/OTHS-Summer2012

CALENDAR | BABE RUTH WORLD SERIES | JOHN MORAN PHOTO ESSAY Y

Summer 2012

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Summer 2012 | 9

page

128

CONTENTS SUMMER 2012 • VOL. 10 ISSUE 02

>> FEATURES 20

40

64

70

Hey! Batter Batter

88

Conserving & Restoring

The Babe Ruth Softball World Series Returns to Alachua

The Florida Lake Management Society Works to Protect Water

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

BY JEWEL MIDELIS

Taking Ownership

92

Sewing Society

The Choice to Waste or Protect Florida’s Water is Ours

Sharing and Teaching Traditional Skills in the Community

BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

BY TINA PRIZAMENT

Burning Bright

100 Service & Sisterhood

The Newberry High School Softball Program Gets New Life

The Alachua Woman’s Club Celebrates its 100th Anniversary

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

New Priest

120 Hometown Heroes

High Springs Landmark Stays in the Family

World-Renowned Organization is Loyal to North Florida

BY LARRY BEHNKE

BY JENNIFER RIEK

10 | Summer 2012

ON THE COVER

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY / LOTUS STUDIOS

Photographer. Filmmaker. Explorer. These are just a few descriptions that apply to Jill Heinerth. As an award-winning filmmaker, Heinerth wrote, produced, and appeared in the PBS documentary series “Water’s Journey.” As an explorer she has ventured into iceberg caverns. She has dived deeper into caves than any woman in history. The list goes on. Read more about her life and her most recent endeavor: the “We are Water” project.

>> BULLSEYE

28

Olympic Dreams

by Amanda Williamson

Junior Archery ODC Members Focus on Lofty Goals

Competitive Archery The Newberry Junior Olympic Archery Development Club’s goal is to promote the sport of archery among the youth, encourage sportsmanship and volunteerism and to provide enjoyable experiences for those involved.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON EVENT PHOTOS BY TJ MORRISSEY

A

s 11-year-old Sullivan docks an arrow and draws back the cord to his bow, the challenges he faces with most sports disappear.

Like every other child on in the Newberry Junior Olympic Archery Development Club, he loves the sport. Most days one can find him at the Easton-Newberry Sports Complex training or visiting. During competitions, Sullivan focuses his energy into his bow and arrow and knows that, while there may be others vying for the top spot, he is really only competing against himself.

“I’m not very athletic,” Sullivan said. “Archery is a sport where I

don’t have to run the fastest or to be the biggest or the strongest out of everyone.”

Sullivan suffered a stroke when he was an infant, which weakened his left side. Before archery, he used traditional strength training, such as barbells, to build muscle in his weaker limbs. But his mother, Charlotte, said it was always hard to encourage him to work past the boredom.

With archery, she said he would be at the complex seven days a week, if he could. Frequently, Sullivan’s parents have to remind him to put down the bow and take a break from his DIY archery target, a hay bale.

Sullivan wants to try to get into the

U.S. Paralympics, but says right now he will just keep shooting for fun.

Along with the archery coaches at the Easton-Newberry Sports Complex, the friends and connections Sullivan has made through the JOAD Club help him to become a better archer.

According to the Club website, its goal is to promote the sport of archery among the youth, encourage sportsmanship and volunteerism and to provide enjoyable experiences for those involved.

With 70 members, the club has grown since it was started a year ago with only 30 members.

Initially led by Coach Bob

Taylor Gray takes aim during the Third Annual Easton Foundations Gator Cup at the Easton-Newberry Sport Complex.

28 | Summer 2012

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 29

>> ON ASSIGNMENT:

52

Searching for Slime

Photo essay by John Moran

A PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY BY JOHN MORAN

John Moran

In May, renowned nature

“Lesley and I paddled through the most putrid water I’ve ever seen, anywhere, in my many years and thousands of miles of Florida paddling.”

photographer John Moran

Nature photographer John Moran was recently called upon to document an outbreak of green cyanobacteria on the Santa Fe River.

In May, he and his partner Lesley Gamble paddled down the river with cameras in hand.

received a phone call from Julie Hauserman with Earthjustice, the non-profit national environmental law firm that is working to compel Florida to clean up its waters. Hauserman had seen a photograph made a day earlier by Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, president of Our Santa Fe River, showing what appeared to be an outbreak of sickly green cyanobacteria on the Santa Fe River.

She assigned Moran to photograph this threat to North Florida waterways.

Heading downstream, I had to drag my canoe through the shallows of the river.

52 | Summer 2012

PHOTO BY LESLEY GAMBLE

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 53

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 79

>> FINAL FRONTIER

78

Diving Below

by Debbie Meeks

An Explorer’s Glimpse Beneath the Surface

Debbie Meeks She’s been cave diving for more than a decade. This story, coupled with Mark Long’s photography, offers a personal reflection of her attraction to the sport and illustrates the carved beauty of the remote waterways beneath our feet.

BY DEBBIE MEEKS

T

he heat index is 110 degrees and I’m willing myself not to sweat as I put on wool long johns and a neoprene dry suit. I’m almost as wet inside the suit as I will soon be outside. Finally, I lift 80 pounds of tanks and assorted gear and lumber toward my version of relief — a Florida spring. It’s always then that the questions come, maybe because with my gear on I appear alien.

The bystanders with the questions are cool and comfortable; they’re

wearing swimsuits and holding cold beverages. I can’t answer until I get a reprieve from the weight and the heat, but their questions flow like spring water.

What do you see down there?

Do you dive the same place over and over?

Isn’t it dark in there?

I see wet rocks. That’s the punch line I blurt out when I’m sweaty and impatient. For a good answer, I explain that I love cave diving because every diver sees something different. There are as many ways to “see” a cave as there are cave divers.

PHOTO BY MARK LONG

Here in the entry corridor at Little Hart Spring the flow is so strong it causes ripples in the sand on the floor of the cave.

78 | Summer 2012

The articles printed in Our Town Magazine™ do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Tower Publications, Inc. or their editorial staff. Our Town Magazine endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we can not be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Our Town Magazine reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. All rights reserved. © 2012 Tower Publications, Inc.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 11

Published quarterly by Tower Publications, Inc. www.towerpublications.com

PUBLISHER Charlie Delatorre charlie@towerpublications.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Albert Isaac editor@towerpublications.com fax: 1-800-967-7382

page

OFFICE MANAGER Bonita Delatorre bonita@towerpublications.com

88 PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FLORIDA LAKE MANAGEMENT SOCIETY

The FLMS has created a cost-share program that funds lake, pond and shoreline projects, such as this restoration at Red Bug Lake in March of 2010.

ART DIRECTOR Hank McAfee hank@towerpublications.com DESIGNER Neil McKinney neil@towerpublications.com

>> FEATURES 128 Adventures Below From the Deepest Cave to the Coldest Water, Jill Heinerth Dives for More than a Thrill

BY DESIREE FARNUM

138 Alternative Medicine Healing Mind, Body and Spirit

BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

152 Preserving the Springs The Silver Springs Alliance

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Larry Behnke Desiree Farnum Janice C. Kaplan Bonnie Kretchik Debbie Meeks Jewel Midelis Tina Prizament Jennifer Riek Amanda Williamson INTERN Jewel Midelis

BY BONNIE KRETCHIK ADVERTISING SALES Jenni Bennett 352-416-0210 jenni@towerpublications.com

COLUMNISTS 38 60 148 170

Nancy Short 352-416-0196 nancy@towerpublications.com

Crystal Henry ............................................................ NAKED SALSA Diane E. Shepard .................................................. MAMA MUSINGS Kendra Siler-Marsiglio ..................................... HEALTHY EDGE Donna Bonnell ......................................................... EMBRACING LIFE

Pam Slaven 352-416-0213 pam@towerpublications.com Helen Stalnaker 352-416-0209 helen@towerpublications.com Annie Waite 352-416-0204 annie@towerpublications.com

INFORMATION 108 Community Calendar 114 Taste of the Town 160 Library Happenings

12 | Summer 2012

164 Worship Centers 176 Advertiser Index

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SPECIAL >> RIBBON CUTTING

Project Legacy a Reality n May 17, 2012, the City of Alachua celebrated the purchase of 105 acres of land adjacent to the Hal Brady Recreation Complex. On this sunny Thursday morning, officials, dignitaries and visitors gathered under a tent overlooking rolling fields that for years have served as parking space for the City’s Fourth of July Celebration.

Now, rather than a 200-home development, the Hal Brady Recreation Complex can expand to offer additional services including three new multi-purpose sports fields to host soccer, lacrosse and football competitions.

Alachua City Manager Traci Cain credited Adam Boukari, among others, for his efforts to bring Project Legacy to fruition.

“He spearheaded and managed this project,” Cain said. “He truly has a passion for youth and recreation. Once he got the ball rolling I think the only way for me to have stopped him was to fire him.”

Hal Brady was also recognized for his role in the project.

“He has been the face of recreation for our community and has

O

14 | Summer 2012

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF THE CITY OF ALACHUA

ABOVE: A conceptualization of the complex as it might appear after expansion. While there are no concrete plans for construction yet, possibilities include open fields for such sports as lacrosse, football, soccer and more. The current features and layout of the park are on the right.

TOP: L-R: G.B. Wilson, Susanne Wilson Bullard, Craig Harris, Traci Cain, Shirley Brown, Adam Boukari, Justin Revuelta, Gib Coerper, Paula DeLaney, Gary Hardacre, Susan Baird, Ben Boukari, Jr., Orien Hills, Hal Brady and Lee Pinkoson.

fought for more recreational facilities and programming in the area.

He has a huge heart for youth,” Cain said. “Without a doubt, he has made a lasting impact on Alachua

and has been onboard with Project Legacy from the word ‘go.’”

Alachua Board of County Commission Chair Paula DeLaney declared May 17, 2012 “Hal Brady Day.” s

MESSAGE >> FROM THE EDITOR

I’m not wishing for hurricanes, but I sure hope we get the deluge of rain that accompanies them.

My youngest son and I frequently visit the High Springs Boat Ramp, off of US 441.

We hike along the riverbank or he wades into the water in search of tadpoles and crawdads while I take photos.

On Memorial Day weekend we had a very different experience at the boat ramp: we arrived to find the river dry. So dry that we walked to the other side without even getting our shoes muddy.

People had gathered to explore the rocky terrain.

Some had parked their vehicles on the riverbed.

I met a woman sitting in a chair at the top of the boat ramp. She said she has lived in the area for 38 years and has never seen such a sight.

“If you know where the valve is,” she told me, “please turn it on.”

I wish I could.

So, in this edition we bring you some stories about our water. It’s not all doom and gloom but it’s not all good news, either. Poe Springs has stopped flowing. An immense sinkhole has opened in Jonesville. Wells are drying up. And water permits are rarely denied.

Fortunately, you can still canoe and kayak down the Santa Fe River, and the local canoe rental places are in operation, offering everything from day and overnight trips to full-moon river rides. Just don’t expect to launch at the High Springs Boat Ramp.

As always, we strive to show you the aspects of our area that truly make this a paradise; from lazy river floats to daring dives into the waterways beneath our feet. In this edition we present a pair of stories about cave diving: a feature about filmmaker/explorer Jill Heinerth and her latest project, a film entitled “We are Water,” and a personal glimpse of the splendor within those watery grottos below, written by Debbie Meeks.

So take a look at our beautiful waterways and see what’s at stake. I have to believe it’s not too late to save our springs, but it will take public involvement and strong leadership — two things we don’t seem to have in abundance. s

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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STAFF >> CONTRIBUTORS Desiree Farnum

Janice Kaplan

is a recent graduate of UF’s College of Journalism and Communications as well as a freelance writer. Born in Trinidad and raised in Queens, NY, she enjoys spontaneous road trips and visits from outof-town friends.

has been a freelance writer since 2005. In her spare time Janice loves cooking, Gator sports, Jimmy Buffett anything and spending time with her husband and kids. kaplan_ janice@yahoo.com

desireefarnum@ufl.edu

Amanda Williamson

Larry Behnke

is a recent graduate of UF’s College of Journalism and Communications. She has been writing for as long as she can remember. She enjoys spending time with her friends, family and animals.

is an artist, writer, photographer and a graduate of the University of Michigan in cinematography and painting. He has used solar electricity since 1984 and lives in a dome home.

awilliamson@ufl.edu

larry@towerpublications.com

Diane Shepard is a writer and Mama to two young children. Her next work in progress is a memoir “Keeping Time with Turtles.”

Jewel Midelis

diane@towerpublications.com

is a freelance writer and a student at UF’s College of Journalism. In her spare time, she enjoys going to the beach, camping at state parks and playing with her puppies. jmidelis91@yahoo.com

Jennifer Riek

Bonnie Kretchik

is a freelance writer and a student at UF’s College of Journalism. She was born and raised in Seattle, and delights in all things classy or humorous. Needless to say, she would die in the wild.

grew up in Pennsylvania, but has spent her winters in Florida for the past 10 years.

Aside from writing, Bonnie has been riding horses since the age of six. She enjoys running long distance and training for triathlons.

screaminnocence@gmail.com

bonniek83@hotmail.com

Tina Prizament

Debbie Meeks

is a freelance writer, photographer, and media and marketing specialist. Born in England near Nottingham, Tina has called various parts of the USA home, but most recently High Springs.

used to steal time from her careers — first as a cabinetmaker then as a computer programmer — for her outdoor adventures. Now that she’s retired, she can enjoy Florida without having to steal anymore.

tinaprizament@gmail.com

meeks.debbie@gmail.com

Crystal Henry

Donna Bonnell

is a freelance writer and columnist born and raised in West Texas. She received her B.S. in Journalism in 2006 from the University of Florida. She is in love with the Florida landscape.

is a freelance writer who moved to Newberry in 1983.

She enjoys living and working in the town she now calls home.

ces03k@gmail.com

16 | Summer 2012

donna@towerpublications.com

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Summer 2012 | 19

>> HOME RUN

Hey! Batter Batter The Babe Ruth Softball World Series returns to Alachua

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN wo years ago, the city of Alachua was selected over the likes of Boston and Atlanta to host the Babe Ruth Softball World Series. It was a project that brought the community together like never before. Businesses donated money to secure the bid and make improvements to the Hal Brady Recreation Complex, where the series would be held. Volunteers came out in droves to host players, sell souvenirs and otherwise serve to make the event a success.

The efforts were topped off by a surprise win for the home team, as the Santa Fe 12-and-under (12u) girls — considered underdogs by

T

20 | Summer 2012

many — captured the tournament championship.

This year, both the city and the team are going for a repeat.

Alachua has again won the bid to host the 12u series, which will be held August 3-8 at the Hal Brady Recreation Complex in Alachua.

Additionally, the Santa Fe team has qualified for this year’s series and will compete for its second national title in three years.

These accomplishments are a testament to the little town — and little team — that could. “[The Santa Fe win] was a big surprise,” said Hal Brady, recreation director for the city of Alachua.

“Putting on the series was an event by itself, but for them to win it all was quite an achievement for the

girls and for the community of Alachua and High Springs.”

While the 2010 series was a success, the 2012 edition will see some changes, the most notable of which is the increase in the number of participating teams. The standard regional tournaments produce 10 regional champion teams that go to the World Series. This year, however, qualifiers have been introduced — tournaments that in essence provide at-large bids for 10 or more additional teams to join the series.

The greater number of teams means more people coming to North Central Florida for the event, which in turn means more changes to accommodate them. For example, in 2010 athletes stayed at the homes of area volunteers

to provide a better opportunity for fellowship and cultural exchange.

This time around, the teams will stay in hotels and volunteers will serve as ambassadors. Such an arrangement results in a greater economic impact for the area while still giving visiting athletes a taste of the natural beauty and recreational resources that make Alachua County a great place to visit.

“We’ll have volunteers assigned

to each team and they will take them around the community — places like the University of Florida, Camp Kulaqua, Poe Springs, anywhere you can think of that they would want to visit in our community,” Brady said.

The general public is encouraged to come out and enjoy the festive atmosphere of the World Series as they cheer on the girls. The opening ceremonies will include a parade of

www.VisitOurTowns.com

PHOTO PROVIDED COURTESY OF THE CITY OF ALACHUA

The Santa Fe 12u girls’ team after its championship run in the 2010 Babe Ruth Softball World Series.

Summer 2012 | 21

PHOTOS BY ELEANOR HANCOCK

On their way to winning the 2010 championship, the Santa Fe 12u team beat squads from as far away as Washington state and New Jersey.

22 | Summer 2012

athletes on onto the field, a fireworks show, and UF softball coach Tim Walton will wil speak to the players.

The seri series itself kicks off the next day with w round-robin games held on all four fields at the complex, with the championship game set for August Aug 8. But softball is not the only attraction to be found.

“We’ll be selling all types of concessions,” Brady said. “[Spectators] can bring tailgating tents and chairs because there is a lot of room. We have a small water park,

a skateboard park, a playground, and volleyball games during breaks.

There are a lot of things they can do here while they’re waiting for games, and we hope they enjoy the entire atmosphere.”

One athlete looking forward to the series is Allie Findley, a right fielder on Santa Fe’s 2010 championship squad who will play in the infield for the team this August.

Santa Fe’s underdog status two years ago was not lost on Findley and her teammates.

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Help Wanted The city is looking for volunteers to serve as ambassadors, help sell concessions, pick up athletes and dignitaries from nearby airports and perform other necessary services.

Corporate sponsorships are also being sought; sources estimate that it will cost approximately $100,000 to hold the series.

Every donation helps.

PHOTO BY ELEANOR HANCOCK

To volunteer, make a donation or become a corporate sponsor, please contact Ernestine Brantley at the City of Alachua Department of Recreation and Culture at 386-462-1610.

“It was kind of nerve-wracking going into it because we didn’t know what to expect. Everybody just looked at us like we were small-town people who didn’t know what to do,” she said. “But every time somebody went up to bat we’d talk them up, give little speeches in the dugout, and it calmed our nerves.”

That team of “small-town people” displayed city-sized determination in their games. Findley’s father, Santa Fe Head Coach Earl Findley, remembers the fortitude his athletes showed under pressure.

“There was one game that was a

24 | Summer 2012

real battle,” he recalled. “[The other team] was up, then we tied them, and then they [took the lead again] before we went on to beat them at the very end of the game. The kids battled all the way through; they never gave up. To me that was probably one of the special moments, to see the kids hang in there and show heart to stay in and compete.”

Findley and the Santa Fe team hope to recapture that glory in 2012. But regardless of which team emerges victorious, the communities of Alachua and North Central Florida will be the surefire winners. In addition to the money spent at area

hotels, restaurants and other businesses, an event like the World Series brings attention to the region and everything it has to offer to visitors.

Brady and his staff are also working to make sure that local charities also benefit from the event.

“There are an awful lot of people in our area that raise money for various causes,” he said. “We’ve put together a $25 family pass for up to 6 people to come to the series for the whole tournament, and the organizations can sell them. For each ticket they sell, they get 50 percent of the profit [for their cause].

Whichever organization sells the most tickets, we will have a special night for them at the World Series.”

Allie Findley, however, is hoping for another special night for her team and her community at the end of the series.

“When we won in 2010, I think it was the happiest moment of my life,” she said. “It was a really joyful moment for everybody in Alachua and for the team. Now we have to keep our heads up and fight through what we can.” s

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>> BULLSEYE

Olympic Dreams Junior Archery ODC Members Focus on Lofty Goals

STORY AND PHOTOS BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON EVENT PHOTOS BY TJ MORRISSEY s 11-year-old Sullivan docks an arrow and draws back the cord to his bow, the challenges he faces with most sports disappear.

Like every other child on in the Newberry Junior Olympic Archery Development Club, he loves the sport. Most days one can find him at the Easton-Newberry Sports Complex training or visiting. During competitions, Sullivan focuses his energy into his bow and arrow and knows that, while there may be others vying for the top spot, he is really only competing against himself.

“I’m not very athletic,” Sullivan said. “Archery is a sport where I

A

don’t have to run the fastest or to be the biggest or the strongest out of everyone.”

Sullivan suffered a stroke when he was an infant, which weakened his left side. Before archery, he used traditional strength training, such as barbells, to build muscle in his weaker limbs. But his mother, Charlotte, said it was always hard to encourage him to work past the boredom.

With archery, she said he would be at the complex seven days a week, if he could. Frequently, Sullivan’s parents have to remind him to put down the bow and take a break from his DIY archery target, a hay bale.

Sullivan wants to try to get into the

U.S. Paralympics, but says right now he will just keep shooting for fun.

Along with the archery coaches at the Easton-Newberry Sports Complex, the friends and connections Sullivan has made through the JOAD Club help him to become a better archer.

According to the Club website, its goal is to promote the sport of archery among the youth, encourage sportsmanship and volunteerism and to provide enjoyable experiences for those involved.

With 70 members, the club has grown since it was started a year ago with only 30 members.

Initially led by Coach Bob

Taylor Gray takes aim during the Third Annual Easton Foundations Gator Cup at the Easton-Newberry Sport Complex.

28 | Summer 2012

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Summer 2012 | 29

Coach Bob Romero with Tristan Hyde. The Newberry JOAD Club worked concessions during the Gator Cup to raise money to travel to the Nationals in Ohio. (photo by Amanda Williamson)

Romero, the archery classes were an experiment by the Easton Foundation to see if it could provide local coaches for the archers in the area. Now, Coach Robert Turner runs the classes, along with Dave Anthony, Joey Todd and Eric Blalock.

The Newberry JOAD Club organizes fundraisers to pay registration fees for its members. The club is currently working toward raising $17,000 by June for the Easton JOAD Nationals in Hamilton, Ohio. Taking place June 26 through June 30, the

30 | Summer 2012

tournament costs $1,100 per person for 22 of the archers in JOAD. So far, the club and its members have raised $11,000 by doing fundraisers, such as Bagging For Bucks at Hitchcock’s Market in Newberry.

The goal was to cover 100 percent of the cost for each of the archers, said Kim Oliver, the president for the club.

“I feel very excited to see the level of energy that we have within the club,” Oliver said. “You have children that have fallen

in love with the sport and that is being encouraged within this environment by high-level coaches, supportive staff and parents that are very involved with the club.”

Since January, JOAD has organized 10 fundraising events and intends to have two more before the club leaves for Ohio. One of these fundraisers is the Sunshine State Games held in June, for which the club will provide concessions, archery merchandise sales and raffle baskets.

Oliver said the club is confident

“If they have a passion for it, it teaches them the value of practice and effort, no matter what.”

it will reach its goal.

In addition to fundraising fundraising, g, the club volunteers at various events. ev vents.

In April, the Easton Foundations Foundattions Gator Cup was held at the E Easton aston Newberry Sports Complex, and a the archers from JOAD participated participa ated by fully staffing the concessions concession ns booth.

In addition to concessions, JJOAD archers helped with field set-up sett-up and cleanup, as well as work working king the field during the event.

“Archers Archers and their families familie had an opportunity for a behind-thescenes look at a large national outdoor event,” Oliver said.

Events, such as the Gator Cup, allow the young archers to watch those more experienced in the field, such as the Olympic-ranked archers.

“It was really cool to see them and not just on TV,” said club member Aubrey, a 15-year-old archer.

