped for Ascension Florida VP of Finance
Florida has appointed Susan Newton as vice president of finance.
Newton most recently served as chief financial officer at Ascension St. Vincent’s Clay County Hospital, where she oversaw a $140 million annual operating budget and partnered with clinical and operational leaders to strengthen financial performance and support strategic growth, including the opening of a Level II NICU.
Newton brings more than 30 years of healthcare leadership experience in key senior leadership roles, including senior executive positions within the Broward Health system in South Florida.
In her new role, Newton will provide market-level financial leadership, support strategic planning and growth initiatives, and continue strengthening financial stewardship across Ascension Florida.
Kristoff to Chair Arc Jacksonville BOD
Kelly Kristoff is the new chair for The Arc Jacksonville Board of Directors.
Kristoff has been involved with the nonprofit organization since 2018, joining the board of directors in 2021. She has served as vice chair since 2022.
Kristoff currently serves as the PGA Tour, Inc. vice president, treasury, and has years of volunteer service and leadership experience.
“The Arc Jacksonville has always been a leader in creating bold, innovative solutions that support individuals with intellectual and developmental differences,” said Kristoff. “I’m excited to step into this role and work with our board and staff to carry that legacy forward and continue expanding impact.”
The Arc Jacksonville Board of Directors’ officers also include Vice Chair Amanda Crawford; Secretary Brandon Ashby, MBA; Treasurer Tala A. Woods, J.D.; and Immediate Past Chair Dr. Robert J. Zeglin, PhD., MPA, LHMC.
Smith Appointed to Ronald McDonald House Jacksonville Board
A senior associate attorney at Smith, Gambrell and Russell LLP, Smith is active in Jacksonville’s civic and philanthropic philanthropic communities, sitting on multiple boards and serving as vice chair of Mayor Donna Deegan’s Hispanic American Advisory Board.
“We are thrilled to welcome Sabrina to our Board of Directors,” said Ronald McDonald House Jacksonville CEO Joey Leik. “Her legal expertise, community leadership and passion for supporting families align beautifully with our mission to provide comfort and critical resources to families with children receiving medical treatment.”
Arc Jacksonville CEO and President Kari Bates with Board Chair Kelly Kristoff
Susan Newton Ascension
Sabrina Smith
Attorney Sabrina Smith is the newest appointment to the Ronald McDonald House Jacksonville Board of Directors.
Bishop Kenny High School Religion Teacher Jacob Daul has been selected to participate in the Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Program. Daul joins
Bishop Kenny High School Principal Todd Orlando with Jacob Daul and Kathy Wright.
Titles and Teamwork
Bishop Kenny High School Girls’ Cross-Country
Head Coach Jackie Hardin and Boys’ Swimming
Head Coach Laurel Valley are the 2025 Florida Dairy
Farmers Coaches of the Year. This statewide honor recognizes their leadership, dedication and commitment to excellence.
Hardin led the girls’ cross-country team to its third consecutive Class 2A state championship, building on a legacy that includes 11 state championships dating back to 1994. “I love coaching at Bishop Kenny, and I am thankful that my coaches and girls have a shared vision for running and dedication to giving our best every day,”
Hardin said. “Winning three consecutive state titles is the icing on the cake.” Valley’s boys’ swimming team is coming off a championship season, bringing home the fourth state title in the last five years. “This recognition is really theirs,” Valley said. “Their dedication, effort and trust in the process are what made this possible.”
Boots, Hats and Big Impact at Young Life Banquet
Young Life Central Jacksonville hosted its annual Young Life Banquet this past week at Episcopal School of Jacksonville, welcoming nearly 300 guests for an evening of celebration and vision casting.
The Western-themed event set a fun, inviting tone with boots, hats and plenty of community spirit.
A highlight of the night was the 100 local students who faithfully served on Work Crew. From greeting guests and serving meals to assisting throughout the program, the teenagers played a vital role in the event’s success. Guest speaker Tom Rossi delivered a powerful and encouraging message, as leaders reflected on all God has done through the ministry in the past year and shared an exciting vision for the year ahead.
For more information about Young Life Central Jacksonville, email jacksonvilleyounglife@gmail.com
Alumni Hall of Honor Receives Four New Inductees
Curtis Davis, the Rev. Dr. Deborah Mitchell Jackson, Bill Forrester and Chris Farrell were inducted into the Episcopal School of Jacksonville Alumni Hall of Honor on Jan. 30. Head of School the Rev. Adam Greene led the ceremony, with remarks from Alumni Board President Peter Blumeyer.
Davis, founding principal of the ReBuildit Collaborative, has worked on projects including the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and Boston’s Central Artery/Tunnel Project. He teaches at Rice University and the University of Houston. Jackson, dean of formation and recruitment at Church Divinity School of the Pacific, was ordained in 2007 and has served at St. John’s Cathedral, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and St. Paul’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church. She holds a Doctor of Ministry in transformative leadership.
Forrester won a bronze medal in the 200-meter butterfly at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and earned multiple FINA World Championship medals, including a world-record-setting 4x200meter freestyle relay in 1978.
Farrell, Walmart’s executive vice president of international strategy and development, is an award-winning documentary producer and executive producer of “Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President.”
Curtis Davis and Chris Farrell with the Rev. Dr. Deborah Mitchell Jackson and Bill Forrester
2025 Florida Dairy Farmers Coaches of the Year Jackie Hardin and Laurel Valley
DESC Announce Honorary Chairs
The 2026 DESC DEFENDERS: STAND TOGETHER event will be led by Honorary Chairs Melissa and Dick Lewis, who will rally the community for another rousing fundraiser in support of the Downtown Ecumenical Services Council and its work fighting poverty in Jacksonville.
“We are glad to serve as Honorary Chairs this year to celebrate DESC and all the good work they’ve been doing to help families and individuals fight poverty for 45 years,” Dick said at the kickoff. “When asked to serve, there was no hesitation.
Everyone at DESC is counting on this event to help households struggling to make ends meet,” said Dick who added that the committee hopes to raise at least as much last year’s event, which generated $330,000.
Proceeds from the event support individuals and families experiencing hunger, housing instability, and financial crisis. Founded in 1983 by several downtown churches, DESC provides emergency financial assistance, groceries, clothing and case management services from its location in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church.
$3.5 Million Bequest from Lovett Estate to
Shape Future of Cummer Museum
The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens announced a $3.5 million gift from the state of renowned philanthropist Betsy Lovett, a longtime supporter of the museum.
The Cummer Museum announced this bequest in December; it will help the museum grow its permanent collection, which currently comprises more than 5,000 objects spanning ancient Egypt to the present day.
“Betsy often shared that one of her earliest childhood memories was dancing in Mrs. Cummer’s gardens,” said Kimberly S. Noble, George W. and Kathleen I. Gibbs Director and CEO. “This extraordinary gift for art acquisition reflects her lifelong dedication to both the Cummer Museum and Mrs. Cummer’s vision of a museum created for ‘the benefit of all the people.’ It will enrich our permanent collection and inspire generations to come.”
Prior to her passing in 2021, Lovett was deeply involved with the museum, serving as chair of the board of trustees from 1993 to 1995 and president of the Cummer Council – the museum’s fundraising auxiliary – in 1983.
Bauman to Lead Women’s Center of Jacksonville
Effective March 1, Allishia Bauman will become the new chief executive officer of Women’s Center Jacksonville.
Bauman will join WCJ from City Year Jacksonville, where she currently serves as executive director and senior vice president. Her expertise includes strategic planning, fundraising, nonprofit operations, board relations, financial management and community and government partnerships.
As WCJ CEO, Bauman will lead with a focus on strengthening WCJ’s impact and expanding access to services while advancing a trauma-informed survivorled approach to healing and empowerment.
Bauman succeeds Teresa Miles in this leadership position.
“While we are saddened to see Teresa Miles step away from her role at the Women’s Center of Jacksonville, we fully support her decision to prioritize time with her family,” said WCJ Board President Sharon Simmons. “Teresa’s leadership, compassion and vision have left an enduring impact on this organization and those we serve. As we express our gratitude for her remarkable service, we are also confident and excited to welcome Allishia Bauman into this next chapter of leadership.”
Amateur Team Tops Pros in 25th Annual Underwood Cup
For the second consecutive year, the Amateur Team bested its Northern Chapter PGA counterparts, clinching a 15-to-9 victory at the 25th annual Underwood Cup.
The two-day tournament was held at The Plantation at Ponte Vedra Beach on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 2 and 3, with Steve Carter leading as Amateur Team captain and, for the first time, Dean Grunewald captaining the Professionals.
This was Carter’s second victory as team captain.
“We got some good results from the middle of the lineup,” said Grunewald. “We had things right where we wanted for a bit. Then momentum turned, and we couldn’t stop it.”
The team rosters were comprised of the following players:
Professional Team: Dean Grunewald, Matt Hipps, Clint Avret, Jarrod Barsamian, Stephanie Connelly Eiswerth, Hayes Farley, Austin Hill, Andrew Lanahan, Rob Lee, Sydney Mattiace, Bobby Newberry, P.J. Politan, Aaron Russell and Josh Wolfe, with alternate Will Rehberg
Amateur Team: Steve Carter, Michael Delrocco, Chase Baldwin, Jordan Batchelor, Ty Capps, Jeff Dennis, Sam Giese, Jeff Golden, Tyler Gulliksen, Lance LaCombe, Andrew Morris, Graham Nichols, Matt Saxton and Mike Smith, with alternate Chuck Kirk.
Top Realtors Honored at Annual Realty Awards Gala
this network extraordinary,” said Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty President Ann King. “The way we do business, our Cabernet Standard, is more than a slogan or a marketing phrase. It represents our commitment to deliver excellence and exceptional service with intention to every client and every interaction, every day.”
During the celebration, Anita Vining from the San Marco office was awarded the Chairman Circle Diamond Award – the top distinction for realtors in the top half of 1% out of more than 50,000 sales associates in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Global Network. Vining was also recognized as the 2025 Company Top Producer in Listings, Sales, Transactions and Production.
Amateur team captain Steve Carter holds Underwood Cup, with Clayton Bromberg of Underwood Jewelers at his side and surrounded by his winning team members.
Allishia Bauman
Betsy Lovett
Vining of the company’s San Marco office was recognized as the 2025 Company Top Producer in Listings,
The Campanaro Group of the Mandarin office was named the 2025 Company Top Team in Listings.
DESC Committee Members with Melissa and Dick Lewis
Iosue to Chair Downtown Vision
Haskell’s director of business development, Allan Iosue, is the new board chair for Downtown Vision, Inc.
