December 2017

F I G H T I N G C H I L D H O O D H U N G E R | F A R M T A L E S | T I N S E LT O W N T A L K S

‘Tis the Season!

Celebrating the holidays with traditions and love

DECEMBER 2017

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INSIDE

A WHALE OF A TALE

WORLDWIDE CELEBRATIONS

A Spectacle You’ve Got To Sea For Yourself

New Year’s Traditions from Around the Globe

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CONTENTS DECEMBER 2017 • VOL. 18 ISSUE 12

ON THE COVER – As we celebrate the holidays let us not forget that this time of year is not just meant for opening presents, but opening our hearts as well.

May the spirit of the season fill your heart this month and all the days that follow.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

PHOTO BY ERICKA WINTERROWD

departments 7 32 34

Tapas Charity of the Month Calendar of Events

columns 36 38 41

Theatre Listings Classifieds Crossword Puzzle

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Tinseltown Talks

by Nick Thomas

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Farm Tales from Mother Hen

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features 10

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A Whale of a Tale

by Donna Bonnell

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Veteran Bob Ernst

One Spectacular Spectacle You’ve Got To Sea For Yourself

Amid Loss, 95-Year-Old WWII Vet Finds ‘Salvation’ in Volunteering

BY CAMERON COBB

BY MICHAEL STONE

Worldwide Celebrations

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Fighting Childhood Hunger

New Year’s Eve Traditions from Around the Globe

Learn About the ‘Food 4 Kids’ Backpack Program

BY HAYLI ZUCCOLA

BY DARLA KINNEY SCOLES

December 2017

Embracing Life

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Reading Corner Review by Terri Schlichenmeyer

WINNER! Congratulations to the winner from our NOVEMBER 2017 issue…

Sintori Alpert from Ocala, Florida

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Fine, Farkash & Parlapiano presents THE 2 N D ANN UA L BENEF I T EVEN T FOR THE ALACH UA COUNTY H UM A NE SOC I E T Y

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STAFF œ CONTRIBUTORS

Published monthly by Tower Publications, Inc.

www.seniortimesmagazine.com PUBLISHER

Charlie Delatorre charlie@towerpublications.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Hank McAfee hank@towerpublications.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ericka Winterrowd editor@towerpublications.com Fax: 352-416-0175

EDITORIAL INTERN

Cameron Cobb ADVERTISING SALES

Visit seniortimesmagazine.com or call: 352-372-5468 For more advertising information including rates, coverage area, distribution and more – call or visit our website at: www.seniortimesmagazine.com MAILING ADDRESS

clockwise from top left DARLA KINNEY SCOLES fell in love with the process of putting a story into print during a high school journalism class. Oodles of years, one husband, three daughters and multitudinous stories later, she’s still in love with it all. That, and dark chocolate. darlakinneyscoles@gmail.com

MICHAEL STONE is a journalist and photographer focusing now primarily on health care, technology and history, especially World War II. He also teaches in the journalism department at the University of Florida, and in his free time, he enjoys trying all the great vegan dishes at local restaurants. michaelstone428@gmail.com

HAYLI ZUCCOLA is a New England native who enjoys listening to music and traveling. After graduating high school with her AA degree she got her Bachelor’s in Journalism from the University of Florida. HayzDesigns@yahoo.com

CAMERON COBB is a senior journalism major at the University of Florida as well as an Air Force veteran.

She loves traveling, writing, ballet and all animals (her favorite being her rescue dog, Maggie). cameronacobb5@gmail.com

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December 2017

4400 NW 36th Avenue Gainesville, FL 32606 352-372-5468 352-373-9178 fax The articles printed in Senior Times Magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Tower Publications, Inc. or their editorial staff. Senior Times Magazine endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we can not be held responsible by the public for advertising claims.

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TAPAS œ DECEMBER 2017

OH, CHRISTMAS TREE! How some countries all across the globe celebrate with this seasonal favorite…

BRAZIL: to imitate fallen snow, trees are often covered in bits of cotton.

SPAIN: like a festive piñata, the trunks are filled with treats.

Children are then tasked with hitting it to try to knock out the contents.

Happy Birthday, Walt Disney!

Born on December 5, 1901, Walter Elias “Walt” Disney left behind a legacy and kingdom (literally!)

CHINA: trees are dawned with paper decorations, such as chains, flowers and lanterns.

In honor of the man behind the magic that continues to inspire the world to this day, here are five facts about the wonderfully creative Walt Disney:

• He was fascinated with trains, and his uncle was a conductor.

• He dropped out at high school at 16 in hopes of joining the Army.

• He had an apartment located on Disneyland’s Main Street as a private workspace.

• His favorite Disney character was Goofy (even though he voiced Mickey Mouse for nearly 20 years).

IRELAND: trees are laced with lights, tinsel and trinkets while items like candles, garlands, holly, ivy, wreaths and mistletoe are scattered throughout the house.

• The Disney robot character “Wall-E” was named after Mr. Disney himself!

SOUTH AFRICA: while Christmas trees may not be a common sight, decorative cotton wool and tinsel hangs across windows.

SOURCE: WWW.INC.COM

DECEMBER IS NATIONAL FRUITCAKE MONTH (BECAUSE OF COURSE IT IS) While this classic dessert has become a staple for the season, not many know the rich history of how fruitcakes have been enjoyed all over the world. These delicacies date back to the Roman Times, where they were made from pine nuts, barley mash, pomegranate seeds, raisins and honeyed wine. During the 18th century in Europe, fruitcake was referred to as “plum cake,” though no matter what you called it, it was outlawed for being “sinfully rich.”

Along with a festive treat, fruitcakes are a common tradition of weddings in England. Regardless of your tastebuds, fruitcakes continue to withstand the test of time (or, at the very least, 25 years if packaged properly).

SOURCE: WWW.HEALTHYDININGFINDER.COM

December 2017

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NORWAY: after decorating the tree, guests form a ring around it and sing carols before presents are distributed. This tradition is known as “circling the Christmas tree.”

JAPAN: toys, small candles, wind chimes, paper ornaments and other baubles drape across the tree’s branches, with one of the most popular pieces being the origami swan symbolizing “peace.”

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SOURCE: WWW.HISTORY.COM December 2017

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Bette Midler DECEMBER 1, 1945

72

Years Old

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Bette Davis Midler continues to be a woman of many talents. Midler released her first album, “The Divine Miss M,” in November 1972 with her self-titled album, “Bette Midler,” debuting one year later. In 1979 she starred in “The Rose” as a rockand-roll singer, and continued her acting career by starring alongside some of Hollywood’s most renowned actors such as Danny DeVito and Diane Keaton. Midler has sold more than 15 million albums all over the world and has received multiple awards for her on-screen performances, including four Golden Globes and three Emmy Awards.

A FEW OTHER NOTABLE

Birthdays this month

Steven Spielberg Film Director, Producer and Writer Steven Allan Spielberg was born on December 18, 1946 in Cincinnati, Ohio. After briefly attending California State University Long Beach before dropping out to further his career in entertainment, Spielberg worked on a variety of short-film projects, and in 1978, he produced his first film, “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” An internationally known filmmaker, Spielberg’s long list of big-screen successes include classics like “E.T.,” “Jaws” and “Jurassic Park.”

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December 2017

Diane Sawyer (72) December 22, 1945

Ted Nugent (69) December 13, 1948

Annie Lennox (63)

Pope Francis (81) December 17, 1936

Maggie Smith (83) December 28, 1934

December 25, 1954

“Whether in success or in failure, I’m proud of every single movie I’ve ever directed.”

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Years Old

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Best of Gainesville AWARD

Remember December

The Gainesville Award Program has awarded The Atrium its annual Best of Gainesville Award.

A lesson in history for the last month of the year:

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• December 4, 1791 First Sunday newspaper (the Observer) was published in Britain.

Let us show you our model apartments and join us for a meal.

• December 14, 1791 Bill of Rights was passed.

• December 20, 1803 Louisiana Purchase was completed.

• December 29, 1862 The bowling ball was invented.

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• December 17, 1903 The Wright Brothers’ first flight.

• December 7, 1941 U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese planes.

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• December 3, 1967 First heart transplant was completed.

SOURCE: WWW.FAMOUSBIRTHDAYS.COM

December 2017

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MAKE A SPLASH

A Whale of a Tale One Spectacular Spectacle You’ve Got To Sea For Yourself

by Cameron Cobb photography by kristen grace

H

ow do you properly commemorate 100 years as the state’s official natural history museum?

