The Lakelander | January - February 2015

JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2015

PREPPY AT THE POLY / SECRET SUPPER CLUB / ARTS LAKELAND WHEELY AMAZING ART / NAMASTE

5K AND 10K LAKELAND’S MUNN PARK 2

THE LAKELANDER

Lakeland Regional Health is proud to announce our inaugural Promise Run. The 5K and 10K courses will follow the historic streets and lakes of Lakeland. The race is open to runners and walkers of all ages.

All proceeds benefit the Lakeland Regional Health Cancer Center, where innovators in cancer care and research deliver the most advanced and comprehensive diagnostics and treatments.

Run or walk in memory of a loved one. Create a team to celebrate victories. Volunteer to show your support.

Join the heroes racing to conquer cancer!

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER, VISIT PROMISERUN.ORG OR CALL 863-687-1024.

THE LAKELANDER

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exciting!

FRESH...

New!

CONTEMPO Collection

MILAN JENSEN Collection Collection A lively start to the new year!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

36 JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2015

DEPARTMENTS JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2015

18 NOTE FROM THE EDITORS 20 EDITORIAL BIOS 124 EVENTS 128 OPENINGS 130 HISTORY

ON THE COVER Under the cover of a moody sky, surrounded by lush blueberry fields, and enveloped in community at its finest, Chef Marcos Fernandez, executive chef at the Lakeland Yacht and Country Club, prepared a perfect farm-to-table meal for The Lakelander’s first Secret Supper Club. Photo by Tina Sargeant.

PrePPy at the Poly / Secret Supper club / artS lakeland Wheely AmAzing Art / namaSte

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Golf.

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It’s the perfect place to improve your golf swing, enjoy a meal with friends, or even host a celebration. You work hard and you deserve a place to relax and let loose. The unexpected is right here waiting for you. Find it at The Club at Eaglebrooke, where everyone’s invited.

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• THE LAKELANDER

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PEOPLE 26 GOING PLACES WITH TOM PHILLIPS The man behind the bus

TASTE 36 SUPPER CLUB ON THE FARM A farm-to-table dining experience

SPORT 50 GET UP, GET OUT, AND GET RUNNING A runner’s story

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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STYLE 60 PREPPY AT THE POLY A modern-style mash-up

WELLNESS 74 NAMASTE The centering practice of yoga

SHELTER 82 A LIVING SOUL

How one designer created a home that rises up to greet you

PHILANTHROPY 96 SUNRISE COMMUNITY Changing perceptions through art

CULTURE 104 ARTS LAKELAND

Florida Southern College MBA students set out to prove that Lakeland’s arts community is not only a powerful agent of social change but also an engine of economic activity

108 VITAL, VIBRANT, AND VALUABLE

Lakeland’s arts scene reveals the true value of our creative community

SPECIAL FEATURE 116 BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE LAKELANDER

Meet Lisa Malott, owner of Wish Vintage Rentals

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CenterState Bank is a proud partner of Southeastern University. Go Fire!!

Angel Gonzalez, Vice President of Commercial Banking, and his wife Rosalie live in South Lakeland where they raise their daughter Aaliyah. Angel and his wife met for the first time as students at Southeastern University where they later got engaged. Angel and his family now attend Victory Church @ Lakeside Village. They are proud Lakelander’s and big advocates of all the great assets Lakeland has to offer.

at the

of our community

Downtown Lakeland • Lake Miriam • 12 Polk County Locations • centerstatebank.com

PUBLISHER Curt Patterson ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS Jason Jacobs, Brandon Patterson Advertising ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Curt Patterson; 863.409.2449 ADVERTISING SALES Jason Jacobs; 863.606.8785 ADVERTISING SALES Brandon Patterson; 863.409.2447

Editorial EDITOR, DIRECTOR OF CONTENT Alice V. Koehler EDITOR, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Tina Sargeant

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GUEST EDITOR, CULTURE AND WELLNESS Abby Jarvis MEN’S STYLE EDITOR Abdiel Gonzalez PEOPLE EDITOR Adam Spafford PHILANTHROPY EDITOR

Tara Campbell SHELTER EDITOR Christian Lee GUEST EDITOR, SPORT David Leslie TASTE EDITOR Logan Crumpton WOMEN’S STYLE EDITOR Courtney Philpot COPY EDITOR Laura Burke OFFICE MANAGER Deb Patterson ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Kristin Crosby Design ART DIRECTOR Philip Pietri GRAPHIC DESIGNER Daniel Barcelo Photography CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Sarah Brewington, Tiffani Jones, Philip Pietri, Tina Sargeant, Jason Stephens, Naomi Suchy, Jordan Weiland Circulation CIRCULATION DIRECTOR

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The Lakelander is published bimonthly by Patterson Jacobs Publishing, P.O. Box 41, Lakeland, FL 33802. Reproduction in whole or in part without express written permission of The Lakelander is prohibited. The Lakelander is not responsible for any unsolicited submissions.

Contact Patterson Jacobs Publishing, P.O. Box 41, Lakeland, FL 33802 863.701.2707 www.thelakelander.com Customer Service: 863.701.2707 Subscription Help: jason@pattersonpublishing.com “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

EDITORIAL

NOTE FROM THE EDITORS

Alice V. Koehler

T Lakeland’s Premier COFFEE HOUSE & CASUAL EATERY

he busy day-to-day of the year behind us has fizzled. Now we are graced with the beauty of a new year and endless opportunities to celebrate. With this new year also comes a refreshing time to enjoy the now and to find hope in the time yet to come. We look to the season ahead as an opportunity to pursue meaning, to become confident in resolve, to appreciate what we have, and to express ourselves.

Within this edition of The Lakelander lies a celebration of self-expression that has a way of calling out common experiences, of bridging gaps, and of building community. In the pages that follow, you will find a collection of stories about vibrant members of our community who are cultivating art, passion, and beauty that encourage human connection. In recent years, Lakeland has been gifted with a renewed appreciation for the arts and for expression — a gift that has given our city a charming and vivacious new identity. And The Lakelander celebrates it!

We wish for you this year the discovery of self-expression through new and unexpected channels. May you experience a sense of wonder through which you will create true beauty in excess.

Happy 2015, Lakelanders!

Alice and Tina

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EDITORIAL BIOS ALICE V. KOEHLER

EDITOR, DIRECTOR OF CONTENT Alice Koehler is a longtime Lakeland resident, graduate of Florida Southern College, returned Peace Corps volunteer, mother, and lifelong learner. She holds a certificate in nonprofit management as well as a B.S. in sociology and education. In 2013, she graduated from Leadership Lakeland Class 30 and began her journey as an MBA student. In her free time, she enjoys adventure seeking, memory making, joy giving, bargain hunting, community building, mind bending, knowledge acquiring, and soul filling. Alice is currently the senior representative of Community Engagement for the American Cancer Society in Polk County where she gets to see more birthdays celebrated every year by supporting and implementing efforts that help our neighbors get well and stay well, find cures, and fight back.

TARA CAMPBELL

PHILANTHROPY EDITOR Tara Campbell is a longtime Lakelander with a passion for serving others. A graduate of Florida Southern College, she is currently the team and outreach director for Access Church. In the past she has worked as the teen development director for the YMCA of Central Florida, the outreach teacher at the Polk Museum of Art, and a classroom leader at Parker Street Ministries. Believing firmly that only boring people get bored, Tara spends her free time mentoring middle-school girls in the Parker Street Neighborhood, teaching art lessons, and serving the community through several civic organizations, as well as enjoying all of the friends and culture that Lakeland has to offer.

LOGAN CRUMPTON TASTE EDITOR Logan Crumpton has been employed with the United States Postal Service for the last 14 years. Although he has lived nearly his entire life in the Lakeland area, he seeks out a world of food culture with the mindset of sharing it on a local level. Like many who have developed a love of food, he honed his skills in his grandmother’s kitchen, learning traditional Cuban and Italian classics. Pursuing more of a life in food has afforded him the opportunity of co-creating the food blog Eataduck, guest writing for online publications, as well as trying his hand as a caterer and private chef.

COURTNEY PHILPOT WOMEN’S STYLE EDITOR For as long as she can remember, Courtney Philpot has been doodling girls in dresses on any available paper, pad, or napkin. Born and raised in Lakeland, she attended FSU, where she received a degree in sociology and then earned a degree in fashion design and marketing from the Academy of Design in Tampa. She created Style by Courtney, where she works as a stylist for personal clients, groups, photo shoots, and runway shows. Eventually, she wants to design her own prints to be used in her own apparel line. Until then, she plans on spending time with her husband, Bryce, and daughter, Sydney, while sharing her fashion philosophy that “You don’t need a million bucks to look like a million bucks” with her clients and readers.

ABDIEL GONZALEZ MEN’S STYLE EDITOR

From a young age, Abdiel Gonzalez was inspired by design and art, and influenced by the colorful culture of his native Hawaii. After moving to Florida in his teens, Abdiel formed an award-winning dance company, No Confusion, for which he received national recognition. His love of fashion developed while earning a bachelor’s in business administration at Florida Southern College. He has managed multimillion-dollar retail establishments, designed stage costumes, and styled high-profile photo shoots. Currently, Abdiel runs Style Instinct by Abdiel, a styling and image consulting business. As a longtime Lakelander, Abdiel gives back by volunteering his talent to local production companies and teaches weekly dance classes at studios here in Lakeland.

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EAT BETTER, SMILE MORE, AND LIVE LONGER!

My mouth was in serious trouble. I had four teeth left in the top of my mouth and two of them were loose and about to fall out. Additionally, I had little to no bone left in the top because I had been without teeth for so long. My bottom teeth and gums were seriously deteriorating. I am a College Professor, Public Speaker, and a Leadership Development Expert. However, I was extremely self conscious because I teach my students the importance of the four first impression skills that people use to make decisions about you in less than 90 seconds. They are your handshake, your smile, your visual delivery, and what you say and how you say it when you open your mouth. My professional ambitions were being hindered by the condition of my mouth.

Now for the first time in years, since I’ve had all my teeth removed and my dental implants placed I don’t have to be selective with what I eat now. I can make healthier choices. The ease and comfort to chew what I want, when I want, has really empowered me to take control of my health. When people see me now, they are utterly amazed at how I look! My new smile has changed my whole outlook and I am not afraid to smile now. I am truly blessed and want people that read this to know and understand how caring the people are that work for Dr. Nerestant at Midtown Dental. My experience with Dr.Nerestant and Midtown Dental has really been phenomenal.

Like many, I often associate a degree of anxiety and fear with going to the dentist. However, from the moment I walked into Midtown Dental, there was an atmosphere of “We are family.” By the time I walked from the door to the receptionist desk, all anxiety was gone. I now feel like I’m a part of the Midtown Family.

What was really amazing to me was that even the young woman brought in to handle my IV sedation had the same attitude of the rest of the staff. To me, that says that Dr.Nerestant goes out of his way to ensure that everything and everyone connected with Midtown Dental portrays this attitude of caring and family.

My experience has been phenomenal. They can do it all. From the everyday cleaning, to full mouth dental implants while you sleep peacefully. I encourage people to not be like me. Be sure to take care of your oral health. It is so important to your overall health. I would recommend Midtown Dental hands down. I am extremely grateful to Dr.Nerestant and Midtown Dental.

