San Marco: Resident June 2025

Wine, Culture & Conservation San Marco’s Finest Blend

A Look Back, a Century Forward

Honoring San Marco’s first steps

Wolfson Students Step Up

mission of providing shelter, meals, and support for families in need. Mead spearheaded the club after realizing the impact Wolfson students could have on unhoused families and children.

Through this initiative, Wolfson students hosted an Easter event with the nonprofit for unhoused families to ensure each child attending received an Easter basket and enjoyed some holiday fun.

Architectural History” at Aspire Church San Marco on Thursday, May 8.

This ticketed event was hosted by San Marco Preservation Society and the San Marco Centennial Committee and Wood engaged more than 100 guests both with the intriguing story of this centuryold community and fascinating photos of a neighborhood evolving over the years.

For those who were unable to attend this event, Resident News is launching a four-part series telling the history of San Marco as we celebrate this milestone, 100th anniversary of this beloved Jacksonville gem.

Jacksonville historian Dr. Wayne Wood led guests on a journey through

time as he told the story of San Marco during his presentation of “San Marco’s

Miguel Hernandez, Jeff Goncalves and Daniela Caravelli with David Coutinho, Sueli Jardim and Leonard Santucci

Cheyenne Mead, a sophomore at Samuel Wolfson School for Advanced Studies, has founded The Family Promise Club, an initiative to partner with Family Promise of Jacksonville to support its

Landon student Ana Escamilla-Aguirre and Alumna Anita Boyd, ‘53

Christine and Dino Ragazzo

Evelyn and USCF Executive Director Ranae Bartlett

Publisher'’’’’s Note

June is a month of celebration and reflection. As the days grow longer and summer begins to heat up, we turn our attention to one of the most meaningful honors in life – being a dad.

In this special Father’s Day edition, we’re proud to highlight 13 remarkable local fathers on page 19. Their stories and wisdom are heartwarming, inspiring, and a beautiful reminder of the everyday strength and love that exists in our community.

As a father myself to two incredible young women – Tarryn and Sophia – this Father’s Day carries special significance. I want to take a moment to recognize Sophia, who is graduating high school this month with a perfect 4.0 GPA. She is a sweet, focused, and immensely talented young woman, excelling as both an artist and a writer. Given that she’s grown up around Resident News and its team of passionate storytellers, it’s no surprise she’s developed such a strong creative voice.

Pamela and I couldn’t be prouder of her – and of this entire generation of 2025 graduates. They are bold, driven, open-minded, and deeply resilient. They navigated the challenges of a global pandemic, embraced technology with ease, and they’re stepping into the world with fresh ideas and compassionate. hearts. There’s so much we can learn from their fresh perspectives.

So, this Father’s Day, let’s raise a toast to all the dads, stepdads, and grandfathers who give so much of themselves. We are united in our pride for our children and the future they’re shaping. Wishing you all a joyful June.

The Original Social Media

D A D

By C.C. Snowden

You are father, and mentor, You are leader and friend. You are hero, defender, Sometimes a horse for pretend. The adventures, the vacations, When you seek and I hide. Your guidance and your wisdom, The bear hugs and tears dried. So many little moments, Add up over time. That make me so grateful, That I’m yours and you’re mine. May you feel that you’re special, Because God made you that way. And may you feel appreciated, Not only on Father’s Day.

Seth Williams Cheers,

IFF Air Operation Permit Renewal Reignites Odor Conversation

By Michele Leivas

Residents had an opportunity to review the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s proposed Odor Control Plan for International Flavors and Fragrances and ask questions about IFF Chemical Holdings, Inc.’s Title V air operation permit renewal application at a public meeting hosted by the FDEP Northeast District.

Held at FSCJ Kent Campus on Thursday, May 15, the meeting drew a significant crowd of informed and concerned citizens interested in seeing how this could address the “objectionable odors” many of them continue experiencing in Murray Hill, Riverside and the surrounding areas.

About the Permit Renewal Application

The FDEP is reviewing IFF’s permit renewal application for its Jacksonville facility. The renewal application was submitted in March 2024. The draft permit would permit IFF to continue the processing of crude sulfate turpentine (CST) into products like fragrances and flavorings and would authorize the operation of its distillation system –separating sulfur compounds from CST –and three steam boilers, two of which burn the vapors resulting from the processing and a third generating the necessary steam for the operations.

According to FDEP, IFF “has held an air operation permit from DEP since 1981 and continues to meet all current

federal emissions standards and permit conditions.”

According to the proposed IFF Odor Control Plan, IFF must continue maintaining measures to prevent emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The plan has identified IFF’s wastewater pond as an “unregulated air emissions source of [VOCs].” The necessary measures are as follows:

• “Maintain a floating hex-cover system –Hexagonal or Rhomboid floating pieces (Hexes) are placed on the surface of the wastewater pond, which decreases the open surface area between the pond surface and ambient air;

• Operate a pure oxygen diffusion system –IFF has installed a pure oxygen diffusion system for the wastewater pond, which allows for the removal of the surface aerators, decreases turbulence on the surface of the pond, and allows better coverage by the hexes; and

• Operate an oil/water separator – IFF has an upgraded enclosed oil/water separator that removes oil from wastewater before it enters the pond.”

An FDEP representative at Thursday’s meeting said IFF has already implemented these measures, and the proposed odor control plan stipulates these, or similar measures, must be maintained and FDEP must be alerted “if any comparable measures are used or switched.”

Resident Concerns

Judy Klein, a Murray Hill resident of 40 years, is no stranger to the odor, but is looking at this with a hopeful outlook, despite concerns that these measures may not fully resolve the problem.

“I guess we can be hopeful, but it’s been such an ongoing problem, it takes a lot to keep us optimistic,” Klein said.

Mark Stewart feels there has been improvement since the corrective measures have gone into effect.

“It has gotten better,” Stewart said. “My concern is with the things we’re not smelling, the things that are hazardous to our health.”

Stewart’s wife, Helene noted the “rancid, sickeningly sweet” odor had at times affected her asthma.

“I know it’s doing this to other people, too,” she said. “…I’m also wondering, what are the things that we can’t smell that are impacting our health?”

According to the draft permit renewal, the IFF facility “is not a major source of hazardous air pollutants.”

The proposed IFF Odor Control Plan also details steps for odor complaint investigation and response as well as requirements for monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting. It would require IFF to provide FDEP with a “semiannual report to the FDEP that includes all odor complaints (including information on the time, date, and location of the complaint), a summary of meteorological conditions during the complaint (i.e. wind direction and wind speed), and whether any malfunctioning and/or nonoperational odor control technology were observed during the post-complaint inspection.”

Murray Hill resident Chelsye Ginn is concerned about the self-reporting aspect of that plan.

“I’m deeply concerned by the lack of oversight included in that plan, because if the entity that is self-reporting date is the one who would face consequences if they are out of regulation, that’s kind of like putting the fox in the hen house and I don’t have a lot of faith in that system without more oversight from a third-party organization or government entity.”

IFF representatives were at the public meeting and shared the following statement with Resident News:

“IFF appreciates the chance to participate in the process related to renewing our Title V air permit. The State of Florida has some of the most stringent air permitting regulations in the country, and Title V permits ensure compliance with both state and federal environmental laws.

IFF remains in full compliance with our Title V air permit. Throughout more than 20 years of operation at our Jacksonville facility, we have utilized best-in-class technology and robust monitoring processes to ensure that we are preventing air quality impacts and complying with all applicable laws. We look forward to continuing to work with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection throughout the permit renewal process.”

Looking Ahead

FDEP has yet to set the dates by which a proposed permit will be submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency for review or when final agency action will be taken. It accepted public comments up until May 22 following the public meeting.

District 7 City Councilmember Jimmy Peluso added that the City will continue its own monitoring of any odor complaints, but it will likely collaborate with the state on this matter.

“There’s a reason why FDEP accepted all of the City’s criteria and regulations, and it’s because they know the City’s done a great job over all these years, and now they’re going to be coming to help and make sure that they have their own enforcement protocols,” Peluso said. “So they’re going to work in tandem.”

Peluso encouraged anyone experiencing the odor to contact both the City and the FDEP to submit a complaint with both entities. He said this is a “quality of life issue,” and the meeting’s turnout speaks to the number of citizens impacted by it.

“It’s a sophisticated community that understands this problem,” Peluso said. “They’ve been living with it for years. Many people walk outside, and they have to come back inside almost immediately…So people came here armed with data, armed with personal experience, and I think IFF and FDEP listened.”

Resident News, alongside other media outlets, have previously reported on the odor issue, which stretches back several years, ultimately prompting the City to launch a year-long Urban Odor Study from April 2022 to March 2023. Before and during that study, between September 2020 and July 2023, IFF was identified as one of five entities to receive validated odor complaints.

Residents can submit complaints directly to FDEP regarding the odor by visiting https://floridadep.gov/ northeast and selecting “Citizen Concern Form.”

A representative with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Northeast District speaks with residents at the May 15 public meeting.

Unmatched structural heart care

Baptist Health’s Structural Heart Program celebrates 10 years of bringing innovation and life-saving care to Northeast Florida.

Established in 2015, the Structural Heart Program at Baptist Health offers innovative, minimally invasive treatments for conditions that previously required open heart-surgery. The program includes the expertise of two interventional cardiologists: Ruby Satpathy, MD, FACC, FSCAI, medical director of the Structural Heart Program, and Siddharth Wayangankar, MD, MPH, FACC, FSCAI, RPVI, director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Baptist Jacksonville, who work alongside providers in many other specialties to achieve the comprehensive makeup of the program.

Under their leadership, the program has achieved numerous milestones over the past decade, improving the lives of patients in in our region, community and beyond. Some of those standout achievements include:

• A high-volume Structural Heart Program, having performed over 1500+ Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacements (TAVRs), 375+ minimally invasive mitral valve repairs, and 900+ Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) closures. High-volume centers typically have greater expertise and more efficient, coordinated care for patients.

• Access to 10 enrolling clinical trials, with two more coming soon. Clinical trials help provide the latest technology to the Northeast Florida community. Baptist Health is also proud to have been the No. 1 enroller in the U.S. for the MANTA registry and No. 1 enroller in Florida for the LAA registry. Participating in medical device registries helps enhance patient care and quality.

• 1,500+ combined clinical citations by Drs. Satpathy and Wayangankar, reflecting the global influence of their research in the field

• Baptist Health was recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of 100 Hospital and Health Systems with Great Heart Programs

To learn more about the Structural Heart Program and to book an appointment, visit BaptistJax.com/Structural-Heart or call 904.202.9500

What is structural heart medicine?

Structural heart medicine focuses on repairing and rebuilding your heart’s foundation – its valves, walls and other essential structures – without open-heart surgery to keep your heart strong and blood flowing properly. Some signs and symptoms of a structural heart condition could include fatigue, feeling faint or dizzy, having an irregular heartbeat or having swollen limbs. If you experience one or more of these, you should talk to your doctor right away.

The HUB on the Rise

Vertical construction underway for Brooklyn mixed-use development

By Michele Leivas

The once-vacant lot at the corner of Riverside Avenue and Forest Street in Brooklyn is coming to life as vertical construction continues for The HUB, a mixed-use development now several years in the making.

After a groundbreaking last October, the project is now well underway and residents can see work progress on two buildings with work on a third – a three-story structure dubbed The Tower – expected to begin shortly with outdoor spaces including terraces, decks and courtyards following eventually.

Architect Joe Cronk of Cronk Duch Architecture/ CD+Urban Studio expects phase one of the project – the three structures that will house Southern Grounds and

Company, Blueberry Bakery, the rooftop Sky Bar, the Aegean-inspired wood-fired restaurant concept Alder and Oak and the new CD+Urban Studio office – to be complete by the end of this year with a possible second phase still evolving.

“Phase two would be a possible additional boutique office, another concept – an outdoor dog yard, music areas…just kind of fun outdoor activities – and then additional courtyard spaces, maybe even an outfitter to tie into the Emerald Trail and the river, things like that,” Cronk said.

Cronk added that the development team is still in early discussions with the property owner for a second phase.

“But I think it’s safe to say that all of us are really working towards that phase two,” he added.

Brooklyn has undergone significant evolution in recent years with extensive development bringing new residential, commercial and retail spaces to the nowthriving community. Cronk said his team has been watching the community’s growth and tailoring The HUB as needed to ensure it meets the neighborhood’s needs as they change along with it.

“We want to make sure we understand the master plan and what would be the right concept or the right amenity or the right component to add to this destination,” he said.

The HUB will be located at 400 Riverside Avenue.

Updated renderings show the activation of the corner of Riverside Avenue and Forest Street would look like with The HUB.

Meet Terry Moore, San Marco Preservation

In anticipation of the San Marco Preservation Society’s 50th anniversary in 2026, Resident News has initiated a monthly series spotlighting the organization’s past presidents. This feature pays tribute to the individuals who have been instrumental in safeguarding the historical and architectural essence of the San Marco neighborhood. Stay tuned each month as we honor the legacy and ongoing efforts that continue to shape San Marco’s unique character.

When Terry Moore and his wife, Patsy, realized they would need a bigger house for their growing family, it was SMPS Past President Lee Mercier who tipped them off to the family-friendly community of San Marco.

In fact, there was a house for sale right across the street from the Merciers. Combine that with San Marco’s vicinity to Downtown, where Moore worked, and its proximity to good school and medical facilities and Moore knew it was perfect.

“It seemed like the epicenter for our present and future needs,” Moore said.

The house was built in 1928. The Moores bought the house in 1979, moved in it the following April and still love living in it today.

Moore joined Mercier at SMPS, serving its board of directors before leading as president for his 1989-90 term, bringing with him a background in the legal field.

“I feel like I brought a legal viewpoint to the board that helped us use our influence with City Council members to benefit the community.”

He considers the conversion of The Marco townhomes in the heart of San Marco his favorite project. The townhomes are located at 2130 San Marco Boulevard where the boulevard merges into Hendricks Avenue.

“When a developer, Charlie Chupp, bought the historic townhomes, residents were afraid he was going to tear them down to build new condos,” Moore said. “But Charlie

talked to the board and assured them that his intentions were to bring progress and preservation to the project –owners, not just temporary residents. Charlie didn’t live in San Marco then, but he fell in love with it and moved into the neighborhood.”

Moore said that many factors contribute to his and Patsy’s love for San Marco. They cherish its strong sense of neighborhood – where people walk, stop to chat, and kids ride their bikes safely along tree-lined sidewalks – and they’re grateful for the countless friends they’ve made over the years, many of whom moved in decades ago and never left.

“A lot of people share keys to their homes with their neighbors. They trust each other,” Moore said.

Not only do neighbors become friends, but also many get involved in neighborhood activities. Many volunteer their time and resources to support the activities and events that the neighborhood hosts.