With a celebration as big as a whale, of course (quite literally).

On Monday, Sept. 18, a pair of exhibit fabricators performed the attachment of a humpback whale’s skull onto its 26-footlong body suspended from the ceiling inside the Florida Museum of Natural History. The massive mammal is just one of more than 100 magnificent masterpieces being featured through Jan. 7 in the latest exhibit: “Rare, Beautiful & Fascinating: 100 Years @FloridaMuseum,” according to a museum press release.

And for Michael Adams, it’s one significant accomplishment for both the museum and himself.

Adams was involved with the entire project, he said, with this being his first time putting together a whale. As an exhibit fabricator at the museum for more than three years, he said his primary profession has been with metalworking.

The actual construction of the skeleton was a major team effort requiring continuous day-to-day operations for over a year, Adams said. But prior to beginning the bone-building process, the preliminary work demanded just as much effort as the physical restoration, if not more.

Venturing out to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Adams said he was shown their whales and given detailed information on all aspects of assembly, including how the skeletons were hung, what to do and what not to do. And the enormous expedition didn’t end there.

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December 2017

To ensure he was whale-prepared for this assignment, Adams said he also traveled to meet with researchers and scientists of Oxford University, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve.

“We’re not whale biologists, so we didn’t know the anatomy,” said Dale Johnson, an exhibit projects manager at the museum. “We had to learn how it all fit together, the number of bones, where they go — everything.”

One museum mistakenly hung the ribs of a whale on backwards, Johnson said. Not wanting to make the same errors as others, they made sure to speak with marine mammal specialists from all over the country.

“We’re not whale biologists, so we didn’t know the anatomy. We had to learn how it all fit together, the number of bones, where they go — everything.”

“We gotta make sure it’s right,” Adams said.

The whale had washed up on New Smyrna Beach in 1990, Johnson said, with the cause of death unknown. The bones were donated to the museum and had since been in their collections awaiting set up. After nearly a year of preparation, he and his team could finally tackle the physical task of putting together each part. seniortimesmagazine.com

December 2017

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Starting out, this meant they had nothing more than a pictureless puzzle with pieces housed inside tons of boxes, Johnson said. With proper placement being imperative, it made things a bit more complicated when considering whale skeletons vary individually as far as number of bones go.

“Depending on their age, the animals can have a different number of things like ribs or finger bones or vertebrae,” Johnson said.

These skeletal specifics can cause problems to arise should any pieces be missing. And while most all of the skeleton’s 264 bones were accounted for, they were short five near its aft end, Adams said, leading the team into some issues of misinformation.

“One scientist would say it’s this many bones, and another scientist would say it was this many,” Adams said. “Finally, the third told us it depends on how old they are.”

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Following the celebration, it will permanently hang outside of the museum’s discovery zone.

After reviewing skeletal files and determining what specific bones were needed based on this whale’s species and age, the five missing pieces could now simply be 3-D printed. Though virtually unrecognizable to the unknowing eye, these artificial bones have a more bright-white appearance than the others.

There’s a lot more behind the process than just ensuring correct and complete connection. Along with the bone building, Adams said he created the armature for the display (the underlying steel mount that shapes the skeletal frame). seniortimesmagazine.com

Affordable Housing for Senior Sen nior Citizens Along with piecing the whale together, Adams and his team went to great lengths to ensure the roof could support the skeleton’s weight. To properly prepare, a structural engineer came out early on in the project to assess the ceiling and provide some direction on where to go from there. Following the engineer’s visit, Adams said he and his team had to weld eye beams along with a structural base for the bones.

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Another big concern was the structural integrity of the museum’s roof, Adams said. Even as roughly a mere year-and-ahalf-old juvenile, this colossal creature left behind a skeleton of nearly 1,500 pounds. The team made sure to have a structural engineer come out to analyze and certify that the roof’s trusses could handle the weight.

“It’s been a big process,” Adams said (to say the least!).

While this exhibit also features an assortment of activities, a variety of other collections from visiting scientists and more, Johnson said, the whale is its

main highlight. Following the celebration, it will permanently hang outside of the museum’s discovery zone. And with all that went into it, this whale certainly deserves a forever home.

“The whole thing was a challenge — from start to finish,” Adams said.

But just like the satisfaction gained from positioning the final puzzle piece to see the overall picture, there’s beauty in that kind of dedication and hard work.

“The end project is amazing,” Adams said. “It came together really, really well.”

Or perhaps more appropriately – really, really whale. s

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Tinseltown Talks The Roller-Coaster Life of Connie Francis

by Nick Thomas

T

he tragedies that befell singer Connie Francis throughout her life would challenge the most resilient of souls. Nevertheless, she navigated each dark, engulfing personal tunnel with unwavering tenacity, always eventually emerging aided by her sense of humor.

“It never failed me and kept me going,” she said from her home in Parkland, Florida. “From the age of 10, I worked on TV with many comedians like Don Rickles and developed a sense of humor.”

While her professional breakthrough came in the late 1950s, it was soon tempered in the early ‘60s when her father thwarted any chance of a lasting relationship with the love of her life, singer Bobby Darin. But the ‘70s and ‘80s were especially devastating. Her brother was killed by mob hitmen, she was raped, she lost her voice requiring years to recuperate, and she was diagnosed with manic depression. Along the way, there was also a miscarriage and four failed marriages.

“I tried to see humor in everything, even when I was in a mental institution. But I have to say the support of the public has also been incredibly uplifting.

They saw me through the best and worst of times and never stopped writing from around the world to encourage me.”

The ups and downs of her life are detailed in a new autobiography, “Among my Souvenirs: The Real Story, Volume 1,” due for release on December 12 – her 80th birthday, see www.conniefrancis. com (some sources give her birth date as

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Seated behind a piano (above), Connie Frances currently lives in Florida.

In this photo (right) provided by MGM from 1960, Connie Francis, Dolores Hart, Yvette Mimieux, and Paula Prentiss share stories together on the set of “Where The Boys Are”.

Connie made many appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show. Seen here (bottom) with Bobby Darin with whom she only performered in public a few times.

1938 but, she states emphatically, “I was born in 1937”).

She says writing the book “was an enormous amount of work – a real roller-coaster ride. One day I’d be laughing hysterically and the next be hysterical with tears.”

After making a series of unsuccessful singles in the ‘50s, she recorded ‘Who’s Sorry Now?’ a song her father had nagged her to record. The song rocketed up the seniortimesmagazine.com

charts and by the end of worthwhile causes and 1958, Billboard and others campaigned for mental named Connie Francis the health awareness and for number one female vocalist victims of violent crime. in the country. A string of And since her 1967 trip to hits followed into the early Vietnam to entertain the Connie Francis and 1960s including “Everytroops, she has remained the lost love of her life, Bobby Darin. body’s Somebody’s Fool,” especially close to the “Lipstick on Your Collar,” military veterans she calls and “Heartaches by the Number.” “the real heroes.”

A pop sensation, Hollywood soon Happily living now in Florida for some came calling to cash in on her fame.

20 years (her home was spared damage MGM placed her in 1960’s “Where the from devastating hurricane Irma), she is Boys Are,” also singing the hit title song. now retired from performing.

But Francis never caught the acting bug.

“I no longer do concerts because I “I just didn’t feel comfortable, as though just can’t sing as well as I used to,” she I didn’t belong there,” she admitted. said. “I would never want to disappoint By 1965, her final film, “When the Boys the fans who have been so good to me Meet the Girls,” was released. “I was so throughout my life.” s pleased it was my last one,” she said.

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University Battling back from the tragedies of at Montgomery, Ala, and has written feaher life established Connie Francis as tures, columns, and interviews for over 650 a true hero to her fans. But she also newspapers and magazines. has since found time to support many

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PARTY TIME

Worldwide Celebrations New Year’s Eve Traditions from Around the Globe story and photography by Hayli Zuccola

T

here are a myriad of unique, prominent and sometimes unconventional holidays, celebrations and festivals observed throughout the world like All Saint’s Day in Spain, Greenery Day in Japan, the Feast of the Throne in Morocco and everything in between. However, there is one holiday that unites people in nearly every city around the globe: New Year’s Eve. Although each country has their own traditions and twist on the holiday – sometimes enjoying the festivities for several days or even weeks – ringing in the New Year with fireworks, lucky rituals and delicious food is a universal celebration intertwined with customs passed down from generation to generation.