- Earl Brown

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THE LAKELANDER

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EDITORIAL BIOS

ADAM SPAFFORD PEOPLE EDITOR

Adam Spafford came to Lakeland in 1999 to attend Florida Southern College and, except for a 20-month graduate school stint in Massachusetts, has been here since. When he’s not writing page-turners for The Lakelander, he trades stock and index options.

CHRISTIAN LEE SHELTER EDITOR Christian Lee is a Mississippi native who moved to Lakeland in 1992. After spending several years raising her family, she re-entered the design and decorating industry in 2004. Today, she works with contractors and clients to remodel homes and commercial properties. Christian is passionate about spaces that have soul, and she loves to find ways to make that soul come to life. She is skilled at interior decorating, repurposing antique and vintage furniture, and has designed a line of clothing for the home as well. In her spare time, Christian runs marathons and volunteers on the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Leadership Council. She is also a 20-year member of the Junior League of Greater Lakeland.

DAVID LESLIE GUEST EDITOR, SPORT David Leslie has lived in Lakeland for 10 years. He grew up all across America, from Illinois, to California, Virginia, Wyoming, Michigan, and Wisconsin, before throwing away the snow shovel and making Florida his home in 1993. He lives with his son Samuel and dog Harriet Von Thunder-Cuddles in the Dixieland area. He loves cooking and brews his own beer (and is prone to drinking it as well). David has been running as much as his bum leg will allow him to. He also enjoys bike rides and mud runs like the Warrior Dash. Don’t sneak up on David — he has ninja training and can’t always turn off his “unagi.”

ABBY JARVIS

GUEST EDITOR, CULTURE AND WELLNESS Abby Jarvis is a writing buff with a deep appreciation for the history behind modern cultures and habits. She attended Florida Southern College and, while enrolled there, fell in love with Lakeland’s ability to blend its history with its contemporary identity. Today, Abby works in marketing and outreach at Qgiv, a Lakeland tech company, and spends her spare time writing fairy tales and poetry, which can be found strewn haphazardly through her apartment.

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PHOTOGRAPHER BIOS

TINA SARGEANT, EDITOR, DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Tina Sargeant has been professionally capturing the moments, events, and people of our region for the last seven years and photographing for The Lakelander since issue one. Tina’s photography is driven by the ability to suspend time and create emotion, and her work embodies a passion for anthropology – people, culture, and stories. sargeantstudios.com

TIFFANI JONES

Growing up, Tiffani Jones could never get lost in the wonder of a storybook. Then one day she realized she could let her mind imagine a wondrous story through imagery. Photography gives Tiffani a tangible voice with her audience. After a wonderful 15-year nursing career, she left the art of nursing for the art of creating. She’s a life-long Lakelander where she raises three energetic children with her husband. iamtiffanijones.com

PHILIP AND JESSICA PIETRI

Pietri Photography is run by husband and wife duo Philip and Jessica Pietri. Both photographers are established creative professionals from the Tampa Bay area who inject a clean, modernist aesthetic into their work. pietriphotography.com

SARAH BREWINGTON Sarah Brewington is a fine art photographer and adjunct professor of art. She graduated from Florida Southern College in 2010 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design and a minor in art history, and was hired shortly after to return to her alma mater to begin teaching in 2011. Currently, she works as a corporate photographer for Publix Super Markets (since 2007) while continuing to share her passion for art and photography with students at FSC. sarahbrewington.com

JORDAN WEILAND

Jordan Weiland is a longtime Lakeland resident. She spends her time photographing weddings and dancing around the house (poorly) with her four-year-old daughter and husband. She graduated from Florida State University with a degree in studio art and has photographed weddings for several years. She loves the visual art of storytelling, which is why she loves taking on The Lakelander photography assignments in between photographing couples in love. jordanweiland.com

NAOMI SUCHY

Naomi Suchy is a young photographer based in Lakeland who never hesitates to take on an artistic challenge. After growing up on the Asian mission field, she moved to Lakeland in 2011 to pursue a degree in graphic design. The Lakelander caught her eye immediately, with its quality content and homespun feel. Apart from her work with the magazine, Naomi is also employed as a wedding planner, freelance photographer, and graphic designer. naomilynn.com

JASON STEPHENS

Jason Stephens is a native Florida boy who lives in Lakeland with his beautiful wife, Jess, and daughter, Isla. Whether it’s from 500 feet up in a helicopter, on a boat cutting through the water, or locked down on a tripod, Jason loves to be behind the camera capturing the moments that pass in front of his lens. jasonstephensphotography.com

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PEOPLE

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THE LAKELANDER

Going Places With

Tom Phillips

The man behind the bus as told to Adam Spafford

photography by Philip Pietri

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The Lakelander gets to know the executive director of the Lakeland Area Mass Transit District and Polk Transit.

The Lakelander: Tell us about your background and professional history.

Tom Phillips: My wife, Michelle, and I have been married for 12 years. We met in college at the University of New Mexico, and when I first met her I thought I didn’t have a chance; she was way out of my league. At the time, I was reading Clive Barker’s Imajica. Michelle walked up to me one day, grabbed the book out of my hands, threw it over a second-story balcony (without looking), and said, “You can read that on your own time; this is our time.”

The rest is history … and I never finished the book.

Michelle has a degree in Islamic art and architecture. She is wicked talented but refuses to mass produce her most successful pieces that are so desired in the marketplace. Instead, she prefers to create what she feels is needed.

Her award-winning Arts in the Ballpark Flying Tigers jersey hangs in my office as does some of her other work. Today, Michelle works at Florida Southern College, both in the

Michelle and Tom Phillips with their sons, William (left) and Marshall (right)

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preschool and at The Roberts Academy. In her spare time, she paints.

We have two children, Marshall (10) and William (5), who both attend Lakeland Christian School. We believe in teaching our children by example and living our lives in a way that demonstrates our faith in action. We open our home to those in need, including countless exchange students, migrant-worker families, and same-sex couples who have experienced housing and employment discrimination.

People might be surprised to know that I am both liberal and pro-choice, and a professing Christian. I support gay marriage, immigration reform, and the legalization of marijuana. And I believe that my faith obligates me to living a life that loves all people equally.

My vice is CrossFit, although I am 10 years too old for the sport. My box [CrossFit lingo for a gym] is right next to the transit office, so my athletic successes and frequent failures are on display for the majority of the transitdistrict employees to see. It’s humbling to walk

into the office after half the staff has seen me collapse after working out.

I haven’t always worked in transit. In fact, my degree is in sociology and psychology. After New Mexico, I moved to Chicago and started working for Score Educational Centers. One day I got a call from my father that my mother had emergency brain surgery for a previously undetected brain tumor. Although she survived, she is profoundly disabled and unable to drive.

As I watched my family struggle with mobility options in an area without mass transit, I decided to change my job and my life.

With no transit experience on my resume, I blindly applied for a transportation manager position at Northwest Indiana Community Action (NWICA) in Hammod, Indiana. At NWICA, I reduced the operations budget by $244,000 and became the first publictransit provider in the state to have mobile data computers onboard vehicles that directly provided the drivers with real-time information about the needs of the disabled clients they

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were serving, such as: “Wheelchair ramp in back,” or “Customer is deaf; do not blow horn,” or “Customer is blind; cannot see vehicle; knock on door.”

Due to these successes at NWICA, I was recruited by PACE Suburban Bus in Chicago to work in the paratransit operations support department. At PACE, I was part of the team that moved the most disabled people in the world on a daily basis. My group at PACE was responsible for moving 16,000 people a day — all who were profoundly disabled — 365 days a year. I was responsible for expanding this service network into multiple new communities.

Opportunity knocked with the Citrus Connection. I was attracted to the ability to lead my own agency at 35 years old and to build a team of 155. The central location of Lakeland was a huge attraction for my family. Lakeland has great parks, gorgeous lakes, affordable housing, and an award-winning college system that includes Florida Southern College, Southeastern University, and Florida Polytechnic. The ability to be at Walt Disney World or Clearwater Beach in about an hour was also a huge draw. After interviewing over the phone with Don Selvage a few times, I was positive that I needed to work in Lakeland and with Don in particular. Lakeland is lucky to have Don Selvage in this community. The man is a titan!

TL: Describe the size and scope of the Citrus Connection Network.

TP: The Citrus Connection is responsible for service in a special taxing district made up of the City of Lakeland, Mulberry, Bradley Junction, Pierce, and all points south. We operate 20 fixed routes and 18 paratransit routes for people who are elderly and/or disabled. We have a budget of $10.8 million and provide 1.5 million trips per year. The district employs 150 people, and our vehicles travel more than 7,500 miles per day.

TL: Why is a robust public transportation system important to a city?

TP: The millennial generation is less interested in driving. If we want to keep the millennials coming out of Catapult [Lakeland’s entrepreneur center], we need to have the types of services they want. Recently, millennials reported that 44 percent would rather have Wi-Fi access than own a car.

Mayor Howard Wiggs says it best: “All great cities have mass transit.” For all of our successes, Polk County and Lakeland combine to make up the seventh poorest suburban area in the United States — 17.7 percent of our population lives at or below the poverty line. The Brookings Institute’s Executive Director Alan Berube told the Ledger that the number-one reason we are number seven on the list of poorest suburbs is a lack of mass transit. If our citizens can’t get to jobs because they don’t have access to a car, it doesn’t really matter if those jobs exist to 107,000 Polk County residents. Amazon is a great example. We have no bus service to the Amazon warehouse, so if you were qualified, with the exception of access to a car, you couldn’t even apply.

Alternatively, as we get older, aging in place requires a quality public transit system. Many seniors can’t afford to live in assisted-living facilities that provide transit. Mass transit can provide a meaningful link to doctors, Publix, and social outings so people can age in their homes after they can no longer drive safely.

TL: Describe the ridership of the Citrus Connection. Who uses it, how often, etc.?

TP: Our ridership is as diverse as the communities we serve. The elderly in our community are going to Watson Clinic, LRMC, and to rehabilitation facilities. Students are traveling to colleges under our Universal Access programs. LEGOLAND employees are going to work. It’s a truly diverse system.

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TL: In the three years that you’ve led the Citrus Connection and Polk Transit Authority, you’ve been recognized for modernizing ridership programs and developing institutional relationships that opened up access to more potential riders.

Tell us about those things.

TP: The board of directors has really let us take the agency in some exciting new directions which have led to national recognition of our team. We made the cover of Busline Magazine in March/April 2013, and I was named Top 40 Under 40 — the Best and Brightest of 2012.

We got rid of the antiquated transfer-based system and moved to a day-pass-based system that makes travel easier in a 24-hour period.

The day-pass system also increased revenues.

Making this transition may seem small, but most larger transit agencies won’t even attempt it due to the complex nature of all the moving parts. We did it with only ONE validated complaint!

We renamed the “Handy Bus” — our service for clients who are disabled — a more respectful “Polk Transit Connect.” My wife was the inspiration for that change. A veteran who had served in Iraq came into the transit office lobby asking for Handy Bus tickets. Michelle said he looked completely degraded by the name. I was so close to the agency I couldn’t see it, but it became clear that day that “Handy” was seen as short for “Handicapped.” We met with the community served by the former Handy Bus and quickly settled on the new name, Polk Transit Connect.