Iosue succeeds Paul Davison, who completed his two-year term.
Iosue is active in civic leadership, serving on multiple boards and committees; he currently serves as chair of Jacksonville’s Context Sensitive Streets Standards Committee. He’s an executive board member of Downtown Vision as well as a board member of the Cathedral Arts District and is a member of the Jacksonville Chamber’s government affairs committee.
Iosue has been part of several transformative Jacksonville projects, including the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville, Veterans Memorial Park, JTA’s Regional Transportation Center and Riverfront Plaza and multiple neighborhood planning and land development initiatives.
North Florida Land Trust Add Four to Board of Directors
Brandice Acree, Tom Grimes, Lawrence Kurzius and Jim Overton have joined the North Florida Land Trust Board of Directors, each serving a three-year term and bringing the board to its 18-member capacity.
“It is always a pleasure welcoming new members to our board of directors to help guide our decisions for preserving land in North Florida and beyond,” said NFLT President and CEO Allison DeFoor. “New voices and new perspectives really strengthen our mission and help ensure that what we are doing is best for the natural spaces we work hard to protect...”
Acree is the board chair of the Pace Center for Girls and a board member for Hope Floats, which supports The Donna Foundation. Acree serves as a community liaison and Adopt-A-Family coordinator for nonprofits throughout the country, including Daniel’s Kids, The Annie Ruth Foundation, Clara White Mission and The Hubbard House.
Grimes serves as the board chair of the Memphis-based Overton Park Conservancy and as a past chair of the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy board of directors. In 2022, he retired as MAA’s chief operating officer and currently works on several civic and industry projects.
Kurzius served as the executive chair of the McCormick and Company Board until January 2025. Kurzius joined McCormick in 2003 from Zatarain’s, where he served as president and CEO. His experience also includes serving as a marketing executive at Quaker Oats Company and Mars, Inc.’s Uncle Ben’s Company.
Overton has served as the Duval County Tax Collector since 2018; before that, from 2003 to 2015, he served as Duval County Property Appraiser, and he was a Jacksonville City Councilmember in the 1990s. He currently serves on the boards of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville, the North Florida Council of Boy Scouts Executive Board and the BSA Troop 2 Committee.
Falconetti Named Interim President of UNF
The University of North Florida Board of Trustees appointed Angela Garcia Falconetti interim president effective Feb. 16 and launched a nationwide search to replace outgoing president Moez Limayem. Falconetti said she will not apply for the permanent role. The Florida Board of Governors must confirm any continued service in the interim position.
Falconetti holds a bachelor’s degree from New York University and a master’s degree and doctorate from UNF. She has served UNF in multiple roles, rising from academic adviser and recruiter to vice president of student affairs, and has taught as an adjunct at several Florida institutions. She also
Goodwill and Habitat Receive
Goodwill Industries of North Florida and First Coast Habitat for Humanity have each received a $200,000 grant from Bank of America as part of its 2025 Neighborhood Builders program.
Representatives from both organizations participated in a check presentation ceremony on Sept. 29.
“Our local nonprofits are crucial to addressing community challenges in Jacksonville,” said Mark Bennett, president of Bank of America Jacksonville. “Through flexible funding and comprehensive leadership training, the Neighborhood Builders program helps nonprofits address critical needs and promote economic opportunity for the individuals and families in our communities.”
These funds will be distributed to each organization over two years. The organizations were selected for their efforts to expand economic mobility through workforce support and to create affordable homeownership opportunities for Northeast Florida families.
Angela Garcia Falconetti
First Coast Habitat for Humanity representatives pose with the $200,000 check on Sept. 29, 2025.
Downtown Vision CEO Jake Gordon with new DVI Board Chair Allan Iosue and Past Chair Paul Davison.
Lawrence Kurzius
Tom Grimes
Brandice Acree Jim Overton
An Evening Etched in Love
Guests gathered at The Glass Factory to celebrate ReThreaded’s 15th annual Mukti Freedom Gala on Saturday, Jan. 31.
Themed “Love’s Reflection,” the evening invited attendees to celebrate a community’s ability to reflect love. Indeed, love filled the room throughout the evening as guests enjoyed themselves at this annual, signature fundraiser for the nonprofit, which is dedicated to empowering survivors of human trafficking through business and employment.
Meaning “freedom” in Bengali, the Mukti Freedom Gala is ReThreaded’s largest annual fundraiser.
Cheers to the
Decked in purple, green and gold for the Mardi Gras themed Florida’s second annual Champions of Change Awards Celebration on Friday, Feb. 13.
Finalists mingled with their coworkers, friends and fellow volunteers the evening for their contribution to “creating lasting change in the
“It is so important to recognize the heart of Jacksonville and of major gifts for United Way of Northeast Florida.
According to United Way of Northeast Florida Chief Operating Officer Way of Northeast Florida’s goals of reaching those most vulnerable security and build wealth in the community by assisting
Kiley Buckner with Jack and Riley Cannon and Kate Snow
Laura Taylor and Lauren Coghlan Monroe and Kimberly Clarke
Matthew and Tamara Gibbons
Mel Bolden and Jodi Helmholtz with Jade Robinson and Simone Somerville Marcia Mainer
Mary Waddley with Joan Haley and Bobbie Jones
Vera and Derek Hargrove
Patrick Mency and Fletcher Haley
community
Sara Ley with United Way of Northeast Sheela Murthy and United Way Community Engagement Director Mike Mas with Kim Manor and Jill Caffey
Recent donor event reveals progress, momentum for Emerald Trail
Groundwork Jacksonville welcomed supporters and civic leaders to the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens on Wednesday, Feb. 18, for its Trailblazer Reception, celebrating the partnerships advancing the Emerald Trail. The invitation-only evening featured cocktails and conversation as guests gathered to reflect on the continued momentum behind the city’s signature trail project.
event, attendees celebrated the United Way of Northeast Celebration at the Phoenix Arts and Innovation District’s Emerald Station
volunteers during a cocktail hour before being recognized later in the region.”
that’s who you have in this room tonight,” Kenya Bell, director
Officer Coretta Hill, the awards are structured around the United and recognize people and organizations working to create financial members facing financial, emotional and/or mental stress.
During the program, leadership from the Rails to Trails Conservancy presented the 2025 Doppelt Family Rail Trail National Champion Award to CEO Kay Ehas, recognizing Groundwork’s progress and her stewardship. The evening also included a major announcement from Bryan and Kim Clontz, who revealed a $500,000 gift in support of the Emerald Trail initiative.
Groundwork Jacksonville further highlighted support from the Winston Family Foundation through Project One Health JAX, a multiyear effort to reduce screen time and connect Jacksonville youth with nature along the Emerald Trail. That funding will help develop outdoor learning and play spaces, giving families new reasons to explore the city’s trail system together.
Avery Williams with Kate McAfoose
Cindy Guy with Pamela Telis and Mary Coleman
Mainer and Stacy Walton Cheryl Pearthree, Debbie Moore and Carla Baer
United Way of Northeast Florida Director for Major Gifts Kenya Bell with United Way of Northeast Florida Chief Operating Officer Coretta Hill
Northeast Florida Tocqueville Chair of Northeast Florida Volunteer and Director Erica LaSpada
Chris Burns with Kay Ehas, Kim and Bryan Clontz
Financial New Year’s Resolutions
What to Start – and Stop – in 2026
As 2026 carries on, many Americans are trying to maintain their goals of getting healthier, getting organized, or finally learning that new skill they’ve been putting off. But one category of resolutions deserves just as much attention: your financial life. A few intentional habits – and a few bad ones to leave behind – can make this the year you build real momentum toward long-term stability.
Start Doing: Build Better Habits for a Stronger Financial Foundation
Make budgeting a shared ritual, not a chore.
If you share finances with a spouse or partner, one of the most effective habits you can adopt this year is a monthly “budget brunch.” It sounds lighthearted, but the impact is serious. Set aside an hour each month to sit down together over coffee or pancakes and review your spending versus your budget. Are you staying within your planned categories? Are you on track to meet your savings goals?
This simple routine does more than keep the numbers in check. It opens the door to honest, low-stress communication about money – something many couples struggle with. By talking regularly, you can address small issues before they become conflicts and make sure you’re working toward the same goals.
Update your plan for 2026’s tax changes. Several new tax provisions took effect this year, and they’re worth weaving into your financial strategy.
One of the biggest updates involves 529 education savings plans. The annual limit
for using 529 funds toward K–12 tuition has doubled from $10,000 to $20,000. Families now also have expanded flexibility to use these accounts for vocational programs, reflecting the growing recognition that four-year college isn’t the only path to a strong career. And the relatively new Roth-conversion option – which allows unused 529 funds to be rolled into a Roth IRA under certain conditions – makes these accounts even more powerful. For parents and grandparents saving for a child’s future, 529s continue to be one of the most versatile and tax-efficient tools available.
Another notable change is the introduction of a new above-the-line charitable deduction: up to $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for joint filers. This means you can deduct eligible charitable contributions even if you take the standard deduction. It’s a meaningful benefit for anyone who gives modest amounts throughout the year. Even something like a charity 5K counts – you can ask the race organizer to specify what portion of your entry fee is considered a donation.
Stop Doing: Break the Habits That Hold You Back
Stop comparing your returns to everyone else’s.
Financial FOMO is real – and it’s exhausting. Maybe you’ve seen an influencer brag about buying a house in Hawaii with crypto profits, or a friend who claims they doubled their money on a risky stock. But remember: social media is a highlight reel, not a full picture.
Speculative investments can pay off, but they’re also extremely volatile, and most people struggle to hold them through the inevitable downturns. Instead of chasing someone else’s lucky break, focus on what you can control: performing well at work, pursuing continuing education to boost your earning potential, increasing your savings rate, and using tax-advantaged accounts to protect your money. In the long run, discipline beats adrenaline.
Stop relying on debt for non-essential spending.
Credit card debt remains the numberone reason many households fall behind financially. Covering your family’s needs is one thing, but beyond the basics, it’s crucial to avoid spending more than you can comfortably afford.
The same caution applies to big purchases like homes and cars. Many people assume these are always “good investments,” but that’s not guaranteed. Home prices can fluctuate, and cars almost always lose value. A mortgage should
HILL
Edgewood Ave. S. Jacksonville, FL 32205 Phone: (904) 619-2943
ideally be less than one-third of your household’s monthly income – if it isn’t, renting may be the smarter financial choice. Don’t let someone else’s success story pressure you into a decision that strains your budget.