“They were just normal people who are really good at something.”

Many of the children in JOAD are homeschooled, Oliver said. Because the club members do not go to school, the club provides them with the chance to socialize and make friends. Throughout the year, the club

organizes events, such as holiday ay parties and end-of-the-year bashes. bashe shess.

Splitz Bowling Alley recently hosted ed a gathering for the young archers. s.

The club also has bi-monthly ly tournaments held at the Easton ton Newberry Sports Complex, where wh here the archers compete for medals als and JOAD pins. The pins represent an archer’s ranking, similar to the belt color in a martial arts class.

“We meet people from all over the place, including outside of the country,” Aubrey said.

Unlike most clubs, the children chiildr ldren en in Newberry have connections connection onss through the Easton Newberry ry Sports Complex.

“In a lot of the clubs across ss the the county, parents are the coaches,” coache ches,” s,” Oliver said. “We’re very lucky y to have the Easton coaching staff aff available to train our kids.””

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Summer 2012 | 31

PHOTOS BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

Members of the Junior Olympic Archery Development Club’s advanced class at the Easton-Newberry Sports Complex. Left to Right: Josh Arthur, Tristan Hyde, Chris Francis, Bayleigh Bivens, Bailey Gregory, Aubrey Webster, Coach Robert Turner, Ryan Oliver and Joe Arthur. All the members in the group have won a state championship title.

LEFT: Archer Josh Arthur aims at a target during a Thursday class practice session.

Easton Newberry Sports Complex provides classes, separate from the JOAD Club, which start at a beginner level and work up to a special elite team selected by Coach Turner. The children on the elite team are those that Turner feels have mastered the techniques to a higher degree than others.

The classes teach the archers through the National Training System, a 13-step technique that imparts a form for consistency.

There are many different ways to shoot a bow, Turner said. The National Training System is probably the most scientific way.

Archery is one of the oldest sports around, he said. In Australia, Turner’s home country, the sport is referred to as “an ancient sport in modern times.” According to the World Archery website, archery

32 | Summer 2012

follows the evolution of man, starting with the first stone arrowheads from approximately 20,000 B.C. “In soccer, you can really only be as good as the best player on your team,” said Taylor Gray, a 13-yearold archer in the Newberry JOAD Club. “But in archery, it’s only you.”

While the archers practice in a group, each wearing the standard JOAD Club uniform, most of the students acknowledge that the sport is more of an individual one.

Each archer can only be held back by him or herself, Gray said.

“We practice and support each other in the JOAD club, but you have to be focused inside,” said Rebel Gryffin, who started archery about two and a half years ago.

Her father, Peter Gryffin, wanted his children, Rebel and Gan, to find an activity that taught them discipline. He feels they found that in archery.

“There were some days I was

beat from work, or we all had a long week and I would suggest staying home, but they always wanted to shoot no matter what,” he said.

“This is one of the things I love about a discipline such as archery — if they have a passion for it, it teaches them the value of practice and effort, no matter what. This can be valuable later on in college and life. When they are tired, distracted, or bored, that if they can harness the same focus and discipline they developed in archery for everything, they will succeed in life.”

Both of his children hope to make it to the Olympics.

The Easton classes boast around 16 state champions within its ranks, and two of the archers have won national championship titles. Turner anticipates the next move for some of the members in his classes will be the Junior Dream Team, a program that trains talented youth for the Olympics.

Only time can tell what the future holds for each young archer, whether it be a winning gold medal, a bull’s eye or a missed target. s

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Summer 2012 | 33

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“I immediately recognized that, because of how well the Identity Theft Shield helped me, everyone could benefit from this service,” said Minck, who also used his LegalShield membership to settle a frustrating billing issue a short time later with a national telecommunications company. “I had clients calling me with personal financial challenges like upside-down mortgages and short sales. They needed legal counsel, but weren’t in a position to pay for it.

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LEGAL ADVICE CREDIT MONITORING TRIAL DEFENSE IDENTITY RESTORATION TRAFFIC INCIDENTS IRS AUDIT ASSISTANCE CONTRACT REVIEW WILL PREPARATION DEBT COLLECTION programs. Now the Regional Manager for its North Central Florida market, he has made it his mission to educate customers on the advantages of owning, what is referred by the State of Florida as, “legal expense insurance”.

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company also has partnerships “For as little as $17 a month, with companies that are leaders their fields. Its identity theft LegalShield covers individuals, families, inprotection is provided by Kroll, an internationally-known risk and employees for a variety of legal issues, mitigation firm that supplies the licensed fraud investigators for LegalShield members who from the traumatic to the trivial.” become victims of identity theft. Included small business if the business faces lawsuit. Business owners can also consultation services are possible in part through a partnership with GoSmallBiz.com, a consulting offer LegalShield’s individual and family coverage as company started by entrepreneur and NFL Hall of a voluntary benefit to their employees at no cost to Famer Fran Tarkenton. the business.

Minck explained that Additionally, both the while people generally business and family plans understand the benefit of offer the member legal protection for most aspects consultation on an unlimited of their lives, they often don’t number of issues. think about hiring an attorney “LegalShield was until something major created to give individuals happens. and business owners access “Most individuals to legal services that they have protected themselves normally may not have,” said in just about every other Minck. “At $200 to $300 an area of their lives without hour, many people are simply giving a second thought to priced out of the market for it. They have life insurance, quality legal services. Our homeowners insurance, car founder created the company insurance, medical insurance, to provide access to legal some even have insurance services without having to for their pets,” he said. pay by the hour.

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COLUMN >> CRYSTAL HENRY

Naked Salsa

The Sacred Calf

rowing up in Texas the cow was sacred. If it ain’t brisket it ain’t barbecue. Ground beef is its own food group, and cow tippin’ is a great way to spend a Friday night. I grew up worshiping the cow, and now the cow has betrayed me.

I’ve always had a taste for beef, but while pregnant with my baby Sunny, I craved another cow commodity.

Dairy was my vice and I indulged at will. I ate a bowl of cereal every morning, a bowl of ice cream each night and smothered or stuffed all other edibles with cheese.

Milk is loaded with calcium and vitamin D right? So I figured the more the merrier. But when my little lady was born, she was plagued with eczema, congestion and gastrointestinal woes all caused by the cow’s milk proteins in my breast milk. What it boiled down to was no more ice cream, no more cheese, and constant vigilance and examination of every ingredient of every food item I even considered putting in my mouth.

At first I thought it would be no big deal. Just steer clear of cheese and ice cream, and swap in the soymilk on my cereal. Little did I know that food manufacturers like to beef up their protein numbers by adding whey to everything. Bread, salt and vinegar chips, and my favorite golden arched French fries all had hidden dairy. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter might as well be butter because it’s made with milk products, and soy yogurt wasn’t safe either. My life turned into a CSI

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The first few months were like going through detox. I got headaches. I craved cheese constantly. It was hard to be around people eating bacon cheeseburgers, and I think I cried a little when my husband ate the last ice cream sandwich in the freezer. The hardest part wasn’t figuring out what I couldn’t eat, it was finding things I could eat.

Initially I stuck to raw fruits and veggies and plain meat. I thought dairy was the only seasoning in the world.

Then I met Katie.

The only place in Texas Katie wouldn’t offend the cattle gods is Austin because, let’s face it, Katie is weird.

Not only is she a total hippie, she is a vegan. The girl

True to my roots I didn’t give up meat altogether, but I did learn to add flavor to my food in more creative ways. eats no animal products whatsoever. But her daughter was the same age as Sunny and our love of crafting and our lack of housekeeping skills drew us together.

We started hanging out a lot so the girls could play.

We started sewing together and eventually I spent quite a few afternoons at her house around lunchtime.

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were perfect for Sunny and me. But logistics are one thing and taste is another. I couldn’t think of anything without meat or cheese that would sound tasty. But boy was I wrong.

I feasted on a mouthwatering mixed grill of Brussels sprouts, potatoes, kalamata olives with lemon, herbs and seasonings. It was phenomenal. I don’t know that I’d ever really tasted food before. To me everything tasted like American cheese or ranch dressing with hints of other things. This was a cacophony of flavors exploding in my mouth.

Katie had a lot to teach me about food that summer.

Now, true to my roots I didn’t give up meat altogether, but I did learn to add flavor to my food in more creative ways. Who knew that guacamole is the most amazing cheese substitute on a burger? Or that adding a fried egg to a Reuben in lieu of Swiss was good enough to bring on a When-Harry-Met-Sally moment at dinner one night. My new diet made me mindful of what I put into my body. But it wasn’t until I took a trip back to Texas that I realized how much I had changed.

“Don’t turn sideways or you’ll disappear,” my old buddy Rachel told me.

Not only was I tasting real food, but I was feeling better and I had lost a ton of fat and flab. I hadn’t seen those numbers on the scale since high school, and it felt great.

Eventually Sunny stopped nursing, and I was free to indulge in my dairy treats once more. And since this isn’t a story about being a hero, I’m not ashamed to say that I did fall off the wagon and went out for Coldstone with my good buddy Amber. I am, however, ashamed to say that I spent that night shivering naked on the bathroom floor because of my dairy indiscretions. The milk gods were not kind that night, but I did develop a tolerance for dairy once more.

However, now that baby Violet has arrived I’m taking no chances. I don’t want her to suffer like her big sis, so once again I have sworn off the moo juice just in case.

But this time there was no detox phase and I know now that pepper is a seasoning, garlic is a flavor and the sacred cow no longer has reign over the happiness of my taste buds. s

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>> TAPPED OUT

Taking Ownership The Choice to Waste or Protect Florida’s Water is Ours

BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

“Who owns this water? How can I call it mine when its fate is to run through rivers and living bodies, so many already and so many more to come? It is an ancient, dazzling relic, temporarily quarantined here in my glass, waiting to return to its kind, waiting to move a mountain.”

— Barbara Kingsolver, “Water is Life.”

rom Tallahassee’s deep Wakulla Springs to the lazy, slow-moving Santa Fe River, the waterways of Florida are all connected. Water continuously cycles through the environment, percolating down to the source of drinking water for so many of the Sunshine State’s residents: the

F

40 | Summer 2012

Floridan aquifer.

But Florida’s water is threatened.

Here in this lush and once-considered water-rich state, drought and overconsumption imperil the drinking water.

Water advocates and government agencies around Florida fight for one of the world’s

most precious resources. Alachua County Environmental Protection Department limited the amount of days the residents are allowed to irrigate their yards. Florida’s Eden captures the attention of locals with art and imagination, calling for a blue-green economy to grow around Florida’s treasure: its water tourism. Local scientists promote plans that lead to springs restoration. Journalists detail the detrimental effects in newspapers, magazines and books; author Cynthia Barnett, demands a blue revolution in her book by the same name.

But still, the water disappears.

Rivers become shallow, disconnected by islands of vegetation where there was once a healthy

flow. Sinkholes, the grim proof of declining water levels, appear all over Florida, especially in highly susceptible Alachua County. While sinkholes will always exist, low water tables are making them more prominent, said Gus Olmos, water resource program manager at the Alachua County Department of Environmental Protection.

The biggest concern is that the people of Florida do not know it is their role to be the civic body that stands up and demands the well-being of Florida, said Annie Pais, president of Florida’s Eden.

“Our lakes are drying up,” she said. “Our springs are ceasing.

Our rivers are at all-time lows. We have to re-dig wells. We know that something is really wrong.”

Tragedy of the Commons Water is finite, Pais said.

The water the world drinks today is the same water the dinosaurs splashed in when they roamed the Earth. Weekend vacationers who visit North Central Florida’s local watering holes — the springs — are playing in formations that some of the first Floridians used to conduct daily life 10,000 to 12,000 years ago.

According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, springs form by a process called dissolution. Over millions of years, acidic rainwater seeped down through Florida’s soil, eroding the limestone foundation that covers the

www.VisitOurTowns.com

PHOTO BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

The flow at Poe Springs has decreased to a near trickle into the river. The water problem is not just associated with the drought, but overpumping as well. At a recent public information meeting at Poe Springs about the water quality, it was announced that tropical storm Beryl would have little impact on the Santa Fe River water levels.

Summer 2012 | 41

DEC. 20, 2009

PHOTO BY ALBERT ISAAC

The Santa Fe River as seen from the High Springs Boat Ramp.

entire peninsula. Through this process, cavities slowly formed in the carbonate bedrock, and the entwined network of caves eventually became the Floridan Aquifer, stretching 100,000-square miles across all of Florida and portions of Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Mississippi.

Florida DEP estimates nearly two quadrillion gallons of water moves through the Floridan Aquifer.

When the caves collapse, sinkholes appear. If the water level pushes aboveground, the sinkholes, or other karst topography, could become a spring.

“With more than 700 freshwater springs, Florida has one of the largest concentrations of springs on Earth. Most of the springs are located in Northern and Central Florida,” states the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Florida’s constellation of springs feed nearly 1,700 rivers throughout the state, including the Santa Fe

42 | Summer 2012

River. Poe Springs, Ginnie Springs and Rum Island are just three of the 36 springs that discharge into the Santa Fe River.

There are two major problems facing the water in Florida: water quality and water quantity, Olmos said. A combination of overconsumption and the extended drought depletes the amount of water recharging the aquifer.

When there is less water to flow through the county’s streams and rivers, the concentration of nutrients increases. In essence, the drought and overconsumption exacerbate the problem with nitrates in the groundwater.

Chris Bird, director of the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department, said Floridians must look upstream from the rivers and springs to see what is causing the problem within the water supply. The major problems affecting the springs actually occur in the springshed, or

the spring recharge basin.

“The major issues impacting the health of the springs include population growth, urban sprawl, growing demand for groundwater and introduction of fertilizers, pesticides and other pollutants to the springsheds,” states the Florida DEP. “Threats to the quality and quantity of water in Florida’s aquifer and springs can be classified into three different categories: inputs or the contaminants we put in; outputs or the amount of water we take out of the aquifer; and impacts or the physical damage we cause in and around the spring and downstream spring run.”

On May 21, the Alachua County Department of Environmental Protection tested a water sample taken from the Santa Fe River between the US 27 bridge to Poe Springs after a complaint from a local advocate, Merrillee Maltwitz-Jipson, president of Our Santa Fe River.

Based by the cell size, shape and

MAY 27, 2012

PHOTO BY ALBERT ISAAC

A visit during the Memorial Day weekend to the same location reveals a dry expanse of the Santa Fe River.

filament characteristics, the samples contained an abundance of what is tentatively identified as Anabaena circinalis, which is a well-known producer of several neurotoxins.

average flows have declined significantly in the Lower Santa Fe River and its springs.

“Future increases in groundwater use are likely to further reduce

“Yes, we are in a drought. But science has proven it is not the drought that caused our springs to dry up. It’s overtapping of the aquifer.”

Fertilizers, as well as human and animal waste, are responsible for the toxic soup invading the Santa Fe River, Maltwitz-Jipson said.

Unseasonably warm temperatures year-round and an early summer contributed to the growth of thick algae mats and cyanobacteria.

Maltwitz-Jipson has lived on the river for 10 years and has never experienced these water conditions before.

According to the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute,

spring and river flows,” states the Santa Fe River Springs Restoration Action Plan by the Springs Institute.

“Reductions in spring and river flows result in aesthetic and recreational impacts through changes in water color, loss of visible spring boils, less flushing of pollutants, lower water levels, create growth of noxious algae, and loss of base flow in downstream rivers.”

Poe Springs is just barely flowing, Olmos said. The Environmental

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Protection Department expects Poe to stop flowing in a couple of weeks unless consumption drops dramatically and a deluge of rain occurs.

Camp Kulaqua Spring stopped flowing in April.

While the water quality problem can be considered less noticeable, the quantity of water flowing through our springs and rivers is obvious. When a well stops pumping water, it is noticeable. When a spring dries up, it is noticeable, Olmos said.

“There’s no water,” he said. “Is it because of the drought? Or is it because of overpumping? It really doesn’t matter. We know there’s no water. And since I cannot make rain, I’m going to concentrate on things that I can control.”

In 2005, the United States Geological Survey indicated that 410 billion gallons of water a day was being consumed in the United States. Four states — California, Texas, Idaho and

Summer 2012 | 43

QUICK FACTS Tips to reduce your impact on Florida’s supply of freshwater

PHOTO BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

• Install aerators on all household faucets; they slow the flow of water.

Due to unseasonable warm temperatures and nitrates in the river, the Santa Fe has seen an increase in algae, including a bloom of Anabaena circinalis, a known producer of toxin in foreign countries.

• When visiting a spring, use established trails, boardwalks, and canoe launch ramps at all times. Foot traffic can damage native vegetation and hasten bank erosion.

Florida — accounted for more than one-fourth of all fresh and saline water withdrawn. In Florida, the demands of agriculture, industry, power plants and municipal and public works guzzle four billion gallons of water a day.

“Each of us uses about 90 gallons of drinking water a day at home, each household about 107,000 gallons of water a year,” reports Cynthia Barnett in her book, “Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S.A.” “We use it to flush toilets, water lawns and wash dishes, clothes and cars. More than half of all home water use in the United States goes to greening lawns and gardens. About 14 percent is never used at all. It leaks out of our pipes,” she writes.

In fact, according to Robert Knight, the director of the Florida Springs Institute, the groundwater is being pumped out of the aquifer at the highest rates in recorded history.

If the water is tapped anywhere in Florida, it is being lowered everywhere, Pais said. As early as the 1950s, Kissengen Spring, a oncepopular swimming spot in Polk County, ceased flowing and quickly dried up due to overpumping in

• Avoid trampling underwater vegetation and stirring sediments when tubing, snorkeling, or swimming at springs.

• Use extreme caution when boating and anchoring in spring runs. Anchors, propellers and boat groundings destroy aquatic vegetation and increase the cloudiness of the water.

• Dispose of your trash properly. Cans and bottles, cigarette butts, plastic bags and other trash harm water quality and wildlife and destroy the natural beauty of the springs.

44 | Summer 2012

the region. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Blue Springs in Volusia County has seen a decline in flow, reducing available critical habitat for more than 100 manatees.

Human consumption has a direct impact on the environment and wildlife. Rick Owen, District Water Coordinator at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, said nitrogen enrichment in Florida springs is a complex issue, but “altered water chemistry creates an environment that encourages an explosive growth of invasive algae within the system.”

As an example, the Santa Fe River, between US 27 and Poe Springs, reflects this invasion of slimy, unhealthy plant matter. Mats of algae clog the river, extending its green fingers from one side to the other.

As a result, Owen said, submerged native plants die off from lack of sunlight. Animals higher on the food chain, such as fish and birds, could begin to die as well.

In addition, as the water drops in the Santa Fe River, the Florida DEP expects to see some amount of fish die. Changes in the river’s chemistry, such as decreased levels of dissolved oxygen, can occur when

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QUICK FACTS

PHOTO BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

Merrillee Maltwitz-Jipson paddles through a matt of algae on the Santa Fe River in May. During the public information meeting at Poe Springs about the algae bloom, Maltwitz-Jipson warned attendees to practice three conservation rules: 1) Stop fertilizing, 2) Let your yard go brown, and 3) Get involved.

Landscaping and Lawn Care: • If you use fertilizers, use only slow-release varieties for residential lawns and gardens. Be sure to have a soil test to determine if fertilizers are necessary.

• Do not over-water your lawn. Use a rain gauge to determine when and if you need to water.

• Plant native or droughttolerant trees, shrubs, ground cover and flowers to minimize water use. Native plants will also attract desirable wildlife like butterflies and hummingbirds.

Indoor water: • Every drop counts, so turn off the faucet. Don’t let the water run while doing the dishes, brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your face and hands.

46 | Summer 2012

the water flow is reduced. These changes affect local wildlife and could be the contributing factor in the fish kills seen during a drought.

Make a Choice The good news is, Pais said, when Floridians are in control of their own water, things will change immediately.

“We make an effort to buy local goods to support community businesses,” writes Barnett in her book, Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis. “We try to eat locally grown food to help the farmers and economies where we live, and to save on the fuel and packaging needed to haul produce across the county or the world.

Local water reflects the same idea — with water from nearby rivers, streams or aquifers treated and managed by local, rather than unseen and distant, authorities.”

The local water movement Barnett addresses came from Peter H. Gleick, the president and cofounder of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Environment and Security. The movement calls for cities to seek out every drop of available nearby water before looking elsewhere.

According to Barnett, a rare Los Angeles deluge produces enough water to quench the needs of

more than 130,000 homes for a year. In 1980s Boston, she states, the city faced a water crunch, but instead of building a pipeline, it began an aggressive water conservation program. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, despite population growth, reduced water use from the 1980 peak of 126 billion gallons to 71 billion in 2009.

“Local water leads to wiser, more ethical use, and makes us good neighbors,” Barnett stated. “But it is also the key to the blue revolution for closing the distance between Americans and their water.”

The Blue Path, a product of Florida’s Eden, teaches Floridians new ways to live with the water and recognize that a healthy environment is a strong economy.

Currently, a myth exists that says Florida can either have a thriving economy or healthy water and state water officials seem to believe there is enough water for everyone, states the website.

“We find ourselves at a proverbial crossroads,” Pais said. “Yes, we are in a water crisis. Yes, we are in a drought. But science has proven it is not the drought that caused our springs to dry up. It’s overtapping of the aquifer.”

People need to know there is another choice, she said. Residents

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GET INVOLVED Save Our Suwannee, Inc. A group dedicated to protecting the water quality and quantity in the Suwannee Basin. long5892@bellsouth.net • PO Box 669, Bell, FL 32619 www.saveoursuwannee.org

Our Santa Fe River Organization dedicated to springs protection and public education.

Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, President - 352-222-8893 www.oursantaferiver.org

Current Problems The mission to preserve and protect the water resources of North Florida for the use and enjoyment of humans and wildlife through action, awareness and education.

352-264-6827; aar@currentproblems.org PO Box 357098, Gainesville, FL 32635-7098 www.currentproblems.org

H.T. Odum Florida Springs Institute The mission to provide a focal point for improving the understanding of springs ecology and to foster the development of science-based education and management actions needed to restore and protect springs throughout Florida.

BKnight@FloridaSpringsInstitute.org 5302 NW 156 Ave., Gainesville, FL 32653 floridaspringsinstitute.org

Suwannee - St. Johns Sierra Club A group of the Florida chapter of the Sierra Club. Inspired by nature, the Sierra Club is composed of 1.4 million people, working together to protect our communities and the planet.

Jere Herington - 352-234-9530 herrjere@yahoo.com ssjsierra.org

The Florida Conservation Coalition Organization devoted to protecting and conserving Florida’s land, fish and wildlife and water resources that are essential to the well-being and quality of life of the residents of this state, and for its long-term economic prosperity.

On June 23, Governor Bob Graham and the Florida Conservation Coalition will host a major event at Silver River State Park to call for the protection of Florida’s springs, rivers, and lakes.

Ryan Smart - rsmart@floridaconservationcoalition.org floridaconservationcoalition.org

48 | Summer 2012

and business owners could invest in a blue-green economy. The Blue Path believes Florida should emerge as the how-to State for living in harmony with the water.

Florida has the opportunity to put what distinguishes it — its water, its richness, its cultural heritage — at the core of the blue-green economy, Pais said.