The Universal Access programs allow employers and colleges to enter into an annual contract for a fixed rate that allows all employees/students to access Polk Transit simply by showing an ID. There are no restrictions on the number of rides or the purpose of the trip. Dr. Eileen Holden at Polk State College deserves the credit for the success of Universal Access programs in Polk County. Dr. Holden was the first to say yes to the program. The Polk State College Program was titled “Eagles Soar Free,” and we went from 2,400 rides a month of PSC students to 15,800. Dr. Holden set the stage; others followed. LEGOLAND contracted with us and went from 64 employee rides to 2,850.

Southeastern University, Learning Resource Center, Polk County Veterans, Explorations V

Children’s Museum, Be Fly Bike Tours, Peace River Center, Lakeland Housing Authority, PACE Center for Girls, Everest University, and Southern Technical College have all contracted with us.

The Polk Transit Authority has two programs that are truly out of the box: COLTS and a subsidized program with Florida Polytechnic. The COLTS program allows for Polk County Public Schools’ high school students to utilized public transit for school activities, jobs, tutoring, or any other trip purpose to advance education outside of the traditional classroom. COLTS is a partnership between the Polk County School Board and the transit system and is one of only two of its kind in the nation. The other out-of-the-box program is our fully subsidized program with Florida Polytechnic University. This program links downtown retailers with the Poly. I am still amazed that we were able to contract with the 11th largest school district in the nation and Florida’s 12th independent university in the span of two years.

Now in its third year, the Arts in Transit program allows artists to access riders with onboard performances of drama, dance, poetry, yoga, spoken word, and other forms of artistic expression. To have Derek Feacher, one of the few African American city managers in the entire state of Florida, reading Tupac poetry on a bus was something I will never forget.

Locally, David Collins of Paint Along Studios sets the bar higher and higher each year. This year he painted the terminal trees different colors and painted several on-site murals. The Polk Transit Authority partners with Platform Art and David Collins to execute the program; I provide them cover with the City of Lakeland if we go too far.

TL: What are the economics of Citrus Connection? How much of the cost do fares cover, and how much comes from taxpayer subsidy?

TP: Citrus Connection fare-box recovery is 25.79 percent, which is above the national average of 20 percent. The remainder of the funding comes from the federal, state, and local government. For every $1 of investment in mass transit the economic impact is $6. Public transit will always be subsidized, just like roads, fire, police, ambulance, and trash services.

TL: Voters recently rejected a proposed increased consumption tax and decreased property tax plan that would have, in part, funded an expansion and improvement of the network. What effect does this have on the Citrus Connection, and what happens next?

TP: The My Ride citizen-based plan was to provide for transit expansion in all 17 municipalities and Poinciana as well as providing express-bus access to Tampa International Airport, the VA Hospital, Walt Disney World (for 7,500 employees who live in Polk County), and Orlando International Airport. None of that will happen in the near future. The citizenbased plan provided improvements to the Lakeland-based system to facilitate supporting of our economic development ambitions in workforce and education initiatives. Employers looking at relocating to Lakeland are looking for mass-transit options for younger employees; we will continue to struggle with this.

That being said, we will continue to expand the Universal Access programs within the community and do the absolute best with the resources we have available.

The My Roads loss means the board of county commissioners will need to develop a plan to maintain the 3,000 miles of county roadways and plan for roadway expansion in the future to support growth, development, and job creation.

TL: You’ve referenced good stewardship in public remarks. What does good stewardship look like at Polk Transit Authority?

TP: We have reduced the cost to operate the buses by 8.6 percent, or $11 an hour, by looking at the way we operate. We rethought the way we purchase fuel. Our board of directors now meets in a double-wide trailer and no longer rents a board room. We looked at other cost reductions that reduced the bottom line without impacting the employees. We began purchasing buses that are $82,000 less expensive. And we returned $100,000 to the board of county commissioners.

I gave the bus drivers my executive car since they were driving a van from 1988 with no AC, and I did away with the executive assistant position. After the failure of the referendum, I declined my salary increase and cost-of-living adjustment. As long as I’m here, I will never recommend raising rider fares.

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TASTE

on the

A farm-to-table dining experience

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story by Logan Crumpton photography by Jordan Weiland and Tina Sargeant featuring Chef Marcos Fernandez In recent years, the phrase “farm-to-table” has become supplanted firmly on menus of popular restaurants across America — and for good reason.

We want to know where our food comes from. Farm-to-table is a dynamic effort to literally bring our food home, from growing, harvesting, selling, and consuming, to mix locality with seasonality. This means regularly changing up the things we eat, harmoniously merging the weather with the growing season. Naturally, Central Florida is the perfect venue for farm-to-table fare.

Many fruits and vegetables can be grown year round, the mild winter climates working in our favor.

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Farm-to-table is a way of life, a philosophy of eating and of living. It’s about consuming food in a way that preserves the cultural landscape of an entire community. A true farmto-table establishment knows the sources that provide the foundation for their menus. They are intimately connected to the farms that raise the beef they serve. They know where that farm is located, what day the shipments arrive, what the livestock are fed, and even — in some cases — the names of the animals that were butchered. True farm-to-table is an intimate experience.

Indigenously produced food shrinks the time it takes to get from the ground onto your plate, then into your mouth. A beet is exponentially tastier when fresh from its roots; a ripe, ruby red grapefruit is best immediately after being plucked from its branch. The farmers who sell at the Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market likely picked their wares that morning, or at most the day before. Right now, this time of year, fresh, local food surrounds us just waiting to be devoured.

As part of The Lakelander’s series of Supper Clubs, we endeavored to create a Lakeland farm-to-table experience, to prove that fresh is always better and that it can be done well right here at home. The talented Chef Marcos Fernandez, executive chef at the Lakeland Yacht and Country Club, without hesitation jumped on board and accepted The Lakelander’s challenge to create a fine-dining, locally sourced menu. From the mild balancing characteristics of palatecleansing chilled blueberry soup with hand-picked star fruit granita, to the rich, soul-soothing pumpkin bisque served in a bread boule from the oven of our own local Bread Pedlar, the menu was inherently Lakeland. When all was checked and balanced, 90 percent of our Supper Club’s bounty was grown or raised locally. The remaining 10 percent was made available through canning and freezing, a technique that all native Floridians should have in their repertoire.

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In selecting a protein for the menu, Chef Marcos chose duck and goat. He wanted to showcase proteins that don’t usually bring to mind luxurious taste-bud experiences, yet deserve to. In a study of whole-animal cookery, the chef let nothing go to waste. Nearly every course included an element from each animal. Duck breasts were cured for bacon. The legs and thighs were slow cooked in their own fat in order to top beignets. The liver was used to make pâté.

A stock was made as an integral cooking agent in a creamy, white-bean risotto.

As for the goat, first the milk was used to construct a handmade chèvre, or goat cheese, which was highlighted in two courses: a croquette served with a spicy Peruvian yellow pepper sauce, and a bountiful winter salad of roasted beet, grapefruit, avocado mousse accentuated by lemon basil vinaigrette.

The main course consisted of Goat Three Ways. Cabrito al Horno was a sampling of succulent crispy slow roasted shoulder and leg meat laid atop a hidden layer of goat liver rillettes. This was paired with perfectly seared tenderloin, bathed in a deep mahogany demi-glace made from its own stock and a served with a dollop of the manchego-laced creamy risotto. Fries from The Root, my fry cart, were hand cut, double fried to crispy perfection, and served alongside the fourth course.

The finale, a cylinder of frozen white chocolate lemongrass mousse atop a moist, dense plank of crème fraîche, refreshed the palate and bid our guests adieu with the most refreshing of sendoffs.

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PURVEYORS’ LINEUP This special meal could not have happened without the coordination of many Lakelandbased ranchers, farmers, artisans, and businesses.

We thank them for their dedication to this city and to The Lakelander’s vision to create this experience.

• Goat’s Milk provided by Capps Family Farms – Owners Jim Parker and Donna Capps Parker • W hole Goat provided by J&L Goats – Owners John and Lisa Sanders

• Orange Blossom Honey and Honeycomb provided by Red Roof Farm – Owner Alicia Folsom • Ducks – Gill’s Farm, Farmer Gill

• Star Fruit – Shady Oaks Farm – Retta Baucom, farm manager

• Micro Greens – Sassakala Farms – Owners Adrian Lucas and Christie Lucas

• Additional Micro Greens provided by Adale Farms • Local Fresh Bread Boules – Bread Pedlar – Adrian Lucas • Blueberries, Strawberries, Grapefruit, Avocados, Pumpkins – Lakeland Farms – Owners Suzanne E. and Michelle B.

• Fresh Herbs, Dairy, Arborio Rice, Hibiscus – Lakeland Yacht & Country Club – Marylin Sams, general manager • Yucca – Chef Marcos Fernandez

• Event Design by 2 Sisters Events & Design – 2sistersevents.com • Event Rentals by Premier Party Rentals – premierpartyonline.com

• Music by Fount; toshsargeant@gmail.com The first of many Secret Supper Clubs took place in the midst of Lakeland Farms’ lush South Lakeland blueberry fields. Thank you, Suzanne E. and Michelle B., for graciously hosting us.

Special thanks to Chef Marcos Fernandez, executive chef for Lakeland Yacht and Country Club, who seamlessly prepared a perfect meal in spite of decidedly imperfect circumstances.

His grace, professionalism, and talent carried the team and made The Lakelander’s first Secret Supper Club an event to remember.

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With the menu in place and a plan to execute with perfection, we needed guests. In early fall, The Lakelander invited subscribers to attend the first annual Secret Supper Club, whose location would remain a mystery until the morning of the event. Wanting to maintain an intimate dining experience, the guest list was limited to the first 16 people who replied.

The invitations read: “A secret supper, in a secret location. An intimate culinary affair. A social evening at a communal table. The Lakelander’s Secret Supper experience is available for a select few subscribers who welcome a breath of fresh air, stimulating conversation, and clandestine dining in sophisticated style.”

The day of the Secret Supper Club, everything seemed to fall into place as perfectly as one could have imagined. With help from several local partners, the stage was set. Premier Party provided tents and generators.

The table was perfectly prepared by 2 Sisters Events & Design. Fount, a local acoustic trio, was prepped and ready. Chef Marcos and his team were poised and prepared.

At just the time the sun decided to call it quits for the day, the guests arrived. The sunset provided a beautiful backdrop of oranges, pinks, and purples to dance in the distance as guests were greeted with a pre-dinner cocktail — Hibiscus & Blueberry Whiskey Tea — followed by appetizers of Goat Cheese Croquette with Local Honey and Yucca Huancaina, the yucca fresh from the chef ’s own garden. The live acoustic musings of Fount added to the atmosphere and created the perfectly balanced ambiance for an intimate dinner among strangers.

Seated under a tent in the middle of a South Lakeland blueberry farm’s rolling hills, the guests began their meal with course one: Duck Rillette.

All was going well. The guests were conversing and getting to know each other. Chef Marcos and his team were prepping and cooking in an adjacent tent. The Lakelander staff was close at hand to provide assistance as needed.

