Oths winter2014

TREASURES IIN N TH HE E DEE E P

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HIGH SPRINGS & ALACHUA

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Recipe Wonders Cooking Up Lasting Memories One Generation at a Time

plus

Center Stage

Holiday Season Theatre Productions

Interview: George Salazar Gator Goes Broadway

Love, Health & Happiness Tips and Motivation for Living Better

Cinema Verde Four-day Film Festival

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CONTENTS WINTER 2014 • VOL. 12 ISSUE 04

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>> GLOBAL UNDERWATER EXPLORERS

Undersea Discovery WRITTEN TTEN BY ELLIS E AMBURN URN PHOTOGRAP OT GRA HY Y BY INGEMAR INGEM EMAR M R and d RICHARD A LUNDGRE LUNDGREN

A

High Springs Diver Retrieves Amazing Underwater Treasure

lthough High Springs is almost 10,000 miles from Sicily, it played a

significant role in September 2014 in the retrieval of artifacts that add to the world’s store of Greco-Roman history.

Jarrod Jablonski, one of the divers who raised a 2,000-year-old sacrificial altar from dark Mediterranean waters, is president of Global Underwater Explorers (GUE), headquartered in downtown High Springs, where domestic and international aquanauts hone their skills.

Interviewed at GUE’s office, marketing director Rich Denmark said, “We’ve been here 15 years, instructing divers from all over the world, culminating in going to Italy and discovering ancient artifacts including a sacrificial altar. This helps us understand shipping and religion. The Mediterranean area and sea were most important in sea travel and exporting of goods. Romans started getting people on ships, and they led to the discovery of the New World.”

He explained that Jablonski is currently talking about the expedition at a number of dive shows overseas. Reporter Liz Klimas wrote on The Blaze website, “The dive itself was hailed as ‘likely the deepest ever archaeology accomplished by volunteer technical divers.’”

At Poe Springs and Ginnie Springs and throughout the underwater cave systems of Florida, as well as 54 countries worldwide, Jablonski undertakes diving expeditions and

instructs other divers. Seven GUE divers accompanied him on the recent, internationally celebrated dive to retrieve, and send to the surface by balloon, ancient treasures from the wreck of a 50-foot wooden vessel that conceivably encountered rough seas and foundered on rocks before sinking some time between 218-210 B.C. Scientists speculate it was a rich businessman’s cargo ship or possibly a military vessel carrying supplies to Roman soldiers battling Carthage in the Punic Wars over superiority in the Mediterranean.

According to the AP, the ship was named Panarea III by the American researchers who

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www.VisitOurTowns.com

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By Ellis Amburn

Treasures in the Deep Recently, a High Springs business played an important role in recovering an ancient artifact. Jarrod Jablonski, president of Global Underwater Explorers, is one of the divers who raised a 2,000-year-old sacrificial altar from dark Mediterranean waters.

American researchers discovered the shipwreck off the Aeolian island of Panarea in 2010.

>> ST. NICHOLAS’ FIRE

Holiday Cheer

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Restored Fire Engine

Antique Fire Engine Sparks High Springs Christmas Parade

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELLIS AMBURN

T

he great sights and sounds of the season. It’s time for the 2014 annual Twilight Christmas Parade and the High Springs website promises that the event will be aided and abetted this year by the presence of the city’s antique fire engine, a gift to the people from the local fire department.

The parade will start at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 13, and go on until 9. As for the fire truck, it’s a dilly— a red LaFrance Brockway Torpedo that arrived in the city and went into service on November 16, 1924. Finally retiring it after many years, the High Springs Fire Department, consisting of four crewmembers, volunteers, and four trucks, continued to take care of the vintage Torpedo, storing it for decades before donating it to the High Springs Historical Society, Inc., Museum.

“Fire Chief Bruce Gillingham needed space, having no more room for it,” said curator and president Bob Watson during an interview at the museum.

“The museum wanted it and now it’s on view outside our building in an overhang next to the police station.”

At least the chassis is. All such valuable attachments as the handsome bronze bell and a variety of nozzles and hoses are kept under lock and key in a glass case inside the museum, where they can be viewed by the public.

The famous old fire engine’s website states, “The Brockway raced to fire

Museum President Bob Watson with the Torpedo. Starting in late 1917, the Brockway Motor Fire Apparatus Co. supplied a new Type B ‘Torpedo’ chassis to Elmira, New York’s American-LaFrance Fire Engine Co., who marketed them to smaller fire companies, according to coachbuilt.com. The Torpedo proved popular with budget-minded volunteer fire departments that couldn’t afford American-LaFrance equipment.

scenes at a top speed of 40 mph. It had two 35-gallon soda acid chemical

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By Ellis Amburn

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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Way back in 1924, a red LaFrance Brockway Torpedo fire truck went into service in High Springs. It served the city well but was eventually retired from service. Now efforts are being made by the High Springs Historical Society Museum to get the Torpedo back on the road again.

>> PERMANENT MARKER

Fresh Ink

58

Javier Sanchez

Javier Sanchez, Tattoo Artist from the Big City Finds Refuge in High Springs

WRITTEN BY CRYSTAL HENRY PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY BENNETT

I

t’s been a long road to Central Florida for Javier Sanchez. When his journey took the twists and

turns that life dealt him he had to be resourceful. He maintained jobs to survive, but his career path has been constant. He is an artist and a storyteller. And that talent has driven him to Central Florida and to Sink Da Ink. Sanchez grew up in Brooklyn with his mother and sisters.

He had a sensitive soul, but with only women surrounding him he lacked a male figure to relate to. Instead he expressed himself the only way he knew how: through his art.

“I’ve been born with the blessing with being able to draw anything I see,” Sanchez said in a recent telephone interview.

New York was his sketchbook, and he ran with a graffiti crew called The World Famous Crew. His stories and emotions were sprawled across the trains and bricks of Brooklyn. When he was 14, he left the city of his youth and moved to Miami.

Miami was a change of scenery, but it didn’t change Sanchez. He formed a new graffiti crew called the VO5 Crew. The Very Outstanding 5 had only five members,

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By Crystal Henry

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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From New York to Miami and finally to Alachua, artist Javier Sanchez recently opened his tattoo shop. He said the change of scenery from Miami to small town Florida has been a big one, but he has had a very warm welcome and has found friends in the community.

PHOTO BY ERICKA WINTERROWD

ON THE COVER

158 >> FEATURES 12

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge President Machen Accepts Icy Fate

How do YOU make memories? How about with a Red Velvet Cake?

Try out three recipes that have been handed down from grandmother to mother to daughter. They are WONDERful!

BY ERICKA WINTERROWD

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Center Stage What’s Happenin’ This Theater Season

BY BRIANA ERICKSON

32

Cinema Verde A Four-day Festival of Thought-provoking Films

BY EMILY BEHRENS

68

Marjorie Harris Carr Florida’s Bold and Brazen Environmental Foot Soldier

BY ELLIS AMBURN

76

40 Donna Bonnell EMBRACING LIFE 66 Albert Isaac DIFFERENT NOTE 88 Terri Schlichenmeyer READING CORNER 104 Brian “Krash” Kruger GATE CRASHING 154 Crystal Henry NAKED SALSA

That’s the Power of Love Three Local Couples Illustrate the Timeless, Ageless and Irresistable Pull of Attraction

BY JORDAN ALBRIGHT

92

COLUMNISTS

Interview: George Salazar Gator Goes Broadway

BY ERICKA WINTERROWD www.VisitOurTowns.com

INFORMATION 108 Taste of the Town 114 Community Calendar 146 Charity of the Month Winners Winter 2014 | 9

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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 MANAGING EDITOR Ericka Winterrowd ericka@towerpublications.com ART DIRECTOR Hank McAfee hank@towerpublications.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Neil McKinney neil@towerpublications.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jordan Albright Ellis Amburn Emily Behrens Briana Erickson Crystal Henry Marisa Ross Ericka Winterrowd Cynthia Wonders Winterrowd INTERN Emily Behrens

130 PHOTO BY KRISTIN KOZELSKY

Newlyweds Dan Rodriquez and Kate Artman share a brief sunset walk on their wedding day. A good relationship is a key ingredient to a happy life.

ADVERTISING SALES 352-372-3245 Nancy Short nancy@towerpublications.com Melissa Morris 352-416-0212 melissa@towerpublications.com

>> FEATURES

Helen Mincey 352-416-0209 helen@towerpublications.com

130 Love, Health & Happiness

Jenni Bennett 352-416-0210 jenni@towerpublications.com

Recipes for Life

BY MARISA ROSS

Pam Sapp 352-416-0213 pam@towerpublications.com

158 Recipe Wonders Cooking Up Memories One Generation at a Time

Annie Waite 352-416-0204 annie@towerpublications.com

WRITTEN BY CYNTHIA WONDERS WINTERROWD

The articles printed in Our Town Magazine™ do not necessarily Publications, Inc. or their editorial staff. Our Town Magazine advertising; however, we can not be held responsible by the Our Town Magazine reserves the right to refuse or discontinue reserved. © 2014 Tower Publications, Inc.

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reflect the opinions of Tower endeavors to accept reliable public for advertising claims. any advertisement. All rights

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SPECIAL >> ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE

President Machen Accepts Icy Fate STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERICKA WINTERROWD On the first day of the fall semester UF President Bernie Machen surprised students in Turlington plaza as he participated in latest social media phenomenon — the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Gator quarterback Jeff Driskel and Gator volleyball blocker Simone Antwi administered the dousing.

Machen was nominated by UF journalism graduate student Kéran Billaud. “I didn’t know if he would accept the challenge, and I was like, ‘oh my gosh! I hope he’s not angry with me — there goes my enrollment,’” Billaud said with a chuckle. “But no, he’s a fantastic president and a great leader and clearly has taken a stand to help this important movement.”

The ALS Association symbolizes the hopes of people everywhere that Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis will one day be a disease of the past. Until that day, the group relentlessly pursues its mission to help people living with ALS and to leave no stone unturned in the search for a cure of the progressive neurodegenerative disease that took the life and name of Baseball Legend Lou Gehrig — and, more recently, Tarzan actor Denny Miller.

As the only not-for-profit voluntary health agency

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dedicated solely to the fight against ALS, the organization directs the largest privately funded research enterprise engaged to uncover the mystery of a disease that affects as many as 30,000 annually. With more than 5,600 people diagnosed each year — an average of 15 new cases each day — their mission is urgent.

Funding is crucial. Today, the ALS Association has topped $100 million in donations from people all over the globe. As of August 29, it has received $100.9 million in donations compared to $2.8 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 29).

Machen hopes that by accepting the challenge he can help bring more awareness to the cause and eventually strike down this terrible disease.

“I think this [ice bucket challenge] is a lot of fun, but there is something good behind it,” Machen said. “This is social media used the right way, the way this thing has gone viral and become a contagious phenomenon.

Social media has got its good points and its bad points, so this is one of the good parts about it. I hope people say, you know, if that old guy can do it maybe we can go out and do something to help as well.” s

MESSAGE >> FROM THE EDITOR

Happy Holidays!

In this issue of Our Town we offer you a bevy of stories and cheer primarily centered on the idea of recipes for a happy life. A few months back, we gathered together in the editorial department and bounced ideas off one another regarding the kinds of things that make us happy.

Family certainly resides at the top of the list. With that in mind, we bring you a feature about recipes, handed down from generation to generation, written

by Cynthia Wonders Winterrowd. If that name sounds familiar it’s because Cynthia is the mom of our managing editor, Ericka Winterrowd. Cynthia offers us three recipes for the season, pulled from the pages of her mother’s handwritten cookbooks. I think you will enjoy these dishes (I sure did!).

Speaking of enjoying good food — during the holidays, people are prone to pack on the pounds and many of us make resolutions to lose weight. Or quit smoking. Or find a new job. The list goes on. Read all about methods for keeping resolutions, ways of finding your soul mate and tips for beating the holiday blues in our feature about love, health and happiness.

Fulfilling relationships certainly play an important role in having a happy life, and with that in mind we offer you a trio of love stories just in time for Valentine’s Day — from random rendezvous to electronic encounters that led these three couples to romance.

We also offer a preview of some of the shows our local theatres have to offer for the holiday season.

‘Tis the season to come in from the cold and catch a play or two. Or three. There are plenty to be found.

Lastly, it is important to lend a helping hand to those in need. With that in mind we bring you information on some local charities that work diligently to see that people are clothed and fed — not only during the holiday season, but also throughout the year.

So why don’t you sit back with your favorite warm beverage and enjoy what Our Town has to offer this holiday season! s

Environmental Protection Department

Don’t let

holiday cooking oil hang HYV\UK

Solve your cleanup crisis and help prevent potential damage to our environment.

Dinner parties, delicious food, great company – that’s [OL Z[\Ɉ OVSPKH` WHY[PLZ HYL THKL VM )\[ WV\YPUN \ZLK vegetable cooking oil down the sink can clog drains and ZLW[PJ Z`Z[LTZ (SHJO\H *V\U[`»Z /HaHYKV\Z >HZ[L *VSSLJ[PVU 7YVNYHm accepts any type of liquid vegetable based cooking oil for recycling and uses it to create IPVKPLZLS M\LS :tore the oil in a metal or plastic container ^P[O H [PNO[ Ä[[PUN SPK HUK KYVW P[ VɈ H[ VUL VM V\Y KYVW VɈ SVJH[PVUZ /LSW WYV[LJ[ (SHJO\H *V\U[`»Z LU]PYVUTLU[ HUK YLK\JL WV[LU[PHS KHTHNL [V `V\Y OVTL

(352) 334-0440 alachuacountyhazwaste.us

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WRITING >> CONTRIBUTORS Jordan Albright

Crystal Henry

loves to learn and explore.

She is a fifth-year senior at UF pursuing two majors: dance and photojournalism; and three minors: business administration, entrepreneurship and theatre.

Her passion is learning about your passion.

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. ces03k@gmail.com

jordanalbrightphotography@gmail.com

Marisa Ross is a UF journalism and Spanish senior. She is a self-proclaimed foodie, photo junkie and travel enthusiast. When she isn’t cooking exotic cuisines or planning her next adventure, you can find her playing volleyball or acoustic guitar.

Cynthia Wonders Winterrowd moved to Florida with her husband in 1974. She lives in Gainesville and is a ‘Gator Mom’ of three daughters, all UF graduates. Cynthia enjoys cooking, journaling and traveling with Daisy, her Malti-Pom.

mross92@ufl.edu

recipewonders@gmail.com

Briana Erickson

Emily Behrens

has had an insatiable curiosity and an eager appetite for stories since before she could write. She is a sophomore journalism major at UF and aspires to become a crime writer for shows like Dateline NBC or 20/20.

is a third-year public relations student at UF. Her passions include travel and playing the piano. You can find her constantly searching for the perfect cup of coffee. emilyebehr@gmail.com

bri.rose561@gmail.com

Ericka Winterrowd

Ellis Amburn

received her master’s in multimedia journalism from UF, where she also earned her BFA in theatre performance.

When she isn’t scribbling down her thoughts she enjoys gardening and fawning over a Malti-Pom named Doodle. ericka@towerpublications.com

is in the Hall of Excellence at TCU’s Schieffer School of Journalism. Involved daily in volunteer community service, the High Springs resident is the author of biographies of Roy Orbison, Elizabeth Taylor and others. ellis.amburn@gmail.com

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will make a $50.00 contribution to the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation with ever new account opened.

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Center Stage Winter Theatre Season

WRITTEN BY BRIANA ERICKSON inter includes braving the cold weather, perhaps a favorite warm coat, some eggnog. And holiday spirit.

The Hippodrome Theatre, Gainesville Community Playhouse, Actors’ Warehouse, Acrosstown Repertory Theatre and the High Springs Playhouse invite the community and all of its Scrooges for a season of spreading and providing holiday cheer.

W

>> THE HIPPODROME The Hippodrome Theatre is doing something new this year — Winter Wonderettes. The show will run from Nov. 28- Dec. 21.

“It’s an adaptation of holiday music — “Santa Clause is coming to Town,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Run, Run Rudolph,’” said Jessica Hurov, managing director of the Hippodrome.

But there’s also a story. A story of women, Hurov said, incorporated with singing, dancing and acting.

This production addition to The Hipp is in response to feedback from the audience that requested a

20 | Winter 2014

musical this year.

“We agreed that it would be a great year to bring our audience something that Gainesville hasn’t had,” Hurov said.

Along with a fun-loving holiday musical, Hurov said, the Hippodrome, which has been a source of entertainment in the community since its founding 42 years ago in a small warehouse, is bringing back its longest running annual holiday production: “A Christmas Carol.”

Charles Dickens’ classic Christmas Carol will make its 37th annual appearance on The Hipp main stage.

The show will run from Nov. 29- Dec. 20.

“The community loves ‘A Christmas Carol’ at the Hipp,” Hurov said. “Many families make it an annual tradition to bring multiple generations to the show.”

It’s typically a sell-out show following Thanksgiving.

This is a tale of redemption accompanied by The Hipp’s beloved actor Rusty Salling, who has portrayed Scrooge for more than 20 years.

“We have familiar cast members that the audience knows and loves,” Hurov said. “The fact that we’ve

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL EADDY

Whitney Humphrey (as Tiny Tim) and Rusty Salling (as Ebenezer Scrooge) in “A Christmas Carol” and “The Winter Wonderettes” will take the stage just in time for for the holiday season. The holidays are meant for music and singing, and this year the Hipp has brought back The Marvelous Wonderettes for a toe-tapping, heartwarming holiday celebration.

been doing it for 37 years speaks volumes to how the community has embraced this production.”

This is also one of the few times that the Hippodrome actively works with members of the community in the production, including casting children

“Many families make it an annual tradition to bring multiple generations to the show.” in the production, as well as holding matinees during school hours for children, Hurov said.

“They get bussed in, and get to experience professional, live theatre at the Hippodrome,” she said. “Our hope is that people love Christmas music and holiday music just as much as we do.”

The Hipp encourages everyone to take the time to come

out and enjoy what makes the holidays most special.

“Spending the time with people you care about and making memories with each other is what makes it special,” she said. “Coming to see either show is one of those ways where you can take a break, and really enjoy your friends and family with an unforgettable holiday excursion to The Hippodrome.”

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Hippodrome State Theatre 25 SE 2nd Place, Gainesville 352-375-4477

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PHOTOS BY ERIN KLEIM AND STEVEN H. BUTLER

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Actors’ Warehouse Artistic Director, Steven H. Butler; “Black Nativity” Director Jamaili Tyler; L – R: Isiah Blount, Sebrenah Phillips and Bianca Dixon in “Black Nativity.” This gospel “song play” is a joyful retelling of story of the birth of Christ in dialogue, narrative, pantomime, gospel song and folk spirituals.

>> ACTORS’ WAREHOUSE The Actors’ Warehouse in Gainesville is in its third season since its cultivation by Rhonda Wilson, the artistic director the Star Center Children’s Theatre. A small black box theatre, Actors’ Warehouse focuses on the aspect of diverse casting. This holiday season will mark its third production of Langston Hughes’ “Black Nativity” on Dec. 11- 21.

The play is a basic retelling of the nativity story, along with negro-spiritual Christmas songs interwoven throughout the first act. The second act is transformed from a manger scene to a modern-day sanctuary within a church.

“It is full of high energy and poetic versus throughout,” said Steven Butler, artistic director. “It can be very moving.”

Jamaili Tyler, a middle school teacher with experience in acting, dancing and singing, is directing this year.

“I think she will bring a great deal of vision and

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creativity to this year’s production,” Butler said.

All of the actors and staff are volunteers, who do it for the love of the theatre.

“We’re referred to as one of Gainesville’s best kept secrets. Quite honestly, I would rather not be,” Butler said. “I would want Actors’ Warehouse to be a household name in Gainesville.”

Actors’ Warehouse is a nonprofit organization with the goal of providing thought-provoking productions for audience goers, as well as engaging them culturally and politically, which is why they have recently launched a performing arts educational production.

“We are open to receiving new blood, and representing the entire community,” Butler said. “We want everyone to have an opportunity to tap into their creative nature.”

Actors’ Warehouse 608 N. Main Street, Gainesville 352-222-3699

PHOTOS BY CAROLYNE SALT

Tom Miller as Marley, George Steven O’Brien as The Bogle and Ed Hunter as Scrooge.

>> ACROSSTOWN REPERTORY THEATRE Acrosstown Repertory Theatre is holding a holiday show that takes place in its audience’s imagination.

It is the second year the theatre is producing Dickens’ Christmas Carol, as told by Jacob Marley. The play runs from Nov. 28- Dec. 21.

There are minimal props, costumes and a minimal set.

“The audience is the fifth cast member,” said Carolyne Salt, Marketing Director of the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre and second-time director of “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol.” “It’s story theatre, so it’s really different, but with the same heart and soul that it had last year.”

The four actors play all of the different characters, while narrating

the story. A tale of redemption three times, Salt explained that Marley’s version tells the real story behind Dickens’ Christmas Carol; Marley’s behind-the-scenes efforts to save Scrooge, and saving himself in the process. Marley is also accompanied

by Bogle, a sprite with an agenda all his own.

“It is the characters that are becoming redeemed, and, to a certain extent, it’s also the audience.”

Salt’s vision for the show is to let the text speak on its own.

“There’s true pathos,” she said.

“There are times of deep sadness and even tragedy, but there’s also a lot of rejoicing and it really runs the entire gamete of emotion.”

The Acrosstown Repertory Theatre, a nonprofit organization, has been in existence for 34 years

www.VisitOurTowns.com

in Gainesville, providing grassroots, cross-cultural theatre and a showcase where volunteers can stage the classics and original material.

“We create theatre for the community and by the community,” Salt said.

That’s what she hopes for the coming production of “A Christmas Carol.”

“It has a lot of real meat to it,” she said, laughing, which is the reason the theatre chose Marley’s version.

“It’s not just sit back and be entertained,” she said. “The audience becomes very involved with the story. It’s really a story of the mind.”

Salt explained that it is challenging to the actors, which is a part of what Acrosstown is about. But it is also challenging for the audience.

You can almost hear it catch its breath.

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PHOTO BY DONNA S. MCCRAW

The Vam York Theater, home to the Gainesville Community Playhouse. In 2009, the theatre presented “Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical. This year audiences can enjoy the “GI Holiday Jukebox.”

There’s silence.

There are laughs.

“We try to do things that are going to be remembered. This is a story that is ultimately going to stick with you for a long time. It’s not really the type of story you fall asleep to,” Salt said, chuckling.

Without an elaborate set or fancy costumes, Salt said the actors are honest and can express the script to the audience intricately.