The Blue Path lists a few developments that this future could hold, including permeable sidewalks so water can seep into the ground, clean energy sources that reduce need for water, micro-irrigation as the agricultural standard, and water treatment plants that remove all nitrates.

On a smaller scale, individual homeowners should seek to reduce the amount of luxury water they use, Bird said. The goal is to reduce the amount of water taken out of the aquifer; by turning the hose off while washing a car, and by not watering a yard, people can cut back wasted water.

Fifty percent of residential water use goes to watering a yard. Planting native vegetation reduces the amount of water needed for plants to grow. St. Augustine grass, despite its name, is not native to Florida, and it requires tremendous amounts of water to survive. Strategies, such as using more mulch in the landscape, can help save water as well. When new homes are built, the construction company should conserve the native soil, which soaks up water.

Low-impact development calls for as little impervious surfaces as possible, so that when it rains, as much water hits the ground as possible.

Communities should reuse water. Yards could be watered using gray water or water caught in a rain catchment system. Floridians should set up rain barrels or cisterns to catch rainwater.

“It’s water that defines us here, just like the canyons define Arizona,” Pais said.

A But just like the connected Bu waterways wat terw er er of Florida, everyone is connected in the solution. s

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“Growing up in a small community, we didn’t have an academy like this,” said Spina.

“We want to help the kids in our community go play college ball and maybe pro ball like we do.”

Founded in 2011, Elite Pro Ball Academy offers instruction for individuals and teams in hitting, pitching, catching, and infield and

outfield skills. The 8000-squarefoot facility is located in the Easton Newberry Sports Complex and has four full-size batting cages, two baseball mounds and a softball mound. Elite Pro Ball Academy also offers six-week summer camps and travel ball teams for several age ranges.

While the facilities are top notch, it is the professional playing and coaching experience of the entire staff that sets Elite Pro Ball Academy apart. Through the years Spina and Bowers have established contacts at every level of baseball. This gives students an advantage not just for a possible pro career, but for the college ranks as well.

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Spina emphasizes, however, that Elite Pro Ball Academy is a place where anyone can enjoy playing and learning about baseball, regardless of their abilities or aspirations.

“We want to help as many kids as we possibly can, even if they just want to have fun and learn the game more,” he said. “We want to give them a memorable time.”

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>> ON ASSIGNMENT:

Searching for Slime A PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY BY JOHN MORAN

In May, renowned nature photographer John Moran received a phone call from Julie Hauserman with Earthjustice, the non-profit national environmental law firm that is working to compel Florida to clean up its waters. Hauserman had seen a photograph made a day earlier by Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, president of Our Santa Fe River, showing what appeared to be an outbreak of sickly green cyanobacteria on the Santa Fe River.

She assigned Moran to photograph this threat to North Florida waterways.

52 | Summer 2012

“Lesley and I paddled through the most putrid water I’ve ever seen, anywhere, in my many years and thousands of miles of Florida paddling.”

Heading downstream, I had to drag my canoe through the shallows of the river.

PHOTO BY LESLEY GAMBLE

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 53

MY DAY ON THE SANTA FE

W

ith my partner Lesley Gamble, I loaded up my canoe and cameras and we drove to the U.S. 27 boat ramp on the Santa Fe River at High Springs. There we met up with Merrillee Malwitz-Jipson, who greeted us with a display of the slimy filamentous algae that has taken over so many of Florida’s rivers.

We saw a fair amount of bird life on the Santa Fe River, including a green heron. I wonder how many people see pictures like this and figure it’s evidence that the critters don’t mind the slime.

Everywhere I looked, I saw slime on the river. I was pleased to make at least one beauty picture where the slime was out of focus.

About midway between U.S. 27 and Poe Springs, Fenceline Spring adds its modest contribution to the river flow, creating a small oasis of clear water in an odoriferous sea of disgust.

We didn’t see the fluorescent green water that signals an apparent outbreak of cyanobacteria but as we approached Poe Springs, Lesley and I paddled through the most putrid water

54 | Summer 2012

Lesley shoots underwater video of a visibly distressed turtle we found struggling awkwardly to move through the algae.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 55

I’ve ever seen, anywhere, in my many years and thousands of miles of Florida paddling. It was incredibly upsetting; heartbreaking. But I was photographically fascinated by this surreal scene of healthy algae, fed by the perfect mix of low flow, warm weather and lots of nutrients from fertilizer, manure and sewage. Something was seriously askew with my world and I couldn’t stop taking pictures.

These are not pictures you’ll likely see on the Visit Florida website. To all the people who say the water in Florida is fine, I invite them to explain the disconnect between what they say and what we see.

High on my list of favorite Florida Rivers, the Santa Fe is a state-designated Outstanding Florida Water, befitting a stream worthy of an elevated level of appreciation and protection.

Clean water lies at the heart of a healthy economy and healthy environment, and it’s long past time that we Floridians commit to leaving our children a State in which they will want to live and raise families of their own. s

John Moran and Lesley Gamble are co-directing an exhibit project titled Amnesia Springs: Florida’s Forgotten Fountains of Youth, telling the story of Florida’s springs in decline. The exhibit is scheduled to open next April at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville.

JohnMoranPhoto@gmail.com

56 | Summer 2012

“We’d been advised that the impaired river could pose serious skin and respiratory risks, so Lesley donned protective gear.”

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• “Vaccinating every 6-12 months is too often — I don’t want to overvaccinate.” All “core” vaccines are all killed viruses, so the immunity is very short-lived. Waiting to vaccinate more than the recommended time can have devastating consequences for your horse.

• “I can vaccinate my own horse with vaccines from the feed store and it’s just as good.”

Dr. Erica Lacher has special interests in lameness, including X-rays and ultrasound, as well as dentistry.

Springhill Equine only keeps the best quality products that are properly handled. All vaccines administered by Springhill vets are company-guaranteed, meaning if your vaccinated horse gets the disease, they will pay for all treatments. Not to mention, it is illegal for anyone but a veterinarian to administer a Rabies vaccine.

• “I can just give my a horse a 5– or 7– way vaccine once or twice a year and he will be fine.” Vaccines that contain too many antigens overload the immune system, and then inadequate immunity can develop for any or all of the included diseases. We try to minimize the number of vaccines given at a time.

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COLUMN >> DIANE E. SHEPARD

Mama Musings Fireflies & Letting Go “But in the letting go… is found freedom.

In the letting go… is found the flight.”

— C. JOYBELL C.

ommy, I see one!” Elizabeth whispers.

“I see it too. Flash your light!”

A few fireflies are twinkling like tiny stars, flashing on and off.

“It’s coming toward me!” she says, flashing her small flashlight on for two seconds, then off, to signal them closer.

“Got it!” I say triumphantly.

I screw the lid dotted with holes onto the jar.

“I wanna see!” Nicholas yells, jumping up and down, unable to contain himself any longer.

I bend down to show them our captured guest.

“I don’t want to keep him very long. He’ll miss his family,” says my softhearted daughter.

“Don’t worry. We’ll look at him for a little while, then we’ll let him go.”

Firefly sightings are a rarity at our house, so catching one is a challenge. But these days, unfortunately, I am used to challenges.

It has been a time of illnesses, health concerns, and financial worries. We have suffered through the death of a beloved family pet, and the physical decline of others. Nicholas’ first year of school has been a bumpy ride. I wrestled with starting him in Pre-K/VPK this year, knowing he would be the youngest in his class. So ready in some ways, so not ready in others. We’ve both had our share of growing pains. Nearly every school morning, I shuffled into the cafeteria with Nicholas

“M

60 | Summer 2012

attached to my leg koala-style, oftentimes having to pry him off to deliver him to his teachers. It has been pulling and tugging, clinging and tears (for both of us).

Letting go has never been easy for me, and it is not easy for him either.

I am ready for summer!

Fireflies, or lightning bugs, as my Mamaw calls them, have always signaled the arrival of summer to me — when life is meant to slow down, simplify, and be more relaxed. I am ready for something to be easy!

I remember childhood summers visiting my grandparents in Arkansas, chasing fireflies and capturing their light in my Mamaw’s Mason jars.

Fireflies have always fascinated me. They are amazing creatures. They have long been used around the world as a source of light and inspiration.

Throughout some areas of South America and the Caribbean, locals attach mesh bags filled with fireflies to their ankles or wrists, allowing them to keep their hands free to carry heavy loads and to light their way through the dark jungle.

During the Spanish-American War, a doctor in Cuba performed surgery by the light from fireflies in a bottle.

In Japan, firefly lanterns are often used to light gardens at night.

Fireflies are born without their wings. They begin life as beetles living in the ground. After a few years, their wings grow, and they learn to fly. Now they can live in the trees,

and make their own magical light. It is light without heat, created when air mixes with chemicals inside them.

I remember as a child watching fireflies through the glass, both mesmerized by their magic, and worried their light might go out. I don’t want to hurt them, I thought, just share in their light for a little while. When bedtime came, I knew it was time to release them. I watched as their lights blinked like little stars moving away from me. They seemed so happy to be free.

With young children, of course, it’s not so abrupt and easy, this letting go; it’s gradual, rhythmic, bittersweet, releasing ever so slightly, a little every day, the invisible tether that holds them to us. And we watch (and worry), mesmerized, as they begin to learn to do things on their own, as they begin to grow their own wings and move away from us for longer periods at a time. As they begin to learn to make their own light.

“I wanna keep him! Do we have to let him go?”

Nicholas asks.

“Yes, Honey, we do.”

“But why, Mommy?”

“It’s his time to be free.”

He thought a moment.

“Mommy, is it time for him to fly?”

His realization catches me by surprise. Yes, this has been a year of sadness, setbacks and struggles, but as I think about it, maybe it has been a year of flying too.

“Yes, Little Man, it’s time for him to fly.” s

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A DV ER T I S EM E N T

It’s always a good time to visit NORTHWEST GRILLE HAS BEEN PROVIDING THE FINEST quality fish and seafood entrées, in a friendly atmosphere, since 1996. Family-owned and operated, Executive Chef and Owner Chris Fennell invites you to experience the he best that Gainesville has to offer. Whether it’s their fresh, local seafood and fish, h, or handcrafted sauces and specialty desserts, Northwest Grille has something to please your palate.

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uests are treated like family in this newly renovated restaurant.

“The renovations have made a big difference,” said Fennell. “Our décor is much brighter now and we’ve returned to some of our classic menu items, the most popular dishes throughout our history.”

Family-owned and operated since it opened its doors in 1996, Executive Chef Chris Fennell became the sole owner in 2011. The menu now features classic seafood dishes, the finest in homemade sauces and an array of decadent deserts. Meat lovers will enjoy the hand-cut steaks, and vegetarians will love the wide range of vegetarian options.

Serving lunch and dinner daily,

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Tired of having fast food for lunch? Northwest Grille will get you back to work in no time, with food that is freshly prepared for as little as $7. From Shrimp Po Boys to specialty pastas, lunch is served daily starting at 11am.

Featuring a full liquor bar, happy hour is served daily from 3pm-7pm and offers a wide assortment of beers, wine and your favorite cocktails. The dinner menu includes a $12.99 value menu with 15 fantastic options. All entrées include two side items. From seafood to steaks, there is something for everyone. Their chefs prepare every dish with care to ensure the best dining experience possible. Casual, everyday food makes Northwest Grille perfect for everyday dining.

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Summer 2012 | 63

>> TEAM BUILDING

Burning Bright The Newberry High School Softball Program Gets New Life

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN ust a few days before the start of the 2012 season, the Newberry High School softball team received the disturbing news that vandals had burned its concession stand to the ground.

“It was in my first week after accepting the job,” said head coach Michele Spina-Honeycutt. “When I came in to work that morning and was told the concession burned down, I thought they were playing a cruel joke on me. I don’t think I wanted to believe it; I went down

J

to see for myself. I couldn’t stop thinking about who would have done it and why.”

Honeycutt soon realized, however, that she had a prime opportunity on her hands.

“I tried to channel my frustration into motivation and something positive,” she said. “I thought, ‘I am a brand new coach trying to build a solid girls softball program. Why not build a new concession stand and locker room to go along with that?’”

The project has become yet another stage in the rejuvenation of the NHS softball program, which

was all but nonexistent late last year. With a smaller student population and interest in softball at a lull compared to other activities, the school barely had enough players to field a single softball team without substitutions during a game.

In the meantime, Honeycutt had come back to her hometown of Newberry to raise her family and help run Elite Pro Ball Academy with her brother, owner Mike Spina.

A 1999 graduate of NHS, Honeycutt was a star pitcher for the Panthers before heading off to PascoHernandez Community College on

PHOTO TJ MORRISSEY

Senior Kaitlyn Stanley (front) strikes a pose with fellow teammates Miranda Stark (left) and Megan Marcotte. Kaitlyn plays catcher and shortstop for the Panthers and has been on the team since her freshman year.

64 | Summer 2012

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 65

PHOTO TJ MORRISSEY

Back row, left to right: Assistant Coach Marsan Thomas, Kiana Hicks, Miranda Stark, Megan Marcotte and Head Coach Michele Spina-Honeycutt. Front row: Toni Johnson, Kylee Wesley, Kaitlyn Stanley, Danielle Stanley.

a full softball scholarship.

With her return to Newberry, school principal Shane Andrews saw an opportunity to breathe new life into the softball program at NHS and hired Honeycutt as head coach. The spike in student interest was almost instantaneous.

66 | Summer 2012

“The program had been struggling for a while to get enough girls to come out and play,” said Kim Stanley, president of the NHS Softball Booster Club. “When news of Michele’s hire got around, the program went from having 10-11 players to more than 20 — enough

girls for both a varsity and JV team.

Obviously she is bringing excitement to NHS.” Upon her arrival, Honeycutt realized what her first task would be. The teams and clubs at NHS compete for the attention of just 570 enrolled students, many of

whom play more than one sport.

When pressed to decide between activities, girls usually chose those that were most enjoyable, something that was not happening with the softball team due to what Honeycutt calls a drill sergeant mentality; team members saw their participation as a chore instead of a fun and educational experience, and morale was low.

Her solution was to be more understanding of the girls’ situations while making practice a more enjoyable activity so more children would stay with the sport.

“In this day and age, the kids in school want to do everything. That same girl on the softball team is also doing volleyball, soccer and basketball. So if they’re going to miss one activity to do another, you have to be lenient,” she said. “I also try to make it really fun. I allow them to act goofy and crazy and do girly-type things while learning drills. They don’t realize that they are

learning when we do those things, but they are.”

Team members like Kaitlyn Stanley, a rising senior who plays catcher and shortstop for the Panthers, have noticed the difference.

“I’ve been on the team since my freshman year, and the attitudes have changed,” she said. “She talks us up, gives encouraging speeches, and helps us get into the activities, and cheers it up with jokes. She makes practice fun and we look forward to it. Everybody’s positive now and more friendly with each other.”

Her teammate and younger sister, Danielle, also cites Honeycutt’s youth and common background as a way for the girls to relate to her.

“She can relate to all of us,” said the rising sophomore, who was named Freshman of the Year this

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past season for her efforts at third base. “She played at Newberry and knows how it feels.”

Honeycutt has other changes in progress to improve the program.

She is working on a strength and

Summer 2012 | 67

conditioning program to implement in the months leading up to each season to get the girls in the shape needed to win. This season she dressed the team in true home and

community, and to make sure former players know that they always have a home at NHS. And of course, there is the concession stand. Right now, a tree

“I am a brand new coach trying to build a solid girls softball program. Why not build a new concession stand and locker room to go along with that?” away uniforms instead of the single all-purpose jersey each girl used to wear. And she has created new recognitions for the girls’ end-ofyear banquet, such as the “purple heart” for an injured athlete who cannot play but still goes above and beyond to support the team.

She has also started an annual alumni softball game, the first of which was held this past March.

Her goal is to strengthen the bond between the school and the

that still has burn marks from the senseless vandalism shades the charred spot on the grass. But plans are in the works for a new concrete block concession building that will also include a locker room and bathrooms. There may also possibly be an observation room for visiting college coaches. The team has plunged headfirst into fundraising with chicken dinners, merchandise sales and other efforts, and the booster club is contacting area

businesses and leaders in search of donations toward the project.

Honeycutt and her team have learned that the intangibles of pride, happiness and accomplishment are achieved not by reliving the past and keeping their world small, but by looking ahead and seeing the bigger picture in life.

“You could tell that [the missing stand] bothered the girls at first.

But about halfway through the season, they stopped making comments about it. Instead they were getting excited for the plans of the new stand,” she said. “I want them to know that somebody does really care about girls’ sports in Newberry.

We have the best interest for these girls in getting them off to college and fulfilling their dreams. I know how it is growing up in a little town.

I’d like to show them that there is something else out there.” s To help with a cash or trade donation for the new concession stand and locker room, or otherwise assist in its construction, please contact Kim Stanley 352-745-6236.

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>> NEXT GENERATION

New Priest High Springs Landmark Stays in the Family

BY LARRY BEHNKE lorida’s oldest continuously operated movie theater was on the market for six months.

Fortunately, there were no buyers. Instead, the owners have passed it on to the next generation: their daughter’s family.

Bobby and Janice Sheffield bought the Priest Theatre a quarter century ago. It stands behind their hardware store in High Springs. The theater had fallen into disrepair and the Sheffields bought it because, with its close property line, they did not want to lose access to the back loading area of their hardware store.

Bobby also thought it would

F

70 | Summer 2012

make for good storage, but Janice had other ideas.

After all, this was the movie theater where the young couple had gone on dates in their teens, and for decades it was the social setting in the small town. Janice did not want the community to lose the treasure that had been built by William Jefferson Priest in 1910 for vaudeville acts and had shown its first “talky” in 1927. The Sheffields worked for more than a year renovating the movie house.

New steel I-beams were installed to support the sagging roof. A second roof was added on to stop leaks. All 240 seats were taken apart, painted and re-upholstered.

“We scraped enough gum from the seat bottoms and floor to fill a

50-gallon drum,” Bobby said. They re-opened it in 1987.

“We wanted to keep the place up so kids would have a something to do,” Janice said. “A place where they can be safe and have fun.”

Daughter Janet has praise for her mother.

“She’s like a mother figure to several of the children who come here,” Janet said. “She helps people in little ways, people who need it.”

Over the years Janice created an

PHOTO BY LARRY BEHNKE

Patrons trickle in to the auditorium before the start of the night’s t’s movie while slides from local businesses flash on the screen.

SHOW TIMES: enjoyable community environment where rules are followed so that all may enjoy the movie — no talking, cell phones off and a proper dress code too.

But it is not only for the children.

All ages love this theater.

“I talked to a woman this week who said she started attending the Priest when tickets cost a dime,” Janice said recently. “She’s 90 years old.”

But by 2011, after 25 years, Bobby

and Janice were ready to retire. r “We wanted to back k off and a enjoy life more,” Janice said, d, and Bobby agreed.

“We’ll work some on the farm, far arm, and I’m ready to do some me serious serio ous fishing,” he said.

None of their three children hildren had h wanted to take it over, so o the tall brick building was listed with a broker. For six months they ey waited for a buyer.

When it did not sell, the e couple’s

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8 p.m. Friday & Saturday nights: $5 admission for age three and up

Monday nights: $3.

386-454-SHOW for the current movie.

Summer 2012 | 71

PHOTO BY LARRY BEHNKE

One night in May Janice and Bobby helped out by selling and taking tickets, a job they have done for decades and something they are happy to do for Janet and Alan.

Janet Alligood tends the concession counter while her son Lane helps a bit before going to run the projector.

daughter, Janet and her husband Alan Alligood, felt it was almost a sign, and they decided to keep the theater going. They too had their courtship beginnings at this theater.

“The night my parents reopened the theater was when Alan and I first went out,” Janet said.

“Yes, it was our first actual date,” Alan said. “But we had to wait until Janet got done working the concession stand.”

Alan has an option to retire from his job with fire rescue in three years. He is glad to help keep the theater going.

72 | Summer 2012

“I’m happy to be able to spend more time with Janet now with us working together,” he said. The couple has been married 23 years.

Over the years Janet and Alan have helped Bobby and Janice at the theater. Alan learned to run the projectors and Janet sold snacks and drinks. Their young children were sometimes behind the counter too. But the couple took several years off for more family time. Now their children are older and helping them in their new endeavor.

Their youngest son, 16-year-old Lane, has learned to run the huge

projectors, not an easy task. The two Strong projectors were built in the mid-1940s and kept in good running order over the decades by Bobby.

“I worked with my grandpa and dad to learn it,” Lane said. “The hard part is working the whole process and making sure it all goes smoothly, but I enjoy doing it.”

“Lane’s run into some obstacles, but he’s working it pretty well,” said his grandfather Bobby. “It took him about three evenings to learn it. He’s better at framing and focus than I am. Young people seem to be better at technical things.” And

That’s so last year.

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PHOTO BY LARRY BEHNKE

Lane Alligood has learned to operate these projectors, built in the 1940s and kept going by his grandfather Bobby.

Alan can help too.

But in another year there will be some relearning when movies will only be available digitally. The Alligoods will use the new equipment, but plan to leave the old projectors in place as an historical tribute to traditional movie showing.

The Alligood’s other son, Dalton can often be found working behind the concession counter, a place that resembles a Coca-Cola museum.

The lobby is filled with hundreds of Coke artifacts and framed ads.

“We sold Coke because only their boxes fit under our counter,” Janice said. “The salesman would bring in items and we displayed them. Then customers would bring us items and it just kept growing.”

Daughter Amaris and her husband TJ live in North Carolina but want to return this summer to be a part of running the theater, something they both did as children.

“They miss being involved in the theater,” Janet said.

Janet is happy with their decision to run the theater.

“I was a little worried that people wouldn’t accept us after being so used to my parents being here,” Janet said. “But they seem to be OK with it. Our children were ecstatic when we said we were keeping it going.”

“I’m very excited about it,” Alan said. “I enjoy being involved with the theater and I like seeing the pleasure people get from the movies. It’s fun.”

The Alligood family need not worry about getting good help.

On some nights patrons can still see Bobby and Janice at their old posts, selling and taking tickets.

“We work for free,” Janice said, smiling. “But it’s a social thing too; after all these years we know a lot of our customers.”

Janice was famous for her occasional talks before the movie started.

In the early years it was necessary to teach the children proper theater etiquette, but as recently as this April, before one movie, Janice called a young lady up front in honor of her sixteenth birthday. Then her friends surprised her with a big bouquet of balloons while the audience cheered.

That would not happen in a big city movie house.

In May a group of senior citizens attended a Monday showing.

“I’d have hated to see this end.

I’m so glad it’s open,” said one woman who has been coming to the theatre for 37 years. “And it’s better to keep it in the family.”

Visitors to the Priest will see little change. Janet would like to see the theater used more, perhaps for events other than movies. They also hope to do some renovation to preserve the place.

One change people did not like was the week in April when someone else recorded the phone message at 454-SHOW, which always starts with Janice saying, “Thank you for calling the Priest Theatre.” After lots of feedback, Janice resumed her old task creating the weekly message, which always ends with, “Hope to see you at the movies.”

Not only a second, but now a third generation has taken on running the century-old enterprise.