The Big Picture: Build a Financial Life That Supports Your Goals
Money can be a major source of stress, but it doesn’t have to be. With consistent habits, open communication, and a willingness to adapt to new financial rules, families can stay aligned and make steady progress toward their goals.
And you don’t have to navigate it alone. Working with a trusted financial team can provide clarity, accountability, and expert guidance. The Walsh Investment Consulting Team is here to help you shape your 2026 financial resolutions and access the resources you need to build a bright financial future.
If this year’s goal is greater confidence and control over your finances, these resolutions are a powerful place to start –and stop – on the path to long-term success.
Discover the Worth of Family Heirlooms and Hidden Treasures
Every coin, note or antique tells a story
If you’ve inherited a collection of old bank notes, rare coins or antique jewelry, you may be holding far more than sentimental value. For collectors and families across Jacksonville, uncovering the story and worth behind those items often begins with a conversation at A-Coin & Stamp Gallery.
For decades, Bill Hatchett has built a reputation as one of Northeast Florida’s most respected experts in rare currency, coins and historical collectibles. His work goes beyond simple transactions. It is rooted in research, history and a genuine fascination with the stories that objects can tell, especially those tied to Jacksonville’s past.
Hatchett has spent years studying paper currencies issued under the National Banking Act, focusing on rare notes connected to local banks. These notes ceased issuance in 1935, but they remain an important part of Jacksonville’s financial and cultural history.
“Our business model is simple,” Bill said. “We pay the most and sell for the least. Our buying power, coupled with the many relationships that we have with collectors all over the world, enables us to give you top dollar for your valuables.”
Whether someone considers themselves a serious collector or has simply been entrusted with family heirlooms passed down through generations, understanding true market value requires professional expertise. Many valuable items sit tucked away in drawers, safes and boxes, their owners unaware of their rarity.
Among the most intriguing pieces are National Currency notes issued by banks throughout Jacksonville, Fernandina, St. Augustine, DeLand, Palatka, Live Oak and other towns. Of the nine Jacksonville banks that issued notes, collectors have documented currency from eight. To date, no note from the First National Bank of Jacksonville has ever surfaced.
It is widely believed that many of those notes were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1901. The possibility that one could still exist continues to fuel collectors and historians alike.
Bill notes that if a First National Bank of Jacksonville note were discovered in good condition, it could be worth as much as $100,000.
“It’s like a treasure hunt and highlights an important part of history,” he said. “It’s my quest to find these rare items and help owners reap the gain from their value.”
Hatchett’s credentials reinforce that passion. He is a longtime member of the Antique Appraisal Association of America, the American Numismatic Association and several state and national numismatic societies. He is also an authorized dealer with both PCGS and the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation, two of the most recognized grading authorities in the coin industry.
A-Coin & Stamp Gallery is accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
can carry significant financial implications.
Beyond rare currency, A-Coin & Stamp Gallery evaluates coins, jewelry, watches, gold, silver and antiques. For families unsure whether an inherited collection holds meaningful value, a professional appraisal can provide clarity and peace of mind.
For Hatchett, the work remains deeply personal. Each appraisal represents an opportunity to connect history with the present and, in some cases, uncover a longforgotten piece of Jacksonville’s story.
Some connections don’t begin with a greeting. They arrive without explanation or permission, and yet they change you. That’s how it was with the owl.
It started on a cool night in February in our quiet neighborhood near the St. Johns River. My husband had stepped outside with the dogs when he heard a commotion in the trees. He called me out, and there they were: three owls, flapping and calling in a flurry of wings. Whether they were fighting or mating, we couldn’t tell. But from that chaos, months later, came a single baby owl who would change everything.
I’d always admired owls from afar. They appeared often in our neighborhood – silent, mysterious, and somehow knowing. I wasn’t a bird person, but owls were different. They stared at you like they could see straight through you.
Then came May 22nd. I was on my evening walk when I spotted something small and still on the road. A baby owl. Wide-eyed, grounded, and clearly hurt. A neighbor helped me call a local wildlife rescue. As night fell, we placed the little one in a small cage to keep him safe from predators and traffic. Soon, a wildlife rehabilitator arrived and gently took him in. As she drove away, we could hear the parents calling from the trees above. Their anxious cries stayed with me all night.
The next evening, I walked again. The owl parents followed me from tree to tree, watching. One perched on our street sign, staring down. I called the rehabilitator, who assured me the wing wasn’t broken but was just swollen. The baby would heal and be returned soon. Relief washed over me.
Two days later, just before sunset, we gathered with
a few neighbors to welcome the owl home. We named him Hibou, which means owl in French. His parents waited in the trees, watching. The rehabilitator placed him at the base of their tree, and with surprising grace, Hibou climbed up using his talons and beak. We all cheered. It felt like a minor miracle.
But Hibou wasn’t done with us.
The next morning, I found him hopping across the road. I panicked. Cars fly through our neighborhood. He squeezed through a fence into a neighbor’s yard. I scrambled to wake them, and together we searched until I spotted those big, round eyes peeking from a bush. I slipped on garden gloves, crawled under the branches, and gently scooped him up. He squawked and squirmed, but I got him back into a tree. It may not have been the right one, but it was safe.
From then on, Hibou became a fixture. He’d hop around the neighborhood, his parents flying overhead like watchful guardians. He’d perch low in trees, still learning to balance. His baby fluff lingered on his head, the only clue to his youth. He didn’t know how to hoot yet. Instead, he screeched and hummed, especially when I walked by. If I didn’t acknowledge him, he’d call louder. He just wanted to be seen.
I never touched him again. I knew he was wild, and I
As development progresses throughout great swaths of Northeast Florida, these charismatic birds are learning to live closer to people, and University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is providing resources to help people learn how to share their communities and neighborhoods with them.
UF/IFAS is building on its Ask IFAS publications with Wildlife Watch, a new monthly series that will spotlight seasonal wildlife activity alongside Ask IFAS resources to better inform residents on ways to safely appreciate and live alongside their seasonal wildlife neighbors.
This debut series, also featuring its new Ask IFAS guide in Spanish, will teach residents ways to recognize burrowing activity, protect nests and coexist with these unique underground dwellers
wanted him to stay that way. But I watched. I listened. I took photos and videos from a respectable distance. I brought my mother to see him once, and he put on a show before flying off into the woods.
By late summer, the owls began to disappear. I’d catch glimpses – a flash of wings, a silhouette at dusk –but they were fewer and farther between. I missed them. I missed Hibou. I often wondered which neighborhood they were in now.
Then one early morning, just before dawn, my husband rushed in.
“Come outside,” he said.
I hesitated but followed. There, in the trees, were the owls. And on top of a telephone pole, wobbling and flapping, was Hibou. He was back, just for a moment. And then they were gone again. It was the most wonderful experience.
Now, my walks are quieter. I still look up. I still listen. I like to think they’re nearby, just beyond sight. Maybe next spring they will return to the same tree. Maybe there will be another little owl to watch grow.
Either way, I’ll be ready. Waiting quietly and watching the trees.
Sometimes, an animal enters your life and leaves you quietly changed. Hibou stirred hope, fear, and trust in ways I never expected. And in his presence, I found a small, unexpected joy, a sense of purpose I didn’t know I needed.
They call me the owl lady now – and I’m proud of it.
Photo: Brittany Mason
Photo: Lourdes Mederos
A burrowing owl on vacant land.
Burrowing owl displaying a characteristic head tilt.
These adults have returned to nest at the outskirts of a golf course Broward County.
Lisa White Butler
May We Read Them Bookish take on Women’s History Month
We’ve heard the adage before: “Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”
I want to add onto that: “May we read them.”
In honor of Women’s History Month, I decided to scan my bookshelves and reading apps for some of my favorite female characters. They may be fictional (or, in some cases, fictionalized versions of real historical figures), but they are no less inspiring to the readers who pick up their stories. I went to some of the bookstores in our Resident neighborhoods to see which characters came to mind for other book nerds.
An avid Olivie Blake fan, Amanda Tyler immediately pulled “Girl Dinner” from the shelf at Literary Lounge. She introduced me to Dr. Sloane Hartley – an adjunct professor returning to work after staying home for 18 months with her baby and struggling to make it all work. As a mother herself, Tyler said she connected with and related to the main character throughout the novel.
“I really identified with her struggles and the way that Olivie Blake wrote the way that motherhood can be the most beautiful thing, but also the most isolating thing about womanhood,” Tyler said.
At San Marco Books and More, Marina LaFrossia and Jessie DeLoach opted for, respectively, Evelyn Hugo from Taylor Jenkins
Reid’s “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” and a character who needs no introduction: Hermione Granger; while across the river at Happy Medium Books and Café, owner Dana Shutters pulled Allison Pitaki’s “The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post,” which tells the story of Marjorie Merriweather Post, the heiress who, after inheriting it from her father and becoming its sole owner, expanded the Post Cereal Company into General Foods. In addition to her business prowess, Post was a socialite and philanthropist who worked tirelessly to support several organizations, impacting countless lives.
“I just find her absolutely fascinating,” Shutters said. “She started from nothing in the [Great] Depression and then became one of the richest women in the world…I always recommend this book because I feel like she impacted our lives so much.”
Shutters also listed Jo March from “Little Women” and several of Kate Quinn’s characters: Mab, Osla and Beth from “The Rose Code” and Eve Gardiner and Charlie St. Clair from “The Alice Network.”
Another recognizable name came from Nicole Zappa: Katniss Everdeen. Zappa said while these characters may not be real, the traits and themes they represent are.
“Seeing the representation across the spectrum [in books], I think, is really important,” Zappa said. “It’s especially
By Michele Leivas
important for little kids growing up. Reading Katniss Everdeen when it came out was so pivotal because you’re like, ‘Wow, look at this person who’s changing history’ – in a fictional society, but you know, that passion, that courage, those are tangible traits that can relate to my life, others’ lives.”
Who are some of my favorite female characters? How much time do you have?
For my fantasy or romantasy readers, yes –all those curse-breaking, cauldron-stealing, sword-wielding and silver-haired characters immediately came to mind, along with: Amina al-Sirafi in Shannon Chakraborty’s “The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi.” This 40-something, retired pirate gets back in the game for one last job to save the kidnapped daughter of a former colleague. She’s snarky and fierce, diving back into a final adventure with bad knees, an aching back and wit as sharp as her blade(s).
I would pay good money to get a hair appointment with hairstylist Tressa Fay Robeson and then pray my sparkling personality sparkled enough to work my way into her epic group of friends in Annie Mare’s “Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon.”
Tisaanah, from “The War of Lost Hearts” trilogy by Carissa Broadbent, is the embodiment of fierce, powerful and courageous.