“They have to be able to make the audience see and believe everything with just the power of their words,” she said. “Really, with a show like this, less is more. I try to push them to give as much as they possibly can, and then pull them back.”

With the audience deeply involved to use their imagination in the production, it truly is different each time, Salt said.

“It’s impossible to do this show and not be moved every single night.”

Acrosstown Repertory Theatre 619 S. Main Street, Gainesville 352-371-1234

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>> GAINESVILLE COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE Another holiday favorite is the “GI Holiday Jukebox,” which will be performed at the Gainesville Community Playhouse Nov. 28-Dec. 21. A play set during WWII, it is packed with a string of 1940s hits, including tributes te to The Andrews Sisters and Bing Crosby, as well as Christmas music and comedy.

The Gainesville Community Playhouse is one of the oldest community theatres s in the state of Florida, according to its ts Facebook website.

“Our first play, ‘The Pied Piper off Hamlin,’ was produced in 1927 and we have been producing quality plays and musicals ever since,” states the website.

“In 2006, we moved into our present facility, the magnificent Vam York Theater, a 210-seat house e with facilities to stage the most demanding musicals and play plays.”

Gainesville Community Playhouse 4039 N.W. 16th Blvd., Gainesville 352-376-4949

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE HIGH SPRINGS PLAYHOUSE

The cast from last year’s production of “The Homecoming.” The theatre was recently renamed “The High Springs Playhouse” and now offers Friday night concerts.

>> HIGH SPRINGS PLAYHOUSE In its 22nd season, this all-volunteer Playhouse, formally known as the High Springs Community Theatre, was established in 1993 out of the High Springs Woman’s Club. It moved to where it stands today in 2002 and produces a different holiday play each year.

“This year it’s ‘The Best Little Christmas Pageant Ever,’” said Linda Burleson, treasurer of the High Springs Playhouse in a recent telephone interview. “We’re here to enrich the community of North Central Florida by bringing quality entertainment at a reasonable price.”

Running from Dec. 5 to 21, this Christmas classic tells the story of a couple struggling to put on a church Christmas pageant, casting the Herdman kids — that stir up a lot of trouble. Adorned with Christmas carols, this chaotic comedy is something the theatre is looking forward to this season.

“Christmas shows are very

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popular here,” Burleson said.

Almost every year the Christmas show at High Springs Playhouse is sold out for the entire run.

“We get people in the holiday spirit and keep them entertained, I would say.”

The feedback from the play is always positive, she said.

For the Christmas show this year, directors sought personalities in a variety of ages, casting five to eight adults and eight to 12 children, ranging in age from 5 to 18.

“We have a fairly large cast for our theatre,” Burleson said. “We encourage everyone to display their talent and build their level of acting skills.”

While staff does focus on play production, they also offer improvisation workshops for students, which Burleson said builds acting skills and confidence.

The High Springs Playhouse also offers Hearken Night, with artists debuting their new CDs and performing concerts to small intimate audiences. These events usually occur on the Friday following the

end of a play.

About once a year the theatre partners with the Great Outdoors Restaurant to produce an interactive Murder Mystery dinner experience.

“We are all about entertainment, not just plays,” she said.

The series focuses on Americana style music with guitars and a family-friend scene.

“One of the things people are most surprised about is how much talent there is in this little, little area,” Burleson said.

She said the theatre also has quality, professional lighting and draws talent from Lake City, Gainesville, High Springs and Alachua with audiences spanning Lake City to Ocala and from Chiefland to Jacksonville.

“There’s a lot of really good talent,” Burleson said. “For such a small theatre, it comes as a surprising experience.”

High Springs Playhouse 130 NE 1st Avenue, High Springs 386-454-3525

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“She was one of those ladies of a generation where you didn’t talk about things like cancer, so she was already stage four when her cancer was diagnosed,” Dr. Warwicke said. It was through her grandmother’s passing that she realized how crucial education is in the fight against cancer. “It’s so important for everybody to be educated about cancer screenings,” she said. “If you catch cancer early, it’s curable in most cases.”

Originally from Victoria, Canada, Dr. Warwicke earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Miami and her medical degree at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, VA. Afterwards, she underwent two years of residency in general surgery at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in New York, NY, followed by a residency in radiation oncology at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond where she served as chief resident.

She worked in private practice in Fort Lauderdale, FL, prior to joining Community Cancer Center in 2004.

A board certified radiation oncologist, Dr. Warwicke is a member of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology and the American College of Radiology.

Before all of that, she was a 16-year-old girl who loved the sciences. The solidification toward a career in medicine happened in college after she volunteered in hospice care and worked in hospitals. However, it was during her surgical residency that she worked with a radiation oncologist and began to discover her ultimate path in medicine. “I felt radiation oncology balanced 28 | Winter 2014

my need for patient care with my scientific, mathematical brain. It was a good balance between the two,” she said.

During the 19 years Dr. Warwicke has been a practicing radiation oncologist, she has treated close to 6,000 patients. When explaining the feeling she gets from helping her patients, Dr. Warwicke described it as a journey she takes with them.

“When you first meet patients, you’re asking them to put their lives in your hands,” she said. “Building trust and rapport with patients is an honor.”

Dr. Warwicke takes power away from cancers and gives it back to her patients – this happens through education.

She discusses treatment options with them, highlighting their best paths to survivorship. When she declares her patients are cancer free, she helps them rejoice in their victories.

“When patients achieve survivorship, I rejoice with them knowing this – they can live their lives as they were meant to and not be identified as their cancers,” Dr. Warwicke said. “That’s important to me.”

If she could share a message with her patients in the past, present or future, what would it be? “First, don’t let cancer take away your control of your life. Don’t let it define you,” Dr. Warwicke said.

“Also, know most cancers are treatable.

Don’t ignore signs or symptoms – come see a medical professional.” She also stresses the importance of starting conversation with family about genetically linked cancers. “Look into your family history. If you don’t know your greatgrandmother’s medical history, talk to your grandmother or mother,” she said.

“A detailed family history is how we see predominance of cancers and can do the appropriate screenings for them.”

Dr. Warwicke takes pride in the family atmosphere that Community Cancer Center creates for its patients. “From the minute they walk through the front door, they are a part of their teams,” she said. “They’re part of the family we have created here.”

If you wish to have Dr. Warwicke for your medical care needs, call Community Cancer Center at 352.331.0900 (Gainesville location) or 386.755.0601 (Lake City location).

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>> GOING GREEN

Entertaining Environmental Education A Four-Day Festival of Thought-Provoking Films

CINEMA VERDE WRITTEN BY EMILY BEHRENS t’s no secret that the growth of humanity is depleting the world’s resources. This issue, however, is too often overlooked or viewed by some as a boring topic.

Fortunately for Gainesville, a local film festival is returning again this spring to raise awareness about environmental concerns in an educational and entertaining matter.

The 6th Annual Cinema Verde Environmental Film & Arts Festival will be held February 12-16, 2015.

Director Trish Riley said she tries to bring films to Gainesville that have not been in town yet or would not otherwise come to the area. Last year, more than 25 films were shown over the four-day festival period. This year, approximately 12-16 films will be shown to make the work demand easier for volunteers.

Showing fewer films will also allow attendees to see enough without being overloaded with too much information, Riley said.

The festival is an opportunity for people to learn about environmental issues in a unique way. Although

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the issues can be frightening, the festival aims to spark conversation amongst people so that they can eventually discuss solutions to environmental problems, Riley said.

The festival also strives to move people toward a more sustainable future. One way it does this is by recognizing businesses that have made the extra effort to reduce their waste and create a more sustainable business, Riley said.

• Green Drinks The idea for Cinema Verde was born from a meeting between Riley and Shirley Lasseter at a Green Drinks Gainesville event. Originating in London, the Green Drinks meetings have become popular in Gainesville, offering opportunities for those concerned about the environment to get together throughout the year and have educational conversations while enjoying a beverage.

After a Green Drinks Gainesville meeting six years ago, Riley and Lasseter talked about seeing environmental films in their travels to other parts of the

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRISH RILEY

Cinema Verde VIP Opening Night Reception 2014. TOP L: Maryanne Galvin, visiting director of the film “Who’s Afraid of the Cape Cod Bear,” and friends. CENTER: Director Trish Riley surrounded by Pam and Jerry Coughlin, long-time supporters and festival volunteers. R: Marketing Director Penny Niemann with Cinema Verde Music Director Bud Berning.

country. They realized they needed to bring these kinds of films into Gainesville and met with Nick Williams of Florida Defenders of the Environment.

“All three of us met multiple times through the end of that year and wrote a grant proposal for the state... but it wouldn’t pay us until 2011,” Riley said in a 2011 interview. “We submitted it anyway. By the end of December, first of January, Shirley and I were all for just going ahead. We didn’t want to wait. Nick thought we were crazy and said, ‘I’m outta here.’ But we did it. And it was crazy.”

Green Drinks Gainesville still meets regularly with a mission to raise awareness about environmental issues.

“The more people we can reach that don’t know anything about this the better,” Riley said.

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Sometimes they show a film at a Green Drink event known as Green Drinks meets Cinema Verde.

Last year, approximately 75-100 people attended each Green Drink event.

Riley would like to hold a Green Drink event at the University of Florida in January to reach UF students and show upcoming trailers of the festival.

• Funding Cinema Verde Cinema Verde receives state and local funding to produce the environmental film festival, Riley said.

However, the festival did not receive a tourism grant from Alachua County as it has in the past.

“We do have international attention already, but not large enough to receive it this year,” Riley said.

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T H E 6 T H A N N UA L

Cinema Verde Environmental Film & Arts Festival

Special Events February 12: VIP Reception & Eco Art Gallery

February 13: Eco Art Gallery February 14: Eco Fair February 15: Film Awards Ceremony cinemaverde.org

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRISH RILEY PHOTO

Sco Camil talks with viewers following the film “Scott Camil Will Not Die” Scott at the 2014 Cinema Verde Festival. Marketing Director Penny Niemann being interviewed by Channel 20 News.

Regardless of not receiving the grant, Riley said the festival still receives support from the county in other ways.

“This year we have a lack of grants coming in so we need more sponsorship than ever,” said Caitlyn Anderson, a UF marketing senior interning for Cinema Verde.

The festival has received approximately 20-30 donors in the past but is hoping for 30-40 this year, Anderson said.

Riley said she would love to see businesses that practice sustainable measures come forward with sponsorship. Such environmentally friendly businesses will be able to reach that type of audience by helping sponsor the festival, Riley said. Businesses can also

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purchase bulk tickets. If 100 tickets are bought at once, a special discount is available.

Businesses should consider purchasing bulk tickets because they serve as great holiday gifts for coworkers, employees and family members, Riley said.

The festival is also hoping to find a permanent venue for the event in the near future.

• The Future of Cinema Verde Attendance for the Cinema Verde Environmental Film & Arts Festival has consistently been around 3,000 people each year. Riley said she would like to increase exposure to 5,000. She said she would not strictly measure that number by festival attendees, but rather the total of those that have attended a special speaker

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF CINEMA VERDE

Members of Cinema Verde 2012’s intern crew: front row - Laura Caicedo, Matt Gorstein, Lissette Portocarrero; back row - Michelle Murphy, Neal Patel, Lindsay Sugarman, Erin Roach.

event, such as children at school that have listened to environmental speakers or members of assisted living facilities that have had the opportunity to hear an environmental speaker.

Camila Portillo, a UF advertising sophomore and Cinema Verde intern, said she enjoys the passion of those with whom she works and is excited to see it come alive at the festival.

“This is my first internship in the workplace, and seeing people do what they’ve dedicated their lives to has been one of the best parts,” Portillo said.

The Cinema Verde Environmental Film & Arts Festival is a chance for those involved with environmental issues — and those hoping to become involved

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— to explore numerous, fantastic films and attempt to create solutions to problems the world faces, Riley said. She is excited to see the way younger generations are recognizing environmental issues and starting to create solutions.

She hopes the festival reaches not only the younger generation, but also people in small towns.

Humanity as a whole, Riley said, has been driven to become crazy consumers and should not act that way. Instead, she said we should have time to do meaningful work, raise children and explore our creativity and intelligence.

“It’s time to reshape the world and I’m trying to help people realize how to do that,” Riley said. s

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COLUMN >> DONNA BONNELL

Embracing Life Family Games

ven though I am not a gambler, I dare readers to ask my 33-year-old son where the Green Mountains are located. Wager any amount and I will accept your bet with complete confidence that I will win. When you pose the question, I guarantee Jeffrey will smile, laugh his charming country chuckle and immediately reply with the correct answer.

Much to the chagrin of his wonderful teachers, he did not learn that information in school. Moreover, Jeffrey has never been to Vermont. However, on a Christmas afternoon many years ago, he and his cousin lost a game because they had never heard of the Green Mountains.

Board games and cards are a long-standing tradition in our family. The custom began generations ago when my ancestors migrated to Miami and the Keys.

Accommodations were sparse, working conditions atrocious and money scarce. Family folklore includes stories of our rugged descendants using their limited spare time playing cards. A couple of decks of cards provided cheap entertainment and rich bonding of the family unit.

Many of my earliest memories are of weekly Friday night card games at rotating homes, each taking turns to host the tourneys. Having beer and chips (for the adults) and Coca Cola and candy (for the kids) were really the only responsibilities. The

E

children usually wore their pajamas because inevitably the contests continued into the wee hours of Saturday morning.

Even though it was decades ago and most of the key players have passed on, I will never forget hearing Uncle John’s voice when he lost. As his cards flew across the table, he shouted, “Oh H___!” According to our parents, he was not cursing (it was supposedly the name of the game). Of course, we often wondered how that applied to Rummy or Poker.

Do you think that kind of philosophy (or the game’s name) had a bearing on why the Pilgrims and Puritans of New England frowned on game playing? They viewed dice as instruments of the devil. Until the 19th Century, when the population of the United States shifted from agricultural to urban living, very few indulged in such frivolous activities.

Slowly (thankfully) their popularity grew.

Checkers, one of the oldest games, traces back to early civilization. Evidence found in an archeological dig carbon dated 3000 B.C. Monopoly, made to explain the single tax theory of Henry George, had its humble beginnings in 1903.

Elizabeth J. Magie Phillips wanted an educational tool to illustrate the negative aspects of concentrating land in private monopolies and self-published The Landlord’s Game in 1906. A series of games emerged

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through the 1930s, based on her concept. By 1933, Parker Brothers created and sold Monopoly.

Candy Land’s roots date back to 1945; designed by Eleanor Abbott, while recovering from polio. Milton Bradley Company purchased Candy Land and published the first version in 1949.

Scrabble, my personal favorite, is a derivative from an early word game — Lexiko. In 1938, Alfred Mosher Butts created the new game Criss-Crosswords.

Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful in selling the game to manufacturers. James Brunot, one of the few owners of Criss-Crosswords, bought the rights and changed its name to Scrabble. Brunot and his family made 2,400 sets, but lost money. According to legend, Scrabble’s big break came in 1952 when Jack Straus, president of Macy’s, played the game on vacation.

Upon returning, he was surprised that his store did not carry Scrabble. Strauss placed a large order and the game’s popularity grew quickly.

Fortunately, by the time I was old enough to learn how to spell, the game was accessible to the average family. I attribute Scrabble (and my dearly departed Aunt Rusie) as the foundation for my fascination with words and writing. Regular readers know that many Embracing Life columns have included my gratitude for Scrabble.

I continue to pay forward what Aunt Rusie did for me, by eagerly playing games with Lexi and Owen. Even though both of my grandchildren are only five years old (and we make up the rules as we go), they enjoy the camaraderie and uninterrupted quality time.

Today, family get-togethers and reunions are simply incomplete without a spirted card competition or board game tournament. Jeffrey’s cousin (his partner in the game they lost more than 15 years ago) recently visited with his fiancÊe. Shane’s goodnatured girlfriend patiently listened to their favorite holiday tale as the group played several rounds of Sequence. Nobody could recall the name of the particular game played, but everyone remembered the Green Mountains of Vermont. s

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>> GLOBAL UNDERWATER EXPLORERS

Undersea WRIT WR IT TTE TEN N BY ELL L IS S AMB MBUR BUR U N PHOT PH O OG OT OGRA RAPH RA P YB PH BY Y GUE E, INGE IIN NGE GEMA M R an MA and d RIC CH HA ARD LUN UNDG DGRE DG REN RE N lthough High Springs is almost 10,000 miles from Sicily, it played a significant role in September 2014 in the retrieval of artifacts that add to the world’s store of Greco-Roman history.

Jarrod Jablonski, one of the divers who raised a 2,000-year-old sacrificial altar from dark Mediterranean waters, is president of Global Underwater Explorers (GUE), headquartered in downtown High Springs, where domestic and international aquanauts hone their skills.

Interviewed at GUE’s office, marketing director Rich Denmark said, “We’ve been here 15 years, instructing divers from all over the world, culminating in going to Italy and discovering ancient artifacts including a sacrificial altar. This helps us understand shipping and religion. The Mediterranean area and sea were most important in sea travel and exporting of goods. Romans started getting people on ships, and they led to the discovery of the New World.”

He explained that Jablonski is currently talking about the expedition at a number of dive shows overseas. Reporter Liz Klimas wrote on The Blaze website, “The dive itself was hailed as ‘likely the deepest ever archaeology accomplished by volunteer technical divers.’”

At Poe Springs and Ginnie Springs and throughout the underwater cave systems of Florida, as well as 54 countries worldwide, Jablonski undertakes diving expeditions and

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instructs other divers. Seven GUE divers accompanied him on the recent, internationally celebrated dive to retrieve, and send to the surface by balloon, ancient treasures from the wreck of a 50-foot wooden vessel that conceivably encountered rough seas and foundered on rocks before sinking some time between 218-210 B.C. Scientists speculate it was a rich businessman’s cargo ship or possibly a military vessel carrying supplies to Roman soldiers battling Carthage in the Punic Wars over superiority in the Mediterranean.

According to the AP, the ship was named Panarea III by the American researchers who

Discovery High Springs Diver Retrieves Amazing Underwater Treasure

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discovered it off the Aeolian island of Panarea in 2010 by using sonar and a remotely operated submersible in waters about 40 miles north of Sicily.

The ship and much of its cargo survived in “a very good preservation condition,” Italian archeologist Sebastiano Tusa told the AP, because at such depth it was beyond the reach of looters and safe from fishing gear damage.

Astronauts go up and aquanauts go down, and Jablonski and his teammates plunged a mind-boggling 410 feet before reaching the Panarea.

46 | Winter 2014

At the crucial point in the dive they came upon a barnacle-covered anchor, and then their lights revealed numerous amphora — terra cotta jars — scattered on the ocean floor, as well as the altar on which Romans burned incense and herbs to appease pagan gods.

The Associated Press later reported Jablonski’s reaction: “It felt very much like a ghost ship awaiting the boarding of ancient mariners. Reaching the dive site was a mystical experience and very much like reaching through a window in time.”

In religious terms the phenomenon Jablonski

In the shadow of Mt. Stromboli, the Pacific Provider, the ship chosen for the 2014 Global Expedition, waits for divers to return.

Top Right: The two 1000/2 Class Submersibles, NEMO and NOMAD, can reach depths of 1,000 feet and are loaded/unloaded via crane with pilot and passenger already inside.

Center: Amphora and other artifacts were recovered in depths exceeding 410 feet. It takes years of dedicated training to prepare for working at these depths.

Bottom: Technical divers Mario Arena (Italy) and Jarrod Jablonski (USA) use the prop of their DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) to clear sand and sediment away from the base of an ancient altar and mound of amphora while being filmed and photographed

by Swedish divers and brothers Ingemar and Richard Lundgren.

described is called kairos (spirit time). It exists in an altogether different dimension from chronological time, which proceeds directly from start to finish. Kairos combines past and present in a single moment, resulting in an apparent convergence of historical periods.

Customarily it is accessible only to saints and acidheads.

Fortunately kairos can also spring from a deep connection with nature, like the epiphany Jablonski experienced.

Born in West Palm Beach in 1969, Jablonski graduated in 1992 from the University of Florida with degrees

in English and geology. He started teaching cave diving at Ginnie Springs in 1990 and continued there until 1996, according to Wikipedia.

In 1998, he founded GUE in High Springs, a scuba diving organization that provides education in recreational, technical and cave diving. At the same time he founded the Extreme Exposure Adventure Center, a dive store attached to the GUE office, and in 2000 he founded Halcyon Manufacturing, for which he is president and chief executive officer.

“I have always had an interest in water,” he told

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interviewer David Strike.

“As one of those ‘water babies,’ I could swim before I learned to walk and swam regularly… When I went to college, I found that teaching diving allowed me to pay for my schooling while doing something I loved.”

He realized he had to pursue diving or move on to a ‘real’ career. “I decided to give diving my all for two years, at the end of which time I’d evaluate where I was,” he said. “I have never looked back.”

His role model was Jacques Cousteau, author of “The Silent World: A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure.” Cousteau’s brilliant contributions to aqualung design led to the open-circuit scuba technology still in use today, Wikipedia states.

“I really wanted to be part of merging a cutting-edge version of Cousteau’s expeditions with a high-quality educational organization,” Jablonski said. This led directly to his formation of GUE and to several thousand dives as project leader and dive leader for US and foreign research assignments.

Breaking many records for cave penetration, he pushed the Manatee Springs cave system to 11,074 feet and Wakulla Springs to 26,000 feet. In 2007, with dive Buddy Casey McKinlay, he traversed from Turner Sink Hole to Wakulla Springs, a distance of some 36,000 feet, requiring seven hours plus 14 hours of deco (decompression).

That epic dive established the Wakulla — Leon Links Cave System as the longest underwater cave in the US and set another record as the longest cave diving traverse.

Jablonski helped devise

48 | Winter 2014

World Record-holding diver Jarrod Jablonski takes a closer look at an amphora spotted by the submersible team at a depth of more than 400 feet.

Below: As Jablonski and seven other GUE divers recover artifacts, Italian archaeologists in a small submarine illuminate the pile of Greco-Roman artifacts. Divers attach them to lift devices — essentially balloons made by a local High Springs company, Halcyon Dive Systems. Jablonski and the team also worked with various researchers to collect coral and other samples in various locations.

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“Reaching the dive site was a mystical experience and very much like reaching through a window in time.”

TOP: GUE divers and crew accompanied by researchers with a display of the wide variety of amphora found on an ancient shipwreck dating to 218-210 BC. L to R, 1st row: Randy Holt, Alba Mazza, Mario Arena, Chicco Spaggiari, Jarrod Jablonski, Richard Lundgren, John Kendall; 2nd row: Ted Cole, Salvo Emma, Gideon Lieu; 3rd row: Shon Craig.

