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SUBSCRIPTIONS: Order a subscription of your favorite magazine to be delivered directly to your home for just $72. Each subscription includes 12 consecutive issues of Lake & Sumter Style, Village Style or Healthy Living. Choose 2 or more magazines for $85 per year. To order, call 352.787.4112 or mail us at: Subscriptions at Akers Media, P.O. Box 490088, Leesburg, FL 34749.

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BACK ISSUES: Order a single issue by mail for $7, or 2 or more single issues for $9. To pick up a back issue from our office, please call 24 hours in advance.

KENDRA AKERS / publisher/editor-in-chief kendra@akersmediagroup.com

DOUG AKERS / vice president doug@akersmediagroup.com

JAMIE EZRA MARK / chief creative officer jamie@akersmediagroup.com

EDITORIAL // DESIGN // PHOTOGRAPHY

LEIGH NEELY managing editor leigh@akersmediagroup.com

JAMES COMBS staff writer james@akersmediagroup.com

THERESA CAMPBELL staff writer theresa@akersmediagroup.com

DEBBI KIDDY staff writer debbi@akersmediagroup.com

VOLKAN ULGEN art director volkan@akersmediagroup.com

STEVEN J. CODRARO senior art director steve@akersmediagroup.com

JOSH CLARK senior designer josh@akersmediagroup.com

MICHAEL GAULIN production director michael@akersmediagroup.com

FRED LOPEZ / chief photographer fred@akersmediagroup.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS//PHOTOGRAPHERS

JAIMIE ALONSO, CARLTON RYAN, MARY GALEA, J.D. FENCER, B.E. CONRAD, SUSIE YAKOWICZ, BENJAMIN GRAY, FRED HILTON

SALES // MARKETING

TIM MCRAE / vice president of sales tim@akersmediagroup.com

DAVID COTÉ advertising executive david@akersmediagroup.com

SYLVIA DUCOTE advertising executive sylvia@akersmediagroup.com

November is undoubtedly one of my favorite times of the year. Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner, meaning I’ll spend plenty of quality time with friends and family. I also look forward to getting an extra hour of sleep thanks to daylight savings time, seeing which candidates win in local and national elections, and watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Another highlight of November is the weather. We say goodbye to the sticky, suffocating, sizzling summer heat and humidity that we endure from May through early October. We say hello to sunny, mild days and crisp, nighttime temperatures.

For that reason, being outdoors in November is a lovely experience. And that’s why this month’s issue is getting to the root of an exciting outdoor activity—gardening.

Gardening continues to blossom in popularity. Some people have their own backyard gardens, while others enthusiastically participate in community gardens. ‘Lettuce’ tell you why your health benefits will bloom by becoming involved with gardening.

For starters, gardening provides moderate exercise and forces us to use major muscle groups in our body. Secondly, gardening encourages self-reliance because we continually seek new solutions when we encounter challenges of growing a garden. Finally, producing healthy food fuels our bodies with nutrients and keeps us away from the grease- and calorie-filled foods we typically consume.

MIKE STEGALL advertising executive mike@akersmediagroup.com

TINA MORRISON advertising executive tina@akersmediagroup.com

MELANIE MELVIN / director of client services melanie@akersmediagroup.com

ADMINISTRATION

DEB MATLOCK / office manager deb@akersmediagroup.com

AUBREY AKERS / advertising coordinator aubrey@akersmediagroup.com

SHAENA CHASTAIN / receptionist shaena@akersmediagroup.com

DISTRIBUTION

SCOTT HEGG / distribution manager scott.hegg@akersmediagroup.com

That’s why it excites me to see how Lake County schools and businesses are doing their part to cultivate students’ interest in gardening, which is the focus of this month’s issue.

When children participate in gardening, it helps them understand and develop an appreciation for where their food comes from. Moreover, it instills important qualities such as responsibility, leadership, independence, teamwork, and problem-solving.

Give gardening a try and be sure to involve your children or grandchildren. The plants and vegetables you put in the dirt are not the only things that will grow.

You’ll grow as a person.

Kendra Akers