I know I’m leaving out countless others (I am limited to just one page here, after all), and I am so grateful to the remarkably talented authors who have brought so many incredible characters to life in the pages of their books.
Honorable Mentions from our Resident communities:
• Lauren Olamina, “Parable of the Sower” by Octavia E. Butler
• Martha Ballard, “Frozen River” by Ariel Lawhon
• Nancy Drew
• Circe, “Circe” by Madeline Miller
• Vhalla Yarl, “Air Awakens” by Elise Kova
• Dorothea Brooke, “Middlemarch” by George Eliot
• Kiela, “The Spellshop” by Sarah Beth Durst
CURRENTLY READING:
“Queen of Faces” by Petra Lord
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO:
“A Master of Djinn” by P. Djélì Clark
Amanda Tyler
Marina LaFrossia and Jessie DeLoach
Dames Present Benjamin Franklin
By Peggy Harrell Jennings
The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the state of Florida promotes national heritage through preservation, patriotic service and educational projects. In collaboration with the Jacksonville History Center, the Dames presented renowned historical reenactor B.J. Pryor for the group’s 21st annual Historical Actor Program.
Pryor embodied politician, founding father, scientist and statesman Dr. Benjamin Franklin at a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres reception at Timuquana Country Club on Wednesday, Jan. 21, and at the Colonial Dames’ membership meeting and luncheon at Old St. Andrew’s Church the following day.
Through a partnership with the Jacksonville History Center, the event was opened to Jacksonville citizens and was well attended at the Casket Factory. As Dr. Franklin, Pryor shared information on events leading up to the Revolutionary War, Franklin’s time in Great Britain and France, and insight into his personal life and conflicts during the fight for liberty.
In addition to his presentation at Timuquana Country Club, where
children of Jacksonville Classical Academy recited the Preamble to the Constitution, and at the Jacksonville History Center, Pryor addressed more than 1,800 students in grades three through five from local schools at the Downtown Library.
Abigail Williams, a student from Episcopal School of Jacksonville St. Mark’s Campus, was named the winner of the Dames’ essay contest with her paper, “Benjamin Franklin: a statesman or inventor?” The essay contest is part of the Dames’ educational outreach.
As descendants of the Revolutionary era, the Colonial Dames are rooted in the past and celebrate connections to their ancestors while aspiring to “impact present times.”
Delivering Glamour with a Purpose
the
for a
North Florida School of Special Education welcomed guests to its two-day Heart of the Runway celebration at The Delores Barr Weaver Therapeutic Equestrian Center.
Kicking off the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 11, guests enjoyed a cocktail hour and evening runway show at Heart of the Runway After Dark, hosted by Honorary Chair Marissa Scott. Following the fashion show, guests donned headphones and danced the night away at the Silent Disco.
The signature Heart of the Runway Luncheon and Fashion Show followed the next day, co-chaired by Monique Delegal Miller and Hickory and Shannon Delegal.
Models at both fashion shows showcased items from Linda Cunningham’s and Dillard’s spring collections.
READERS WITH TRUSTED BRANDS
Jai Patel, Founder Foster Athletic Network
Franklin with students of Jacksonville Classical Academy.
Guests enjoy a cocktail reception at Heart of
Runway After Dark
Guests pose
photo with silent disco headphones and glowing heart necklaces
Cold Nights, Warm Hearts at Bourbon and Brisket
New Urbanism Leader Victor Dover Headlines Greater Cities Symposium
Scenic Jacksonville Executive Director Nancy Powell welcomed more than 200 guests to the sixth annual Greater Cities Symposium on Feb. 5 at the Garden Club of Jacksonville.
Gateway Jax CEO Bryan Moll introduced guest speaker Victor Dover, a leader in New Urbanism, a movement focused on creating more livable, walkable and sustainable communities.
Dover opened with the question, “What is the biggest thing you own?” After audience members suggested houses and cars, he responded, “The streets are, by far, the biggest thing you
own. And all of you own Jacksonville’s streets.” He discussed how Jacksonville and other cities have enhanced curb appeal through thoughtful street design.
Great Cities Symposium Co-Chair Ellen Cottrill offered remarks before a Q and A moderated by Jax Chamber ChairElect Abel Harding. Scenic Jacksonville Board President Bill Hoff Jr. closed the evening, thanking guests for their support and participation.
RVs Roll Back into Jacksonville for MegaShow
The Florida RV Trade Association returned to the Bold City once more to host the annual Jacksonville RV MegaShow at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center from Feb. 5 to 8.
Event organizers said on an average day, they could welcome up to 3,000 guests. Though numbers were slightly lower on opening day because of cold weather, attendance was high on Saturday as the weather warmed up and sunshine returned. Guests enjoyed an indoor vendor market before heading outside to peruse RVs and campers from participating dealers Blue Compass, Camper Inn of Jacksonville, D&H RV Center, General RV, RV Club USA and RV There Year.
Florida RV Trade Association Executive Director Ken Loyd with Show Director Patty Flanagan and Regional Show Coordinator Cole Costello
Karen McCombs with Barbara Bredehoeft and Nancy Powell Sherry Magill with Dr. Alan Bliss and Georgette Dumont Brandi Matthews with Brooks Dame, Stephanie Garfunkel and Dr. Rachael Tutwiler Record-breaking cold weather didn’t stop
guests from showing their support for Feeding Northeast Florida at the sixth annual Bourbon and Brisket.
Held at String Sports Brewery on Saturday, Jan. 31, and presented by Morgan and Morgan, the evening enjoyed some
Stop Water Damage Before It Starts with Sergeant Seamless
Protect your historic home and get ahead of the rainy season
As Northeast Florida approaches its heaviest rainfall months, preparation becomes more than routine maintenance. It becomes protection. For Ben Siebold, that idea is not seasonal. It is foundational.
Siebold, owner of Sergeant Seamless Gutter Services, spent a decade in the United States Army, earning the rank of Staff Sergeant while leading soldiers in high-responsibility environments. Today, that same discipline guides how he runs his company – with structure, accountability, and a steady commitment to doing the job right the first time.
“When someone hires us, they’re trusting us with their home,” Siebold said. “We approach every project with stewardship. Our job is simple: control the water at the roofline and move it safely away from the foundation.”
That word – stewardship – is not accidental. It anchors the company’s guiding philosophy, captured in the acronym SARGE: stewardship, accountability, reliability, growth, and excellence. For Siebold, those are not marketing terms. They are daily standards applied to every install, every crew, and every homeowner interaction.
Formerly known as AA Gutter Services, the company had already earned a solid reputation in Jacksonville before Siebold acquired and rebranded it. Rather than reinvent the wheel, he focused on
strengthening installation standards while preserving the reliability homeowners had come to expect.
Today, Sergeant Seamless is trusted by respected custom builders known for detailed residential work, including Jeff Thompson Construction and Sport Nobles Construction. Those relationships speak to a level of craftsmanship required on architecturally distinctive homes.
While gutters may appear straightforward, installation on historic and custom properties rarely is. Older homes often feature uneven roof pitches, decorative crown details, exposed rafter tails, and box-style systems that demand careful alignment and fabrication. A rushed install might move water temporarily, but long-term performance requires precision.
Improperly managed runoff can quietly affect fascia boards, wood trim, landscaping, and even structural components over time. On aging homes, small drainage issues rarely stay small.
Sergeant Seamless specializes in seamless aluminum and copper systems designed to complement each home’s architecture. Rather than applying a template approach, the team evaluates how the structure sheds water, how the system integrates visually, and how it performs season after season.
That mindset has earned the company more than 250 five-star reviews and a
near-perfect rating from Jacksonville homeowners. For Siebold, it reinforces the idea that growth follows consistency.
As peak rain season approaches, installation schedules begin to tighten, particularly for homes requiring custom fabrication and architectural alignment. Waiting until heavy storms arrive often means addressing damage rather than preventing it.
For homeowners who value both the character and long-term integrity of their property, proactive preparation remains one of the most practical investments they can make.
“We want to treat every home like it’s our own,” Siebold said. “If we make a mistake, we fix it. If something isn’t right, we address it. That’s part of honoring the trust people place in us.”
Before the next major downpour tests your roofline, it may be worth taking a closer look at how water is moving around your home – and whether it is being guided where it should.
Ben Siebold
MEET
Lacey McGowan
By Fabrizio Gowdy
One thing that’s apparent from the way Lacey McGowan has spent her life is her strong desire to help people. Though not a social worker, she has worked in social work, psychology and humanitarian work.
McGowan first arrived in Jacksonville in 2020 to take care of her grandmother, a responsibility she still shares with her sister. She has worked as a rehab case manager for City Rescue Mission and in the anti-sex trafficking space.
“I feel very bent towards social justice [and] wanting to physically be a vessel to help someone from a situation of distress to somewhere that’s been restored in some way,” said McGowan.
A few years into that line of work, McGowan realized that while her passion for helping people had not changed, burnout was depleting her ability to assist those in her care. Seeking a change of pace, she took a job with Clover Farms of Florida in Starke, where she spent two years.
Her responsibilities on the farm included lugging 50-pound buckets of feed, caring for livestock, driving tractors and tending the crops with special care – crops that were non-GMO and used regenerative agriculture. The days were long, hot and physically demanding, but they brought McGowan back to her childhood, much of which was spent outside and working with her family in the yard.
“I enjoyed being outside, getting my hands dirty. It was the reset and the break that I needed,” explained McGowan.
Since her stint at the farm, McGowan has taken courses at FSCJ and has begun a two-year sponsorship with a private investigator. She hopes to obtain her own P.I. license soon and get back into combatting sex crimes, a cause she says has “never quite left her.”
McGowan’s professional life mirrors the importance she places on strong human connections in her personal life. Once a month, she hosts a small circle of friends at her house for a “full moon dinner:” a home-cooked meal that coincides with the appearance of a full moon. Her get-togethers have become a cherished tradition and an opportunity for everyone to put away their phones and have meaningful conversations.
“The intention is for everyone to be able to sit around one table, make eye contact with each other and be present with one another,” said McGowan.
In addition to her full moon dinners, McGowan enjoys a wide range of hobbies
and activities. A Disney adult, she’ll never pass up an opportunity to head down to Orlando. McGowan is a former D1 soccer player who enjoys shooting hoops at Fishweir Park with friends and participating in JAX Fray’s bowling and kickball leagues.
You’re also likely to see McGowan on walks around Riverside, where she lives with her sister Holly, dog Boogie, and outdoor cat Oake – named in honor of Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp. Oake follows Boogie, his best friend, all around the block on their walks.