MENU

Duck & Goat From the Inside Out PASSED REFRESHMENTS Chef ’s Allergy Hibiscus & Blueberry Whiskey Tea PASSED HORS D OEUVRES Goat Cheese & Honey Red Onion Confit, Red Roof Orange Blossom Honey & Private Label Goat Cheese Yucca Huancaina Backyard Yucca & Aji Amarillo AMUSE Duck & Grapes Pekin Duck Liver Mousse with Muscadine Balsamic COURSE I Duck Beignets Duck Bacon, Duck Confit, Muscadine Jam and Vermont Maple Syrup COURSE II Winter Salad Florida Grapefuit, Avocado & Beet Blood with Goat Cheese Flat Croutons Entremezzo Blueberry Soup with Gruyere Crisp & Thyme Caviar COURSE III Pumpkin & Duck Ricotta Gnocchi, Toasted Pepitas, Pekin Duck Breast & Carambola Gelee COURSE IV Cabrito Braised, Filet & Mousse Jus de Viande, White Bean Risotto & Mint Pesto, Hand-cut Fries from The Root Fry Cart COURSE V Lemongrass Frozen Mousse, Orange Blossom Honey, Crème Fraiche Cake

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As the sun slowly sank behind the trees, disappeared beneath the hills, and bid us a fond farewell, ambient white lights twinkled all around. And a stiff breeze rolled in. And the sky turned a tempestuous swirly gray and black.

Then the rains came.

This time of year, a storm of such proportions is nearly unheard of. Conversely, this is Florida, and no storm is impossible on any given day. Nonetheless, the storm rolled in, and, as with any uninvited guest, it stayed though it was not welcomed.

The team scurried to ensure the guests’ experience did not falter. We had to keep the food intact. We hurriedly shored up the seams between the tents by merging those that separated the kitchen from our guests’ more weatherproof outdoor dining room. We moved the prep tables into the center of the workspace to keep them from harm’s way.

Amidst all of this commotion, however, Chef Marcos did not flinch. He didn’t stop cooking. And he remained a calm force in the face of immense stress.

GUESTS CONTINUED TO ENJOY EACH COURSE AS EVIDENCED BY THE EMPTY PLATES THAT CIRCLED BACK TO THE KITCHEN.

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After course three, the guests were romantically and unknowingly transported into an instant candlelit experience when the generators blew. The kitchen was left in total darkness. Chef Marcos and I cooked the remainder of the meal on three small butane burners (which we’d brought as part of a just-in-case backup plan, thankfully).

The music played on.

In the kitchen, the rain began to fall horizontally. The staff was drenched; the food was not. Dishes were plated by the light of handheld devices and under the protection of a smattering of mismatched umbrellas. Yet, Chef Marcos continued to produce stellar food, exceptionally plated, and delivered with aplomb.

The guests kept conversing and laughing and eating.

For the better part of three courses, the kitchen was without power or light. But, without missing a beat, beautifully prepared and presented fares continued to go out, and the guests continued to enjoy each course as evidenced by the empty plates that circled back to the kitchen. Finally, the storm gave us respite and the lights switched on. We completed the preparation of the main entrĂŠe as intended, a nice sear from the flat top that cranked up just in the nick of time.

Immediately, as if on cue, after dessert was served, the rain ceased and the cloud coverage subsided into the distance revealing a brilliant full moon making its way through the skyline. The evening certainly did not unfold as we had envisioned, yet it was a memorable experience for all in attendance. The night showcased the best of dining in its purest form, and it all happened right on the farm.

Blueberry illustration (opening spread) by Rob Christensen; stipplefreak.com

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SPORT

GET UP, GET OUT, AND GET RUNNING a runner’s story story by David Leslie photography by Jason Stephens

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H

ello, my name is David. I am a runner. My mom says I ran before I walked — something about a large head and always falling forward. (Coffee tables were not my friends as a toddler; I have the scars to prove it.)

I first remember being fascinated by running while watching the decathlon of the 1976 Summer Olympics. I was amazed at how these guys could run and jump in the sand, hop over bars, and run around a track really fast — and for a really long time. I remember going into the field behind our house as a six-year-old and trying to emulate all those track and field events. I would spend the next few days jumping feet first in the sand pit, using a fallen branch to try and pole vault over anything I could find. Tossing sticks and rocks and jumping over stuff, trying to copy the javelin, shot put, hurdles, and sprints, and then the 1500-meter race. I don’t know how big that field behind the house was, but I ran around the border of it until I thought I’d be sick! I wanted to be just like Bruce Jenner (oh, the glory of a Wheaties box cover!). That was my introduction to running.

But I wasn’t a runner, yet.

As I got older, I ran for different reasons: tag, dodge ball, kick ball, prison ball. I ran when I got caught TP’ing somebody’s house or playing capture the flag at 2 a.m. at a church youth group function. I played a little baseball (I was the worst second baseman in the history of forever). Then, I found soccer, and running was filled with the purpose of possession, passing, and scoring. I played midfielder, which meant I had to play a defense and offense, and that meant running a whole lot, for 90 minutes. Practices were brutal: doing wind sprints and all kinds of other sprint drills that left you gasping for air and ready to vomit at the edge of the field. I also remember that feeling in the middle of the game. I found the energy to continue running in order to beat the other guy to the ball.

I realized that the pain I endured in practice was worth it because it gave me a love for being able to run. I loved what running allowed me to accomplish on the soccer field.

I was running, but I still was not a runner.

In my 20s and 30s, I found other activities to stay busy, active, and healthy. I played recreational volleyball and basketball. If you know me, you should find it quite hilarious because I’m 5’5” and, well, let’s just say that no one was worried about blocking my dunks or digging my spikes. I had a few gym memberships that were profitable for short periods of time. All of these were fun, but they came and went.

And I still was not a runner.

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Six years ago, I got divorced, got sad, got cable TV, withdrew from most social activities, and got fat(ter). After a while, I slowly came out of my shell, made new friends, and began to be social again. Life was good; I had friends; and I had a life.

But I was most definitely not a runner.

So then, why would I start off this article telling you that I’m a runner? How did a partially withdrawn divorcÊ with a penchant for flipping channels and a decent social life turn into a runner? It was as simple as a friend inviting me to go for a run. This friend said it would be fun, and there would be lots of other runners, and beer specials afterwards. Oh?! OK. I was glad to be invited to go do anything, so I put on some old shoes and decided to give it a try.

When I arrived at the run, it was a happy beehive of activity. People were greeting and hugging each other, catching up on races, injuries, new shoes, the kids, life in general. This wasn’t a running club; this was a big family of friends that happened to run. After the run, it was more of the same happy activity. Most people stuck around for a drink and maybe some food. There was lots of talking and laughter and people moving from table to table sharing information about upcoming races or races that had just taken place. Since it was a weekly activity, I decided to start participating whenever I could. I quickly made friends and slowly started running a little faster and a little longer (although, admittedly, I am a slow runner and never get very far).

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We run to stay healthy, to stay fit, to be social, because it’s fun, to get outside and breathe some fresh air, to feel alive.

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At the time, I had no idea, but these were runners. And they belonged to the Lakeland Runners Club.

My new friends started to ask me if I would be signing up for the next race. They reached out to me on social media. They asked me questions about my running habits. What app was I using on my phone to track my running? They suggested what my next pair of shoes should be and where I could get them.

They gave me tips on my running form, how to deal with injury and soreness, and how to increase my speed or distance. I started buying shorts and shirts that were designed for running. I spent (what I thought at the time) was an ungodly amount of money on running shoes. I bought blinking lights and reflective gear for my shoes and a hat so I could run at night and not get run over.

I remember finishing my first 5K. I was so happy that I came in under 40 minutes and I ran the whole thing! Before long, I had to hang a hook on my wall to store all of my finishers’ medals, and I had more race T-shirts than I knew what to do with. I also had a sense of pride in physical accomplishment that I had not felt since playing soccer. I started to feel stronger, not just physically, but mentally.

I was starting to become a runner.

Running has taught me that it doesn’t matter if you’re fast or slow, if you’re a beginner or experienced. In the end, we aren’t racing each other; we’re racing ourselves. Armed with the confidence we have in our minds, in our lungs, and in our legs, we race against self-doubt. When we see a friend who sets a personal record, we all celebrate, because we know what it takes to better yourself.

We run for many different reasons: some common and some personal. We run to stay healthy, to stay fit, to be social, because it’s fun, to get outside and breathe some fresh air, to feel alive. We run for practical reasons like wanting to stay in the pants you already own (that would be me) or to burn enough calories to earn the right to eat a cheeseburger (me, too!). Heck, running so that we can have a beer later and not pay for it in the waistline (me, again). We run with other runners, with laughter, and with encouragement.

I never feel better physically than when I’m running on a consistent basis, when I push my body, and watch my times get shorter. The mental and physical work of running also makes me very conscious of how I treat my body. I think about the food I eat. I think of how healthy I want to be for that race next month, the one in 5 years and even in 10 years.

There have been times when life gets busy, and there have been injuries, but I always want to come back to running. To me, running is a fundamental skill. I want to be prepared for anything. You never know when there might be a bear attack, the zombie apocalypse, or you might get offered as tribute in the hunger games.

Founded in 1974, The Lakeland Runners Club promotes running and fitness for runners of all ages and abilities in the community through fellowship, education, and formal and informal running events. For details about membership and upcoming events, visit their website at lakelandrunnersclub.org.

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I’ve been running for close to four years now, when and where my schedule allows. I’m a regular at the Red Door Wine Market and the Chop Shop pub runs. I run on Saturday mornings at Black and Brew or at Mitchell’s Coffeehouse. I run and/or volunteer at several of the Lakeland Runners Club’s great races every year. I travel around Central Florida to run in 5Ks. In these four years of running, I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had. I’ve learned that, wherever I go, there will most likely be another friendly fammunity of runners — a community that feels like family. If you don’t believe me, just go to a weekly running club in a different town, or hang around at the finish line of a race. You’ll see friends laughing, eating bananas, guzzling water (and, possibly a beer). You’ll find friends sharing sweaty hugs and high-fives.

I am a runner.

With many sports, the athletes have a specific body type and an acute ability to play their sport. Football players have a certain look to them, as do hockey players (no teeth required), basketball players, and volleyball players. They all need a certain skill set along with body type to achieve success in that sport. But what do runners look like? They look like anyone and everyone. They look like you, and they look like me. They are tall, short, thin, stocky, old, young, novice, experienced. The only thing required to be a runner is to get up, get out, and get running!

I am a runner.

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863.688.2326, ext. 5505

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STYLE

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A T

T H E

P O L Y

A modern-style mash-up

By Courtney Philpot & Abdiel Gonzalez Photos by Tina Sargeant & Jordan Weiland Hair by Josh Vasquez Makeup by Crystal Joseph The preppy look has long been a favorite among Ivy Leaguers and prep-school scholars. In recent years, though, mainstreamers have brought the classic look to the forefront, with preppy pieces making their way into our closets. With the rise of tech in the world around us, geek chic, too, has made its way to the mainstream and given our loveable geeks their fashion moment to shine. Black wide-rim glasses put their indelible mark on the fashion world, and Instagrammers have been channeling their inner nerd ever since. The modern-day prep also understands the importance of an active wardrobe and has stylishly incorporated sportswear into their day-to-day attire. Pieces like retro sneakers and varsity jackets pay homage to the Ivy Leaguers who paved the way.

The Lakelander has put together a few looks that combine a little prep, a little sporty, and a little geek chic. We chose pieces that work well with multiple styles, pieces that will transition and layer easily during our ever-changing Florida winters. Mix away!

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Pencil Skirt Zara Crew-Neck Sweater Mossimo for Target Chucks Converse, Kohl’s

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Peacoat Zara Sweatshirt and Sneakers Urban Outfitters Jeans Levi’s

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With Florida’s unpredictable winter and spring weather, it’s important to pick pieces that will transition and layer well. In this look, jeans — which always work well in Florida — are paired with a long-sleeve plaid and a light-to-medium weight varsity bomber to achieve an ideal layered look. Invest in jackets that will go with other looks. This pinstripe bomber does just that; its subtle stripes work well with a variety of pieces in both solids and prints.