“Our family is tight,” Janet said one recent movie night as her family worked together. “And we get great joy seeing people enjoying themselves.” s

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>> FINAL FRONTIER

Diving Below An Explorer’s Glimpse Beneath the Surface

BY DEBBIE MEEKS he heat index is 110 degrees and I’m willing myself not to sweat as I put on wool long johns and a neoprene dry suit. I’m almost as wet inside the suit as I will soon be outside. Finally, I lift 80 pounds of tanks and assorted gear and lumber toward my version of relief — a Florida spring. It’s always then that the questions come, maybe because with my gear on I appear alien.

The bystanders with the questions are cool and comfortable; they’re

T

wearing swimsuits and holding cold beverages. I can’t answer until I get a reprieve from the weight and the heat, but their questions flow like spring water.

What do you see down there?

Do you dive the same place over and over?

Isn’t it dark in there?

I see wet rocks. That’s the punch line I blurt out when I’m sweaty and impatient. For a good answer, I explain that I love cave diving because every diver sees something different. There are as many ways to “see” a cave as there are cave divers.

PHOTO BY MARK LONG

Here in the entry corridor at Little Hart Spring the flow is so strong it causes ripples in the sand on the floor of the cave.

78 | Summer 2012

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 79

I see architecture — rooms and halls, grandeur and coziness. Caves can change dramatically in just a few feet. I can be swimming carefully through a low bedding plane that is tight top and bottom, opening out horizontally on both sides. Then a few kicks later the ceiling and floor fall away and I’m in a room big enough to land an airplane.

Cave divers often name sections of caves after architectural elements:

80 | Summer 2012

the Park Bench, the Gallery, the Ballroom, the Florida Room.

I see underground rivers. Rivers and water-filled caves have more similarities than differences. They both have wide, slow-moving sections and fast restrictions. They have an upstream and a downstream. They have rocky, sandy, silty or muddy bottoms. Some Florida rivers, like the Suwannee, have cut through to the limestone aquifer

layer. Sections of that river have limestone walls, flint-like (chert) rock outcroppings, fossil shells and bones, just like caves. In both rivers and caves, the force of the flow and the water quality are regulated by environmental and human influences such as drought, withdrawal rate, size of the recharge area, and the chemistry of the area. The visibility, or amount of particulate in the water, is dependant on these

factors in both rivers and caves.

Geologists estimate that Florida has the largest concentration of freshwater springs on earth — more than 700 have been discovered so far. Most of these springs are located in Northern and Central Florida, erupting from a seep or a vent in the aquifer. Spring water originates as surface water that percolates through the earth in the recharge areas and becomes groundwater.

It takes an average of 20 years for the groundwater to flow through the aquifer from high elevations to low, sometimes much longer. The water in the aquifer is so pure it is used as a source of drinking water by thousands of people without any filtering or processing.

The Floridian aquifer that underlies all of Florida is one of the largest and most productive in the world.

Springs are rated by their flow or

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PHOTO BY MARK LONG

OPPOSITE: Annette Long descends into the cave at Hart Spring.

ABOVE: Inside Little River Spring, a cave diver studies an eyeless, cave-adapted crayfish.

TOP: Cave diver Annette Long passes over a “jump line” indicator to a side tunnel at Little River Springs.

Summer 2012 | 81

“I see underground rivers. Rivers and water-filled caves have more similarities than differences. They both have wide, slow-moving sections and fast restrictions.” magnitude; first magnitude springs are the biggest producers, each generating more than 64 million gallons of water a day. Divers are not limited to exploring first magnitude springs.

The rule with exploration seems to be that if it’s physically possible then someone will go. However, there is a trade-off between flow rate and water clarity that tilts the scale of diving favorites toward high volume springs. Slower water deposits more silt everywhere — walls, ceiling and floor — so a diver’s passage stirs the fine particles into great clouds. The dives I enjoy the most are in first magnitude systems whose flow has been temporarily diminished by drought or, paradoxically, by flood. A rising river exerts hydrostatic pressure on the spring’s flow and slows

Haven’t you

waited long enough?

82 | Summer 2012

it down before actually reversing it back into the cave.

Some caves that I swim through were once dry, or partially dry, when the water table was lower during the last ice age. I can see a definite line below which the rock is more worn and I can imagine there was once a river running below an air-filled passage.

Sometimes artifacts and skeletons remain as evidence of use by mammals. A dry cavern that opened to the south had an ideal passive solar orientation and would have been inhabited until the water level rose and submerged it. Some ancient cave entrances are now sealed from the surface but they are still accessible by cave divers; the evidence that they were once dwellings

remains in place even though they are now far from the surface. Even if a cavern wasn’t used as a dwelling, the spring provided a constant source of fresh water that attracted all kinds of animals.

Many times, I count the layers of rock or mud that spell out a climatic story. The layers changed when sediments coming from the land above changed. They show how the rock was deposited and how the deposits changed over the millennia. Another source of mud layers is from periodic reversals. When a river floods, the springs that normally discharge into the river can change course and river water will carry silt and debris into the cave to settle there. I think the mud layers are the most beautiful when

I find a mud bank that has sheared away; the fine silt is laid down in stripes that are brown, greenish, and gray.

Caves have fascinating animal life. There are cave-loving creatures, like White Catfish, who come and go, enjoying the safety and thermal stability of the cave, and there are cave-adapted creatures, such as Albino Cave Crayfish, who have lost their pigment and eyesight and cannot live outside.

Cave-adapted microbes are PHOTO BY MARK LONG only visible to me when they Cave diver Annette Long swims between ledges and boulders in the main cave form large colonies. They are passage 800 feet upstream from Hart Spring. the subject of extremophile research which has extended the limits beyond which microorof 70-73 degrees Fahrenheit allows like returning to a favorite vacation ganisms were thought to survive. the springs to provide a warm spot; there is the gratification of Microbiologists think that cave refuge in winter for mammals. expecting and seeing your favorite microorganisms may be involved in Manatees bask in the spring-fed parts mixed with the thrill of a new geologic processes such as cavern rivers and divers come south to discovery or a long-planned advenenlargement and iron oxide precipienjoy the Florida caves and caverns. ture. It’s always the same, yet it’s tation. Florida’s subtropical climate I dive the same caves, sometimes always different. This is not about and constant aquifer temperature hundreds of times. Caving for me is doing it until I get it right; there’s no

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goal, no score, no last time, no finish.

Cave diving is called an extreme sport. To me, it’s not extreme. I took one small challenge at a time only moving onto the next when I was comfortable. I’ll never be a top cave diver with this approach but I’ve found my sweet spot. This is supposed to be fun after all. Boy, is it fun! It feels like flying when I line myself up to sail through small openings, trying not to touch.

Sometimes I flip over and swim on my back for a new view of a familiar cave. If I want to check out something 20 feet higher I just swim up there, a real advantage over dry-caving. Cave divers have it easier than ocean divers too — just load up and go. There’s no boat, weather or large group of people to consider — just you and your buddy in a car. And no salt-water to rinse from your gear when you get out. If it’s raining, well, you’re going to get wet anyway. If it’s dark, it’s dark in the cave, what’s the difference?

The dark of a cave doesn’t seem

dark to me even though it’s one of the only places on earth that you can experience the absence of ALL light. But the truth is that I’m rarely in darkness because my light is like the spotlight on a stage; it creates visual drama. That’s one of the reasons I can swim the same path and notice different things each time; it’s illuminated a little differently. If my light is a little higher or a little more to the right, the shadows make different textures. The cave is a sculpture seen from inside.

On a sad note, nitrates from over-fertilization, sewage and agriculture have noticeably changed the springs in the short span of my diving career. Algae is out-competing the beautiful native freshwater grasses in the basins and upsetting the unique biodiversity balance by depleting the dissolved oxygen. Cave divers add to our understanding of the changing aquifer by mapping caves, taking water samples, and counting flora and fauna. Conservationists hope

that the next generation will not be tempted to excessively fertilize their lawns any more than they would toss trash out their car window.

When I started cave diving I knew I had found a sport that would never bore me. There are so many aspects to it: exploration, surveying, exercise, peace, art, architecture, geology, biology, chemistry, physical and mental discipline, gear technology, camaraderie, challenge, and accomplishment.

Florida was the birthplace of cave diving more than 50 years ago, and it still attracts divers from around the world. One local dive shop owner claims that his customers hail from 46 countries. And to think, I live here!

Despite the heat and the heavy gear, cave diving has given me so much that I regret I can only give bystanders a glimpse of what I see below. Whether I gaze from the bank or swim into them, caves are my ever-expanding source of fascination and play. s

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Summer 2012 | 87

>> GOING NATIVE

Conserving & Restoring The Florida Lake Management Society Works to Protect Our Water

BY JEWEL MIDELIS place where airboats once propelled across more than 12,000 acres of water, where fishermen once caught bluegill, largemouth bass, and redear sunfish among the extensive vegetation; a place where friends and families once glided smoothly across the water in their kayaks and canoes is no longer able to support these types of activities.

The largest lake in the North Central Region of Florida, Orange Lake, is currently “completely inaccessible at all boat ramps surrounding the lake,” according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Factors including drought and

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88 | Summer 2012

a nearby sinkhole have caused Orange Lake to “pretty much dry out,” said Dana Bigham, a secondyear director of the Florida Lake Management Society.

The Florida Lake Management Society, also referred to as FLMS, was created in 1987 when the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) decided to form a

“In general, exotic plants are invasive and nuisance plants that can alter the biology, chemistry, and physical aspects of a given system.”

“We have over 7,700 lakes in the state of Florida,” Bigham said in a recent phone interview. “A lot of other lakes that have historically held a lot of water are pretty much drying out too. No water in your lake is a pressing issue.”

Charter Committee in Florida.

Within the first year of the organization, the Charter Committee became a Chapter of the NALMS and received funding from various sources. The committee also planned the first Florida Lake

PHOTO BY JEWEL MIDELIS

In June, the FLMS will be removing exotic and invasive plants at Poe Springs Park.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 89

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FLORIDA LAKE MANAGEMENT SOCIETY

The Florida Lake Management Society offers grants called “Love Your Lake” for anyone interested in completing a project to better an aquatic environment. Volunteers plant native vegetation along the shoreline at a Love Your Lake event in July of 2010.

Management Society Conference, produced a charter and bylaws, and created a FLMS newsletter.

As the society evolved, it received grants from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Florida Department of Environmental Regulations. The Florida Lake Management Society also created a mission statement and has continued to see an increase in number of members.

There are now five different chapters of the Florida Lake Management Society within the state of Florida.

Bigham a limnologist, became a member of the Florida Lake Management Society five years ago. A limnologist studies inland waters, such as lakes and springs.

“I love water,” Bigham said. “My personal job is involved with helping water preservation, so through that, I went to one of these [FLMS] conferences.”

Although the organization is named the Florida Lake Management Society, lakes are not its only focus for preservation and maintenance, Bigham said. Part of the society works with lakes, but its members also conduct research at fisheries in Key West and work (or have worked) in the springs systems as well.

At press time, the Florida Lake Management Society was

90 | Summer 2012

scheduled to restore a pond in Poe Springs on June 18. Poe Springs supplies water to the Santa Fe River in High Springs.

“The restoration project will be at the Springhill Pond in the Watermelon Springs at Poe Springs Park,” Bigham said. “In the park, there is a Springhill Pond and Watermelon Spring Run. We are going to target those two areas. We have 20 people going. The entrance fee is waived for restoration, but if people are there, I don’t see why they couldn’t help.”

Until recently, Poe Springs pumped an average of 45 million gallons of cool water daily. Now the spring is currently closed. Several signs posted on trees proclaim the warning: “Due to low flow/no flow this public bathing place is closed due to the potential for elevated health and safety risks.”

The restoration of the spring is taking place as part of a grant awarded to the society by the Alachua County Visitors and Convention Bureau, Bigham said.

The Florida Lake Management Society will be working with Alachua County to remove exotic plants.

“In general, exotic plants are invasive and nuisance plants that can alter the biology, chemistry, and physical aspects of a given system,” Bigham explained in an e-mail

interview. “Exotic plants are many times removed for reasons like, but are not limited to: 1) managing the biomass of the exotic plant so that it does not get out of control, 2) managing the ability of the exotic plant to out-compete native plants in the system, or 3) controlling the navigability of waters. So, for example, the submersed (underwater) exotic plant, Hydrilla, can alter the flow of the spring runs and even make navigation of the spring runs limited or even impossible.”

Scheduled to follow the lake restoration is the 23rd Annual Florida Lake Management Society Conference at the Paramount Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Gainesville. The convention is a four-day event from June 18 till June 21.

This year’s theme, “Lake Management in a Time of Budget Crisis,” concentrates on effective methods for maintaining lake programs with fewer staff and funds.

“Anyone can attend the conference; it is just a fun event to get people involved,” Bigham said. “If you do attend a conference, the (FLMS) membership fee is included in the conference, which is $25.”

Students enrolled in school fulltime and volunteers who are active with a recognized volunteer group can qualify for free memberships, according to the FLMS website.

“We would like to get the word out that there are opportunities for anyone to get involved in preservation/ conservation for the water bodies here in Florida,” Bigham said. s For more information about the Florida Lake Management Society, contact Dana Bigham: dlbigham@gmail.com; or visit their website at www.flms.net.

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>> STITCHED TOGETHER

Sewing Society Sharing and Teaching Traditional Skills in the Community

BY TINA PRIZAMENT n uncertain times, few things experience a gain in popularity. However, as a result of a move towards self-sufficiency, many people return to creative and practical pursuits, such as jam making, knitting and sewing.

The High Springs Sewing Society offers members an opportunity to learn many practical skills, either to discover basic concepts or to brush up on their skills.

The Society grew out of discussions among a group of “ladies who lunch” (the Lunch Bunch officially), who found themselves sharing their varied and diverse hobbies and interests. While many had expertise in the arts and crafts, several ladies also had skills related to needlework, knitting, crocheting and sewing, ranging from simple hobbyists to couture experts.

The High Springs Sewing Society formally began in 2009, after a local Weekend Quilt Show. The show, which displayed a wide variety of both newly made quilts and old family heirloom quilts, generated such

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a buzz that the organizers — Suzie Clark, Celeste Beck, April Bailey and Jeri Langman — decided to share their knowledge of knitting, crocheting, and especially sewing and quilting within an organized society. The idea where beginners and experts alike could get together and work on projects grew into the group that now meets each month, on the third Thursday, from 7-9 p.m. at the Wellness Center in High Springs. The group now numbers about 20, many of whom are also part of the American Sewing Guild, though membership is not a requirement to be a member of the Society.

The local chapter of the ASG covers a large area, including Marion, Alachua and Columbia Counties all the way to Live Oak, and has about 100 members in the chapter.

Every year at the ASG annual meeting a national speaker shares their expertise and knowledge.

The most recent show consisted of couture fashion, which showcased an entire fashion show sewn by members, with emphasis on both leisure and cruise wear. Members of ASG receive many benefits, including

PHOTO BY TINA PRIZAMENT

ABOVE: Member Suzie Clark creates some original and vibrant quilt works, such as these canned vegetables.

RIGHT: Modern Molas use different layers of cloth that are stitched together by machine and then cut away, whereas the traditional method used many layers of cloth that are stitched by hand before being cut away.

No Drawing skills required, tracing works just fine.

discounts with national chain retailers including Hancock Fabrics and Jo-Ann Stores, and special offers on trips (such as cruises), discounts on books, and an annual subscription to its magazine, “Notions.”

The American Sewing Guild, founded in 1978, has seen an increase in its membership by about 15 percent per year, and now has more than 20,000 members. According to asg.org, “The mission of the American Sewing Guild is to advance sewing as an art and life skill.”

The members of the Society possess varied talents and expertise in many areas. Some are versed in embellishments while others are experienced in dyeing fabrics and applying bleach for interesting effects.

There are also some sewers skilled in texturing fabric, as well as several whose specialty is quilting. Some members prefer to make craft items, such as purses and totes because, “sometimes people have some difficulty with fitting themselves into garments, so it’s easier to make accessories,” Beck said.

The ladies who quilt are primarily sewing for

themselves, but the group tries to appeal to a large body of people, in particular young people.

“The resurgence with young people can be attributed to such successful TV shows as Project Runway, and the more recent Fashion Star,” Beck said. “These reality shows focus on real people who make real, wearable clothes, as opposed to high-fashion runway looks.”

In addition to receiving instruction on various quilting methods, including how to create an ancient central American process known as Mola (a form of reverse appliqué) the group has made such fun items as a wine butler (to dress up a wine bottle as a gift) and a Ribbon scarf. It has also instructed its members how to organize a sewing room.

The Society is discussing holding future classes covering such topics as “how to fit garments, how to sew pants, how to put in a zipper, make a buttonhole, make darts, as well as art and craft ideas, such as basket making using clothesline,” Beck said.

Singer, one of the oldest brands of sewing machines,

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 93

celebrates its 160th anniversary this year with a new machine with a retro styling reminiscent of the early models first made in the 19th century, but comes equipped with today’s technology. Some machines can cost as little as a $100, and many models can be found for $500 to $600, but prices can top more than $10,000 for models that come with computers, and even onboard video cameras.

Enthusiasts, such as High Springs Sewing Society member Joyce Ross, have multiple machines, ranging from models from the 1940s, Sergers and felting machines, as well as more standard machines. Anyone wishing to attend the Sewing Society group meetings does not need to have a machine, as the group offers simple machines for attendees to use during classes.

Member April Bailey often shares her projects with the members, and “in particular, her organizing skills are beautiful,” Beck said. “Jeri’s [Langman] seamstress skills are also legendary, her specialty being equestrian couture pieces, which she embellishes with Swarovski crystals.”

These ladies might have retired from their day jobs, but they are not behind when it comes to technology.

At a recent meeting they all marveled at how fun it was to enjoy sharing pictures of their projects on their smart phones.

94 | Summer 2012

PHOTO BY TINA PRIZAMENT

LEFT: Kuna Indians of Panama created traditional molas developed from ancient body painting designs.

TOP RIGHT: Guest Speaker, Marsha Tucker, demonstrates techniques from ancient methods.

ABOVE: Some work requires a little mathematical skill.

Open to all, from beginners to the most experienced — including traditional crafters — the Society offers a broad spectrum of informative classes for any skill level, from grandmothers who want to create works of art to take to quilting shows, or the arts and crafter who wants to create unique and beautiful pieces for arts and crafts shows, Beck said.

“There are always new techniques to explore, and products that are new to the market, such as fabrics that change color in the sun,” Beck said.

“You don’t have to be a drawer, you can find patterns to trace or copy everywhere,” Clark said. “The main thing, it is fun to learn.” s Anyone interested in learning more about sewing, or participating in the monthly class, call Suzie Clark - 386-454-889 or e-mail: suzieann@windstream.net; Celeste Beck - 386-454-7245 or e-mail: rceleste.beck@gmail.com.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 95

PHOTOS BY: JUSTINE DE GROAT

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When Experience Matters…

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Summer 2012 | 99

>> CENTENNIAL

Service & Sisterhood The Alachua Woman’s Club Celebrates its 100th Anniversary

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN n 1946, Mary Elizabeth Irby was in her mid-20s and had just moved to Alachua where her parents had grown up. At the urging of her mother she joined the Alachua Woman’s Club, although she did not have to be convinced to do so.

“Many of us had mothers and grandmothers who belonged to the club in the very early days, so it was sort of a historical thing,” said Irby, who has served in every position except president in her six decades as a member. “We wanted to be a part of something our mothers and grandmothers were a part of.”

That multi-generational history is being celebrated this year as the

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100 | Summer 2012

Alachua Woman’s Club marks its 100th anniversary this fall.

“We’re going to have party in October,” said Vada Horner, the club’s historian and a member since the 1970s. “We’ll pull out old photos and documents that people like to look at, including the minute book from the very first year.”

While such memorabilia traces a varied and rich history, the club traces its beginnings to a single community need. In the summer of 1912, three new classrooms were added to the schoolhouse in the city of Alachua to accommodate a growing student population. But the school board had no money left to furnish the rooms — no chalk, no books, no blackboards, not even desks and chairs for the children.

A local teacher named Mrs. Hilton had seen other communities with clubs made up of parents and teachers committed to helping schools when school board funds fell short. She brought the idea to a gathering of ladies in the community, and that fall the School Improvement Club of Alachua was founded with Clara Futch Stephens as its president.

The ladies of the club met in each others’ homes and organized fundraisers for their cause. The group’s efforts were so successful that there was enough money to buy not only supplies for the classrooms, but to make a down payment on a piano and hire a janitor, as well.

The ladies continued their

efforts for the schools, but by 1921 realized that there were many other ways to help their town.

So the group dropped “School” from its name and became known simply as the Improvement Club of Alachua. In 1949 it became the Alachua Woman’s Club.

Today the group meets in its clubhouse on Main Street.

Completed in 1938, the clubhouse was built over two years using stone harvested locally, with solid wood for the built-in china cabinets, stage, doors, floors and trim.

While the building was renovated in 2007 to replace light fixtures and floors and update the kitchen and

PHOTOS BY JANICE KAPLAN

The clubhouse was completed in 1938 and was built using locally harvested stone for the exterior and the fireplace. It sits on historic Main Street in Alachua.

RIGHT: Club Historian Vada Horner, left, and longtime member Mary Elizabeth Irby stand outside of the Alachua Woman’s Club building on Main Street.

BOTTOM: Maureen Greenman holds up her finished pillowcase during the Pillowcases for Smiles project. The cases were sent to cheer up children at Shands Hospital in Gainesville. (Photo provided courtesy of the AWC)

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 101

PHOTO BY JANICE KAPLAN

The built-in china cabinets house teacups and saucers contributed by club members from long ago as well as the present day. Much of the interior wood trim is original with the clubhouse and was refurbished in 2007.

INSET: This teacup and saucer belonged to Clara Futch Stephens, the first president of what was then known as the School Improvement Club of Alachua.

“We wanted to be a part of something our mothers and grandmothers were a part of.”

102 | Summer 2012

bathrooms, the stone and much of the woodwork is still original.

From this historic clubhouse, the Alachua Woman’s Club has coordinated quite a variety of community projects and services.

“During World War II there was a long list of men who went to war in Europe,” Irby said as she sat in a long room off the main meeting area of the clubhouse. “In this room the women rolled bandages and

wrote letters to the soldiers.”

“There was a drive to collect silk hose and tin cans for the Red Cross,” Horner added. “They made kit bags with toothpaste and other personal items, and they sold a lot of war bonds. One year they sold 26,000 war bonds, which was a lot for a little town like this.”

The club was instrumental in facilitating polio vaccines in the 1950s, serving as a communicator

between the town health authorities and residents. It also began hosting events such as dances, banquets, weddings, parties and fundraisers, including the annual Cattlemen’s Banquet held by the Alachua Lions Club.

“It’s a big political and a social event, especially in a year when everybody’s running for office and all of the candidates show up!”

Horner said, adding that Jimmy Carter was a guest one year when he was serving as governor of Georgia. “About 300 people attend each year.”

Today the club continues these traditions along with new efforts.

Each year it gives a scholarship to one female graduate of Santa Fe High School. The club sponsors and participates in annual Christmas tours of the historic areas of town and has hosted countless speakers, fashion shows and talent shows.