Left: Project Manager Jarrod Jablonski, Italian Coordinator and diver Mario Arena, and Italian Superintendent of the Sea Sebastiano Tusa pose with a sacrificial altar. Greek inscriptions on the altar provide clues to the ship’s origin.

and promote a system that radically altered modern diving. Known as DIR (“Do It Right”), it was later finessed into GUE by the shrewdly entrepreneurial Jablonski. His holistic philosophy, propounded in his books “Doing It Right,” “Beyond the Daylight Zone,” and “Getting Clear on the Basics,” prepare the diver for negotiating high risk environments — caves and even deeper risky explorations of heretofore uncharted cave systems — that involve protracted duration and require formidable endurance.

GUE emphasizes teamwork; the buddy system; preparing a meticulous pre-dive plan; ability to communicate with hand signals or, in zero visibility, by

50 | Winter 2014

touch; making sure each diver’s equipment is familiar to all members of the team in case of emergencies; swimming ability equivalent to a 400-meter continuous swim; minimalist streamlined equipment that should not hang free, stick out, or increase drag; and how to rescue a teammate in peril.

He is drawn almost as inexorably to deep-sea diving as to underwater cave exploration. He especially likes the ocean’s reef walls and added, “Wrecks are also awesome.”

Perhaps none more so than the wreck of Panarea III, which has brought Jarrod Jablonski — and High Springs — international fame. s

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>> ST. NICK’S FIRE

Holiday Cheer Antique Fire Engine Sparks High Springs Christmas Parade

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ELLIS AMBURN he great sights and sounds of the season. It’s time for the 2014 annual Twilight Christmas Parade and the High Springs website promises that the event will be aided and abetted this year by the presence of the city’s antique fire engine, a gift to the people from the local fire department.

The parade will start at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 13, and go on until 9. As for the fire truck, it’s a dilly— a red LaFrance Brockway Torpedo that arrived in the city and went into service on November 16, 1924. Finally retiring it after many years, the High Springs Fire Department, consisting of four crewmembers, volunteers, and four trucks, continued to take care of the vintage Torpedo, storing it for decades before donating it to the High Springs Historical Society, Inc., Museum.

“Fire Chief Bruce Gillingham needed space, having no more room for it,” said curator and president Bob Watson during an interview at the museum.

“The museum wanted it and now it’s on view outside our building in an overhang next to the police station.”

At least the chassis is. All such valuable attachments as the handsome bronze bell and a variety of nozzles and hoses are kept under lock and key in a glass case inside the museum, where they can be viewed by the public.

The famous old fire engine’s website states, “The Brockway raced to fire scenes at a top speed of 40 mph. It had two 35-gallon soda acid chemical

T

52 | Winter 2014

Museum President Bob Watson with the Torpedo. Starting in late 1917, the Brockway Motor Fire Apparatus Co. supplied a new Type B ‘Torpedo’ chassis to Elmira, New York’s American-LaFrance Fire Engine Co., who marketed them to smaller fire companies, according to coachbuilt.com. The Torpedo proved popular with budget-minded volunteer fire departments that couldn’t afford American-LaFrance equipment.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Winter 2014 | 53

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tanks for putting out smaller fires. Within seconds after firefighters mixed sulfuric acid with sodium bicarbonate, each tank built up 200 pounds of pressure.”

The truck dispensed water through a 1,000-foot supply hose and sported a 15-foot folding ladder and a six-volt lighting system featuring kerosene lanterns at the rear.

Watson plans to install new tires on the 1924 Torpedo, hoping “to get it running for the Christmas parade, and, if it’s not ready to drive, we’ll tote it on the trailer of a truck.”

The museum focuses on the city’s history in the 1800s and early 1900s, when it was a company town for railroads.

A rail yard and roundhouse were built by the Savannah, Florida, and Western Railroad in the little town of Santaffey, the Indian name for the Santa Fe River.

The town was situated close to a bend in the river, and underwent several name changes, including Fairmount and Orion, according to the “Architectural and Historical Survey of High Springs” on the Internet Archive. As soon as the post office and railroad were established, it officially changed its name in 1886 to High Springs.

When three branches of the Atlantic Coast Line came to town, High Springs became known as “The Railroad Center,” according to the museum’s brochure. Altogether the railroad tracks extended from Gainesville to Live Oak. Between 1895 and 1940, 250 structures went up in the little railroad boomtown of High Springs.

Fire wiped out the wooden buildings that made up the downtown area, bucket brigades being the only defense the town had in its early days, according to the Internet Archive. Fire proved a blessing in disguise, because fireproof brick buildings replaced the vulnerable old frame structures. They stand on Main Street to this day.

The Historical Society, Inc., Museum space is provided by the city in the old High Springs Elementary School and Community Center.

When a new school was built, the old one was abandoned and sat empty on a lot behind City Hall for years.

Concerned citizens were instrumental in saving the historic district, acquiring a grant from the federal government, with matching funds from the city.

When the trains stopped running through High Springs, the town became better known as a place to shop for antiques and collectibles, dine in stylish restaurants, and stay at a quaintly luxurious bed and breakfast. It is also the gateway to local springs and rivers, having become a famous destination for divers and underwater cave explorers from all over the world.

The Twilight Christmas Parade on December 13 featuring the LaFrance Brockway Torpedo is yet another of the city’s main attractions.

“The Christmas parade is always a great fun event, giving everyone a chance to see Santa Claus,” said High Springs City Commissioner and Vice Mayor Sue Weller. s

54 | Winter 2014

Bob Watson said plans are in the works to restore the vintage fire engine and to construct a building in which to house it. Fire nozzles, hoses, fire axe, hats, a gas mask and a hand-pull fire hose reel on wheels are also on display.

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>> PERMANENT MARKER

Fresh Ink Javier Sanchez, Tattoo Artist from the Big City Finds Refuge in High Springs

WRITTEN BY CRYSTAL HENRY PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLEY BENNETT t’s been a long road to Central Florida for Javier Sanchez. When his journey took the twists and turns that life dealt him he had to be resourceful. He maintained jobs to survive, but his career path has been constant. He is an artist and a storyteller. And that talent has driven him to Central Florida and to Sink Da Ink. Sanchez grew up in Brooklyn with his mother and sisters.

He had a sensitive soul, but with only women surrounding him he lacked a male figure to relate to. Instead he expressed himself the only way he knew how: through his art.

“I’ve been born with the blessing with being able to draw anything I see,” Sanchez said in a recent telephone interview.

New York was his sketchbook, and he ran with a graffiti crew called The World Famous Crew. His stories and emotions were sprawled across the trains and bricks of Brooklyn. When he was 14, he left the city of his youth and moved to Miami.

Miami was a change of scenery, but it didn’t change Sanchez. He formed a new graffiti crew called the VO5 Crew. The Very Outstanding 5 had only five members,

I

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but they canvassed the city. Graffiti is expression, and he met people who wanted to brand themselves with those expressions. Graffiti tattoos were in high demand, but finding competent artists was tough.

Sanchez had the talent, so when a friend asked for his help Sanchez taught himself how to translate his art from buildings to bodies.

He picked it up quickly and liked it, not to mention it was easy money. He dropped out of school in 9th grade and began his career as a tattoo artist.

Eventually he had a thriving tattoo business in Miami and all was right with the world. His cousin owned a barber shop called The Faded Lounge, where he served the community as well as famous basketball star Shaquille O’Neill. Shaq was looking to get inked, and that’s where Sanchez came in.

“He’s awesome. He’s a gentle giant,” Sanchez said.

“He’s like a big kid.”

He said Shaq was a jokester and liked to hang out at his shop and play air hockey. He had other celebrity clients like PitBull, Baby Rasta and Don Dinero. Life was good.

60 | Winter 2014

Then the economy tanked, and as business faded he had to take a job working maintenance to survive.

But it wasn’t enough, and he was forced to close his tattoo shop.

His shop was no more, but his reputation survived.

It wasn’t long before another tattoo shop owner came to Sanchez asking him to come and save his business.

Some shady employees were dragging it down, and the owner knew Sanchez could get the shop back on track.

It was then that Sanchez decided to get himself back on track. He attended Miami Dade to get his GED and once he found his momentum he couldn’t stop. He’d always had artistic talent, but times were changing and he didn’t even have basic computer skills. His son was the one who brought him into the digital age and encouraged him to take college courses in graphic design. He was at the Miami Art Institute learning Photoshop and how to illustrate custom designs when the shop he’d helped rescue was broken into and his things were stolen. The salt in the wound was finding out it was the owner and his friends.

Sanchez was lost and depressed, and he wasn’t sure

what his next step would be. Then his path turned toward Central Florida.

His mother had health issues, so he moved to Central Florida to help take care of her and get a fresh start. The woman who raised him had cancer in her kidney and was told it would likely spread to her lungs.

She had cysts in her lungs, but she was a fighter and survived the cancer.

“She’s always been the number one person in my life,” Sanchez said. And he was there to help.

He got a job in High Springs at Winn Dixie, but it wasn’t fulfilling; he realized his creative talents had no outlet, and it was time to open his own shop.

Tattooing wasn’t just about expressing his creativity, but it was about the people. He said they all have a story to tell, and they’re humble. So much of his job is sharing stories through art. These people know that life is not easy, and any moment could be their last. The tattoos tell stories of hope and of pain. The people who are his canvases are real.

“They just struggle, you know?” he said.

Once he found a location, he opened Sink Da Ink.

Each day he would leave his job at Winn Dixie and head straight to the studio. There was no such thing as a day off.

“I’m optimistic,” he said.

“And I’m determined to make this shop the way I had it in Miami.”

He said the change of scenery from Miami to small town Florida has been a big one, but he has had a very warm welcome. He found friends in the community at the Main Street Festival, officers and people in the medical field. And he has clients coming to his shop in Alachua from Gainesville and High Springs.

He still keeps in touch with his friends and family in Miami. And his 22-year-old son, who encouraged him years ago to go to college, is thinking about moving to Gainesville to further his own education.

Sanchez said it’s his job to motivate his son now and to keep him on track. His son loves the work his father does, but he has no tattoos of his own because Sanchez has expressed that getting one is a major decision. Sanchez didn’t even have his first tattoo until he was around 27.

“It’s permanent, you know?” he said.

One of the avenues he’s exploring now is a new form of non-laser tattoo removal. He said the chemicals used are all organically based, and break down the metal particles that make up the tattoo ink. He said much of his work is cover ups because people got bad tattoos elsewhere or just want to camouflage some hasty decisions.

When he’s not at the shop he’s still working side jobs. Right now he cleans up the skyboxes at the Gator home games, which he said has proven to be a great networking opportunity.

“Plus I get to watch the game for free,” he said.

This original Hurricane fan has bonded with his new Gator friends over their mutual rivalry against the Seminoles.

He’s settling into his new life in Central Florida, but it is an adjustment from the city life.

“It’s more mellow,” Sanchez said. “It’s a little slower, but I like it.”

Because it is here that his artistic talents have found a home. s

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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 Pastor James McDaniel 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 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

64 | Winter 2014

FELLOWSHIP CHURCH 386-454-1700 16916 NW U.S. Hwy. 441 Pastor Damon Baudoin FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 386-454-1505 20112 North US Hwy. 441 Pastor Derek Lambert 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

MT CARMEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 386-454-4568 1230 NW 1st Ave. Pastor Byran Williams MT. PLEASANT BAPTIST CHURCH 14105 NW 298th Street 386-454-2161 Pastor Dan Howard MOUNT OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH 386-454-3447 948 SE Railroad Ave. THE NORTH EAST CHURCH OF CHRIST 4330 NE County Road 340 nechurchofchrist.net

GRACE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE 210 Santa Fe Blvd.

Pastor Preston Ponce

SAINT MADELEINE CATHOLIC CHURCH 386-454-2358 17155 NW Highway 441

HOLY TEMPLE CHURCH WITH GOD 386-454-0313 615 SE ML King Drive

SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 386-454-2360 230 NW 1st Avenue Pastor Mark Swaisgood

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

SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH 386-454-4978 Shiloh Church Rd. Pastor Earl Tuten SHILOH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 386-454-3126 1505 NW Main St. SPRING RIDGE FIRST CHURCH OF GOD 386-454-3600 5529 NE 52nd Place Pastor Todd L Wymer SPRINGRIDGE FIRST CHURCH OF GOD 386-454-4400 420 Spring Ave.

THE SUMMIT 352-575-0786 610 NE Santa Fe Blvd Pastor Rick Lawrence thesummitchurch.info ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 386-454-9812 1st Ave. (next to city hall) Rev. Lance Horne SPRING HILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Located at High Springs exit 79 off I-75 North of Gainesville (on Old Bellamy Rd.) Pastor James Richardson VISION TABERNACLE 352-339-4942 220 N.E. 1st Avenue Pastor Lawrence R. Haley

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 CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH 13920 NW Hwy 4141 386-462-2966 Pastor Marty D. Basinger calvarybaptistgainesville.org CHRIST CENTRAL ALACHUA 386-418-8185 14906 Main St. www.ccalachua.com 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. HAGUE BAPTIST CHURCH 6725 NW 126th Ave Gainesville, Fl 32653 Pastor Sam Brown HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE 386-462-2017 17306 NW 112th Blvd.

LEGACY BAPTIST CHURCH legacybaptistchurch.org 13719 NW 146th St. Pastor Eric Redmond LIVING COVENANT CHURCH 386-462-7375 Pastor Troy Rumore 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

NORTH PLEASANT GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH 386-462-3317 25330 NW CR 239 Pastor Steve Hutcheson 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 Scott Brown 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. 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

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23530 NW 3rd Ave. Pastor Theodora Black

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ST JOSEPH’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

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25520 W. Newberry Rd.

Pastor Richard Pelkey

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BAPTIST CHURCH

5577 NW 290 Street

352-472-3835

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17722 SW 15th Ave.

Pastor Henry M. Rodgers

Pastor Corey Cheramie

UNION

CHRISTIAN LIFE

BAPTIST CHURCH

FELLOWSHIP

352-472-3845

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6259 SE 75TH Ave

Pastor Gary Bracewell

Pastor Travis Moody

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COLUMN >> ALBERT ISAAC

Different Note The Things We Say and the Things We Don’t

y brother lost his life 37 years ago. He was 18 when he crashed his van in the Florida Keys.

That was nearly 40 years ago — but it seems like only yesterday.

I don’t remember saying goodbye to him. But I do remember saying other things. He had taken my cassette player without my permission and I was angry.

I told Mom, “I don’t care if I ever see him again.”

That was a hard-learned lesson. I try not to say things like that anymore.

I never did see my brother again, except in my dreams. A couple of years ago, I had just such a dream.

We hugged. I could smell the odor of his cigarettes. I told him I loved him. We cried together. It was so real when I woke up I thought he was here.

At the time I had had quite the trip down memory lane, beginning with a visit by two “kids” from my old Miami neighborhood (which perhaps prompted the dream), friends that had come to see my sister. The last time I had seen these girls they were teenagers. Now they have adult children. We reminisced and laughed and watched home movies (super-8), and I realized how much we meant to each other in those early years, although perhaps we didn’t know it at the time. The things we do and say to one another have far greater impact than most of us ever realize.

Soon thereafter, I went to Miami to attend the Memorial Service for my high school band director, William “Uncle Willie” Ledue, who was just shy of 90 when he passed. Familiar faces greeted me as I arrived at Coral Gables High School. I walked the long hallway to the band room where I’d spent so many hours making music — and mischief. The room was exactly as I remembered it, complete with the holes in the ceiling where students had thrown their pencils into the acoustic tile.

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It was a bittersweet visit spent reuniting with old friends and celebrating the life of a remarkable man. In the end, many of Uncle Willie’s former students held one final performance. There were tears. There were cheers. And there was laughter.

In the years since high school I had often thought of getting in touch with Uncle Willie. I even discussed it with friends. A year would fly by. Then 10. And then 30.

(I tend to procrastinate.)

Then on day I came across some old boxes with a bunch of high school pictures, letters and yearbooks.

My thoughts turned to Uncle Willie. This time I would not procrastinate. I got off my lazy — excuse my French — derrière and phoned a friend who phoned a friend and before you could say, “Stop procrastinating!” I was spearheading a group effort with my fellow classmates to visit Uncle Willie.

It was great fun visiting with him and my friends, sharing band stories, hearing about his life. And then, while sitting with him at the dinner table, he leaned forward and asked me if I knew a particular student. As it turns out, I did — but I was surprised to learn he was one of Uncle Willie’s former students.

He went on to tell me how this kid came into band with a big chip on his shoulder. These were the early days of desegregation and this young black student had been moved into a white school.

He didn’t want to cooperate. Didn’t want to march.

Uncle Willie met with the boy’s parents and they told him to do whatever it takes to straighten him out.

He told me he didn’t treat him any differently than any other student, but in the end, the young man came to him and said, “I give up. You win. I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

The chip was gone. The young man graduated.

He went on to college and earned a degree in music.

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He then earned a Masters of Science in aeronautical engineering with avionics. This young man went further than your average student — in fact, he went into space, becoming an astronaut and flying in the Space Shuttle Columbia.

I asked Uncle Willie how he felt about having made such an impact on this young man. He shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s what teachers do,” he said.

I had the good fortune of visiting with Uncle Willie one last time before he passed away. We gathered together to celebrate his 89th birthday, former students now grown, from all types of professions — including an astronaut.

The influence this remarkable man had on the lives of so many students is immeasurable, rippling out in waves, never-ending. It was readily apparent at his memorial as one former student after another stood in that old band room and shared their stories. He treated us equally, whether we played well or not, and he expected the best from all of us.

We all have this power, should we desire to wield it.

With our words we can lift people up or knock them down. Our choice.

I’m glad I made the effort to visit the leader of the band. Had I waited, had I procrastinated just one more year, I would never have seen him again. Several of my friends who missed those gatherings are now expressing their deep regrets; regrets that they hadn’t made that visit, hadn’t sent that letter, hadn’t made that phone call.

At the memorial, while talking to a friend, I asked him if he could remember when last we had seen each other.

“It was at your brother’s funeral,” he replied.

That was 37 years ago. And it took another funeral for us to meet again. This should serve as a reminder for all of us to pick up the phone, to send that message, to make that visit before we miss the opportunity. It’s much more fun visiting friends and family during the living years, rather than funerals.

Now go play nice and have few regrets. s

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>> ECO HEROINE

Marjorie Harris Carr Florida’s Bold and Brazen Environmental Foot Soldier

WRITTEN BY ELLIS AMBURN lorida’s unsung ecological heroine, Marjorie Harris Carr, born in 1915, emerges in a new biography by Peggy Macdonald as a brilliant scientist who wasn’t afraid to fight big business, politics, academe, and even the US Army Corps of Engineers to save Florida from a series of environmental disasters.

Entitled “Marjorie Harris Carr: Defender of Florida’s Environment,” the book is at once a lucid account of the origins and growth of modern ecological awareness, a passionate love story of two scientists — Marjorie and Archie Carr, a perfect match in body, mind and spirit — and a riveting narrative of how a Micanopy mom with five children negotiated the formidable obstacles of a sexist society to preserve north central Florida’s natural wonders.

The two passions of Carr’s life were her husband Archie and the 74-mile Ocklawaha River, whose 2,769-square-mile watershed spans Alachua and five other counties — Lake, Marion, Orange, Polk and Putnam. The University of Florida, where Marjorie and Archie met and fell in love in the 1930s, was an all-male school at the time, but Archie, a gale force among UF scientists, got her admitted.

F

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MIMI CARR

J. C. Dickinson Jr., (who later became the director of the Florida Museum of Natural History) and Marjorie Carr prepare bird specimens after a collecting expedition in Honduras. Also pictured are family friend George Hogaboom (L) and Chuck and Mimi Carr. Below: Wildlife photographer Luther Goldman holds an eastern diamondback rattlesnake and Marjorie Carr with an eastern indigo snake in 1937.

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Bison cool off in a pond at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. (photo by Charles F. Littlewood, www.charleslittlewood.com) INSET: Construction of the St. Johns Lock, and a map of the proposed Cross Florida Barge Canal, which would have wreaked devastation on Carr’s beloved Ocklawaha River. (Inset photo and Illustration courtesy of State Archives of Florida)

The Ocklawaha struck Carr as “dreamlike,” and her biographer extols “the exotic beauty and impressive wildlife of the canopied, subtropical river valley.” Carr would spend much of her life holding its despoilers at bay.

Her weapons were patience, tenacity, and the kind of activism that eschews violence for mastery of grassroots strategy and the media. During one environmental crisis five of her calls to newspaper editors resulted in five editorials the following day, according to Frank Graham Jr.’s “What Matters Most: The Many Worlds of Marjorie and Archie Carr.”

Perhaps her key attribute, Macdonald writes, was “the composure and commanding presence of a highly

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educated scientist.” Her credentials included a master’s in zoology from UF, where president John Allen placed her on the board of the Florida State Museum of Natural History in 1954.

Hard-won experience in the trenches of conservation and ecology began for Carr when, at 21, she became the first woman federal wildlife technician. At the Welaka National Fish Hatchery, her job, Macdonald writes, was “to raise fish native to the Southeast and release them into rivers, streams, and lakes.”

As ecology matured into a science, Carr underwent what Macdonald calls “the transition from conservation — or the idea of preserving nature for humanity

— to environmentalism, whose goal was to protect nature from humanity.”

In the early 1950s, Marjorie and Archie bought a 200-acre homestead in pastoral Micanopy where she pressured the town council to preserve 1,000 live oak trees and several 19th-century shops.

Micanopy is on the edge of Paynes Prairie, a majestic wildlife savanna of 50 square miles named after Payne, son of Seminole chief Ahaya the Cowkeeper. Buffalo roam among alligators, sandhill cranes, egrets, ibises, and hawks on the prairie.

Florida purchased the land from Jack Camp for $5.1 million, renaming it Paynes Prairie State Preserve. In

1964, construction of I-75 cut through the area, including the Carrs’ pristine natural retreat in Micanopy.

Outraged, Marjorie fought the building of new highways such as the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) $385 million Jacksonville-Tampa turnpike. It would save only one hour’s travel time at the cost of ripping through Florida’s vanishing wild places.

People listened to her, and the JAX-Tampa turnpike was scuttled.

UF’s Lake Alice was imperiled in the late ‘60s by FDOT’s proposed cross-campus four-lane throughway and a 2,000-car parking lot that would “destroy the

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major wildlife values of the entire lake area,” according to zoologist John H. Kaufmann, who warned the road would reduce the lake to “at best a landscaped pond devoid of visible wildlife.”