Varsity Bomber J.Crew Button-Up Mossimo for Target Straight-Cut Jeans Jennifer Lopez for Kohl’s Loafers Cole Haan

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Button-Down and Trousers Urban Outfitters Zip-Up Sweatshirt J.Crew Wing Tips Original Penguin

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Magari by Eva Mora… fashion and accessories in the style of a European boutique.

1026 S Florida Ave. Lakeland FL 33803 (863) 409-7901 • 1026soflo.com

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Graphic T-shirt and Joggers Urban Outfitters Shawl-Collar Cardigan Zara Sneakers New Balance

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DON’T LET TENNIS ELBOW KEEP YOU OFF THE COURT.

Looking for a non-invasive treatment for conditions like tennis elbow; chronic back, neck or shoulder pain; or carpal tunnel syndrome?

Lakeland Spine Center now offers relief through Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (SASTM), a non-invasive, cuttingedge technique performed by Chiropractor, Dr. Reinaldo Serrano.

CALL US TODAY FOR A COMPLETE EVALUATION TO DETERMINE IF SASTM IS THE ANSWER YOU’VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR.

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A pair of frames in standard black or a bold, solid color, like bright red, is the only accessory you will need to accomplish this season’s geek-chic look.

Dolman ¾-Sleeve Sweater J.Crew Pinstriped Trousers Zara Chucks Converse, Target Red Glasses Claire’s

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WELLNESS

the center ing practice of yoga

Michelle Pugh

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Many thousands of years ago, in a still-disputed time and place, people began to practice a spiritual, mental, and physical discipline that affected every aspect of their lives. The practice, now called yoga, has persisted through millennia and spread across the world. Yoga, in its various forms and iterations, is now practiced by millions of people worldwide. Its devotees include people of nearly every race, religion, and background imaginable, and many of them have chosen to make Lakeland their home.

In the West, the word “yoga” is most commonly used to refer to mastering various poses, or asanas. This physical practice emphasizes stretching, alignment, flexibility, and control, and takes place in classes all over the United States. The benefits of the physical practice — increased flexibility, muscle strength, and more — are wellproven. But practicing the asanas is only a small part of yoga.

Local yoga instructor Michelle Pugh admits that most people are drawn to yoga initially because of the health benefits. “You come for the physical aspect, but you get so much more,” she says. Pugh, who has been teaching yoga since 2004, is fine with her students getting started with yoga for its physical benefits.

So is yoga teacher Frankie Hart, who owns and operates downtown yoga studio Satya Life. Hart says that students reap more than just physical benefits from their practice. “It’s a very internal, as well as external, practice,” she says. “Most Westerners come to it first through the external practice, through the asanas.”

Using the asanas to ease muscle tension, increase muscle strength, and boost one’s familiarity with their body can have a subtle but profound effect on one’s mental health. Hart believes that the mind and body are closely related, and that alleviating stress and tension in the body can alleviate stress and tension in the mind. “Physical pain and mental stress are often linked,” she says. “Being able to move through and disengage from pain can be mentally relieving, and decreasing stress can help some physical maladies.” Even if a particular physical ailment is not eased by practicing the asanas, the peace of mind that results from yoga practice can still help. “Maybe a condition that is uncomfortable exists, but you can still find that inner peace,” she says.

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Frankie Hart

Kelly Andrews, the assistant dean of wellness at Florida Southern, agrees. Aside from teaching her own yoga classes on campus, Andrews is responsible for the overall physical and mental well-being of the students on her campus, and yoga plays a large role in that undertaking. She says the physical practice helps her students forget the stressors that come with college and focus on the present. “We’re so busy that we’re not present at all in our bodies. We’re in a thousand different places, we’re having 30 thoughts at the same time, and some of those are conscious and some of them are subconscious, so there’s lack of connection with presence,” she says. “There’s a release of stress because we’re not focused on yesterday or tomorrow — we’re focused on now.”

Though she practices several different styles of yoga, Andrews is a vocal proponent of restorative yoga. That style tends to be slower-paced and more focused on relaxation than some of the more vigorous styles. Regardless of their preferred yoga style, Andrews encourages her students to combine practicing the

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asanas with meditation to fully focus on minimizing stress. “The asana classes are great, but it’s really the restorative practice and the meditation practice that are really the most helpful when it comes to stress management,” she says.

Andrews, Pugh, and Hart agree that calming the body is a predecessor to calming the mind, and that calming the mind naturally leads to practitioners connecting more deeply with their spirituality. “You start to feel better, then you start to feel quieter mentally,” notes Pugh. “Because you’re more quiet mentally, you feel more connected spiritually. It starts to make a big loop.” In an ideal practice, the mind is free enough from physical and mental distractions that it is able to ponder more eternal matters.

Hart agrees, and reassures skeptics that, while it emphasizes spirituality, yoga itself is not a religion. Instead, she says, it is a helpful tool for people who want to connect more deeply to their own religion, whether they’re Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, or

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Frankie Hart

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even atheist. “Yoga is a spiritual practice,” she says. “It’s a physical practice. It’s a mental practice. It develops the concentration of your mind. But what it does is heighten whatever your spiritual practices are. Within the population of people doing yoga, not just within the United States but all over the world, you will find many, many religions represented.” She admits, though, that many people are skeptical of yoga’s more spiritual aspects, and expresses the hope that people will not let it deter them from exploring their interest in the discipline.

So what’s the natural next step for yogis who are well established (or even just getting started) in their practice? A natural progression is to establish and build communities of other like-minded people, and it seems to happen unintentionally. Hart notes that the sense of community among practitioners is nearly effortless. “I would say that there’s a sense of a yoga community in Lakeland — very much! What’s wonderful is that it goes so far beyond Lakeland. People will come to the yoga studio because they’re visiting their parents or their grandparents, and they find the yoga center. And, instantly, you find a community of people.”

That sense of community is palpable at Satya Life and recently has been on display at Florida Southern, where nearly 500 students recently participated in one huge yoga class.

Pugh has also found a deep sense of community in her own yoga class, and she focuses much of her time and energy building yet another community. In addition to posting pictures of “random acts of yoga” she and her students have taken all over the world, she teaches a biweekly yoga class for Noah’s Ark, a local facility for developmentally disabled adults. She notes that her Noah’s Ark students love their yoga practice and are enthusiastic about their classes, even to the point that they’ve done classes in parks and on field trips. They also recently participated in a class at one of downtown Lakeland’s First Friday events, where they practiced “fairy yoga,” complete with gauzy wings. Pugh, who originally trained to teach yoga to veterans, can hardly contain her enthusiasm about her Noah’s Ark classes. “It’s radiant sunshine, constantly,” she says. “I love my job!”

The combination of physical well-being, mental clarity, and community is at least partially responsible for a huge surge in yoga’s popularity over the last few decades. Its popularity is attracting more and more practitioners, and Andrews, Hart, and Pugh have some advice for people who are curious about starting their own yoga practice. “Come as you are!” says Hart. “Don’t wait to be strong enough to do yoga. Don’t wait to be thin enough to do yoga. Don’t wait to be flexible enough to do yoga. Just come.

Yoga meets you where you are, whether you’re dealing with an injury, or whether you’re pregnant, or whether you’re eight years old or 80 years old. There’s no wrong time to start.” Pugh agrees, and encourages people not to give up if they don’t enjoy the first class they try. “Whether you’re practicing ashtanga, which is very upbeat, strenuous, very physical, or whether you’re doing kriya yoga, which is seated meditation, both will eventually get you to that same place,” she says. That place — the one of physical wellness, mental contentedness, and spiritual peace — is the end goal of all yoga practices, regardless of style.

Each woman, when asked what she would say to first-time yoga students, agreed that new students should take the plunge.

Hart hopes that increased interest in the practice will result in more compassion among the world’s residents, both in Lakeland and beyond. “My yoga practice is when I come home,” she says.

“And when I come home to myself, I meet all that is. The more I can come home to who I am and know who I am, the more I can know who you are. The more I can be compassionate with who I am, the more compassion I will have with you. And so on, and so on.”

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SHELTER

A LIVING SOUL How one designer created a home that rises up to greet you

story by Christian Lee | photography by Tina Sargeant Let me be honest. I love to remodel. It’s my creative sweet spot.

It’s my passion.

At no point in my career, however, has a client hired me and said, “Go do what you do. You have a free hand.” That is, until now.

When my client gave me the opportunity to take his house and turn it into a home with a living soul, my heart soared with excitement.

When we found it, this house had been empty for five years and had gone unloved for far too long. It wasn’t a home with a soul that would rise up and greet you, but it did have great bones and the potential to become something wonderful. My client didn’t see the potential, so my first job was to convince him that this house was indeed a diamond in the rough. To his great credit, he took a complete leap of faith, trusted me, and bought the house. Luckily for me, the architect, Cliff Scholz with CMSA in Sarasota, saw everything I saw in this house, too.

Cliff came onboard to help with the design improvements. He and I immediately shared a vision for the home that would carry through the entire project, which we thought would be a six-month journey. In reality, six months turned into two years. A two-year remodeling project is not something I would recommend for everyone. In this case, however, it worked to our benefit. The client was in no hurry to move in, and we wanted to go old school with the design elements and furnishings. This project had to be thoughtful, and each decision had to have meaning.

We decided to execute this project as a one-man job. Yep. One guy. Following the “heavy lifting” of plumbing, electrical, and concrete/stucco, one artist/craftsman was on the job: Joe Kanable.

Joe and I have worked together for several years, and I knew he was the man for this job. He can read my vision and understand what I try to accomplish. He knew this was my dream job, and he

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completed my remodeling dream team: Cliff, Joe, and me. Together, we set out to make this house my client’s dream home.

The house was built in 1985 and was a reflection of the ’80s: not unique, nothing special. It hadn’t been updated since the year it was built. This house’s positive features included high ceilings, good room sizes, right square footage, and a beautiful piece of property. It also had quite a few imperfections: the wrong-size windows and doors, doors in the wrong spots, wall-to-wall carpet, ’80s’ finishes, and a whole lot of outdated Formica. Everything right with this house we couldn’t have recreated with a simple remodel: location, ceiling heights, flow of the rooms, and square footage. Fortunately, everything wrong with this house was completely fixable.

As we set out to give this house back its soul, I wanted to be sure that at the project’s completion nobody could tell exactly when it was built. I didn’t want visitors to walk through the front door and immediately think, 1985. My vision for this house was for it to have a timeless, low-country Louisiana feel.

We started with the exterior. From the roof, to the color palette, to the New Orleans gas lanterns, to the custom front doors made from antique Mississippi heart pine, bathrooms, and kitchen, every decision was made with purpose. We traveled to New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah, and countless stops along the way. We studied shutters, gas lanterns, exterior paint colors, front doors, floors, garden containers, and landscapes for our inspiration and direction.

As we figured out the tone and feel for the outside of the house, we developed a plan to carry the same emotion to the interior in order to create harmony in the home. (The exterior and interior should always tell the same story and evoke

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THERE ARE MANY LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM THIS PROJECT. THE FOLLOWING TRICKS OF THE TRADE CAN BE APPLIED TO ANY HOME: • The two most important things to consider when looking at a house are what can be changed and what can’t be changed.