Moore points to Patsy, an artist who produces illustrated calligraphy prints, as one example.

“Patsy is the person behind the San Marco Easter egg hunt,” he said. “She has organized it for 45 years. The volunteers and she hide the eggs around the circle at the houses and in the park.”

Among the many other positive aspects, San Marco’s openness to the arts and diversity ranks high with Moore. “People are respectful of each other and of every nationality,” Moore said.

Patsy and Terry Moore

Part one of a four-part series

Celebrating a Century of San Marco

By Michele Leivas

Editor’s Note: As the monthly publication serving our historic communities, it is our mission here at Resident News to keep our readership informed of the news of the day and how it impacts our residents and neighborhoods. While much of what we report consists of current events, when a community approaches a milestone anniversary – as San Marco is doing in this, its centennial year – we feel it necessary to take a step back in time and share the larger story of how the community came to be.

As stewards of these community stories, we wish to share this history with our entire readership, on both sides of the river. Please enjoy this first installation of a four-part series about the history of San Marco.

Looking at the bustling, thriving community of San Marco today, it’s hard to believe it all started with Telfair Stockton’s idea to transform a clay pit into a lake. Yet that’s precisely what happened when Stockton filled the clay pit at Gamble and Stockton Brick Company to form Lake Marco, a water feature to complement a new residential development he planned to build on the former site of his brick company.

He would call it San Marco.

“[Telfair] realized he could make a lot more money selling real estate if [the brick plant] was a lake rather than his brick company,” said Jacksonville historian Dr. Wayne Wood. “So he closed the brick company and filled in the lake and made it a water feature. It helped sell the lots of San Marco.”

Thanks to a successful marketing campaign promoting the incoming development, Stockton sold all 250 lots the

first day sales opened in September 2025.

Those 250 lots of that early San Marco development was a separate entity from what was, at the time South Jacksonville, which occupied the area we know as San Marco today. Stockton’s San Marco was southwest of that area, encompassing just over three square miles and consisting of 80 acres.

“[San Marco] only went to Arbor Lane and it went as far north as Landon,” Wood said. “That was the dividing line with South Jacksonville.

South Jacksonville: Precursor to San Marco

When South Jacksonville was incorporated in 1907, it had 600 residents and stood as a city separate from Jacksonville on the other side of the river. Predating the San Marco development, new infrastructural updates were added to make South Jacksonville more accessible, including the major thoroughfare Atlantic Boulevard and the St. Johns River Bridge - today known as the Acosta Bridge.

Before the bridge was constructed, anyone wishing to travel to South Jacksonville by automobile had to use the ferry to cross the river.

“Within 10 years after it was incorporated, South Jacksonville’s population had increased tenfold and that’s when it was time to open the bridge,” Wood said.

The St. Johns River Bridge was completed in July 1921.

South Jacksonville continued to develop and the same year that Stockton was taking down payments on its new San Marco lots, construction began in South Jacksonville on what would become known as San Marco

Square, famously named after Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy.

The Square served as the anchor to what would become the commercial area of South Jacksonville and present-day San Marco.

The first commercial building to be built in that budding commercial zone still stands today – the San Marco Building, designed by architects Marsh and Saxelby. The Town Pump Tavern is one of its best known tenants, operating out of the building from 1933 to 1983. Today, Starbucks, Beau Outfitters and VooDoo Brewing, Co. occupy the building.

South Jacksonville remained its own city until voters voted in favor of annexation into Jacksonville in 1932, Wood explained. At that point, its population had grown to roughly 5,000.

Just a few years after the annexation, another notable San Marco building was built in the Square: The San Marco Theater opened its doors on June 5, 1938, with a screening of Edward G. Robinson’s “A Slight Case of Murder” for 30 cents a ticket. One of the most elegant vintage theaters in Jacksonville, the Art Deco style structure was designed by architect Roy A. Benjamin. Though the theater closed in January 2023, its iconic marquee remains.

Remnants of South Jacksonville are visible in the architecture of San Marco: The old South Jacksonville city hall building still stands today at 1468 Hendricks Avenue. Today, the building is home to San Marco Preservation Society and Greenscape of Jacksonville. Aardwolf Brewing Company now operates out of what was once the South Jacksonville Utilities building, originally built in 1927, and La Napolera now stands where South Jacksonville Water Works was.

The Stock Market Crash and the San Marco Expansion

Just three months before the stock market crash, Stockton and his associates acquired the land south of the San Marco development, formerly part of Martha Mitchell’s Villa Alexandria, and began selling lots along River Road, marking the start of Stockton’s expansion of San Marco.

It was there that John H. Swisher and Carl S. Swisher built their Mediterranean-Revival style mansions. Up until that point, Wood said, most of the houses in San Marco did not reflect that architectural style, though it was already a popular architectural trend across the state during that time and, in fact, there were already several prominent structures in Jacksonville reflecting those design elements.

“The two Swisher houses were among the biggest houses built in San Marco in that era and they were the first really big ones to evoke that Spanish-Italian architecture,” Wood said.

The stock market crashed in October 1929. While North Florida was not as deeply impacted as South Florida was, Wood explained the “spillover effects” were strong enough to be felt.

“Telfair Stockton was well-financed; he was a genius at marketing and real estate, so his development continued on, although not as robustly as it did in the earlier…days,” Wood said.

Stockton died before he could see his dream of San Marco come to fruition, lots of his San Marco development and its extension continued into the 1930s, Wood said, and possibly into the 1940s as well.

With a clay pit and a vision, Telfair Stockton laid the groundwork for what would become a community that, a century later, continues to thrive and grow.

Read the next installation of this four-part series in the next issue of Resident News.

This

A 1937 photo depicts the early San Marco Square, with its original tiered fountain.

The early homes of Telfair Stockton’s San Marco development.

An aerial shot shows the original San Marco development and Lake Marco in 1928.

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

Gator Bowl Sports Names 2025-26 Volunteer Leadership

The volunteer leadership for Gator Bowl Sports’ 2025-26 season has been announced, with Sara Pomposo as this season’s chairman. Pomposo is vice president of sales for Money Pages. Her previous leadership roles with BHRS and the has allowed her to foster strong relationships both in corporate and community circles of Jacksonville since she first came to the city in 2017 – the same year she joined Gator Bowl Sports, for which she has served in several other volunteer leadership roles.

The 2025-26 chairman-elect is Bill Dixon, executive director at The Lighthouse Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley. Dixon has been active and involved with Gator Bowl Sports for more than 17 years. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Dixon is also involved with The Boys and Girls Club of North Florida and Dreams Come True.

A New Home for City Year Jacksonville at the Jessie Ball duPont Center

City Year Jacksonville invited the community to celebrate its new home at the Jessie Ball duPont Center with a Housewarming Party on Thursday, May 1.

Housewarming festivities included a little friendly trivia competition and other games, which raised nearly $12,000 for CYJ’s Whole School, Whole Child program. The program provides attendance initiatives, academic support and soft skills development for third to fifth graders at nine Duval County elementary schools.

Guests could also take photo keepsakes of the evening from the photo booth provided in between enjoying cocktails and light hors d’oeuvres and hitting the dance floor.

The local branch of the national nonprofit was previously headquartered at an office on Bay Street. This relocation comes on the heels of its 10-year anniversary and represents a strategic move for an expanded presence in the regional nonprofit sector.

At the Jessie Ball duPont Center, City Year Jacksonville joins 32 other nonprofits based in Northeast Florida.

Scott P. Keith is the 2025-26 audit and compliance committee chairman. Keith, regional president at Pinnacle Financial Partners, served as chairman in 2006-07 and has been involved with Gator Bowl Sports ever since.

The remaining volunteer leadership for the 2025-26 season includes:

• Secretary (Trustee): John Duce, Executive Director Middle Market Banking, Wells Fargo

• Co-Treasurers (Trustees): Daniel Kennedy Murphy, Owner, Sea Warrior Stables, LLC (Trustee) & Greg Smith, Retired (Trustee)

• Team Selection Chairman (Trustee): Andy King, VP, GFL Vice Chair, Charities: Paul Jones, CEO, W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractor, Inc.

• Vice Chair, Hospitality: Kevin Craig, Regional Director, External Affairs, AT&T

• Vice Chair, Marketing: Luciano Noir-Jones, Jacksonville Market President, Ameris Bank

• Vice Chair, Membership: Pat McManamon, Senior Partner, Sandler by The Ruby Group

Sara Pomposo

City Year Student Success Coaches (Back Row) Za’vion Houston, Marquette Merritt and Eugina Holsey with Tyasia Saunders, Event Sponsor and Advisory Board Member Michael Ward and Kai’liyah. (Front Row) Arri Fleming and June Sundiang with Kayla Smothers and Bee Devaughn

Game, Set, Give Back

At its inaugural Angels Open, held at the Florida Yacht Club on May 2, nonprofit Angels for Allison raised enough funds to support and aid 20 families experiencing devastating loss.

The day included live ball tennis and round-robin pickleball matches along with a triples pro exhibition. The pickleball matches were the first to be played on the yacht club’s new pickleball courts.

“The tennis and pickleball community in Jacksonville is like a tight-knit family, and it showed at the event and through everyone’s support,” said Angels Open Chair Kayla Braude. “We look forward to growing and learning from this first event and making it even better next year, so be on the lookout to secure your spot.”

Sulzbacher, Jacksonville Speech and Hearing Center Honored at 20th Annual Sapphire Awards

Bold City nonprofits Sulzbacher and Jacksonville Speech and Hearing Center were among the nine honorees at the 20th anniversary of Florida Blue Foundation’s 2025 Sapphire Awards.

The annual Community Health Symposium and Sapphire Awards were held on May 1 in Orlando, with a theme underscoring the power of AI, technology and innovation to boost health outcomes for people across the state.

Jacksonville Speech and Hearing Center’s Fund-A-Child program took home a third place award, including $25,000. The program provides free communication services to underinsured or uninsured children and has provided more than 2,500 speech therapy sessions to nearly 400 children since 2019. Jacksonville Speech and Hearing Center President and CEO Chandra Manning accepted the award for the nonprofit and its program.

Sulzbacher President and CEO Cindy Funkhouser was also celebrated, taking home similar accolades – a third-place award and $25,000 – for her efforts to revolutionize homeless services. Under her leadership, Sulzbacher has expanded its footprint and adjusted its approach to eradicating homelessness by address various aspects, from housing to income to healthcare.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Sapphire Awards and recognize the outstanding contributions of these programs, organizations and individuals,” said Florida Blue Foundation Executive Director, Susan Towler. “Each of the honorees is dedicated to innovation that improves the lives of Floridians, and we are honored to support their inspiring work.”

A Toast to a New Book

With the kids now covered for the summer with “The Kid’s Survival Guide to Not Being Bored,” author C.C. Snowden has published a new book for anyone in search of the perfect toast for their upcoming social event.

“Good Times: Original Toasts for Many Occasions” was inspired by a 50th birthday vacation, during which Snowden was asked to make a celebratory toast, and features a collection of original toasts for different occasions. Accompanying the toasts are illustrations from Victorian trading cards Snowden’s great-great grandmother collected as a child.

“Good Times” is now available for purchase at Snowden’s website: https://books.by/ccsnowden

Florida Blue/GuideWell President and CEO Pat Geraghty presents Sulzbacher President and CEO Cindy Funkhouser with a Sapphire Award.

Catherine Reddick, Alexa Worsham and Sabrie Edmonston with Christina Williams, Mary Glen Denning and Chelsea Colon

Tennis Pros Kylie Kochis, Julia Emmet and Anson Silverfield with Louis Ballantyne, Danielle Wiggins, Cary MacRae, and Kayla Braude

Youth Crisis Center Shines after Volunteer Beautification Day

On April 30, a team of volunteers spent the day completing beautification projects at the Youth Crisis Center’s seven-acre property.

The man power and necessary equipment were provided by the American Rental Association Foundation and The Toro Company Foundation. The ARA Foundation also donated a $20,000 grant for expenses related to the project.

The tasks volunteers completed included landscaping enhancements and shrub removals, as well as installing a drainage trench.

The Toro Company, Ditch Witch, Ditch Witch of Florida, All About Events, Sunshine Event Rentals, LLC, Jamco Equipment Rental, Marketing Concepts, Rentalex (Tampa),

Elite Events Rentals, Do It Yourself Inc., K.W.I. Grand Rental, Parker Sales & Marketing, CVS Marketing/McGovern Associates and Ames, and H&E Rentals teamed up with volunteers and tools to complete these beautification efforts.

YCC Board Member Cathy Hurst expressed her gratitude for the project, sharing her thoughts on the impact it would have for the organization.

“Volunteers have come from all over the country for this wonderful project today,” Hurst said. “There are people everywhere. You can hear the machines behind me as they get started. They are moving rocks and mulch. There are over 600 plants and trees being used to beautify the YCC property. We have young people that come here for therapy.

There are residents that live here. It’s just incredible the work that they do here and I’m honored to be on their board and be a part of this activity today.”

YCC Chief Development Officer Pete Hicks echoed Hurst’s comments, adding, “We are greatly appreciative of this project. Beautification of our shelter helps with the therapeutic care we are able to offer youths and families. We have a lot of kids that come here to get help and when they see a welcoming place it really makes an impact. ARA has done a tremendous job negotiating our seven acres of property to create this beautiful landscape and it really helps our organization so that we can spend more funds directly serving the kids.”

Cutting-Edge Education in Bolles’ New Shad Robotics Lab

A dedication ceremony was held on Friday, April 25 for the new Shad Robotics Lab in the Frank R. Sanchez and Hope and Dana E. Fender Center for Innovation at the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus.

The state-of-the-art lab opened last fall, made possible by a $1 million gift from the Shad family. The Shad Family attended the dedication ceremony and was recognized by Bolles Associate Head of School Andrew Forrester, who honored the generations from the Shad Family that had attended Bolles and the Bartram School for Girls: Harold “Mike” Shad III, Jennie Shad, Harold “Bill” Shad IV, Piper Moyer-Shad, Jack Shad, Lori Shad and Scott Shad. Three Shad grandchildren continue the family tradition by attending Bolles now.

Bolles President and Head of School Tyler Hodges said collaboration and creativity are the forefront of the lab’s design and provide students and faculty with unparalleled learning opportunities in robotics and engineering.

“The Shad Robotics Lab has already made an undeniable impact on the Bolles Robotics program – with teams breaking world records and competing on an international stage. It’s also enhancing lessons for students taking Robotics and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Engineering courses at the upper school,” Hodges said. “We are beyond grateful for the Shad family’s support throughout the years and look forward to seeing how the Shad Robotics Lab will continue to shape the trajectories of current and future students.”