It has also published a regular cookbook featuring favorite recipes contributed by members from long

ago as well as those of present day.

Additionally, members put their crafty side to use by working on “Pillowcases for Smiles,” a project in which members turn festive material into cheerful pillowcases that are sent to children at Shands Hospital in Gainesville. The children take their pillowcases home at the end of their treatment.

The breadth of its generosity is not the only thing that has changed at the Alachua Woman’s Club over the years. In earlier decades, when ladies were addressed by their husband’s full names, only white women attended and they were dressed in their “Sunday best” for meetings. In the last half-century, however, the club has become completely integrated; today an African-American woman, Shirley Brown, serves as president.

Membership has also become tougher to maintain since more women are employed outside the home; work and family schedules make it more difficult for them to

attend meetings. Horner and Irby estimate their current roll count at between 60 and 100 members, but they are making changes to accommodate women with busier lifestyles. The group’s annual year-end tea, normally held on a Sunday afternoon, was changed to a breakfast so that weekend schedules were less likely to be interrupted. The change resulted in a significantly increased turnout that has generated new community interest in joining the club.

But what has not changed in the course of a century is the dedication that the ladies of the Alachua Woman’s Club have for their town.

“It’s important to give something back to the community,” Horner said. “Having a place like the Woman’s Club gives us a focus for giving back.” s For more information about joining the Alachua Woman’s Club or renting its facilities for an event, call the club at 386-462-5204 or visit the club’s website at www.alachuawomansclub.com.

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CALENDAR If you would like to have an event considered for publication in this calendar, please submit information directly. post 4400 NW 36th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32606 | e-mail editor@towerpublications.com | fax 352-373-9178

DANCE FOR SEASONED CITIZENS Tuesdays until June 26 2:00pm - 3:00pm GAINESVILLE - Shands Cancer Hospital Family Room. This community program of weekly dance workshops addresses the needs of those 60 and over.

Rusti Brandman, UF dance professor emeritus and Shands Arts in Medicine dancer-inresidence, teaches the workshops. Each week, the group will learn a new dance inspired by jazz, modern, social dance or others for a joyful motion experience. 352-733-0880.

MARVELOUS WONDERETTES Through June 24 Times Vary GAINESVILLE Hippodrome Theatre.

This off-Broadway musical takes the audience to the 1958 Springfield High School prom to meet the Wonderettes, four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts! Learn about their lives and loves, the girls perform such classic ‘50s and ‘60s songs as “Lollipop,” “Dream Lover,” “Stupid Cupid,” “Lipstick On Your Collar,” etc.

352-375-4477.

ART IN THE SANCTUARY Through July 31 Times Vary GAINESVILLE - Unity of Gainesville. Featuring the beautiful oil

108 | Summer 2012

paintings of Doris Green. Doris began painting after retiring as secretary for Newberry Jr. Sr. High School (1968). Many of Doris’ paintings were awarded ribbons at art shows, including those at Cedar Key and Gainesville.

SYLVIA June 15 - July 8 Times Vary HIGH SPRINGS Community Playhouse.

130 NE First Ave. A romantic comedy about Greg, a middle-aged man having a terrible time at work who takes the afternoon off.

Wandering mindlessly in the park he finds Sylvia, an adorable stray dog that latches onto him like a new chew toy. He takes her home. But there’s a problem, and it’s his wife Kate. She doesn’t want that mongrel messing up her beautiful life. 386-454-3525.

FAMILY DAY Saturday, June 16 1:00pm - 4:00pm GAINESVILLE - Harn Museum. Familyfriendly guided tours of the exhibition “Deep Roots, Bold Visions,” then create a found-object sculpture inspired by works in the exhibition. A donation of $2 per child or $5 per family is requested if participating in the art-making activity.

352-392-9826. www.harn.

ufl.edu

JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION Saturday, June 16 10:00am - 2:00pm GAINESVILLE - The Library Partnership 1130 NE 16th Ave. Enjoy entertainment, free food and free raffle.

Come support three young local residents competing for prizes in the library idol contest.

352-334-0165.

OLD TIME DANCE Sunday, June 17 2:00pm - 5:00pm HIGH SPRINGS - O’Leno State Park. Family fun for all ages! Dance contra, circles and squares to live music hosted by the Flying Turtles String Band in the 1930’s recreation hall located on the banks of the Santa Fe River. A caller will guide new and experienced dancers alike through a variety of dances. www.

floridastateparks.org

FATHER’S DAY SPECIAL Sunday, June 17 9:00am to 7:00pm GAINESVILLE - Kanapaha Botanical Gardens.

What better way to spend Father’s Day than at the Gardens where fathers are admitted for free on Father’s Day! www.

talented musicians. BYO blankets, refreshments and lawn chairs. Other dates: July 15 and August 19. 386-4541416. recreation@highsprings.us.

A CULTURE OF RESISTANCE ROADSHOW Monday, June 18 3:00pm GAINESVILLE - Civic Media Center. This presentation is intended as a practical guide to effective activism through music, art, informative presentations and fruitful discussion. Attendees will leave feeling empowered to shift the course of history at this most critical juncture.

Join in saying “No more ineffective activism!”

www.deepgreenresistance.org

BINOCULARS CRAFT Tuesday, June 19 2:00pm - 2:45pm GAINESVILLE Headquarters Library.

Use household items to create a pair of binoculars and get a better look at the Lubee Bats visiting the library on June 20. 352-334-3900

BATS ALIVE

kanapaha.org

Wednesday, June 20 11:00am - Noon

SUMMER SUNDAYS

GAINESVILLE Headquarters Library.

Lubee Bat Conservancy will bring live bats and share fun facts about bats and natural history.

352-334-3941

Sunday, June 17 2:00pm - 4:00pm HIGH SPRINGS - James Paul Park. Enjoy a free show of local,

GAINESVILLE BOOKKEEPERS ASSOCIATION MEETING

Fourth of July Celebration

Wednesday, June 20 3:30pm - 5:00pm GAINESVILLE - Santa Fe Center for Innovation and Economic Development. 530 W. University Ave. GBA is a networking and education group open to all bookkeepers. Its mission is to build community and support members’ professional advancement. http://bit.ly/KU2wR5

LIFE INSURANCE AND WHAT IT MEANS Thursday, June 21 2:00pm - 3:00pm GAINESVILLE - Senior Recreation Center. 5701 NW 34th St. Limited to 24 participants.

Sponsored by Bankers Life and Casualty Company. Come to an informative presentation to discuss life insurance and the many ways it can help provide for a family. When hearing the term final expenses, most think of a funeral. What about a legacy? 352-265-9040.

LIVING ON A FEW ACRES Thursday, June 21 6:00pm - 8:00pm GAINESVILLE - Alachua County Extension Office. This monthly program is designed as an introduction to basic production techniques on a wide variety of topics, from pasture management and livestock production to growing vegetables and alternative enterprises.

Entire series of 12 classes for $10. alachua.ifas.ufl.edu

Wednesday, July 04 3:00pm - 10:00pm Alachua - Hal Brady Recreation Complex. The City of Alachua invites its citizens and neighboring communities to join in celebrating Independence Day at the “Largest Small-Town Fireworks Display in America.” Free. With dozens of activities for children. 386-462-6100.

QUILT SHOW

GALLERY TALK

Saturday, June 23 10:00am - 3:00pm

Sunday, June 24 3:00pm

WALDO - Waldo Community Center.

For those who would like to enter a quilt for judging and/or sale, call Vera Mauldin at 352-468-1554 or e-mail VeraMauldin@Windstream.net for application and registration information.

MUSEUM TOUR “THE ARTIST’S HAND” Sunday, June 24 2:00pm GAINESVILLE - Harn Museum. Learn about the techniques used in favorite works at the Harn. 352-392-9826.

www.harn.ufl.edu

GAINESVILLE - Harn Museum. Robert Moore author of “Francis Read Moore, Florida Folk Artist: Primitive Paintings and Photos of a Time and Place in North Central Florida.”

Kate Barnes, Francis Moore’s first art instructor; and Debbie Moore Brown, daughter of Francis Moore; will offer perspectives on the life and work of Francis Moore, whose work is represented in Deep Roots, Bold Visions.

352-392-9826.

exciting discussion of books about people who have embraced their inner farmers and have turned their lawns and patios into useful green havens. Discuss how they have done it, and some of the costs and downsides as well.

352-334-0170.

MAKE COMICS Wednesday, June 27 3:00pm - 4:00pm GAINESVILLE Headquarters Library.

- Come learn how to make comics with author and artist, Andre Frattino. Teens 12 to 18.

352-334-3900.

UNITY DAY GREEN ACRES Monday, June 25 6:30pm - 7:30pm GAINESVILLE Headquarters Library.

Join Lisa Finch for an

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Summer 2012 | 109

parade downtown with fun, food, games, entertainment and baseball games all weekend.

Estimated start time.

“Boneshaker” by Cherie Priest and other Steampunk-related materials. For teens and adults. 352-334-3900.

CREATIVE B-MOVIE SERIES

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Monday, July 9 10:00am - 11:30am

GAINESVILLE - Museum of Natural History. Free movie series. Explore the balance between science and art with an expert panel. Parental discretion is advised.

July 6, “The Lost World” (1925); July 13, “Mothra vs. Godzilla” (1964); July 20, “Jurassic Park” (1993); July 27, “Anaconda” (1997). 352273-2061. www.flmnh.ufl.edu

GAINESVILLE - United Way of North Central Florida.

6031 NW 1st Place. A four-part series of free classes offered by the UF & Shands Speech and Hearing Center and the Gainesville chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of Florida. Classes are free.

352-294-5151 or e-mail mmccaghren@phhp.ufl.edu to register.

BOOK TALK: STEAMPUNK

RED, WHITE AND MORE RED

Sunday, July 8 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Thursday, July 12 6:00pm - 8:00pm

GAINESVILLE Headquarters Library.

- Book Talk covering

GAINESVILLE - The Gainesville Woman’s Club and Gainesville

Junior Woman’s Club are hosting the second annual “Wine Tasting: Red, White & More Red!” benefit with proceeds going to the Girls Place and Peaceful Paths. 352-376-3901.

http://bit.ly/JuyU9A.

HAIRSPRAY July 13 - Aug. 5 Times Vary GAINESVILLE Community Playhouse.

Explore the 1960s where lovable, plussized heroine, Tracy Turnblad, has a passion for dancing and wins a spot on the local TV dance program.

Overnight she finds herself transformed from outsider to teen celebrity. Can Tracy manage to vanquish the program’s reigning princess, integrate the television show and find true love without mussing her hair?

352-376-4949.

COUPONING Saturday, July 21 3:00pm - 4:30pm GAINESVILLE Headquarters Library.

Come and learn the latest tactics for getting the most savings out of coupons. Learn where and how to score big-value coupons, and hear tips for shopping local stores to the best advantage.

Angelia, the coupon queen, will share her best tricks of the trade.

352-334-3900.

UFPA FILM COMPETITION Sunday, July 22 2:00pm GAINESVILLE - Squitieri Studio Theatre. This film competition is designed to provide those interested in filmmaking with a creative deadline and then the opportunity to show off

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their work. Contestants will have 24 hours to make a five-minute film, followed by a public viewing. July 21, 1 p.m., team check-in; July 22, 2 p.m., deadline and public viewing. dwohlust@ performingarts.ufl.edu. creativeb. aa.ufl.edu.

OLYMPIC CRAFTS Tuesday, July 24 2:00pm - 2:45pm GAINESVILLE Headquarters Library.

Celebrate the Summer Games with olive wreath crowns and medals. Ages 5 to 11.

352-334-3900.

CREATURES OF THE NIGHT Wednesday, July 25 11:00am - Noon GAINESVILLE Headquarters Library.

Get up close and personal with UF Entomology’s arthropod petting zoo. Ages 5 to 18. 352-334-3941.

SUPERHERO SCRAMBLE Saturday, July 28 8:00am WALDO - Motor Sports Park. 16258 NE US Highway 301. Obstaclestyle race with 20-plus obstacles and is four- to six-miles long.

Racers also have the

Tyler’s Hope Golf Tournament Aug. 16 - Aug. 18 Times Vary Gainesville - Gainesville Golf & Country Club. Tyler’s Hope for a Dystonia Cure Inc. is a local charity foundation that raises funds to increase awareness, education and research to cure type DYT1 Dystonia worldwide.

Tyler’s Hope has awarded more than $1 million to the McKnight Brain Institue at Shands at the University of Florida. A cure is within close reach.

Gold Sponsor dinner the evening of Aug. 16. www.tylershope.org

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C Canadian farm life a and elicits a dramatic change in the “stories” c tthese two men have been telling about their lives together. 352-37111234. www.acrosstown.org

Grape Stompin’ Saturday, August 25

LITERACY DAY

1:00pm

S Saturday, Sept. 8 110:00am - 2:00pm

Gainesville - Bo Diddley Community Plaza. a Enjoy grape stomping activities along ng with wine tasting and food pairing tours ours at downtown establishments. Schedule: e: 1 to 6 p.m., wine tasting, live music, silent auction; 3 p.m., Lucille Ball look-a-like contest; 4 p.m., grape stompin’ finals; 5 to 6 p.m., live auction.

HIGH SPRINGS - O’Leno State Park. The Park S celebrates Literacy c Day with Magic and tthe Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses, along with local authors and guest readers. There will be nature arts and crafts, and games for young readers. www.

chance to raise money for Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, a nonprofit organization that sends monthly care packages to troops deployed overseas. FSO is also looking for volunteers for the event. www.forgot-

tensoldiers.org

UF ASTRONOMY STARLAB Wednesday, August 1 11:00am - Noon GAINESVILLE Headquarters Library.

Experience the night sky with StarLab. The StarLab is a portable planetarium that allows people to view a projection of the night sky with constellations, among other cool things. 352-334-3941.

ART, CRAFT, LIFESTYLE SHOW Aug. 9 - Aug. 12 10:00am - 9:00pm GAINESVILLE - Oaks Mall. Visit exhibitors offering a selection of handmade art and craft creations and the latest trends and ideas. Find products offered by popular, home-based business representatives. Exhibitors are located throughout the mall and available during regular mall hours.

330-493-4130.

SEASON OPENING GALA Friday, August 17 7:00pm - 10:00pm GAINESVILLE - Thomas

Center. The Acrosstown Repertory Theatre opens its 2012-2013 season with a bang, with a celebration of the season-past and a happy anticipation of the one just ahead.

Admission is free. Meet the officers of ART and the directors of the seven plays scheduled for the season. 352-3711234. www.acrosstown.org

DRAWER BOY Aug. 24 - Sept. 9 Times Vary GAINESVILLE Acrosstown Repertory Theatre. Drama with a three-man cast. Two older farmers and a young playwright, who comes to their farm to write a play about

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WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S Saturday, Sept. 15 9:00am GAINESVILLE - Bo Diddley Community Plaza. The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. This inspiring event calls on participants of all ages and abilities. To register, join a team or donate, visit www.alz.org. Contact Katie Garro at kati.garro@alz.org

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Taste of the Town

SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL 352.372-5468 FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION.

Joe’s Place 5109 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville, Fl 32606 Monday to Saturday 11:00am - 2:00pm Sunday 1:00pm to 11:00pm

352-377-7665

www.panamajoesplace.com

BAR & GRILL — Founded in 2004 on the principles of quality food, exceptional value and family fun, Joe’s Place operates in Timberwood Village on the Northwest side of Gainesville. Joe’s draws people of all ages and lifestyles with its signature bar and grill menu items and family-friendly atmosphere. Since 2004, we have built a local following of salad bar lovers with our award-winning, homemade soups and salad bar. Meat eaters will enjoy our steaks and famous burgers, while vegetarians will love our locally produced tempeh options.

Kids eat free every Wednesday with any adult meal of $8.99 or more – featuring healthy options and entertainment by “The Magic Man”.

Saboré 13005 SW 1st Road, Tioga, FL 32669 (Tioga Town Center) Tues-Thurs, Sun 11am to 10pm Fri & Sat 11am to 11pm Open Mondays for Special Events Only

352-332-2727

www.saborerestaurant.com

FUSION — Featuring a new menu! Saboré [sa-bohr-ay] is a worldfusion restaurant featuring a variety of European, South American, Mediterranean and Asian-inspired tastes. Saboré’s namesake is from the word “sabor,” meaning “flavor.” Executive Chef and Co-Owner William “Willy” Hernandez’s menu features mouth-watering dishes that takes guests on a trip around the world, highlighting exotic flavors and ingredients from countries such as Argentina, Japan, Greece and Italy. Be sure to try their custom plates, desserts and signature cocktails you won’t find anywhere else in Gainesville. Chef Willy has been heralded for his innovative culinary skills at famed establishments such as Caramelo Restaurant, Giacosa, Casa Rolandi and Café Vialetto.

Brown’s Country Buffet 14423 NW US Hwy 441, Alachua, FL 32616 Monday-Friday: 7am - 8pm Saturday: 7am - 2pm Sunday: 8am - 2:30pm

386-462-3000 Brown’s Country Buffet is country-style cooking at its finest, just like Grandma’s house! A buffet style restaurant, Brown’s Country Buffet is open seven days a week! Foods like fried chicken, grilled pork chops, real mashed potatoes, steamed cabbage, banana pudding and coconut pie, just to name a few, are served in a laid back, relaxing environment. In addition to their buffet, Brown’s also offers a full menu to choose from. You are sure to find something to satisfy any craving at Brown’s. Located in beautiful Alachua, Brown’s is open 7 days per week. Serving lunch and dinner daily and a breakfast buffet Friday-Sunday until 10:30am, you’re sure to leave satisfied, no matter when you go. So, when you’re in the mood for some good home cooking, Grandma’s style, visit Brown’s Country Buffet.

Pickled Pelican 14209 W Newberry Rd. Jonesville (Next to Bubba Que’s) Sunday – Thursday 11 – 9 Fri and Sat 11 - 11

352-333-2943

www.pickledpelicanonline.com

ISLAND — Welcome to the Pickled Pelican bar and Eatery! This is a happening place with excellent fresh food and seafood. We have a large menu with a variety of choices to suit many taste buds.

Beginning with one of our appetizers such as escargot, fried green tomatoes, or loaded potato skins. We offer plenty of salad choices.

And let’s not forget the best clam chowder ever! When you are ready to move on to the main coarse, try one of our signature dishes such as Chicken Alfredo, Grouper cakes or Salmon. If it’s a sandwich or burger you are craving, we have the best Grouper and Pelican burgers. Visit us in Jonesville at our new location or our sister location in Cedar Key, right on the water!

Los Aviña 14841 Main Street Alachua, 32615 • 386-418-0341 16654 SW Archer, 32618 • 352-495-1314 Mon - Sat 11am to 10pm • Sun 12pm - 3pm

Buffet Now Available For nine years Jorge Aviña has been serving delicious authentic mexican food. Originally located in Archer, Aviña opened a second location in High Springs, which is now relocated in Alachua. Los Aviña features all you can eat tacos Monday through Saturday llam to 4pm for $6.95. All you can eat buffet Mon - Sat from 11am to 3pm for only $6.95. They also have combination dinner specials starting at $7.55 and lunch specials starting at $4.55 Mon - Thurs from 11am to 2:30pm. Aviña’s specialties include steaks, fajitas, chimichangas, burritos, taco salads and enchiladas. Live Mexican music every Sat night from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. Los Aviña also serves beer and wine at the Archer location and a full bar at there new location in Alachua.

Miami International 15634 NW Hwy 441, Suite F, Alachua, FL 32615 Monday – Saturday 9:00am - 9:00pm Sunday 12:00pm - 5:00pm

386-462-3305 CUBAN — Miami Int’l Bakery and Restaurant is your one-stop-shop for authentic Cuban cuisine. We offer largely portioned entrees such as Roast Pork, Ropa Vieja, Cuban Sandwich and a variety of chicken and seafood dishes, as well. Not only are we a restaurant, we are also a bakery and ice cream shop. Come in and try our unique cultural flavors such as guava, mango, papaya and more! Also, don’t forget about us for your next big event. We offer catering for weddings and social gatherings. With our competitive prices and lunch specials starting at $4.95 from 11a.m. to 3 p.m., as well as a full dinner menu, we can offer you an authentic Cuban experience. Don’t forget to try one of our delicious desserts such as guava pastries, flan and so much more.

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Small Town Feel The Atrium at Gainesville offers gracious retirement living

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ith over 400 communities throughout the United States and Canada, the Holiday Retirement Corporation houses over 35,000 seniors across North America. Yet The Atrium, a Holiday property nestled in northwest Gainesville, feels anything but big and corporate.

“Even though we have a lot of big company benefits, we’re very integrated into the Gainesville community,” said Prem Paul Murrhee, Director of Sales and Marketing for The Atrium. “We have a lot of community partners and we form relationships with them to provide helpful services for our residents.”

The all-inclusive aspect of living at The Atrium is a well-known benefit enjoyed by residents. Monthly rent includes all utilities except personal phone service, three meals a day, weekly housecleaning, activities and entertainment, transportation, 24/7 live-in management and more.

But what many people don’t realize is that transitional services are also part of the package. Moving can be a difficult process, and The Atrium strives to minimize that stress for each and every resident.

“We can help people sell their house, rent their house, downsize and move. The moving company that we’ve partnered with will literally pack and unpack boxes, put medicine in the medicine cabinet, hook up the television and make up the bed,” said Murrhee, adding that The Atrium also handles transfers of prescriptions and newspaper subscriptions for incoming residents. “We’ve also partnered with a company that can do an unsecured loan for people who need the proceeds of the sale of their house to move to The Atrium.”

The convenience does not stop once residents are settled into their new home. Many local businesses are 116 | Summer 2012

brought in to provide goods and services to seniors at The Atrium, including a veterinarian who visits regularly to make house calls on cats and dogs owned by residents. A local pharmacy sends personnel for “brown bag” sessions – a resident brings all of his medication in a brown bag and speaks one-on-one with a pharmacist about side effects, drug interactions and other precautions that should be taken. The Atrium also brings in a jewelry and watch repair person, a chiropractor and a podiatrist; a medical supply company also comes in and fixes wheelchairs and walkers.

All of these services are paid for by The Atrium at no cost to the residents and are designed not only for convenience, but to keep seniors in touch with members of the community.

“We form relationships to provide services for our residents, because we’re not some exclusive place that’s trying to keep people out. We want others to come in,” Murrhee said.

Additionally, nearly 30 local groups use the building facilities for regular meetings – often as a courtesy to residents who belong to them.

“When a resident moves into the Atrium, it becomes their home,” said Murrhee. “So if they have a group or organization that sometimes meets at their home, now the Atrium is their home and we’re inviting them. As a matter of fact, we’ll even supply a little refreshment and some lemonade. It allows the resident to feel at home, but it also allows us to share our home with the outside.

We love for people to come in and see our home; we’re very proud of it and we want people to see it.”