McGowan is partial to several personal traditions: She marks each birthday by eating a corn dog. Saturdays are for getting donuts at Sweet Theory, while lazy Sundays are her day to buy pastry treats from Bakehouse. She also frequents Buchner’s Bierhalle in Murray Hill, where she orders a Guinness and works on a crossword, often with a little help from the bartender.
Though not originally a Duval County native, both her parents grew up in Jacksonville, and she feels a strong connection to the area.
“I can sense that I come from here. There is a sense that I get, and it’s very comforting,” said McGowan.
Driving down Beach Boulevard with the top down on her Jeep on her way to enjoy a beach day – something her mother did often in her youth – McGowan feels especially close to her mom, who is no longer with her.
“It makes me feel like she’s sitting there with me,” said McGowan.
One final thing McGowan’s story conveys is the way she doesn’t stress over the little details, choosing instead to believe things will turn out all right. As a kid, she
“Turns out, we were just tubing with gators all our lives. No one told us, and that was probably exactly the right thing to do, because clearly, we were fine,” said McGowan.
In that same spirit, McGowan has chosen to let her life take her where it may rather than stressing, and it is working out well for her.
A Guiness and a crossword are one of McGowan’s favorite combinations
McGowan spent two years working at Clover Farms
Lacey McGowan
McGowan at Dart Bar
spent many summers tubing with her family on the Sante Fe River at her grandparents’ house near Live Oak. It wasn’t until she was in college that McGowan learned they weren’t alone in that water.
ANIMAL HOUSE
From Shelter to Sofa
By Julie Kerns Garmendia
Expanding your family and welcoming in a new four-legged friend is an important decision – whether it’s your first fur baby or you’re bringing in a new sibling for your existing pet.
Like any important decision, a realistic evaluation of the pros and cons is necessary. Still, trial visits provide low-pressure settings to help families reach a decision that could result in a homeless dog or cat leaving shelter life behind.
Giving an animal a forever home has an impact felt by many: When an adopted animal leaves a shelter or private rescue, space and resources become available for rescuing another homeless animal. Citizens may not know that chronically overcrowded city animal shelters, rural county shelters and private rescues remain over capacity for 365 days each year – a terrible statistical trend that has become the new norm.
In November 2025, the Jacksonville Humane Society (JHS) reported that, for the first time in 20 years, it had received 10,000 animals, but even that number was quickly surpassed before the year’s end. Duval County Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS) cares for more than 6,000 homeless animals annually, with 325 housed in shelter kennels and approximately 200 to 250 overflow animals cared for in private volunteer foster homes. Every shelter and nonprofit rescue organization struggles to find enough individuals or families to foster or adopt, so they can accept as many animals as possible that an owner never claimed.
This surplus of animals needing new homes presents opportunities for families to expand, bringing a new furry friend home to their existing pets, who can often experience loneliness or boredom and
might benefit from the companionship of a new playmate, particularly if their owners work long hours. Separation from their owners, whether due to long workdays or extended travel, can be difficult for pets left home alone. A second pet can ease those separations by providing play, routine interaction and a sense of stability.
Current adoption procedures at city animal shelters or private rescue organizations make a trial run of pet adoption simple. They offer pet match counseling and follow-up support, plus a meet-and-greet process with tried-and-true steps to ensure adoption success. Short day visits or walks, overnight sleepovers, weekend visits, and trial foster-to-adopt programs are other options. For those considering cat adoption, cat care volunteers (with short-term commitments available) can easily meet and get to know all available felines.
Rescue organization websites include information on how to explore meeting potential pets, scheduling trial visits, fostering, or adopting. Potential fosters not only removes a homeless pet from the chaotic trauma of shelter life, temporarily providing a stable home, but also has an effective way to “test” adopting a family pet.
Jacksonville private rescuer Jessica Jensen is a one-woman juggernaut of consistent advocacy for pet adoption and better local animal welfare. She is vocal about local animal issues, communicates with decision-makers, and offers actionable suggestions to improve shelter animal welfare – all while personally rescuing abused and abandoned animals.
Jensen has been a social work professional since 2018. She married her high school friend-turned-sweetheart,
Joey, in 2021. He is a Florida native and a local middle and high school teacher. This young couple, both with demanding careers, has worked together to save as many homeless animals as possible. Equally important is their commitment to teaching others how to rescue, foster and adopt – a calling they never envisioned.
Jensen had no pets when she first met Joey, who had dogs he loved growing up, but really “never wanted pets.” During college, Jensen adopted a rescue, mixedbreed dog named Prince, that she still refers to as her “soul dog,” although he recently passed away. She has been an ACPS volunteer dog walker since 2021, initially getting involved after learning from a friend that there are never enough volunteer dog walkers to get all the dogs out of their concrete kennels onto grass for fresh air, play, and exercise regularly.
Jensen began privately rescuing, vetting, re-homing and networking on behalf of unwanted animals as a surprise result of her work with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). Many of her cases involved clients and families in crisis, located throughout Jacksonville. Some neighborhoods were overrun with abandoned animals without identification, in poor condition, or starving. Young puppies and kittens were the most heartbreaking sight.
“I saw families that had pets – sometimes several – who often had the least resources or ability to properly care for them,” Jensen
That situation led Jensen to help secure vet services and/or find homes for pets that were outright surrendered to her by desperate owners. In many cases, her clients had to move, and their new residence would not allow pets. Before she even realized it, her job in child welfare had quickly and inadvertently expanded into animal welfare, too.
The Jensen family pets are all rescues, some foster fails (her own private rescues and shelter fosters), and most have or had serious medical conditions. While Prince has passed, the Jensens are still wrangling the rest: Benny, who ran straight into Joey’s arms – and has never left – was a mistreated, starved rescue who was being sold for quick drug cash; Milo, their largest at 20 pounds, has seizures; Randy, an ACPS medical foster fail who miraculously survived being thrown off the Hart Bridge and recovered from a fractured pelvis and ribs; Monkey, who was tied and left outside of a laundromat; Little Bear, an all-black puppy left penned outside in 100-degree heat in direct sun, on dirt with no grass, struggling to breath and trying desperately to escape; and senior, one-eyed Yorkshire terrier Phoenix, that Jensen found skeletal and near-death. The Jensens’ goal, as their herd ages and passes, is to focus on fostering animals with no other option for survival.
Ruby, a senior black-and-white Chihuahua who perfectly resembles a miniature dairy cow with a sassy temperament and facial expressions to match, was rescued by Jensen from a senior
recalled. “Puppies and dogs were chained or penned outside in the sun and heat, often with little or no water or shade. Add to that the stress of whatever crisis brought DCF into their lives in the first place, and the result was badly neglected or abandoned animals.”
Apart from her work assisting families in crisis, Jensen also began counseling them about local low-cost or free pet spay/neuter and food resources for their pets, as well as providing proper pet care information. Her goal was to help her clients in every possible way while also improving their pets’ lives.
citizen who could no longer care for her. Ruby became the latest Garmendia foster fail when her wobbly walk, poor vision, and age discouraged potential adopters. Ruby wishes to tactfully remind readers that age is just a number, and her vet is convinced she has many more years of good health ahead.
Potential adopters should not discount the many senior dogs and cats that eagerly wait every day to be noticed, just hoping for the chance to be someone’s first or second pet.
Jessica Jensen with her rescues Benny and Monkey Jensen with Ruby, the rescue Chihuahua she saved, who is now a Julie Kerns Garmendia official foster fail
The Jensen rescue dogs love Ruby: left to right is Randy, Ruby, Monkey, Benny, Phoenix and Little Bear, with Milo in front
By Peggy Harrell Jennings
Big Prints, Bold Statements and Brilliant Minds
Go big or go home. Artists Thony Aiuppy and James Greene are embracing that mantra by expanding their craft from the standard comic book genre to poster-size fine art screen prints.
“Full Bleed, the Fine Art of Comic Books,” their recent exhibit with screen printer George Cornwell at Noli Novak and Cornwell’s UNICAT Gallery, pulled viewers into their narrative with masterfully rendered statement pieces emphasizing the impact of the play on words of a “full bleed” as a reference to the printing process and the satiric content and social commentary of their work.
Greene described the collaboration as “a collection that retains the biting satire of the underground press while enhancing the rich, tactile depth of professional printmaking.”
Award-winning artist and author Jeff Whipple’s solo exhibit “Riled Life Refuge” at FSCJ showcases his whimsy, satiric commentary, and philosophically stimulating sculptures and paintings, including a 30-foot mural that Margete Griffin remarked on social media “sends you home thinking, processing.”
Griffin continued, “[Whipple] always has an unexpected twist …stark reality and humor with a bit of the surreal and a depth of symbolism.”
FSCJ student Amber Gray said at the opening that young artists are continually challenged as technology takes away from the creative process. She remarked that Whipple’s work encourages young artists to
move forward and be bold.
The Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in St. Petersburg recently hosted the multi-talented artist with a 50-year retrospective exhibit of drawings, sculptures, paintings, interactive works, films and theater productions. At the same time, “Artisan Magazine” mentioned Whipple’s “lifelong investigation to perceive, interpret, and inhabit the world.”
Author Tim Gilmore said, “MOCA Jax needs to add a whole new wing to purchase the full metaphoric narrative of Jeff’s career.”
At Jacksonville Artists Guild’s juried exhibit at Church of the Good Shepherd, featuring work by 15 local artists, acclaimed artist John Bunker took Best in Show with his painting “Bentwood Rocker.” Juror’s Choice awards went to “Small Town Vibe” by LuAnn Dunkinson and “Interior Construct II” by Leslie Kruzicki.
Kruzicki’s carefully executed collage, a reflection of a 1950s interior, brought back fond memories of places and events in the exhibit, entitled “Remember When.” Artist Ahyanna Nikia inspired the Artists Guild with her presentation of intricate fiber art using strong patterns and bright fabrics.
Founder of “House of Remnant Soul,” Nikia embraces the ideology that you “design your own pattern in life.” Nikia has exhibited locally and internationally, with one of her pieces, “Ancestors Return Home,” selected to travel to the Nelson Mandela Museum in South Africa.
First Coast Plein Air artists are on
display at the Jacksonville Jewish Alliance, where Doug Johnson took Best in Show. Chris Flagg took home second place and LuAnn Dunkinson Juror’s Choice awards. Something is going on all over town:
Kim Fetzer assisted Brenda Kato and her team during January’s Jacksonville Mural Fest to create a 30-foot-long mural of a surfing dog, which now enlivens the corner of Edgewood Avenue South and Mayflower
Fifteen new murals contribute to the ever-expanding Murray Hill vibe.
