P e n s a c o l a • Yo u r C i t y • Yo u r M a g a z i n e
April 2015
Called to Serve
100 years of putting patients first at Sacred Heart Hospital
Susan Davis, President of Sacred Heart Health System.
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editor’s note > my two cents on the subject Kelly Oden
As I write this in late March, I am also looking out my office window on the most beautiful spring day. The sun is shining, the air is warm (but not hot) and I see many people outside on Palafox Street—running, strolling, shopping. My Facebook feed is filling up with gorgeous beach shots as residents of our fair city cast aside the hibernation of a dull and cold winter and embrace the splendid weather one expects to find along our incredible Gulf Coast. I love spring as it (far more than the New Year) always inspires a healthier lifestyle in me. I get outside far more often—the beach, the river, the maritime park, berry picking, spring festivals, you name it. I am also inspired to eat better. The cold of winter makes me crave hot food—often pasta and potatoes, but the spring brings a longing for fresh salads, berries, smoothies and all kinds of light and healthy fare.
Executive Editor
Inspired by the bounty of spring, this month we bring you two great resources for healthy living. First, we have our annual list of local u-pick farms. Honestly, what’s better than a morning on the farm picking a bucket of strawberries or blueberries and then going home and making pies, salads, salsa and anything else you can come up with? My daughter and I love to u-pick and I hope you will give it a try this year, too. The second article is brought to you by the fine folks at Ever’man Cooperative Grocery and Cafe. Education Coordinator Jennifer Gorman created a handful of delicious heart healthy recipes for our readers and lucky me—I got to try them all. Each one was light, tasty and best of all, heart healthy. So, stop by Ever’man for the ingredients and eat heart healthy this spring! Our cover story this month is a fascinating read by our own Josh Newby on Sacred
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Heart Health Care’s 100 th anniversary. Josh dives in to the history of this fine local hospital and brings you firsthand accounts of the amazing work they do. From doctors and nurses to administrators, and from patients to President and CEO Susan Davis, Josh has compiled an excellent look at the many faces of Sacred Heart. All this plus an excellent article on the newly renovated downtown icon, the Rex Theater, as well as information on this year’s Earth Day and Relay for Life events, and advice for those who suffer from seasonal allergies. I hope you enjoy this issue of Pensacola Magazine. Here’s to your health!
ontents C Eat Heart Healthy p24
Called to Serve: p32
100 years of putting patients first at Sacred Heart Hospital
Hand Picked p10
p15
Local U-Pick Farms
Earth Day Pensacola p15 Defining Allergies p18 with Jose Murillo, M.D.
Relay 4 Life p20 REX Revival p28
p28
Play, Live, Give p41 Pensacola Scene p46
Northwest Florida’s Business Climate Magazine Special Section p49 p10 8
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Cover: Susan Davis, President of the Sacred Heart System. Photographed by Guy Stevens
April
2015
Publisher Malcolm Ballinger • malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com Pm Editor Kelly Oden • kelly@ballingerpublishing.com Art Director Rita Laymon • rita@ballingerpublishing.com Graphic Designer & Advertising Coordinator Guy Stevens • guy@ballingerpublishing.com Editor Emily Echevarria • emily@ballingerpublishing.com Business Editor Josh Newby • josh@ballingerpublishing.com Editorial Interns Dawn Gresko Sales & Marketing Becky Hildebrand, Account Executive ext. 31 becky@ballingerpublishing.com Amanda Tomlinson, Account Executive ext. 28 amanda@ballingerpublishing.com
Owners Malcolm & Glenys Ballinger Publisher Malcolm Ballinger • malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com Executive Editor Kelly Oden •kelly@ballingerpublishing.com Art Director Rita Laymon • rita@ballingerpublishing.com Graphic Designer & Advertising Coordinator Guy Stevens • guy@ballingerpublishing.com Editor Emily Echevarria •emily@ballingerpublishing.com Business Editor Josh Newby •josh@ballingerpublishing.com Sales & Marketing Simone Sands, Account Executive ext. 21 simone@ballingerpublishing.com Becky Hildebrand, Account Executive ext. 31 becky@ballingerpublishing.com Amanda Tomlinson, Account Executive ext. 28 amanda@ballingerpublishing.com Website: www.ballingerpublishing.com Editorial Offices 41 North Jefferson Street, Suite 402 Pensacola, Florida 32502 850-433-1166 • Fax 850-435-9174 Published by Ballinger Publishing:
Member of:
NW Florida’s Business Climate Magazine and Pensacola Magazine is locally owned and operated. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. © 2015
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Hand Picked Local U-pick Farms
Compiled by Dawn Gresko
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S
pring is here, summer on its way, and the season is ripe for the picking— U-picking, that is. Whether you have been swept up in the organic craze, or want to plan for a fun day outdoors with the family, you’ll want to check out the local farms offering opportunities to pick your own produce this year. U-pick farms allow locals to see, touch, taste, smell and feel the difference between freshly-picked blueberries and store-bought alternatives. For April and May, we can expect blueberries, blackberries and strawberries to be ready for harvest. Over the summer, scuppernong and muscadine grapes will come into season, and closer to the fall Satsuma mandarin oranges will be available. This year, some U-pick farms are also offering U-cut flowers, which means you can choose your own sunflowers and zinnias. Pick-your-own, or U-pick, farms are located across Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties in Florida, as well as Baldwin and Mobile counties in Alabama. By visiting U-pick farms you are not only supporting the economic growth of surrounding communities but sustainable business practices as well, since Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has several benefits for consumers and farmers. By visiting CSA farms for your fruits and vegetables, you eliminate the need for a middle man since you purchase directly from the farmer. From CSA farms, you get produce that has not been altered by chemical or physical processing that is normally used to prepare food for wholesale distribution. In addition, chemical and pesticide use at CSA and U-pick farms is often minimal and at many farms you can sample as you pick since you won’t find toxic substances on the crops. But be wary of critters! The U-pick farms are true farms, which means you’ll want to come to the fields prepared to face any type of weather, or any member of Florida’s diverse wildlife. Insects like ants and bees are a common sight, and don’t be surprised if you find a scaly head or two peeping out at you from under the brush. If you’re allergy prone, whether to plant pollen or bug bites, be sure to pack an epi pen as a precaution—it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Make sure you dress in cool clothing that you don’t mind getting messy, wear comfortable shoes, and consider bringing hats and sunscreen for UV protection, so you can keep picking through the harsh afternoon sun and get the most out of your visit. Bringing along a few baskets or buckets is a good idea, too, since some farms do not offer containers for your pickings. We all know how fickle Mother Nature can be, so for your best chances at a successful venture out you should call the farms ahead of time to confirm they are ready for U-pickers. Sometimes crops are ready either earlier or later than planned. Above all, don’t forget to pack a positive attitude and remember to have fun while getting to know your local farmers and what they have to offer you and your community.