“The cross-campus highway was a done deal,” said law professor Joseph Little. “Mr. [Stephen C.] O’Connell [UF president] himself told me that, face to face.”

Nonetheless, Carr, Little, and Kaufman flew into action, alerting Gainesville residents that officials were “putting something over on the public,” Kaufmann said, adding that Carr was “absolutely fearless . . . [and] brazen.” Her “we’re-going-to-win-this” attitude defeated the throughway.

“The Rodman Dam was one of a series of Cross Florida Barge Canal projects to manipulate the earth.”

In 1962, under the auspices of the Florida Defenders of the Environment (FDE) and the Alachua Audubon Society — both of which she cofounded — and the national legal organization Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Carr took on her biggest opponent yet, the US Army Corps of Engineers, whose proposed Cross Florida Barge Canal would slice through the state and endanger its water supply, fish and wildlife, according to FDE’s environmental impact statement.

The canal would also wreak devastation on Carr’s beloved Ocklawaha River. “This beautiful river . . . was to be murdered,” she said.

“The biggest motivation behind the canal had always been graft,” writes Macdonald, who dismisses it as “a pork-barrel project.”

Carr appealed in vain to President Lyndon B. Johnson, a champion of the canal, but when she reached out to the First Lady, whose beautification program fueled the modern environmental movement, all canal funds were cut off.

The President shortly overruled Lady Bird, restored funding, and personally traveled to Palatka to launch the canal with a dynamite explosion.

“The Rodman Dam was one of a series of Cross Florida Barge Canal projects to manipulate the earth,” Macdonald said at her book signing in Gainesville. “The dam affected endangered species and impacted fish weight, which went down from 30 to 15 pounds.” The author documents that West Indian manatees died trying to negotiate its locks, and Audubon Magazine reported in 2012 that the dam still “blocks the migration of eels, shad, catfish, endangered shortnose sturgeon, and striped bass.”

Angry activists urged Carr to blow up the dam, but she assured them, “This too shall pass,” and continued

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to rally the press and public to her cause. “People at every level were intimidated by her because she could put their name in the papers the next day,” her PR director at the time David Godfrey confided to Macdonald.

David Anthony, her co-president at Alachua Audubon, added, “She would say, ‘I’m just a poor little housewife from Micanopy, but—’ . . . and then just devastate her opponents with her total command of the subject.”

“All you have to do is walk the halls,” a congressman assured her. “You don’t have to say a word. Just be seen there, and every legislator who sees you will say to himself, ‘Oh, yes, the Barge Canal.’”

In 1969, through the FDE and EDF, she sued the Corps of Engineers in US District Court for violating the public interest.

President Richard Nixon became a powerful ally after she coordinated a letter to him containing 150 signatures solicited from such top ecologists as Barry Commoner, Marston Bates, and Pulitzer Prizewinner Rene Dubos, asking for a moratorium on the canal. One quarter of the signatories hailed from UF, including Archie Carr.

On January 15, 1971, Carr and her forces won an injunction, and two days later President Nixon killed the canal project. It marked a monumental victory

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIMI CARR

An Asian hornbill has Marjorie by the finger and won’t let go in this shot from 1978, when both Marjorie and Archie won the New York Zoological Society’s Gold Medal for achievement in biological conservation.

for Carr, and was also, according to Macdonald, the first time in history that an active Corps of Engineers project had been quashed.

When Carr died in 1997 at 82, the Florida Legislature named the abandoned canal’s beautiful mile-wide cypress-lined right-of-way the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. Its 70,000-plus acres stretch 110 miles across central Florida from the Gulf of Mexico to the St. John’s River, and benefit the public in numerous recreational, educational, and esthetic ways. Its size dwarfs both New York City’s Central Park (778 acres) and London’s Hyde Park (350 acres) — a spectacular tribute to the woman who gave it birth.

Peggy Macdonald offered a hint during her lecture at Gainesville’s Matheson Museum that explains the uncommon warmth and passion of her book. The author came across some “hot and heavy stuff,” she said, referring to a treasure trove of Marjorie and Archie’s love letters.

While Macdonald was being interviewed by Hank Conner on his WUFT/FM call-in talk show, “Conner Calling,” Carr’s daughter Mimi, an old friend

of Macdonald’s, rang and said she’d found the letters in the open-air porch of her mother’s condo in Gainesville, safely wrapped in brown paper.

They proved to be a biographer’s dream. In one, Marjorie describes her elopement with Archie to the Everglades as “enchantment. Night Herons, mystery, and Saw Grass marshes.”

“It was a fantastic and ethereal wedding night,” Archie wrote.

When their jobs soon separated them by 300 miles, Archie, a good-looking guy with an inferiority complex, still couldn’t believe he’d scored a beauty, and wrote, “I’m too skinny and probably will be bald in a couple of years. My right arm is pretty well wrecked . . . I don’t think I’m good enough to hold you. You’re my destiny but yours is elsewhere.”

Marjorie replied, “What you need to do is to come down here and sleep with me. I will kiss your doubt of us away and you will know that you are my husband.

Please come.”

The marriage flourished for 50 years, until Archie’s death. s

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END SWITCH 1

Marjorie Harris Carr’s Legacy THE MARJORIE HARRIS CARR CROSS FLORIDA GREENWAY “probably supports a wider variety of outdoor public recreation uses than any other park and recreation land in Florida,” according to the National Recreation Trails website. Spanning from Yankeetown on the west coast to just south of Palatka on the St. John’s River near the east coast, the Greenway is approximately one mile wide, according to park manager Mickey Thomason, and traverses Citrus, Levy, Marion and Putnam counties. It accommodates hikers, bikers and horse riders and has paddling trails, boat ramps, fishing spots, campgrounds, barrier-free Boundless Playgrounds and picnic shelters. A trailhead in Ocala is the Land Bridge Trail, 11100 SW 16th Ave. Off I-75, exit 341; drive to SW 16th St.; turn left onto SW County Hwy 484; turn left onto SW 16th Ave. The Greenway is on the left.

UF’S LAKE ALICE offers one-day parking passes at the Baughman Center administration building, 982 Museum Rd. Attractions include hiking paths, a meditation chapel, a bat house and bat barn. Watch bats emerge on a warm evening just after sunset. The center’s administration building is open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. On weekends parking is permitted without a pass.

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PAYNES PRAIRIE extends into Gainesville at Bouleware Springs Park, 3400 SE 15th St. “If I could send people to only one of our many trails, it would be the La Chua, where alligators can be viewed basking on both sides of the banks,” said assistant park manager Matt Bledsoe in a telephone interview.

He estimated that on a typical day 200 gators are visible. Along the 16-mile Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail, horses, songbirds, and such wading birds as coots and moorhens can also be seen.

Off US 441, a boardwalk into Paynes Prairie is located four miles south of Gainesville from Archer Rd. On I-75 South, just after Exit 382/Williston Rd., there’s a 325 foot Paynes Prairie boardwalk “shaped like a Florida Queen Snake,” said Ed Seifert, public information specialist with FDOT District 2, in a telephone interview. “The boardwalk has a bunny bulge in the middle, and the tallest point resembles the head of a snake.”

PAYNES PRAIRIE PRESERVE STATE PARK, 100 Savannah Blvd., Micanopy, offers a 50—foot-high observation tower, abundant wildlife, camping and nature trails. Open daily from 8 a.m. to sundown.

THE OCKLAWAHA RIVER is approximately an hour’s drive south of Gainesville. Motorized and non-motorized boats can access the river at the Johnson Field Boat Ramp off SR 19 at the Ocklawaha River bridge, north of Salt Springs. “This boat ramp provides access to a section of the Ocklawaha River that is largely unaffected by the Cross Florida Barge Canal,” writes Macdonald.

THE MICANOPY HISTORIC DISTRICT, south of Paynes Prairie off US 441 on NE Cholokka Blvd., features antique shops, an ice cream parlor, a vintage church, the Herlong Mansion, and a museum. The Historic Cemetery is just west of the downtown section on W. Smith Ave. Micanopy can also be reached on I-75 at Exit 374.

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>> IT’S STRONG AND IT’S SUDDEN

That’s the Power

of Love

Three Local Couples Illustrate the Timeless, Ageless and Irresistable Pull of Attraction WRITTEN BY JORDAN ALBRIGHT

Love at Third Sight George and Iris Wershiner he love story of these soul mates, who found one another in their 60s, began in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Silver Springs.

Iris was headed back to her car after shopping when she noticed a German Shepard whining in a truck. She didn’t know why, but she felt drawn to it. Soon, the dog’s owner walked up, so she started talking to him about his dog.

George said he couldn’t help but think, “Why is this lady talking to me?” His dog, Sasha, is a medical service dog that helps him with his severe PTSD from serving in Vietnam.

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“He was a grumpy old man,” Iris recalled. “Poor dog,” she thought.

He cut the conversation short and left in his truck.

Neither of them imagined what would happen over the course of the next two years. Several months later, Iris walked into a restaurant and saw George and Sasha at a table.

Iris knelt down to say hello to Sasha. She looked up to George and said, “You remember me?”

George, confused, said “no.”

“I was the woman talking to your dog in the Wal-Mart parking lot,” Iris reminded him.

After jogging his memory, they sat and talked for about an hour.

They learned that they had both worked in government and had experience with politics, which sparked conversation.

Though connected, they didn’t make plans to meet again.

“What an interesting lady,” he thought. But he didn’t expect to see her again.

Over the next year George felt depressed and alone. He decided “give it up to God,” he said.

“I opened up the phone book to the church section, I shut my eyes, and I put my finger down,” he said.

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PHOTO BY JORDAN ALBRIGHT

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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It landed on Unity Church of Ocala. The next Sunday he went to church and brought Sasha with him.

“After the service, all the single ladies came up to greet me, because I was the new young guy at the church,” he said.

Sasha spotted Iris across the room.

She wandered from George as the women crowded around him and sat at her feet leaving Iris unable to move.

When the women left, Iris introduced herself to George, not recognizing him. He had lost 60 pounds since they had last seen each other at the restaurant.

“What is her name?” Iris asked George.

She didn’t realize she already knew the dog until George said, “Sasha.”

“He wasn’t the same,” she said. “He was talkative and happy.”

They caught up until the church closed its doors. As they parted, Iris realized she couldn’t find her keys, neither to her car nor house. Iris said the missing keys, whether stolen or miraculously disappeared, changed their lives forever.

George took Iris home, and waited for the locksmith to open her front door. While burdensome, it bought more time for them to talk.

After the locksmith finished, George still didn’t want to stop talking to Iris, so he asked her to dinner. While sitting at Cody’s Roadhouse, George began to feed her, and Iris went with it.

“You two are really cute,” their waitress said. “How long have you been married?”

“We’re not. We’re just friends and we just met,” they said with a chuckle.

After dinner, George asked her to come to his house. They turned on some music and danced to Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up” and then talked until 5 a.m. when he took her back home.

But George couldn’t get back to sleep. He needed to be with Iris again. So, he called her at 8 a.m. and they went to Daytona Beach for the day.

Once back to Ocala, they went to his place and drank some tequila. After the second, he said, “I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Three days later, they got married.

This February, they celebrate their first anniversary.

“God is the architect of our lives,” George said.

They believe that Sasha was the spirit of an angel that put them together. s

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“I opened up the phone book to the church section, I shut my eyes, and I put my finger down.”

PHOTOS BY JORDAN ALBRIGHT

Balanced PhDs Adam and Mary Jordan ome people seem superhuman, like husband and wife Adam and Mary Jordan.

They are both Ph.D. students working full time at the University of Florida with a son, Micah, who

S

is about to become a big brother.

While it is daunting and seemingly impossible, these Ph.D. parents are partners through and through.

“He is my best friend, sweet, caring, and charming,” Mary said. “I still get nervous and excited when we haven’t seen each other, even if it has only been since 9 a.m.”

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In order to make it work, Adam and Mary share chores. Every morning Adam packs lunches and gets his son Micah dressed, while Mary makes breakfast. They share other chores, such as making dinner, doing laundry and cleaning house, depending on how busy their schedules are.

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“He is my best friend, sweet, caring, and charming. I still get nervous and excited when we haven’t seen each other, even if it has only been since 9 a.m.”

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PHOTOS BY JORDAN ALBRIGHT

“There’s no way we could do work, school, and parent a young child if we weren’t both all in,” Mary said. “We are true partners.”

At the beginning of the semester Adam and Mary plan their time around major tests and assignments so that they can take care of themselves and their son. On weeks that Adam has a lot of studying to do, Mary plans special “mommy baby dates,” such as going to the libraries or festivals.

Adam and Mary’s love story started at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey in graduate school. Both of them were residence directors for on-campus housing. They met at training.

“I had fun getting to know him,” she said. “The more I learned, the more I was hooked.”

They were engaged about seven months later, and married after they graduated.

This year they are celebrating their fifth year of marriage. Although their marriage is still young, it is strong. They attribute its strength to God. “Our relationship is God centered, and grounded in Christ,” Mary said. s

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Timeless Steven Gallo & Joy Marie Hamm hen it comes to time, you can always count on Steven Gallo to have his watch. He appreciates dressing well, and he always matches his timepiece with his outfit. But, on his wedding day, he won’t be.

When his fiancé, Marie Hamm, asked him if he was planning on wearing a watch, he said no, it’s not appropriate.

“The reason is,” he explained, “anything that’s worth wearing a tuxedo and dressing black tie for — it doesn’t matter what time it is. If it is that important of an event, what’s more important is that you are there, and you are in that moment and enjoying it.

Time is such a constraint — the conversation, or the relationship, or the moment, or the memory takes precedence over the bounds of time.”

Since the beginning, Steven and Marie haven’t allowed time to bind or control their relationship. They knew each other through mutual friends, but it was on a trip to the three-day Passion conference in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2012 that they really got to know each other.

“He basically stalked me the whole weekend,” Marie said.

“That’s a strong word,” Steven said. “We just happened to end up sitting next to each other the whole time.”

The bus arrived in Gainesville, and Steven didn’t want to say goodbye, so he asked her to have a late dinner with him. They didn’t part until about 4 in the morning.

“You aren’t worried about the time,” he said. “You’re invested in something so much more valuable.”

They spent hours in his Honda Accord driving around Gainesville with no destination, just for the ride. It was an excuse to sit next to her but not have to make awkward eye contact, he said.

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Some of the best conversations have been on secluded dark roads, they said.

About eight months later, Marie and Steven started dating. Marie wanted to make sure they were good friends before they took the next step. Also in her mind was that she would be Steven’s first (and last) girlfriend.

After about a year of dating, Steven sought out advice from his parents and mentors — and he bought a ring.

He proposed to her in Savannah, Georgia after her parents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and renewed their vows.

“I realized at that point that this is a woman who loves the Lord,” he said. “This is a woman who would make a wonderful wife, not just because she gives me

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butterflies, not just because she is just beautiful, but you know, we share the same values, we share the same world view, the same perspective on family and children, career and future. And something hit me.

This isn’t just being infatuated in a relationship; these are qualities you want in a wife. She went above and beyond any expectations I could ever have. I knew.

Once I started thinking about it like this, she is perfect.”

The 23-year-olds set their wedding date for February 28, 2015.

When asked, Marie quickly said no: Steven will not be bringing a watch on their honeymoon in St. Lucia.

“I don’t think I will,” he continued, “We’ll find out what island time is.” s

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> TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER BOOK REVIE REVIEW EW >>

I Am Jazz

by Jessica Herthel & Jazz Jennings pictures by Shelagh McNicholas c. 2014, Penguin Dial $17.99 / $19.99 Canada 32 pages

ou are a one-of-a-kind kid.

There’s nobody else like you. Nobody has eyes like yours, or fingers like yours, or ears that fold like yours. You think for yourself, have your own likes and hates, and people love you just the way you are.

In the new book “I Am Jazz” by Jessica Herthel & Jazz Jennings, pictures by Shelagh McNicholas, you’ll read about a girl who’s just like other girls… only different.

Jazz is a little girl who loves the color pink. It’s been that way for as long as she can remember; she also loves silver and green, maybe because they’re sort of mermaid colors and Jazz loves mermaids too.

Like a lot of girls, Jazz spends her days doing “favorite things.” She likes to dance and sing and pretend that she’s someone famous. She draws, plays soccer, swims, and she loves makeup and dress-up. But when Jazz was a very little kid, there were people who didn’t want her to do any of those things.

That’s because Jazz has “a girl brain but a boy body.”

Y

88 | Winter 2014

She’s transgender, and she was born just like that.

For sure, that caused a lot of confusion when Jazz was small because her family didn’t understand. Though she looked like a boy, she had to remind them that she was really a girl inside and reminding made her sad.

Her brothers said that pink and mermaids were “girl stuff.” Her sister laughed when Jazz talked about “girl thoughts.”

Their parents made Jazz wear boy clothes (ugh!) until they saw a new doctor. The doctor said that Jazz was transgender — and since Jazz’s parents love Jazz “no matter what,” they decided to let her be herself, to wear pretty pink clothes and play with the toys she liked.

That wasn’t an easy thing for others to accept at first, but it’s getting better. Some people are understanding, while some kids still tease Jazz and call her names — but then she remembers that those are the ones who don’t really know her very well. Those are the kids who can’t see the important parts of a person. They are the kids who can’t understand different, and “different is special!”

I really like this book. I like its perky, friendly cover and the kid-magnet colors that artist Shelagh McNicholas uses. I like the basic premise, and the answers it offers curious kids, parents, and teachers.

Those are the things that struck me immediately about it. Looking deeper, though, I discovered what truly makes “I Am Jazz” so valuable: it’s a unique, no-secrets tale written in a kid-friendly, easy-to-grasp, matter-of-fact way, told in part by author Jazz Jennings herself. That, with co-author Jessica Herthel, makes this story glow with a personal, upbeat and spirited touch that’s relatable for all children.

Meant for 4-to-8-year-olds, I think kids up to age 10 could very much appreciate this book, especially if there’s a transgender child in their school. For them — and for any adult who may need it — “I Am Jazz” is a one-of-a-kind tale. s Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was 3 years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives with her two dogs and 11,000 books.

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Holiday

COOKING FUELSAlachua County

By: Lynna Lawrence

T

he table’s set, turkey primed and everyone’s favorite mashed potatoes have just emerged from the oven. Before you sit down with friends and family to dig in, what do you do with your leftover cooking oil?

Your first instinct may be to empty it in the sink. However, pouring cooking oil down drains can cause damage to homes, the environment and ultimately your wallet.

This holiday season and beyond, the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department’s Hazardous Waste Collection Program offers recycling options that create sustainable energy for our community.

Vegetable-based liquid cooking oil includes most oils used to cook turkey and other seasonal food, such as peanut, corn, canola and olive oil. When these oils are poured down drains or garbage disposals, oil can harden and build up. As a result, fats, oils and greases can accumulate and cause sewage backups in your sinks and toilets or even in your neighbors’ sewage systems.

This damage is extremely costly to reverse, as clogs create unforeseen expenses. Sewer overflows from fat-clogged drains can spill into the environment and contaminate Alachua County’s waterways with harmful bacteria. To avoid these repairs to homeowner and city sewer lines, let leftover oil cool for a few minutes, and place in a metal or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid and take the waste

oil to a recycling location. Be careful not to mix your used oil with other fluids, such as water, petroleum products or soaps, to ensure proper recycling.

The waste oil is a valuable resource in the county’s creation of green energy. Once collected, the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department recycles oil to produce biodiesel fuel.

Combined with regular diesel, the recycled fuel returns back to the community. This eco-friendly blend is used to power County fleet vehicles and a generator that powers the Hazardous Waste Collection Center.

Through the program, Alachua County reduces its dependence on fossil fuel products. It proudly shrinks fuel costs, reduces Alachua’s carbon footprint and keeps County operations green.

This season, bring your oil to the Hazardous Waste Collection Center, 5125 NE 63rd Ave., Gainesville, FL 32609, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also drop it off at five different rural collection centers, open Monday, day from Tuesday, Friday and Saturday all 3527:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call ation 334-0440 for more information age or visit the County’s webpage us. alachuacountyhazwaste.us.

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>> INTERVIEW

>>

GATOR GOES BROADWAY

<<

George Salazar They say the neon lights are bright on Broadway, but if you want to find out for sure, just ask George Salazar. After packing up his bags and making the move to the Big Apple six years ago, this UF alumnus has made his presence known, touring in a national production of “Spring Awakening” and making his Broadway debut in the revival of Stephen Schwartz’s “Godspell.”

INTERVIEWED BY ERICKA WINTERROWD

AGE: 28 HOMETOWN: KISSIMMEE, FL PROFESSION: ACTOR TIME IN GAINESVILLE: 4 YEARS AT UF WHERE HE RECEIVED HIS BFA IN MUSICAL THEATRE

One might think that it would be easy for this Broadway Babe to forget his “swampy roots,” but quite the opposite is true. Before finishing out his run in The Public Theater’s Off-Broadway hit “Here Lies Love,” Salazar sat down with me in New York City, proudly stating that he still bleeds orange and blue.

How would you describe yourself?

GS: I would describe myself as a ridiculous boundary pusher. I’m loud but I can also be shy and quiet. I think I’m a workaholic. I love to create. I love to be a part of creation. I’m never fully happy unless I’m busy doing something. And I am funny, I think? I’m just kind of a goofball. I will literally do anything for a laugh. Anything.

What is your connection with Gainesville?

GS: Well, I honed in on my craft and developed the tools that I needed to have when I moved up to New York six years

92 | Winter 2014

ago. So, much of my initial growth — I mean, you go through high school, then you go to college, and I feel like you find the beginnings of who you are. Your mid-to late-20s is when you start to shape everything into the kind of person that you are so, yeah, I’d say I learned a lot about who I am in Gainesville. I don’t know many people who don’t have fond memories of their time in Gainesville. I mean, it’s the polar opposite of living in New York, but it was good. I loved it there and I love going back.

Do you come back often?

GS: I’ve actually gone back once every year, which is kind of remarkable. I came back in 2011 when I was on tour with “Spring Awakening” and spent the night while I was doing a show there, which was awesome. And then the following year I had just booked “Godspell” on Broadway and I came in to do a master class for the musical theatre kids, then post -“Godspell” I did a master class

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PHOTO BY MATT MURPHY

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PHOTOS BY OLIVER OLIVEROS OF BROADWAYWORLD.COM & DANIELLE LEVITT/NEW YORK TIMES

then to come back and share that with bright, young, little versions of me. And to just be like, look, if I make this happen for myself, literally anyone can do this.