GERMANY: Water and Lead can predict the Future On New Year’s Eve in Germany, citizens partake in Bleigießen, which is the tradition of pouring a spoonful of melted lead into cold water to determine a person’s future based on the shape it creates. Once the shape freezes in the cold water, it’s inspected to determine what shape it represents. There are dozens of possible outcomes and interpretations of the shapes and symbols but some of them include a tree, which represents loyalty in love; a cat, which means you will be spoiled; and a rocket, which means you will release your worries, according to the alpinevillagecenter.com article “Bleigiessen (Lead Pouring) Predictions for the New Year.”

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SPAIN: The Twelve Grapes of New Year’s Since 1909, it has been a Spanish tradition to eat 12 grapes in 12 seconds at the stroke of midnight before the clock chimes finish. Each grape represents one month of the year and it is believed that if one finishes all 12 grapes before the final clock stroke that it will bring them good luck in the New Year, according to the entertainmentspain.com article “Tradition of Eating Twelve Grapes on New Year’s in Spain.”

SCOTLAND: A Hogmanay Celebration After midnight on New Year’s, or Hogmanay as it’s called in Scotland, partygoers await for the “first footer” to pass through their doorstep. A dark-haired male visitor is said to bring good luck and the first guest of the year brings gifts like coal for the fire, shortbread or whiskey, according to the Scotland.org article “Hogmanay Top Facts.” If the first-footer is a fair-haired male, a female or if they arrive empty handed, it is said to bring bad luck during the course of the year.

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According to legend, the New Year’s celebrations in China began in order to scare away a mythical lion-like creature called Nian who would come to the villages at the end of winter and eat crops, livestock and even the citizens themselves. They learned that Nian was afraid of fire, loud noises and the color red, and so the traditions began to keep the beast away, according to the ancient-origins. net article “The Origin of Lunar New Year and the Legend of Nian.”

In Spain it is customary to attempt to eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight – one grape for each month of the year.

Many countries celebrate the New Year with fireworks. While some use them as entertainment, other places like China and the Philippines use loud noises to ward off evil spirits.

In Chinese culture, the symbol of the dragon represents good luck, prosperity and fortune.

CHINA: A 15 Day Event

PHILIPPINES: Warding off Evil Spirits

In China, the New Year is celebrated over the course of 15 days with different customs and traditions dedicated to each day. Some of the highlights include The Festival of Lanterns held on the 15th and final day; the color red, which is used in decorations and is believed to represent luck and happiness; and the Dancing of the Dragon celebration. The symbol of the dragon brings prosperity, good luck and good fortune, according to the history.com article “Chinese New Year Traditions.”

In the Philippines, residents complete various activities in order to ward off evil spirits like banging on pots and pans. Windows and doors are also left open to allow the good fortune to enter the home, according to the 123newyear. com article “New Year in Philippines – Traditions and Customs.”

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STOCK PHOTO

In Denmark they collect dishes and glasses throughout the year and on New Year’s they smash them against the doors of loved ones.

In Italy lentils are featured in New Year’s food because they represent wealth and good fortune.

DENMARK: Breaking Plates

ITALY: Plenty of Lentils

In Denmark, dishes, plates and cups are saved and set aside throughout the year and on New Year’s Eve they are thrown and smashed against the doors of friends and family. The amount of broken dinnerware at a person’s door is meant to represent how much that person is loved, according to the mic.com article “New Year's Eve Traditions and Superstitions from around the World.”

In Italy, food is a big component of every holiday and New Year’s Eve is no exception. Surprisingly, the most important ingredient to incorporate in the New Year’s meal is lentils. These tiny legumes symbolize money and good fortune in Italy and are therefore welcomed in abundance, according to the best-country.com article “New Year's Celebrations and Events in Italy.”

RUSSIA: Burning Wishes In Russia it is customary to write down one’s wish for the upcoming year on a small piece of paper before the clock strikes twelve. The piece of paper is then burned and the ashes are sprinkled into their glass of champagne before toasting to the New Year, according to the ibtimes.com article “New Year's Eve Traditions around the World 2016.”

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COSTA RICA: A Multitude of Traditions Costa Rica participates in many customs to bring happiness and good fortune into the New Year. They believe in making the house spotless by sweeping away past evils, throwing a pan full of water over their shoulder to wash away bitter memories and wearing the color yellow for good luck, according to the 123newyear.com article “New Year’s Eve in Costa Rica.”

Instead of partaking in traditional rituals like making a New Year’s resolution or watching the ball drop, try incorporating some of these customs from around the world this December 31. Happy New Year! s

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TRIBUTE

Bob Ernst Amid Loss, 95-Year-Old WWII Vet Finds ‘Salvation’ in Volunteering

story and photography by Michael Stone

T

oward the end of World War II, Navy plane mechanic Bob Ernst was stationed at Kaneohe Bay near Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, helping assemble Lockheed PV-1 Venturas that had been shipped in parts from the U.S. mainland for use in the Pacific.

Before arriving there, Ernst already had about three years of service, mostly at the Navy’s flight training base in Lake City, where he kept a specific PV-1 in working order for Navy and Marine pilot trainees. But Uncle Sam finally pulled him out to sea and away from his wife and two young daughters.

There on the island of Oahu, the 22-year-old made friends with a few of the other “older” guys — or ones who chose to participate in more wholesome activities, like mountain climbing and shell collecting.

“Six of us that were married men didn’t want to go into town and get drunk, that type of thing,” the now 95-year-old remembered from his Gainesville home near Newnans Lake, the same one he has lived in since 1962. “It was play time — work, but play time.”

Ernst never made it to Pearl Harbor to see the lingering signs of destruction from Japan’s surprise attack three years prior. But he did get a taste of war’s carnage in visits with his gang to the Royal Hawaiian hotel and resort, which was being leased by the Navy for rest and recuperation for sailors.

“It was like going to your local hospital and visiting a friend,” he recalled. “[We] volunteered to do that because we almost felt guilty to be stateside, no bullets, Kaneohe Bay, no bullets flying.”

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Some staying at the Hawaiian, he said, were in bad shape and probably didn’t make it.

Those visits with injured sailors were what Ernst remembers as his first major times of volunteerism — but they wouldn’t be the last.

“I came back to the States, home, and beginning working and so forth, with the deep conviction [that the less fortunate] needed help on the home front,” he said.

Today, he can be seen carrying that conviction forward at Gainesville’s Haven Hospice Attic Resale Store, one of five stores in the region that help support the parent not-for-profit organization in its efforts to provide end-of-life care across North Florida.

At the store, he serves as a host, visiting with customers and helping them find particular items.

“When Bob is there, he’s out front. He greets everyone,” said Susie Finfrock, Haven’s manager of volunteer services.

“He says hello and talks with them. He gives hugs. He just really makes our shoppers feel really welcome in the store.”

In addition, Ernst works as repairman, restoring donated frames, clocks, and other items so they can go on the sales floor and be used again instead of ending up in the landfill.

To-be-repaired items are placed in what’s known as “Bob’s box,” and then he sees what he can do in the store or at his athome workspaces.

“I appreciate the fact that they think I can fix it,” Ernst said.

“And when I do, then I feel good, they feel good.”

He has volunteered at Haven for 11 years now, starting soon after the worst of several times of serious loss and hardship seniortimesmagazine.com

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I came back to the States, home, and beginning working and so forth, with the deep conviction [that the less fortunate] needed help on the home front.â&#x20AC;?

December 2017

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Ernst and his wife, Marion (top left), and the couple in a photo with their first two daughters (bottom left). The two met while Ernst was visiting Gainesville for some time away from training on plane mechanics. “It was just one of those things,” he recalled of seeing her in a restaurant at the intersection of Main Street and University Avenue. “She was attracted to me, and I was attracted to her.” Ernst showing historical documents (top right), the primary plane he worked on as a mechanic, the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura (center), and his discharge certificate from the Navy (bottom right).

that have stacked intense trial throughout his life. But such doesn’t seem noticeable to the customers and the roughly 130 other volunteers at the Gainesville store.

“He is happy and smiling all the time,” Finfrock described.

“This is somebody who’s gone through a lot of strife in his life, and he just has really turned it into something positive by giving back and sharing himself with others.”