Florida
Santa Rosa County
A & N Blueberry Farm 4040 Suncrest Lane, Molino, FL 32577 Phone: 850-341-9767 Website: anblueberry.com A & N Blueberry Farm minimizes chemical and pesticide use, which means your hand-picked blueberries are the definition of fresh. While other produce is available for purchase at the farm, such as watermelons, cantaloupes, cucumbers, tomatoes, and squash, visitors may only pick their share of blueberries from the fields. Blueberries are $1 per pound. Cash or checks are acceptable payment. There are bathrooms and picnic areas on site so you, your family and friends are welcome to stay awhile as you pick for berries. Open: Monday through Saturday from 7 am until dark. U-pick: Blueberries Available: Mid April – July 10
The Arc Santa Rosa 6225 Dixie Road, Milton, FL 32570 Phone: 850-623-9320 Website: thearcsantarosa.org The Arc Santa Rosa is nonprofit organization serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Santa Rosa County. The Arc throws an annual Blueberry Bash each year to start off the blueberry-picking season. All chemical and pesticide use is minimal. Cash payment is accepted. Blueberries are $2 per pound if U-pick, and $4 per pound if Arc members pick. Open: Monday through Friday from 8 am to 2 pm. Weekends by appointment only. U-pick: Blueberries, blackberries and muscadine grapes Available: Late May – early July for berries, and August for muscadine grapes
Escambia County
Beulah Berries, LLC 6658 Suwanee Road, Pensacola, FL 32526 Phone: 850-453-2383 Website: beulahberries.com Call for availability before making the trip to Beulah Berries, where over seven acres of irrigated blueberry bushes are grown. Beulah Berries offers blueberries from Highbush and Rabbiteye plants. Only cash is accepted and the price is either $10 per gallon or $5 per half-gallon of blueberries. Children are welcome under adult supervision. Check in at the berry shed and grab a yellow bucket so you can U-pick until your heart’s content. Open: Daily from 7 am to 7 pm. U-pick: Blueberries Available: Late April – mid-July
Blue Basket Farms 8655 U.S. Highway 89, Milton, FL 32570 Phone: 850-623-0652 Website: facebook.com/BlueBasketFarms Blue Basket Farms offers contests and promotions for free blueberries on their Facebook page. Cash, checks, as well as debit and Visa cards, are acceptable forms of payment. U-pick blueberries are $1.75 per pound. Other produce available for purchase but not for U-pick includes watermelons and squash. Open: Monday through Saturday from 6 am to noon. U-pick: Blueberries Available: Late April – May April 2015
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Okaloosa County Akers of Strawberries 1054 Melton Road, Baker, FL 32531 Phone: 850-537-2768 Website: akersofstrawberries.com Akers of Strawberries is a family owned and operated farm, which offers strawberries at $1.50 per pound for U-pickers. Take a break from the fields while you’re visiting to enjoy homemade frozen yogurt, strawberry shortcake or strawberry sundaes, as well as fountain drinks and sweet tea. Cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, EBT cards and WIC Farmers Market checks are all acceptable forms of payment. Open: Monday through Sunday. Call for availability and hours. U-pick: Strawberries Available: May – July Eglin Air Force Base Reservation Locations Duke Field, Range Road 212, and near Kentner Pond Phone: 850-882-4164 Website: jacksonguard.com If you are interested in picking blueberries on Eglin Air Force’s reservation, then you will need to apply for an outdoor recreation pass, which allows you access to the following three locations: Duke Field, Range Road 212 and Kentner Pond. All U-pickers over the age of 16 must have a permit to pick. Contact Jackson Guard for information and maps of the areas. U-pick: Blueberries Available: June
Alabama
Gardner’s Berry Farm 21909 County Road 68 North, Robertsdale, AL Phone: 251-960-5317 Website: gardnersberryfarm.com Gardner’s is a family farm where there are over 1,000 hybrid blackberry and 700 blueberry bushes. Berries are sold by the gallon, and Gardner’s provides buckets and bags for picking. Sampling is encouraged. Call for an appointment. Open: Sunup to sundown, but picking is discouraged during the middle of the day. U-pick: Blueberries, blackberries Available: May – June
Baldwin County Bee Natural Farm 9711 Twin Beach, Fairhope, AL 36532 Phone: 251-928-4311 Bee Natural Farm is located east of Fairhope High School. As the name of the farm suggests, Bee Natural Farm is committed to using natural practices to grow produce including blueberries, which will be ripe for the picking in June. Fresh fruits, veggies and local honey are also offered for purchase but not for U-pick. Open: Six days a week from sunup to sundown. U-pick: Blueberries Available: June
Hillcrest Farm 30497 Hixson Road, Elberta, AL 36530 Phone: 251-962-2500 Website: facebook.com/hillcrestfarmalabama Hillcrest Farm offers U-pick organic blueberries and grapes during harvesting season. The farm store is open year-round, and shelves contain preserves and jams, as well as fresh produce like kale, green onions, Satsuma oranges and even pecans. Cash or checks are acceptable payment. Open: Wednesday through Monday from 8 am to 5 pm. U-pick: Blueberries, scuppernong and muscadine grapes Available: May – July