These efforts are just some of the ways in which The Atrium provides a home that is as relaxed and hasslefree as seniors want it to be. Its namesake five-story

“It’s nice to know that even though we’ve been here for atrium has a glass ceiling, baby grand pianos and plenty 30 years so and we have a lot of resources, we’re still very of trees and foliage. Apartment residences range in personable,” said Murrhee. “That’s one of the things that size from 400-1600 square feet and all include a full people kitchen. All food served at meals is made completely p p like about us.” from scratch, right down to the salad dressings, bread and even the tortilla chips used for loaded nachos.

Live-in managers, on call at all hours, are more like neighbors than hired personnel, adding unparalleled reassurance and comfort.

“They pour coffee at meals, they participate in some of the activities, and they get to know the residents and their families by name,” said Murrhee. “If any of our residents need help in the middle of the night, they know the people who will come and help them. It’s not Gracious Retirement Living somebody they’ve never met before.”

Even when traveling across the continent, residents The Atrium at Gainesville features beautiful and spacious can feel at home. The Atrium shares visiting privileges studio, one and two bedroom apartments. Your month-towith all Holiday properties, each of which includes a month rent virtually includes all of your living expenses, fully furnished guest suite that is just like a hotel suite. with absolutely no long-term commitment or entrance fees.

Normally rented at a nominal fee for guests visiting property residents, these suites are also perfect for 2431 NW 41st Street, Gainesville traveling Atrium residents to stay in at no charge.

Such wide-ranging programs and personal touches highlight The Atrium’s ability to provide big-company services while keeping that all-important sense of home intact. www.VisitOurTowns.com Summer 2012 | 117

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>> TOUCH OF MAGIC

Hometown Heroes A World-Renowned Non-Profit Organization is Loyal to North Florida

BY JENNIFER RIEK t is commonly thought that bigger is better.

A pebble cannot match the weight of a boulder. A droplet cannot wield the strength of the sea. Yet kittens are more loved than cougars. A breeze is enjoyed and a hurricane feared. And a normal-sized horse is sent out to the pasture and a miniature horse is brought inside, to give love, brighten days, and change lives. For Gentle Carousel Miniature Horse Therapy, less is undoubtedly more.

Every year, hundreds of front

I

doors open to greet a team of tiny horses and their owners, Debbie and Jorge Garcia. The horses enter hospitals and libraries, hospices and assisted living programs to bring to residents inside a special kind of love. For the short length of a visit, terminally ill children can forget the inevitable future. Elderly men and women can remember better days, and bedridden patients feel a break in the monotony.

Children play with horses just their size. To every life they touch, the horses add a happiness that people will remember always.

“These horses,” Jorge Garcia said,

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEBBIE GARCIA

Debbie and George Garcia with Magic, one of their miniature therapy horses.

120 | Summer 2012

“have a very powerful effect.”

The foundation for Gentle Carousel was laid nearly a decade ago, when the Garcias purchased the first of their miniature horses.

The two additions joined the family’s collection of ponies, all of which could be seen from the window of a bed-bound neighbor.

After viewing the miniatures for some time, the neighbor asked George if the little horses could be brought near the window so that he might have a closer look.

George obliged and the neighbor, utterly thrilled, started getting out of bed to interact with the horses.

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Summer 2012 | 121

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEBBIE GARCIA

The Gentle Carousel miniature therapy horses bring joy and comfort to people of all ages, from school libraries to hospitals.

In that small miracle, the Garcias recognized a gift to the community, and thus the non-profit organization began.

Over the last nine years, Gentle Carousel has become involved with a wide variety of groups around North Florida. In addition to visiting the ill and the elderly, the horses spend a great deal of their days working with at-risk children. Most notable is its literacy program “Reading Is Magic.” The program, named for the organization’s most popular horse, gathers students together from local elementary schools in the public library. A children’s book about a horse is read aloud, specifically chosen from a list of books the library already carries. When the final page is turned, a miniature horse identical to the main character trots out to meet the group. Reading is suddenly

122 | Summer 2012

brought to life for the stunned and delighted children.

The Garcias take great pride in how well they have managed to match the animals to the illustrations, as the books are not about the Gentle Carousel horses.

Though many authors have asked to write books about Magic and the others, the Garcias have chosen to pick literature the library has at the time. This way, children can immediately check out and read more about horses or any other subject that might interest them. Libraries in seven counties participated last summer and reaction to the program has been overwhelmingly positive.

“When you go over the fire code in libraries, during the summer, that’s amazing,” said Debbie, who went on to say that they read to 5,000 kids in the summer of 2011.

• Horses are born with a natural fight or flight instinct.

If humans can handle the newborns within the first 48 hours, the fear of people is removed.

• Contrary to popular belief, the miniatures do not live in the Garcias’ home, but rather in a barn behind the house.

• Sally Anfinsen of Alachua is to thank for the horses’ custom-fitted costumes.

Anfinsen purchases all of the material herself and donates about 50 costumes per year.

• The organization services more than ten thousand people annually. This high number is attributed to many group visits.

• Gentle Carousel often works with the local Sheriff ’s department on special projects. The horses are smaller than the police dogs.

Some libraries were so crammed with visitors that all furniture had to be moved outdoors to accommodate more people.

“We’re sitting in the heart of the most illiterate part of Florida, in children and in adults,” Debbie said. “Anything that brings kids to

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Saturday, September 8

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEBBIE GARCIA

George and Debbie Garcia began Gentle Carousel nearly a decade ago.

a library is important.”

Studies have shown that over the summer, children lose at least a month of what they learned in school, Debbie said. To combat this, Gentle Carousel has challenged parents and teachers to participate in the “Magic 10.” For 10 minutes a day, every day, adults are encouraged to read to children, inciting in them a desire to read on and find out what happens next. Magic 10 readers have been found to be in the top 20 percent of their classes.

As a school principal by trade and foster mother by desire, Debbie has a strong background in educating children. She carries with her the memory of a visit to a Lake City Wal-Mart at the beginning of a recent school year. While Debbie shopped, she began to notice families struggling in their search for school supplies. Neither the children nor the adults could read the lists.

124 | Summer 2012

“And here they are trying to help their kids go to school,” Debbie said.

In an effort to end Lake City’s ongoing literacy decline, Gentle Carousel is also involved in the after-school program of the town’s Happy House Childcare Center.

Every month, more than 800 children of lower income families read a story and discuss a topic. Last October, the reading was about the Native American practice of painting their horses. When the book closed, Gentle Carousel volunteers brought out miniature pinto horses and the children were allowed to paint the fur with their hands.

For most of these children literature is a foreign concept, but the Happy House, like Gentle Carousel, aims to change this fact. One of their efforts is the gift of a book to each child on their birthday.

“It’s a big deal to give someone a book that doesn’t have another [book] in their home,” Debbie said.

10:00am - 2:00pm O’Leno State Park will be celebrating Literacy Day with Magic and the Gentle Carousel Therapy Horses, along with local authors and guest readers. There will be nature arts and crafts, and games for young readers.

Thursday, August 16 2:00pm Alachua Public Library Come celebrate the end of the Summer Reading Program at the Alachua Public Library with prizes and special guests: the Miniature Therapy Horses.

It is admirable activities like these that have earned the Garcias and their miniatures a mark on the international map. Magic, the blue-eyed beauty and best known of the horses, has been named one of Time Magazine’s 10 Most Heroic Animals. On Reader’s Digest’s list of Hometown Heroes, Magic was the only four-legged winner.

Thanks to this publicity, Gentle Carousel is well known in countries

as far away as Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. With laughter, Debbie recounted the story of visiting a convention center in Orlando and being astounded when a group of Chinese tourists knew all about Magic.

“We’re so internationally known because we’re so unusual,” Debbie said. “We get more national attention than local.”

In fact, for all that Gentle Carousel does, very few people in North Florida even know it exists. Unless a person is involved with a sick child, the elderly, or schools, the organization will most likely not be seen.

“Most local people don’t know about us. In China, we’re good,” Debbie said with a chuckle. “We’re very big in the Soviet Union, but with the translations, you have a lot of exaggerated stories, and translations do very interesting things.”

The Garcias feel fortunate to have garnered so much positive attention, first and foremost for the fact that Gentle Carousel has

AC CIAL E P S

no budget set aside for advertising.

Expenses often force their bank account into the red, as gas prices, equine foot and dental care, insurance and other charges are forever on the shopping list.

Yet with the donations of adoring fans both foreign and local, the Garcias do not have to charge people in hospice. They can serve the community without asking for a single cent. With the supplementation of fundraisers, Gentle Carousel can proudly say it has never turned down a request for a visit — in North Florida, that is. Despite the growing outside interest, Gentle Carousel has deemed itself a hometown charity and has no intentions of expanding. Debbie emphasized the statement that they have more than they can handle there.

One might wonder how the Garcias and their volunteers manage to keep up with it all.

On noon on any given day, half a dozen e-mails are already waiting to be answered in the inbox, on

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top of calls ringing in throughout the morning. Incoming horses must undergo a rigorous two-year training program before they are allowed to work with people. They must learn how to climb stairs, ride in elevators, and “basically be bomb-proof,” Debbie said. Hard decisions are constantly having to be made, determining who is the sickest, who is the most crucial.

With the horses working just two days a week, at a limit of two hours maximum, a sad truth is forced to exist. There are more ill children out there than there is time to visit.

But what Gentle Carousel accomplishes with precious little resources is the reason so many can smile.

They are the cause of memories that people will share for a lifetime. They are the foundation that will help children succeed. And sometimes, they are the only hand that can pull someone up out of bed.

“It’s motivating,” Debbie said.

“You get up because somebody loves you.” s

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>> INTO THE ABYSS

Adventure Below From the deepest cave to the coldest water, Jill Heinerth dives for more than a thrill

BY DESIREE FARNUM

T

he ship stopped in front of the mass of ice jutting out of the water. B-15, the largest iceberg in history, was momentarily pinned to the floor of the Ross Sea. The team had traveled to Antarctica, 12 days by ship from New Zealand to explore this iceberg. Though the divers would take a month looking for an entrance, it was their mission to explore the tunnels of the largest moving object on the planet. What they didn’t know was that their “cave” would only hold out for so long in the fluctuating temperatures of the ending Antarctic summer...

128 | Summer 2012

ill Heinerth is a scuba diver.

For her, diving is more than a hobby; it is her livelihood.

She captures underwater scenes with her camera and she writes about scuba-related topics. Still, her passion for water goes beyond exploration.

“My former creative partner, Wes Skiles, also helped me to really see that this experience of cave diving is so much more than a sport,” Heinerth said in a recent interview in the home she shares with her husband, Robert McClellan.

The trip to Antarctica, where Heinerth and Skiles worked together to explore the icy caves, was like being on another planet,

J

Heinerth said.

“We knew we were doing something that nobody had ever done before and seeing things that no one had ever seen,” she said.

Heinerth uses her love and knowledge of water to teach “water literacy,” the term used to describe an understanding of where water comes from and how to conserve and care for it.

“Whatever you pour on the surface of the land is going to end up in your drinking water,” Heinerth said.

As a public speaker, she talks about water conservation, in addition to tips for the trade. In early 2000, Heinerth co-produced

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Summer 2012 | 129

the film series “Water’s Journey,” which aired on PBS and was filmed by Skiles. In the film she explores water’s underground path in Florida. She followed the water’s journey from above ground, through tunnels below city streets and into the Floridian aquifer.

She said that although there is plenty of water on the earth, there is not plenty of clean drinking

130 | Summer 2012

water. And the more polluted the water becomes, the more costly it is to clean. Safe, drinkable water will become scarcer, she said, and it is important to know how to stop unintentionally polluting it. “[Americans] use five or six times more [water] than the average European and hundreds times more than people in many other parts of the world,” Heinerth said.

“It’s partly because we’ve always been able to turn on a tap and expect that clean healthy water comes out of it. I think the days of those expectations are over.”

W

hen the divers had found an opening into the iceberg, they dove in with camera equipment, spacesuit-like gear and three lights per person. They followed

PHOTO BY JILL HEINERTH

LEFT: Paul Heinerth escaping from Ice Island Cave #4 in Antarctica.

CARRYING THE TORCH

the tunnel into the blackness until they hit the sea floor where the iceberg was pinned. Heinerth remembers the rarely seen colorful sea creatures. Sponges, fish and other animals inhabit the icy water and the team documented what they could. Wes Skiles filmed the entire dive.

They did not realize the entrance they came through was crumbling...

When a diver loses his or her life in the water, the whole diving community is affected. Heinerth said she has lost “incredibly close” people to her in diving accidents.

She said it feels like a waste, but at the same time, she feels that their loss cannot be in vain.

She remembers her creative partner Wes Skiles, who passed away in 2010 in a diving accident, and said that she feels a “responsibility to his memory.”

“We all met through Wes Skiles,” said Annette Long, diver and president of Save Our Suwannee, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the quality and quantity of the water in the Suwannee Basin. “It was a great loss and a terrible shock.”

Skiles and Heinerth worked together on many projects, including “Water’s Journey,” “The Cave” and “Extreme Cave Diving” for the television series NOVA. “I don’t want to take

www.VisitOurTowns.com

unnecessary risks, but at the same time I’m not afraid of dying,” Heinerth said. “I’m afraid of not living fully.”

In addition to appearing in film and on television, Heinerth is the author of three books on diving.

Her upcoming film “We are Water” addresses global water issues.

“I know Wes would be so proud that I’m sort of still carrying the torch,” she said.

“I’m not afraid of dying. I am afraid of not living fully.”

I

t was like being on another planet.

“We knew we were doing something that nobody had ever done before and seeing things that no one had ever seen,” Heinerth said.

The team used a “rebreather,” a space-age breathing apparatus that recycles the carbon dioxide from

Summer 2012 | 131

In addition to Antarctica, Heinerth has traveled all over the world to dive.

Toronto Tobermory Kingston Calgary Vancouver Port Hardy Nanaimo

Tofino Queen Charlotte Islands Prince Rupert Florida Las Vegas California

a diver’s exhalations to be used again. They wore special dry suits with seals on the ankles and wrists to keep water out. Thick gloves and several hoods kept them relatively warm, but their faces were exposed to the water.

“The water temperature was 28 degrees Fahrenheit,” Heinerth said.

“One tenth of a degree colder and it would be frozen. So it’s very, very cold, even in these suits.”

When the entrance to the iceberg crumbled, everyone on the ship thought it was over for the divers.

But they found a way out, and the risk of death did not stop them from

132 | Summer 2012

New Jersey North and South Carolinas Georgia Bermuda Exuman Abaco

Andros Aeclins Nassau Turks & Caicos Russia Finland England

making several more dives into the ice caves...

Before diving became a career, as a young child Heinerth was inspired by Jacques Cousteau, an oceanographer who co-developed the Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Dr. Sylvia Earle, an oceanographer, and Rachel Carson, an environmentalist who wrote “Silent Spring,” also influenced her. Heinerth was fascinated with water as a child and wanted to follow in their footsteps. In 2011 she succeeded in that, winning the Wyland ICON award that was also

New Zealand France Italy Greece Egypt

given to Cousteau and Earle.

“Jill was always very determined, adventurous and independent,” said Heinerth’s sister, Jan Jang, in an e-mail interview. “Everything she tried, she excelled at...from every badge as a girl-guide, to awards, plaques and honors in school for music, arts, academics, sports and leadership...everything!

And she skipped a grade, so she was ahead of everyone — and a year younger.”

The relationship with water was also a family trait, with Heinerth’s parents involved in connecting the family to nature.

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“As for water experiences, my parents frequently took us cottaging and canoeing, helping us to be very comfortable in the water,” Jang said. “Our parents are 79 and 76 now, and they still enjoy getting in the canoe for a peaceful paddle.”

It was a train wreck, spilling toxins in her Canadian hometown, that made Heinerth environmentally aware as a child, said her

134 | Summer 2012

husband, Robert McClellan.

O

n their final dive into the iceberg, the currents started to shift. It was the end of the Antarctic summer and melting and re-freezing was putting stress on the iceberg. The divers realized they needed to get out, but strong currents pushed them away from the exit. Like people walking in a

hurricane, they tried swimming against the force.

“You know how sometimes you drop an ice cube into a drink and it just cracks?” Heinerth said. “That’s basically what happened to the whole iceberg.”

In the tunnel that led to the exit, the ice walls were pocked with burrows where little fish lived.

With their thickly gloved hands,

the divers stuck their fingers into the holes to pull themselves up and against the current. Like rock-climbing, but for the purpose of saving their lives, they continued like this for two hours. Heinerth remembers losing feeling in her hands.

Finally, the divers made it out and back to the ship. Moments later the iceberg crumbled.

Their cave was gone...

THE FUTURE OF WATER

PHOTO BY JILL HEINERTH

Fresh water resources are becoming scarce, Heinerth said, but there is still time to protect the current resources and prevent a future catastrophe.

The Everglades is an example of how expensive it is to care for water after the problem has been going on for a long time, said Beth Murphy, who works for Current

LEFT: Divers illuminate the depths of a cave in Bermuda.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

ABOVE: A young girl plays with a wild manatee at Crystal River.

TOP: Jill Heinerth takes one last look before descending on the deepest dive ever conducted in Bermuda. (photo by Paul Heinerth)

Summer 2012 | 135

Problems, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserve and protect the water resources of North Florida. She said if the water managers of South Florida had not given in to developers, “we would not now have a multi-million dollar restoration project.”

“It is far less expensive to manage a resource in a preventive manner,” Murphy said. “We’re quite lucky to have Jill as a spokesperson.

It is truly her passion.”

The cost of restoration in the Everglades was originally budgeted at $8 billion, but rose steadily, Murphy said. Now people are using too much water in conjunction with a naturally reoccurring drought, she said.

“We’re seeing what happens when we over-tax the resources,” Murphy said.

To spread the message of water issues, Heinerth and her husband plan to bike across Canada in May 2013 to present their film, “We are Water.” The trip will cover more

than 5,000 miles and will take four months.

“I’ll come down to Gainesville and project it on the side of buildings if I have to,” McClellan said.

McClellan describes the film as semi-biographical about Heinerth to give “an arc of character” along with being educational and entertaining. There will be bonus features online.

With all the information available on water issues, people can become discouraged with the “mountain of facts,” said Annette Long.

“She’s going to try to boil it down,” she said. “Sitting down and reading manuals is not what anyone wants.”

The difference between this film and other water advocacy documentaries is that “We are Water” is very solutions oriented, McClellan said.

“She’s not ‘gloom and doom’; it’s ‘look what’s possible,’” Long said.

Instead of viewing the water situation as hopeless, Heinerth presents a challenge for all to recognize what

is going on and to help prevent the problem from getting worse. This view is not only demonstrated in film and activism, but has helped her in disaster situations.

When the iceberg cave collapsed, Heinerth thought that the divers had failed their mission. She wanted to shoot more film inside, but could not capture any more once the cave was gone. Later she realized that it was the loss of the iceberg that made their story.

“As we rode back to New Zealand, I had the opportunity to think that what I perceived as failure was not at all failure,” Heinerth said. “It was just part of the landmarks in life of learning opportunities.”

She said sometimes the new direction taken from what might be considered failure ends up being better than what was originally envisioned.

“Challenges lead us to new levels of awareness,” she said. “It all works out.” s

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>> ANCIENT ARTS

Alternative Medicine Healing Mind, Body and Spirit

BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON t would be cliché to say that Akemi Korahais’ life changed the year she turned 21. For many Americans, the year of their 21st birthday is one of change, excitement and new beginnings.

Closing the door to their youth, they truly enter adulthood.

But for Akemi, it is not cocktails, dorm parties and newfound freedom that stick out in her mind when she looks back on her 21st year. Instead, she remembers being diagnosed with ovarian dysgerminoma, a rare form of cancer.

Entering survival mode, Akemi knew she had to have surgery.

However, she began taking herbs to boost her immune system, such as

I

138 | Summer 2012

graviola, an Amazonian herb.

Her doctor suggested chemotherapy to prevent the cancer from affecting her other ovary.

Akemi said she thought destroying her immune system even further with chemotherapy seemed ridiculous, especially since the cancer formed because of a weakened immune system.

“It became clear to me that mainstream medicine had no idea what to do,” she said. “They were trying to work against my body rather than with it, fighting a war on cancer rather than creating a healthy body where cancer had no hope of taking over.”

Akemi focused her energy on Flowing Zen, acupuncture and herbal remedies. Under close

supervision from her doctor, she pursued alternative options. Seven years later, she is healthier than she has ever been.

Alternative and complementary medicine consists of many different forms, derived from countries around the world.

Acupuncture, herbal medicine and WATSU are just a few of the options available for those wishing to pursue a path different from mainstream medicine.

Chinese Medicine “To live is to have Qi in every part of your body, to die is to be a body without Qi. For in order to be healthy, the proper balance of Qi must be obtained; neither too much, nor too little” - Classic text,

PHOTO BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

LEFT: Pam Hosch bends an acupuncture needle. The needles come in various sizes ranging from a quarter inch to five inches in length. The needles used are so thin that approximately 15 to 20 acupuncture needles could fit inside a hypodermic needle, Fenn said.

ABOVE: Students of Flowing Zen go through the motions under the guidance of their Sifu, Anthony Korahais.

TOP: The specialty of Flowing Zen is to restore harmonious energy flow.

Nan-Ching, 5th Century B.C. Often seen as complementary or alternative, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) dates back to its first recorded history more than 2,000 years ago. With roots in Taoism, many historians believe that TCM could actually have origins as far back as 5,000 years ago.

When acupuncture first appeared, stone needles were used in place

of the sterilized, single-use metal needles used today.

Although it is common for Western medicine to take a narrow view of TCM, the science actually encompasses far more than acupuncture; Chinese medicine implements modalities such as herbal therapy, moxibustion, gua sha, Qigong and oriental nutrition.

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Oriental Medicine, Clare Fenn, clinic supervisor, said patients start their journey at the clinic in the intake room. Dragon Rises teaches Contemporary Chinese medicine, which combines Traditional Chinese Medicine, five-element acupuncture, classical acupuncture and biomedicine. Practitioners ask the patients a series of in-depth questions, which range as far back

Summer 2012 | 139

PHOTO BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

RIGHT: Student practitioner Ahmad El Ptah works on Angela Costello, who is suffering from a rash on her right leg. In addition to acupuncture work, he burned moxa — or mugwort — above the rash. Mugwort has both antibacterial and antifungal properties, which can aid in the healing process.

LEFT: Angela suffered from tension in her back on the right side. Here El Ptah performs gua sha, which involves repeated pressured strokes across the skin with a round-edged instrument. Clinic supervisor Clare Fenn said gua sha relieved one of her patent’s chronic back pain that had persisted for 20 years.

as the patient’s pre-birth history.

Disharmony in the body will show up in the pulse, Fenn said.

Using the pulse as a diagnostic tool, Fenn can find information on all of the body’s organs and systems. If someone’s spleen is deficient, she said, the pulse will feel weak in the spleen position. Practitioners of oriental medicine can also diagnose a patient by looking at the tongue.

Like the pulse, all of the body’s systems are reflected in the tongue.

In Chinese medicine, the body contains 12 primary channels, or meridians. Like rivers, these channels carry nourishing Qi (or chi) throughout the body. With over 360 different major and minor acupoints within the meridians, acupuncturists can balance the levels of Qi flowing in the body.