Dawn Montgomery’s solo exhibit, “Consider the Wildflowers,” at Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church features vibrant, colorful paintings, both representational and abstract, which illustrate Montgomery’s artistic evolution while reflecting the artist’s positive, cheerful personality. Montgomery, an Ortega resident and Art Ventures award winner, will also be featured at FSCJ later this year.
As Einstein once said, “Creativity is intelligence having fun,” and each of these brilliant artists had lots of fun with their creative endeavors, whether that is a reflection of societal issues in ZINE form,
abstract paintings to help the creator and the viewer process personal emotions or visual nostalgic journeys.
Elbert Hubbard once mused that “art is not a thing; it is a way:” a way to express personal attitudes and thoughts, a way to stimulate viewers’ imaginations and reflections – it’s not all visual.
The National League of American Pen Women, which encompasses distinguished
visual and literary artists and musicians, hosted romance and historical fiction writer Maggie Fitzroy at its recent gathering. Fitzroy’s presentation offered stimulating thoughts, inspiration and insight into the creative writing process for the group’s writers, as she described how the creative evolution of ideas unfolds in a storyline or character development.
Once again, intelligence is having fun.
Art does seem to be the way – through a poem, a painting, a sculpture or a story –that brings one into the creator’s mind and continues to evoke interest and amusement in the truest sense of the word.
It’s more than a thing; it is a way of enlightenment.
It’s a sad farewell to The Vault at 1930 in San Marco. The outstanding gallery has bid the arts community adieu “with heavy hearts.” Gallery owner Rula Carr thanked artists and clients for their support over the years on social media and affirmed that the influential gallery will continue to operate on its online platform, and the San Marco Art Festival will continue to serve the community. Steve Williams announced
the closing of his Park Street location of Florida Mining Gallery, adding, “It’s not the end. Details on a new, more permanent space are forthcoming to match the scale of the voices that we represent.” On a cheerful note, after twenty years of planning, the Art Guild of Orange Park finally cut the ribbon to open their new gallery at 440 McIntosh Street in the renovated historic Black schoolhouse from the 1930s.
Street.
James Greene and Thony Aiuppy
Jeff Whipple
Dawn Montgomery and HAB Art Ministry Leader Diantha York-Ripley
Ahyanna Nikia
LuAnn Dunkinson
Brenda Kato and Kim Fetzer
John Bunker
Community Rallies for Women’s Center at Annual Benefit
Women’s Center of Jacksonville welcomed guests to an evening of love, art and community at its For the Love of Art event on Thursday, Feb. 19.
Guests enjoyed beverages and small bites at The Lark as they perused paintings, jewelry, three-dimensional art and more, participating in live and silent auctions to take one of these unique pieces home with them at the end of the night. Local artists and businesses donated all the artwork. The evening also featured artwork donated by the late Dr. Sandra “Sandy” Hansford, a long-time supporter of WCJ who left her substantial art collection to the nonprofit to help support its mission.
New CEO Allishia Bauman and Event Chair Chandra Manning
Abby Howard Murphy Gillian Ticehurst with Jim Schwarz and Tricia Meili
Cover artist, survivor and guest speaker Tiffany Sarroca, pictured with Maria Johnson
Behind the Boardroom
Most board journeys don’t start in a boardroom. They start with a lunch invitation, a colleague’s introduction, or a quiet whisper in prayer. For two local leaders, those ordinary prompts became wholehearted – and the beginning of years of devoted board service. Today, their steady leadership is strengthening organizations across our region, a reminder that when we respond to small calls, we can spark lasting change.
yeses yeses
Jason Spencer (Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida)
Jason Spencer’s path to board service began organically in 2010 with a chance introduction at a JAX Chamber luncheon.
“I had just moved to Jacksonville and was going to events,” Spencer, a Riverside resident, recalled. “I was at a JAX Chamber luncheon, and the featured speaker was Robert Hill, who was the CEO of Acosta at the time. I went up to him afterwards, told him I also went to Furman, and was new to town. He took me under his wing, and we would meet for coffee and for lunch. He became a mentor to me.”
That mentorship would come full circle. Hill was involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida, and Spencer already understood the power of mentoring firsthand.
“I actually participated in the high school version of Big Brothers Big Sisters growing up in North Carolina and served as a mentor to an elementary school student,” he said.
Through Warren Grymes, then-CEO of the local organization, Spencer found his place, meeting quarterly with Grymes for two years, during which time he shared how much mentoring meant to him and how meaningful it was to see that impact can come from anyone.
“I loved to see how anyone has the ability to impact a young person’s life, whether they are a CEO, a high school student, or someone just getting started in their own careers,” Spencer said. “Everyone can help improve a child’s self-esteem and be a friend.”
By 2013, serving on the Board felt like a natural next step.
Now 12 years into his service on the local governing Board – two three-year terms with a year rotating off in between – Spencer also contributes nationally.
“I’m an ex officio member on the National Leadership Council, which is 10 board members and 10 CEOs setting the standards of practice for the entire federation of Big Brothers Big Sisters across America,” he explained.
For Spencer, governance is where vision meets impact, with strong leadership paving the way for change – not just for the community the Board serves, but also for board members themselves, who are transformed by their commitment to service.
“I’ve seen corporate leaders who express uncertainty at the ability to lead the Board come out of their shells, being mission-driven and give so much more than they ever thought possible,” Spencer said. “You can see the growth in people as well as the growth of the impact of the organization.”
The most difficult season came when Grymes’ health began to decline. Grymes had led the organization for 13 years until he died in 2017, leveraging government grants to serve 1,800 youth annually. Under current CEO Sara Alford, who has now dedicated 18 years to the mission, the organization has built a more sustainable funding model, incorporating corporate support, and now serves approximately 1,000 youth each year.
“I was the Board Vice Chair during the transition with Sara as interim CEO, and she quickly proved to be the right person for the job full time,” he said. “I then served as Board Chair for two
years as she stepped into the CEO role. Together, we laid the foundation for future growth and ensured we had the right people in place, on the Board and on staff, to get there.”
Spencer, now a senior vice president with Regions Bank, points to the Beyond School Walls program, which partners with 14 corporations to have mentors meet with high school students to expose them to different career possibilities, as a shining example of local impact.
“While the mentor has the opportunity to lift the potential of youth, the mentees are more likely to go to college and obtain higher-paying jobs,” he said.
Kate Campbell (Catholic Charities Jacksonville)
For St. Nicholas resident Kate Campbell, service has always been close to home. A Jacksonville native, she grew up in a family that regularly gave back. As her corporate career with Florida Blue grew, so did her board involvement, until she stepped back to focus on her young children. When a colleague invited her to consider serving on the Catholic Charities Jacksonville Board of Advisors, the timing felt right.
“Florida Blue has been a longtime supporter of Catholic Charities because of the shared missions of addressing food insecurity and helping those in need,” she said. “I prayed about the invitation and quickly said yes.”
Two years later, Campbell is preparing to step into the role of chairelect this July.
“There’s so much work to be done. Anything you can contribute is needed,” she said. “As a board, it’s great to see how everyone’s ideas come together and the power of strategic thinking from different perspectives. I’ve learned from some amazing leaders and been able to grow myself.”
Board service also carries a weighty responsibility as members make decisions that impact the community as a whole, from the families the organization serves to the staff doing the work. In today’s shifting political and economic climate, those decisions are not easy.
“Particularly in the current economic environment, we’ve had to make some tough decisions, laying off staff and stopping programs as the grants go away,” said Campbell. “These are wonderful people doing servant work, but you look at the budget, and to keep the doors open, you have to make these decisions. And it’s hard to keep good people in place when the climate is shifting.”
Even amid change, the mission adapts to meet local needs as the organization has had to pivot and land on its feet to continue serving its community.
“While refugee and immigration services have closed up, we’ve been able to open a new food pantry in Arlington and expand Camp I Am Special’s programs,” Campbell said, a reminder that when one door closes, another can open in service to the community.
Board service is a commitment that requires time, energy and heart – often balancing alongside full-time jobs and family life – but Campbell said the reward far outweighs the hardships.
“Consistency and the willingness of people to step up are so important,” Campbell said. “The organization counts on the support. When you see the value the organization is providing through services to the community, it’s hard not to say ‘yes.’”
In our Resident neighborhoods, that simple “yes” – offered at a luncheon, through a colleague, or in prayer – continues to ripple outward in ways both seen and unseen. It strengthens the missions of nonprofits, shapes the futures of young people and reinforces the idea that meaningful leadership doesn’t require a grand stage. It simply asks us to begin where we are, serve with intention and trust that even the smallest step forward can create lasting change.
Jason Spencer stands on the far right on the Nasdaq floor as BBBSNELF celebrates 120 years by ringing the stock exchange’s opening bell last November.
Catholic Charities Jacksonville Board member Kate Campbell with Regional Director Eileen Seuter and Bishop Erik Pohlmeier at the organization’s annual meeting.
Jen Graham
By Jennifer Jensen
Jen Graham’s neighborhood advocacy began in 2020, when she spent a lot of time walking around the Riverside and Avondale areas. It was during these strolls that Graham noticed the terrible condition of the neighborhood’s antique street posts.
She did some research to determine who they belonged to or who was responsible for their current state, and determined they fell in a “no man’s land” and didn’t truly belong to anyone.
She decided to step in and pitch an idea to restore them to Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP).
“Over time, it became something that they wanted to
focus on,” Graham said. “It was really exciting.”
RAP secured a grant, and Graham became the project manager and volunteer coordinator.
“If somebody wanted to volunteer to restore a street post, they would reach out to RAP and then I would kind of designate one to do, and they would get a bucket of supplies,” Graham said. “Once they were finished, they would return it for the next person.”
More than 30 people volunteered, as did a local Girl Scout troop, which made it one of their projects.
– Jen Graham 2025 RAP Volunteer of the Year
“I think some of my favorite bits were just seeing the enthusiasm and the excitement of the volunteers who could
also make that difference and do a tangible thing for our community and see the finished product,” she said.
Graham completed 43 of the 81 posts identified for restoration.
“It was amazing coordinating with RAP,” Graham said. “They were wonderful to work with and really have such a presence in our community, and could really help get the word out there and be that clearing house for the project. They really made the project a success.”
For her efforts not only in identifying but also in her dedication to the project, RAP recognized Graham as its 2025 Volunteer of the Year.
“It was just really neat to kind of have an idea of a way that I could make a difference in my community, and they helped me execute it,” Graham said. “And we finished it. And now we get to enjoy it.”
She enjoys walking and seeing the now-bright, white posts.
“Every little bit that anyone can do to get involved, it takes all of us to make a difference,” Graham said.