When did you start singing and performing?

with Florida Players. It’s been really cool to go through everything that I’ve been through in the city and then go back to that place where everything seemed like its own little world and nothing existed outside of it. So for me to be able to go back — and I’m not that much older than some of the students — and to be able to kind of give them a heads up on what it’s like out there, it’s nice to be able to give back and do that.

What’s it like to go back and have students looking up to you?

GS: Weird, because honestly I came up here [to New York] and I just wanted to work. Actually it’s funny because my dream job, what I was always working towards, was to actually do a show at The Public Theater. When I was in college I interned in the city for two summers. Out of everything I saw in New York it was always the productions at The Public that really stuck with me, so my dream was always to do a show at The Public, not “I want to be on Broadway,” so for all of that to have happened is very weird, but it’s nice.

And it’s a nice feeling to go back and it’s a nice feeling to have accomplished what I set out to accomplish and

94 | Winter 2014

GS: Junior year of high school. I wanted to be a doctor first and I never did any performing. I was in jazz band in middle school, but I didn’t sing until I was cast in my first musical, “Little Shop of Horrors.” Someone heard me by accident. I used to write parody songs, like Weird Al did, cause I was a dork. And someone overheard me singing and they said I should come audition for “Little Shop” and I got the lead role. And that was when I said, “Oh my God, this is what I’m supposed to be doing.” And so it happened very late. I didn’t have my first voice lesson until I went to UF, so literally, when I say my training happened in Gainesville, my training happened in Gainesville. None of that really took effect until I went to college.

Did being the comedian of the family draw you to theatre?

GS: Oh yeah. I always did impressions and I was always cracking jokes, but it never dawned on me that you could do this for a living; this could be your source of income — entertaining people and being “you.” I always thought, oh, you have to have a job; you have to be a doctor. My mother’s whole side of the family is all in medicine. Most of my cousins are doctors. My sister’s a dentist, my younger sister is an occupational therapist, so the medical profession is loud and proud in my family. Performing was never like, oh, you can do that. And why not? I always said, with being a doctor you’re dealing with life and death every day. With being a performer it’s really not that serious, so the pressure’s off. And I think looking at it that way really helps, because a lot of people can get stage fright and get nervous. And when I look at it that way I just don’t

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get nervous. That’s my biggest tip for auditions too, when you go to an audition it’s OK to be nervous and to be scared but you’re not performing brain surgery on someone, like if your arm twitches you could end someone’s life. You’re just singing 16 bars and performing a monologue, you know what I mean? It’s really not that serious. It’s really not that big of a deal. So I’d say the lack of pressure is what also drew me in.

How did you make your way from Gainesville to New York?

GS: So no one would hire me in the Southeast regional theatre circuit because I was a fat half-Latino half-Asian guy. And they were all doing “Carousel” and “Hello Dolly” and there’s just not a place for me in that world.

So I got kind of frustrated with living at home during the summers, so I decided, well, let me go intern in New York City. So the first summer I interned at a general management company, which is hilarious because my current company manager at “Here Lies Love,” I was his intern in 2006. I was his intern at the beginning of his career and now he’s my company manager for the show. Full circle. I did a showcase through UF and I met my manager through that, moved straight to New York and I worked at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company for two and a half years. And then finally booked a non-union national tour of “Spring Awakening.” When I got back, three months later I booked a Broadway gig. It just happened so fast. I thought it was going to take much longer than that. I had professors tell me that I wasn’t

96 | Winter 2014

going to start working until I was in my mid-30s. So I was ready to just slum it out and wait, but it happened when it happened and it’s been really nice.

What would you consider your big break?

GS: The “Spring Awakening” tour. And this is such a weird thing to say but it generated a kind of fan base, and that fan base was very helpful in booking “Godspell” because they’re not just going to pluck somebody out of complete obscurity. There’s so much money involved in a Broadway production. You have to make sure that all your bases are covered. The big, big break was, for sure, “Godspell,” but that first thing that kind of broke through the stonewall was that [“Spring Awakening”] tour and then “Godspell” was very helpful.

So what went through your head when you got the call that you booked “Godspell”?

GS: I was with my best friend. She was temporarily assisting a company manager for a national tour. I got the call when I was visiting her at work. I literally started sweating profusely. I fell to the ground and I was just weeping. I was crying. She was crying. We were both wet and crying. I called my mom immediately and she was like, “What?” She pretended she didn’t hear me. And I repeated myself and she was actually with a patient at the time and she just started screaming in front of her patients who were like, what is wrong with this lady? It was such an emotional process, that audition process. Because I think I went

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PHOTO BY BILLY BUSTAMANTE

in five times. And after every time they’d say, yeah, we’re interested. No. Would he be an understudy? OK. No. We’re going to bring him in one more time. No. Yes, we’re interested. It was just this constant yes and no game. So I kind of at one point said, I can’t put myself through this anymore and I literally closed the book on that chapter. And then they called like 25 minutes after I left the audition — yeah, that was a crazy day.

That was August 26th, 2011. And then we opened on November 7th. Those are my numbers; you know how we have our numbers?

The cast of “Godspell” had a lot of television appearances, like David Letterman and The View— what was that experience like?

GS: I think about a year and a half after being here [in New York] I booked a last minute appearance on Letterman, where I was supposed to be a frat guy with his shirt off. And it was so cool to go back but this time as the musical guest. That was kind of crazy. And they chose my song in the show to be the song [featured]. So it was just a whirlwind. We were also tired, too, because the show was a lot. We were on stage for two and a half hours straight. Our bodies were just going through so much. And we had to film Letterman and then go get ready for the show. Those were always the most tired times. And I have to say I’m so grateful for the Internet, because it’s such a cool thing to have. I know in 30 years I’ll be able to look back and just search for that on YouTube and find the Letterman appearance and

98 | Winter 2014

the Rosie O’Donnell one, and you can just watch those moments and you remember the whole day. And it’s something that I just never want to forget.

Let’s talk about your current show, “Here Lies Love.” What’s it all about?

GS: It is a 360º immersive night club-esque poperetta written by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, directed by Alex Timbers. The audience stands for 90 minutes. There’s just pounding base and electronic music, and there are platforms surrounding the audience. And these platforms move and rotate so the audience has to be guided around the space. And there are seated galleries above us for people who can’t stand for the full 90 minutes. But it really is 90 minutes— like you shoot the gun, we go and we don’t stop. I have 13 costume changes in 90 minutes. I think the longest I stay offstage is about four or five minutes and during that I’m changing into a suit. It is absolutely hands down the most artistically gratifying show I’ve ever been a part of. It’s a cool show, it’s super popular here. It is a dream job, that’s the only way to describe it. It’s just a dream job. But yeah, it’s 90 minutes non-stop. The audience is encouraged to dance with us and we tell the story of Imelda Marcos, the former first lady of the Philippines, kind of her rise and fall. She started off as a poor girl and then became the richest girl in the Philippines. She owned two penthouses in New York City, purchased presumably with Filipino government money. And she was the wife of the dictator and they were ousted in the mid ‘80s. The show stops once they leave the Philippines.

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So how do you keep the energy up for this intense production?

GS: Since “Godspell” I think I’ve lost maybe 60 pounds.

Since college I’ve definitely lost about 85, but that’s the only reason I can do this show now. I’m lighter on my feet because we’re running. We’re just running non-stop.

A good diet, whatever I eat at the beginning of the day is going to directly affect my show at night. It’s all about just being smart about my decisions and kind of living like a nun. I literally wake up when I want to wake up. I work out and eat well. And then I come do the show, I go home and I go to bed. I’m not going to be partying like I used to.

What’s your character like?

GS: I play a bunch of characters. It’s a very ensemble driven show. So I play anything from a secret service agent to literally a horny bishop at Studio 54. Yeah — just tons of characters and costume changes. It’s like a Beyoncé show. I feel like Beyoncé. It’s unreal.

What do you love about theatre?

GS: I love that for a period of time I can put on someone else’s clothes, put on someone else’s identity, and tell someone else’s story. And before it gets ugly I can take those clothes and that story, and I can take them off. I can become George again. I love that we can make people laugh, we can make people cry, we can make people feel and forget their own issues, their own problems, and can kind of immerse themselves in another world for a short amount of time. I love offering that kind of experience to audience members.

I think that’s what keeps me doing it, honestly.

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GS: I’m actually leaving “Here Lies Love” to move out to Los Angeles until April. I’ll be writing, developing and acting in the CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase.

I’m really excited to venture out to the West Coast to be a part of this project. For three months, a team of over 40 writers and a team of 20 actors will be rehearsing in preparation of a one hour sketch showcase presented

by CBS for network execs, casting directors, producers, show runners, basically the whole nine yards. It’s considered to be the premier industry showcase in LA. Recently, SNL’s Kate McKinnon was discovered through the showcase and is now a cast member, and many actors have signed talent development deals with CBS. I’ve always wanted to try LA, but being that I have worked hard to create a career for myself in NYC, I’ve held off moving until I had some sort of opportunity or greater purpose to moving. I’m excited for whatever this showcase holds for me and I’m even more excited to skip out on another rough winter in the Northeast.

After all… he is a Florida Gator! s To stay updated on Salazar’s career check out his website at: www.thegeorgesalazar.com

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COLUMN >> BRIAN “KRASH” KRUGER

Gate Crashing On Deck: Tropix

DATE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 VENUE: BO DIDDLEY COMMUNITY PLAZA reetings, live music aficionados! This installment finds us at a well-established live local music venue, yet one, which somewhat incredibly has not been the subject of any of my prior columns. The Bo Diddley Community Plaza started life back in the 1990s without an official name, often simply being referred to as the “downtown plaza.” And downtown it is, virtually in the center of the entertainment district, a block east of the intersection of Main Street and University Avenue.

The plaza is, of course, named for Alachua County’s late rock icon (in fact he is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall Fame) Bo Diddley. Ellas Otha Bates was born in late 1928 in rural McComb, southern Mississippi. His family later moved to the Chicago area, where he became a part of its 1950’s rhythm and blues scene, and later adopted the stage name by

G

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which he became famous.

In his later years, he established a compound near Archer where he lived for the last 13 or so years of his life, which ended in 2008. Bo occasionally still played local benefit concerts in the area during his Archer years, often with musically talented members of his extended family and other local musicians (including, on one personally memorable occasion, your humble author). The Plaza was named after him in 2009.

The Plaza is directly adjacent to the county courthouse, on the same block as the City downtown bus stop, and, on the southwest corner of the block, The Lunchbox restaurant. The Lunchbox has a large back patio with a great view of the Plaza stage, so if you prefer your music with a cold alcoholic beverage in your hand (remember, the “open container” law applies to the downtown area, except for rare special events), that would be the place to be.

And the place to be that patio was, on this warm Friday evening. In fact, not only was that patio packed

with people, but the entire plaza found hundreds of dancers and music fans inhabiting its space. The reason for this congregation was the latest performance in the Free Fridays music series. Sponsored by the Downtown Gainesville Hampton Inn (whose north side overlooks the Plaza), the Free Fridays music series goes back to the ‘90s (I know, since I played a show there c.

2000), albeit under different names. It is put on by the City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs, and runs from May through the end of October. As the name makes clear, the series provides totally free entertainment every Friday night (the Plaza stage, which originally was open to the weather, long ago had a large arched roof installed, so that the stage may be used rain or shine).

The series provides “family friendly” music weekly in a broad range of genres and styles from local musos.

This week the music was provided by the Latin music band Tropix. The scheduling of Tropix for this weekend was particularly propitious, as the following day the downtown was hosting a Latin street festival, part of an ongoing month-long Latino Film Festival.

Speaking of “family,” the oft-cited importance of familia in Latin culture is immediately reflected in the roster of band members on Tropix’s facebook page: Gilberto dePaz, Bruni dePaz, Laura dePaz Cabrera, Waldemar Cabrera, and Jose “Joe” Rivera Cepeda. While I am necessarily guessing, it appears that Gilberto and Bruni are the parents of Laura, who in turn is married to Waldemar. So, four of the five listed members of Tropix, who originally hail from Puerto Rico, are related by blood or marriage.

The mother-daughter female members sing, along with Waldemar, with that trio being out along the front.

Gilberto plays keyboards and sings. You may know him from his being the host of local National Public Radio show that focuses on Latin music, “Viernes Social” (“Friday Social,” with the latter word being more loosely translated along the lines of a dance party). Joe plays both horn (trumpet) and congas (though obviously not simultaneously!).

For this performance, an additional two male members were onstage rounding out the rhythm section, bringing the full complement to 7. One played maracas, and cajon, which as its name indicates, is literally a wooden box that is played like drum, most often while seated upon it. The final member played timbales with a standup kit, which also included a bass drum and a tom.

Tropix’s material is listed by them as including Merengue, Salsa, Cumbia, Bachata, Bolero, Cha-cha, and some American classics. The later included the Beatles’ “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” and the Richie Valens classic “La Bamba.” Additionally the set included some reggaeton. The crowd was dancing enthusiastically the whole time, with a total stranger approaching some friends of ours for instructions!

Now, go see some bands. s

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Taste of the Town

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

60 North Main 60 North Main St. High Springs, FL 32643 Mon: 5p-10p, Tues/Wed: closed, Thurs: 5p-10p, Fri/Sat: 5p-10p, Sunday: Brunch 12-3p • Dinner 5p-10p

352-278-4680

60northmain.com

CASUAL — Offering the freshest fare including: hand cut meat & fish, great appetizers, and Sushi, 60 North Main is the new eatery in downtown High Springs with a casual dining experience. Now serving lunch Wednesday through Monday featuring hot plate specials.

Our staff, led by head chef Gordy Hebler, will produce a special evening for you and your guests. Whether you join us to try the world cuisine, enjoy the abundance of wine, or local craft beers, we are dedicated to making your evening memorable.

Visit us for happy hour 3p-7p Wednesday through Monday Ladies Night on Wednesdays 6p-11p featuring draft beer & mixed drink specials. Monday Night House Band Jam at the Beer Garden.

Napolatanos 606 NW 75th Street Gainesville, FL Monday - Thursday & Sunday 4:00pm-10:00pm Friday 4:00pm-2:00am • Saturday 4:00pm-11:00pm

352-332-6671

www.napolatanos.com

ITALIAN — Napolatanos is the longest original owner operated restaurant in Gainesville. Nappys, the name the locals have given Napolatanos has the most extensive menu. Whether you choose pizza, calzones, salad, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, seafood, steak dinners or the best chicken wings in town, Nappy’s uses only the freshest ingredients. Visit on Tuesday for half price appetizers.

Burgers & Brew Night on Wednesday and live music inside. Thursday is Pub night with Better than England’s Fish & Chips $7. Outside dining with live music, on the patio, on Sunday evenings. GRAB & GO family dinners feeds 4-6 adults, starting at $25.95. Choose from Ziti, Lasagna, Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Marsala and more!

Mark’s Prime Steakhouse & Seafood 201 SE 2nd Avenue, Gainesville, FL (Historic Downtown) Monday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm • Tues-Sat: 5:00pm to 10:00pm Happy Hour: 5:00pm - 7:00pm

352-336-0077

marksprimesteakhouse.com

STEAK & SEAFOOD — Mark’s Prime Steakhouse and Seafood has a goal to create a unique dining experience that will please the palate and soothe the soul. We serve the finest beef, the freshest seafood, and naturally fresh vegetables. Recipient of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence 2004-2011. Join us for Primetime Happy Hour featuring drink and appetizer specials Monday thru Saturday 5-7 pm. We are pleased to feature our full service, private dining facilities. It would be our pleasure to help plan your next reception, banquet, business meeting, or social gathering. Complimentary valet service.

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Flying Biscuit Café 4150 NW 16th Blvd., Gainesville, FL 32605 Located in the Fresh Market Center Mon - Fri: 7am - 3pm • Sat - Sun: 7am - 4pm

352-373-9500

www.flyingbiscuit.com

BREAKFAST — The Flying Biscuit is out to reinvent breakfast in Gainesville! Maybe you’ve tried their soon-to-be-famous creamy, dreamy grits or their “moon dusted” breakfast potatoes, but did you know you can have them at anytime? With a unique open menu, all the items that appear are available throughout the day. With a variety of healthy and hearty dishes, The Flying Biscuit caters to a variety of tastes. With options ranging from the Smoked Salmon Scramble, the Bacon Cheddar Chicken Sandwich or the Tofu and Tater Salad, there’s something for everyone. Call us up to an hour before your expected arrival time to add your name to our call ahead seating list.

Brown’s Country Buffet 14423 NW US Hwy 441, Alachua, FL 32616 Monday-Friday: 7am - 8pm Saturday: 7am - 2pm Sunday: 8am - 3pm

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.

We offer AYCE fried shrimp on Friday nights from 4-8 along with whole catfish & ribs. 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. 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.

Northwest Grille 5115 Northwest 39th Ave., Gainesville 32606 Open 7 Days: 11am to 10pm (Friday open until 11pm) Saturday & Sunday: Serving brunch 10am to 3pm

352-376-0500

www.northwestgrillegainesville.com

SEAFOOD — Locally owned and operated, Northwest Grille has been providing the finest quality fish and seafood entrees in a friendly atmosphere since 1996. Whether it’s their fresh, local seafood & fish, or handcrafted sauces and specialty desserts, Northwest Grille has something to please your palate. Meat lovers will enjoy the hand-cut steaks & vegetarians will love the wide range of vegetarian options.

Serving lunch and dinner daily, Northwest Grille, offers an extensive brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays with a Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar from 10-3pm. Northwest Grille also Features a liquor bar with specialty cocktails. Happy hour is served daily from 3pm7pm & all day on Wednesday – offering craft beer, wine & $5 martinis.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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Taste of the Town

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

SweetBerries 505 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, Florida 32601 Sun - Thurs: 11am to 10pm • Fri - Sat: 11am to 11pm

352-378-4972

www.sweetberries.com

Sandwiches and Frozen Custard Ice Cream — Sandwiches, salads, wraps, soups, hot dogs, and the only hand scooped frozen custard in the area. Enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner in our comfortable dining room or out on our colorful patio. Paintings by local artists, music, and lively conversation create a vibrant atmosphere. Large selection of craft beers and wine to sip while you munch on one of our toasty sandwiches or famous chicken salad on a croissant. Our broccoli salad is a local favorite. Choose from three flavors of frozen custard (vanilla, chocolate, flavor of the day) to create a sundae, a concrete, or a cone. You haven’t had ice cream until you’ve had frozen custard!

Dave’s New York Deli 12921 SW 1st Road • Tioga Town Center Open 7 Days

352-333-0291

www.DavesNYDeli.com

AUTHENTIC NY DELI — The Reviews are in and here’s what customers are saying about Dave’s NY Deli Tioga Town Center!

“Best Reuben, Best Pastrami, Best Philly, and Best Wings” Dave’s continues to be the place to go for authentic NY Deli food and Philly Cheesesteaks. Owner Dave Anders says “Nothing beats quality ingredients combined with a friendly staff. Dave serves New York size Pastrami and Corned Beef sandwiches, Cheesecake from New York, Nathan’s Hot Dogs, NY Kettle Boiled Bagels, Nova Salmon, Knish, Cannolies, Philly Cheesesteaks, Wings, Cubans, Subs, Kids Menu and more.”

Come out and enjoy Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Dave’s NY Deli. Now serving beer and wine.

Copper Monkey West 14209 W Newberry Road, Jonesville, FL 32669 Across from the Steeplechase Publix Sunday-Thursday 11am - 11pm • Friday-Saturday 11am - 12am

352-363-6338

mycoppermonkey.com

Restaurant & Pub — Located in the heart of Jonesville, this All-American dining is convenient to all neighborhoods in Gainesville, Alachua, Newberry, High Springs and beyond. Our family-friendly dining features great food at a great price. Whether you come in for the “best burger in town” or try any one of our freshly made salads, pastas or sandwiches, you will not leave disappointed. Our USDA choice steaks, served with 2 sides, offer a great alternative for the perfect celebratory meal. We also feature a full-service bar with signature drinks and many options for your viewing pleasure. Great food, great price, we’ll see you soon.

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Embers Wood Grill 3545 SW 34th St Gainesville, FL 32608 Monday - Thursday 5:00pm - 10:00pm Friday - Saturday 5:00pm - 11:00pm

352-380-0901

www.embersofflorida.com

CUISINE — At Embers Wood Grill, enjoy an elegant atmosphere while dining at Gainesvilles only USDA prime steakhouse and seafood grill. Our real wood grill uses a unique combination of pecan, hickory and cherry woods to create the right amount of heat, aroma and flavor in our culinary creations. The Chef’s Table exemplifies our approach to fine dining, offering a personalized menu and detail oriented service. Our experienced staff is uniquely qualified and trained to create a memorable evening out. Embers features a plethora of fine appetizers and desserts as well as a full wine and liquor bar.

Adam’s Rib Co. 211 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, Florida 32609 1515 SW 13th Street Gainesville, Florida 32608 Monday - Saturday: 7am to 9pm Sunday: 9am to 9pm

352-373-8882NW 352-727-4005SW AdamsRibCo.com BARBECUE — Looking for the best BBQ in Gainesville? Then look no further than Adam’s Rib Company. Adam’s Rib is North Florida’s Premier Barbecue restaurant, serving North Florida’s finest beef brisket, pulled pork, bbq spare ribs and slow smoked chicken and turkey. Choose from over 20 sauces – from honey sweet to habanero hot – and everything in between. Don’t forget dessert, like their scrumptious “Banana Pudding” and their famous Peach Cobbler. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Adam’s can cater any event locally. Give Adam a call for your next tailgate party 352-514-8692!

Gator Tales Sports Bar 5112 NW 34th Blvd (across from the YMCA) Open daily at 11:00 am

(352)-376-9500 BAR & GRILL — GATOR TALES Sports Bar features 3 large separate entertainment areas! You can relax at our Tiki bar in a large covered outdoor patio enjoying 3 large screen TV’s. If you prefer to be inside, visit the sports bar, where you can find large TV’s. We also have a separate pool hall. We offer happy hours and food specials every day.

Dine in on Wednesdays for 50 cent wings. Gator Tales has a variety of domestic and import beers including a local favorite Swamphead Stompknocker. Our menu includes appetizers, black angus burgers, gator tail, salads and more. Check our Facebook page for trivia, karaoke, band schedules and other events.

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Taste of the Town

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

The Red Onion 39th Ave & 24th Blvd, Gainesville (Uptown Village Apartments) Monday – Thursday: 11am-10pm Fri & Sat: 11am-11pm Sunday: Noon to 9pm

352-505-0088

www.TheRedOnionGainesville.com

NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL — Featuring Harris Ranch All Natural Prime Steaks, All Natural Chicken (no antibiotics, no steroids) and local produce. Specials every night of the week. We have Burger & Brew Monday, order any 1/2lb. Burger and get a FREE draft pint. Or, Checkout Taco & Tequila Tuesday with $5 Beef or Chicken Tacos and $4 Margaritas and more. Great wine specials on Wines-Day Wednesdays, Prime Rib & Mojito Madness on Thursdays and Sunday Brunch specials!