• Decide what works best inside the house and make a plan.

• Use the elements you love, and work with the positive points of your house to make them shine.

• Correct what isn’t working by making the necessary change to turn a negative into a positive. If the door to a bedroom is in the wrong place, try to move it. If a non-loadbearing wall interferes with natural flow, remove it.

• The floors are the foundation for all of the furnishings, drapes, accessories, and art that follow.

• Search for furnishings and other pieces that others often overlook; they can wind up being the showpieces in your home.

•You never know what will turn up in a yard sale or an estate sale. A lot of times, the fun and excitement is in the hunt.

similar emotions.) The first step in our plan was to work with the house’s positive elements in order to make them shine. A coat of paint helped us do just that and set the tone for the entire project.

It gave direction to all of the finishes, furniture, and fabrics that followed. I chose Benjamin Moore Misty Gray. I painted the entire interior this color with the exception of the master bedroom. I wanted a color that was soft so the art, furnishings, and wood floors would stand out.

After paint, came flooring. I actually decided on the floors the first time I saw this house: antique heart pine. Of course, this meant a road trip to find them. We took off to Mississippi and loaded a U-Haul truck with 2,800 square feet of antique pine flooring. While in Mississippi we located a custom cabinetry shop and arranged to have antique pine doors built for the front courtyard entrances.

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Now, every time I drive up to the house I fall in love with those front doors and the wood floors that give this house its soul.

While my passion is home remodeling, a close second is in vintage furniture. Scouring the world and pursuing vintage pieces is the best part of design. This project provided me the opportunity to engage in the hunt. My client wanted to create the feeling of a lifetime collection, but he started out only with books and a few family pieces. To achieve his vision, I mixed vintage, antique, and new furniture to create the feeling of a lifelong collection. In the end, this home is filled with 60 percent vintage, 10 percent antique, and 30 percent new furniture.

My favorite design “secret” is to find a $20 chair and splurge on the fabric and upholstery. With an investment of a couple hundred dollars, the chair will look like it cost $1,000. My second “secret” is

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WHEN WE FOUND IT, THIS HOUSE HAD BEEN EMPTY FOR FIVE YEARS AND HAD GONE UNLOVED FOR FAR TOO LONG.

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paint; it’s inexpensive yet can change the feel of anything and everything, both walls and furniture. For example, on one of my furniture expeditions, I found a vintage dresser that, with the right lacquer paint, became the master bathroom vanity. Another example of how to use paint can be seen on the back terrace. I had collected rattan furniture from around the Southeast, but none of it matched.

The simple solution was to paint it all in a cohesive palette to trick the eye into thinking it was all the same. Paint and fabrics will give many vintage, estate, and yard-sale pieces new life and can elevate a piece to being more beautiful than it was at its creation.

We removed the wall between the kitchen and dining room to open the area and create one large room. It also presented the room with an open, spacious floor plan. The dining room wallpaper was original to the house but lent a certain formality to the space. So, I placed an old shoe cart to use for crystal in order to offset the formality. It’s unexpected and fun. I also hung a contemporary art piece above the cart and a transitional chandelier over the dining room table.

When Joe, Cliff, and I started discussing the kitchen cabinets, the dining room influenced those decisions. The kitchen had to have the same weight as the dining room; they needed to be balanced. Also, the two rooms had to flow seamlessly. We decided to use four design elements to bring these spaces together.

First, the custom coffered ceiling runs between the dining room and kitchen, making it a continuous space. Second, the kitchen cabinets are a close match to the background color of the vintage dining room wallpaper. Third, instead of constructing an island in the kitchen, we found an old shirt table that came out of a men’s clothing store and put a piece of marble on it. The old shoe cart in the dining room and the antique shirt table in the kitchen tie these spaces together.

Lastly, the open shelves in the kitchen reflect the open shelving of the shoe cart.

The crystal and china are displayed at both ends of the space.

I love what I do, and I loved working on this house. My goal is to now convince the client to sell this house and do it again! Life is fleeting, and there aren’t many times you can go slow with purpose and thought in recreating a home’s soul. I relished every moment of this renovation.

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A NOTE FROM CHRISTIAN: I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to share my latest project with you. I’m also grateful to The Lakelander for the opportunity to be the new Shelter Editor. What a gift to be given at this time in my life and career. What I know for certain is I will give it my best, give it with love, and search high and low to share the best of Lakeland and how Lakelanders are living in their homes with soul and how their homes rise up to greet them.

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Artwork created by the daily attendees of the Sunrise Community

On Lake Parker Avenue sits one of the busiest and happiest places in Lakeland: Sunrise Community. When I arrived for my visit, I accidently entered through a side door and was immediately greeted by a room full of people happily creating. Some were hard at work making Christmas ornaments, others were painting mason jars, and in the corner of the room lay a giant canvas that was in the process of being covered in layers of paint. As I walked through the corridors, I observed a group of people eagerly doing research while their teacher instructed from a large projector. In another room, others read. Others sat in thought.

On the wall hung a banner touting the projects that Sunrise Community has completed together as part of an “Aktion Club� to give back to the community (Aktion Club is a Kiwanis initiative that provides adults living with disabilities an opportunity to develop initiative, leadership skills, and to serve their communities).

As I walked through the building, I was greeted with multiple smiles, hellos, and fist bumps. Joy abounded!

This building on Lake Parker Avenue is also the day home of 36 adults who have a wide range of severe mental and physical disabilities that prevent them from working and leading normal adult lives, but that doesn’t stop them from getting things done.

Sunrise Community has served individuals with a wide variety of special needs for more than 45 years. Started by Miami executive David Rice in 1962, Sunrise is now in seven states and is one of the largest private nonprofits serving individuals with intellectual and physical challenges in the United States. Sunrise came to Lakeland in 1997 when it merged with Wheelhouse, another nonprofit with a similar mission. At the time, Wheelhouse served clients in a day program and two group homes. Sunrise has since expanded to four group homes, two day programs, and one intermediate-care facility, all here in Lakeland. Sunrise of Central Florida is also active in four other Central Florida counties.

Executive Director Ashley Green started her 14-year career with Sunrise as a daily care provider.

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Malesta Jenkins (this page) and Louis Jaudon (next page)

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With music wafting through the air and bouncing off the walls, the mobile artists dance while the wheelchairs drive across the paper and layer the canvas one coat at a time.

“I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Green says. “When I go out there [into the common room], I don’t see the challenges. I don’t see the wheelchairs or hear the slurred words. They’re just like you and me, and they want opportunity. I’m so astounded; they always want to give back. They want to know what they can they do, and they never look at what they can’t do. That is so inspiring.”

The people at Sunrise do their best to inspire in several ways.

Through the help of the local Kiwanis Club, the daily attendees have started their own Aktion Club. They meet once a month and discuss ways they can give back to their community. Early in November they held a sausage breakfast and raised $100 to give to the United Way. They’ve also held canned-food drives, toy drives, and are a leader in Aktion Club throughout the state. This is especially impressive because many of the individuals at Sunrise are so physically

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left to right: Michael Daniels, Ashley Green, and Sean Traver

challenged. “This isn’t a workshop,” Green says. “These people can’t work in a work environment, but we set the bar on community-service projects. We’re giving them a way to not only advocate for themselves, but for others, too.”

Advocating for people with disabilities is a major concern for Sunrise. It’s important for their needs to be understood and met, and Lakeland has done a great job of supporting Sunrise. Publix, Leadership Lakeland, and Kiwanis have all played major parts in helping teach others about the good work going on at Sunrise, and with good reason.

In addition to the Aktion Club, Sunrise has a partnership with West Area Adult School. This partnership provides for two teachers, four days a week, to help the individuals at Sunrise learn everything from writing their names to communicating with others on Facebook.

WHEELY AMAZING ART While Sunrise Community advocates on behalf of those whose society seems to marginalize, the residents of Sunrise also advocate for themselves. They’ve created a unique plan to express their needs, their spirits, and their creativity to the community.

On the floor at Sunrise, a giant canvas stretches across the room in all directions. It’s not on stretcher bars like a normal canvas might be; instead it lies flat for a specific and unique reason: so that everyone can paint, create, and have the opportunity to express themselves through art. At Sunrise, the power of speech is not readily available to many. But through art, everyone has a voice. In 2001, an artist named Dwayne Zott started the Wheely Amazing Art program at Sunrise so that everyone could have a way to paint.

Watching the individuals at Sunrise create this artwork was a joyful experience. With music wafting through the air and bouncing off the walls, the mobile artists dance while the wheelchairs drive across the paper and layer the canvas one coat at a time (Zott created a special roller that attached to the back of their wheelchairs). Then, the mobile residents use stamps attached to the ends of pogo sticks to create patterns around the edges of the canvas. Layer upon layer, paint is added until a masterpiece is finished to the residents’ satisfaction. After

the finished product dries, the staff assists the residents in cutting the paper pieces with a die-cut machine. The paper pieces are then transformed into boxes or bookmarks. The canvases are framed or put onto stretcher bars to be hung. Wheely Amazing Art started as a way for the people of Sunrise to express themselves, but it’s become so much more.

The program changed when employees at Geico decided to buy some of the homemade boxes from Sunrise. But they didn’t buy just a few — they bought 400. Green and the staff realized this was an obvious way to empower the people at Sunrise and to let the community know about the great work that was going on there. Sunrise officially named the program Wheely Amazing Art. It became an incorporated business, a way for the people of Sunrise to express themselves and let others outside of the Sunrise community know they were there.

Green is constant in her support for this program and what it does for the people of Sunrise. “Several of our people have used this as a means to let everyone know they’re just regular people and regular citizens of the community,” she says. “We have so many tours — National Night Out and Leadership Lakeland — and this enables the people who don’t have words but have something to say. They’re so much more than someone in a wheelchair or someone with cerebral palsy.” Sunrise individuals are citizens of Lakeland and rise above their disabilities on a daily basis.

For the past four years, Polk State College has collaborated with Sunrise to display the artwork in their gallery as part of Disability Awareness Month. The exhibit begins with artists getting to come and proudly show off their hard work. This exhibit, the proceeds from selling their work to others, and the hands-on process give the individuals at Sunrise something to look forward to, because, just like the Aktion Cub, it’s something they can do for themselves while working to help others. This generosity toward others makes Sunrise a light to the community, standing for others and themselves in a way that many unchallenged citizens do not. As my tour came to an end, Green said, “Never underestimate people and what they do to walk or talk.”

Sunrise community gives voices to those who can’t speak, empowers those who are overlooked, and is a positive force for humanity in our community.

THE LAKELANDER 103

CULTURE

ARTS LAKELAND FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE MBA STUDENTS SET OUT TO PROVE THAT LAKELAND’S ARTS COMMUNITY IS NOT ONLY A POWERFUL AGENT OF SOCIAL CHANGE BUT ALSO AN ENGINE OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY story by ALICE V. KOEHLER

104 THE LAKELANDER

ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY CONDUCTED BY: Alice V. Koehler, Marcanthony Lozano, Shelly Meadows, Andrea Merritt, Tami Pomales, and Terri Schneider Art connects. Art communicates. Art expresses. Art fulfills.

Art improves health, gives hope, and adds to academic success.

Art changes lives, and it can change cities, too.

Lakeland is a creative city, an artful city. Around every turn, businesses operate with an appreciation for innovation and imagination: architects, graphic designers, painters, builders.