RAP Volunteer of the Year Jen Graham poses beside the restored antique street post for Lancaster Street.
River Garden Families Celebrate 80 Years of Support for Community Seniors
River Garden Hebrew Home has felt like home to generations of Jane Grann’s family. She and her relatives have worked and volunteered there since the 1980s, and her husband Ira currently enjoys the benefits of the community’s memory care program.
River Garden has been a trusted mainstay in her life as long as she can remember, Grann said.
“My mother-in-law Mae worked so many volunteer hours at River Garden they had to create a new type of pin to honor her service,” Grann said.
Mae later transitioned from super volunteer to resident in River Garden’s long-term care program, as did her husband.
“We always had our Shabbat dinners together there,” Grann said. “My motherin-law’s favorite photo was one taken from the window in her room of her great grandchildren playing in the courtyard. River Garden is such a special place to my family. It is like a second home to us.”
The Ladies Hebrew Sheltering Aid Society, now known as the River Garden Auxiliary, established River Garden in 1946 in the Riverside area to provide care, dignity and support to older adults in the Jewish community. In 1989, it moved to its current Mandarin campus, where it has evolved to provide older adults of all faiths a continuum of care, including long-term and memory care, rehabilitation and adult day services.
The center is also home to more than 100 seniors living in its elegant, maintenance-free independent living community, The Coves.
“We are proud to be the only faith-based not-for-profit senior services community in Jacksonville that has stood the test of time,” CEO Mauri Mizrahi said. “The key to our longevity is the people, and consistently offering unmatched, compassionate care that focuses on the whole person.”
River Garden continues to serve and be served by Grann’s family. Grann’s youngest daughter, Renee Haire, worked at The Coves as a Life Enrichment aide about 10 years ago. Jane Grann followed in the footsteps of her mother-in-law and father-in-law and has been serving as a volunteer there since 2023.
Yet what has been most meaningful to Grann of late is how River Garden has been there for her husband, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2017. She initially relied on River Garden’s Adult Day Program to provide him with a safe, engaging environment. As his condition progressed, she moved him to the residential memory care program. She says it’s the staff that makes the place so special.
“The employees are fabulous, second to none. They’re the reason that River Garden is ranked No. 1 in Florida, and in the top 10 nationally.”
Grann is looking forward to being there on the Mandarin campus when the organization celebrates its 80th anniversary on March 22. While her family’s story is exceptionally intertwined with River Garden’s enduring history, there are many more resident families excited to commemorate the occasion, along with the staff, volunteers and members of the community.
The event will be held on the campus at
Jane Grann’s grandchildren taken at River Garden playground
River Garden Campus
Ira Grann with daughter, Renee Haire, at River Garden
Gary and Sandy Polletta
It seems safe to say that Gary and Sandy Polletta are a staple of the Murray Hill community, much as the bakery they operated for over 20 years was. The couple, who have lived in the same home in the neighborhood since 1984, have built countless bonds and friendships that have stood the test of time.
Gary, who visited five continents and traveled extensively during his 10-year naval career, shared an insight that explains why he and his wife connect with people so easily.
at a bakery from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., attending school from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and sleeping in the afternoons.
In college, Gary found himself “bored with school” and decided to enlist in the Navy. He planned to use his baking experience as a cook, but he performed so well on his mechanical aptitude test that he became an airplane mechanic.
He was eventually assigned to the VW4 Hurricane Hunter squadron, which is how he first came to Jacksonville in 1970. Flying 10- to 18-hour flights, he flew a total of
“All the foreign countries I’ve been in, people are just people. They want to eat, sleep, and raise their families,” said Gary.
Gary grew up in a large Italian family in Chicago Heights, where his grandfather owned a grocery store. In high school, he spent three years in a diversified occupation program that saw him working
32 hurricanes – just a fraction of the 4,500 flight hours he would accumulate over his time in the Navy.
Meanwhile, originally from Michigan, Sandy is the daughter of a service station owner and an Avon lady. Her family owned a Christmas tree farm that was the source of many great weekend memories growing up.
Majoring in theater and minoring in dance and French, she moved to Chicago
after college to start her own costume design business.
“I did everything from Shakespeare to Vegas – including the G-strings and the headdresses,” Sandy joked.
While in Chicago, she also took “lifechanging” pastry and cooking classes from Jacques Pépin, the legendary French chef who’d once served as the private chef to French President Charles de Gaulle. Sandy still remembers how incredibly down-toearth he was.
Pursuing that passion, she eventually took a job as the catering manager at the Sea Turtle Inn in Atlantic Beach – now One Ocean –where she instantly hit it off with the hotel’s resident manager, one Gary Polletta.
Asked to recall their first impressions of each other, Gary and Sandy both laughed heartily.
“She turned around and walked out, and I thought, ‘There goes trouble’ – little did I know,” remembered Gary.
“I kind of felt the same way,” said Sandy. “Jeez, he’s cocky.”
When Italian opera singer Luciano Pavarotti came to perform in Jacksonville, Gary took Sandy to see the show and translated for her. She said it was the moment she realized their relationship was more than a friendship.
“The translating was easy; she didn’t know what he was saying anyway,” Gary joked.
In 1991, the Pollettas’ lives entered a new chapter when they took over the Edgewood Bakery, which dated back to 1947. For Sandy, one of the best parts of running the bakery was the opportunity to work alongside their two kids and, later, their grandkids, some of whom were “raised in the bakery.”
“When you’ve been in business that long, you get to know people and you are involved in their life – birthdays, weddings, funerals –you got to know them,” said Sandy.
Another special memory Sandy has of the bakery occurred in the 90s, when many World War II veterans and their wives were celebrating their golden anniversaries. Many of those couples never had a cake at their weddings because of the wartime flour and sugar rations, so Sandy cherished the opportunity to bake them their first wedding cake.
Over the years, the Pollettas have stayed in touch with many of the people who entered their lives through the bakery, including a baker from Norway who wanted to visit a U.S. bakery to learn from his American counterparts. Upon receiving the request from the Norwegian consulate, Gary and Sandy hosted the baker for two weeks, later visiting him in Norway, and have spent several recent Christmases with him.
These days, the couple continues to care for others and fosters the strong bonds with family and friends they have always had. In addition to spending time with their two kids, five grandkids, and seven great-grandkids, Sandy cares for
They also loved getting to know their customers on a deeply personal level – some customers would even bring Gary and Sandy produce from their fruit trees, which they would bake into pastries and other treats.
her 97-year-old mother, who lives next door, while Gary visits his 88-year-old friend’s farm four times a week to lend a hand. 9Though Edgewood Bakery may have served its last customer, the deep friendships and connections Gary and Sandy formed endure.
Gary and Sandy fishing in Ketchikan, Alaska.
Daughters Krysti and Sandy, granddaughter Kourtni pose with Gary, granddaughter Megan, and son Gary Ray at Edgewood Bakery. Grandson Dylan (not pictured) was also heavily involved in the bakery.
Gary flew 32 hurricanes with the hurricane hunter squadron.
The Pollettas took over Edgewood Bakery.
Gary and Sandy and their kids Krysti and Gary Ray outside the bakery
St. Paul’s Joins National Celebration
St. Paul’s Catholic School joined the national celebration of Catholic Schools Week, an annual observance held at the end of January that highlights the value, mission and impact of Catholic education across the country.
The week recognizes the partnership of faith, academic excellence and service that defines Catholic education. St. Paul’s marked the occasion with a weeklong celebration of faith, community and a shared commitment to forming students spiritually, academically and morally.
Signing Day Celebrations
Episcopal School of Jacksonville celebrated 24 of its student-athletes at a ceremony on National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 4 as they committed to their academic and athletic futures.
These student-athletes represented nine different sports, and family and friends gathered in the Semmes Gym to recognize and celebrate this milestone in these youth’s lives.
The following student-athletes participated in the February signing ceremony: Baseball:
• Clem Nelson (Charleston Southern University)
• Jude McDonald (Stony Brook University)
• Kamden Milner (College of Central Florida)
• Gehrig Severidt (St. Johns River State College)
Girls Basketball:
• Zara Griffith (Colby College) Football:
• Harrison Spencer (Hampden-Sydney College)
• Devin Garland (John Carroll University)
Boys Lacrosse:
• Jude Kobrin (Sewanee: The University of the South)
• Evan Tuttle (Sewanne: The University of the South)
• Roman Penland (Rhodes College)
• Sam Nunes (Vassar)
Bishop Kenny freshman Grace Maceda never imagined a walk around the neighborhood with her dog, Lady, would become a life-or-death moment. With her parents out of town, Maceda and her siblings were staying with their grandfather. On Monday, Jan. 19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – they went to the movies and lunch. Afterward, Maceda took Lady for a walk and found a neighbor lying unconscious in the roadway.
Maceda immediately checked for a pulse, found a weak one and called her grandfather and 911. When she could no longer find a pulse, she began chest compressions, performing CPR for nearly five minutes until police arrived. She remained on scene until fire and rescue took over.
Maceda learned CPR from her mother in fifth grade and relied on that training and her faith. “I’m thankful that my mom trained me because you never know when you might need to use it to save another person’s life,” she said. “I really want to encourage everyone to learn CPR. You are never too young or too old.”
Girls Lacrosse:
• Brooke McCoy (Duke University)
• Lilly Melograna (University of Richmond)
• Emme Hnath (William and Mary)
• Jane Anderson (Queens University of Charlotte) Boys Soccer:
• Drew Monti (Sewanee: University of the South)
• Charlie DeVooght (Belmont Abbey College) Softball:
• Amelia Oreair (Valdosta State University)
• Claire Cinnamond (Covenant College)
• Summer Stearns (Elon University)
• Crissie Clayman (Florida Southern College)
• Riley Valent (Bates College) Track and Field:
• Aidan Pajcic (Catholic University of America) Boys Swimming:
Family, friends and classmates celebrated 12 student-athletes as they committed to their futures in a signing ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 4.
This is the third signing ceremony at Bolles this academic year, with a total of 44 student-athletes committing to their next chapters. Another signing ceremony is planned for April.
Bolles Athletic Director Rock Pillsbury led the ceremony, which took place in the Davis Gym on the San Jose Campus. Coaches and faculty also attended the ceremony to support their scholars.