Ernst was born in blue-collar Ashland, Ohio, at 3 a.m. on Sept. 12, 1922, when Warren Harding was president, the beginning of the Great Depression was seven years out, and $10.90 would buy a new tire.

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He was the only one of his parents’ seven children who entered the world in a hospital instead of at home, planned so only because of potential complications with his birth.

Growing up, Ernst formed and furthered an interest in aircraft. He read magazines featuring World War I flying aces and built model planes, and his dad, who owned an auto-mechanics shop, took him to plane and blimp shows.

Ernst graduated from Ashland High School in June 1941.

That December, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and in January 1942, he signed up for the Navy, preferring that to being drafted into the Army. seniortimesmagazine.com

“I didn’t want to crawl around in the mud in the Army,” he Florida training fields. explained, “and I figured, ‘Well, in the Navy, you’ll be aboard One — a man killed by a moving propeller — he heard about ship. You’ll have a dry bed unless the ship goes down.’” secondhand from an officer and thinks it might have instead Ernst went to Cleveland for processing; Newport, Rhode Isbeen a scare-tactic story. land, for boot camp; and then Naval Air Station Jacksonville for The other — the crash of a Beechcraft training plane, which training on how to be an airplane mechanic. (He had wanted to killed the crew of maybe three — was during Ernst’s brief stay be a pilot instead, but his math scores weren’t high enough.) at Naval Air Station Green Cove Springs en route to Jackson“When you went through that course, you could’ve worked ville. He didn’t see it actually go down but watched firefighton any airplane they had in the Navy — fighters, bombers, trans- ers rush to the crash site. port planes,” he remembered of his 26 weeks in Jacksonville.

“All the men aboard died,” he said, “especially the ones that For some time away from training, he hitchhiked down to were up front.”

Gainesville and, while there, popped into a restaurant at the The transfer to Kaneohe Bay in late ’44 was tough for Ernst intersection of Main Street and University Avenue. Inside, a especially because he and Marion by then had two daughters. young woman named Marion caught his eye.

But he was thankful for not being moved into a combat zone.

“It was just one of those things,” Ernst remembered. “She “It was a sense of gratitude to have such a safe job,” he said. was attracted to me, and I was attracted to her.”

There, Ernst’s specific job was assembling PV-1 engines; Less than a year and a few Greyhound bus trips later, the others focused on different parts shipped over from the U.S., two married, on Jan. 29, 1943. like the radio, hydraulics, and propellers.

At some point during the couple’s courting, the Navy transAside from times with his gang of married men, a favorite ferred Ernst to Naval Air Station Lake City, and once married, memory is of a sailor he spotted in a Honolulu department they got an apartment in Lake City. store while looking for bathrobes to send to his family.

His mechanical specialty at the base was the PV-1, a bomber “Sitting in amongst all the shelves and racks of women’s and patrol plane that also carried machine guns and a crew of five. garments and things of that sort, here’s a sailor with his knitLockheed Martin ended up building 1,600 of them for the Navy. ting [supplies],” Ernst recalled.

“All the people that were going to use that airplane in World War II in the South Pacific … had to go through training in Lake City, Florida,” he said. “They were young men, and we were all young men — 18, 19, 20, 20-something.”

During his three years at Lake City, Ernst was in charge of the upkeep of a specific PV-1, No. 66, on which he painted a Little Lulu comic.

He doesn’t recall how many fresh pilots and crews trained in his plane COMFORT SPECIAL (Lake City was a “pilot mill,” he said), PROTECT YOUR HOME! but he does remember a few being nervous and getting a feel for the plane’s condition by requesting the mechanic to join them. $ REGULARLY 109 COUPON AT “They would even invite you to fly THIS ENT CALL NOW! 352-251-2662 MUST MENTION OR PRES VALID WITH ANY TIME OF PURCHASE. NOT THE 12/31/17 along with them, and if you were the RES EXPI TS. OUN DISC OTHER mechanic responsible for that airplane Call now to save money on a and if you said no, then they wouldn’t 24 HR SERVICE complete HVAC inspection to sign up for that airplane,” he explained.

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“That was the one place he could find. … He knitted whatever he wanted to knit to send back to his wife or whatever.

Very nice man. That was the safe place for him to do that knitting; otherwise, they would’ve run him out of the barracks.”

Following the two atomic-bomb drops in early August 1945, Japan announced its surrender on the 15th and made it official with a ceremony aboard the battleship USS Missouri on Sept. 2.

Ernst’s memories from this time include the rush to get service members in Hawaii back home and waiting in a tent community for his name to be posted on a bulletin board for a ride back.

That posting finally came for him and 26 other sailors, and they hopped on a Merchant Marine oil tanker, which carried them across the Pacific, through the Panama Canal, and to their first spot back on the mainland, Aransas Pass, Texas.

There, at a little Western Union shack, Ernst wired to his family that he was back home.

He eventually boarded a train for Jacksonville, where he was discharged at the rank of aviation machinist’s mate second class, and then headed back to Gainesville, where his wife was staying with her family and their two daughters.

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(Clockwise from top left) Ernst pointing to himself in a Navy group photo, a more recent photo with Ernst and family members, his four daughters as children, and Ernst holding a PV-1 model and then an article that mentions him while he was in high school.

Ernst lived a varied life after the war, but these years are ones he doesn’t like to discuss in much detail.

“If I ever write my memoirs, I would put some of it in that — from birth to death.” He laughed at his word choice. “Or later years, not death. I may be writing by the time I go, I don’t know.”

He is willing, though, to offer several anecdotes. In 1950, he and his wife had two more daughters, twins, one of whom was invalid. And that year, he also enrolled at the University of Florida on the GI Bill of Rights.

In 1952, they joined First Presbyterian Church of Gainesville, which Ernst still attends.

He graduated from UF in the mid-‘50s with a degree from the College of Education’s Department of Industrial Arts and became a shop teacher for area educational institutions.

Those included Tacachale special-needs center (then known as the Florida Farm Colony for the Epileptic and Feeseniortimesmagazine.com

bleminded), UF’s workshop-style lab for engineering students, and lastly, in the late ‘60s, Howard Bishop Middle School.

On Tacachale, Ernst doesn’t have fond recollections.

“They didn’t allow anyone, teacher wise, to chose who they were sending to you,” he remembered. “For three hours, you were doing a babysitting job for some pretty tough characters — a few that could learn, a few that wanted to learn, and some that didn’t want to be anywhere, and some that were medicated to … where they were like a zombie.”

Later, holding onto his convictions of helping those in need, Ernst started a mission in downtown Gainesville.

“I gave up my teaching to try to set up a workshop for disadvantaged … and it didn’t go,” he explained. “I tried to get board members. They’d pat you on the back and say, ‘Well, that’s good what you’re doing and so forth.’ But it was too much of a burden.”

Afterward, Ernst made a living as a self-employed painter and at Publix before having to give up work in the late ‘90s to care for Marion, who began suffering from a prolonged illness and eventually passed away in 2006 at 79.

By the time she died, they had already lost three of their four daughters.

But he still visits regularly with Barbara, his and Marion’s first, a retired teacher who lives in Merritt Island, and he now has seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

And the same year his wife passed away, Ernst found a new calling in Haven Hospice, which he said became “a salvation” because “I had been through so many tough things with the family.”

It’s there that special moments spring up regularly, including one in October, when a woman with connections to Ernst’s

“I’m proud that I was a part of it, my little part.” mission stopped in to drop off donated items.

“I happened to be in the back,” he said, “and she just broke out in a smile. She said, ‘Oh Mr. Ernst, Mr. Bob,’ and started renewing memories of the ‘60s, when her momma and her people … would come into our little store to buy clothes.”

Yet the memories of the war are the ones that seem to stick out the most for Ernst, one of an estimated 600,000 living U.S. vets from the war’s original 16 million-plus.

Others, like those who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, went far beyond a mechanic’s call of duty, Ernst said. But he’s nonetheless thankful he was able to contribute.

“I’m proud that I was a part of it, my little part,” he said.

“We were safe, almost feeling guilty to a point, but not guilty because we were doing what we were told to do.” s

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SUNSTATE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION’S

Community Connection SunState Federal Credit Union has been serving our community for over 60 years. Since the beginning we’ve always found ways to support some of the area’s most amazing charitable organizations.

Check out our Facebook page for more information and get involved!