Lakelanders enjoy the art of good food at unique restaurants and craft beer from local breweries. We appreciate the art of nature and invest in our parks. We encourage creativity and boast several excellent arts schools. Lakeland’s “artful energy,” as its downtown slogan suggests, is alive and well.

This artful energy isn’t just a statement about Lakeland today, though. The arts community plays a dynamic and integral role in developing our future as a city, and the nonprofit arts community will be key to growing Lakeland to its next iteration. We need to invest now.

The arts improve academic performance. Students who participate in the arts are more likely to have higher SAT scores and higher GPAs than those who don’t. Research from the University of Pennsylvania proves that “the arts have social impact. High concentration of the arts in a city leads to higher civic engagement, more social cohesion, higher child welfare, and lower poverty rates. The arts improve healthcare. Nearly

one-half of the nation’s healthcare institutions provide arts programming for patients, families, and even staff. Seventy-eight percent deliver these programs because of their healing benefits to patients — shorter hospital stays, better pain management, and less medication. The arts are fundamental to our humanity.

They ennoble and inspire us — fostering creativity, goodness, and beauty. The arts help us express our values, build bridges between cultures, and bring us together regardless of ethnicity, religion, or age. When times are tough, art is salve for the ache” (americansforthearts.org, 10 Reasons to Support the Arts).

Yes, the arts play a significant role in our collective humanity and in improving social conditions. We know the arts add intrinsic value to a community. We feel their value in our everyday existence. Far beyond that, however, the arts also promote prosperity, drive economic activity, and are good for business.

But our city’s arts community is facing a significant funding crisis.

In the past, the City of Lakeland was able to significantly financially support the arts through income-generating activities like the Cultural Trust Fund and the Red Light Camera Reinforcement Program. Due in part, however, to the reality of shifting budget priorities, these funds are no longer available.

“Actually seeing the numbers of only seven organizations brings the

importance of the arts and impact into reality. Those of us in the field knew the numbers were significant, and now thanks to the Senior MBA class, we have actual statistics to present. With over 16 arts organizations in Lakeland, we are looking forward to extending this study to include all of them.”

MERI MASS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, POLK ARTS ALLIANCE

THE LAKELANDER 105

In 2012, then-Mayor Gow Fields created the Mayor’s Council on the Arts to provide a platform for “public participation in decisions involving the arts community (City of Lakeland Resolution No. 12-020).” In September 2014, the council engaged a group of MBA students from Florida Southern College’s Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise (a team of which I was a part) to do something that hadn’t been done before in our city: determine the economic impact of the nonprofit arts community in Lakeland.

The team began by determining the major players. Based on attendance numbers and sizes of budgets, the study focused on these seven organizations: Polk Museum of Art, Explorations V Children’s Museum, Florida Dance Theatre, Imperial Symphony

Orchestra, Lakeland Community Theatre, Polk Theatre, and Platform Art. We studied these organizations, how they function, what they do, and how they impact and bolster our community.

We analyzed their budgets, IRS 990s, and attendance data. We surveyed the community. We looked at city visioning documents, talked with stakeholders, and went to work crunching numbers.

Using the Arts & Economic Prosperity IV Calculator, a tool that was developed by Americans for the Arts and “makes it possible to estimate the economic impact of nonprofit arts and culture organizations or even entire nonprofit arts communities” (americansforthearts.org).

The results are astounding:

THE NONPROFIT ARTS COMMUNITY IN LAKELAND HAS, AT A MINIMUM, A

26,410,688

$

ECONOMIC IMPACT ON OUR CITY. That means each $1.00 invested in Lakeland’s nonprofit arts community reaps a $3.38 return!

It’s important to note that these figures are based only on analysis of the seven major nonprofit arts organizations in Lakeland. So, the true economic impact of the nonprofit arts community in Lakeland is likely much greater. The economic impact of the arts — which can include both for-profit and nonprofit businesses — is greater still.

The team concluded that the city and its citizens would encounter a startling and significant economic blow should the city exist without these organizations. Furthermore, from analysis of citizen surveys and Lakeland Vision visioning documents, the team concluded that Lakeland values a city that is culturally diverse and offers an appealing quality of life.

Lakeland’s arts organizations are perfectly poised to add to the

city’s economic growth and development, and in so doing are the right investment to supporting the city in its social growth and development plan. The nonprofit arts community is key to growing Lakeland from good to great! With the right support, our city’s creative vitality and “artful energy” will continue to thrive.

This economic impact study is the first step of many in embracing and nurturing our arts community. It’s the foundation from which our community will grow. George Bernard Shaw, the poet, playwright, and co-founder of the London School of Economics, once said, “Imagination is the beginning of creation.

You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will.” Yesterday, we imagined what Lakeland might become. Today, we begin the creation of what will be, and have begun the work of creating it.

Visit the thelakelander.com for a full summary of the economic impact study as well as a link to 10 Reasons to Support the Arts.

The Florida Southern College MBA team wishes to thank those that provided support in pursuing this impact study.

The MBA team worked closely with Dr. Larry Ross, the Mayor’s Council on the Arts, and The Polk Arts Alliance. The Polk Arts Alliance is an active advocacy member of Americans for the Arts and represents the County at the Division of Cultural Affairs. For more information on The Polk Arts Alliance, please visit polkarts.org.

106 THE LAKELANDER

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Shortly after earning my MBA, I was promoted to social media specialist at Darden.”

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THE LAKELANDER 107

CULTURE

VITAL, VIBRANT, AND VALUABLE Lakeland’s arts scene reveals the true value of our creative community

MARK THIELEN >>> Artistic Director and Conductor Imperial Symphony Orchestra photo by Jordan Weiland

108 THE LAKELANDER

story by Abby Jarvis

They’re all over the city: in the restaurants downtown, congregating in classrooms, sharing pints and ideas at the bars. They’re a small, dedicated group of individuals who have made a subtle but profound difference on Lakeland as we know it.

THEY’RE ARTISTS. Lakeland’s art scene is growing, and its participants are excited about its momentum. The arts are an important part of building a thriving community in the city, improving our quality of life, driving economic growth, and connecting Lakeland’s inhabitants to other Lakelanders and their hometown.

The city’s emphasis on the arts isn’t a recent phenomenon. Cynthia Haffey, executive director of Lakeland’s Platform Art, recalls the arts’ significance in restoring the downtown area in particular. “For the last 10 years or so, the creative culture has been busy adding the elements of beauty and entertainment that have begun to establish Lakeland’s cultural identity,” she says. She adds that art, film, fashion, sound, and performance are all aspects of the arts that have contributed to Lakeland’s culture.

And she would know — Cynthia is a longtime Lakeland resident who has watched the city’s art scene burgeon over the last several years. “I can honestly say I moved to Lakeland because of the Lemon Street sculpture project,” she says. “Tampa was my home for 35-plus years, and, having accepted a job in Lakeland, it was a perfectly comfortable drive from North Tampa to Lakeland for work every day. Within the first six months of commuting to Lakeland for work, I had fallen in love with the city

THE LAKELANDER 109

for recognizing the value of and making a commitment to the cultural aspects of our community.”

Ellen Chastain, the education director for Polk Museum of Art, has similar memories. She and her husband, Chad, moved to Tampa from Arkansas and lived there for a year. Chastain, who was working for the museum at the time, asked her husband to move to Lakeland from Tampa. They were both struck by how much potential Lakeland had, and they quickly decided to move. They started organizing music shows at the museum and dove headfirst into the community of artists and musicians that was growing in the city. “It was so easy for us to hop into the community and do that stuff with no qualms,” she says.

Local artist Rick Olivo had a similar experience. He moved from New York to Lakeland in 1983 after his brother began attending Southeastern University. Once here, Olivo recognized an immediate need for an outlet for actors and decided to start his own theater company, which he called The Pied Pipers. “When I first got here, I worked in theatre — most people didn’t even know I did art,” Olivo says. “I decided I wanted to have a theatre in Lakeland, so the parents here [helped me through the process of getting the theatre started].” He’s been here ever since.

All three individuals believe that the importance of the arts in the city can’t be overstated. Chastain, who runs art programs at the museum, works with students ages seven and up. She thinks that the arts are especially important for young students. Learning how to draw, especially, helps children develop the fine-motor skills necessary for them to learn to write. She also says that completing art projects helps kids learn to follow directions, develops critical-thinking skills, and fosters problem-solving skills. When they’re older, the arts can be a tool for learning entrepreneurial skills that will benefit them later in life. One of the museum’s programs, for example, helps students design and sell T-shirts. The students track their inventory, manage their earnings, and donate a portion of their earnings to charity. “They use art in order to gain life skills,” Chastain says.

Olivo thinks that changing people’s lives by teaching them about the arts has an effect not only on the students but on the rest of the community as well. Knowledge of the arts and the ability to create makes a profound difference in the lives of individuals, he says, but the changes don’t stop there. He notes, “People don’t realize that, when you change a life, you don’t change one life. You change a family. When you change a family, you change a community.”

And that community is definitely changing. Olivo says the arts scene in Lakeland is responsible for much of the city’s current status, both in terms of population and commerce. “There are places in England and the Nordic countries where their city centers have gone down because of the lack of shipping,” he says. “And, all of a sudden, there are only two things that bring people back: that’s electronics or art. We can see it here in Lakeland. A lot of our art is involved in bringing back commerce.”

Haffey agrees with Olivo and notes that Lakeland’s art community is responsible, at least in part, for the city’s economic growth. “Nothing operates outside of economics, and a truly ‘active’ arts scene can only exist if it is economically viable,” she says. “Beauty is in the ‘buy’ of the beholder. Whether the beholder is a donor, benefactor, patron, or taxpayer, all are customers. Where art and artists are compensated, art and artists thrive. Where they thrive, the community that embraces them thrives.”

The financial effect of the arts is important, but the artists have a more subtle, more profound impact on the city’s residents. The arts help establish a deep-seated sense of community among Lakeland’s inhabitants, and they help foster a sense of connectedness between individuals and the rest of the city. “People relegate art as an auxiliary thing, as something you do because you have nothing better to do,” Olivo says. “But now we’re realizing that art is very basic to forming communities and making people communicate.” Haffey agrees, and notes, “We are contributing, collectively, to a stronger, vibrant, desirable, and unique community environment.”

110 THE LAKELANDER

LESLIE SIKORA President and CEO, Polk Theatre photo by Philip Pietri

GEORGANN CARLTON Executive Director Explorations V Children’s Museum photo by Tina Sargeant

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114 THE LAKELANDER

CYNTHIA HAFFEY Executive Director Platform Art photo by Sarah Brewington

Artists and arts enthusiasts like Chastain, Haffey, and Olivo are thrilled with the prevalence of the creative community in Lakeland and the surrounding areas. But they all agree that the best is yet to come. Chastain spoke excitedly of Polk Museum of Art programs like their Art Crawl, which helps local artists connect to buyers and supporters from the community. She says that the museum’s programs change regularly to meet the city’s needs, and she eagerly anticipates expanding programs to meet future demands in Lakeland, Bartow, and the rest of Polk County.

Olivo, too, is passionate about the city’s artists, and he thinks that the future of Lakeland’s creative population is largely dependent upon finding patrons and buyers who can support local artists. “Fostering the arts and fostering artists shouldn’t be the responsibility solely of arts-oriented organizations,” he says. “It should be an individual calling; people should be

supporting artists. It goes back to the money. Please invest in local talent! It will be worth your while. I guarantee that they’re just as good as anything in Chicago, in New York, in L.A. And when they become part of Chicago, New York, and L.A., you will have a piece that’s worth its value.”