LA Berry Farms, Inc. 12562 Mary Ann Beach Road, Fairhope, AL 36532 Phone: 251-279-8745 Website: weeksbayplantation.com LA Berry Farms is located on the Weeks Bay Plantation in Fairhope. LA Berry Farms is a family-friendly, pesticide-free farm where U-pickers are guaranteed 100-percent organic blueberries. LA Berry Farms is also a proud partner of Ever’man Cooperative Grocery & Cafe. Open: Monday through Thursday from 8 am to noon. U-pick: Blueberries Available: May – July
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Mobile County
Lyrene’s Flower Farm 11689 Highway 104, Fairhope, AL 36532 Phone: 251-928-0925, or 251-990-8877 Lyrene’s Flower Farm offers fresh, wholesome blueberries for U-pickers looking for locally grown berries that haven’t been exposed to harsh chemicals. Prices for blueberries are $1.50 per pound if you pick, and $2.50 per pound for berries already picked. Open: Monday through Saturday from 7 am to noon. U-pick: Blueberries Available: June 1 – July 15 Peebles Farm 11850 County Road 91, Lillian, AL 36549 Phone: 251-235-1060 Peebles Farm is a family owned and operated farm, which minimizes chemical and pesticide use on crops. Adults and children are welcome to visit. Only cash is accepted as payment. Open: Monday through Saturday from 7 am to 5 pm. U-pick: Blueberries, blackberries Available: June – July Stewart Organic Farm 15450 Ransom Stewart Lane, Bay Minette, AL 36507 Phone: 251-751-9038 Stewart Organic Farm is a locally owned and operated farm, which raises crops that are herbicide and pesticide free. Vegetables for sale include zucchini, squash, tomatoes, okra, peas and more. Contact Carl to find out what produce is ready for harvesting. Open: Tuesday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm. U-pick: Select vegetables, call for availability Available: May – August Zimlich Ideal Farms 21790 Ranchette Road, Robertsdale, AL 36567 Phone: 251-947-8819 Zimlich Ideal Farms offers a variety of vegetables you can pick yourself including corn, beans, potatoes, rutabagas and cabbages. Call ahead to learn what vegetables are in season and available for harvest. Cash and check are acceptable forms of payment. Open: Call to schedule a visit. U-pick: Blueberries, vegetables Available: Late May
Betty’s Berry Farm 3887 Driskell Loop Road, Wilmer, AL 36587 Phone: 251-649-1711 Website: bettysberryfarm.com Betty’s Berry Farm is one of the Tanner-Williams Agritourism Commission destinations. At the farm, sampling is encouraged and there is all can eat blueberries while you’re in the field. While visiting the farm you can view the many donkeys, horses, chickens and cows, but please don’t feed or touch the animals. Children are welcome with adult supervision. U-pick blueberries are $1.50 per pound, but pre-picked berries go for $2.50 per pound. The farm offers bags for your berries, but you are welcome to bring your own baskets, too. Debit and credit cards not accepted. Open: Tuesday through Sunday during early mornings or late afternoons if the weather permits. U-pick: Blueberries Available: May 31 – mid-July Blue Moon Farm 13620 Tom Gaston Road, Mobile, AL 36695 Phone: 251-865-0252 Website: bluemoonfarm-grandbay.com Visit Blue Moon Farm for the ideal family outing. The farm is surrounded by fields of sunflowers and grazing cattle. Farm-fresh eggs, vegetables and blueberry plants are available for purchase. U-pickers are welcome to collect berries at $10 per gallon. The cost of U-cut flowers are $1 per two Zinnias, and $5 per four Sunflowers. Open: Daylight hours for U-pick berries, and Saturdays 9 am to 5 pm for U-cut flowers U-pick: Blueberries, blackberries, flowers Available: Late May – July for berries, April – November for flowers Oak Hill Produce 7250 South Grand Bay Wilmer Road, Grand Bay, AL 36541 Phone: 251-751-2006 Website: oakhillproduce.com Oak Hill offers a variety of produce for purchase including blueberries, broccoli, cucumbers, eggplants, peas, peppers, summer squash, sweet corn, winter squash, tomatoes and more. U-pickers should call for availability, or visit the website. Open: 10 am until dark. U-pick: Strawberries, blueberries, limited vegetables Available: May – October Sunnyland Satsuma 1381 North Grand Bay Wilmer Road, Mobile, AL 36608 Phone: 251-802-7371 Website: sunnylandsatsuma.com Sunnyland Satsuma is another Tanner-Williams Agritourism destination. Bring your own plastic bags and clippers to harvest Satsumas, which are sweet and easy-to-peel mandarin oranges that grow well in the southern Gulf States. Satsumas are $20 per five-gallon-bucket, and U-pickers are asked to gather a five-gallon minimum of Satsumas. Cash and personal checks are the only accepted payment. Pre-picked and boxed Satsumas and pecans are available for purchase at check-out. Open: Friday and Saturday from 8 am until dusk, and Sundays from noon until dusk. U-pick: Satsuma mandarin oranges Available: November – December April 2015
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By Dawn Gresko
EARTH DAY PENSACOLA O
n April 22, 1970, Earth Day began with the mission of one California senator to build and promote a sustainable community. This year will mark another special Earth Day since 2015 is the year in which we can expect to see the results of economic growth and sustainability joining hand in hand. In our own small sector of the planet, Pensacola will celebrate Earth Day with events by Earth Day Pensacola, Ever’man Cooperative Grocery & Cafe, Geocaching.com, and UWF’s Student Environmental Action Society (SEAS), all of which aim to get participants going green not just for a day but a lifetime.