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“Qi is the vital energy in all living things, from the tallest tree to the smallest cell,” states Acupuncture Media Works, LLC. in its brochure.

“Qi provides the power to accomplish everyday activities. It is necessary for growth, development, movement, maintenance of body temperature, protection against illness and disease, and overall regulation of the body.”

The Chinese believed pain reflected a blockage in Qi. Sometimes the amount of Qi flowing to a certain organ has to be increased or redirected, Fenn said.

In TCM, the blood and Qi are intertwined. Blood carries Qi throughout the body, but Qi is the force that moves the blood through the body and guides it to where it needs to go, states

the Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation.

The longest channel within the body is the bladder channel, Fenn said. It consists of 67 points and can help with a variety of medical needs, such as turning a breached baby and stimulating labor.

According to the Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation, TCM focuses on healing the underlying cause of the illness, not its symptoms. In that way, Chinese medicine can be seen as holistic medicine, which aims to heal the mind, body and spirit.

“In Chinese medicine, we’re looking at the entire body, the whole person, and trying to put them back in balance,” said Marcy Wilson, acupuncturist at Back in Balance in High Springs.

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PHOTO BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

Clinic Supervisors Clare Fenn and Shahla Holland stand inside the herb room at Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine. Behind them, a collection of herbs are available for the practitioners to doll out formulas for patients in need. Commonly used herbs at Dragon Rises include ginseng, ginger, licorice and Goji Berries.

In addition to the theory of Qi, Chinese medicine revolves around the idea of yin and yang.

Wilson said she works to balance the two opposing forces within the body. After these energies are balanced, they must become harmonized. The organs must work together, as equals, and no one organ can dominate.

Chinese medicine also involves herbal medicine. Herbs can be used to treat anything that a western, mainstream doctor would treat, Fenn said. Pain, mental disorders and depression have all been treated by herbal remedies and TCM. Each herb has its own qualities.

Depending on the symptom, patients are prescribed different formulas, comprised of various herbs.

Wilson said she has formulas that can help with kidney stones, urinary tract infections and relaxation. All of her formulas are natural, containing no chemical elements.

Dragon Rises has approximately 350 herbs, ranging from dried animals to plant matter. In the herb room, clear jars line the walls from floor to ceiling. Jars containing snakeskin, minerals and various types of roots, plants and flowers are available for the acupuncturist to call upon their healing properties.

After a formula is prescribed,

patients will boil the herbs into a tea and drink it.

“When you’re treating someone, you can only go so far with needles,” Fenn said. “The herbs add another level, or dimension, to the medicine.”

Moxibustion, or burning the herb artemesia close to the skin, provides relief from pain. The herb and the warmth sink into the body. Moxa is sometimes placed around a needle to provide even deeper relief. The healing properties warm the needle and flow into the acupoint.

On 39th Avenue, Anthony Korahais practices a different form of Chinese medicine at his Flowing Zen studio. He offers Tai Chi, Qigong and Kung Fu. Tai Chi is a martial arts, he said.

Tai Chi incorporates Qigong, but Qigong does not necessarily include Tai Chi. A lot of people come to Flowing Zen thinking they want to learn Tai Chi, but they really want to learn Qigong, Korahais said.

“If you have any pain or any illness, the question to ask yourself is, ‘why isn’t it healing?’” Korahais said. “What’s stopping the body from healing itself? In the Chinese tradition, the answer is simple.

The answer is that the energy is not flowing.”

There is probably a blockage in energy flow, Korahais said. Similar to acupuncture, Tai Chi and Qigong help to stimulate flow of blood and Qi through the body. They

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share a lot of the same theories as acupuncture. In modern ways, a blockage in flow can be explained in many different ways, such as the cells are not getting the right information, toxic waste is not being flushed or the organs are not operating correctly, Korahais said.

The main reason people find their way to Flowing Zen is because they want relief from pain; it is the people who have tried everything else, but nothing has worked, he said.

Often Tai Chi and Qigong are labeled as “alternative,” but Korahais does not think this is the case. There are a lot of things these arts do better than western medicine, he said. They can complement each other, such as in cases where the disease is critical.

“The problem with modern humans is that we spend a lot of time in the sympathetic [nervous system] — the fight or flight mode,” Korahais said. “There’re no tigers chasing us anymore, but it’s as if a tiger is chasing us because of the stress at work, the bills or a fight you have with your spouse. That gets interpreted by your body as a tiger chasing you. It’s a low-grade of stress that’s constantly there.”

In Tai Chi and Qigong, patients and students seeking relaxation must enter a state called “zen mind,” which is much more than just being relaxed. By entering the zen state, the body moves out of the fight or flight mode.

Qigong can help invigorate

different parts of the body, promote calmness, strengthen internal organs, increase stamina and energy, and improve circulation, Fenn said.

Japanese Medicine Combining Zen Shiatsu and water, WATSU (R) originated at the School of Shiatsu and Massage in Harbin Hot Springs, Cali. Harold Dull developed WATSU in 1980 by applying the principles he learned through Shiatsu on people floating in warm water.

In the Orient, stretching is an ancient technique — even older than acupuncture — that opens the channels through which chi (or Qi) energy flows, said Keo Fox, a WATSU practitioner. Shiatsu is a Japanese form of acupressure, during which therapists apply firm pressure to various acupoints along the body. Similar to TCM, shiatsu works to relieve blockages and help balance Qi. “Warm water, which many associate with the body’s deepest states of waking relaxation, is the ideal medium,” states Fox’s WATSU flyer.

“The support of water takes weight off the vertebrae and allows the spine to be moved in ways impossible on land. Gentle, gradual twists and pulls relieve the pressure a rigid spine places on nerves and helps undo any dysfunctioning this pressure can cause to the organs serviced by those nerves.”

People seek out WATSU for stress or pain reduction. Fox said she

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Originating in India thousands of years ago, ayurvedic medicine has become popular in America over the years. Derived from ayus meaning “life” and veda meaning “knowledge,” the medicine is sometimes called the Science of Life.

The medical texts for ayurvedica contain a vast amount of information on the eight branches of medicine, ranging from surgery to psychology, said Richard Masla, director of the Ayurvedica Health Retreat in Alachua. Because of their thoroughness, these texts are still used today.

Practitioners of ayurveda believe that imbalances in the body caused by poor diet, lack of exercise and negative thoughts are the root cause of disease. Usually, the practitioners use an eight-fold

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has seen people stop taking pain medication because the WATSU provides the needed relief. She has also had patients say they sleep better and move better on land as a result of the aquatic bodywork.

WATSU is suggested for all types of people, but can be especially beneficial to pregnant women, seniors, cancer patients and injured individuals.

The water provides a gravityfree space that Fox compared to a womb. She has had patients after their first session tell her they felt as if they have had WATSU before.

They were experiencing prebirth memories, she said.

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examination process to uncover any concerns or problems. Among other steps, the process involves checking the pulse, the tongue, the skin and the client’s general appearance.

Ayruvedic healing includes medicinal treatment (herbs), cleansing and purifying techniques, dietary therapy, lifestyle modification, exercise (yoga) and meditation.

Prevention of the disease is the most important part, Masla said, quoting the old cliché: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Masla believes diet plays a large part in the formation of modern human diseases. Eleven years ago, he founded the Ayurveda Health Retreat. Now, the retreat provides a healing package that includes therapeutic treatments for detoxification and organic meals. Every Saturday, Masla offers a cooking class for those staying at AHR. Ayurvedic natural remedies are mainly comprised of plant matter, such as leaves, flowers and fruits.

However, it can also include ground

PHOTO COURTESY OF KEO FOX

Practitioner Hanni Sem (left) conducts a WATSU session on her sister.

minerals and animal products, such as beeswax, animal fats and honey.

“We try to help people learn how to take care of themselves through the ancient arts of ayurveda,” Masla said. “And our results are phenomenal.”

Chinese Medicine, WATSU and Ayurvedic treatments can compliment mainstream medicine, but should not be relied upon for serious conditions. It is always prudent to consult your healthcare provider. s

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COLUMN >> BY KENDRA SILER-MARSIGLIO

Healthy Edge Why Art Boosts Kids’ Brains ant to help your children build self-esteem, creativity, and a sense of mastery? Introduce them to doing open-ended art activities. It’s fun. It’s inexpensive. It’s structured spontaneity.

As parents, we know on some level that introducing our kids to art is “good for them.” Yet, have you ever thought about why it’s good for them? Or, how important art is to their healthy development?

Ever thought about how we communicate? What comes to mind first? Talking? Texting? Although words seem to be our method of choice, we learn and share knowledge using all of our senses. Our understanding of the world is based on visual, auditory, spatial, olfactory and tactile communications.

Art allows children to explore all of those different modes of communication and presents them with new skill sets to express their personal experiences and attitudes. If you’re encouraging your children to create art in an open accepting environment, you are perhaps giving them one of the most important gifts you can: an outlet for them to confidently express themselves and celebrate their individuality.

According to Eric Jensen, researcher and author of “Arts with the Brain in Mind,” it has documented that kids who receive regular visual arts instruction have more highly-developed independent thinking skills, higher levels of confidence and stronger academic skills, including increased retention.

Michael Posner, Ph.D., University of Oregon professor emeritus and Cornell University adjunct professor of psychology, suggests that exposure to the “right” art form can so deeply involve kids in learning that they lose track of time or even “lose themselves” while practicing it. Dr. Posner asserts that few other school subjects can produce such strong and sustained attention, leading to improved cognition. Although other subjects may also be engaging, the arts are unique in that many children have such a strong interest in them.

W

148 | Summer 2012

Perhaps a more seemingly obscure reason for children to do art, but nonetheless highly valuable, is what psychologists call schemata. Schemata are the symbolic image of a scene, object, face or melody that is created in our minds. Harvard University’s Jerome Kagan, Ph.D. suggests that we all create schemata to some extent; yet, many artists, inventors, and innovators heavily rely on schemata as tools in their mental work processes. For instance, the 19th-century German chemist Friedrich Kekule solved the molecular structure of benzene in a dream in which he saw the six carbon atoms connected in a ring. Einstein discovered the basis of relativity when he daydreamed about riding a light wave.

Ready to start? Here are some kids’ art ideas submitted by David and Shae Willis of Ocala that are fun, inexpensive, and give your children a healthy edge: David likes photography. He and his wife Shae direct their kids with an assignment, such as photographing birds, flowers or toys. Sometimes they have the children try to capture the personalities of family members or take macro-pictures (very close-up shots) of common items to create a game for others to figure out the objects.

Shae suggests something with a more tactile appeal.

She has the kids walk through paint and then across a drop cloth.

“It’s great modern art that they love!” Shae says.

David and Shae also have their children make art from recycled treasures. They gather old items that they’re ready to toss and let the kids make sculptures.

Or, you can let your children try their hands at mixed media. For instance, older kids can add items such as the insides of watches or computers to spiff up paintings you might pick up at garage sales.

So, get creative with your kids. Who knows, maybe your child is the next Einstein! s Kendra Siler-Marsiglio, Ph.D. is the Director of the Rural Health Partnership at WellFlorida Council.

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>> PRESERVATION

Preserving the Springs The Silver Springs Alliance

BY BONNIE KRETCHIK erhaps you have been to concerts at Silver Springs, or ridden in the famous glass bottom boats. Maybe you took family trips as a child to visit the attractions and now take your children or grandchildren. And every year you just have to walk through the “One Million Lights” Christmas exhibit.

Now imagine for a minute that this landmark is gone.

It is hard to imagine that one of the largest of Florida’s 33 first magnitude springs is in a real crisis.

But every day, slowly but surely, this is becoming a reality, which is why a diverse group of citizens decided they could not stand by and simply

P

152 | Summer 2012

allow this tragedy to occur. On the evening of April 3, the newly formed Silver Springs Alliance held a public information event and forum at the College of Central Florida’s Ewers Century Center.

the atmosphere inside was charged.

Silver Springs Alliance President Andy Kesselring introduced the elected board members and talked about the Alliance’s history and future goals. He told the packed

“In 2011 the water flow was 50 percent of what it used to be, and on April 1 of this year it was down to 36 percent.”

The goals were to introduce the Alliance to the public, inform them of the current state of the Springs and how it relates to the proposed Adena Springs Cattle Ranch, and to open for general membership. And while the climate outside of the Ewers Century Center was calm,

house of approximately 200 concerned citizens — including several of Ocala’s elected officials — that the Silver Springs Alliance evolved from the Silver Springs Basin Working Group established in 1999. The Working Group had been collecting data from Silver Springs

PHOTOS BY ALBERT ISAAC

Silver Springs is one of Florida’s largest ďŹ rst-magnitude springs and has attracted visitors from around the world since the mid-19th century. Silver Springs is made up of a group of springs that occur in the headwaters, coves, and edges of the Silver River.

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Summer 2012 | 153

PHOTOS BY ABLERT ISAAC

Silver Springs is perhaps most famous for its glass-bottom boat rides, but visitors can also see alligators, turtles, catfish mullet, and birds such as cormorants, great blue herons, great egrets, ibis and limpkin.

for years until lack of funding forced it to disband.

“The Rainbow River has had a group like this for over 30 years; we decided we needed one here,” Kesselring said.

He said the group intends to work as an advocate for Silver Springs by conserving, protecting and enhancing the wildlife that rely upon the Springs as well as the water systems that collectively

154 | Summer 2012

make up the Floridan aquifer system. The group also wants to host educational events and incorporate newsletters and other media to keep the public informed on the state of Silver Springs.

“We’re not taking a position, we are simply asking questions and getting answers so down the road we don’t run into a whole host of problems,” Kesselring said to the audience, most of which was

composed of people wanting to tackle the question of the Adena Springs Ranch project.

The panel included Bob Knight, Ph.D., director of the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute, who spoke about scientific research performed on the Springs and the economic impact of the landmark.

“Silver Springs has the longest history of scientific investigation with artifacts dating back 12,000 years,” he said. He also described the Springs’ impact on the economy as one of the oldest tourist

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PHOTOS BY ALBERT ISAAC

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“Long after Disney World is gone, the Springs will still be here,” Knight said, and was answered by cries of “we hope” from the audience.

Other panel members included Barbara Fitos, the executive director of the Community Foundation for Ocala Marion County. She quoted several excerpts from Cynthia Barnett’s “Blue Revolution, Unmaking America’s Water Crisis,” calling for a “water ethic” to live

156 | Summer 2012

by in order to preserve Florida’s springs. Representatives from the St. Johns River Management District and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection were also on the panel to answer questions regarding the hot topic on everyone’s mind: the Adena Springs Ranch, which did not send a representative.

After the presentations the floor was opened for a Q&A session. In December of 2011, Adena Springs

Ranch requested a permit to use 30,000 acres of land near Fort McCoy for a grass fed cattle ranch.

Adena would require 13.27 million gallons of water a day to irrigate pastureland for 30,000 head of cattle and to run slaughterhouse operations. This is more water per day than is used by the entire city of Ocala. Knight feels that pulling this amount of water out of the aquifer would put undue strain on a water system that has seen a

decline in flow since 1980.

“In 2011 the water flow was 50 percent of what it used to be, and on April 1 of this year it was down to 36 percent,” Knight said. He also discussed the implications of the already rising nitrate levels found in the Springs’ water and the effect the cow manure would contribute.

Guy Marwick, executive director of the Felburn Foundation, was present to answer questions about the state of the Springs, as well.

“I’ve seen a decline in the condition of the Springs over time and I haven’t seen anyone make an effort to protect us and I don’t think we will be protected,” Marwick said, and was met with murmurs of disbelief from the crowd. “I believe this will be the end of Silver Springs as we know it.”

Those in attendance were eager to know why one of the largest Springs in the state be in such danger. Panel member, Neil Chonin, Esq., an environmental lawyer from Southern Justice Association, believes the

problem lies in the lack of legislation to protect Florida’s water.

“Too many permits have been issued and we are facing the consequences,” he said. He asked those in attendance to contribute to the cause with donations to fight Adena Springs Ranch’s permit request.

In perhaps the most dramatic speech of the evening, wetland scientist and Certified Senior Ecologist Robin Lewis III, Ph.D. presented his opinion, based on his research, to the audience.

“Silver Springs is dying a slow, slimy, green death,” he said. “It’s dying on your watch and my watch.”

Following his graphic and scientifically based synopsis of the state of the Springs, he presented Chonin with a personal check for $5,000 to help fight the Adena Springs Ranch permit in court.

And while audience and panel members alike were in no hurry to leave, the Ewers Century Center was only available until 8 p.m.

“This is more than we could

have hoped for,” said Barbara Schwartz, Silver Springs Alliance secretary. “We are living in a gold mine here, with all of the kayaking, camping and hiking available to us.

We need to preserve it.”

This first meeting was just the start. The Silver Spring Alliance intends to keep people informed and restore the Springs to the best of its ability.

As for the Adena Springs Ranch permit, Chonin and the other members of the Silver Springs Alliance do not intend to sit idly by. Currently, the permit is under review by the St. Johns River Management District, which will decide if 13.27 million gallons of water a day is a safe amount to pull from the aquifer. Should the water district allow Adena to go forth, Chonin intends to take the matter to court and hire his own experts to evaluate the safety of this massive undertaking. One thing for sure is that the issue will not be settled quietly overnight. s

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LIBRARY SCHEDULE Alachua Branch Library .....................14913 NW 140th St. .............................. 386-462-2592 High Springs Branch Library ...........135 NW 1st Ave........................................ 386-454-2512 Newberry Branch Library .................110 South Seaboard Dr. ..........................352-472-1135 ALL BRANCHES ARE CLOSED JULY 4th and SEPTEMBER 3rd For further information on scheduled events visit www.acld.lib.fl.us

ALACHUA PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN Preschool Storytime Thursdays - 11am Join together for stories, songs and dance.

Create Music Via Art Thurs., June 21 - 2pm Create percussion instruments with Merrillee MalwitzJipson. 352-222-8893.

PROGRAMS FOR TEENS Gaming @ Your Library Wednesdays - 2pm Spend the afternoon with friends gaming in the SPOT. Board and video games are available. (Held on Thursdays during September.)

Yu-Gi-Oh Card Game Mondays, 4pm Friends meet to challenge each other over Yu-Gi-Oh Battle of the Books Thursdays, 4pm Read-a-thon Tournament and team building. June and July only.

Super Smash Brothers Tournament Tues., July 17 - 1pm Join the fun and compete against players at other Alachua Branch Libraries.

160 | Summer 2012

PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS

PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES

Zumba Classes Mondays - 6pm Mix of body-sculpting movements with dance steps derived from Latin music.

Tampa Taiko Drummers Thurs., June 14 - 2pm Drummers will talk about the history of Taiko, the music of Japan, Taiko drum building and design, and present a modern drumming performance.

Pilates Classes Wednesdays - 6pm Pilates focuses on building strength without bulk. Improve flexibility and agility, and prevent injuries.

Alachua Needlers Wednesdays - 2pm Interested in meeting and socializing with others who also share a love of needlecrafts?

If so, bring knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch or any other craft that involves a needle!

June only.

Poets and Writers Among Us Last Wednesdays of the Month - 4pm Poets and writers meet to inspire and be inspired.

Computer Class Wed., June 20 - 11am Learn basic computer skills, from using a mouse and keyboard to e-mail and word processing. Class seating is limited.

Snakes, Lizards and Toads Thurs., July 5 - 2pm Is it true that toads cause warts and snakes are slimy?

Morningside Nature center will answer these questions and more by introducing live and preserved amphibians and reptiles of Florida.

Comical Jongleur Jugglers Thurs., July 12 - 2pm This dynamic duo makes audiences laugh with their humorous antics and amaze all with their masterful juggling.

Dream Big: The Backyard Pond Thurs., July 19 - 2pm Florida pond critters may be small, but they have inspired people to dream big. Writers and artists, scientists and engineers have found inspiration for a lifetime of work in a little backyard pond.

Bugs, Bugs, Everywhere Thurs., July 26 - 2pm Introduction to insects and their relatives: arthropods, their anatomy, life cycles and the place of insects in the food chain, including nocturnal insects.

352-273-3952.

Firemen to the Rescue Thurs., Aug. 2 - 2pm Firemen demonstrate their protective gear and fire truck. 352384-3128.

Native American Culture and Dance Thurs., Aug. 9 - 2pm Tribe members teach the importance of dance and drumming in Native American communities.

Summer Program Finale with Gentle Carousel Horses Thurs., Aug. 16 - 2pm Come celebrate the end of the Summer Reading Program with prizes and special guests: the Miniature Therapy Horses.

HIGH SPRINGS PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN Magic Mike Tues., June 19 - 1:30pm Children of all ages will be astonished by the fantastical tricks of this magician extraordinaire.

B-Magic Tues., July 3 - 2:30pm Marvel at unbelievable tricks as B-Magic combines his masterful sleight of hand with words of wisdom for children.

Rusty the Clown Tues., Aug. 14 - 2:30pm Get ready for music, magic and more as Rusty the Clown takes his show on the road.

PROGRAMS FOR TEENS Afternoon at the Movies Thursdays - 3:30pm Watch favorites and new releases on the big screen. June only.

Crafternoon!

3rd Tuesdays - 3:30pm Join for fun craft projects in June & July.

Teen Reads Wed., June 27 - 4pm Discuss popular teen titles. Bring a favorite to share.

PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS Mystery Reading Group 3rd Thurs. - 6:30pm Bring any mysteries read that month to discuss. Newcomers welcome.

SHINE Thurs., Sept. 13 - 4pm SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) provides free educational materials and unbiased insurance counseling.

PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES Crafter’s Circle Wednesdays - 1pm Embroidery, quilting, kniting or any other “non-messy” craft.

Share knowledge or learn from someone else. Until August 22.

The Rug Bunch 1st and 3rd Wed. of each month - 3pm Crochet a rag rug with a group of fellow enthusiasts.

Beginners welcome.

Anna Moo Tues., June 26 - 2:30pm Enjoy music, dance and sing along with the award-winning moosic of Anna Moo. The Mystery, History and Magic of Chocolate Tues., July 10 - 2:30pm Learn all about chocolate, how it’s made, that delicious taste and how chocolate got its start.

Miracle of Science Tues., July 17 - 2:30pm Science never seemed so fun: shatter a soft flower with dry ice, create a cloud with liquid nitrogen, make ‘flubber’ and more.

Butterfly Bonanza Tuesday, September 11 - 2:30pm Learn about the beautiful world of butterflies from the the Greathouse Butterfly Farm.

NEWBERRY PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN Preschool Storytime Wednesdays - 11am Stories, songs and activities for the preschool set.

Bubblegum Bubble Blowing Contest Wed., July 18 - 2pm Who can blow the biggest bubble and win the prize?

Anna Moo Wed., June 27 - 2pm Enjoy music, dance and sing along with the award-winning moosic of Anna Moo.

PROGRAMS FOR TEENS Teen Book Club 3rd Thursdays - 4pm Discuss the latest and most popular books in this book club just for teens!

Newberry Teen Advisory Group 2nd Thursdays - 4pm Plan teen events at the local library. Earn volunteer hours and add to college applications.

Teen Tuesday Movies Alternating Tues. - 2pm Watch the latest movies and socialize with friends in this event just for teenagers. June 19 – July 31.

