the link RT June 2026

ISSUE 33 – JUNE, 2026

PROUDLY SERVING RIVERTOWN

“THERE IS NOTHING IN THE WORLD SO GOOD AS GOOD NEIGHBORS” – LAURA WILDER

DEAR NEIGHBOR,

The Gilstrap Family The Anchor of Tomorrow In the quiet, deliberate moments of modern fatherhood lies the true blueprint of a community's future. Beyond providing, a truly present father offers something far more luxurious in today’s fast-paced world: his undivided time, his guidance, and an unwavering emotional anchor.

Whether mentoring on the sports field, sharing quiet wisdom at the dinner table, or demonstrating integrity through daily actions, a father's active involvement shapes a child's resilience and self-worth. This June, the link celebrates the profound, quiet power of men who show up, lean in, and build a legacy of love right here at home.

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THE LINK RIVERTOWN

Matthew 5:13

OPEN HOUSE EXPLORING RIVERTOWN’S

398 WAMBAW DR

AVAILABLE HOMES

WHAT’S TO LOVE? Tucked away on a cul-de-sac lot in sought-after Rivertown, this 5 bedroom, 4.5 bathroom home offers a spacious and functional layout with a dedicated office and upstairs loft, all while being just a short distance from the new Rivertown K-8 school and one of the community's amenity centers.Designed with flexibility in mind, the home features two guest suites with attached bathrooms (one downstairs and one upstairs), making it ideal for guests or multigenerational living. The screened lanai overlooks the fully fenced backyard and preserve setting, creating a great space to unwind or entertain outdoors. Seller is offering a $3,500 paint credit with an acceptable offer, giving buyers the opportunity to make the home their own.

5 beds 5 baths 3,528 SF

OFFERED AT $679,000 LAURENT & ERICKA GONZALEZ UNITED REAL ESTATE GALLERY (904)-303-44350 PAGE THREE | THE LINK RIVERTOWN

food is essential to life. therefore, make it good.

- ANONYMOUS

EASY Oven Baked Ribs What You Need 2 to 2 ½ pounds baby back pork ribs 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup finely diced onion 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 cup ketchup 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce like Sriracha 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar Salt and ground pepper, to taste

What You Do Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C). Set aside a large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet and aluminum foil.

Season the ribs: If your ribs still have a thin membrane on the back, remove it. (See the tips section for instructions.)

Generously season both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper. If using a spice rub, apply it evenly.

Wrap with foil: Place the ribs, meatiest-side down, in your roasting pan. You may need to cut the ribs in half to fit. Cover the pan or baking sheet tightly with aluminum foil. The ribs must be well-sealed to prevent drying out. If your foil isn’t large enough, wrap the racks of ribs individually in tight foil packets and place them on the baking sheet. After making this recipe so many times, we find that keeping the meatiest side of the ribs facing down is best. The rendered fat and juices from the meat above drip down, creating a natural basting effect that keeps the meat moist and prevents it from drying out, especially during long, slow cooking, like in this recipe.

Bake the ribs: Bake for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours or until the meat easily falls from the bones. I check the ribs after 2 hours to see how they’re doing. Ribs are ready when the meat is cooked through and very tender.

To check if they are done, pierce them with a sharp knife. There should be little to no resistance. You can also gently bend the ribs. If the meat looks like it will easily pull away from the bone, they’re ready. If the meat is still tough, they are likely underbaked (your oven might be cooler than mine). Continue baking and consider increasing the temperature to 300°F (150°C).

Make BBQ Sauce: While the ribs are baking, prepare your sauce.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the onions and cook until they’re soft and translucent, which should take about 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the cumin and cook for another 30 seconds. Next, add the ketchup, hot chili sauce, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar.

Stir everything to combine, season with salt, and cook for 2 minutes. Set the sauce aside while the ribs finish baking.

Brush the sauce onto the ribs: Remove the ribs from the oven, discard the aluminum foil, and generously brush both sides with barbecue sauce.

Broil the ribs: Move an oven rack near the top of the oven and turn your broiler to high. Broil the ribs until the BBQ sauce begins to caramelize, about 3 to 4 minutes. Keep a close eye on them during this step to ensure the sauce doesn’t burn. Enjoy!

Strength In Numbers 100 Men Who Care St. Johns is a network of men dedicated to supporting charities across Northeast Florida through collective giving, providing quarterly donations of $10,000 to organizations making a difference in our community.

Learn More And Get Involved!

DAD JOKES, LIFE LESSONS, AND THE MOMENTS THAT STAY WITH US Father’s Day has a funny way of sneaking up on us. One minute we’re rolling our eyes at the same repeated phrases, and the next, we catch ourselves saying them to our own kids, laughing at the same jokes, or missing the sound of them echoing through the house.

For many families, dads are remembered not only through the big milestones, but through the ordinary language of everyday life… the sayings, repeated from the driver’s seat, across the dinner table, while fixing something in the garage, or during late-night kitchen conversations. Some were funny. Some were lectures disguised as one-liners. And some, somehow, became part of what home sounded like.

THE DAD PHRASES WE NEVER FORGET “Were you raised in a barn?”