Come listen to the area’s best Jazz and Blues bands every Saturday for “Music & Martinis” with $5 Martinis all night! Private Dining Room available for rental, perfect for your next rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party, corporate luncheon, etc.

Saboré 13005 SW 1st Road, Tioga, FL 32669 (Tioga Town Center) Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: 11am – 10pm Fri. & Sat.: 11am – 11pm • Open Mondays for special events only

352-332-2727

www.saborerestaurant.com

FUSION — Saboré [sa-bohr-ay] is a modern world-fusion restaurant featuring a variety of dishes inspired by dynamic cuisine from places like Europe, Asia, and South America. Their recipe is simple: authentic global flavors, quality ingredients, expert craftsmanship, and exceptional service. Saboré offers customers a unique dining experience, shareable plates, delicious dishes, signature cocktails and desserts that will keep you coming back for more. So let us surprise your palate with our global flair and exotic ingredients. Experiencing world cuisine this fresh usually requires a passport.

Newberry’s Backyard BBQ 25405 W Newberry Rd, Newberry Monday-Wednesday 11am-9pm • Thursday 11am-9pm Friday and Saturday 11am-11pm • Sunday 10:30am-3pm

352.472.7260

newberrybbq.com

BBQ — The one and only Newberry’s Backyard BBQ is located in our historic building in beautiful downtown Newberry. Our pork, chicken, beef, and turkey is smoked to perfection daily. Our salads and sides are always fresh. If you are thirsty we have the best sweet tea in the South and a full bar as well. Make sure to bring your kids, we serve their meals on a frisbee that they take home. For your entertainment, we always have live music on Friday nights and Karaoke on Saturday evenings. Let us cater your Holiday Event! Big or small we cater all gatherings.

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New Deal Café 3443 West University Avenue (Westgate Shopping Ctr.) Monday – Thursday 11:00am-9:00pm Fri and Saturday 11:00pm-10:00pm Closed on Sunday

352-371-4418

www.newdealcafegainesville.com

BISTRO – New Deal Café, located next door to Mildred’s, has been dedicated to creating a casual dining experience and serving fresh and local food since 2003. Known for Gainesville’s only dry-aged, local beef hamburgers, New Deal Café is now featuring thin, crispy Roman-style pizzas with big, unique flavors. Draft beer is also available along with carefully selected wines. Entree items range in price from $7 to $14 and happy hour is available throughout the week from 4-7 pm. Seating is available inside or out on the patio.

Some say, “There’s nothing better than a well-paired burger and draft beer.”

Mildred’s Big City Food 3445 W. University Avenue (Westgate shopping ctr.)

Monday – Friday 11-3 (lunch) • Monday – Thurs 5-9 (dinner) Friday and Saturday 5-10 • Sunday Brunch 11-3 Dinner 3-8

352-371-1711

www.mildredsbigcityfood.com

EUROPEAN CUISINE – Established in the summer of 1999, Mildred’s is known as Gainesville’s best restaurant. Working with local farmers, chefs at Mildred’s cook with fresh Florida seafood and serve choice cuts of meat cooked to perfection. The chefs at Mildred’s create constantly changing menus that bring European cuisine and innovative cooking techniques to North Central Florida. French and Italian inspired dishes are presented by a knowledgeable and gracious staff. Come for a casual lunch or enjoy more refined cuisine for dinner. Savor your favorite cocktail at the bar or simply come in for coffee and dessert. Experience the food and atmosphere that garners Mildred’s the Golden Spoon Award.

Blue Gill Quality Foods 1310 SW 13th Street • Gainesville, Florida Mon - Thurs 11:00am-10:00pm, Friday 11:00am-11:00pm Sat 12:00pm-11:00pm, Sun 11:00am-8:00pm (brunch until 2pm)

352-872-5181

www.bluegillqualityfoods.com

LOCAL - In 2011 Blue Gill Quality Foods opened its doors inviting friends and family to enjoy contemporary meals inspired by southern cuisine. In its first year Blue Gill was named one of Florida’s Best New Restaurants. It is now a very popular destination for fresh fish, charcuterie items, and one of the largest collections of Bourbon and Tequila in the area. The meticulously crafted wine list features an eclectic mix of wines from around the world. Blue Gill also has rotating craft beers on draft. For more formal occasions, ask about their private room “the Barn.” Parking is available in the garage above the restaurant.

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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

ARTWALK GAINESVILLE

CHRISTMAS TREE VILLAGE

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK

Last Friday 7:00pm - 10:00pm

Dec. 4 - 23 10:00am

Friday, Dec. 5 5:00pm

GAINESVILLE - 104 SE 1st Ave. Free monthly self-guided tour that combines visual art, live performance and events. Held the last Friday of each month with many local galleries, eateries and businesses participating, Artwalk is an exciting, fun way to experience the amazing wealth of creativity the Gainesville community has to offer.

EARLETON - Greathouse Butterfly Farm, 20329 NE State Road 26.

Visit the farm’s annual Christmas Tree Village for a magical holiday experience you family will love! Fun for all ages with bounce house, train rides, and visits with Santa. Purchase your 6-9 foot Fresh cut, premium Fraser Fir.

OCALA - Downtown Square, SE Watula Ave. Various artists will be setting up easels/stations and work on arts/crafts throughout the Central Business District with a performance on the Downtown Square. For details, please contact Melissa Townsend at 352-629-8447.

FESTIVAL OF TREES

TREE LIGHTING AND PARADE

TIOGA MONDAY MARKET

Thursday, Dec. 4 7:00pm

Saturday, Dec. 6 2:00pm – 8:00pm

JONESVILLE - Tioga Town Center, 105 SW 128 St. Festival of Trees is open to the public to view and bid on beautifully decorated Christmas trees. All proceeds benefit Children’s Miracle Network at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. During the VIP party on Thursday evening, guests will get first peek at the trees and have the option to ‘buy it now.’

For more information contact Sarah Franz at franzs@shands.ufl.edu.

Admission is $5.

JONESVILLE - Town of Tioga. Celebrate the holiday season with Santa, live music, a holiday parade and the Tioga Town Center tree lighting. Admission to this event is free, but limited. Pick up your free admission pass at the Tioga Town Center office between 9am and 6pm.

Mondays 4:00pm - 7:00pm JONESVILLE - Tioga Center, 13005 W. Newberry Rd. Market features a selection of vegetables, crafts, organic food, fruits and local specialties.

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

ACOUSTIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL Second Friday 6:00pm – 9:00pm ALACHUA - Downtown Alachua, Alan Hitchcock Park.

Live Music and art sponsored by Alachua’s Music Junction and The Garden Gallery.

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CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING & SANTA VISIT Friday, Dec. 5 6:00pm – 8:00pm ALACHUA - City of Alachua Municipal Complex, 15100 NW 142nd Terr. & Main Street. Santa and his helpers will be visiting and welcoming children for pictures. Free to all.

RUN ON THE PRAIRIE Saturday, Dec. 6 8:00am MICANOPY - 100 Savannah Blvd. Join Alachua County 4-H in its second annual 5k run.

The Little Run on the Prairie is a great way to enjoy the outdoor beauty of Paynes Prairie State Park while supporting youth in Alachua County.

Proceeds from the run will impact youth through 4-H Clubs, school enrichment programs, and summer camps. Awards, t-shirt,

door prizes, and park admission is all included in your registration fee.

Contact Matt Benge at the UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County Office at 352-955-2402 for registration form.

YOUTH CHORUS HOLIDAY CONCERT Saturday, Dec. 6 5:00pm GAINESVILLE - Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 100 NE 1st St. The Gainesville Youth Chorus, Inc. (GYC) presents its Annual Holiday Concert.

Celebrating 20 years of success, GYC will be presenting a musical program to delight the heart of every family member. The concert is free and open to the public.

THE DITCHFIELD FAMILY SINGERS Saturday, Dec. 6 7:00pm OCALA - Circle Square Cultural Center and Commons, 8405 SW 80th St. The Ditchfield Family Singers, one of America’s most versatile family ensembles acclaimed for their close harmony, warmth and wide variety of musical styles, presents a phenomenal selection of Christmas favorites.

Tickets range $8-11.

DUDLEY FARM CANE DAY Saturday, Dec. 6 9:00am – 3:00pm NEWBERRY - Dudley Farm Historic State Park. Celebrate the region’s pioneering

past by watching some of the areas rural life style. The Park Service commemorates Ms. Myrtle Dudley’s birthday by grinding sugar cane and boiling cane syrup. Farm tours, domestic crafts, children’s activities, music and vendors are featured on this living history day.

Demonstrators will be showcasing Florida’s traditions of yesteryear.

352-472-1142.

FAMILY BIRDING SERIES Saturday Dec 6 9:00am MICANOPY - Paynes Prairie. 100 Savannah Blvd. Family Birding for all ages. Enjoy birding fun on the 1st Saturday of every month November through April. Topic and meeting location varies for each session. Children are encouraged to attend but must be accompanied by an adult. Program is free, but Park Admission fees apply. Preregistration is required and space is limited.

Register and learn more about each session at

Holiday Tree Lighting Saturday, December 6

6:00pm

GAINESVILLE - The Historic Thomas Center, 302 NE 6th Ave. The City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs is hosting its annual Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration at the Historic Thomas Center. The free program will run from 6-8 p.m. and will feature caroling and holiday music. Santa will be present and refreshments will be served.

www.prairiefriends.org.

HOMESTEAD HOLIDAYS Sunday, Dec. 7 12:00pm GAINESVILLE - Historic Haile Homestead, 8500 SW Archer Rd. Stroll through the 1856 plantation home decked out in an array of traditional greenery and Victorian finery with a railroad theme. Docents in Victorian costume!

See the Homestead’s famous “Talking Walls.”

Enjoy live holiday music performed by young violin students! Sip some hot cider as you browse a selection of home-baked goodies, and special holiday ornaments.

Alachua Acoustic & Art Friday, December 12

6:00pm – 9:00pm

ALACHUA - Downtown Historic Alachua, NW 141 St. A lovely way to spend a Friday evening strolling along to acoustic music and watching artists at work. Have some dinner, maybe a cocktail, listen to some music, then perhaps a bit of dessert and stop to win a prize.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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The Nutcracker December 19-21

Times Vary

GAINESVILLE - UF Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd. Dance Alive National Ballet presents the all-time family favorite. NUTCRACKER returns with more beauty, more joy, and more thrills than ever before.

The classic tale has been a holiday tradition for over 49 years in Gainesville. Don’t miss this holiday treat! Tickets range $15-40.

HOGTOWN HEELERS CLOGGING Tuesday, Dec. 9 6:30pm GAINESVILLE - Westside Park Recreation Building, 1001 NW 34th St. Clogging for fun and exercise. Tuesdays, 6:30pm – 9:00pm.

All ages, skill levels.

Beginners welcome first session free, $5 afterwards.

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Second Wednesday, Dec. 12 11:00am - 1:00pm GAINESVILLE - Wesley United Methodist Church, NW 23rd Ave. Gainesville Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution meet on the second Wednesday of each month, October through May.

gainesvilleDAR@gmail.com.

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GOOD FORM RUNNING CLINIC Saturday, Dec. 13 9:00am GAINESVILLE - Lloyd Clarke Sports, 1504 NW 13th St. Good Form Running is about helping people make running a stress-free, more enjoyable, part of their lives. At this clinic, Good Form Running certified staff will work with you on your gait to keep you on the road, running longer, faster, and more comfortably than ever before. This clinic has a small class size to provide more personal interaction and before/ after analysis of your gait.

DUDLEY KIDS DAY Saturday, Dec. 13 10:00am – 2:00pm NEWBERRY - Dudley Farm Historic State Park. Mind Your

Manners. Come out to the farm on the second Saturday of the month for our Dudley Kids Day. Children and adults alike, ages 5 to 65, can join in the fun! There are hands on demonstrations, crafts, old-fashioned games and even some education. Learn about history, and a farming way of life.

CHRISTMAS PARADE Saturday, Dec. 13 2:00pm – 3:00pm ALACHUA - Downtown.

Bring the family to Main Street to enjoy Christmas activities and get in the Christmas spirit. Free to all.

CHRISTMAS PARADE Saturday, Dec. 13 6:00pm HIGH SPRINGS Downtown. Twilight Christmas Parade.

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION Sunday, Dec. 14 4:00pm GAINESVILLE - Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd. Presented by Stop Children’s Cancer.

Performing groups will be PK Yonge Vocal Ensemble, Eastside High School Chamber Singers, Santa Fe High School Concert Choir, The Gainesville Youth Chorus and Concertina Choir, and The Alachua County Youth Orchestra. Event will feature a very special soloist, Hyla Marlin, a singer, supporter and survivor. General Admission: $12; Children 12 and under: $6.

HOLIDAY CELEBRATION December 13th 10:00am to 5:00pm MICANOPY - Follow signs to: 508 SE Tuscawilla

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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Road. Looking for one of a kind gifts to give this holiday season? Come on out to Tuscawilla Pottery where artist Ana Varela hosts her 18th Annual Holiday Celebration.

Unique pottery, fine crafts, music jam and frivolities ensue. For more information email:

anavarela31@earthlink.net.

WINTER HOLIDAY CONCERT Tuesday, Dec. 16 7:00pm - 8:00pm JONESVILLE - Town of Tioga. Free annual Winter Holiday Concert featuring the Chorus ensembles of two local elementary schools: Meadowbrook & Kimball Wiles Elementary.

MOMMY & ME Wednesday, Dec. 17 5:00pm

Chocolate & Champagne and Dancing with Stars Saturday, Dec. 20 8:00pm GAINESVILLE - UF Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd. Dance Alive National Ballet presents the event of the season. Dine and dance in high holiday spirits, and have fun voting for your favorite Gainesville celebrity dancer at the spectacular ‘Dancing With the Stars’ competition. Purchase your Holiday gifts at the unique silent auction. TV 20’s Dave Snyder hosts the event, catered by Sweetwater Branch Inn, and featuring Gainesville’s favorite band, Gosia and Ali. Tickets start at $150; $750 for a table of 8.

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GAINESVILLE - UF Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd. Dance Alive National Ballet presents one of the most special experiences a child can have — being onstage with the dancers right in the middle of a Nutcracker rehearsal. Feel the rush of emotions - the excitement, the joy and the happiness of this very unique moment.

Good for children who need to wiggle, find it hard to focus or just need that special added attention.

Tickets are $50.

GAWN Wednesday, Dec. 17 11:30am – 1:00pm GAINESVILLE Sweetwater Branch Inn, 625 E University Ave. The Gainesville Area Women’s Network luncheon — third Wednesday each month. Attend for great networking and a hot lunch. Register: GAWN.org.

GAINESVILLE NETWORKING CHALLENGE Wednesday, Dec. 17 5:30pm – 7:00pm JONESVILLE - Sabore Restaurant, 13005 SW 1st Rd. Come network with business professionals in a casual setting on the third Wednesday of each month. Invite your friends! Enjoy complimentary delicious hors d’oeuvres.

SUGAR PLUM TEA Dec. 20 – 21 4:00pm GAINESVILLE - Phillips Center, Fackler Foyer East. Dance Alive National Ballet Presents Sugar Plum Tea. Join the Sugar Plum Fairy and her court in a very special experience following the performance of ‘The Nutcracker’. The perfect ending to the perfect day. Meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Court; touch a snowflake, tease a mouse. Enjoy a tea that only a Sugar Plum Fairy could present. Have your holiday photos taken by Johnston Photography at a special “Sugar Plum Tea” rate. General Admission $15.

HIGH SPRINGS MUSIC IN THE PARK SERIES Sunday, Dec. 21 2:00pm HIGH SPRINGS - James Paul Park, 200 N. Main St. Music in the Park Series happens every third Sunday of the month from 2pm-4pm at James Paul Park located behind City Hall. Featuring local musicians/talent! BYO blankets, lawn chairs and refreshments.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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Enjoy our beautiful downtown area with your family and friends and “Enjoy Our Good Nature.”

SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS Tuesday, Dec. 30 7:30pm GAINESVILE - UF Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd. Shen Yun takes you on an extraordinary journey to the lost land of the ancient Middle Kingdom.

Discover classical Chinese dance, one of the most rigorous and athletic, yet exquisitely beautiful art forms in the world. Feel the joy as ethnic and folk dances fill the stage with color and energy.

Experience the new sound of an orchestra that combines East and West like no other.

Tickets range $54-154.

NEW YEAR’S EVE Dec. 31 9:00pm - 12:30am GAINESVILLE - Bo Diddley Community Plaza. “Downtown Countdown” New Year’s Eve Celebration.

Come ring in the near year beginning with a free concert at 9:30pm, hosted by the City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs.

FIRST DAY HIKE Wednesday, January 1 9:00am – 11:30am FORT WHITE Ichetucknee Springs State Park, 8294 Elim Church Rd. Ring in the New Year with a refreshing journey of renewal: an invigorating winter hike along the Ichetucknee River.

Hike begins at the Ichetucknee Head Spring and follows its

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course adjacent the Trestle Point Trail. This two-mile hike promises a wonderful variety of wildlife through a cross-section of the park’s major plant communities. Sturdy hiking shoes and winter-appropriate clothing are highly recommended for this moderately easy hike in a nature trail setting.

Pets are allowed on the trails on six-foot, handheld leashes only. This ranger-led hike is open for all ages. Entrance fee is $6 per vehicle.

GAINESVILLE HARMONY SHOW CHORUS Thursday, January 1 7:00pm – 9:30pm GAINESVILLE - Grace Presbyterian Church, 3146 NW 13th St. Interested in learning and singing Women’s A Cappella Barbershop Harmony Music?

Gainesville Harmony Show Chorus, of Sweet Adelines International, holds rehearsals Thursdays. For more information, call Beckie: 352-318-1281.

CAMELLIA SHOW January 3-4 Times Vary GAINESVILLE - Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, 4700 SW 58th Dr. This two-day event features prize-winning camellias of all sizes, shapes, and colors.

There will be judged exhibits of japonicas, reticulatas, hybrids and species. In addition to their outstanding winter beauty, some of the varieties are fragrant. This show is geared toward educating the public about the care, culture and appreciation of camellias, both in the

greenhouse and in the landscape. Regular admission price for non-members; members are admitted free of charge.

Gainesville Camellia Society website: www.

americancamellias.org.

DUDLEY KIDS DAY Saturday, January 10 10:00am – 2:00pm NEWBERRY - Dudley Farm Historic State Park. That’s Wool.

Children can participate in educational demonstrations and crafts. Come out to the farm on the second Saturday of the month for our Dudley Kids Day. Children and adults alike, ages 5 to 65, can join in the fun. There are hands on demonstrations, crafts, old-fashioned games and even some education. Learn about history, and a farming way of life.

WINTER SUNRISE CANOE TOUR Friday, January 10 6:30am – 9:30am FORT WHITE Ichetucknee Springs State Park, 8294 Elim Church Rd. The Ichetucknee River is wonderful in the winter. The trees along the banks and in the floodplain are still showing off their fall colors, and the ducks are settling in for the season. Experience the magic as the mist rises off the warm spring waters. The tour will meet at the North Entrance, off Elim Church Road (County Road 238). Launch time will be as close to 7:00 a.m. as possible (sunrise is at 7:28 a.m.) $15 per person.

SYMPHONIC ELLINGTON January 16 TBA GAINESVILLE - Santa Fe Fine Arts Hall, 3000 NW 83rd Street.

Featuring a celebration of Duke Ellington and more. Tickets are $25 for students, $35 for general admission.

PLOW DAYS February 6 – 7 10:00am – 2:00pm NEWBERRY - Dudley Farm Historic State Park. Traditional demonstrations of draft horses cultivating the Dudley Farm crop fields in preparation for spring planting. A fun and educational experience for the entire family with old time music, demonstrations and more. Admission: $5 per vehicle up to 8 occupants.

352-472-1142. www.

friendsofdudleyfarm.org.

WRITERS ALLIANCE OF GAINESVILLE Sunday, February 8 2:30pm GAINESVILLE - Millhopper Branch Library, 3145 NW 43rd St. Life, The Universe and Everything in 500 Words or Less. Ron Cunningham will speak on the virtues of brevity. Open to all who are interested in the written word.

Cunningham is Executive Director of Bike Florida, a nonprofit organization formed to promote bicycle tourism as well as bike safety and education. After retiring from almost 30 years as editorial page editor of the Gainesville Sun, he now writes a Sunday column and is theater critic for the Sun.

www.ďŹ&#x201A;ygainesville.com

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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Hoggetowne Medieval Faire Starts January 24th GAINESVILLE - Alachua County Fair, 3100 NE 39th Ave. Medieval Faire Step back in time as the Middle Ages come to life. The Hoggetowne Medieval Faire will feature 160 artisans, 8 stages of performances, jousting on horseback, human chess game, birds of prey, human powered push rides, old world games, and food fit for a king. Tickets are $7 for ages 17 and under, $15 for 18 and up.

CHICAGO Sunday, February 8 7:30pm GAINESVILLE - UF Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd. A true New York City institution, CHICAGO has everything that makes Broadway great: a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one showstopping-song after another; and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen.

Tickets range $20-65.

DUDLEY KIDS DAY Saturday, February 14 10:00am – 2:00pm NEWBERRY - Dudley Farm Historic State Park. Chickens Galore!

Children can participate in educational demonstrations and crafts. Come out to the farm on the second Saturday of the month for our Dudley Kids Day. Children and adults alike, ages 5 to 65, can join in the fun! There are hands on demonstrations,

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crafts, old-fashioned games and even some education. Learn about history, and a farming way of life.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Saturday, February 14 7:30pm GAINESVILLE - UF Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd. Dance Alive National Ballet brings you A Midsummer Night’s Dream. On a dreamy midsummer night’s eve, the worlds of faeries, humans, dukes and donkeys all collide under the magic spell of cupid’s arrow. We see how true love never runs smooth, as the mischievous puck proclaims, ‘Lord what fools these mortals be!” A bright and beautiful ballet in the classical style created

by Kim Tuttle, set to Shakespeare’s immortal ‘A Midsummer Night’s Eve‘ proves that falling in love is the ultimate gift. Tickets range $15-40.

GUEST CARILLON RECITAL Sunday, February 22 4:00pm GAINESVILLE - UF Campus. Andrée-Anne Doane, carillonneur of St. Joseph’s Oratory, Montréal, will perform on the 61-bell carillon housed in Century Tower. Bring a blanket and lawn chair. Programs will be available on the south side of the tower.