The student-athletes participating in the ceremony were as follows:
Women’s Cross Country/Track and Field
• Charlotte Joseph (University of Richmond)
Football:
• Caleb Barnes (Charleston Southern University)
• Ryan Ingram (Wagner College)
• Reid Koelbel (University of West Florida)
• Santana Starks (Lindenwood University)
• Andre Torrance (Kaiser University)
Men’s Rowing:
• Noah Wasserman (University of San Diego)
Women’s Rowing:
• Lizzy Watkins (Syracuse University)
Softball:
• Aleda Cashwell (Rollins College)
Men’s Swimming and Diving:
• Dillon Brigman (University of Tampa)
Women’s Swimming and Diving:
• Clara Peris Diaz-Varela (Long Island University)
• Christanya Shirley (University of Arkansas at Little Rock)
Twelve student-athletes participate in the Feb. 4 signing ceremony at The Bolles School.
Twenty-four student-athletes participate in the Feb. 4 signing ceremony in Semmes Gym at Episcopal School of Jacksonville.
Grace Maceda
By Susanna Barton
The Power of Grands
This month I am thankful for all the grandparents and stand-in grandparents in our Resident community. They are truly the heart and soul of our neighborhoods – and how wonderful and rare that so many families do life with multiple generations living in such proximity to one another. It is the norm to see older adults living just around the corner from their grown children and grandchildren, in many cases great-grandchildren. It’s also very normal for folks to live in or near the house their family has occupied for generations.
Where we live in Granada, these situations are almost too numerous to count. Our neighbors Mike and Mary moved out of their family home several years ago, and their daughter Meredith and her family are breathing new life into her old homestead. On many occasions over the years, I’ve seen Mike and Mary Swart and a number of other grandparents taking their grandchildren to Granada Park, which is so wholesome and helpful and nice! A quick accounting of multigenerational long-timers in our neighborhood renders names like Apple, Caven, Ashurian, Chadbourne, Acosta, Skinner and many more my feeble fog brain won’t allow me to recall. But I know you can if you start thinking about it!
The same is true times a bajillion on the other side of the river in Riverside, Avondale and Ortega. There are too many families with generational staying power than I can count. Our own children were fortunate to live within 10 minutes of both paternal grandparents and all of their local aunts, uncles and cousins. Good times!
And what a blessing this is the reality. Grandparents are essential to our community and the families who live there. We are so fortunate such a large cohort of families continue to live close to home, generation after generation.
As a new grandpup- and grandkitten-ma, I am enjoying the first – and very four-legged –reminders of how essential grandparents are to a family and how we can all be ready to embrace this important role in our community.
I know: Having a grand dog and cat aren’t really the same. But there are similarities, so don’t steal my joy! Saying yes, investing time, developing special bonds and demonstrating unconditional love are the special traits of good grandparents, no matter the species! This is a proven fact, and I read somewhere recently that orca whale grandmothers have the same natural tendencies. Like human grandparents they:
• Take on leadership roles in the pod and use their experience to guide younger family members;
• Increase the survival rate of their grand-orcas by sharing and caring for them;
• Strengthen family bonds by playing a stabilizing role in the pod; and
• Help moms with caregiving and guidance, which supports family success
So, whether your charge has a tail that wags or fins that flap, being a grandparent is – well, it can be grand! And science supports it, so there.
relationships I relished with the grands in my life. My paternal grandparents, Bob and Clint Person, especially Grandmother, validated the importance of presence, support and love while my maternal grandparents, Woodsy and Bobbie Harper, established the importance of family, time together and generosity. Bonus, I also grew up with my great grandmother Pennye Person, and she showed me grandparents can be funny, gritty and huggable – even when you’re 101 and deaf! Today, I am priming my grand greatness by being a yes-grandma and babysitter to grandpup, Fin, and a warm lap and enabler for my wild-eyed torty grandkitten, Bean. It’s such an honor.
In case you need to hear it again, being a grandparent is an important role and helps strengthen families for generations. It’s something to embrace and take seriously as we age. If we are fortunate enough to have grandchildren, we know that the investment of good grandparenting can yield tremendous returns including:
• Emotional support and stability for all
• The passing down of family values, culture and identity
• Financial reinforcement
• Role modeling for lifelong learning and loving
• Extended support network for parents
I am excited to embrace this role because I have pockets full of fantasy about what kind of grandparents my parents would have been, and I am determined to manifest them. My mom died when I was 20. My dad, though a very sweet, loving and generous grandfather, was a single dude doing very single dude living during our time with him and as such, was not as consistently on the grand-dude scene. This deficit, however, was overshadowed by the
• Emotional and social development
• Strengthened family bonds
• A legacy of love and wisdom
Kindergartener Camila Wesling and fifth grader Nico Kallivayalil pose with their grandparents and eighth grader Luke Kallivayalil during Grandparents Day at Assumption Catholic School. The event, held as part of Catholic Schools Week, included a Mass for students in third through eighth grades, a performance by kindergarten through second grade students, courtyard refreshments, arts and crafts, and classroom visits.
Investing time and effort as a grandparent has a ripple effect, positively influencing not only our immediate family, but also future generations of our tribes. That’s why the trend continues today in our Resident community! It’s good for families, now and in the future. So, let’s give thanks for the grandparents among us and for those of us who are grandparents to someone or something, let’s celebrate and embrace this powerful legacy of love.
Susanna Barton grew up just three blocks away from her grandparents’ Olmos Park, Texas home, where she and her grandmother Bobbie enjoyed many TV screenings of “Dallas,” “Falcon Crest” and “Fantasy Island.” A Granada resident, Barton has written professionally for The Jacksonville Business Journal, The Resident and The Bolles School. She currently manages an online community called Grand Plans, which encourages healthy conversations about aging and preparing for it on www.mygrandplans.com
Wolfson Children’s, Nemours Broaden Collaboration to Boost Specialty Care Access
Last month, Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Health announced an expansion of their clinical collaboration, significantly increasing access to specialized expert care to children and families throughout the region.
The announcement was made at a Feb. 18 press conference in the lobby of Wolfson’s Borowy Family Children’s Critical Care Tower. Beginning in March, this expansion will bring additional physicians and advanced practice providers across eight inpatient and ambulatory specialties from Nemours to Wolfson’s, including neonatology and newborn nursey services in Wolfson Children’s neonatal intensive care units and Baptist Health’s labor and delivery units, critical care medicine in the pediatric intensive care unit, neurosurgery, infectious diseases, rheumatology, nephrology, physical medicine and rehabilitation and palliative care.
“Throughout its 70-year history, Wolfson Children’s Hospital has grown into a specialty children’s network with national recognition, building a strong foundation that allows us to further elevate care for our community’s children,” said Allegra C. Jaros, MBA, President,
Wolfson Children’s Hospital. “By expanding our collaboration with Nemours Children’s Health and having their providers work as an integrated part of our care team, we are ensuring that families across our region have greater access to world-class pediatric expertise right here in Jacksonville.”
Later this year, in August, Nemours Children’s will begin offering Genetics for Wolfson Children’s. Nemours Children’s outpatient clinics are also slated to open throughout the region, including offices for NICU follow-up and medically complex care.
“As locally headquartered organizations deeply invested in the well-being of children in North Florida and South Georgia, we share a vision for providing top-quality, accessible specialty care,” said Nemours Children’s North Florida President Aaron Carpenter, DNP, MDiv, APRN, CPNP-PC, NEA-BC. “This expanded agreement brings together the strengths of two leading pediatric institutions to deliver comprehensive, coordinated care that improves outcomes for children with both routine and highly complex conditions.”
830 Oak St, Jacksonville Saturday, April 25, 2026 5k Run 3:00 PM 1 Mile Fun Run 4:00 PM REGISTER TODAY!
Celebrate the best of Riverside with the Run Riverside 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run. This is a great event for the whole family! 5K runners will tour the Riverside community, from Five Points to King Street, the Cheek Castle House, Memorial Park, and the Cummer Museum. 1 Mile runners will enjoy “the most fun Fun Run ever,” encountering multiple Fun Zones along their route!
Both races start and finish at the same location, the intersection of Post and Oak Streets. The races will start in one wave, with the 5K starting at 3:00 PM and the 1 Mile starting at 4:00 PM. Dogs are not permitted. Walkers and strollers line up at the end of the race.
Following the race, visit the festival to enjoy activities and treats from local businesses. Open 2-5. Participants can visit prior to, during or after the race. Presented by:
Baptist Health Chief Executive Officer and President Matt Zuino addresses the crowd.
Baptist Health Chief Executive Officer and President Matt Zuino with Wolfson Children’s Hospital President Allegra Jaros, Nemours of North Florida Children’s Health
President Aaron Carpenter, Wolfson Children’s Hospital Pediatric Cardiologist Dr. Robert English, Ryleigh Walker and Craig Walker
Editor’s Note: “Flashbacks” is a recurring series of short vignettes contributed by the Jacksonville History Center that opens a window into history: on the people, places and moments that have shaped Jacksonville’s rich and complex history.
The Women Who Opened the Doors
Every year, March is celebrated as Women’s History Month, first designated by presidential proclamation in 1980 to honor women’s contributions in American history. This year, we honor four Jacksonville women who were instrumental in establishing what would be the first building purposely built as a hospital in the State of Florida. This year marks the 147th anniversary of the opening of St. Luke’s Hospital in 1878 on the same property where a portion of the building still stands today, operating as the administrative office of the Jacksonville History Center.
Susan A. Hartridge (1829-1910) was one of the
The Women Behind St. Luke’s Hospital
three founders of St. Luke’s Hospital and of the Daniel Memorial Orphanage. She was president of the Confederate Home Association and a charter member and first president of Martha Reid Chapter, No. 19, United Daughters of the Confederacy, organized in 1892. She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.
Anna Timothy Cleland Doggett (1822-1892) was the second of the three founders of St. Luke’s Hospital, a founder of the Daniel Memorial Orphanage, and also organized the Jacksonville Library Association. She was a second cousin of Francis Scott Key, author of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” She is buried in Old St. Joseph’s Cemetery, adjacent to Old City Cemetery.
The third co-founder of St. Luke’s Hospital was Almira “Myra” Chase Mitchell (1829-1915), who also served as treasurer of the St. Luke’s Hospital Association. She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery.
The fourth woman to be associated with St. Luke’s Hospital was Martha Reed Mitchell (1818-1902), who served as the president of the St. Luke’s Hospital Association from 1878 to 1902. She is also known for her San Marco home, Villa Alexandria. She is buried in the historic St. Nicholas Cemetery.
Many thanks to the Jacksonville History Center’s archive staff, Shawn Stermer and Joel Cordova. For more information, visit jaxhistory.org
Old St. Luke’s Hospital
Photo:Jacksonville History Center/ Leah Mary Cox Collection
Martha Reed Mitchell Photo: FindAGrave
Ann Doggett Photo: FindAGrave Myra Mitchell Photo: Jacksonville History Center