The Shad Family at the April 25 dedication ceremony for the Shad Robotics Lab at the Bolles Upper School San Jose Campus

A team of volunteers spend the day beautifying the Youth Crisis Center campus.

Andrews Named Here Tomorrow President and CEO

Here Tomorrow, a pioneering suicide-prevention nonprofit in Greater Jacksonville, has appointed Dr. Terrie Andrews as its new President and CEO.

Andrews brings extensive experience in behavioral health, most recently serving as director of Walmart Health’s national behavioral health program. Andrews previously spent a decade at Baptist Health, advancing from outpatient psychologist to vice president of behavioral health.

“It’s an honor to lead Here Tomorrow into its next chapter of impact,” said Andrews. “We’re focused on scaling our reach while staying rooted in our mission – building a community where every person feels they belong and can lead a life worth living.”

At Here Tomorrow, Andrews will lead a team of 17 certified recovery peer specialists. The organization has already helped more than 2,400 individuals – both those dealing with feelings of hopelessness or suicide and those with concern for a loved one – through its no-cost, no-wait program serving adults, teens, military members and first responders.

Andrews also has past experience with Here Tomorrow, when she launched an initiative at Baptist Health to place Here Tomorrow peers inside Baptist’s adult inpatient behavioral unit. Within a year, that initiative reached more 800 patients and led 92 to continue recovery through Here Tomorrow.

“By combining immediate peer support with evidence-based care pathways, we’re breaking down barriers to mental health access and advancing the field of suicide prevention,” said Andrews.

Planting Seeds for the Golden Years

Resident News columnist, author and Grand Plans Founder Susanna Barton joined forces with Seniors on a Mission and G3 Village Executive Director Joanne Hickox in a presentation of “Grand Plans for Purposeful Living” to the Hibiscus Garden Circle last month.

The presentation was held at the San Jose Country Club on Tuesday, April 22 and discussed the importance of mindful aging preparation, for which G3 Village’s innovative housing is an essential component.

Barton is the author of “Grand Plans: How to Mitigate Geri-Drama in 20 Easy Steps” and the accompanying workbook, the “Grand Planner.” She founded the Grand Plans website, which discusses and provides resources about “normalizing real talk about aging and how to plan for it.”

From Gaming to Real Estate

Majd “MJ” Findakly has joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty’s team of real estate professionals.

Findakly brings with him a resume of strategic thinking, customerfocused service and creativity from his previous work in video game production and he joins Berkshire Hathaway with an innovative approach and extensive comprehension of consumer behavior.

“I am thrilled to join Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty,” said Findakly, “My transition from the gaming industry to real estate is driven by a desire to leverage my creative background to provide innovative solutions and exceptional service to homebuyers and sellers across Northeast Florida.”

Majd “MJ” Findakly

Resident News columnist, author and Grand Plans Founder Susanna Barton and Seniors on a Mission and G3 Village Executive Director

Joanne Hickox at their April 22 presentation

Dr. Terrie Andrews

Cady Club Opens, Brings New Vibe to Kings Avenue

There’s a new hot spot for locals to enjoy, one that’s taken a sleepy, historic structure and former photography studio, and turned it into a hub of activity with limitless potential. Real estate investor, attorney and entrepreneur George Saoud is excited to launch his latest venture – The Cady Club, which opened its doors in early May on Kings Avenue.

The newly minted venue resides in an attractive two-story historic, timber framed brick-and-stucco building dating back to the1930s; the Spanish influence is noticeable in some of the building’s exterior façade. The interior boasts more than 9,300 renovated square feet of space, making it not only prime for events, but a great place to spend time with associates and friends.

The interior is on trend, with neon lit signage and freshly painted walls, blended into some exposed brick and mortar, block, wood beams and open framing in the ceilings. Historic floors refinished upstairs, powder and event prep rooms, both his and hers; the list of amenities is unique and attractive for various uses. It’s a place where the fusion of modern and historic blends with ease yet comes alive with fun furniture and social spaces for relaxing in pairs or groups. A full-length bar runs along one ground-floor space, where patrons can find a place to sit, sip and chill with a friend.

“We’re really excited about the vibe of this place…what it has the potential to do,” said Saoud, as he walked the spaces and shared his vision.

“Just look at this historic building, I love historic buildings and bringing them to life,” he continued, expressing a passion for the uniqueness of the building.

No stranger to historic properties, Saoud is raising a family in a historic home in Avondale and he’s also the proud owner of The Lark, a mixed-use historic lofted building downtown on the corner of Hogan and Monroe streets, just off James Weldon Johnson Park. According to Saoud, The Lark enjoys a steady roster of downtown events and demand, yet he is especially excited about the growth of San Marco and the Southbank. In concert with the future growth and walkability of the area, he feels that the future looks bright for The Cady Club.

Currently, the club offers barista-procured hot or iced drinks, sodas and teas, snacks and an ever-growing wine list. The current management team of Saoud, his wife Ashley and event venue director, Ana Calise, is poised to welcome you and your friends to enjoy the experience.

The Cady Club is located at 1015 Kings Avenue; to speak about a booking of space, call (904) 329-1992.

Venue Director, Ana Calise, with owners George and Ashley Saoud

Salvation Army of Northeast Florida Celebrates New Headquarters

The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida celebrated the grand opening of its new area command headquarters with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, May 16.

Following the ceremony, guests were able to take a tour of the new space, which will now serve as the central hub for the organization’s vast array of services in the region, from feeding programs, case management, emergency assistance, shelter –along with its community-based programs like Batterers Intervention program, which works to break the cycle of abuse and supporting healthier relationships.

“We’re excited to open this facility, not just as our new headquarters, but as a space where hope is restored, dignity is honored, and lives are changed,” said The Salvation Army of Northeast Florida Area Commander Major Keath Biggers. “This building gives us the opportunity to expand programs that meet people where they are – whether they’re seeking shelter, a warm meal, or working to rebuild their lives. It’s about offering a pathway to a brighter future for every individual we serve.”

Dianne Lott, Deborah DeFoor, Debbie Veale, Susie O’Quinn, Leyda Garcia, NeeCee Lee, Susan Nolan, Melina Buncome, Jennifer Roberts, Susan Halil and Marilyn Carpenter

Incoming President Debbie Veal, Chip Skinner III, Immediate Past President NeeCee Lee, Major Candice Biggers, Major Keith Biggers and Lt. Coronel Kent Davis

Katy Towers with Marilyn Carpenter

San Marco Family Inspires Allies, Encourages Inclusion

A private home in San Marco was ground zero for one local family looking to make a statement about inclusion, understanding and growing compassionate allies for the LGBTQ community. For Dino and Christine Ragazzo, the issue hits home: The couple’s son declared he was gay and came out several years ago during a college visit. The couple shared their personal story in a supportive, welcoming setting in their backyard as they invited neighbors, friends and leadership from Equality Florida to rally for inclusion and understanding.

For Equality Florida, the event was an opportunity to earn grassroots support and expand its reach into areas it may not typically tread. Working to build more coalitions of like-minds, educating the public on the mission, fighting for representation and rights, and supporting those that seek guidance to better understand the plight of LGBTQ community is the primary set of objectives.

Local representative, Mason Manion, development leader representing Equality Florida in Northeast Florida, introduced members of his team, kicked things off and encouraged folks to join them in the battle for belonging, respect and advocacy.

“We need you, we need your support, we need your voice. Because very often, our ally straight community, they can reach people we otherwise would not reach,” said Manion. He spoke of the ability some men or women may have to shift conversations: Quite often, in social settings where friends are comfortable, they may speak of others poorly, sarcastically speaking of members of the LGBTQ community; these moments are ripe for changing the dialogue, according the Manion.

“Maybe that could be your opportunity,” Manion said. “Instead of calling them out, rather, call them in.”

Following Manion’s remarks, John Harris Maurer, an Equality Florida public policy director and attorney based in Tallahassee, took the microphone to deliver a legislative

update. Speaking to the crowd gathered at the backyard soiree, Maurer shared that only four anti-LGBTQ bills were currently in play, a marked contrast to the previous session when Equality Florida successfully stopped or neutralized 21 out of 22 such bills during a politically charged election year.

Maurer emphasized the organization’s push to shift legislative focus toward issues affecting everyday Floridians, such as inflation, housing scarcity, and rising insurance costs. “If we can change those hearts and minds, we can change policy along with it,” said Maurer, concluding his update.

He was followed by Ian Siljestrom, director of health, education, and program impact for the Safe Schools Program. A former Duval County educator now based in Tallahassee, Siljestrom shared his role in helping school districts respond to state and federal mandates.

“My role is, is basically, whatever does pass… whatever comes down from the federal government is our team’s responsibility is to figure out, alright…‘How do we mitigate the most harm possible,’” Siljestrom said.

Siljestrom, who has worked directly with 20 school districts across Florida for the past eight years, described efforts to develop frameworks and resources that help schools support LGBTQ faculty, staff, students, and their families.

“Our responsibility is, we have got to work with our school districts to help them figure out ‘How do you take ownership over the needs of our LGBTQ faculty, staff, students and their families,’” Siljestrom said.

He also addressed how the team assists parents. “If I’m a parent of an LGBTQ child, how are you all handling situations so I can best educate my kid, because they have a right to a great education too,” he said

Established in 1997, Equality Florida is “the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s [LGBTQ] community.”

Gonzalo Mejia with Christine and Dino Ragazzo and Michael Leachman

Jon Harris Maurer with Mason Manion, Ian Siljestrom, Chris Montandon and Reggie Fountain

Andreas Heinrich with David Pham and Constance Williams

Suzanne Shaw with Michael and Kathryn McAvoy

Paul and Cathy Waugh Jeff Fix with Jon Harris Maurer

FATHERHOOD FILES

By Lauren Weedon Hopkins

Lessons Across Generations

In honor of Father’s Day, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the dads and granddads who lead with love, wisdom, and quiet strength. From imparting lasting pearls of wisdom to passing down family traditions, their influence runs deep and wide. In this special Resident News feature, we celebrate their stories – heartwarming, humorous, and deeply inspiring –honoring the roles they play not just in their families, but in shaping the communities we call home.

Dave Auchter of Ortega is a fourth generation Jacksonville native and father to three young adults.

“I have endless reasons to be proud of my children,” he said. “But seeing their compassion for others is humbling and a consistent highlight.”

One of Dave’s life lessons it seems his kids have truly taken to heart is to “be an optimist and always seek to see the best in people.”

Dave’s great-grandfather founded the Auchter Company in 1929, which built many of Jacksonville’s civil and corporate buildings, including City Hall. Dave worked alongside his family for seven years, moving on to roles at a few other Jacksonville companies before assuming his current role as corporate marketing vice president at The Haskell Company.

His deep and active religious faith, nurtured by his mother, is another guiding principle in his life.

“I pray my children find a similar peace and practice in their own lives,” he said.

Now that his kids are grown, Dave finds that family time is especially precious.

“I cherish the rare opportunities we have to be together in the same place,” he said. “Inevitably, someone yells, ‘Group hug!’”

Spaces That Work, Designs That Last

Summer is here—and it’s a great time to invest in a home that fits your life. For nearly 20 years, JAA Architecture has helped Jacksonville homeowners design spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful. Let us bring your vision to life with experience, creativity, and care.

2063 Oak Street

Jacksonville, FL 32204

(904) 379-5108 jaaarchitecture.com

David Barton

Growing up in Jacksonville as a fourth-generation native, David Barton has a deep appreciation for our natural environment, which his two children also share.

“Conserving land for future generations to enjoy and taking good care of the St. Johns River are important,” he said.

The family enjoys camping together, and their outdoor adventures have taken the family across the map: scuba diving in Cozumel, whale watching in Alaska, snow skiing in Steamboat, and exploring Spanish Wells in The Bahamas.

David believes hard work and education build a foundation for success, and the greatest happiness in life are people and the time we get to spend with them.

David reflected proudly, “It’s a joy to raise your children and watch them evolve into their own person.”

Now that they are older, one of his favorite memories was a time they “ignored the traditional hierarchy of the parent-child relationship” and surprised one of his kids with a funny video found on social media, which caused the whole family to erupt in laughter.

“We are four adults now having a great time together,” he said.

Dave Auchter

San Marco resident Arthur Bides said one tradition he hopes his children carry on to future generations is their family’s Filipino heritage.

“I want them to carry the values of respect for elders, shown through gestures like mano po, and the spirit of bayanihan – coming together as a community to help one another,” Arthur said. “I hope they continue to celebrate our fiestas, enjoy lumpia and lechon at family gatherings, and take pride in our language, our stories and the resilience of our people. Passing on our heritage isn’t just about preserving culture – it’s about giving them a strong foundation of identity, pride, and connection.”

Arthur is the president of the Filipino-American Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and volunteers with many nonprofit organizations, including the Florida Water Environmental Association and the Garden Club of Jacksonville. He names a family vacation to Callaway Gardens as the most meaningful to him as a dad.

“Surrounded by nature, away from the rush of daily life, we had the chance to truly slow down and just be together,” he said. “It was the kind of trip that reminded me what really matters: making memories, being present, and seeing the world through my children’s eyes.”

Steve Pajcic founded The Law Firm of Pajcic & Pajcic in 1974 with his late brother, Gary. Today, his son Michael practices there as do his three nephews.

Steve was elected to the Florida House of Representatives for six terms and has given millions in support of education. Despite his professional success, he is quick to credit his wife, Anne, for his greatest dad accomplishment:

“Both Michael and Helen fully respect all that their mother contributed to our life by making our home such a welcome and happy home,” he said. “They both put the highest value on what she took care of for us. They are both great cooks, wonderful parents and promoters of family happiness and enrichment, just like their mother.”

The Avondale resident names eating meals together, singing the kids to sleep and playing fun games as a family as the traditions he has passed down to his children.

“There are only three important things in life: doing the right thing, doing the best job you can and having fun,” he said.

And, perhaps, having a sense of humor.

“As a dad, you are always the dumbest one in the family,” he said.

Third generation developer and property manager

Bill Cesery of San Marco-based Cesery Companies looks forward to his family business continuing for many years to come.

“My daughter, Christie, has her real estate broker’s license and is working on getting her general contractor’s license – the same two licenses I have,” he said. “Two of my cousins work in the business.”

His grandfather, Angelo, moved his construction to Jacksonville in 1906 to help rebuild after the Great Fire of 1901. Bill’s father, William Sr., began building houses in Arlington in the 1950s; he established Wm R. Cesery Co. in 1959. In 1976, Bill joined the business as well.

He’s learned many life lessons from his family that he is now passing down to daughter Christie, son Ross and his two grandchildren.

“Always be truthful and treat people fairly and with respect, in business and your personal life,” Bill said. “Keep a calm demeanor even when things are falling apart.”