JERSEY BOYS February 24-28 5:30pm GAINESVILLE - UF Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd. “Too Good To Be True!” raves the New York Post for JERSEY BOYS, the Tony, Grammy and Olivier Award-winning Best Musical about Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi.

This is the true story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history.

They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide — all before they were 30! Tickets range $20-75.

A LAND REMEMBERED Sunday, March 1 2:30pm GAINESVILLE - Millhopper Branch Library, 3145 NW 43rd St. Writers Alliance of Gainesville is sponsoring Rick Smith’s well-known multimedia presentation, A Land Remembered, about his father, Patrick D. Smith, and his life as a writer. It is a visual storytelling with videos, photos, music, etc. and it is a rather informative, lively presentation for students from middle school to senior adults.

Rick will begin with his father’s first novel, The River is Home, and follow his progressive success. This will be free for WAG members and a small fee of $10 for non-members. (Seating capacity 300 people). s

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ADVERTISEMENT

‘It’s A Wonderf

I

ul Life”

t’s a Wonderful Life is just an old Frank Capra classic to most people, but to the people of SunState Federal Credit Union, it’s more than just a movie. For these volunteers and employees, the Bailey Building and Loan represents a way of doing business that SunState works hard to emulate every single day.

Robert Hart, SunState’s Vice President of Marketing likes to think that it’s not just how they serve their members or the products and services they provide, but it’s more about where their heart is that really sets them apart.

“When people ask me about the credit union, I always talk about George Bailey in the scene from It’s a Wonderful Life where he says your money is under your neighbor’s roof and his money is in the walls of a neighbor’s house and so on,” explains Hart. “It’s a simple way to explain how a cooperative like a credit union works. When George sums it up for the crowd with, ‘We don’t need the Mr. Potters of the world, we 126 | Winter 2014

h have each other,’ it really hits h home. That’s what SunState is aall about. Our credit union is about thousands of neighbors pooling their resources to help each other without having a Mr. Potter step in and take a cut off the top.

Our members know that, as an institution, we care and they know that our employees as individuals care. If George Bailey really existed and he lived in Gainesville, I think he emplo would consider our employees to have very rich lives, even if they don’t live in the biggest houses in town.”

George Bailey gave his life and career to the Building and Loan. If you ask employment experts today, they will tell you how rare it is these days for employees to stay with one company for very long. It’s different at SunState, where many employees and volunteers have given more than 20, 30, even 40 years of service to the community through their work at the credit union. Of them all, one name stands out, that of the late Marvis B. Roberts, Sr. As the story goes, in 1957, during a visit to Washington, DC, Roberts needed to cash a check and was directed to a credit union. He was impressed with the cooperative-style atmosphere and knewthat it was this innovative idea of people helping people -- rather than souvenirs -- that he would bring home. Upon his return from Washington, Roberts organized fellow employees to start Florida USDA Federal Credit Union.

With an initial investment of $5 from each of the original 10 charter members, the credit union was up and

running, serving local employees of the USDA. Roberts understood the importance of providing a venue for people to pool their money in order to make loans to each other at the best possible rates. He knew that not only would a group operating cooperatively treat its members better, but also as a non-profit organization they could offer better rates than an outside company or bank that needed to pay out profits to stockholders.

Over the years, the credit union expanded its member base from only Florida USDA employees to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist or Levy counties. So, in 1993, Florida USDA Federal Credit Union changed its name to SunState Federal Credit Union. Today, SunState has grown from a modest organization operating out of a desk drawer to one that serves members from nine locations as well as a robust online presence. Marvis Roberts passed away in 1999, but his legacy has resulted in an organization that started with initial assets of $50 that have grown to almost $300 million, proving when people work together to help themselves, great things can happen.

One might think that the cost of such growth would be a loss in personal service, but that’s not so. SunState has one of the highest employee-to-member ratios

of any credit union in the country, because they are totally committed to customer service. Hart goes back to It’s a Wonderful Life and points out that Jimmy Stewart’s character, George Bailey, embodies the way SunState strives to operate because, “Who would you rather do business with, someone like Jimmy Stewart’s character George Bailey who cares about you, or the greedy Mr. Potter who cares only about your money and is always looking for a foreclosure?”

While the hearts of staff and management lean more to the ways of the old-fashioned Bailey Building and Loan, the financial services provided by SunState are advanced even for the 21st century, because making life easier for their members is the goal of SunState -and easier means better.

“We provide so much for our members and want more people to know that they can take advantage of what we have to offer too,” Robert Hart explains. “We want our members to consider SunState not just as a credit union, but as their one trusted financial partner.”

Like George Bailey and his father in It’s a Wonderful Life, Marvis B. Roberts Sr., the founder of SunState, his desire to serve people and better the community lives on in everyone at SunState Federal Credit Union.

It’s not about money, it’s about people. It’s not about profit, it’s about service.

Serving residents in the Greater Gainesville area for more than 55 years

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VISIT SUNSTATE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION AT ANY ONE OF THEIR CONVENIENT LOCATIONS TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM BECOMING A MEMBER. MEMBERSHIP RULES APPLY. www.VisitOurTowns.com Winter 2014

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>> BETTER LIVING

Love, Health

&H

Recipes for Life WRITTEN BY MARISA ROSS is the season! …For ample amounts of stress and gorging on sweets, that is.

Although the months of December, January and February are supposed to be the jolliest time of the year, they’re often filled with work strain, tasty temptations and pressure to have that special someone to spend them with. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the annual symptoms that come along with plates full of Santa’s cookies and calls from your nagging mother asking why you’re still not married, read on to learn how to beat the holiday blues and give the gift of happiness to yourself this season.

T

Health / Resolutions Like a broken record, you’re probably guilty of thinking some of these statements around the holidays: This is the year you’re finally going to stick to that diet. This is the year you’re going to get a promotion. This is the year you’re going do more charity.

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Setting personal goals for a healthier life is an excellent gesture, but making your expectations too high only sets you up for failure, said Tamara Melton, a registered dietician, nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. It’s easy to fall into the holidays trap because “people are stressed and busy, and with a lot of sugar at this time of year, putting the two factors together makes people indulge more than they need to,” she said, especially when they’re bundled up in scarves rather than bikinis. In order to succeed in making positive lifestyle changes, you have to make your goals more realistic. The key is to take small steps before jumping those big hurdles.

Let’s take a look at five of the most common New Years resolutions and some tips on how to make them a reality this year.

Lose weight and eat healthier food: You just wanted one extra mojito at this year’s office holiday party, but it somehow turned into three. You were going to avoid chocolates altogether, but then

1

Happiness your Great Aunt Betty sent that care package with irresistible Ferrero Rocher chocolates inside, and you just had to have one…or two…or nine.

Giving in to food can be a domino effect, and it’s especially hard to resist when that pumpkin spice doughnut and peppermint Frappuccino only make an appearance once per year, but planning ahead and holding yourself accountable is the best way to curb those calories and have self control. You may not be able to change a number on a scale right away, but you can aim to go to bed 20 minutes earlier at least three times a week to make e time to take a morning walk.

If you know ow you’re going g out drinking, plan to eat less caloric meals throughout le the day and week, or perhaps request diet soda instead of regular on your order of rum and coke. Gainesville registered dietician Mary Bohannon

Get Back On!

recommends using database-style calorie tracking apps like MyFitnessPal, LoseIt and SparkPeople to stay on track. These are great resources, she said, but also be aware that sometimes logging exercise that gives calories back to your daily allowance doesn’t always compensate if you’re trying to lose weight.

Exercise more and get fit: If you run out of breath after a four-minute steady state session on the treadmill, you’re not going to be able train for that marathon next month. Sorry, but it’s just not going to happen. While it’s a great goal to have, you’re better off training for that 5K run. Try that first, and maybe someday you’ll eventually work your way up to the coveted 26-mile feat.

And with all of the fun 5K walks/runs in the Gainesville and the surrounding area, there are plenty of opportunities. Whether for good causes, like October’s N.E.R.D. (Novel Education Reward Day) 5K, an excuse to get messy, like September’s Color Run, or just for outrageous fun, like the Great Underwear Dash or

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www.VisitOurTowns.com

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PHOTOS BY MARISA ROSS

Beer Run at Tioga Town Center, there’s always a reason to put on your tennis shoes. For more information on upcoming races and info on how to get involved, visit www.floridatrackclub.org/race-calendar. Alert, alert! An Ugly Sweater 5K in Dunnellon is fast approaching!

Quit smoking: You might have tried nicotine patches, gum or possibly even hypnosis audio CDs, but nothing seems to work — this habit is a tough one to kick.

The average smoker attempts to quit about 10 times before quitting for good, according to Tobacco Free Florida. That’s not meant to discourage you, but just know it’s not easy, and now you have even more motivation to beat the statistic. If you quit cold turkey,

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the urge will probably be too strong to resist, but by reducing the amount you smoke per day and pulling yourself out of situations that tempt you, you could notice a big difference. If you smoke one pack per day, commit to cutting that down to half a pack for at least two weeks, then go from there. Keep yourself busy at the gym or pick up a new hobby and to invest your time; try to keep your mouth occupied with healthy snacks, toothpicks and mints or gum whenever you get a craving; and clean your clothes and linens to rid them of any smoke-lingering smell.

Butt Out!

If you have an old friend that knows so-and-so at your dream job, ask him or her to meet up for coffee one day.

Get a better job/get a promotion: If you’re frustrated with the day-to-day humdrum of your job, you might be in need of a new one. But before you quit, drop everything and buy a one-way ticket to Chicago to start anew, do some prior planning so you won’t be left without a plan or penny to your name. Above all, stay positive and enthusiastic. When you talk to your boss about your progress at work, you need to show that you don’t want better pay, but that you deserve it.

If you are an asset to your company and you believe it, others will start to pick up on all your hard work too.

If you’re dissatisfied with your current situation and dread the idea of spending the rest of your life at your dead-end job, wait until you’ve reached out to others and considered your options before quitting. If you have an old friend that knows so-and-so at your dream job, ask him or her to meet up for coffee one day.

Snoop and get behind-the-scenes advice from www. glassdoor.com, a great resource for salary previews, interview tips and company reviews. Update your resume and LinkedIn account, and work on some cover letters. You should apply to several jobs, but invest a little more time researching the company to have a better chance getting a position if you score an interview.

Tell relevant stories to future employers, ask unique questions, and practice answering tough questions so you are the best candidate for the job.

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Reduce stress: Unfortunately, stress is a constant force in our lives. It’s OK to deal with a little sometimes, but if it culminates to the point where it feels unbearable for long periods of time, something might be wrong.

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First, identify the source of your stress. If it’s lack of sleep from working your 9-to-5 job, or from entertaining the kids, maybe it’s time for a vacation. People who travel, according to “Psychology Today,” even for brief period of time, tend to be happier long-term. If you don’t have the budget or days off for an Australian outback adventure or a weeklong Mexican fiesta, plan a small weekend road trip to Charleston with your spouse or relax with the kids at Ichetucknee Springs for the day. Or just do something mentally soothing, like cozying up to your favorite book Sunday morning in bed or stargazing at the tranquil night sky.

If you can’t seem to cope with your stress with small leisurely activities, don’t be afraid to reach out to friends and family for support. If you think your depression is more serious, seek professional help. There are several resources available in Alachua County to deal with stress of anxiety, personal and couples counseling, depression, family problems, grief, alcohol and drug abuse, and more. For emergencies after business hours, these numbers are available to you:

Stressed?

· · ·

The Alachua County Crisis Center, 352-264-6789 UF’s Counseling and Wellness Center, 352-392-1575 The Suicide Prevention Lifelife, 1-800-273-8255

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The trend in all these resolution solutions is to make a small, manageable changes so you can slowly work toward your goal. If you’re too aggressive in your aspirations at the start, you might get discouraged too soon. And if you do happen to binge on a snack, pick up another cigarette or impulsively splurge on a spree, don’t harp on the past. Instead of dwelling, just act as if you didn’t slip up, get back on track and focus on what you’re doing right going forward. Employ a reward system for encouragement: Take a cooking class, get a massage or buy that designer watch you’ve been eyeing. Use rewards as motivation, and don’t be afraid to treat yourself when you follow through. And as with any resolution, you don’t have to wait until the ball drops on New Year’s Eve to get these changes going. You can start right now!

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Relationships / Dating Valentine’s Day is coming up, and if love isn’t in the air, it’s probably somewhere in the World Wide Web. Think about it. What’s the number one way you check messages, connect with friends or even just get your daily dose of Candy Crush Saga? Yes, you’re probably connected to it at this very moment: the Internet, the single-most unifying network we have that breaches boundaries across the world. If you’re down about your solitary status and haven’t found your soul mate yet, maybe you’ve been searching in all the wrong places. With more than six billion people in the world, you might need some external help finding the

one, and online dating services are a great way to do that. According to a 2013 Pew Research Center study, negative opinions of online dating have decreased, and usage has increased within the last decade.

Today, more than five percent of all married Americans met online. The largest age bracket of users is 25- to 34-year-olds, but studies show people from various generations are getting involved. Here’s a more in-depth look at experiences local people have had with free, downloadable apps and paid websites.

Free Apps When Apple trademarked the phrase “there’s an app for that” in 2010, the powerhouse corporation referred to the more specialized and quirky add-ons that make

up part of one million apps in the App Store today.

And on the topic of dating? There’s an app for that too. Actually, in the top grossing section of the “Lifestyle” category, there’s several: OkCupid Dating, Zoosk, Plenty of Fish, Badoo — just to name a few.

Since the popular mobile matchmaking app, Tinder, was released just over two years ago, the dating game has steadily changed across the generations, and more people than ever are using apps and other online dating services.

It makes sense. In a world where people are dependent on their smartphones and WiFi connections, it’s only natural to look for love interests by resorting to the same technologies that consume virtually every other aspect of life.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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PHOTOS BY MARISA ROSS PHOTOS BY TY ADAMS COURTESY OF SKELETON KEY DESIGN

Since meeting nearly a year ago on the popular dating app, Tinder, Nick Giovannucci and Kristina Orlando have been inseparable. After a glitch in the app allowed them to connect from states outside the 100-mile range maximum, the couple have maintained their long-distance relationship through daily calls and frequent flights. Orlando said despite its reputation, Tinder helped her find her best friend, to which Giovannucci agreed and said she was the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

“Because of how much time everyone is on their phone, it’s almost weird not to have met someone online,” said 21-year-old Nick Giovannucci, who initially met his girlfriend of about one year on Tinder.

For those that don’t know, Tinder is a GPS-based app that privately links users’ Facebook profiles to display photos, mutual friends and liked pages. After setting a range of distance and age, users can then “swipe” through profiles of nearby candidates, and if the attraction is mutual, the user will get a match notification and a chance to chat.

“You control who comes into your life,” he said, “and I don’t know what level you’d go to, but you can basically ‘prescreen’ [potential mates].”

And one day in December of 2013, Giovannucci was bored during his winter break from Arizona State University. Stuck at home from surgery, he opened up Tinder and set the distance to the max of 100 miles.

“You control who comes into your life,” he said, “and I don’t know what level you’d go to, but you can basically ‘prescreen’ [potential mates].”

He was swiping through candidates when a girl named Kristina, a Floridian, appeared on his screen. Her profile was atypical of Pheonix’s arid setting, and he noticed the distance was nearly 2,000 miles away. Neither of them had ever visited each other’s states. The app glitched, but he was intrigued.

He didn’t initially have an agenda when he decided

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“I never thought it would happen this way, but I don’t think it could have happened any better way”

to talk to her, but he felt comfortable with the fact he had little-to-no chance of running into her in real life if they didn’t click — but they did. Although he said she didn’t give him the time of day on the app, he reached out to her in other ways, starting with Instagram.

An innocent comment on a Starbucks-related photo quickly turned into an exchange of Snapchat account information. Long conversational Snaps turned into texts. Texts turned into phone calls. Phone calls turned into Skype video calls. And after progressing through all the platforms of social media, Skype calls turned into a plane ticket from Arizona to Gainesville to meet

for the first time on spring break.

Since then, the two only see each other a few times on trips to their respective states, but even though they are separated by distance, they are never really apart.

Use of social media and technology isn’t a luxury in their relationship — it’s a necessity. The two even have a countdown app called T-Zero for the next time they’ll see each other.

Kristina Orlando, a University of Florida senior, said she can’t think of any other reason for the app’s glitch except that they were “meant to be together.” When a friend encouraged her to get the app more than a year

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“Because all we could do was talk, we had the opportunity to get to know each other more on an emotional scale than a physical scale”

ago, she said she wouldn’t have believed she was about to discover her best friend and future spouse.

“I never thought it would happen this way, but I don’t think it could have happened any better way,” Giovannucci agreed.

Orlando said she is sometimes hesitant to tell people how she met Giovannucci, because although participating in dating apps is now more “socially acceptable,” a stigma still exists about the intentions young users have when joining these networks.

Though less than in the past, people tend to think these services are reserved for those that are desperate

or just looking to “hook up,” especially within today’s college relationships culture, she said.

However, Orlando said she believes it’s the communicative nature of social media and technology that has strengthened her long-distance relationship.

“Because all we could do was talk, we had the opportunity to get to know each other more on an emotional scale than a physical scale,” she said.

Giovannucci and Orlando are a special case, considering Tinder’s reputation, but all they needed to connect for the first time was a network. And that is, after all, the essence of online dating and using apps: It

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won’t build your relationship for you, but it can provide a foundation to start. And if you do happen to find the love of your life, who’s judging?

Well, if you ask Kate Artman, 25, many people still are, especially parents.

When she met her husband, Dan, 30, on the free OkCupid app and website about four years ago, she said she kept details of how they met quiet from her family until relatively close to her wedding date.

Although they are supportive now after getting to know him, at the time, she said she was hesitant because of

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the mix of reported Internet dangers in the news and a family member who had just returned from Europe after an online dating meet-up had failed.

Artman said her parents would have been worried if she told them too soon, but she was certain about the genuineness of the situation and talked with Dan for a month before meeting him in person, which is when they became more exclusive.

“People can lie to your face, and they can lie online,” she said. “But if you meet someone who’s right for you, they won’t be lying.”

PHOTOS BY KRISTIN KOZELSKY

About four years ago, Dan Rodriquez, 30, and Kate Artman, 25, met using the OkCupid app and website. Last March, the couple enjoyed an intimate wedding on Amelia Island.

There’s still a strong backlash against online and app services such as OkCupid because people fear losing the “art of dating,” she said, but “it’s still dating — it’s just faster.” And in response to anyone who thinks a first face-to-face meeting would be unnatural, she said “It’s only as awkward as any first date ever is.”

The way people date may be changing, but the manner of accidentally falling in love remains the same, whether in real life or online.

“There’s no other way I could have met him if it wasn’t for the Internet,” Artman said.

Paid Dating Sites Dating websites are nothing new, but even with the prominence of free apps, people still turn to paid services to find relationships.

Anne Rose, a social media strategist, said because users have to pay for services, “there seem to be better ‘prospects’ on it,” and people tend to be more serious while searching for partners than they would on Tinder, OkCupid or Plenty of Fish.

Rose, 55, said she prefers Match.com for its user-friendly functionality, sleek-looking profile and better selection.

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If you’re thinking about joining a dating service, there are two outcomes: it can “feed your ego, or it can set you up for lots of disappointment,” Rose said. To avoid this, “you have to be confident and not take it too seriously.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNE ROSE

Anne Rose has participated in a few online dating services, but she said she prefers Match.com for its functionality and clean profile look. She tried the site for the first time 10 years ago, but she has been back on it since summer and is happy with the results so far. As long as people are careful of the risks and aware of their online presence, she said, the process of dating online can be faster and more upfront.

With millions of visitors each month, sites such as Match.com and eHarmony consistently rank as the highest grossing dating services, but specialized sites such as JDate, Christian Mingle and BlackPeopleMeet also lure users with specific dating criteria. There’s even targeted audience sites such as FarmersOnly.com.

“Online dating isn’t necessarily better,” Rose said. “I guess we’d all like to catch the eye of a gorgeous man walking down the street and have it turn into a fairytale romance.” But when that isn’t the case — and it usually isn’t — dating sites make it easier for people to meet, especially for older, divorced or widowed singles.

She pointed out that pacing is one benefit of having a more elder presence on the networks. People would rather spend less time talking and meet up sooner in order to avoid wasting time if they find they’re not compatible.

Another interesting trend she’s noticed of 55+ crowds is the use of LinkedIn, Meetup (used for community events and activities) and, surprisingly, even

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the Facebook-installed game, “Words with Friends,” to find partners.

“A lot of sites might not be specifically ‘dating sites,’ but there’s a lot of dating going on,” she said.

If you’re thinking about joining a dating service, there are two outcomes: it can “feed your ego, or it can set you up for lots of disappointment,” Rose said. To avoid this, “you have to be confident and not take it too seriously.”

There are also some safety precautions to take.

Meeting strangers online might not be as dangerous as going home with one from a bar, but the issue of catfishing (people pretending to be someone else) and other sketchy users inevitably comes up. Refrain from giving away personal information and numbers too soon. Try to find different photos than your content on other social media outlets. And in general, be aware of your own presence and know that the way others paint themselves on the Internet isn’t always necessarily accurate. s

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Dinner is Served D

ining patrons make their way toward the wafting aroma of filet mignon and baked sweet potatoes. Today the savory smell of beef stroganoff tempts taste buds as diners wait to be seated at the Atrium Garden Restaurant.

With extended dining hours, residents of The Atrium at Gainesville have the luxury of dining at their convenience in one of the four themed sections of the restaurant: the Main, the Gator Room, the Café and the Garden Room. The Main dining room is a larger area divided into three sections. Sports fans nosh their catch of the day amidst the sports photos and memorabilia of the Gator Room.

Those looking for a more low-key atmosphere can dine in the small garden area of The Café. Others take in the serenity of the Garden Room.

With the new extended dining hours, the food is delivered faster because orders come in waves rather than all at once. Visitors who used to get out at 7:30 can now finish dinner by 7 if they need to get home earlier.

It’s more of a social experience for residents because people come in at different times. Instead of sitting at the same table with the same people every day, diners are seated as they arrive. Manager Ron Stevenson said it’s a great restaurant dining

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experience that both the staff and residents seem to enjoy.

Lunch consists of two main entrees that change daily. Today it is fried catfish or pulled pork with cheese grits, greens or beets. Diners also have staple options such as the fresh catch of the day, filet mignon and marinated chicken breast that are always available. They can choose from sides such as baked sweet or regular potatoes, fruit plates and chef salads.