Teen Tuesday Crafts Alternating Tues. - 2pm Create masterpieces with these fun crafts just for teens! June 26 – July 24.

Summer Reading Celebration Thurs., July 26 - 2pm Let’s celebrate a summer of reading with cupcakes, games and prizes!

PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS Tempting Reads Book Club 4th Wednesdays, 6pm Book club discussions feature popular and recently published books, including books recommended by participants.

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Computers for Beginners Mon., June 18 - 11am Learn how to use a computer in a relaxed setting. Sign up in advance. 352-472-1135.

How to: Library Website and Database Thurs., June 28 4:30pm Come learn about downloadable media, the library databases and how to reserve a book online.

Attendees must be able to use a mouse or touchpad and have basic computer skills!

Sign up in advance.

352-472-1135

PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES Dreamy Crafts Every Thursday - 2pm Wake up creativity!

Crafting dreams will come true. Ends July 19.

Cool Monday Movies Mondays - 4pm Come on Mondays for a “Cool Movie.” Guess which new release DVD will be showing?

Ends July 23.

Jongleur Jugglers Wed., July 11 - 2pm This dynamic duo makes audiences laugh with their humorous antics and amaze all with their masterful juggling.

Hands-on Handheld Help Sunday, July 15 - 2pm Need help with a new eBook reader?

Stop by for questions and answers with some of the library’s most savvy digital media users. Feel free to bring a laptop and a media device for tech support.

Summer 2012 | 161

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WORSHIP CENTERS If we have left out a church or have incomplete / incorrect information, please let us know! Send your corrections by faxing 352-373-9178 or emailing editor@towerpublications.com. We welcome your contributions and suggestions.

HIGH SPRINGS ALLEN CHAPEL A.M.E. CHURCH 386-454-3574 10 S.E. MLK Drive Rev. Ocelia Wallace, Pastor ANDERSON MEMORIAL CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST 386-454-3433 935 SE Lincoln Ave. BETHLEHEM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 386-454-1996 County Road 778 Pastor Clarence Desue CHRIST ANGLICAN FELLOWSHIP 386-454-1845 323 SW CR 778 Pastor Michael LaCagnina CHRISTIAN FAMILY WORSHIP CENTER 386-454-2367 220 NE 1ST Ave. Dr. Lloyd S. Williams CHURCH OF CHRIST 386-454-2930 520 NE Santa Fe Blvd.

CHURCH OF GOD

BY FAITH 386-454-1015 US Hwy 27 THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS 386-454-4282 24455 NW 174th Ave. Pres. Keith Brown HIGH SPRINGS CHURCH OF GOD 386-454-1757 210 NW 182 Ave. Pastor Terry W. Hull

164 | Summer 2012

FELLOWSHIP CHURCH 386-454-1700 16916 NW U.S. Hwy. 441 Pastor Jeff Powell FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 386-454-1505 20112 North US Hwy. 441 Pastor J. Eddie Grandy FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 386-454-1037 205 North Main Street Pastor Glen A. Busby FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH of HIGH SPRINGS 386-454-1255 17405 NW US Hwy 441 Pastor Benton Mangueira GRACE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 210 Santa Fe Blvd.

Pastor Preston Ponce HOLY TEMPLE CHURCH WITH GOD 386-454-0313 615 SE ML King Drive IMPACT FAMILY CHURCH 386-454-1563 16710 NW US 441 Pastors Edwin & Angela Anderson JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES 386-454-3509 330 SE 7th Ave. MIRACLE TEMPLE CHURCH 386-454-4298 605 SE 1st Place THE MISSION CHURCH OF HIGH SPRINGS Meeting at the Seventh Day Adventist Building 230 NW 1st Ave. 352-870-0247 Pastor Keith Helsel

MT CARMEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 386-454-4568 1230 NW 1st Ave. Pastor Byran Williams

THE SUMMIT 352-575-0786 610 NE Santa Fe Blvd Pastor Rick Lawrence thesummitchurch.info

MT. PLEASANT BAPTIST CHURCH 14105 NW 298th Street 386-454-2161 Pastor Danny Crosby

ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 386-454-9812 1st Ave. (next to city hall) Rev. David Kidd

MOUNT OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH 386-454-3447 948 SE Railroad Ave.

SPRING HILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Located at High Springs exit 79 off I-75 North of Gainesville (on Old Bellamy Rd.) Pastor James Richardson

THE NORTH EAST CHURCH OF CHRIST 4330 NE County Road 340 nechurchofchrist.net SAINT MADELEINE CATHOLIC CHURCH 386-454-2358 17155 NW Highway 441 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 352-497-2221 230 NW 1st Ave. Pastor Anthony Crawford SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH 386-454-4978 Shiloh Church Rd. Pastor Earl Tuten

ALACHUA ALACHUA CHURCH OF CHRIST 386-462-3326 14505 NW 145th Avenue Minister Doug Frazier ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH 386-497-3121 Jordan Road (Ft. White) BAHA’I FAITH 352-870-3097 Turkey Creek

SHILOH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 386-454-3126 1505 NW Main St.

CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH 13920 NW Hwy 4141 386-462-2966 Pastor Marty D. Basinger calvarybaptistgainesville.org

SPRING RIDGE FIRST CHURCH OF GOD 386-454-3600 5529 NE 52nd Place Pastor Todd L Wymer

CHRIST CENTRAL ALACHUA 386-418-8185 14906 Main St. www.ccalachua.com

SPRINGRIDGE FIRST CHURCH OF GOD 386-454-4400 420 Spring Ave.

CHURCH OF GOD BY FAITH 386-462-2549 13220 NW 150th Ave.

CRUSADERS FOR CHRIST, INC. 386-462-4811 NW 158th Ave. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF ALACHUA 386-462-1337 14005 NW 146th Avenue Pastor Doug Felton FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF ALACHUA 386-462-2443 14805 NW 140th St. Pastor Lamar Albritton FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ALACHUA 386-462-1549 14623 NW 140th St. Rev. Virginia McDaniel FOREST GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH 386-462-3921 22575 NW 94 Avenue GREATER NEW HOPE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 386-462-4617 15205 NW 278th Ave. HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE 386-462-2017

NORTH PLEASANT GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH 386-462-3317 25330 NW CR 239 Pastor Edwin A. Gardner NEW SAINT MARY BAPTIST CHURCH 386-462-7129 13800 NW 158th Ave. PARADISE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF ALACHUA 386-462-0162 14889 MLK Blvd.

Pastor Rev. James D. Johnson, Sr. SANTA FE BAPTIST CHURCH 386-462-7541 7505 NW CR 236 Pastor Richard Cason, II MT NEBO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 386-418-1038 9975 NW 143rd St. Pastor Ricardo George Jr. NEW SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH 386-462-2095 18610 NW CR 237 NEW ST MARY BAPTIST CHURCH 386-462-7129 13800 NW 158th Ave.

17306 NW 112th Blvd.

LEGACY BAPTIST CHURCH 352-462-2150 13719 NW 146th St. Pastor John Jernigan LIVING COVENANT CHURCH 386-462-7375 Pastor Brian J. Coleman NEW OAK GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH 386-462-3390 County Road 1491 Pastor Terry Elixson, Jr. NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH OF GOD AND CHRIST 386-462-4891 1310 NW 155 Place Pastor R. L. Cooper

OLD SHILOH MISSIONARY BAPTIST 386-462-4894 16810 NW CR 239 RIVER OF LIFE ASSEMBLY OF GOD 352-870-7288 14200 NW 148th Place Pastor Greg Evans ST LUKE AME CHURCH 386-462-2732 US Highway 441 S. ST MATHEWS BAPTIST CHURCH 386-462-2205 15712 NW 140 Street Pastor Isaac Miles TEMPLE OF THE UNIVERSE 386-462-7279 15808 NW 90 Street www.tou.org

WESTSIDE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST 386-418-0649 15535 NW 141st St.

MT ZURA FULL GOSPEL BAPTIST CHURCH 352-472-4056 225 NW 2nd Ave. Pastor Natron Curtis

NEWBERRY ABIDING SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH 352-331-4409 9700 West Newberry Rd. BETHEL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 352-474-6215 23530 NW 3rd Ave. Pastor Theodora Black CHRISTIAN LIFE FELLOWSHIP 352-472-5433 Pastor Terry Fulton CHURCH OF GOD BY FAITH 352-472-2739 610 NW 2nd St. Pastor: Jesse Hampton

NEW ST PAUL BAPTIST CHURCH 352-472-3836 215 NW 8TH Ave. Pastor Edward Welch NEWBERRY CHURCH OF CHRIST 352-472-4961 24045 W. Newberry Rd. Minister Batsell Spivy NEWBERRY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 352-472-4005 24845 W. Newberry Rd. Rev. Robert B. Roseberry, Pastor DESTINY COMMUNITY CHURCH 352-472-3284

THE CHURCH AT STEEPLECHASE 352-472-6232 Meeting at Sun Country Sports Center 333 SW 140th Terrace (Jonesville) Pastor Buddy Hurlston

420 SW 250th Street

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF NEWBERRY 352-472-2351 25520 W. Newberry Rd. Rev. Jack Andrews

UNITED METHODIST

GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH 352-472-9200 22405 W. Newberry Rd. Pastor Ty Keys JONESVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH 352-472-3835 17722 SW 15th Ave. Pastor Corey Cheramie JOURNEY CHURCH 352-281-0701 22405 W. Newberry Rd. Milam Funeral Home Chapel Dr. Michael O’Carroll, Pastor

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Pastor Rocky McKinley OAK DALE BAPTIST CHURCH 352-472-2992 Highway 26 and 241 S. PLEASANT PLAIN CHURCH 352-472-1863 1910 NW 166th St. Pastor Theo Jackson ST JOSEPH’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 352-472-2951 16921 W. Newberry Rd. Pastor Richard Pelkey TURNING POINT OF NEWBERRY, INC 5577 NW 290 Street 352-472-7770 Pastor Henry M. Rodgers UNION BAPTIST CHURCH 352-472-3845 6259 SE 75TH Ave Pastor Travis Moody

Summer 2012 | 165

ADVE RTI S E M E N T

Balance is

Independence CARETENDERS OF GAINESVILLE USES THEIR OPTIMUM BALANCE PROGRAM TO HELP SENIORS LEAD MORE INDEPENDENT LIVES

A

ccording to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falling is the leading cause of injury-related deaths for seniors. But falling does not have to be a fact of life for the elderly population. Caretenders of Gainesville offers a revolutionary course of treatment called Optimum Balance to help patients with the cause of their falls and not just treat the results.

“To be effective in truly preventing balance deficits among senior adults, it is essential that a fall risk program addresses the root cause of why the falls may occur, have occurred or may occur again. The Caretenders’ Optimum Balance program is second to none for assessment and treatment of balance issues and their origins,” said Susan Swirbul, Patient Care Representative at Caretenders.

Optimum Balance incorporates all five systems that contribute to balance – vestibular, somatosensory, vision, musculoskeletal and cognitive. Therapists give patients a thorough evaluation of these five systems, and then the clinical team implements a customized treatment strategy. A wide variety of treatment methods is used in the Optimum Balance program, including anodyne infrared light therapy, the Epley Maneuver (canal 166 | Summer 2012

repositioning treatment often done with vertigo patients) and retraining of oculomotor system.

Patients undergoing Optimum Balance treatment experience a significant decrease in falling. Studies show that 90 percent of program patients had not experienced a fall for one year after treatment, and 87 percent experienced a decrease in neuropathic pain.

Falls are one of the most common reasons that Seniors lose functional independence and are a leading reason for institutionalization.

Because of the serious health ramifications related to loss of balance, fall screening and prevention should be a part of all healthcare practices for older adults. “As a part of our senior advocacy mission, Caretenders addressed balance issues head on. We made the decision to train our therapists to not just react to falls, but to look beyond the obvious and assess each patient across the board for their potential for falls before they happen.”

Caretenders seeks to be a fall prevention leader in the community by educating the general population on the dangers of falls, teaching our healthcare partners how to identify balance deficits in their geriatric patients, and to provide preventative treatments that will address the source of the falls themselves.

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Summer 2012 | 167

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Summer 2012 | 169

COLUMN >> DONNA BONNELL

Embracing Life Handwriting’s History

Love letters straight from your heart Keep us so near while apart I’m not alone in the night When I can have all the love you write he above lyrics from the 1945 song, Love Letters, illustrate the profound power of the written word.

Do lovers in 2012 ever mail romantic handwritten letters laced with a splash of perfume? Are those memories merely a part of history?

Are computers completely responsible for creating an atmosphere of acceptance for impersonal communication? Has society lowered their standards in exchange for instant messaging?

My gut reaction was to blame the electronic age for all of the above. However, after a bit of research, I quickly realized my first assumption was wrong.

Those of us who are Baby Boomers may remember how to write a capital Z in cursive. It is hard to forget when writing was such a serious subject. A substantial

T

amount of our class time was devoted to developing skilled script, reinforced with repetitive homework assignments. However, my grade school’s curriculum may have been in the minority. An article published in Time Magazine states, “Cursive started to lose its clout back in the 1920s, when educators theorized that because children learned to read by looking at books printed in manuscript rather than cursive, they should learn to write the same way.”

Individuals born after 1980 may have never mastered the flair of cursive. Schoolchildren today typically learn how to print in kindergarten, introduced to cursive in third grade, and rarely master either skill.

Are we witnessing the demise of handwriting?

If so, computers may not entirely be the culprit.

Standardized testing may be one cause of the decline.

Handwriting is not included on the tests, so how students hold their pencils is no longer important. Tamara Thornton, the author of “Handwriting in America: A

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Cultural History,” says, “In schools today, they’re teaching to the tests. If something isn’t on a test, it’s viewed as a luxury.”

Good handwriting may be an extravagance, but illegible handwriting impacts our lives and has changed the course of history. Some examples are: • Since 1994, the United States Postal Service has staffed employees, around the clock, to decipher sloppy handwritten addresses.

• Physicians’ scribble can truly turn into deadly handwriting. Some statistics show that pharmacists have difficulty reading 93 percent of the prescriptions they receive. Illegible medical records are a major health hazard. An estimated one in 10 Americans suffers because of their physicians’ poor penmanship.

• A plane crashed in December 1992 because of poor handwriting. The pilot misunderstood the co-pilot’s scribbled notes and instrument readings, causing the crash and resulting deaths.

• A 1965 NASA failure was due to an engineer’s scrawled (and misread) instructions.

• In Rochester, a teenage girl bungled a bank robbery by not writing a legible hold-up note. Two bank tellers took so long to decipher her demand the bank closed.

• In the 1850s, Colonel Whittlesey named an iron-rich range in Wisconsin, Pewabic (Indian word for iron), but his semi-legible scrawl was misread as Penokee.

Penokee became its permanent name.

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Benjamin Franklin was a proponent of proper handwriting. A good hand became a sign of class and intelligence as well as moral righteousness. However, only wealthy males or magnates learned to write. Even when public schooling began, writing was not always included in the curriculum. Many colonists could read, but not write. It was not until the 19th century that handwriting was a subject taught.

Humans are not born with hereditary origins for writing; it is learned. Contrary to Franklin’s beliefs, good handwriting does not necessarily indicate intelligence. However, we have a brain with the ability to think fast. Handwriting our thoughts on paper is an extremely slow process. Electronics allow us to produce our thoughts before we forget them. Perhaps our society has not lowered standards because we want everything faster in our hyped-up age. Instead, we may embrace electronics for the opposite reason — we want more time to think.

Yet, the prospect of the death of handwriting is depressing.

Handwriting has always been a way to express thoughts. Preserving its artistic aspects is worthy.

Perhaps schools should teach handwriting as a fine art.

The history of handwriting continues to evolve. It merits a life beyond nostalgia. s

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ADVERTISER INDEX 4400 NW 36th Avenue • Gainesville, FL 32606 352-372-5468 352-373-9178 fax AUTOMOTIVE Bush Auto Repair ........................................125 City Boys Tire & Brake ............................... 175 Jim Doglas Sales & Service ......................171 L&S Auto Trim ............................................. 105

EDUCATION & CHILD CARE Forest Grove Academy .................... 5, 75 Gainesville Country Day School ............. 47

Life Coach Services .............................. 126

Alachua Learning Center ..............180 (HS)

Maaco Bodyshop.....................................58 Newberry Auto Repair ............................. 106

RPM Automotive ..........................106, 144 Sun City Auto Sales.....................................118 Tuffy Tire & Auto Service .............................2

REAL ESTATE Atrium ...............................................................116 Forrester Realty ............................................ 112 PRO Realty ..................................................... 86 Savannah Station ......... 179 (HS), 180 (NB) Spring Hill Village ........................................133 The Village .......................................................37

FINANCIAL / LAW Allstate Insurance, Hugh Cain ................169 Campus USA Credit Union ....................... 33

MEDICAL / HEALTH

FITNESS and BEAUTY All Creations Salon ...................................... 87 Charisma for Hair ........................................142 Dawn & Co. .....................................................50 Emerge ................................................................6 Hair & Nail Depot.......................................... 97 Jodie’s Beauty & Barber ............................ 86 Jonesville Traditional Barber ..................147 Nails-N-Spa.................................................... 137 Salon 5402...................................................... 76 Sarah Viera Salon ........................................ 173 1st Nails ...........................................................147

PETS and VETS Archer Pet Resort ...................................38 Affordable Vet Clinic................................. 106 Animal Health Center ................................. 96 Bed & Biscuit Inn ......................................... 172 Dancin’ Dogs Boarding .............................136

EARS Animal Sanctuary .......................38

Abstract Precision Training ................ 113 Affordable Dentures ................................... 98 Alachua Dental .............................................155 Alachua Family Medical Center ............... 61 Altschuler Periodontic ...............................50 Caretenders ...................................................166 Community Cancer Center ..................... 150 Douglas Adel, DDS ...................................... 97 Gainesville OB/GYN ..................................... 91 Hunter Family Dentistry ...........................147 McCauley & Associates ...............................27 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery ...................8 Palms Medical Group .................................. 84 Samant Dental Group ................................. 59 Vishnu Reddy, M.D. ...................................... 99

SERVICE Alachua County Big Blue .........................149 Alachua County EPD .................................. 39 AllState Mechanical, Inc............................107

Clint Davis ..................................................98 COX Business................................................162 COX Communications ................................ 63 Creekside Outdoor Improvements .. 26, 61 Gainesville Regional Airport .....................57 Gonzalez Site Prep .....................................162 Growers Fertilizer ........................................163

Heritage Mechanical ................................ 6 Jack’s Small Engine Repair...................... 127 Lotus Studios Photography ...................... 18 Oliver & Dahlman ........................................ 172 Quality Cleaners ............................................75

Southern Land Services........................ 77

RETAIL / RECREATION Alachua Farm & Lumber ........................... 58 Alachua Pawn & Jewelry ...........................151 Beacher’s Lodge............................................ 61 Bennett’s True Value .................... 87, 97, 162 Blue Springs ....................................................57 Coin & Jewelry Gallery ..............................168 Colleen’s Kloset............................................133 Cootie Coo Creations ................................. 58 Dance Alive! ..................................................145 Dirty Bar ......................................................... 157

Elite Pro Ball Academy ..........................51 Family Jewels ...............................................147 Gary’s Tackle Box ....................................... 105 Gold Buyers of Alachua ............................149 High Springs Farmers Market .................. 87 High Springs Pawn & Jewelry.....................7 Jewelry Designs by Donna ....................... 86 Klaus Fine Jewelry ....................................... 25 Lentz House of Time ................................... 39 Lifestyle Cruise & Travel ...........................170 Liquor & Wine Shoppe ......................... (NB) Old Irishman’s Pawn Shop .......................159 Paddywhack................................................... 76 Pawn Pro ........................................................ 174 Radio Shack ..................................................126 Rum Island Retreat ......................................141 Sapps Pawn, Gun and Archery ...............110

Flying Fish Aquatics.................................... 86 Pampered Paws ............................................ 86 Pamper Your Pet ......................................... 137

Silver Springs .......................................... 158

Pet Paradise ............................................ 143

Tyler’s Hope Golf Weekend .................95

Springhill Equine ...........................................57 Susie’s Pet Sitting & Grooming ...............141 West End Animal Hospital ...................... 105

Underground Fitness Revolution ..........169 Valerie’s Loft Consignment ..................... 137 West End Golf Course ................................. 111

176 | Summer 2012

Mystery Shopper ..........................................141 Dollar General ...............................................168 Cash for Cars ............................................... 104 U.S. Casting ................................................... 127

1st Choice Immediate Care ....................... 39

LegalShield ................................................34 State Farm - Tish Oleksy ........................... 45 Stephen K. Miller Law Offices.................. 85 Sunshine State Insurance ..........................141 SunState Federal Credit Union .................................. 82, 123, 178 Three Rivers Insurance ...............................141

MISCELLANEOUS American Academy .....................................119 American Diversified ................................. 137

Stitch In Time Embroidery ...................... 106 Tioga Town Center........................................ 13

Steeplechase Storage................................136

Suburban Cleaners ............................... 147

HOME IMPROVEMENT AHA Water.........................................................4 Al Mincey Site Prep ....................................162 American Fence...........................................103

Baseline Builders .....................................68 Bloominghouse Nursery .......................... 104 Cook’s Portable Buildings .........................171 Copeland Quality Construction .............. 36 Floor Store ............................................. 107, 119 Gulf Coast Supply ...........................................9 H2Oasis Custom Pool & Spa .................... 69 Overhead Door ............................................. 49 Red Barn Home Center .............................146 Santa Fe Stoneworks .................................. 36 Southwest Greens Synthetic.....................73

Tri-County Fence ................................... 163 United Rent-All.............................................159 Whitfield Window & Door......................... 23

RESTAURANT Brown’s Country Buffet ....................... 114 Bubba Que’s ................................................. 150

The Dive Pub & Grub .............................87 Domino’s Pizza ......................................... 15, 17 El Toro..............................................................169 Hungry Howies Pizza ................................ 150 Joe’s Place ......................................................114 Los Aviña .........................................................115 Miami Int’l Bakery & Restaurant ..........115, 126

Northwest Grille .......................................62 The Pickled Pelican ...........................3, 115 Saboré ..............................................................114

page

PHOTO BY ALBERT ISAAC

40

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You Have a Choice for your child’s education.

Alachua Learning Center Elementary and Middle School located just North of the town of Alachua on State Road 235, serves students from all parts of Alachua and neighboring counties.

Charter Schools are part of the Florida Alternative System of Public School Choice and charge no tuition.

While having the benefits of a “small-school” environment the Alachua Learning Center provides a challenging and fulfilling academic, cultural and physical educational program for students from kindergarten through eighth grade.

The Alachua Learning Center has consistently been rated an “A” school by the State of Florida.

Our varied physical education curriculum includes on-campus rock climbing and subscribes to the “President’s Fitness Program”.

The Alachua Learning Center offers inspiring classes on a variety of subjects: Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Math, P.E. Sports, Rock Climbing, Drama, Music, Clay Sculpting, Computer Graphics, individual Student Book Publishing (writing, design, illustrating), Drawing, Painting, Crafts, Community Service Display Projects, and exciting Field Trips.

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