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Earth Day Pensacola dates back to the 1990s, when the event was created to celebrate Pensacola’s unique, ecological community along the Gulf Coast, as well as promote awareness of ways to protect natural resources, especially Pensacola’s trees and waters. This year’s annual Earth Day Pensacola will be held in Bayview Park where vendors, musicians, and other locals will gather to learn and browse market wares, as well as home-made canned goods and farm-fresh produce. “This event is for everyone in the community,” said Mary Gutierrez, event director of Earth Day Pensacola. “We are all tied to nature in some way just by the fact of where we have chosen to live. Whether or not we eat seafood, swim, surf, boat, or fish, it’s all part of nature and we need to work together to ensure we protect our natural resources.” Activities for children will include informative but fun booths where our younger generations will learn about the negative impact of marine debris on seagrasses, harmful effects of storm water runoffs, as well as the importance of recycling. “Earth Day Pensacola promotes sustainability by hosting vendors that encourage alternative ways of doing day to day things,” said Mary Gutierrez. “Things like using CFL or LED lighting, buying
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products that use either less packaging or packaging from recycled materials, as well as using canvas bags and so on. There will be several booths on site that will encourage these practices and will show people how they can get started with making small changes.” Although Ever’man Cooperative Grocery & Cafe is a longtime sponsor of Earth Day Pensacola, this year Ever’man will be launching its own Earth Day celebrations including the Student Upcycled Exhibit, as well as the Planting of the Garden event with the help of Girls Scouts. In addition, Ever’man is using your Earth Day promises to build an Earth Day Promise Tree, which will be placed in the store on April 8. On your own promise leaf cut-out, which you can find in April’s issue of Ever’man Cooperative Grocery & Cafe’s The Healthy Alternative, write down one eco-friendly goal to better our environment and Ever’man will add it to their Earth Day Promise Tree. Ever’man is having a Planting of the Garden event on April 18 from 7 to 10 am at the newly renovated Ever’man Community Garden and Educational Center. Girl Scouts from Troop 540 and 210, and other sister scouts in kindergarten through the 8th grade, will lend a hand in gardening with Ever’man. “Ever’man is pleased to work with the over 50 members of the
Girl Scouts this year to plant and harvest the community garden,” said Maria Pinochet, marketing and membership manager of Ever’man Cooperative Grocery & Cafe. “Ever’man uses the garden as a resource to teach for our cooking, herb studies and other classes. The harvest is shared with members, customers and class participants.” In addition, Ever’man is hosting a Student Upcycled Exhibit on April 18 from 5 to 9 pm at the Ever’man outdoor green space, as well as the Ever’man Educational Center and Cafe seating area. Artworks to be displayed are made from recycled and reused materials, hence the term “upcycled,” which refers to the act of converting scraps or otherwise useless product into objects of better quality or value. All local college students are welcome to enter their upcycled artwork in the exhibit and showcase their creativity through small or large-scale works. “Earth Day is more than just a day to celebrate,” said Maria Pinochet. “At Ever’man, it is at the heart of everything we do. Come shop at our store, become a member and get to know the many ways we are committed to practices that protect our pristine beaches and enhance our quality of living in the Gulf Coast.” For more details on upcoming Earth Day events at Ever’man, visit everman.org. UWF Earth Day will be held this year on April 20 and April 23 from 10 am to 2 pm at the UWF Cannon Greens in front of the Commons building. There is no admission cost and the event is open to the public. SEAS is hosting the event, and has chosen the theme of deforestation for this year’s Earth Day because of recent oncampus cuttings of Oak Grove. To promote awareness of local and regional deforestation in an engaging way, SEAS will transform the Cannon Greens into a cotton-candy-like truffula forest inspired by Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax. “We will be informing UWF students and faculty about plans to cut down the forest at UWF for the master plan’s future development,” said president of SEAS, Connor Wagner. “We are also partnering with the Dogwood Alliance to make people aware of the severe deforestation of southern U.S. forests. We will be providing information, snacks, and chances to sign a few petitions.” SEAS will also host a cleanup of Edward Ball Nature Trail on April 12 in preparation for the upcoming workshop, The Council of All Beings (COAB), which will be hosted at the trail on April 18. The workshop is a series of “re-Earthing rituals” created by John Seed and Joanna Macy to help people reconnect with nature. This year, COAB will be mediated by Dr. Michael Brant DeMaria, who is a psychologist with 20 years of experience in guiding others through music, storytelling, guided visualizations and poetry. COAB is absolutely judgment-free and it is taken very seriously by those conducting and participating in the workshop. Attendees will meet at 5 pm in the UWF Commons, where masks and other crafts will be made while SEAS members go over how the workshop will function. “Around 6 pm we will light candles and lanterns and walk out as a group out to an opening we have prepared on the Edward Ball Nature Trail,” said Connor. “The ceremony will take place there for about 90 minutes. The council is a ceremony in which you imagine yourself speaking through the heart and soul of another animal, plant, or entity of earth. You can speak about anything you want; its beauty, its suffering, its wishes, and so on. At this point you can
use any mask or craft that you made.” If you’re interested in signing up for the workshop event on April 18, or the cleaning efforts at Edward Ball Nature Trail on April 12, email Connor Wagner at cdw25@students.uwf.edu, or seas@uwf.edu. Geocaching.com is the official website for geocaching, an outdoor recreational activity very similar to treasure and scavenger hunting, which started 15 years ago. The activity has gained popularity worldwide but is especially prominent in North America and Europe. To begin geocaching, make sure you have either a GPS or smartphone with GPS capabilities, then sign up and download the app for free at geocaching.com. In addition to helpful forums for an online community of geocachers, as well as a shop for geocaching equipment and keepsakes, Geocaching.com offers information about Geotours and Cache In Trash Out (CITO) events near you. Geotours are designed to take you through points of interest during your geocaching travels, and you can participate in CITO events any time you go out geocaching. A geocache is any container, such as plastic Tupperware or a military ammo box, which contains a logbook and sometimes toy collectibles. Although each cache is different either in size or design, every geocache has a logbook and special code you can use to record and track the number of your finds. Oftentimes the cache is disguised as a log or rock to make the hunt more challenging for seasoned geocachers—people who hide or hunt geocaches. Other times, geocaches are uniquely made to resemble comical objects, such as a mousetrap with a cache where the cheese should be. “Florida is a top geocaching state and Pensacola offers a geocache-dense destination with a pretty amazing variety of adventures,” said Eric Schudiske, PR and special media manager of Geocaching.com. “A quick search shows 1,177 hidden geocaches within 10 miles of Pensacola.” Visit Pensacola hosts the Explore Pensacola Geotour, so before you put on your hiking boots you’ll need to pick up your Explore Pensacola Geotour passport from the Visit Pensacola building on East Gregory Street in Downtown Pensacola. Passports allow you to record your progress as you discover caches and complete trails. The Explore Pensacola Geotour takes you on four diverse trails and each trail has five caches for you to find near historic and cultural landmarks. If you are one of the first geocachers to complete a Geotour, you can receive awards such as collectible coins to showcase your adventures and achievements. If you’re out geocaching this Earth Day, consider getting involved in communal clean-up events hosted by Geocaching.com, such as Earth Day CITO for the weekend of April 25 and 26. “CITO is Cache In Trash Out,” said Eric. “The idea is to take out litter from the natural environment while you’re geocaching. Geocachers go out to parks and trails to clean up and Geocaching. com supplies the bags and gloves. CITO participants also help with the building of trails, removal of invasive species, and planting of trees to help preserve the environment. The goal of CITO is to encourage the respectful treatment of the game board of geocaching, which is the world.” If you’re ready to reduce your carbon footprint and help preserve the planet we call home but don’t know how or where to get started, then consider attending any one of these local Earth Day events so you can take your first steps toward environmentally-conscious behavior that stretches beyond the holiday.