Noah’s Endeavor There’s nothing Noah Voelker liked more than making friends and playing outside. Like most kids we know, Noah loved playing games. From baseball to soccer, from basketball to kickball, Noah woke up every morning wanting to spend time with his friends and play just about anything he could. But unlike most kids, Noah needed help.

Born prematurely in July of 1989, Noah was born with Cerebral Palsy a neurological disorder that affects body movement and muscle coordination. Noah had hearing and vision loss and would eventually be unable to walk or talk. But everyday of Noah’s short life was an inspiration to the many that knew him, especially his parents Will and Shelly Voelker.

“Noah could do so much more than people ever expected of him,” said Will Voelker recently. “He inspired us and the people around him through his willingness to try anything, to push beyond what most people thought was possible.”

The Voelker’s worked with a local organization called the Endeavor League that organized sports programs for kids like Noah until his passing in 2009. It was then that the Voelker’s took over the program and renamed it Noah’s Endeavor.

with little interaction with anyone outside of the home.

Noah’s Endeavor changes that by providing local sports programs that gets them involved – regardless of ability.”

“The idea behind the initiative was to find ways to help Noah and his friends do what they loved, to play games, paint pictures and be active,” said Will Voelker.

“Community inclusion is a huge concern for these kids. Too often they are relegated to a life of solitude

A nonprofit organization, Noah’s Endeavor uses 100% of its donations to fund, organize and develop local sports programs free of charge. Some of the most popular ongoing, local programs include Baseball for All, Basketball for All, Bowling for All,

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December 2017

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Soccer for All, and Paint for All. Another popular program and one near and dear to the Voelker’s is Aquabilities, a water safety program for children with special physical and developmental needs that teaches them to be comfortable and safe in the water.

“Water safety is a huge concern of mine,” said Will. “Teaching them some basic water safety and helping to improve their swimming and motor skills, could literally save their life.”

Visit the SunState FCU Facebook page for more information.

As with most charitable organizations, Noah’s Endeavor depends on 2 things: Donations and Volunteers.

Will and Shelly may be the directors of Noah’s Endeavor, but they are volunteers. Neither draws a salary or compensation in any way from the organization, allowing for almost every dollar to go right back where it belongs – to support the mission. But as with any organization, donations and volunteers are always needed.

As a community partner, SunState Federal Credit Union has worked closely with Noah’s Endeavor for the past few years to raise funds and awareness of this small but important organization.

“Members of SunState Federal Credit Union should be extremely proud they belong to, and do business with, SunState Federal Credit Union. SunState really does so much more than Shelly and I can even begin to thank them for, in their efforts to help and make a difference in the lives of so many mentally and physically challenged individuals, both young and old.”

Thanks to being designated as the primary beneficiary of SunState’s Annual Golf Tournament held at Ironwood Golf Course, Noah’s Endeavor has been able to continue and grow some of their programs. However, fundraising and adding volunteers continues to be a critical need for Will and Shelly.

Looking for a way to help? Learn more about Noah’s Endeavor online at www. noahsendeavor.org or email them directly at info@naohsendeavor.org.

“He inspired us and the people around him through his willingness to try anything, to push beyond what most people thought was possible.”

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GIVING BACK(PACK)

Fighting Childhood Hunger Story and Photography by Darla Kinney Scoles

O

n any given day, at 435 NW 2nd Street in Ocala, folks can be seen waiting in line for a free lunch, walking in to receive help with prescription drug costs, talking with a variety of counselors, shopping a free clothing boutique for work interviews or court appearances, taking part in health education classes and even being seen by volunteer doctors and dentists for care they are not able to receive elsewhere. At this address — home to Interfaith Emergency Services (IES) — the lives of more than 30,000 Marion County residents are touched each year by services that also include emergency assistance, shelter programs, a food pantry and thrift store.

There are some lives, however, that are changed by IES, though the individuals involved never step one foot into the sprawling facility. Food 4 Kids, a program started in 2004, sends food home with young students in wheeled backpacks every weekend during the school year with the help of a bevy of volunteers and guidance counseling staff at local elementary schools. With the goal that no child should go to bed hungry, this program aims to fill the gap (and empty stomachs) that can occur on weekends when children who receive breakfast and lunch at school on a daily basis, go without food on the weekends when no such offering is available.

Thirteen years after sending home backpacks with children in just two schools, Food 4 Kids has seen the need for their services to grow. The program now feeds more than 1,700

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children from 34 Marion County schools at a cost of about $6.50 per child per week. Interfaith Emergency Services purchases most of the backpack contents (more than 3,000 pounds each week), though some is donated, spending more than $20,000 per month. The rolling bags are filled with a variety of high-quality food items including canned meat, peanut butter, fruit cups, oatmeal, pasta and snacks designed to help students focus on learning instead of hunger.

“Kids can’t help the situation they’re in,” said Food 4 Kids manager Karen Fant. Seated in her office that boasts a wallsized whiteboard for tracking the hundreds of food-filled packs, she stressed the point that hunger is not a child’s fault.

“I started volunteering here because I have a heart for children and it is the children we serve who keep me here. I love this program.”

Fant served as a Food 4 Kids volunteer for five years before being asked to consider running the program full-time. She accepted that position and loves to tell the story of the origin of the backpack initiative, which involves a South Florida school principal in the late 1990s discovering that one student had filled his pockets with spaghetti for his hungry younger sister at home, who had no school lunch to provide herself nourishment.

Food 4 Kids backpacks feed not only the students who wheel them home, but those students’ siblings as well. Guidance staff at each school find out the number of children in each backpack home and orders are filled accordingly — seniortimesmagazine.com

At a cost of approximately $6.50 per child, Food 4 Kids feeds more than 1,700 children from 34 schools.

The program began in 2004 with just two schools and the belief that no child should go to bed hungry.

Interfaith Emergency Services’ Chief Executive Officer, Karla Grimsley stops in to the Food 4 Kids Program warehouse during a recent IES tour. According to Grimsley, the food sent home each weekend in these backpacks makes a huge difference in the lives of needy Marion County children — allowing them to focus on learning rather than hunger.

Perhaps the biggest ‘thank you’ the staff and volunteers at Food 4 Kids receive comes each spring, when the students in the program write letters of appreciation to those who serve them. The colorfully illustrated notes are an annual treat for F4K manager Karen Fant and her helpers.

getting food to hungry pre-school, middle and high school students in addition to elementary school children enrolled in the program. All information is anonymous, with backpacks tracked and filled by number rather than name. Every backpack is also handled by several loving volunteers who pickup, deliver, pack and track each one.

“We could not afford to do this program without our volunteers,” said Fant. “The hours alone required to handle these packs would be more than we could pay to keep this food going home on the weekends.”

Patti Barrett has been a Food 4 Kids volunteer for just over a year but has seen the program from the other side for several

years, having worked as a guidance clerk before recently retiring.

“As a guidance clerk, I was aware of the program and believed in it,” said Barrett while filling backpacks one October morning. “There were a lot of times when school families were new to the area or without work and needed a little help.

Food 4 Kids was a good thing for them in that situation. Children should not be hungry.”

Barrett also volunteers through her church and explained that there is another person that is positively impacted through the act of giving. “What I know about giving back is that it appears to be a blessing for the recipient, but really it is a blessing for the giver,” she said. “It makes your heart happy. It is an honor.”

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CLEAR SOUND AUDIOLOGY WELCOMES DR. MICHELLE LANG

Givers in the Food 4 Kids program (53 in total, working 70 hours weekly) include individuals, churches, clubs and organizations, and even prison ministry members who help load and unload trucks filled with food items.

“We have the best volunteers in Marion County,” said Fant.

“They give of their time, gas and finances and I can’t thank them enough.”

According to IES chief executive officer Karla Grimsley, thousands of children have been positively impacted through the Food 4 Kids program due to the support of their volunteers and the community. “If we can at least get them off to a healthy start, their opportunities for success are so much better,” Grimsley said. “It truly is so much more than a little bit of food. The benefits are priceless.”

Perhaps the biggest ‘thank you’ the staff and volunteers at Food 4 Kids receive comes each spring when the students in the program write letters of appreciation to those who serve them. The colorful illustrated notes are an annual treat for Fant and her helpers.

To read the words, “I would starve if you didn’t give me food,” would make anyone want to continue giving as much as they possibly could. s For more information, or to make a donation call: 352-620-8239.