Another family tradition is “epic family vacations,” which began with a trip his parents took him and his sisters on to Disneyland in California in 1959 and continues today with, most recently, a trip touring around Australia.

San Jose resident Dr. Josh Rogozinski is an orthopedic surgeon working in the family business, Rogozinksi Orthopedic Clinic, alongside his fellow physicians, who also happen to be his brother, his father, his cousin and his uncle, with yet another uncle serving as chief operating officer.

“I believe the sense of duty is one part of fatherhood that never changes across generations,” he said. “I feel personal duty to my kids, Ezekiel, Alexi, Cobie, Quinn, and Ruby, that I have given them the life they each deserve.”

Josh and his wife, Jodi, believe in love and finding love in each other’s differences, which he hopes carries on to their children.

The busy family of seven is comprised of two sets of boy twins and one daughter.

“Despite the cries and screams in this household, I consider myself the luckiest,” Josh said.

The family has found a sweet spot to escape what can be a hectic, everyday life:

“Family beach time at Ponte Vedra Beach, specifically the golden light just before sunset, is a moment together I will always remember,” he said. “Every time we go to the beach at this time, the kids just seem so relaxed, and I personally just want to stop time and spend forever there together!”

Losing his own father at age 29 has led San Marco resident Matt Carlucci to strive to always be present and vocal with his sons, Matthew and Joseph.

“I tell them often how I love them and how proud I am of them – and I mean it with all my heart,” he said.

Fly fishing and faith are cherished traditions they share now that Matt hopes lives on through his children. “We love to fish together in the mountains in Georgia, Montana and Wyoming, but more importantly, I hope my sons continue to live their lives rooted in faith, compassion, integrity, and public service.” he said.

“One is serving on the Jacksonville City Council; the other leads a Burmese outreach ministry through our church. Both are also fourth-generation insurance agents – so service, in many forms, runs marrow deep.”

When it comes to holidays, Thanksgiving is Matt’s favorite. “No stress over gifts – just good food, laughter, and being together,” he said. “Watching my sons joke with each other, seeing them as both grown men and the boys I raised, is a gift I treasure every year.”

The best thing about being a dad for Percy Rosenbloom?

“Becoming a granddad,” he shared proudly of his six grandchildren, courtesy of his children: Christine, Hoyt and Carter.

Percy, who lives in Ortega, founded his company SaniGLAZE International, a tile and hard surface restoration business, in 2000, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who founded Royal Services in 1914. Royal Services was a janitorial contracting business.

Now, the tradition continues as both his sons are leaders in the family business. Percy strives to set a good example, stay positive and keep moving. A family memory that epitomizes this was a boating trip to the Florida Keys: The family was caught in a thunderstorm and managed to seek limited shelter on a small mangrove island.

“One of my children asked me why God would do such a thing to us,” Rosenbloom recalled. “After some thought, I explained many things happen that we cannot understand, but if we pray, God will listen. He then went into a serious prayer that I found nothing short of amazing and inspirational, given his age at the time. A few minutes after his prayer, the clouds parted, and the sun returned.”

Dr. Josh Rogozinski

Arthur Bides

Percy Rosenbloom III

Matt Carlucci

Bill Cesery

Steve Pajcic

San Jose resident Richard Rosenblum learned the value of civility from his father and grandfather through their family business, Rosenblum’s. Rosenblum’s has now passed down to Richard’s four children, along with two core values he has impressed upon them:

“Having a good work ethic and treating everyone with respect, from the janitor to the CEO, are two core values I know my kids have learned,” Richard said.

Another lesson he’s passed on to his children is the importance of health and fitness.

“I’ve tried to stay fit for 63 years and set the example of importance of good health and nutrition,” he said.

Sports have been a common thread in the family as they have enjoyed days cheering on the Tampa Bay Rays and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Richard remains present for his children, occasionally doling out nuggets of fatherly advice, including, “Nothing good happens after midnight.”

Though two of his children are now away at college, the kids all FaceTime each other together nearly every night.

“I’m confident they will carry on the importance of family values and closeness with each other,” he said.

Manny

Co-owner of Bearded Pig in San Marco, Michael Schmidt is part of a close-knit Jacksonville clan, with his own father living less than one mile away from him and his family.

“I enjoy things I have always done with my father and things I did with my two grandfathers,” he said.

Now, he’s passing down these traditions to his three children, with one-on-one and group activities.

“I hope they remember things we do together and look fondly on all the time we spend together,” he said.

The family’s annual trips to Maine have created special memories.

“We always find new things to do and discover, but also we have our favorite places and things to do,” he said.

Among other lessons, Michael is teaching his children to be thoughtful.

“Measure twice and cut once.” he said. “Seems simple but it speaks to taking your time.”

One thing that never changes about fatherhood is that kids are kids. “They fall, they get up and they learn. As a dad, you just have to let them learn,” he said. “I’m still learning and my dad still lets me ‘fall’ so I can get up.”

“One thing my father passed down to me which I emphasize with my two sons is accountability,” said Manny Torres of Granada. “You are responsible for your actions and their results. If you aren’t happy with your results, it’s your responsibility to take different actions.”

His boys’ actions are making him proud, particularly when they feel proud of their own accomplishments. “When I see my sons’ faces [when they’re] doing what they love – whether it’s Alex winning at a water polo tournament or Drew giving a great theatrical performance – that always pulls at my heart strings,” Manny said.

The family recently traveled to the San Francisco Bay area for spring break and the Water Polo Olympic Development Nationals.

Father, mother and son – Manny, Mary Beth and Alex – all play water polo. Some of the best times they enjoy as a family is had during adventurous trips across the country and abroad.

“One tradition in our family is to travel and explore new places as a family,” said Manny. “I hope when my kids get older that they continue this tradition and if I’m lucky… maybe they’ll invite me along as well.”

For Henry Thorpe of San Jose, fatherhood is a continuous journey of learning.

“One of the goals of life is to be a complete human: someone who is self-aware and confident while also being capable of making room for others to be expressive of themselves,” he said. “I think dads are concerned that they are demonstrating to their children how to be that complete human. The challenge, of course, is that we dads are teaching them even as we ourselves learn.”

One valuable lesson Henry learned from his own father that he is working to pass down to his daughter is the power of kindness and treating others as she’d like to be treated.

“My late dad spoke of times when he was mistreated, and his decision that he would never do the same to someone else,” he said. “I watched him and I can attest to his graciousness and willingness to forgive.”

Henry balances these core values with times to just have fun together.

“One of my favorite memories was going to Fun Spot amusement park in Orlando, just the two of us,” said Henry. “We proceeded to eat all the candy, funnel cake and ice cream we could. We enjoyed the rides, overdid it on the goodies, and had a great day.”

The three Fs – faith, family and football – have shaped San Jose resident John Weedon as a dad.

“We regularly practice our Catholic faith, stay close with our extended family, and – very proudly – bleed the colors of our favorite teams,” he said. “It’s not just about sports, though – it’s about loyalty, showing up, and having pride in the people and things you love.”

John grew up going to football games with his parents and grandparents.

“My family has had Gators season tickets since the 1950s and Jaguars season tickets since the team’s first season in 1995,” he said. “I went to my first game at 10, but all three of my kids have been going since they were newborns. It’s been a special bond for generations, and I’d love for that tradition to keep going down the line.”

John notes that even as the times evolve, the basics of fatherhood stay consistent.

“The tools might change – our dads had newspapers and long talks in the garage, we’ve got driveway basketball games and post-bedtime snack negotiations – but the basics stay the same: consistency, values, and a united front from both parents, even when you’re trading off good cop and bad cop.”

Torres

John Weedon

Richard Rosenblum

Michael Schmidt

Henry Thorpe

After more than six decades of dedicated service to his country and community, Col. Francis L. “Len” Loving, USMC (Ret), is retiring from his final duty station as Chief Executive Officer of the 5 Star Veterans Center in Jacksonville. Known for his deep commitment to helping fellow veterans find stability and purpose after military life, Loving’s career spans from the battlefields of Vietnam to the frontlines of Veteran rehabilitation and reintegration.

A native of Richmond, Virginia, Loving was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 1960. Over a distinguished 30-year career, he served several combat tours in Vietnam and earned numerous decorations for valor, including the Bronze Star. He retired at the rank of Colonel in 1989 but continued to serve in meaningful civilian roles.

Among his notable achievements was the 1986 establishment of the Marine Corps Blount Island Command. Today, the command remains a cornerstone of the regional economy, responsible for more than $2 billion in economic activity and employing more than 500 skilled professionals. After military retirement, Loving served as northeast regional director for Florida’s Department of Banking and Finance and later advised the Florida Senate on military-related issues, working to protect the state’s military infrastructure during rounds of federal base realignment.

In 2011, Col. Loving was appointed CEO of the newly established Allied Veterans Center, which later became the 5 Star Veterans Center. There, he launched transformative initiatives aimed at helping Veterans transition from hardship to hope. His signature creation, the “Veterans Helping Veterans” Project, and its core “Passport to Independence Program,” have become models of effective, compassionate Veteran care.

The Passport to Independence program is a four-phase, nine- to 12-month program designed to guide homeless and struggling Veterans toward a better life. The initiative provides a comprehensive framework addressing mental and physical health, personal accountability, life skills, vocational training, job placement or schooling, and continued support during reintegration into family life and society. Under Loving’s leadership, the Center became a sanctuary of hope for Veterans battling homelessness, addiction, mental illness, and PTSD.

A Legacy of Leadership

Loving

W. Sutphin,

USA

“The colonel’s mission and vision here at 5 Star Veterans Center is to create a welcome place where challenged Veterans could find respect, dignity, recovery and direction,” said 5 Star Veterans Board Chair Mike Hightower. “Col. Loving can best be described as an extraordinary, compassionate CEO and military leader who is empathetic, understanding, supportive and fair. His incredible ability to connect with and care for the 5 Star residents while maintaining discipline and effective management has resulted in hundreds of Veterans feeling inspired, respected, empowered, more selfconfident and, more importantly, positively encouraged as they progress through their individual journeys of recovery.”

Much of the heart and soul behind the Center’s success can also be attributed to the support of Loving’s wife, Suzie. Together, the Lovings brought warmth, compassion, and a deeply personal approach to the organization’s mission, ensuring every Veteran felt seen and valued.

Loving’s accomplishments have been recognized across the state and beyond. He has been a vital figure in various civic and military organizations, often stepping into leadership roles that reflect his strategic mind and commitment to service. His contributions have earned him multiple awards, including induction into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame in 2017 and the JAX Chamber RDML Kevin F. Delaney Hall of Fame Award in 2016. He is also a recent recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from First Coast News, Channel 12 as part of its 12 Who Care service awards, which took place in late-2024.

As Loving steps back from daily duties, the legacy he leaves behind is unmistakable: a thriving veterans center that has changed countless lives, a community that has rallied around his cause, and a blueprint for Veteran care that will guide future leaders.

“We have had over 500 walk through this door, I’m proud to say that we’ve had a 90% success rate,” Col. Loving shared. “We’ve taken care of people who have a need, and using the old cliché, ‘We offer people a hand up, not a handout.’”

Col. Len Loving may be retiring, but the impact of his leadership and compassion will endure for generations. Hightower further added, “On behalf of the entire 5 Star Board of Directors, we say ‘Well Done Sir and Thank You, Semper Fidelis’.”

Maj. Gen. USMC, Mike Ryan, awarding Col. Loving the Bronze Star for Valor in Vietnam.

Col. Loving with his trusty German Shepherd sidekick and service dog, Athena.

Glenn

Jr. LTC,

(Ret.), Executive Director, Department of Veterans Affairs, Col. Francis “Len” Loving, USMC (Ret.), Ray Quinn, SGM, USA (Ret.) Chairman, Florida Veterans Hall of Fame Council, First Lady Anne Scott and Rick Scott, Governor of the State of Florida at Loving’s Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Nov. 27, 2017.

5 Star Veterans Center Board Chair Mike Hightower with Chief Administrative Officer, Suzie Loving, Col. Francis “Len” Loving, USMC (Ret.), Army Reserve Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Gary Beard, 5 Star Board Secretary and his wife Elaine at the ’12 Who Care’ event, Sept. 23, 2024.

A Gem of a Celebration for L’Arche Jacksonville

L’Arche Jacksonville celebrated its milestone 40th anniversary at its Ruby Jubilee celebration last month.

More than 250 gathered on the L’Arche grounds on Saturday, May 10 to celebrate and help recognize the Warren and Joanne Powers family for their continued support of the organization, which included many projects and volunteer hours. The garden party kicked off with hors d’oeuvres, tours of the grounds, and fellowship before moving into the main programming – “The Journey of 40 Years,” presented by the community and included skits performed by Core Members –L’Arche residents – and assistants.

Totally Rad Florida Theatre

The Florida Theatre traveled back to the 90s for The Florida Themed “90s Style,” the Florida Theatre’s signature fundraiser Jacksonville arts and culture. It was held on Saturday, May 17 at fashion, from grunge to goth to preppy looks. Guests danced to participated in the silent auction.

The Florida Theatre Ball Host Committee Chair was Susan DuBow. with VyStar Credit Union sponsoring the evening’s silent auction.

Sarah (L’Arche Board Member) with son and husband Joey Proctor of Proctor Ace Hardware

Angela and Scott Merritt

AstridLesaHolderand Bhame

Steve Smith and Tammy Evans

David and Kathy Keel –L’Arche neighbors supporting the mission

Nancy Powers (daughter of Honorees Warren and Joanne Powers) with L’Arche Development Director Lorie Strange

Viva celebrates many years at L’Arche with Dina, loyal friend at the Rainbow Workshop.

Core member Tommy enjoys the garden party with nephew Adam Smith and his family

Jim Webb and Numa Saisselin with Laura

Celebrating generations of families coming together.

Rad Times at Theatre Ball

City DJ, enjoyed cocktails and

DuBow. Its presenting sponsor this year was Dex Imaging auction.

A Wildly Elegant Evening

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens celebrated its 111th anniversary in exuberant style at ExZooberation: Riverfront Rendezvous on Saturday, May 3.

The 27th annual gala celebrated the zoo’s ongoing commitment to water and shoreline conservation while underscoring its century-long connection to the Trout River.

Approximately 600 guests enjoyed live music, open bars and a diverse cuisine, courtesy of some of Jacksonville’s renowned restaurants, while experiencing exclusive garden strolls and animal encounters and browsing booths from local vendors.

April and Warren Watson

Jake and Dana Gordon

April Lotspeich, Nicole Lauer, Seri Kertzner, Crystal Larson with Amadeus the owl, and the Ambassador Care Specialist AnnMarie Gangelhoff

Rene and Mike Favo

Dr. Claude Thomas with Jennifer Leggett

Travis and Sara Schryer with Alison and Salmaan Wahidi MistyandWillPippin

Laura Edgecombe Philips and Laurie Saisselin

Seri and Adam Kertzner, Nicole and Clark Lauer, April and Eric Lotspeich, Crystal and Tim Larson

The Law Firm of Pajcic & Pajcic was established in 1974 and has handled more than 12,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases, recovering more than $1.5 billion for our clients. From the beginning, outstanding service was the signature of our firm and remains so today.