Usually heard after someone left the door open, tracked mud inside, or forgot basic household manners.

At the time, it felt dramatic. Years later, it feels oddly comforting.

“Hi Hungry, I’m Dad.” Perhaps one of the most universal dad jokes of all time…groan-worthy, predictable, and somehow impossible not to smile at now.

“Text me when you get there” Modern fatherhood may look different that it did decades ago, but concern sounds surprisingly similar across generations. Today’s dads track locations, send memes, learn TikTok trends badly, and still stay awake waiting to know everyone made it home safely.

“Do you have gas money?”

Sometimes this question was practical. Sometimes it was a subtle lesson about responsibility. Either way, many of us now realize those little conversations were often about preparing children for adulthood one small moment at a time.

“Money doesn’t grow on trees” As kids, it sounded like the automatic response to every unnecessary request. But adulthood has a way of revealing what was really behind that phrase – budgeting, sacrifice, overtime hours, and parents trying to provide stability while teaching gratitude at the same time.

“Because I said so.”

Possible the most overused parental phrase in history. Frustrating in the moment, yet oddly understandable later in life when exhaustion, worry, and time constraints collide. Sometimes it wasn’t about control so much as trying to hold the chaos together before dinner burned on the stove.

“You can Google it, but I’m still right.”

A newer addition to the Dad phrase Hall of Fame. Today’s fathers are navigating a world very different from the one they grew up in, yet many are still trying to pass down wisdom, humor, resilience, and common sense in between technology updates and group chats.

“Walk it off.”

Not always medically sound – but often delivered with the hopeful optimism that kids are more resilient than they think.

“Proud of you kid.”

Maybe the rarest phrase of all in some households. But often the one remembered most.

WHAT WE REALLY REMEMBER As adults, many people discover they remember less about expensive gifts or elaborate vacations and more about small rituals: Saturday morning pancakes Music playing in the garage Being taught to drive Random life advice during grocery store trips The way Dad checked the locks before bed Carrying sleeping kids from the car to the couch Awkward but sincere attempts to stay connected Fatherhood today is evolving in beautiful ways. Many dads are more emotionally present, more involved, and more willing to openly express affection than previous generations were taught to be.

Some are breaking cycles. Some are learning as they go. Some are showing love through humor because words don’t always come easily.

And for many families, Father’s Day is also about honoring grandfathers, stepdads, mentors, uncles, coaches, and father figures – the people who showed up consistently and helped shape who we became.

Long after childhood, the phrases remain. Sometimes they make us laugh. Sometimes they catch us off guard with emotion. But together, they form a kind of family language – one that reminds us that love often hides in ordinary moments.

BY TEENA HOLDER

HOME SERVICES The following businesses are folks who we recommend to you, our neighbors. We either use them ourselves or they come highly referred from other members of this community.

We hope that you reach out to them for your Home Services needs!

Real Estate Professional

CindyGavinTeam.com

Cindy: 904.465.3397

FROM US, TO YOU VitaminLawn Program

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Landscaping and Lawn Care

Stone Countertops

Call/Text for Free in-Home Estimate 904.323.0830

Home Cleaning

Custom Concrete Finishes

Schedule Your Quote 904-460-3900 paragonpoolsjax.com

HVAC & Plumbing

Text for Quote: Brett 904.347.7770

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Text to Schedule:

Jessica 904.802.3145

Text or Call!

10% off First Responders & Veterans

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

The following businesses are folks who we recommend to you, our neighbors. We either use them ourselves or they come highly referred from other members of this community.

We hope that you reach out to them for your Professional Services needs!

Life Planning and Probate Attorney

Financial Planner

MBMwealth.com MarkMossLaw.com

Mark Moss: 904.329.7242

Jesse Dusablon 818.857.7565

FROM US, TO YOU Home Mortgage Services

Business & Real Estate Attorney

troysilhan.com Text Me Today!

904.217.9489

Massage Therapy

Vein Treatment and Med Spa

MASalain@ hahnlaw.com

239.337.6732

Chiropractic Care

Book Online:

New Patient Special $249

NothingKnotty Massage.com

$99 FOR RT RESIDENTS! Text (904) 290-1312 to Schedule

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FAMILY SERVICES The following businesses are folks who we recommend to you, our neighbors. We either use them ourselves or they come highly referred from other members of this community.

We hope that you reach out to them for your Family Services needs!

Child Care Facility

Golf Cart Sales & Service

Schedule A Tour

Test Drive at Your HOME! text us

904.290.2958

$0 Registration 10% Off MONTHLY

Direct Primary Care

Learn More:

hello@randr collectivehealth.com

904.747.9802

FROM US, TO YOU Tackle Football & Sideline Cheer

Private Ride Service

Text to Schedule: Alberto 516.547.6512

Private Golf Lessons

Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

Schedule Today!

Call to Schedule

Doctor Justin Page, DDS: 904.395.7822

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Swim Lessons

Call to Schedule:

904.618.3119

Baby Sitting Service & Tutoring

Text Me To Discuss Your Family’s Needs!

904.310.8071

PROUDLY SERVING RIVERTOWN

Contact us: getlinked@thelinkmag.biz