How to help the Food 4 Kids Program: • Organize a food/backpack drive in your church, business or organization.

• Donate food.

• Contribute financially with a tax-deductible donation.

Dr. Swamy and Dr. Larmann are proud to announce the addition of Dr. Lang to Clear Sound Audiology. As a patient focused practice, Clear Sound Audiology offers state of the art hearing technologies individually tailored to your hearing, lifestyle, and budget.

Volunteer to serve in the following ways: • Packing backpacks in the Foods 4 Kids warehouse.

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seniortimesmagazine.com

A Country Christmas

T

here is nothing quite so memorable in a child’s mind as Christmas Eve when Santa arrives! In our country home there were lots of preparations to be made before Santa came.

Our house was decked out with a live tree that was usually cut down from the nearby timber.

The pine scent filled our little cottage because the tree was so fresh. As a very small child, when no one was looking, I reached up to grasp a spiral metal ornament as it twirled enticingly from the heat radiating off of the tree’s colorful light bulbs. It made a deep cut in my little finger, and although I was too small to remember the pain, I still have a distinct scar on that finger today. My mother told me it was the one moment in her very busy day that she sat down to read the newspaper, and of course I made use of that moment to reach for that sharp ornament!

Soon after this experience, when my mother grew weary of me always getting into the tree decorations, she devised a clever solution. She gave me a “tree” of my own, which actually was a large branch off of the pine tree that we selected for our home. There were always branches trimmed off the bottom, to make the tree fit correctly in the corner of our living room. She secured it in a concrete block and covered the base with some pretty fabric. It was a brilliant idea, as I was so proud of “my tree” that I no longer bothered the family tree. That branch looked somewhat like a Charlie

Brown tree, slightly lopsided and bare in spots, but it was the most beautiful sight to my little eyes. I spent the weeks before Christmas decorating and re-decorating that tree to my heart’s content. And all the ornaments were child-safe, of course.

I remember one year my mother had an idea to use my picture on our Christmas cards. She cut up her fur coat and made a coat for me. We waited for the perfect snowy day to go out and take the pictures with her Brownie camera. She got a fresh pine wreath and I posed for the card holding it until my mom felt sure she had a “good one.”

I remember not being very fond of that fur coat because I felt “fat” in it. Looking at the picture today, I am touched by my mother’s desire to make me the coat, and actually have to admit I looked pretty cute.

When Christmas Eve arrived, some family and friends would gather at our little home to wait for Santa. I didn’t realize then that they were there especially to see my excitement when he arrived. Every year my father had to leave just about the time Santa usually came. I remember begging Daddy to stay a little longer, so he wouldn’t miss him. He always told me he wouldn’t be long; he just had to go get some ice for the party and would be right back. Wouldn’t you know it, Santa arrived soon after my father left. I remember Santa scooping me up for a big hug, and there was something a little familiar about Santa’s laugh. A few years later, I figured it out.

Merry Christmas—and may all your memories be merry and bright! s

MOTHER HEN IS PROUD TO BE A “BABY BOOMER” RAISED ON A FARM POPULATED BY DOGS, CATS, CHICKENS, DUCKS, GEESE, HORSES AND COWS. THE WISDOM SHE GAINED WHILE GROWING UP IN THE COUNTRY CAN’T BE FOUND IN BOOKS. YOU CAN CONTACT MOTHER HEN AT motherhenfarmtales@gmail.com.

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We feel the best way to find and recognize local charities in our communities is by asking you!

The SunState Community Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves the communities in and around North Central Florida by promoting and facilitating philanthropy.

The Foundation was established to promote and provide charitable assistance that contributes towards the development, education and well-being of the communities, areas and residents of Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy Counties in Florida. The foundation’s initial goal is to administer and fully fund the award winning Facebook Charity-ofthe-Month program. SunState Federal Credit Union started the program in 2013, but has turned over administration of the program to the foundation, with SunState Federal Credit Union acting only as a sponsor. This has been done in the belief that this path will ensure the program remains a strong and expanding community resource long into the future.

The SunState Community Foundation, Inc., provides donors/members opportunities to participate in the furtherance of the foundation’s goals in multiple ways. First, and foremost, the donors/members are providing funds to support the foundation’s charitable initiatives. Donors/members can also nominate groups for the Charity of the Month program, and then vote for the group of their choice. Donors/members are encouraged to participate and vote in the Charity of the Month program.

Ultimately, the voters choose where foundation donations go as part of the infrastructure of the program.

SunState Community Foundation, Inc. S PONSORSHIP LEV ELS AVA ILA BLE $

1,000 CHARITY OF THE MONTH SPONSOR

$

•

Recognized on all 4 Entercom Communication stations, 30 times (120 total); KTK, SKY, WRUF and ESPN.

•

Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Senior Times’ Facebook page.

•

Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Senior Times Magazine.

•

•

•

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December 2017

500 RANDOM CHARITY SPONSOR Recognized on 2 of Entercom Communications stations, 30 times (60 total); WRUF and ESPN Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Senior Times’ Facebook page.

Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Senior Times Magazine.

$

300 NOMINATOR SPONSOR

•

Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Senior Times’ Facebook page.

•

Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Senior Times Magazine.

$

100 RANDOM VOTER SPONSOR

•

Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page.

•

Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Senior Times Magazine

seniortimesmagazine.com

COMMUNITY PARTNERS >> CHARITY OF THE MONTH

CH A RIT Y OF THE MONTH WINNER S MOST RECENT WINNING ORGANIZATIONS TO NOMINATE A CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE OR TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE NOMINEES, VISIT:

www.facebook.com/SunStateFCU and click on “Charity of the Month”

OCTOBER WINNER

Basketball Cop Foundation The Basketball Cop Foundation’s mission is to connect law enforcement agencies across the country with the kids in their communities. This is accomplished primarily by supplying the agencies with sports equipment. The recipient agency will then in turn donate the equipment to groups of kids in their community through their patrol officers. Not only does the initial donation of the equipment open

the door to new relationships, but it gives the patrol officers in those areas a place where they know they can interact with kids on a regular basis and continue to build on those relationships.

Other winners include Bobby White, who will win $300 for nominating them. The random charity is GiGi’s Playhouse Gainesville and they will receive $500. The random voter, Lilly Bell, will get $100.

A project of the SunState Community Foundation, Inc. Presented by SunState Federal Credit Union, Our Town Family of Magazines and Entercom Communications

December 2017 7

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CALENDAR UPCOMING EVENTS IN ALACHUA & MARION GAINESVILLE MUSIC ASSOCIATION PUBLIC SYMPOSIUM & WORKSHOP First Monday 6:30pm – 7:30pm GAINESVILLE - Aurora Downtown, 109 SE 4th Ave. Join the music community for a workshop on a carefully developed aspect of different areas of the music business. These events begin with a presentation and workshop on a thoughtfully researched topic that our organization thinks will genuinely help the music community. www.gainesvillemusicassociation.com.

TAP DANCE WITH CHAYA Tuesdays Times Vary GAINESVILLE - North Central Florida YMCA, Studio 2, 5201 NW 34th Blvd. Designed to demonstrate that creativity can be fun for everyone and make the community stronger and healthier! Open to the public, all are welcome.

6:00pm beginner and 7:00pm intermediate.

Class cards are 6/$74 or 10/$108. 352-358-5005.

BIRD WALK Wednesdays 8:30am GAINESVILLE - Sweetwater Wetlands Park, 325 SW Williston Rd. Birding field. Trips will be led by volunteers from Alachua Audubon Society. Walks are free, but park admission is $5 per car. www.alachuaaudubon.org.

WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY Wednesdays 7:00pm - 11:00pm GAINESVILLE - 101 Downtown, 201 SW Second Ave. Enjoy live Jazz and great wine – Seasonal wines are available for half price to give patrons the ability to find their perfect wine. $20 allyou-can-drink house wine. 352-283-8643.

ROCKEYS COMEDY BOOM

BIRDS AND BREW First Thursday 7:00pm – 8:00pm GAINESVILLE - First Magnitude Brewery, 1220 SE Veitch St. Meet at the Brewery each month for a stroll to Depot Park to look for birds, and return to First Mag for a cold brew and good conversation. Birds and Brew is a monthly event meeting on the 1st Thursday evening. All birding skill levels are welcome; enthusiasm is what matters! www.alachuaaudubon.org.