Our 17 attorneys have amassed more than 550 years of combined legal experience and zealously represent clients in their time of need. Some of the firm’s practice areas include car, motorcycle, and truck crashes, medical malpractice, as well as litigation concerning dangerous consumer products and unsafe motor vehicles. From

Lacing Up for Love Jasmyn hosts 14th annual Stride for Pride

Jasmyn’s 14th annual Strides for Pride returned to the Riverside Arts Market (RAM) space at the Northbank Riverwalk Artist Square on Sunday, April 27.

More than 1,100 residents turned out for a 5k run/walk and a one-mile fun run/walk to benefit Jasmyn, which has provided a safe space for LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults in the greater Jacksonville area for more than 30 years. Participants and supporters were able to enjoy bites from The Little Brunch Truck and The Greenhouse Bar.

Vincent the Pig, winner of the fifth annual Pets for Pride Photo Contest, was also announced as the 2025 Jasmyn mascot.

VyStar Credit Union returned as the event’s Rainbow Sponsor this year.

Women’s Giving Alliance Awards $600K+ in Grants to Combat Violence Against Women and Girls

The Women’s Giving Alliance celebrated the power and impact of collective giving as it approved 10 grants to area nonprofits working in WGA’s new focus area – “Addressing Violence Against Women and Girls” – at its annual Member Forum on Tuesday, May 20.

Held this year at the Florida Blue Conference Center, the forum gave membership the opportunity to approve a grant pool of more than $610,000 to be distributed in one- and two-year grants.

The one-year grant recipients are:

• I Am The Prize, Inc. ($10,000)

• Lara Idowu Foundation, Inc. ($10,000) Rakad Dance Camp ($10,000)

• Silent Women Speaking ($10,000)

• UNF Black Alumni Association ($2,500)

The two-year grant recipients are:

• Betty Griffin Center ($125,000)

• Literacy Alliance of Northeast Florida ($70,000)

• The LJD Jewish Family and Community Services ($125,000)

• The Women’s Center of Jacksonville ($125,000)

• Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc. ($125,000)

For WGA President Sabeen Perwaiz, the giving circle underscores the impact women can have when they come together to combine their time, talent and treasure.

“Now women can uplift and help other women in the community and these nonprofits that are doing such great work to help women that are challenged when it comes to safety – we can make a difference, and hopefully also lead the way as an example of what other funders can do,” said Perwaiz.

Rainbow pup in Vendor Village

Parents joined Strides for Pride to support their families.

Newfold Digital team and top team fundraiser

Overall winner Jerry Armand Zonnetta Marie dazzled the crowd with her rendition of Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing aka the Black National Antem.

Women’s Giving Alliance leadership awards more than $600,000 to area nonprofits working in its new focus area, “Addressing Violence Against Women and Girls” at its May 20 member forum.

By Peggy Harrell Jennings

Great works of literature embrace themes that resonate universally: Good versus evil, coming of age, love and loss, man’s inhumanity to man and social justice (or injustice) are evident in everything from Shakespearean plays to comic books.

Erma Bombeck said, “There is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.” That comment is indicative of the power of comics. Graphic novels and comic books are notable examples of visual and verbal artistic expression. Do you have a reluctant reader who struggles with comprehension and vocabulary? From Classics Illustrated to Superman, one finds engaging characters, exciting plots, and visual storytelling to interpret and inspire creativity in young minds. But comics are not just for kids.

At Comix It Up, a live read-aloud event at Solune Coffee on Saturday, April 26, Cam Lopez, Dan Waily, Thony Aiuppy, Mark Montgomery, and Andrew Kozlowski’s dramatic presentations of original comics ran the gamut from mental health commentary with a bite to “gritty storytelling” with dynamic graphics. James Greene, a librarian at the Jacksonville Public Library, artist and author of the comic series “Wind Lords of lo-Wah,” said, “The art form of comics comes alive in this setting where the pages and panels are projected wall size and the unique voices of the artists combine with their illustrations to make an enlightened version of the book. Powerful stuff. Love live comix.”

The main branch downtown of the Jacksonville Public Library hosts Saturday morning cartooning from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. for teens and adults, along with Zine-ster Meetups to read, trade, or make cartoons during ArtWalk, held on the first Wednesday

Masterpieces and Mischief in May

of every month. The Bill Brinton Murray Hill Library also hosts weekly Zine Nights every Monday at 6:30 p.m. with varying themes.

Swing Bone, superheroes of Dixieland jazz featuring Hugh Rankin, William Goin and Scott Mariash, got toes tapping at both Spruce and Solune recently. Swing Bone’s exciting music had everyone rocking. The band performs favorites for boomers and exciting rhythms for the younger set, inspiring a joyful mood and uplifting spirits as listeners are transported to Bourbon Street to laissez les bon temps rouler New Orleans-style.

Dr. Wayne Wood’s superpowers have been on overdrive recently with his presentation at the Scottish Rite Temple, where he discussed Frank Lloyd Wright’s influence on Florida architecture and Henry

Klutho. Like The Flash, Wood transported himself to the Orange Park Art Guild, meeting to give an up-close and personal account of the life of artist and aviator Courtney Hunt. Leaping tall buildings with a single bound, he was next spotted in San

Marco to present San Marco’s Architectural History for the San Marco Preservation Society Centennial Celebration. Shazam! Jacksonville Artists Guild hosted artist extraordinaire, graphic designer, painter, glass artist, and educator Clint Burbridge for its last meeting of the season. The group was mesmerized and inspired by Burbridge’s artistic superpowers and his fascinating artistic journey. This highly acclaimed artist shared his joie de vivre, talents and creations of his brilliantly inquisitive mind.

The Jacksonville branch of the National League of American Pen Women, Inc., a collection of nationally recognized artists, writers and musicians – wonder women in their own right – elected officers for the coming year at its end-of-the-year luncheon celebration. Past President Stephanie PyrenFortel passed the baton to Alice Atkins

Wayne Wood Cam Lopez, Dan Waily and Thony Aiuppy with Mark Montgomery, Andrew Kozolowksi and James Greene at Comix It Up

William Goin, Scott Mariash and Hugh Rankin of Swing Bone

Clint Burbridge

Mary Atwood and Jim Smith

McCoy, who will guide the group into its centennial anniversary next year.

Super plans are in the works for the Museum of Science and History (MOSH): New MOSH CEO Dr. Alistair Dove has donned his cape and challenged his fantastic team to lead the museum into the future. Look for many opportunities to participate in upcoming events.

Sadly, superhero artist and beloved educator James Smith, an icon in the Jacksonville arts community, passed away in March. Smith was an art educator at The Bolles School for more than 40 years. He designed and painted “Joy of Discovery,” a mural at the Jacksonville Library Main Branch alongside artist Thom Buttner; Smith also created “The Rising” sculpture at Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church.

Indicative of Smith’s positive outlook, the sculpture is a symbol of the church’s “rising with unyielding faith” in the aftermath of a devastating fire. Following an uplifting memorial service with heartfelt words shared by family members, longtime friend Mary Atwood, former students and Pastor B.J. Hutto, attendees gathered around the sculpture to play “Amazing Grace” on kazoos as a farewell to this joy-filled and delightfully quirky artist and friend to many.

May - July

“Painting from the Heart” exhibit by Ted Head exhibit | Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church

June 4

“Birds and Blooms” Solo Exhibit by Peggy Harrell Jennings (second and third floors) and Reception for “Act On It!,” a JAG juried exhibit Jacksonville Library Main Branch during ArtWalk

June 9 - Sept. 8

“The Way I See It” exhibit by Stepahinie Pyren Fortel | Happy Medium Books Café

June 12 - July 9

BRAject: ARTrageous Bras For a Cause Alexander Brest Gallery (Jacksonville University). More information available at www.pinkribbonjax.org/braject/

June 21

Duval Comic and Zine Fest | Jacksonville Library Main Branch | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

June 6, 13, 20

Summer at the Cummer presented by Citi Jacksonville Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens | 4 to 9 p.m. | Free admission | More information available at www.cummermuseum.org/event/summer-at-the-cummer-6/2025-06-06/

Summer Must-Dos: MOCA Jacksonville: Classes, tours and more. www.mocajacksonville.unf.edu

Jax Locals ATC at Good Sandwich: Meetups for creating artists’ trading cards, hosted by Leilani Leo | Free to attend | Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Jacksonville Library Main Branch: Take docent-led tours of art and architecture. jaxpubliclibrary.org/tour-main-library

New Officers for the Men’s Garden Club

The Men’s Garden Club of Jacksonville recently hosted a member meeting and barbecue dinner to celebrate its incoming officers for the next year and recognize the achievements of one of its past presidents.

The meeting was held at the Garden Club of Jacksonville on Tuesday, May 6.

Garden Club Executive Director Dr. Troy Mack introduced the club’s new officers – Bill Dorsheimer (president), Dave Savage (vice president), Courtland Hunter (treasurer) and Jim Lewis (secretary) – and new directors, Bill Huebner, Krista Clark, Sharon Basille, Beth Heyob, and Kelsey Stoble.

The event also recognized Past President Donn Elliott was awarded a Life Membership in recognition of his many contributions to the club including founding the Aloe Vera Project which has distributed over 4,000 aloe vera plants to cancer patients undergoing radiation treatments.

Established in 1945, the Men’s Garden Club of Jacksonville is dedicated to education about plants and flowers, and it works to preserve natural plants while promoting awareness of native species. The club has been actively involved and has sponsored the Ortega Camellia Festival for two years and is now preparing for the 3rd annual event in 2026. This all-volunteer organization manages numerous community outreach programs, including the James Watson Horticultural Scholarship at the University of Florida, Boy Scouts of America Horticultural Projects, the Riverside Camellia Garden, the Duval County 4H Endowment at the University of Florida, and numerous educational presentations throughout the local community. Past President Walter Bryant recently spoke at Murray Hill, Wesconnett, and Maxville public libraries about the history and care of camellias to promote participation in the Camellia Festival and to offer advice and wisdom regarding the various varieties of these beautiful plants.

Organization membership is no longer exclusive to men, despite its name, and women have become an integral part of the membership since 2019.

Explore the vibrancy of voices shaping Jacksonville’s creative landscape at Jax Contemporary, now on view at MOCA Jacksonville until November 9, 2025. The triennial juried exhibition is presented by Dolf and Anna James.

Jim Maclan, Walter Bryant, and Club President Billy Dorsheimer with Donn Elliott

Stephanie Pyren-Fortel and Alice McCoy with Susan D. Brandenburg and Pat Setser at the National League of American Pen Women, Jacksonville Branch end-of-year luncheon celebration

Cookie Davis and Jacksonville Artists Guild Founder Bill Schmidt

MOSH CEO Dr. Alistair Dove

Ladies’ Night at the Center for Wellbeing

CfW

The

Hakimian

Fascinators, Fashion and Fun

the

and

Guests donned their best spring and derby fashion – including a splendid array of hats, from top hats to fascinators – and gathered at Heritage Farms’ Tringali Barn in St. Augustine for The Community Hospice and Palliative Care’s 13th annual Derby Run on Saturday, May 3. Chris and Dawn Shee once again provided the stunning backdrop of Tringali Barn for this beloved philanthropic event, which raised funds for the Bailey Family Center for Caring and hospice services in St. Augustine and St.

Sonia Ramos and Ana Panama

Lisa Salloum and Carol Elhage Susan Rucker and Yolanda Totten with Patricia Moore and Megan Cochran Mynette Fenner, Cheryl Aguilar and Mitzi Bodin with Rus Pittman, Theresa Heffelfinger and Debora De Farias

Martha Cox and Donna Walker Bell Patty Blunt and Linnie Knox

Johns County.

Guests of

13th annual Derby Run help raise funds for the Bailey Family Center for Caring

hospice services in St. Augustine and St. Johns County.

by The Community Hospice and Palliative Care.

Photos: Courtesy of The Foundation of Community Hospice and Palliative Care

Renee Johnston and Caroline Lingaitis with Jackie Stoll and Paige Hakimian

A Decade of Difference Makers

City Rescue Mission celebrated a decade of impact at its 10th annual Difference Makers Gala at the Southbank Hotel Jacksonville Riverwalk on Thursday, May 1. Built around the theme “A Time to Bloom,” the evening recognized Lighthouse Christian School and Dr. Jeffry and Laura Jacqmein for their continued support of CRM’s mission.

Mezzo-soprano and singer-songwriter Katherine Kincaid dazzled guests with a special performance of five classical opera arias and debuting “Place of Grace,” an original contemporary song she penned exclusively for CRM, through a special video highlighting CRM’s impact and mission.

Mezzo-soprano and Singer-songwriter Katherine Kincaid

Laura and Travis Smith

Beverly Banta with Joanne Atkinson and Joy Foucault

Rand and Lin Holyfield with Laurie and Paul Stasi

Pours for Preservation at Wine Down in the Parks

San Marco Preservation Society didn’t let unpredictable weather dampen anyone’s spirits at Wine Down in the Parks on Saturday, May 10.

Guests migrated to three of San Marco’s scenic parks – Balis, Davin and Whatley – where they enjoyed an al fresco evening of fun, food and drinks, from cocktails to beer to, of course, wine. Performers Jesse Montoya, Freddy For Peace and Akia Uwanda provided live music at each event location, providing beautiful soundtracks to a beloved community event.

Several San Marco vendors and restaurants provided tapas and small bites for the evening, including European Street, Tepeyolot Cerveceria, Olive Tree Mediterranean Grille, Southern Grounds and Blueberry Bakery, The Local and Good Dough and Catbird Coffee.

Beverages were provided by Aardwolf Brewing, Co., Tepeyolot Cerveceria, The Local, Voodoo Brewing Company, Grape and Grain Exchange and The Bearded Pig.

While held in May this year, next year’s Wine Down in the Parks is expected to return to its typical April date.

Maggie Nelson and Michelle Durant with Rachel Billy

Pat Andrews and Fred Lambrou Don, Trip and Ashley Halil

Christine Johnson and Juliette Vaughn

Michelle and Dustin Lang Philip Pelle and Paul Boynton with John Moore

Cari Fiebach, Justin Bookman, Derek and Caitlin Snow with baby Daphne, Chris Canipe, Jac and Aaron O’Brien, Bianca and David Paulk, DJ and Shari Smith with Ava and Archer

Justin Plavcan and Nick Velasquez with Meaghan Milstead

By Lauren Weedon Hopkins

Hunger Doesn’t Take a Summer Break

By Lauren Weedon Hopkins

Summer vacation has begun and children, from kindergarteners to newly graduated high school seniors, are celebrating the schoolfree weeks stretching out before them. Yet for some families, summer break presents a very real, very heartbreaking problem as it eliminates one, possibly two meals a day for their children.