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DA
efining llergies
with Jose Murillo, M.D., Family Medicine, Baptist Medical Group - Cordova
A
llergies are very common with over 60 million or one out of five people in the U.S. suffering from allergies. Allergies are actually an overreaction of the human immune system to an external substance that enters our body either from being ingested, inhaled, injected or touched. Allergens can be anything from mold to pollen, dust to pet dander, or any environmental substance. Spring is here and for northwest Florida and Gulf Coast residents exposure to pollen is causing most of us to experience itchy or red eyes, runny noses and sneezing or an itchy throat. Allergies can also cause waking up at night or trouble sleeping and in result have you feeling tired during the day. The best way to treat allergies is to avoid the cause of your symptoms, but that’s not always possible. If you can identify when specific allergens are at their highest such as reported pollen counts, this can aid in managing your symptoms. Preventing allergy triggers inside your home will also help 18
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with managing your symptoms. With consistent cleaning, you can improve air quality and reduce allergy symptoms in your home. First you need to remove the source of as many allergens that you are sensitive to as much as possible. This may include removing pets, carpets, certain furniture, stuffed toys, nonencased mattresses and pillows which can hold on to allergens. Be sure to keep windows closed and use the air conditioner instead with regular changing of filters. Air cleaning devices and dehumidifiers may be helpful, but the key is increasing circulation in the home while limiting outdoor allergens.
You can also treat allergies in a variety of different ways, many of which can be bought over the counter at your local pharmacy. Some allergy sufferers respond well to nose rinses with salt water which cleanses the nasal passages of pollen. Some over the counter treatment options include steroid nasal sprays (both over the counter and prescription strength), antihistamines (Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra), and decongestants. If over the counter treatments do not reduce your symptoms then talk with your physician about the possibility of an allergy shot. If your symptoms are severe you should talk to your physician as it may not be just pollen triggering your symptoms; it could be another allergen. Your physician will ask you about your symptoms, do an exam and if deemed necessary order skin testing. During a skin test, a physician will put a drop of many different substances you might be allergic to on your skin. If you are sensitive to a substance then that area of the skin will turn red and bumpy and the specific substance to avoid can be identified. When suffering from allergies, make sure you know the difference between cold symptoms and allergy symptoms. If your allergy symptoms don’t subside with treatment and preventative measures, you may have a cold. Cold symptoms and allergy symptoms may initially be confusing with similar symptoms such as runny/stuffy nose, fatigue and even sometimes cough and sore throat. Symptoms such as fever and body aches are cold related and never allergy related. Only allergies generally cause itchy, watery eyes. For many, cold and allergy symptoms seem to overlap quite a bit, but the most important difference is that colds usually don’t last longer than 14 days. If symptoms persist longer than two weeks, see your physician. For more information about allergies or to make an appointment with Dr. Murillo, call 850.437.8485. For a full list of Baptist Medical Group primary care and specialty physicians, visit BaptistMedicalGroup.org.
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Relay For Life
Courtesy of the American Cancer Society
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T
his year, the American Cancer Society (ACS) commemorates their 102nd anniversary. On May 23, 1913, ACS began the fight of a lifetime—the fight against cancer—and due to committed supporters in communities throughout the world, they have accomplished so much.
Relay for Life has become the premier fundraiser for ACS. Each year, more than 4 million people in over 20 countries raise muchneeded funds and awareness to save lives from cancer through the Relay For Life movement. Participants remember loved ones lost to the disease and honor people who have fought or are fighting cancer. Pat Clements is a 16-year breast cancer survivor and is the event lead for Relay For Life of Greater Escambia (RFLGE). Her association began in 1999, when upon diagnosis she sought information at the local American Cancer Society. She began volunteering the next year with Reach to Recovery and she is the current volunteer coordinator. The Cantonment community, home to RFLGE and Tate High School is Clements’ home away from home. She retired in 2013 from Jim Allen Elementary after 44 years of teaching, 29 of which were spent at Jim Allen. Pat has served on the RFLGE Committee for 13 years and has seen 11 teams grow to more than 40 teams. There is a saying in the RFL circle of friends that, “Once a Relayer, always a Relayer” and for Pat Clements, that’s true. Pat Clements dreams Relay Purple and knows that a cancer cure is at hand.