Servers clad in black aprons and white tuxedo shirts wait on residents and happily help with any dietary requests.

At dinner residents and guests can choose from entrees like hamburgers, hot dogs, deli sandwiches or even omelets. Dinner also features the soup of the day and the much sought-after baked goods.

Stevenson said the Atrium has an excellent pastry chef who makes gourmet fresh-baked cookies daily.

Desserts are known as the Atrium goodnight kiss and denoted by a lip print on the menu.

Stevenson said the residents love the variety and being able to eat when they’re ready and leave when they are finished.

Sometimes a resident will play a tune on the piano, or they’ll set the SiriusXM radio to the Sinatra station, Margaritaville or tunes from the 40s.

Resident Bill Blakeney has been at the Atrium for about six months, and he said he thoroughly enjoys the dining options available.

“It gives us a little more time here for the meal,” he said. “Time flies when you’re having fun.”

He said the servers are wonderful and very patient with the seniors. They’re young, but they’re very nurturing and always cheerful and friendly.

“The food is also very good,” he said.

Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the evening meal is served from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Residents and guests who arrive anytime between those hours will be served a full meal.

The extended dining hours are just one of the many ways that the staff at the Atrium works to ensure that its residents enjoy every comfort and convenience right under one roof.

The Atrium features a bright and cheerful atmosphere with people playing cards or putting together puzzles at a beautiful antique table..

352-448-9008 www.VisitOurTowns.com

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CHARITY OF THE MONTH

Second Chance Rescue AUGUST 2014 WINNER – 915 VOTES

Amy Tate and her husband started fostering dogs in 2002, but it didn’t take long for them to realize the great need for fosters in Alachua County. hey quickly learned that rescue groups don’t often have large facilities to house homeless animals. They can only save as many animals as they have room for, and most of that room is found in foster homes.

They originally fostered through Second Chance Farms, but the director of that rescue decided to focus her efforts on building a sanctuary for older dogs. Tate wanted to fill another need in the animal community by rescuing shelter dogs. So in 2012, she and her husband spun off and created Second Chance Rescue and Rehoming.

Tate said they typically rescue dogs from Alachua County Animal Services, and they like to take dogs that are on the euthanasia list. These dogs are the ones that are heartworm positive, have skin issues or are extremely shy. They’re the “unwanted” dogs, but with a little loving care from the medical team and fosters of Second Chance, they become lovely adoptable dogs in no time.

Because of her work with other rescues, Tate knew a lot of potential fosters, but they’re always looking for more. She said many of her fosters are students who can’t afford a dog or who can’t commit to one longterm, but they want the companionship. It’s a great way for them to do something good and reap the benefits of a loving companion. Second Chance provides everything they need, including food, bowls, crates, leashes and vet care. Tate said they spend $500 each month just on food for the dogs. Those expenses add up for the rescue, so the money they got from the Charity of the Month contest is very much appreciated — and already spent. The person who nominated them for the award received $300 for her nomination, and she gave every penny to Second Chance to help pay for vet bills that have stacked up.

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Over the past few years, Second Chance has rescued over 400 dogs.

Last year alone they were able to adopt out 105 four-legged friends who would have otherwise been homeless or euthanized.

Right now, Second Chance has 65 to 70 dogs in the program that are either ready for adoption or are getting medical and social treatment in preparation for adoption. When the dogs are adopted out they are fully vetted, up to date on all vaccinations, spayed or neutered and ready for a loving home.

They hold adoption events on Saturdays from noon until 3 p.m. Even fosters who don’t think they can make adoption events can help by fostering dogs that aren’t quite ready for adoption. Anyone who is interested can fill out a foster application or stop by an event to meet some of these loving canine companions. s Learn more at www.facebook.com/2ndchancerescue

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CHARITY OF THE MONTH

Puppy Hill Farm Animal Rescue SEPTEMBER 2014 WINNER – 737 VOTES

One of the organizations within Maddie’s project helping Alachua County to become a “no kill community” is Puppy Hill Farm Animal Rescue. t any given time, Puppy Hill Farm can have around 150 animals in their program, but not all are adoptable, said executive director and founder Laurie Trenholm. Some are too young or going through heartworm treatment. They pull from the local shelter and keep them for as long as it takes to find them homes. They are an adoption guaranteed organization, meaning that they are “no kill.”

But unlike many rescue organizations that rely on foster homes, Puppy Hill Farm houses many of the animals in their rescue at one location. Although they do rely on some fosters, many of their animals are at a farm in Melrose.

Although new intakes start out quarantined in small areas, they are eventually given something many shelter pets dream of: space. Instead of being confined to crates or small pens, most of the rescued animals at Puppy Hill Farm have a big area to run and play.

Every weekend, volunteers bring adoptable animals to PetSmart in Gainesville. Potential adopters can ask questions about the animal’s temperament or special issues to find the pet that will fit best with their family.

Puppy Hill Farm is comprised mostly of volunteers with full-time jobs and other commitments, Trenholm said, so they are always looking for more.

Trenholm founded Puppy Hill Farm in 1999 because she wanted to be a part of the tremendous rescue efforts in Alachua County. There are so many adoptable

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pets in the rescue community, but Trenholm said the sad fact is that some animals just aren’t adoptable. Some face obstacles that can’t be overcome, and because Puppy Hill farm commits to each animal that comes into its program, she said they are guaranteed a home for life.

One such pet is Mr. Thomas. Tommy is a beautiful long-haired black and white tuxedo cat. He came to the program when he was only about a year old as a scrawny little thing with a sweet disposition. He was adopted out once, but he was returned and has been with them ever since. This 17-year-old friend has since been able to live the sweet life relaxing in the sun on the screen porch at Puppy Hill Farm. Trenholm said he’s a very smart, loving and great cat who just never found a permanent home outside the rescue.

Animals like Thomas will always have a home at Puppy Hill Farm, but in order to keep up with expenses, the farm relies on the generosity of donations. s Learn more at www.facebook.com/puppyhillfarm

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CHARITY OF THE MONTH

Newberry HS Band of Pride OCTOBER 2014 WINNER – 1976 VOTES

The Newberry High School Band of Pride is wrapping up marching season, preparing for their holiday concert, and looking toward the spring concert that will be here before they know it. nd in the midst of all that, band members are working hard to raise more than $20,000 for a trip to Washington D.C. The band, which is comprised of about 30 to 35 members, was nominated by U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho to be in the 2015 Memorial Day Parade in the nation’s capital. They submitted an application, and Band Director James DeRemer got news that they’d been selected to march in the prestigious parade to honor fallen military heroes.

DeRemer said they will drive, and the plan is to leave the Saturday before Memorial Day and do some sightseeing and historical tours before their performance on Memorial Day. They should then return home Tuesday or Wednesday after their performance.

DeRemer said they’ve raised about a third of the funds they need to make the trip, including the money they got from winning the SunState Federal Credit Union’s Charity of the Month contest in October.

Ginny McKoy, one of the people working to raise funds, nominated the band through the SunState Facebook contest, and the band was presented with the check at the last football game of the season. Other fundraising

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efforts included a yard sale and a textiles fundraiser to help raise funds. And all the proceeds from the Newberry Watermelon Festival were donated to the band.

They also plan to make a banner for the parade, and as an additional fundraiser people can donate money and have the name of a war veteran put on the banner to be proudly displayed as they march through Washington.

DeRemer said they’re still picking songs for the band to play during the parade, but he’s thinking about an Armed Forces medley that includes songs from all the branches of the military. Each branch of the military will have a small excerpt of their song played followed by a drum cadence that segues into the next branch’s song.

The parade is three hours long, and it passes the National Mall on Constitution Avenue. It will feature patriotic floats, balloons, veteran units as well as outstanding marching bands from around the country.

It will be streamed live online at www.military.com starting at 2 p.m. s

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MAKING YOUR

Holiday Season

GREENER

By: F Fae Nageon de Lestang

D

ecember is here, and with it comes the much awaited holiday season. Working with Alachua County’s waste stream, we see huge increases in materials thrown away during this time of year – many still useable or recyclable. According to the EPA, Americans produce 30 percent more waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, most of which is cardboard and paper products. Here are some easy ways to reduce your household waste and start the New Year off right.

Brighten the New Year: Christmas lights contain valuable copper and plastic, and can be recycled to make new products after they burn out. Drop off broken strands at Lowes, any Alachua County Rural Collection Center, or the City of Gainesville Public Works office at 405 NW 39th Ave. Some websites such as www.holidayleds.com even offer discounts on purchases if you mail in unwanted strands. If you’re looking to replace your old lights, LED lights are a great option. While they are slightly more expensive than incandescent strands, they last much longer and use less electricity, which covers the increased price.

Wrap it right: Gift wrap is expensive and creates unnecessary waste. In the U.S. alone, waste from gift-wrap and shopping bags totals more than 5 million tons annually, according to the Clean Air Council. Here are some suggestions to help decrease paper waste: Reuse last year’s gift bags and wrapping paper - or make your own! Decorate paper grocery bags, use newspaper, sheet music, maps or colorful magazine pages as gift wrap. With some imagination, you can turn scraps into paper beads, collages, cards, gift tags, origami or book covers.

Use leftover wrapping paper to line shelves and drawers, cat litter boxes or shred it to make fun packaging filler for gift bags. When you are done, you can recycle what’s left.

Recycle your holiday tree:

After the holiday festivities are over, it is important to dispose of your live tree properly. All lights and ornaments must be removed from the tree before it is collected by your hauler. Trees larger than 6 feet tall should be cut in half. Residents with curbside pickup service can put live cut trees on the curb for pickup on yard trash collection day. Trees can also be dropped off at any Alachua County Rural Collection Center at no charge. The Leveda Brown Environmental Park, 5115 N.E. 63rd Ave Gainesville, FL 32609, accepts unwanted trees for a small fee. Extra points go to those who buy a reusable artificial tree, or buy a live tree and plant it after the holidays.

In the end, memories and experiences we share with friends and family are infinitely more valuable than the gifts we receive. Perhaps this season you will discover a new tradition to share for many years to come.

Happy Holidays!

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Package your present in a gift itself. Put gifts in decorative tins and jars, or wrap them in colorful scarves or fabric.

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COLUMN >> CRYSTAL HENRY

Naked Salsa McChauvanism f I may get up on my soapbox for a moment, I would first like to set fire to any oppressive undergarments I possess. Ahh, that’s better.

My darling Sunshine started kindergarten this year, and after a really rough start she seems to be “adjusting.” I use the word loosely because it’s the one everyone uses when describing what happens to your child when they’re tossed into the world of 6 a.m. wake-up calls and only 30 minutes of recess.

The schools now have a particularly odd and seemingly arbitrary color chart system that dictates students’ behavior, and last week my dear child found herself on Pink, the epitome and apex of good behavior. She was elated, and although she couldn’t pin down the exact actions that led to this particular achievement, I thought it best to join in her elation and celebrate her success.

I offered to reward her by letting her choose a special lunch, and much to my chagrin she chose the golden arches. I realize that the mere fact I allowed my child put this “food” in her body probably negates the following rant, but here it is.

She opted for a Happy Meal, and we navigated the choices of entrees, sides and drinks without too much conflict. However, I have a question for the powers that be at this golden arched establishment. Why, in addition to hamburger or nuggets, fries or apples, chocolate milk or lemonade, do you need to know the gender of my child? I’m confused. Your employee specifically asked, “Is it a boy or a girl?” And while I’m sad he missed my grand Facebook announcement when she was in utero, I let him know that “it” was in fact a female.

I looked at the menu and saw two toy choices, and I then realized he wasn’t asking boy or girl. He was asking if my child would like to grow up to be a grotesque slutty Barbie or an engineer or perhaps an entomologist.

The toy choices were a Hex Bug robot or a Monster High doll. I know my child well enough to know she’d much rather play with a miniature robot rather than a creepy underage lady of the evening.

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I naively thought by answering “girl” he might follow up with “monster tramp or science nerd?” But apparently, according to McDonald’s, girl is automatically equal to monster slut. Girl does not equal boy. No way. No how.

To clarify, I told him that she was a girl, and she would like the Hex Bug toy.

“Oh, so your daughter wants the boy’s toy?” he replied, confused.

I was just happy she was too busy telling her sister about her favorite part of the Lego Movie to hear that comment.

For the record McD’s, my little girl’s uterus doesn’t stop her from being the official class bug catcher, so yes, she would like the “boy’s toy,” if it means that she gets the robotic bug. She actually really digs science and tries not to let that surplus of X chromosomes get in the way too much.

After we got the box with the super manly bug robot I was further disturbed to find exactly what activity they thought girls would enjoy as they munch their trans fats and worry about saddlebags and smudging their lipstick.

The “girl” side of the box had a super fun game where little ladies can choose their Monster Tramp name by randomly choosing a letter and number. Apparently if you like the number 4 and the letter D, your name should be Claw-elle. Good to know.

However, if you have vas deferens, you’re much better suited for a more intellectual challenge, involving math concepts to decode a cryptic Hex Bug message.

We wouldn’t want those silly women spraining something trying to figure out something as complex as that. Somehow, she managed and decoded the secret message without even breaking a nail.

I am thankful to that poor confused Mickey D’s employee for asking such thorough questions, though.

The one about apples or Gogurt was a good one.

She stuck to her gender role and chose the apples.

Hopefully she doesn’t give it to a boy at school and doom her kind for all eternity. Those pesky ovaries can make you do the darndest things. s

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>> PIECE OF CAKE

Recipe Wonders Cooking Up Memories One Generation at a Time WRITTEN BY CYNTHIA WONDERS WINTERROWD PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERICKA WINTERROWD he Holidays. We are about to embark on that most sentimental time of the year, when families gather and memories are made. It has been said that our sense of smell is the most powerful of our five senses, transporting us through space and time to distant memories. For me, the fragrance of a favorite recipe baking in the oven takes me back to that happy place in my childhood. In my mind I can be arriving home from school the day before Christmas break, my mother’s kitchen warm and welcoming, heavenly aromas greeting me as I open the door and culinary delights awaiting me to sample. Yes, you can go home again — at least in your memory — and a familiar recipe made at home in your kitchen is the vehicle to take you there.

My mother, Ronelva Wonders, lived through the Great Depression, grew up on a farm and lived her life as a farmer’s wife. She knew the value of the dollar, how to stretch meals to feed a crowd, and how to improvise a recipe to make it better. She started at a very young age cooking for her family when her

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mother was taken from the home with illness. A home-cooked meal that brought a smile to her grieving father’s face filled her with pleasure and pride, and she spent her life bringing many smiles to those she welcomed in her kitchen. No one ever left Ronelva’s home hungry.

When I turned 11 years old she started writing these recipes down in a large journal, so that I would never have to wonder, ‘How did Mom make that?’ As the years passed the handwritten cookbooks grew, until there were four. Later, after I married, she gave me a blank journal so that the tradition would continue on another generation.

Today her recipes and the stories she shared on the pages of her cookbooks live on in our family. Even though she is no longer with us, her three granddaughters can recall Grandma Ronelva and the memories of happy times spent in her kitchen.

It’s comforting to know that even after our loved ones pass, the recipes we shared with them live on, reuniting us again with each bite we take.

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he story of this cookie recipe goes way back — to the mid 1920s, I would say. When my mother was a little girl, her grandmother’s next-door neighbor always had these cookies on hand to give to the neighborhood children. She would cut the cookies into huge round circles, so that they had to hold them with both hands! That made a big impression on the children, and they always looked forward to going back for more.

Later she was given the recipe and it has been a classic holiday cookie in our family, one that my daughters now remember making with their Grandma Ronelva. That’s what ‘recipe memories’ do, passing love on through the generations.

This cookie can be rolled out on a floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. For a ‘quick cookie’ you can spoon-drop the batter on a cookie sheet, or roll the batter into logs wrapped in wax paper, and chill or freeze the dough to be used at a later time. Simply unroll the ‘log’ and slice off into desired thickness.

Bake cookies at 425 degrees for 10 – 12 min.

Watch! Every oven is different, and they will burn quickly. Remove when you just start to see browning on edges.

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INGREDIENTS 2 cups sugar 1 cup butter or margarine, softened to room temperature 4 eggs slightly beaten 1 Tbsp. vanilla 2 tsp. baking powder 6 cups flour, sifted 1 tsp. salt METHOD Use a large mixing bowl. Put the softened butter and sugar in it. Cream the butter and sugar with clean hands until rich and creamy.

Then add the four eggs to the creamed mixture and use your eggbeater or whisk to slightly whip them. Get your largest wooden spoon and finish beating the eggs into the sugar mixture until entirely smooth. Now add the vanilla.

Sift flour. In the first two cups of flour, add the baking powder and salt measurements.

Add more flour until the total six cups flour.

Roll out thick. Cut with a big round cookie cutter, or holiday shapes. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, colored sugar, or bake plain for icing later.

Note: Never leave your wooden spoon soaking in water or put it in the dishwater!

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CHRISTMAS

Grandma’s Sugar Cookies

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ot all recipe memories are baked in an oven. For our family, New Year’s Eve wouldn’t be complete without Mom’s Coca-Cola Jell-O! The story behind this recipe shows just how discerning her sense of taste and knowledge of food was. I used to call her a ‘Kitchen Chemist.’ When traveling through Georgia one year with my husband, daughters and their Grandma Ronelva, we happened to stop at a restaurant that had Coca-Cola Jell-O on the salad bar. Upon hearing our exclamations of how delicious this tasted, she set upon figuring out in her head what the ingredients were and how to duplicate the flavors. In classic ‘Ronelva form’ she improvised a few extra ingredients to make it uniquely hers, and even better than the original in my opinion!

N

INGREDIENTS 4 – 3 oz. boxes of Black Cherry Jell-O 1 – Can (16 oz.) Dark Sweet Cherries, in heavy syrup 1 – Can (1 lb. 4 oz.) Crushed Pineapple, in heavy syrup *Drain both fruits & set aside combined juices 1 – 8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, cubed 3 – cups hot water Classic Coca-Cola amount as needed (16 oz. bottle is enough) METHOD Bring three cups water to a rapid boil. Turn off heat, empty the Jell-O into the water. Stir and dissolve thoroughly. Put the fruit juices into a two cup measuring cup. Pour in chilled Classic Coca-Cola to make a full two-cup measure. Next, pour this into the hot Jell-O. Now pour more cola into the measuring cup for a full two cups. Pour this into the hot (now warm) mixture. Stir well.

Put the combined Jell-O into a chilled bowl and into the refrigerator (or freezer) to chill.

Watch! Don’t let it set up too much, but should be chilled and thickened somewhat. Add the drained moist fruit and the cubed cream cheese.

Stir. Return to the refrigerator/freezer until almost set.

Now divide this large amount into two medium serving bowls. For a festive look, make individual servings for your guests in Martini glasses! Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight for a nice solid set. Serve with an optional dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle of chopped nuts, if desired.

Chilling the Jell-O in the freezer is quicker, but requires keeping a close eye on the process. You do not want the Jell-O to set completely. You are just starting the process before adding the fruit to the mixture.

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NEW YEAR’S

Coca-Cola Jell-O

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his recipe came to our family well before ‘Red Velvet Cake’ was commonly heard of. Back in the late ‘60s when I moved from home to Northern Illinois University, my mom made friends with the woman who ran the rooming house where I lived. To my mother any type of travel to new areas proved an opportunity for a new recipe, and their conversation soon turned into a recipe swap. That is how this easy and unique version of Red Velvet Cake came to us, and we have used it every year since.

The thing that sets this version apart from others is the frosting recipe. Be sure you try it, because once you do you will never go back to pre-mixed grocery store brands. This frosting is light and luscious — the closest thing to whipped cream without actually being whipped cream.

You can make this cake at Christmas as well, however it has traditionally been our Valentine’s cake for more than 40 years — until my son-in-law came along, that is.

His birthday is on February 14th, so it has become his birthday cake too.

T

INGREDIENTS 1 box white cake mix 2 – 1 oz. bottles of red food color 2 – Tbsp. Nestle Chocolate ‘Quick’ mix Eggs (depending on cake mix recipe)

Add enough water to make what the cake mix recipe calls for, along with the other ingredients indicated on box.

METHOD Follow the regular directions for the cake mix, using only egg whites (separate the yolks & discard or save for another use). Pour the two bottles of red food color into a twocup measuring cup. Add the Nestle Quick, stir. Add water until you come to the measurement required on the box. Stir to distribute the Quick, then add to the dry cake mix with the other ingredients called for on the box. Use only the egg whites.

Bake according to directions.

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VA L E N T I N E ’ S

Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Frosting INGREDIENTS 1 stick margarine, softened to room temperature 1/2 cup white shortening (such as Crisco) 1 cup white granulated sugar 3 Tbsp. flour 2/3 cup milk 1 Tbsp. clear vanilla METHOD Beat & beat & beat with your mixer until sugar granules are almost dissolved. The smooth texture of your frosting will depend upon how patient you are at this step. When you are satisfied with the sugar dissolving, gradually alternate the following, beating after each

addition: Three tablespoons regular flour and two-thirds cup of milk with one tablespoon clear vanilla added to the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredient first.

Then continue with your mixer until the consistency of smooth whipped cream. Ice your cake and get ready for the compliments once your guests take their first bite of this easy but unforgettable taste experience!

The clear vanilla will give a brighter ‘white’ icing, but regular vanilla can be used as well. It will result in an off white or cream-colored icing.

That familiar expression, ‘Nothing says lovin’ like something from the oven’ is never truer than during the Holidays. These recipes have been making memories and spreading love in our family for generations, and hopefully they will inspire you to do the same.

Here’s to a Happy New Year of recipe wonders! s

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PHOTO Š CARY ADER

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124 >> BARREL OF FUN

Calling All Ye Lords and Ladies of the Court of Hoggetowne! Come indulge not only your kids but also yourself with rides and other authentic medieval fun. The Alachua County Fairgrounds is transformed into a bustling medieval marketplace for the 29th Annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire. This January and February troupes of actors, street performers and musicians journey back to the days of yore.

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YOU HAVE A CHOICE when it comes to replacing your major home appliances. Did you know that your water heater, clothes dryer, furnace and range are all more efficient when powered by natural gas? That means you save money over the long-haul with appliances that use clean, cost-effective and abundant natural gas. You’ll enjoy top-of-the-line appliances and smaller utility bills.

That’s something we’d all choose. *Some restrictions apply. Offer limited to eligible single-family home owners who replace their electric, oil or LP gas appliances with a natural gas model.

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ii New customers receive a $50 credit on your first month’s bill when you mention Our Town magazine!* Call GRU Natural Gas 352-393-1464 or visit www.gru.com for details.