Food insecurity is a major issue in Jacksonville. According to Feeding Northeast Florida, there are more than 270,000 people in our community facing hunger every day, including more than 80,000 children. When school is in session, children have breakfast and lunch provided, so what happens during the summer? Many families must rely on food pantries and other programs to provide for themselves and their families.

Jacksonville is home to 40 food deserts, where access to healthy food is limited. This month, we are spotlighting organizations that address hunger and asking you to consider donating food, making a financial gift and volunteering to support their efforts.

Summer BreakSpot is a federally funded program in Florida serving no-cost meals to children and teens 18 and under during the summer months. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are available. The program operates at schools, nonprofit organizations and government entities such as libraries and parks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides the funding through the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option. Although the cost of the food is covered by the USDA, our neighbors can help fund the other associated costs for the participating nonprofits such as staffing by donating and/or volunteering.

donation of $25 can feed more than 20 men, women and children. Volunteers are needed to help sort and distribute food. Visit the LSS food pantry’s website for more information.

The Max Block Food Pantry at The LJD Jewish Family & Community Services is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. It is located at 6261 Dupont Station Court East. Families can receive food every month and walk-ins are welcome.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Downtown Ecumenical Services Council (DESC) distributes groceries to families in need. Because the food distributed requires a place to store, refrigerate and cook, recipients are asked to bring verification of housing such as a JEA bill or rental lease agreement. A clothing center is also available during the same days and times. The clothing center requires IDs for everyone in the household and clients can typically expect a 20- to 30-minute wait after check-in. These services are located at 215 N. Ocean Street.

Community Gardens

Melanated Growers is committed to building community gardens across Jacksonville in food deserts so families have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. It is focused in the northwest quadrant of the city, which contains 15 food deserts. In addition to planting gardens, the organization educates others about farming and the importance of incorporating more fruits and vegetables into a healthy diet. It has held two conferences to build awareness and raise funds.

Eight teams competed last month at Feeding Northeast Florida’s inaugural Summer Smackdown, presented by Morgan & Morgan, held at the food bank’s Old Kings Road campus. The event brought together 85 participants who packed 5,352 snack packs to help feed the one in five children facing food insecurity across the 12 counties served by the food bank. The coveted championship belt was awarded to The Yellow Squashers, a team of Morgan & Morgan volunteers.

foot aquaponics system, at 616 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. This innovative farming technique yields healthy produce in a small space next to the highway. It provides fruits and vegetables for Duval County schools as well as community service organizations. Donations and volunteers are welcome. Native Fresh also offers training in sustainable agriculture for students and entrepreneurs with a goal to scale this impactful model in the future.

packing events. Join a community packing event at their third annual Faith in Action Community Outreach Event on June 7 at Christ’s Church in Mandarin.

Feeding Northeast Florida

Food Pantries

The food pantry at Catholic Charities Jacksonville is located at 1430 Bernita Street in Arlington. It is open Wednesday and Friday and serves up to 75 families per day. Catholic Charities has created an Amazon wish list online for its most requested items, including canned pastas and applesauce pouches. It also welcomes volunteers and monetary donations. Lutheran Social Services operates the Jan Jirousek Food Pantry at 4615 Philips Highway, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Anyone may visit LSS for food once a month and appointments are required. The pantry appreciates food donations and some of the most-needed items are peanut butter, jelly, canned meats, soup and cereal. A

The 6,500-square-foot Grace Garden provides fresh fruit and vegetables for the food pantry at Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (BEAM). Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, BEAM volunteers tend the garden and people are able to adopt a garden box, which provides four seasons of organic vegetables. BEAM’s Grace Garden provides roughly 8,000 pounds of fresh produce each year. A donation of $1,000 will provide sponsorship of a garden box for one year and includes other benefits like donor recognition and an invitation to their annual gala.

Urban Farms

Eartha’s Farm and Market is an initiative of the Clara White Mission The purpose of the urban farm, located at 4850 Moncrief Road, is to improve food access in this food desert by increasing the production of healthy fruits and vegetables to sell at affordable prices. The campus includes an apiary, compost facilities, community garden, perennial fruits and herbs, annual vegetable plots, a green house and a quonset hut. Volunteers are welcome on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.. The Market is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Fresh Ministries operates the Weaver Center’s Native Fresh aquaponics urban farm, which includes a 2,000-square-

Innovative Partnerships

Hunger Fight produces shelfstable meals and distributes them to hungry children through community partnerships across Florida and Georgia. It’s two primary programs are Feed The Backpacks, which provides food on the weekends to students, and Feed the Need to Read, which delivers books to preschools and daycares. Volunteers are needed for sorting books and hosting

Resources:

The Corner at Debs Store is a collaboration between Goodwill Industries, Lift Jax, the Debs Family, VyStar Credit Union, the Historic Eastside Community Development Corporation and other corporate and community partners. Through an extensive restoration project, it returned a vital resource to the Eastside community: its longtime – and affordable – corner grocery store. Located at the corner of Florida Avenue and 5th Street, The Corner at Debs Store is a market plus a career and financial wellness service center through Goodwill’s GoodCareers program, with a vision of empowering families living in the urban core to become self-sufficient and healthy through access to nutritious food and educational skills.

If you or someone you know require assistance from any one of the community programs or organizations highlighted in this month’s “Charity Chat” or if you feel inspired to get involved or give back through your time, talent or treasure, here is a list of resources to get you started.

Summer BreakSpot: www.summerbreakspot.org

Catholic Charities Jacksonville: www.ccbjax.org/food-assistance

Lutheran Social Services

Jan Jirousek Food Pantry: www.lssjax.org/food

The LJD Jewish Family and Community Services Max Block Food Pantry: jfcsjax.org/services/max-blockfood-pantry/ Downtown Ecumenical Services Council: www.descjax.org

Melanated Growers: www.melanatedgrowersinc.com

BEAM Grace Garden: www.jaxbeam.org/grace-garden/ Eartha’s Farm and Market: www.earthasfarmandmarket.org

Native Fresh: www.freshministries.org/nativefresh/ Hunger Fight: www.hungerfight.org

The Corner at Debs Store: goodwillnorthfl.org/the-cornerat-debs-store/

IN MEMORIAM

Remembering Dos, Gentle Giant of San Marco

If you spent any time in San Marco Square over the years, chances are you caught sight of a tall, black Labrador Retriever with a steady stride and a joyful heart. Weighing in at over 110 pounds, he was a gentle giant –impossible to miss and even harder to forget.

Though bred for hunting and field trials, his true calling was companionship. He much preferred the comfort of home and the love of his devoted owners, Maxine and Ed Blakely, over the chase. Always friendly, always wagging, he was known for his sweet nature, easy grin, and enthusiastic greetings.

His favorite treats? A well-earned slice of steak, a few green beans, and the occasional bite of cake – always given with love and in moderation.

He passed peacefully just after his 11th birthday, leaving behind a trail of fond memories and smiles.

So, the next time you find yourself in the Square, think of him walking alongside Maxine and Ed, tail wagging, tongue out, soaking in the sunshine. And smile – he would have liked that.

A Circle of Giving Rose Garden Circle makes donation to St. Mary’s Church

The Rose Garden Circle held a check presentation ceremony on Tuesday, April 29, for a $2,500 donation to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Springfield for its organic garden. This is the second year the garden circle has donated to St. Mary’s garden, this year more than doubling its previous donation of $1,000.

Master gardener and Rose Garden Circle member Pat Andrews said the circle referred to this as its “non fundraiser fundraiser,” funded by private donations rather than corporate gifts.

“There’s a lot of corporate money to fund a lot of good things,” Andrews said. “This is grassroots.”

Rose Garden Circle members enjoyed a tour of the garden following the ceremony. The organic garden at St. Mary’s Church provides fresh, organic produce for its food pantry ministry. St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Deacon and Outreach Administrator Catherine Montgomery said the donation underscores the circle’s commitment to community.

“Their support of what we’re doing at St. Mary’s just shows that their commitment to all of us having a deeper purpose,” Montgomery said. “They’re investing in our commitment to make this space beautiful, to provide healthy food for people, so it’s kind of like they’re taking this thing they’re passionate about and turning it into something really lasting for the community.”

Art Schultz and St. Mary’s Vicar and Canon for Urban Ministry Reverend Beth Tjoflat are joined by Rose Garden Circle members for an April 29 check presentation.

THANK YOU NOTES FROM MY MY EMPTY NEST PERCH

By Susanna Bar

foundation for making smart moves.

The advice or mantras I like the most can be found taped to my kitchen cabinet. They are fading DIY poster décor I made long ago and they are everything to me, and hopefully our children. Here is a sampling:

• “Connection not perfection”.

– Unknown

• “Be interested over interesting.”

– Unknown

• “RASA: Receive, appreciate, summarize, ask.” – Julian Treasure

• “I am not this hair I am not this skin, I am the soul that lives within.”

– Rumi

Here are a few more I’ve liked and collected in my noggin over the years:

“Don’t be ugly” – Unknown. This phrase was well documented by some Southern folk art my dad displayed next to an Elvis lamp (!) at his home in Holly Springs, Miss. Now I am the lucky owner of it. I think it’s perfect. Short and sweet: Don’t be ugly and definitely don’t be ugly in my house, capiche? He had a similar piece that bears the warning, “Be Nice or Leave.” We have that up near the front door of our cabin. This is good advice for anyone.

“Write your story or lede like you are at a bus stop and the bus is approaching and you have to tell someone the gist of your story before the bus comes.” – Beth Zacharias Hunt, my professional mentor and longtime American City Business Journals editor who trained me up at the Austin Business Journal long ago. This is professional and personal advice meaning, just do it; whether you’re writing or presenting or having a conversation, just spit it out quickly without hemming and hawing over it because the first things out of your mouth generally are the most important and “newsworthy.” She also told me it’s helpful to think about how you would share a news story in a social setting, like at a cocktail party, because that helps bring the highlights to the forefront and digs up what is most compelling/ entertaining about the information.

“Stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.” – Gen. James “Jimmy” Doolittle, an American military general and aviation pioneer who received the Medal of Honor for his raid on Japan (The Doolittle Raid) during World War II. I don’t think Gen. Doolittle made this ditty up. But he did share it with my brother and me live and in-person in1984 at my great aunt and uncle M.E. and Ski York’s

house. Ski was a fellow raider and Gen. Doolittle would come to San Antonio to party with them from time to time. On that particular occasion, my parents dressed us up, hauled our cookies over to the house and sat us down individually on the couch next to Gen. Doolittle to absorb some advice. To stand for something is, indeed, good advice.

“Comparisons are odious” and “What did you learn from that experience?” –David B. Person, my awesome dad. I think the first one is a line from Shakespeare, so it’s not original to David Bob Person the Great. But I agree, comparisons are stupid, and everyone – on the line and off – is doing it but we would all be happier if we would JUST STOP DOING IT, for the love. The other bit he would ask of me every time I stepped into something hard, or painful or wrong. He would listen and console me in my frustrations, but those exchanges always ended in a question: What did you learn from that experience? This taught me to learn everything I could from life’s challenges. That’s where the good comes. In fact, as I’m typing this, I got a text from my daughter following a string of big life boos in which she emphasized, “Gotta get through all the bad to find the good.” Kinda the same sentiment.

“Don’t dwell on it. The more attention you pay it the worse it will hurt, feel or manifest.” Bobbie Ann Harper Person, my beautiful mother. She was definitely a mind-over-matter kind of gal, and she is spot on here. Just like Donnie Brasco said, “Forget about it.”

Which leads me to some other unattributed life advice that has helped me get through the yucks: “Learn from your mistakes;” “There are no wrong decisions just new opportunities;” “Give it to God;” and my personal favorite, “Jesus take the wheel.”

I asked ChatGPT for 10 pieces of timely advice and they were actually so good and so absolutely true, that it would be a disservice not to share them far and wide, even if it is artificial intelligence. Several of them, I believe, are kitchen cabinet taped home-job sign-worthy. Enjoy, and if you disagree with the sentiment, take it up with the AI interwebs:

1. Prioritize Your Health: “Your health is your wealth.”

2. Invest in Relationships: “Surround yourself with people who lift you up.”

3. Never Stop Learning: “Knowledge is power.”

4. Live Within Your Means: “Don’t spend more than you earn.”

5. Be Present: “The past is gone, the future is uncertain, but the present is a gift.”

6. Set Clear Goals and Work Toward Them: “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

7. Treat Others with Kindness and Respect: “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

8. Embrace Failure as a Lesson: “Fail forward.”

9. Take Responsibility for Your Life: “You are responsible for your happiness.”

10. Find Your Purpose and Live Authentically: “Be true to yourself.”

Bravo, AI. Bravo! These tidbits may not be from a famous decorated combat aviator or an awesome dad or newspaper editor, but they are words to live by for sure! Advice is like an opinion or an a-hole – everybody has one. But it’s a worthy exercise to tune in to the people you respect and love, absorb their direction, example or instruction and look for ways to implement their takeaway tenets into your own life.

Susanna Barton has gotten lots of practical advice over the years and all have been helpful with the exception of “Stop, drop and roll.” 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

JACKSONVILLE GOSPEL CHORALE CEDRIC WILLIAMS, DIRECTOR HENRY L. PARKER, ACCOMPANIST DR. TAMMY HODO, KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Sponsored by The Father Sidney B. Parker Union of Black Episcopalians Donations appreciated RECEPTION FOLLOWING REFRESHMENTS AND BOOK SIGNING LIVING THE LEGACY: THE STORY OF ALTON AND GWEN YATES

Jacksonville History Center Celebrates Success Stories for National Preservation Month

By Michele Leivas

In honor of National Preservation Month, recognized during May, the Jacksonville History Center celebrated three of Jacksonville’s great success stories for historic structures at its annual Endangered Historic Properties Program.

Held at the former Florida Casket Company building on Wednesday, May 14, the lunch and learn program focused on what can come out of a successful historic renovation, restoration, or adaptive reuse and how it can impact a community by highlighting The Corner at Debs Store, the Jessie Ball duPont Center (formerly the Haydon Burns Library) and the casket company building itself.

“We want to demonstrate to people that there really is a path to a successful adaptation in the 21st century,” said JHC CEO Dr. Alan Bliss. “So we were thinking about not just examples, but examples that we can associate with recognizable places and for which we could find people who actually had hands-on experience with leading and guiding and influencing those restoration projects.”