Join Pat and ACS at Relay For Life of Greater Escambia, April 18, 2015 at Tate High School, Gindle Football Stadium from 11 am to 10 pm. RFLGE is celebrating 13 Years of Relay at Tate. The opening ceremony will be held at 11:30 am and “Mascot Madness” Kids Zone will be from 1 to 5 pm. Survivor registration begins at 4:15 and a dinner/program runs from 4:45 to 5:45 pm. A survivor Lap begins at 6 pm, the Luminaria is at 8:15 pm, and the Closing Ceremony is at 9:30 pm. Pat Clements and ACS invites community members to join her and over 40 teams on April 18, “Come out to Relay at Tate and see what the excitement is all about.” Her hope is that attendees will repeat what Mark, a cancer survivor, said in 2014, “I’m here again,” and he had a huge smile on his face! Check them out on Facebook. Access the webpage through cancer.org, find an event, zip code 32533 www.relayforlife.org/greaterescambiafl Contact: Shane Carter, ACS Staff Partner @ shane. carter@cancer.org ACS Office 850.475.0850
American Cancer Society Highlights • In 1927, a group of passionate women formed the Women’s Field Army and took to the streets to educate and raise money to save lives from cancer. • In 1973, The American Cancer Society invested in a mammography study that proves it is the most effective tool for the early detection of breast cancer. • In 1997, the Society opened the first ever 24/7 cancer information call center. Today, the center provides free information, answers and support to nearly 1 million people each year. • In 2003 Florida passed the Clean Indoor Air Act. • Today, ACS celebrates a 20 percent decline in cancer death rates since the early 1990s. This translates to nearly 1.2 million lives saved during that time! While much progress has been made, there’s still work to do. ACS is determined to make this cancer’s last century - and they need YOUR help to do it!
History of Relay For Life
In May 1985, Dr. Gordy Klatt walked and ran for 24 hours around a track in Tacoma, Washington, ultimately raising $27,000 to help the American Cancer Society fight the nation’s biggest health concern cancer. A year later, 340 supporters joined the overnight event. Since those first steps, the Relay For Life movement has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, raising nearly $5 billion to fight cancer. April 2015
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Eat Heart Healthy Intro by Kelly Oden ifer Gorman, Ever’Man Education Coordinator Recipes by Jenn Photography by Guy Stevens
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year– that’s one in every four deaths. Every year about 735,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these, 525,000 are a first heart attack and 210,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack. Doctors have determined several key risk factors for heart disease including high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, smoking, physical inactivity and poor diet/ obesity. The AHA estimates that about half of Americans (49%) have at least one of these risk factors. A healthy diet is a major factor in reducing your risk of heart disease. A heart healthy diet is one that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, low in salt, low in both total
fat and saturated fat and low in cholesterol. To help you on your path to heart health, we’ve enlisted the help of Ever’man Cooperative Grocery and Cafe Education Coordinator, Jennifer Gorman. Jennifer developed and prepared a few heart healthy and delicious recipes for our readers. Ever’man recently joined a growing list of local restaurants participating in Escambia County’s Healthy Choices Initiative. Be sure to stop by Ever’man for all of your healthy lifestyle needs and check out their heart healthy offerings in the cafe while you’re there! Enjoy these delicious heart-healthy recipes and remember to add in a healthy dose of exercise to your daily routine and you’ll be on your way to a heart healthy lifestyle!
Breakfast- Easy Breakfast Sandwich 1 Organic Valley poached egg ½ sliced avocado 2 tbs of Green Mountain Gringo salsa 1 Rudis’ Whole Wheat Sandwich Flatz Directions: Put the Rudis’ sandwich flat in the toaster until it has been browned to your liking. As the sandwich flatz are toasting, poach your egg (or prepare over-easy). Once the egg has been cooked to your preferred taste, gently place it on top of the open sandwich flat. Add sliced avocado and salsa and place the top on the breakfast sandwich.
Heart Healthy: Eggs get a bad reputation when it comes to heart health and cholesterol. Most people don’t know that cholesterol is actually produced in the liver and when you consume cholesterol in your daily diet (ie: in eggs) your liver doesn’t need to work hard to produce extra. Sure, they have a lot of cholesterol in them (212mg per serving) but it helps raise your HDL (good cholesterol). Plus they are loaded with Choline, which is an incredible nutrient for brain health and memory.
Lunch - Kale and Quinoa Salad 1 cup washed/diced Kale ½ cup cooked bulk bin Quinoa ½ cup Organic Woodstock pomegranate arils 2 tbs. crumbled Athenos feta cheese
1 lemon ½ cup diced cucumber 2 tbs. Imported Spectrum Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cracked pepper to taste.
Directions: Rinse kale and cucumber, dice and add to a large mixing bowl. Add ½ cup cooked Quinoa, ½ cup pomegranate arils, and 2 tbs. crumbled feta cheese to the bowl. Mix thoroughly. In a separate small bowl squeeze the juice of the entire lemon, add 2 tbs. of extra virgin olive oil, and cracked pepper to taste. Mix the dressing ingredients into the large bowl of salad and mix again.
Heart Healthy: Kale is super low in calories weighing in at only 33 calories per serving. That means you can eat a lot and not binge on other not-soheart-healthy foods. As a dark, leafy green kale is high in vitamins A, C, and K. Vitamin K plays a vital role in heart health by reducing coronary calcification which in turn leads to a decrease risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
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Dinner - Teriyaki Grilled Salmon Skewers Wild Caught Salmon 1 cup pineapple chunks 16 .oz whole mushrooms caps (your choice) 2 large green peppers Organic Ville Teriyaki Sauce 1 lemon skewers Directions: Place salmon in large bowl and add the Teriyaki sauce to marinate (at least 30 minutes). Rinse and cut your green pepper, onion, and mushrooms into chunks, set aside (depending on the size of the mushroom they may not need to be cut into chunks). If using fresh pineapple cut into chunks, if using canned chunked pineapple, drain and set aside. Once the marinade has set on the salmon, cut salmon in to chunks and start adding fish, veggies and fruit to the skewers, making sure to alternate evenly. After all of the products are successfully onto the skewer, squeeze the fresh lemon over the top, coating each skewer. Place on to your grill until the veggies are tender and the salmon is cooked
Snack - Frozen Yogurt Berry Bites 1 package organic strawberries 16 oz. container of The Greek Gods Yogurt Toothpicks Directions: Line a cooking sheet or plate with wax paper. Rinse and de-stem strawberries, cut them in half vertically. Insert a toothpick into the cut strawberry, dip, and fully cover the berry into your yogurt. Gently place the yogurt covered berry onto the wax paper. Once all strawberries are covered, put the cooking sheet/plate into the freezer until frozen thoroughly. After all strawberries are frozen through, you can take the sheet/plate out of the freezer and put the strawberries into a sealable container and place back into the freezer immediately.
through the center.