Although they love the appreciation for the arts already established in Lakeland, Chastain, Olivo, and Haffey look forward to an even more prolific, vibrant arts community.

Each has their own dream. Chastain dreams of expanding the museum’s outreach programs. Olivo dreams about wider financial support for local artists. And Haffey dreams about encouraging more public art works through Platform Art. Their dreams are fueled by a deep love for the arts and for Lakeland.

“I hope Lakeland is always Lakeland — that’s why we moved here,” Olivo says. “But I hope Lakeland can be a richer Lakeland.

I think it will be.”

THE LAKELANDER 115

116 THE LAKELANDER

BEHIND THE SCENES

MEET LISA MALOTT Owner of Wish Vintage Rentals story by Abby Jarvis photography by Tiffani Jones

THE LAKELANDER 117

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE LAKELANDER The Lakelander loves community. We strive to reflect our city and its diversity, to incite pride of place, and to reveal lesser known facets of our community. We connect people, resources, and ideas. We’re aspirational yet approachable, sophisticated but homegrown. We dig deeper. And we aren’t afraid of a little grit.

We believe in the culture of our city. We believe that one of our best assets is the talented and inspiring individuals who call Lakeland home. We believe that this city is better because of the people who choose to live here.

Making an issue of The Lakelander is a labor of love. It takes a community of contributors working hard because they believe in this city as much as we do. In the coming months, we will highlight one of our very special contributors in each issue so you, the reader, can get to know the true makers of the magic behind this publication and get to know some fellow Lakelanders a little better in the process.

W

hen she’s not staging photo shoots for The Lakelander, Lisa Malott is often found sifting through antique stores, flea markets, and estate sales looking for special, one-of-a-kind treasures to add to her inventory for her company, Wish Vintage Rentals. Brides, photographers, and event planners from all over Florida contact Lisa to help add a retro flair to their events.

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THE LAKELANDER 119

120 THE LAKELANDER

Wish Vintage Rentals was founded in 2012 when Lisa discovered a demand for unique vintage props in Central Florida. “I crossed paths with a pair of wedding photographers in the summer of 2012 and discovered that there was a need for vintage prop rentals in the Central Florida area,” she says. “They had a number of clients wanting to incorporate vintage furniture and decor at their weddings but were having a hard time finding a company that offered anything beyond the standard table and chair rentals.”

THE LAKELANDER 121

Since that summer, Wish Vintage Rentals has grown both in terms of its inventory and its scope. Lisa now serves clients in Tampa, Orlando, the beaches, and wide swaths of Central Florida. Despite the breadth of her client base, Lisa’s dedication to finding the perfect pieces for each of her clients remains unchanged. “When I meet with clients and designers, I want them to be able to see all of the possible options that could work best with their vision,” she says.

Though she does serve clients across Central Florida, Lisa established her business in Lakeland and always comes back to her hometown. “I love being a part of the great creative scene that exists in Lakeland,” she says. “It’s an awesome community to be a part of, and I am thankful that our company has been so well embraced.”

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EVENTS CALENDAR

JANUARY EVERY SATURDAY IN JANUARY DOWNTOWN FARMERS CURB MARKET 8 a.m. – 2 p.m Downtown ldda.org JANUARY 8 FOOD TRUCK RALLY tampabayfoodtruckrally.com JANUARY 10 AN EVENING WITH COUNTRY MUSIC’S DON WILLIAMS The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com JANUARY 14 AN EVENING WITH GRAHAM NASH The Polk Theater polktheatre.org

Lakelander_JanFeb:Layout 1

124 THE LAKELANDER

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JANUARY 16 GRITS AND GLAMOUR TOUR WITH PAM TILLIS AND LORRIE MORGAN The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com JANUARY 16 – 17 FAMOUS TATE PRO RODEO CLASSIC The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com JANUARY 17 IMPERIAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS A NIGHT AT THE OPERA: LA TRAVIATA Florida Southern College flsouthern.edu/festival-of-fine-arts JANUARY 22 HILARY KOLE AND BIG BAND: “OVER THE RAINBOW” Florida Southern College flsouthern.edu/festival-of-fine-arts 1:35 PM

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JANUARY 23 ART & FOOD Polk Museum of Art polkmuseumofart.com JANUARY 26 CHANTICLEER CONCERT First Presbyterian Church fpclakeland.org JANUARY 29 THE VIOLIN ARTISTRY OF RIMMA! ENCORE CONCERT Florida Southern College flsouthern.edu/festival-of-fine-arts JANUARY 29 YAKOV SMIRNOFF The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com

JANUARY 30 19TH ANNUAL LAKELAND PIGFEST Tiger Town Sports Complex lakelandpigfest.org FEBRUARY EVERY SATURDAY IN FEBRUARY DOWNTOWN FARMERS CURB MARKET 8 a.m. – 2 p.m Downtown ldda.org FEBRUARY 3 TEA & SYMPHONY The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com FEBRUARY 4 MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com

FEBRUARY 6 FIRST FRIDAY: “COLLEGIATE SPIRIT” downtownlakelandfl.com

FEBRUARY 18 RHYTHM OF THE DANCE The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com

FEBRUARY 11 UNDER THE STREET LAMP The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com

FEBRUARY 19 AMERICA The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com FEBRUARY 21 AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CATTLE BARONS’ BALL - BOOTLEGGERS BASH The Bunch Ranch, Highland City cattlebaronsballpolk.com

FEBRUARY 12 FOOD TRUCK RALLY tampabayfoodtruckrally.com FEBRUARY 12 CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE PRESENTS: THE EAGLES HOTEL CALIFORNIA The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com FEBRUARY 17 DANCING PROS LIVE The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com

FEBRUARY 25 MICHAEL FEINSTEIN: THE SINATRA PROJECT The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com FEBRUARY 26 THE ALMA COLLEGE CHOIR First Presbyterian Church fpclakeland.org

Clubs of Lakeland

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For more information or to purchase tickets visit TheRotaryPlayground.org Sponsored by Lakeland Christina Rotary Club Lakeland North Rotary Club The Lakeland Rotary Club The Rotary Club of Lakeland South

THE LAKELANDER 125

EVENTS CALENDAR FEBRUARY 26 D.L. HUGHLEY The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com FEBRUARY 28 THE GALA Polk Museum of Art polkmuseumofart.com MARCH EVERY SATURDAY IN MARCH DOWNTOWN FARMERS CURB MARKET 8 a.m. – 2 p.m Downtown ldda.org MARCH 3 TEA & SYMPHONY The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com

MARCH 5 MICHAEL W. SMITH: THE SOVEREIGN TOUR The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com

MARCH 19 SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com MARCH 21 BREWZ CREWZ BEER FESTIVAL Citizens Bank & Trust Building 402 South Kentucky Avenue downtownlakeland.com

MARCH 12 FOOD TRUCK RALLY tampabayfoodtruckrally.com MARCH 11 CIRQUESA DREAMQUEST The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com MARCH 12 CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE PRESENTS THE BEATLES: LET IT BE The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com MARCH 18 JIM BRICKMAN The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com

MARCH 25 ROCK AND SOUL FEATURES FELIX CAVALIERE AND DARLENE LOVE The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com MARCH 30 FLASHDANCE The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com MARCH 31 CESAR MILLAN The Lakeland Center thelakelandcenter.com

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126 THE LAKELANDER

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OPENINGS

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Location: 1015 South Florida Avenue The new late-night spot in town features wine, and craft and tap beers in an intimate setting with music from a baby grand piano. The menu offers a light fare and tapas. It’s the exact sort of place that the Dixieland Historic District has been waiting for.

801 MAIN

The Poor Porker attracts college students and grandparents alike to the weekly Lakeland Downtown Farmers Market, yet Jarrid and Robyn, the brains behind the genius beignet booth, just keep on rolling up their sleeves. The pair is now preparing to embark on another creative venture, but on a grander scale. “Basically we’re creating our dream hangout spot,” Jarrid says. And if there’s any couple you’d like to hang out with in Lakeland, it would be them.

THE PROPERTY SHOPPE

Location: 211 East Main Street A full-service company that works with buyers, sellers, and investors in real-estate transactions spanning all price ranges and property types.

Under the boutique name Bearcat & Big Six, the two have renovated a rundown garage across the street from the Texas Cattle Co. Their “dream project” includes a central point bar, an outdoor garden, and their now-signature beignets and chicory coffee, with more in the works. Jarrid and Robyn are still on the lookout for food trucks and potential vendors, and say, “Something magical happens when people naturally come together.” 801 Main will be that place where people want to come together, and it’s sure to be magical.

SIMPLE VINTAGE, and SCOUT & TAG

MOVING SOON

Location: 244 North Kentucky Avenue Nicki Hunt and Kim Hancock have joined together to help you reimagine your home decor and the role those hand-downed pieces can play in it. The store offers a variety of tastefully refurbished antiques and furniture, as well as local home decor and goods. Kim and Nikki also plan to hold workshops on refurbishing furniture in the future.

Make sure to follow them on Facebook to check out their upcoming classes.

WALDING AND ASSOCIATES DENTISTRY

Location: 444 West Pipkin Road A friendly Lakeland dentist office where you can feel comfortable and relaxed. You’ll be sure to leave with a fresh and confident smile.

OPENING SOON CONCORD COFFEE

Location: 1037 South Florida Avenue #135 It appears Lakeland is finally getting the craft coffee shop it’s been looking for, and much more. Concord Coffee is a place that seeks to bring people together to enjoy the most excellent coffee and community. “From pour overs to cold brews, we are offering the best-tasting coffee in Lakeland.

We’ve explored shops all over the world, from San Francisco, Nashville, and Seattle, to Italy and South Korea.

Our passion comes from the countless conversations and community we’ve experienced around coffee.”

128 THE LAKELANDER

(Update from November/December 2014 issue)

TEA LARGO BEVERAGE CO.

Location: Cleveland Heights Boulevard and Hallam Road (at new Haka Fitness location) Tea Largo is now scheduled to open in January 2015.

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HISTORY

LAKELAND JITNEY LINES The jitney lines were Lakeland, Florida’s earliest form of mass transportation. This pre-World War I bus line carried commuters through Lakeland for five cents.

Date: Unknown Source: Lakeland Public Library

130 THE LAKELANDER

629 HOWARD AVENUE, LAKELAND FL 33815 LOCATED IN THE LONE PALM GOLF COMMUNITY WHERE TRADITIONAL MEETS CONTEMPORARY

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Healthcare

Centered Around You When it comes to your health, only the best will do. Our doctors understand your wellness goals and design a healthcare plan that caters to your individual needs. We have over 200 board-certified specialists, plus the convenience of multiple locations with on-site

radiology and lab work, walk-in care options and there’s even a patient portal for online communication with your doctor’s office.

Quite simply, it’s a healthcare experience unlike any other. That’s because at Watson Clinic, patients are at the center of all we do.

CANCER TREATMENT

EYE EXAMS

HEARING CENTER

HEART CARE

JOINT REPLACEMENT

DIABETES MANAGEMENT

ROBOTIC & MINIMALLYINVASIVE SURGERY | 863.680.7190 | www.WatsonClinic.com | Follow us on 132 THE LAKELANDER