9:00am - 3:00pm NEWBERRY - Dudley Farm Historic State Park, 18730 W. Newberry Road. See an original Florida working farm from the post-Civil War to the 1940s as they grind sugar cane using mule power and boil it into cane syrup. See old-time craft demonstrations, such as grinding corn into cornmeal, ironsmithing, woodworking, and washday demonstrations. There will also be children’s activities and toys, old-time music, quilt drawing and vendors are featured on this living history day. www.friendsofdudleyfarm.org.

CRAFT FESTIVAL 2017 Dec. 2 & 3

7:00pm – 9:30pm GAINESVILLE - Grace Presbyterian Church, 3146 NW 13th St. For all who are interested in learning and singing women’s Acapella barbershop harmony music. 352-318-1281.

ARTWALK GAINESVILLE

GLAM CRAFT SHOW

Last Friday

Sunday, Dec. 3

7:00pm - 10:00pm GAINESVILLE - Downtown. Artwalk is a free monthly self-guided tour that combines exciting visual art, live performance and events with many local galleries, eateries and businesses participating. www.artwalkgainesville.com.

10:00am - 4:00pm GAINESVILLE - First Magnitude, 1220 SE Veitch St. GLAM Craft Show provides shoppers the opportunity to purchase unique holiday gifts made right here in the local community. 352-234-6614.

HARMONY SHOW CHORUS Thursdays

LADY GAMERS Fridays 1:00pm HIGH SPRINGS - New Century Woman’s Club, 40 NW 1st Ave. The Lady Gamers meet for fun, friendship and food. Everyone is invited. Meet old friends and make some new ones. 386-454-9828.

GUIDED WALK First Saturday 10:00am – 12:00pm GAINESVILLE - Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, 4700 SW 58th Dr. Come out for a guided tour of the Gardens the first Saturday of every month. Regular admission price for non-members and members are admitted free of charge. 352-372-4981.

MUSIC IN THE PARK

9:30pm – 11:00pm GAINESVILLE - Rockeys Dueling Piano Bar, 112 S Main St. Local comedians open the show for a different nationally touring headliner each week.

Doors open at 8:45pm and price is $5, with drink specials accompanying the show. 352-505-0042.

Third Sunday

December 2017

Saturday, Dec. 2

10:00am – 5:00pm GAINESVILLE - Stephen C. O’Connell Center, 250 Gale Lemerand Drive. This annual event showcases crafts that are authentically made by talented artisans and crafters. The festival provides an excellent opportunity to shop for unique merchandise and gifts and features hundreds of different vendors. Come find something special for yourself or that hard to shop for person in your life. 352-392-7238.

Wednesdays

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DUDLEY FARM FALL FARM AND CANE FESTIVAL

2:00pm – 4:00pm HIGH SPRINGS - 120 NW 2nd Ave. A free concert featuring artists from all over North Florida. Performances take place at locations in and around the James Paul Park area.

THE KINGSMEN IN CONCERT Friday, December 8 6:30pm OCALA - Christ’s Church of Marion County, 6768 SW 80th St. The Kingsmen were the first group to film and record a live performance at the famous Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and are inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Christian Music Hall of Fame.

Their music has a message, the message of Christ. This is a free concert, no tickets required. 352-861-6182 or www.ccomc.org.

ARTUSICWEST Saturday, Dec. 9 10:00am – 5:00pm NEWBERRY - Canterbury Equestrian Facility, 23100 W. Newberry Rd. A showcase event of local artists, vendors and local musicians, with food and artwork available for purchase. The facility also features a horse show in the covered arena that guests are welcome to watch. Free parking, entrance and music! 352-328-6112.

seniortimesmagazine.com

FROZEN SILENT GALA CHRISTMAS BANQUET Saturday, Dec. 9 6:00pm – 9:00pm GAINESVILLE - 3575 NE 15th St. This is the 4th Annual Silent Gala Christmas Banquet. Invite friends and come and enjoy this beautiful day.

Dress Attire: Formal. Please no jeans, no open shoe/sandal shoe. This is a Formal Event so dress to impress. Silent Gala background: The focus is to help every deaf family or any family that has a deaf child. Silentgala2015@gmail.com.

LESSONS AND CAROLS CHRISTMAS SERVICE Sunday, Dec. 10 Times vary GAINESVILLE - United Church of Gainesville, 1624 NW 5th Ave. Spend some time reveling in the beauty of traditional and non-traditional Christmas music offered by the church’s instrumentalists and adult, youth and children’s choirs interspersed with the heart-warming story of Jesus’s birth. 352-378-3500.

VOICES RISING COMMUNITY CHORUS HOLIDAY CONCERT Friday, Dec. 15 7:30pm GAINESVILLE - The First United Methodist Church, 419 NE 1st St. Some of the works include “Carol of the Bells,” “Night of Silence,” “Hanukkah Holiday,” “Celebrate Kwanzaa,” and “Winds through the Olive Trees.”

Admission is by donation. vrccgainesville.org.

SANTA’S WONDERLAND Thru Dec. 24 Times vary GAINESVILLE - Bass Pro Shops, 2650 Bass Pro Shops Blvd. Come out and enjoy this magical Christmas village offering free photos with Santa and free family holiday activities including fun crafts and games. Features include rustic Christmas cabins, holiday characters and live elves set amongst a dazzling backdrop of snow-covered hills and illuminated Christmas trees. Kids can also spend time at one of the activity tables where they can write a letter to Santa, color and do fun crafts. 352-204-4100.

If you would like us to publicize an event in Alachua or Marion counties, send information by the 13th day of the month prior.

All submissions will be reviewed and every effort will be made to run qualified submissions if page space is available.

352-373-9178 (fax) or email: events@towerpublications.com

Rare, Beautiful & Fascinating: 100 Years @FloridaMuseum Thru Jan. 7 GAINESVILLE - Florida Museum of Natural History, 3215 Hull Road. The Florida Museum marks its 100th anniversary as the state’s official natural history museum with a free exhibit highlighting objects from its collections! The “Rare, Beautiful & Fascinating” exhibit showcases some of the Museum’s most treasured objects and features scientists in a working lab, extinct species, a 26-foot-long humpback whale skeleton and a 3-D printer in action. www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu

December 2017

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THEATRE Acrosstown Repertory Theatre.....................619 S. Main Street, Gainesville Curtis M. Phillips Center ........................................... 315 Hull Road, Gainesville Fine Arts Hall Theatre - SFC ........................... 3000 NW 83rd St., Gainesville Gainesville Community Playhouse ....... 4039 N.W. 16th Blvd., Gainesville Hippodrome State Theatre................................. 25 SE 2nd Place, Gainesville UF Constans Theatre ................................................. Museum Road, Gainesville McGuire Pavilion Black Box Theatre................ Museum Road, Gainesville Actors’ Warehouse .............................................. 608 N. Main Street, Gainesville Ocala Civic Theatre ..................................4337 East Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala High Springs Playhouse ................................ 130 NE 1st Avenue, High Springs

OCALA CIVIC THEATRE

The Nutcracker

Dec. 8 – 17 Marion Ballet Theatre invites you to celebrate the 37th annual Nutcracker! A Beloved Christmas tradition for the entire family, this will be the most magical production yet!

HIGH SPRINGS PLAYHOUSE

It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

Thru Dec. 17 This beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve.

CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER

The Nutcracker

Dec. 15 - Dec. 17 Become entranced by the beauty of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her dazzling court, enchanted by the swirling snowflakes and breathtaking snow, and cheer for the tiny toy soldiers and their leader, the handsome Nutcracker Prince. A sparkling production with beautiful costumes and sets, this is truly... ‘the all-time family favorite.’

36

December 2017

352-371-1234 352-392-ARTS 352-395-4181 352-376-4949 352-375-4477 352-273-0526 352-392-1653 352-222-3699 352-236-2274 386-454-3525

ACROSSTOWN REPERTORY THEATRE

Gainesville Homegrown Local Playwrights’ Showcase

Dec. 7 - 17 Come experience the fifth annual celebration of area playwrights!

Previous showcases have included world premieres of staged script readings and performances, and the theatre is preparing for this year to be “the best ever.” Two weekends, 12 plays, and a lifetime of memories.

See the hottest new plays in town!