*If you are using wooden skewers be sure to soak them in water
for an hour before adding fish, fruit, or veggies to prevent from burning on the grill.
Heart Healthy: The key to this delicious meal is in the salmon that contributes a large dose of omega-3 into your diet. Wild-caught salmon is packed full of unsaturated fatty acids, which, when substituted for saturated fatty acids found in meat, can help lower your cholesterol. They also help reduce inflammation throughout your body, leaving your heart’s blood vessels free, clear, and undamaged.
Heart Healthy: Organic strawberries really pack a punch when it comes to heart health. While small in size the health benefits are large. Strawberries carry natural components that aid in widening the arteries in the heart which leads to a decreased risk of plaque build-up and lessen your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Healthy Choices Restaurants is a Healthiest Weight Florida initiative of the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County. This program collaborates with local restaurants to provide residents and visitors with healthy options when dining out. Healthy Choices Restaurants (HCR) began in 2012 and now partners with more than 20 locally-owned or locallyfranchised restaurants throughout Escambia County. Healthy Choices Restaurants also encourages everyone to make healthy choices when dining out. Checking calorie information before ordering, skipping bread or chips before a meal, ordering grilled or baked instead of fried, and taking half of a meal home are all ways to make dining out a little healthier. Find a complete list of participating restaurants in Escambia County, Florida at: escambiahealth.com. For more information about the Healthiest Weight Florida initiative, visit: healthiestweightfl.com.
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REX Revival
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By Emily Echevarria Photographed by Guy Stevens
The streetscape of Downtown Pensacola has long been home to the iconic red and yellow façade of the REX Theater, but it’s been decades since the neon letters on the vertical marquee sign have been lit. While the brightly colored, retro storefront is a charming aspect of the Palafox strip just north of Garden Street, the space inside had been gutted and was in a dilapidated state for years.
Josh Stewart, Pastor and Operations Director
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Enter Harvest Church, the group that purchased and renovated the REX. Almost two years ago the group began discussions to purchase and renovate the building to use for services as well as other community events. “When we started talking about this in mid-2013, it seemed like a whimsical dream,” says pastor and operations director Josh Stewart. “It seemed like just an idea that was never going to happen because we didn’t have the money to do it; we didn’t have the knowledge to make it happen. In my mind, we didn’t have anything at the time.” Harvest is not a typical church in some ways. It has never held services in a traditional chapel, utilizing spaces like the Silver Screen and the Carmike Theaters in the past. Briefly Harvest was housed in its own building, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Ivan. Stewart says Harvest has maintained its nontraditional mobile services to help it be approachable and accessible to anyone, including people who may be uncomfortable in a traditional church setting. The building that houses the REX is certainly not a conventional setting for church services, but the space works perfectly for that purpose. It held its first weekend services on March 1, but the history of the building itself stretches back a little over a century. It originally opened as the Rhodes Collins furniture store in 1910, and to this day the fading painted logo of that enterprise is visible on the outer north wall of the building. It was a three-story furniture store with pillars throughout the space holding up each level. Around 1937 when the space was converted into a theater, most of the second floor was
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removed to make room for the theater space, and the wood from the second story floor can now be seen in the ceiling of the theater area. In the summer of 1938, Stewart discovered after doing some research that the first movie shown at the REX was In Old Chicago, a fictionalized drama centered on the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. He says he’d like to show that movie for a grand reopening of the theater. The REX was open until 1977 when it shut its doors, only briefly reopening in the 80s as the REX Cinema & Draft House. The building has been bought and sold over the last few decades, but the daunting task of renovations and upgrading the structure has been prohibitive. While the newly renovated theater will now house Harvest’s services and activities, Stewart doesn’t consider it to be a church in itself. The group behind the organization recognized the strong desire within the community to see the REX reinvigorated, and they were eager to open it for those who attend their services as well as for the community. “The impetus behind what we do is, of course, we are a church,” Stewart says. “The REX is not a church; the REX is a building, but Harvest, we are a church, so I guess one advantage we have coming into this is that this is not a business venture.” The renovations that were necessary to make the REX into a useable, comfortable space were extensive. The three layers of concrete that were in varying slants and levels in the main theater needed to be demolished and removed using sledghammers and wheelbarrows. The third floor
that had previously been attic space was turned into a mini theater with three smaller meeting rooms. While the nearly 15,000 square feet has been revamped, Stewart says they definitely wanted to keep some of the older aspects of the space that revealed its history and uniqueness. The exposed brick remains intact along the walls on each level, and the small platform that made up the small original stage was built out to make the space able to accommodate smallscale performance. The original proscenium is intact and will have a main curtain at the grand opening. The sign will be rewired and brought up to safety code, and then reinstalled with its lighted marquee. There are other distinctive aspects of the building that the directors of Harvest Church noticed during renovations, like a faded mural in a stairwell of a woman standing on the beach holding a cigarette. No one knows exactly when or by whom it was painted, but the quirky artwork will be left intact and she’s been dubbed “The Lady of the REX.” The improvements to the REX were completed with architectural plans by Quina Grundhoefer Architects and Greenhut Construction at the helm of the renovations. Smart Bank worked with Harvest for financing the project. When the group began discussions of embarking on the project, they knew that financing would be a difficulty they’d face, but once they were committed to buying and renovating the REX, they found that many were supportive of the plan. “We said, OK, the REX is it. We’re going all in, every resource we have is going to go toward this,” he says. “We’re going to sell everything we can sell, we’re going to ask the congregation if they’re behind us to let us know.” About 150 more people than usual attended the first service in
the building, many curious about the newly improved theater. The main theater has 169 new fixed stadium seats and another 231 matching removable seats on the ground floor. Stewart says many in the congregation have given positive feedback on the old-meetsnew space. The church utilizes the same audio visual equipment, a projector and speakers it had before coming to the space, though they plan to get newer technology in the future. The screen on the back wall is one that the group had sitting in storage that just happened to perfectly fit the space. Since the project’s early stages, Harvest has communicated its desire to open the REX up to uses outside of church services, and inviting in the public for a variety of events. Already some screenings have been held in the third floor mini theater as part of the Pensacola Film Festival last March. That event was worked out between Jim Norton, who is involved with the Film Festival, and Stewart, but the facility won’t be open for official rentals until the details are hammered out in a rental agreement and other paperwork some time in May or soon after. “There are three uses for the REX: it’s going to have Harvest weekend services, community enrichment activities and events, and it’s going to have a select number of rentals. And honestly, I’m figuring out number one first,” Stewart says. “As a church, we’ve got to make sure that we’re serving the 500-plus people that attend. That’s step one.” While events held at the REX will not have to be religious by any means, Stewart says they will develop guidelines for events at the venue to be family friendly. They also plan to participate in Gallery Night events once everything is up and running, and hopefully invite the public in for tours and concerts. Stewart hopes to one day see theatrical performances on the stage, though the small backstage area would necessitate only smaller productions. Some time in April a grand opening will be held, where anyone can come check out the newly revitalized REX Theater, but Stewart says there’s much more in store for the future of the REX. “My vision for this facility, not even as a church really, is for it to be used seven days a week and for the lights to always be on for something cool happening here, to where anybody could just come down here and say, ‘hey, let’s go to fill-in-the-blank at the REX,’” he says. “There’s already so many reasons to come down here, but to add to that, I guess, would be our vision.” For updates and information about the REX, visit rexpensacola. com or harvestpensacola.com.