Indeed, the presentation included speakers David Garfunkel, founding president and CEO of LIFT Jax and current public affairs chief for the Jacksonville Civic Council, Brooke Robbins, principal architect and interior designer of Robbins Design Studio P.A., and Bliss himself.

The Corner at Debs Store

Garfunkel discussed the resurrection of The Corner at Debs Store, the 100-plusyear-old grocery store that, thanks to the collaboration between the Debs family, Historic Eastside CDC, Lift Jax, Goodwill

Industries of North Florida and VyStar Credit Union, continues to serve its neighborhood after it celebrated its grand reopening last September following an extensive restoration.

Debs Store was a family-owned grocery store built in 1913 by its original owner. It was operated until 2011. In the years following, the ground level slowly slipped into disrepair and dilapidation. Today, Debs Store continues to serve its community not only by providing healthy and nutritious groceries, but also by providing jobs for area residents. Restoring Debs Store was not just saving a historic structure; it returned a vital and long-standing component to its community.

Garfunkel said it was not only the role Debs Store played in the community but also its history that drew Lift Jax’s attention.

“…As an organization, literally coming in from the outside and saying we have aspirations to support the neighborhood, to bring back the neighborhood to its better days and to work with the community – this was the place to start for us,” Garfunkel said.

“We could have picked another plot of land, built something new,” Garfunkel added. “We could have knocked it over and built something in its place. We said, as an organization, it’s critically important for us to come in and rebuild what’s there and work within this community.”

The Jessie The Jessie Ball duPont Center, on the other hand, represented a success story for the adaptive reuse of a historic building, and Robbins shared insight on the process of transforming the original library into the

nonprofit hub it is today.

The Haydon Burns Library was built to replace the Jacksonville Free Public Library, built in 1905 after the Great Fire of 1901. By the 1960s, the library had become too small for the city’s population.

Architect Taylor Hardwick, of Hardwick and Lee Architects, designed the new library, which opened in November 1965. It was named for Jacksonville’s longestserving mayor.

The 126,000-square-foot library served its community until 2005. It would be another seven years until Jessie Ball duPont Fund then-President Sherry Magill envisioned the dilapidated building as the fund’s new headquarters. The fund purchased the building in June 2013 and began the two-year transformation.

Today, The Jessie provides state-ofthe-art technology to several nonprofit organizations that call it home.

“I would say that’s another kind of layer of the intent of the building was, from the duPont Fund’s side, to use [the building] as an example that you can retrofit these buildings and you can bring technology to them,” Robbins said.

A New Home for the Jacksonville History Center

The program was the first event JHC hosted at its new center, in what will be the event space of the building’s second floor. The building is currently undergoing its own adaptive reuse transformation.

The event coincided with the release of JHC’s annual list of endangered historic properties, which includes Jacksonville architectural icons like the Laura Street Trio, the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, the Independent Life Building, and more. Bliss pointed out that each building is carefully vetted and considered before earning a spot on the endangered property list.

“They wouldn’t have gotten on the list if they really didn’t merit an advocate and merit really having attention called to them as a deserving project for conversion, adaptation,” Bliss said. “…I don’t have every historic, every old building on the list – there’s a reason for that. We single these out for a good reason.”

David Garfunkel, Jacksonville Civic Council chief of public affairs and founding president and CEO of Lift Jax tells the story of The Corner at Debs Store.

The Best Way to Fund and the Best Accounts to Fund for Your Savings

We are continuing the series for the children and grandchildren of our clients. The topic today is: What is the best way to fund and the best accounts to fund for your savings. A little bit of background, most people do not have unlimited amounts to save each year; therefore, it pays to prioritize and fund your highest profitability accounts first. Think of a farmer who lives in an arid region, they capture the limited rain in a cistern (savings) and now the farmer will measure the water level and calculate how much water they have to water the fields. If the savings cistern is low this year, they may only irrigate one field, if the savings cistern is full, they may plant and irrigate more fields. Whether the savings cistern is low or full, the farmer knows which fields are most productive and will plant them in the proper order. We want to do the same with our accounts (fields). An ‘account’ is what we call a field that holds investments for you. An apple orchard would be one account, and the corn field another account. We will get the best results if we measure our amount

of savings each year and irrigate our most productive accounts.

The second thing we need to remember is we have a ‘partner’ in our earnings each year, we know him as the ‘tax man’. We have a duty to our family to try and limit the tax man’s claim on our earnings each year. We can do this by utilizing accounts that have tax preferences. You probably know the names of many of these like 401(k), 403(b), IRA, and HSA. If we place our savings in these types of accounts, we can limit the tax man’s cut, to a percent when we put it in the account or a percent when we take it out. But during all the years the savings sit in the account, it grows without anything going to taxes. Yay!

Finally, we need to select a solid investment for our risk tolerance and time horizon to be purchased in the account. You probably have heard the names of some of the more common investments like mutual funds, stocks, bonds, or exchange traded funds.

This then becomes the proper order of funding of accounts for a young person.

You fund each account in the order below to the maximum amount for that account until your savings cistern is empty for the year. Then you just repeat year after year.

• All credit card debt and high interest debts.

• Emergency savings account (3-6 months expenses recommended).

• 401(k), 403(b), other company retirement plans, up to the match.

• Health savings account (and remember to invest the money).

• Finish maxing out your company retirement plan, i.e. 401(k).

• The next few are equal in priority, fund based on family needs:

a. IRA, Roth or Traditional,

b. 529 Educational Savings Plan,

c. Regular brokerage account.

PS: It pays to have a plan. The plan should include goals for the future because this gives a purpose to prioritize tomorrow. The plan should also include a budget that you review and adjust as life goes on. Finally include

a real number for charity, because this will give your life joy and value to your money. Americans are so fabulously wealthy that they can afford different luxuries like fancy cars. When you consider spending the money on a car that you may not need but decide to support an entire classroom full of poor children instead, you may begin to see more value in your money beyond frivolous spending.

Lou Walsh, IV, CFA President

The Women’s Board Celebrates Milestones, Sets New Goals at Spring Luncheon

There were more than one million reasons to celebrate at The Women’s Board of Wolfson Children’s Hospital’s annual Spring Luncheon, held on April 30.

The Women’s Board President Kendra McCrary announced that, between the 2024 First Coast Design Show, 2024-25 Florida Forum and other initiatives, $1,068,968 was raised last year.

More than 150 members and hospital leadership gathered at the annual meeting, including 14 new members, all of whom learned about The Women’s Board’s new funding target: a two-year $1.5 million pledge for an outdoor space for the 20-bed pediatric Inpatient Behavioral Health unit.

With Chris Heib as incoming president for the 2026-27 term, this year’s event leadership was announced, including the 2025 First Coast Design Show Chairs Sarah Allen, Mollie Peterson and Kate Sager and the 2025-26 Florida Forum Chairs Heather Creel, Kristina Powell and Kymberly Wolfson. This year’s speaker series will also host “The Eyes of the World, From D-Day to VE Day,” a Broadway-style, full symphonic multimedia production on Sept. 30.

Feet of Fire

Last month, 90 runners participated in the Jacksonville History Center’s fifth annual Great Fire Run 5K run/walk on Saturday, May 3.

Participants commemorated the 124th anniversary of the Great Fire of 1901, starting out at Old St. Andrew’s Church and following the route past Fire Station 3 – one of the three fire stations that existed at the time of the Great Fire. Today, the rebuilt Catherine Street station if on the National Register of Historic Places.

Jacksonville resident Iciar Wood took home first place with a time of 20:23; less than 30 seconds later, fellow Jacksonville resident Mark Goetz secured second place at 20:51. New York resident Sam Mercado took home third place at 21:22.

The event was sponsored by the Jacksonville Firefighters Association, Corner Lot Development, The Bedell Firm and Marks Gray P.A.

Kendra McCrary and Trisha MacRae Alicia Dorsie and Ray Martin with Annie Martin and Pat Setzer

Sam Mercado, Mark Goetz and Iciar Wood are the top three winners of this year’s Great Fire Run.

Jacksonville History Center’s Kate Hallock presents Hank Coxe, representing sponsor The Bedell Firm, with a copy of the book, “The Great Fire of 1901.”

50 Years of Great Cuts

By Lauren Weedon Hopkins

With 50 years at Cliff’s Barber Shop now in his rear-view mirror, James Edwards marvels at the roots he’s planted and the relationships he’s formed with the barber shop’s loyal patrons.

“I’ve cut kids’ hair as they grow up, and then I watch them go to college. When they come home, they move two blocks away from their parents, and they keep coming in for haircuts,” he said. “This is a great neighborhood.”

Today, the barber shop operates just next door at 1559 University Boulevard West.

The barber shop has a friendly, oldfashioned feel – in fact, the working cash register is from 1946. Edwards’ hair cuts often include jokes and smiles. Most of their dedicated patrons have been coming in for years.

Edwards recalled a memorable afternoon when the entire boys’ cross country team at The Bolles School came into the barber shop and requested mohawks.

Edwards himself has been a resident of San Jose for 55 years.

In 1973, Edwards and Henry Clifford “Cliff” Wynn opened the original Cliff’s Barber Shop together at the intersection of Atlantic and University boulevards, where they operated for two years before moving into the Lakewood Promenade on April 1, 1975.

“Cliff and I laughed realizing it was April Fool’s Day when we signed the lease,” Edwards said. “But, it seems to have all worked out!”

“They assured me their mothers had said it was okay,” laughed Edwards. “The coach asked me to check with him next time!”

Edwards and Wynn worked together for 18 years before Wynn retired. Wynn passed away in 2018 at the age of 97.

“In all our time together, there was never a cross word between us,” Edwards said. “He was very pleasant. I can’t say enough good things about him!”

To Edwards’ son, James Garrett Edwards, Wynn felt like family.

“Cliff was a father figure to my father and a grandfather figure to me,” said James Garrett, who has been cutting hair alongside his dad at Cliff’s Barber Shop for 16 years.

Other family members have also been a

“When you work here, you stay here,” said Edwards.

Current stylists Gerri-Anne and Candace have been cutting hair at Cliff’s for four and seven and a half years, respectively. Hair salons run in the family: James Garrett’s wife, Anna, and Edwards’ daughter, Rachel, also run their own salons.

Over the years, Edwards has cut the hair of judges, attorneys, small business owners and even Rod Stewart when he came to town to perform a concert.

“Dad cut Corky Rogers’ hair every game day,” said James Garrett of The Bolles School’s longtime football coach.

Even if Edwards’ clients move away, they still travel back to Jacksonville for their haircuts.

“Dad has people come from Palm Coast, St. Mary’s and Starke,” said James Garrett. “He also goes to cut hair for elderly customers who have been longtime clients in their homes when they reach a point where they’re unable to make it to the barbershop.”

For Edwards, who has “no idea” when he will retire, coming into work each day is a true joy.

“I’ve been here every day, six days a week, for 50 years,” he said. “I’ve only been out with COVID a couple times and the flu once last year. I guess I have a good immune system.”

James Garrett notes that his father rarely does anything for himself and always puts others first.

“I’ve never met a man who treats his employees better than my dad. He is very

James Garrett Edwards and James Edwards

James Garrett Edwards gets a hair cut from his father, James Edwards, with sister Rachel in the background, at Cliffs Barber Shop long before working alongside his father.

Episcopal’s Class of 2025: (College-)Bound for Greatness

Episcopal School of Jacksonville’s Class of 2025 is ready for the next chapter as students start preparing for college following graduation.

These 154 high school grads have plenty to look forward to as Episcopal has shared some impressive statistics:

This year’s graduating class has submitted 1,200 applications to more than 220 universities and colleges across 41 states and five countries. Of the 133 seniors who reported, 97% of them enrolled in one of their top three choices; 23 student-athletes signed commitment letters to play in college.

Sixteen students will pursue their artistic passions. State university competitive results also included 21 admits to the University of Florida and 47 to Florida State University.

Triple Triumph for Bolles Students: Valedictorian, Salutatorian and Biology Olympiad Finalist

A trio of students from The Bolles School ended the school year with outstanding academic achievements. Seniors Sarah Park and Christina Dovellos were recognized as valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, for the class of 2025. Park and Dovellos were among the top scholars from each grade level to be celebrated and recognized at the 2025 Upper School Academic Banquet on Monday, April 28. Junior Michael Zhang has ranked among the top 20 biology students in the country as a finalist in the USA Biology Olympiad, the nation’s most prestigious biology education and testing program at the high school level.

The Episcopal experience means learning extends far beyond the classroom. Our graduates Seek Understanding as lifelong learners; Develop a Sense of Self earned through challenge; Live with Honor and Purpose, choosing to lead, do good, and serve others; and Pursue a Life of Faith, in a way meaningful to them while respecting the dignity of every human being. Across our Four Pillars — Academics, Athletics, Fine Arts, and Spiritual Life — Episcopal students find their passions while shaping who, not what, they will become.

Episcopal School of Jacksonville’s Class of 2025 looks forward to bright futures at college.

Christina Dovellos Sarah Park Michael Zhang

Landon Students Honor Alumni, Celebrate with Pride

There’s a certain energy that pulses through the halls of Julia Landon College Preparatory and Leadership Development School – a quiet but powerful pride that transcends generations. It’s more than just school colors and game-day chants; it’s a deep-rooted spirit, symbolized by the lion, which binds alumni and students in a shared legacy of strength, respect, and unity. Like a pride in the wild, the Landon community draws its strength from togetherness, tradition, and a fierce dedication to excellence both in and out of the classroom.

At an April 28 dedication and alumni event, students gathered with their predecessors to share thanks and gratitude for their contributions to the school. Most recently, the alumni group was preparing to unveil a digital board for the school’s messages to be displayed outside, which was revealed later in the day. It was a bittersweet outing, as it wasn’t only a day to dedicate a final gift to the student body on behalf of the Alumni Association, but a final farewell from the group comprised of students who attended the school when it was a high school. The final class graduated in 1965.

Alumni Close the Book with a Final Gift

Created in 1989, the Landon Alumni Association was intended to keep graduates informed and together. According to Charlie Rooks, Class of ’54, the purpose of the association was to have reunions, luncheons and Christmas parties to keep the alumni connected; while also supporting the school through supplies, gifts and camaraderie.

“The board members are all approaching 90, and of course, some of the younger members are in their 80s,” shared Rooks. “So as the last act of the alumni association, we wanted to dedicate a memorial to the Landon High School, we offered a lion; they said, ‘We have plenty of lions, we need an electronic message board’, which you’ll see out front on the way in.”

Rooks continued, “We gave $20,100 dollars to the school to buy this electronic message board. And, we have a plaque on it that dedicates it to the memory of Landon High School, to the teachers and students.”

Students of Today, Memories of Yesteryear Students, faculty and local school board representative, Cindy Pearson, welcomed guests with a lineup of intelligent, prepared speeches that showered the Alumni with

praise and gratitude, with the spirit of Landon on full display.