ACTORS’ WAREHOUSE

Steal Away

Thru Dec. 17 A folktale set in Chicago during the Depression, this farce is the story of five upstanding church ladies who raise funds to send young Black women to college by holding bake sales and the like. Their latest beneficiary, Tracyada, has more ambitious ideas. She wants them all to rob a bank! Of course, the ladies are reluctant to do anything that drastic; but when they are turned down at the bank for a loan to send another young woman to college because the white bank manager doesn’t think “colored girls” need an education, the ladies decide to join in Tracyada’s scheme. Incredibly enough, they

manage to pull off the robbery; and, they escape scot-free as the news comes over the radio that the police suspect the Dillinger gang!

GAINESVILLE COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE

GI Holiday Jukebox

Dec. 8 - 22 Set during WWII, GI Holiday Jukebox features four fictitious Hollywood stars who have gathered a string of 1940s hits and Christmas music to entertain the troops. It’s Christmastime, the world is at war, and for 90 brief minutes, the world is at peace as the four singing stars deliver some of the best music of the 1940s, framed by a collection of holiday and Christmas music. Filled with great standards, holiday music and comedy, the show is reminiscent of the USO shows of days gone by.

Musical moments include tributes to The Andrew Sisters, Bing Crosby, Spike Jones and many more.

HIPPODROME STATE THEATRE

A Year With Frog And Toad

Thru Dec. 17 A whimsical musical that tells the tale of two best friends: the easygoing Frog and the curmudgeonly Toad. The story follows Frog and Toad through four colorful seasons, along with their lively, quirky friends Snail, Turtle, the Birds, and more.

This holiday season, audiences of all ages will delight in this Broadway hit which was nominated for three Tony Awards – including Best Musical.

A Christmas Carol

Thru Dec. 22 Share the joy of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The Hipp’s production carries the timeless messages of redemption, charity, and goodwill in a heartfelt, traditional adaptation. The perfect way to spend time with your loved ones during the holidays. seniortimesmagazine.com

COLUMN œ DONNA BONNELL

Embracing Life The Messy Middle

S

peaker, Robin Sharma, said, “All change is hard at first, messy in the middle and so gorgeous at the end.”

Sharma’s insight hit home, as I was trapped in the messy middle of a devastating change. Sadly, after years of scrutinizing life’s dilemmas, I was stumped on how to move forward.

Regular readers know my theory – life is daily. I take one step at a time, face challenges and celebrate achievements.

When overcoming difficulties, expressing gratitude and remaining optimistic keeps me grounded.

Something about this transition was different. When I lost the ability to remain positive, I grew increasingly angry at myself. Perhaps it was my age; perhaps it was the unjust ending to a successful career; perhaps I hit a dead end. It was probably all of the above.

Internal turmoil persisted. It felt like my soul was nudging my physical body to stop being stagnant. I faithfully surrendered, prayed and actively pursued my next divine assignment. Nothing worked. Something was missing.

Fortunately, I held on tight to a personal proven practice – to remain open for signs. Messages come when I mentally slow down and listen. After a year, I began receiving my lesson.

The first clue came when I heard an unfamiliar phrase – Divine Discontent.

It seemed outside the realm of religious thinking. How can I be discontent with

divinity? My answer was found in “How to Identify and Deal with Divine Discontent” written by Dr. Terrie Wurzbacker.

He said, “Whenever we are not living in our true place we experience what is called Divine Discontent.”

“For years I led a purpose-driven life. What if I had already fulfilled my entire divine plan?”

That concept made sense. Maybe God provides an intervention in the form of discontent. My life was good, so I remained puzzled. Why was my desire to make a move so strong? I dug for more answers and discovered my second puzzle piece, by studying the word desire.

Desire comes from De-Sire, or “of the Father.” Was my deep yearning coming from God? Some believe that divine discontent leads to desire. Perhaps, that is another logical theory, but I could not define my new desire. For years I led a purpose-driven life. What if I had already fulfilled my entire divine plan?

At that point, I knew drastic measures were necessary to eradicate those negative thoughts. So, I began cleaning closets. Surprising method, perhaps. How-

ever, housework serves as a way for me to simultaneously accomplish a human chore and a spiritual cleansing. While performing mundane tasks, I meditate. It worked — my final clue surfaced!

Motivation tapes and self-help books stored safely in a bin seemed to jump out of their hiding spot. I stopped my reorganization effort and began reviewing the contents of the nearly forgotten box.

That treasure chest contained the following quote written by author Eckhart Tolle, “Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry—all forms of fear—are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of non-forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.”

Tolle’s reference to presence was my missing link. I was stuck in the past by feeling that I needed that job to fulfill my daily ‘present’ purpose. What I failed to recognize was that my former workplace, once a vehicle to serve others, had evolved into a toxic environment.

My aha moment came when I realized staying in that position was my messy middle. Ironically, my termination was the beginning of the gorgeous end. Even more important was understanding why I could not determine my next divine appointment. I was already there.

We all endure painful changes. Remaining in situations where we do not belong ultimately hurts more than letting go. I am grateful to the Universe for intervening on my behalf. Finally, I am unstuck and welcome 2018.

My prayer for the new year is for everyone to move quickly through their messy middles, in order to fully embrace life. s Donna Bonnell is a freelance writer who moved to Newberry in 1983. She enjoys living and working in the town she now calls home. bonneldj@gmail.com

December 2017

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BOOK REVIEW BY

TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

You Don’t Own Me: How Mattel v. MGA Entertainment Exposed Barbie’s Dark Side

BY ORLY LOBEL c.2017, W.W.Norton, $27.95 / $36.95 Canada, 304 pages

A

s a kid, what was your favorite toy?

You can probably remember it instantly: the thing you couldn’t bear to leave at home, the doll you spent hours with, the toy truck that road-tripped your imagination. Just thinking of it gives you a warm feeling and a wistful smile but in “You Don’t Own Me” by Orly Lobel, you’ll read about two toy companies that weren’t playin’.

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December 2017

Years after it happened, Carter Bryant couldn’t tell you what spurred him to think the way he did that sunny afternoon.

Maybe it was dissatisfaction with his on-again-off-again job at Mattel. Maybe it was a recent, nasty break-up with his on-again-off-again boyfriend. Or maybe it was a quirk in his impressively creative mind that made him notice three teenagers as they left their small-town-Missouri school, and that made Bryant think of his huge idea.

All his life, he’d been an artist and he’d dreamed of designing clothes.

After graduating from fashion school, he landed a job at Mattel to work with Barbie but Mattel had no tolerance for spontaneous creativity, says Lobel, and that was something Bryant couldn’t abide. And so, as he moved from Los Angeles to his parents’ home in Missouri then back to Mattel a few times, Bryant obsessed about three hip teenage dolls, drawing and re-drawing, putting them away and revisiting them, creating their fictitious lives, rounding them out and making them real.

In August 2000, a friend and former Mattel co-worker introduced Bryant to two people who would change his life; both were executives at Mattel rival MGA. And both were excited to see what Bryant had been calling his “Bratz.”

For many years, Isaac Larian, a Jewish-Iranian immigrant and the

owner-founder of toy company MGA, had been looking for a blockbuster toy.

He wanted to own it, not just distribute it, and he was “no stranger to litigation.”

That was a good thing because, after many attempts to get Barbie back on her molded feet to fight against Larian and MGA’s newly-purchased Bratz fashiondoll line, Mattel got mad.

And in 2004, it filed the first lawsuit…

Do you own the ideas you concoct on your own time? Or can your employer take them for free? Those are just two of the intriguing questions inside “You Don’t Own Me.” Of course, in the case of Mattel vs.

MGA, many arguments were made, and author Orly Lobel recounts them here.

While there’s some lean in the narrative, and well-considered author opinion, Lo-

Mixed with the story, Lobel looks at gender and the nature of play, which lends a nostalgic tone to a book that’s highly readable, even if you’re not in business. bel also presents a nice full background of both companies, as well as biographies, to allow for better understanding before she launches her subtle argument-starters.

Mixed with the story, Lobel looks at gender and the nature of play, which lends a nostalgic tone to a book that’s highly readable, even if you’re not in business.

This book – and the story – ends on an uneasy note; absolutely, it’ll give inventors pause and businesspeople a reason for eagle-eyed vigilance. For sure, “You Don’t Own Me” shows that the ownership of ideas is nothing to toy with.

Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was 3 years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives with her two dogs and 11,000 books.

seniortimesmagazine.com

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