“What we want to show you today, is that the legacy and tradition lives on”, shared Principal Ryan Casey “…and as the principal, it’s been really special to watch.”

Casey continued, “I think that you will see that your generosity and your commitment to your high school is well worth it. I think you’re going to experience a tour today, and children today, and hear from people in this room about the special amazing things that are happening. We think of you as royalty; in this castle, you are royalty to us. We are just grateful to have you roam the halls with us a little bit today. Hopefully you will feel that once a lion, always a lion. Our young people here love the legacy that they are part of; they are proud of it.”

“This event, for us, is a momentous opportunity for our students to show the alumni that they’re continuing the legacy of excellence that they’ve set in place,” echoed Ali Knoll, assistant principal of curriculum at Julia Landon. “It’s a relationship that we continue to foster, because it is so powerful. Our students are proud of what we have accomplished in our 14 years of existence as a gifted and college prep school.”

Student body President Gautama ‘Gotham’ Narula opened student remarks with poise, confidence and a deep appreciation for his school.

“It must feel like entering a time capsule, walking through these doors today,” he said, “…recognizable, yet so different. We’re thrilled to have you return and visit to see how our school has evolved and partaking in the pride in this tradition.”

He then spoke about the difference between yesterday’s tools, comparing them to new technology that exists in the school currently.

“While you walk around today, you’re going to notice how much the school has changed since you were here: Classes all have smart boards instead of chalkboards you’re used to, the library you remember now is a media center with computers,” Narula continued. “We’ve improved our sports fields too, with a new basketball court and bleachers where we shout louder than ever before. But don’t worry, some things never change, the school spirit, the way we cheer each other on – with pep assemblies and that sense of joy – that’s still the soul of this school.”

Following up on Narula’s remarks, several other student leaders shared sentiments, one leader after the other, impressing the auditorium full of captive listeners. A singing of the national anthem also afforded all to embark on another special American story, bonding over the nation’s anthem.

bright orange Landon suit coat as he took the podium to address the assembly at his alma mater.

“You can tell how much we love the school, by the attendance of this many of our graduates,” Ripley said. “Landon was a high school from 1927 to 1965, which unfortunately translates into the truth that we are all getting a bit older.”

“Now Landon exemplifies, for all of us, I think, a time that we treasured in our lives. And, what’s most important, as Gotham had mentioned, is the spirit of the place,” he added.

Ripley shared sentiments about his life, owning two unique estate homes in Jacksonville, those being a Swisher home on the river in San Marco and the other, the Marabong Mansion which is more than 150 years old in St. Nicholas in Empire

Point; both houses are on the National Historic Register. His voice caught as he recalled the spirit within each place – each home exhibited differing characteristics –one cold and conflicted, mired in divorce and infighting over the estate (prior to his owning it), the other, full of married couples and joy in the home and no divorces. “You can still feel it,” he said, choking up. “So that’s the spirit in a home, and that spirit is alive here at Landon.”

Following the morning assembly, members of the alumni association were led on tours with student body , learning about the classrooms and school programming. And later in the day, a ceremony unveiled signage that will help students, parents and faculty know of student activities, early releases and other informative and important schoolrelated messages.

Elders Share Memories, Thank Students

One longtime, local alumnus, Joseph Ripley, Class of ‘54, donned his best,

Sahasra Bodapati and Anushya Baruah, 7th Graders, welcomed guests for the dedication

Student Manaseini Manjesh with Laylon Webb, Nancy Champion Rush, student Ana Escamilla-Aguirre, and John Rose

Landon alum Lora Knopf, Amy Knopf, John Smith, Betty McClure and June Tillman Charlie Rooks with Ivy Kool, Tom King, Sissy Barker, Eleanor and Wilford Lyon and Joseph Ripley

Swinging Big for Dreams Come True

Participants raised more than $370,000 for Dreams Come True at the 24th annual KB Home Dreams Come True Golf Tournament.

Presented by St. Johns Investment Management Company, the charity golf tournament was held at the San Jose Country Club on May 5, with 140 golfers hitting the links. Eight Dreamers – local children from Dreams Come True – served as golf ambassadors, cheering on the golfers at various holes.

Guests also had the option to purchase golf flags decorated by the Dreamers to help raise additional funds throughout the day.

A cocktail reception and silent auction followed the tournament.

Since its launch in 2002, this tournament has raised more than $4 million for Dreams Come True, a Jacksonville-based nonprofit that grants wishes for children in Northeast Florida facing life-threatening medical conditions.

Dreamers Caleb Musselwhite and Landon Cartwright were out on the greens with golfers Ayden Middlebrooks, Nick Greene, Grant Reynolds and Anthony Cecchin.

EPISCOPAL CONGRATULATES THE CLASS OF 2025!

Members of Episcopal School of Jacksonville’s Class of 2025 were admitted into the following colleges and universities:

Alaska Pacific University

American University

Appalachian State University

Arizona State University (Polytechnic)

Arizona State University (Tempe)

Auburn University

Aurora University

Austin Peay State University

Barry University

Baylor University

Belmont University

Berklee College of Music

Berry College

Boston College

Boston University

Broward College

Butler University

Case Western Reserve

University

Central College

Centre College

Chapman University

Clemson University

Coastal Carolina University

Colgate University

College of Central Florida

College of Charleston

College of the Holy Cross

Colorado Mesa University

Columbia University

Davidson College

DePaul University

Drexel University

Duke University

Eckerd College

Elon University

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach)

Emerson College

Emory University

Fairfield University

Flagler College

Florida Agricultural and

Mechanical University

Florida Atlantic University

Florida Gulf Coast University

Florida Institute of Technology

Florida International University

Florida Southern College

Florida State College at Jacksonville

Florida State University

Fordham University

Franklin & Marshall College

Furman University

Gannon University

George Washington University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Southern University

Georgia State University

Hampden-Sydney College

High Point University

Hofstra University

Hollins University

Hope College

Howard University

Indiana University (Bloomington)

Jacksonville University

James Madison University

John Cabot University

Kansas State University

Kennesaw State University

Lipscomb University

Louisiana State University

Loyola University Maryland

Loyola University New Orleans

Lynn University

Macalester College

Marion Military Institute

McDaniel College

Mercer University

Michigan State University

Mississippi State University

Montana State University

Montreat College

Muhlenberg College

New College of Florida

New York Institute of Technology

New York University

North Carolina State University

Northeastern University

Northern Arizona University

Northwestern University

Nova Southeastern University

Oglethorpe University

Ohio University (Main Campus)

Oklahoma City University

Oklahoma State University (Main Campus)

Penn State University (University Park)

Point Park University

Presbyterian College

Providence College

Purdue University (Main Campus)

Rhodes College

Rice University

Rollins College

Rutgers University (Camden)

Rutgers University (New Brunswick)

Rutgers University (Newark)

Saint Louis University, Madrid

Samford University

Santa Fe College

Sarah Lawrence College

Savannah College of Art and Design

Seton Hall University

Sewanee: The University of the South

Siena College

Smith College

Southern Methodist

University

Stephens College

Stetson University

Suffolk University

Syracuse University

Tallahassee State College

Temple University

Texas A&M University

Texas Christian University

The Ohio State University

The University of Alabama

The University of Tampa

The University of Tennessee (Knoxville)

The University of West Florida

Trinity College Dublin

Tulane University of Louisiana

United States Military Academy at West Point

United States Naval Academy

University of Arizona

University of British Columbia

University of California (Los Angeles)

University of California (San Diego)

University of California (Santa Barbara)

University of Central Florida

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Connecticut

University of Denver

University of Florida

University of Georgia

University of Glasgow

University of Groningen

University of Iowa

University of Kansas

University of Kentucky

University of Maryland (College Park)

University of Massachusetts (Amherst)

University of Memphis

University of Miami

University of Michigan

University of Mississippi

University of Nevada (Reno)

University of North Carolina at Asheville

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

University of North Carolina

Wilmington

University of North Dakota

University of North Florida

University of North Georgia

University of Notre Dame

University of Oklahoma

University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh)

University of Richmond

University of South Carolina

University of South Florida (Main Campus)

University of South Florida (St Petersburg)

University of Southern California

University of St Andrews

University of Toledo

University of Utah

University of Vermont

University of Virginia (Main Campus)

University of Washington (Seattle Campus)

Utah Tech University

Valdosta State University

Vassar College

Villanova University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Wake Forest University

Washington and Lee University

Waynesburg University

Western Carolina University

Western Michigan University

William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wingate University

Wofford College

Yale University

THE WAY

THE WAY

WERE

Family, Friends and Philanthropy

By Michele Leivas

When Susie O’Quinn went on a blind date with Robert, the man she would eventually marry, she wasn’t expecting to also spend the day with his mother, sister, her father-in-law and his three best friends. But that’s exactly what happened.

“I’m thinking, ‘What kind of a date is this?’” Susie recalled, laughing. “It was a big first date, especially when you didn’t know each other at all. We met when I opened the front door.”

Susie and Robert were set up by a mutual friend – one of Susie’s sorority sisters. With Susie newly divorced, her friend was always trying to fix her up with someone. One day, she called to fix her up with Robert.

Though she had a lovely time with Robert and his family on that fateful first date in 1977, she proceeded with caution for the next three years while they maintained a long-distance relationship while Robert completed his law degree. Without the benefits of modern technology – without text messages or FaceTime or cell phones – the pair had to find more traditional ways to keep in contact.

“We wrote letters and we talked on the phone on Sundays – because it was cheaper to do long-distance on Sundays – just for a little while because I was a school teacher and he was a student, neither of us had any money,” Susie said.

During that time, Susie continued teaching second grade at North Shore Elementary School.

“It’s a good age,” Susie said. “They’re still kind of babies, but they can do things for themselves.”

Robert and Susie dated for another year and a half after Robert graduated from law school before they got married. They’ve been married for 44 years now. Susie kept teaching for another couple of years until their daughter was born. Robert legally adopted Susie’s daughter from her first marriage when she was six years old, and with this new addition, they were now a family of four.

Lifelong Friendships

Robert isn’t the longest relationship Susie’s had, though. A lifelong Jacksonville resident, Susie graduated from Samuel Wolfson School for Advanced Studies in 1971 and has a tight-knit group of friends who graduated with her. Some of those friendships stretch back even further to first grade at South San Jose Elementary School.

Planning their 10-year high school reunion marked the beginning of regular get-togethers for her circle of friends.

As everyone got married and had children, busy lives and busy schedules made it difficult to plan frequent meetings, and the group switched to quarterly meetups, then once or twice a year.

As the years passed, conversations at these meetups shifted from babies and toddlers to teenagers and graduations. A few years ago, as their 70th birthdays approached, Susie floated the idea of a big birthday trip for them all, which they spent in a house up in the Idaho mountains.

These friendships mean the world to Susie. “It’s so special,” she said. “It really is.”

Family Life

Today, Susie’s oldest daughter, Christi, recently celebrated her 50th birthday.

“It’s a big birthday,” Susie acknowledged, adding with a laugh, “It’s a big birthday for her mother.”

Christie is an assistant principal at an elementary school in the area. Her younger daughter, Katherine, lives in Virginia with her husband.

Susie and Robert live in the same house she grew up in, the same house her father built for his family. Her mother moved into a condo after her father passed away suddenly at just 62 years old and Robert and Susie ended up buying her childhood home from her mother.

“We have been in that house since 1982,” Susie said. Susie had the rare opportunity to raise her family in the same house she grew up in and she said now and then, she would see flashes of herself as a child in that home.

“[Usually] when I hear myself say something that sounds like my mother,” Susie said, chuckling.

Robert retired last year, and they are enjoying a slower life now. Though she’s not a big traveler, Susie traveled to Paris with Katherine last fall to celebrate Katherine’s 40th birthday. Originally, Susie had intended to gift the trip to Katherine and her husband, but Katherine invited her to join her instead.

“It was once in a lifetime for me,” Susie said.

Robert and Susie enjoy spending time on their boat, cruising on the river, and anchoring it to have lunch or dinner. They’re both heavily involved with the Salvation Army of Northeast Florida: she with the Women’s Auxiliary and he on the advisory board. Susie is also a volunteer with the Florida House in Washington, D.C. In her free time, Susie enjoys exercising – yoga, pilates, and dance. She is also in the middle of planning her 55th high school reunion next year.

“We’re going to start having meetings together,” Susie said. “I’m just always, I’m always working on things like that.”

Share a Story, Celebrate a Life

“THE WAY WE WERE” is a cherished part of our community, highlighting the rich histories and vibrant journeys of our senior residents. We invite you to help us continue this tradition by nominating individuals with inspiring life stories. Whether it’s a parent, grandparent, neighbor, or friend, if you know someone whose experiences deserve to be shared, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit nominations via email to editor@residentnews.net or Debra@residentnews.net You can also reach Debra by phone at (904) 388-8839. Your submissions help us celebrate the incredible lives that have shaped our community.

Susie and Robert O’Quinn on their wedding day.

Susie and their beloved Golden Retriever, Jack

Susie and her daughters, Katherine and Christi

Susie and Robert

Enhanced Quality Care & Patient Experience

We offer the best in subacute rehabilitative and long-term care with a primary goal of returning patients home as soon as possible.

The recovery process at Riverside is enhanced by our comfortable ambiance, fabulous waterfront views, welcoming staff, and many amenities including fine dining, concierge service, patio, and beauty salon.

Amenities include:

• Spacious Private & Semi-Private Rooms

• Concierge Service

• Beautiful Grounds & Scenic River Views

• Gourmet Dining

• A Dining Family Corner for Family Get-Togethers & Special Occasions

• Inviting Lobby Area

• Bright & Airy Lounges

• Flat Screen TVs

• Complimentary WiFi & Cable

• Housekeeping & Laundry

• Beauty & Barber Services

• Fun & Engaging Recreation Activities

• Religious Services

Subacute Rehab

Geared towards individuals recovering from orthopedic surgery, stroke, cardiac or pulmonary condition - our goal is to restore independence and maximum function.

Clinical Services Our highly trained nursing staff provides 24-hour care with an emphasis on fostering our residents’ independence and encouraging family members and friends to be active participants in their loved one’s daily life.

We strive to provide a superior experience and exceptional outcomes for patients, residents, and families through progressive, innovative care, advanced technology, and investment in service excellence.

Highly motivated staff members work to inspire our residents to live life to the fullest, offering an active, exciting, and warm environment.

Respite Care

Our solution-driven Respite Care service aims to provide you with a temporary break from your caregiving responsibilities. Whether it’s a break in the form of a few days off, a family vacation or a special event… we have you covered. Our professional team is standing by to provide your loved one with exemplary care.

Schedule Your PERSONAL TOUR!