three uses for the REX: “ Thereit’saregoing to have Harvest weekend services, community enrichment activities and events, and it’s going to have a select number of rentals.
A faded mural in a stairwell of a woman standing on the beach holding a cigarette. She’s been dubbed “The Lady of the REX.”
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Sacred Heart Hospital original building on 12th ave.
Called to Serve: 100 years of putting patients first at Sacred Heart Hospital By Josh Newby Photos courtesy of Sacred Heart Hospital
Sacred Heart Hospital today with the new addition
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Over the past hundred years, Sacred Heart Hospital has grown from a single-structure hospital with a mission to help the poor and vulnerable to a healthcare system comprised of three hospitals, outpatient facilities and physician offices spanning 200 miles of Gulf Coast. It is one of the largest employers in the region and is synonymous with women’s and children’s care in Pensacola and beyond. Sacred Heart is an unrivaled economic engine boasting national partnerships and cuttingedge technology and research. Their mission, however, remains the same—to provide excellent healthcare to all persons, regardless of color, religious background or monetary resources. April 2015
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Old operating room
It all began in 1913, when a local businessman pledged $500 toward the construction of a new, modern hospital if 19 other people would donate the same. The goal was $10,000, and other pastors of different denominations worked together to make the idea a reality. With united support, the group of business people and pastors reached out to the Daughters of Charity, a Catholic group of women dating back to 1633 who exist to serve the poor through corporal works of mercy, to bring their mission of benevolent care Northwest Florida. A bishop donated a block bounded by 12th and 13th Avenues and DeSoto and Gonzalez Streets. The cost of construction for the hospital, including the shipment of sandstone, limestone, bricks, concrete and marble, was $400,000. In October 1914, the cornerstone was placed and the donating bishop announced the Daughters’ wish, that the hospital would be a place for all, without distinction to creed, race or color. Initially called Pensacola Hospital, the facility’s doors were opened on Sept. 1, 1915. The cost of healthcare was different in those days, with a bed costing $1 and a small room costing $3 per day. Even in these early years, the hospital never turned away patients for an inability to pay. The first baby was born at the hospital just a week after its opening. Janice Gundersheimer entered the world on Sept. 7 at a cost of just $47.57. Nada Durant, who was also born at the original hospital, later became a nurse at the 12th Avenue facility and then transferred to the main branch off of Airport Blvd. She said that while healthcare, technology and facilities have changed, a dedication to caregiving has not. “We didn’t have AC in those days, which was tough,” said Durant. “We had wards which of course we don’t have anymore, and the cost for a bathroom was extra. Patients were divided by gender too, whereas now they are divided by diagnosis. We washed tools back then, and now 34
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everything is disposable.” Durant also attended Pensacola Hospital’s School of Nursing, which the Daughters opened the same month as the hospital. Some of the requirements back then seem quite antiquated now, including mandates that students be female and single. The School of Nursing trained 750 nurses between 1915 and 1967. In the early years, the organization faced a number of challenges. In 1916, a hurricane severely damaged the hospital and in 1918, several at the facility were victims to the worldwide Spanish flu outbreak that eventually killed more than 30 million around the globe. During this time, many doctors had left the hospital to serve in World War I. Then of course there was the Great Depression in the 1930s. Pensacola Hospital withstood all these trials, though, and in fact grew in size and reputation. In 1948, the hospital was renamed Sacred Heart. Demand for the hospital’s services began to outgrow the facility’s 130-bed capacity. The building was beginning to deteriorate and the Daughters debated whether to renovate the existing structure or build a new hospital nearby. In 1959, Sister Frances Michael Plantamura arrived from Buffalo to become the hospital’s new administrator and face this difficult decision. Many years later, she recalled that the businessmen on the hospital’s board at the time gave her some far-sighted advice that she decided to follow. “They said, in essence, if you build here, you’re going to be landlocked,” said Plantamura. “It doesn’t make sense to put money into a hospital down here [in East Hill]. The city is Sisters in old Children’s Hospital
Old Sacred Heart Hospital when it was new.
moving north. So I was able to convince the powers that be that we should move and build a new hospital.” With support from the board, Sister Plantamura made the decision to build a new hospital on land to the north of the city, located on a 9th Avenue hill past the point where the pavement ended at the time. Construction of a new hospital began in 1963, and on March 15, 1965, Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola opened in its current location on Ninth Avenue. With this new location came the opportunity to expand specialty services and offer a truly unique and unparalleled patient experience, including the opening of the now-famous children’s hospital. The Daughters loved the idea of a dedicated children’s facility. “This wonderful new facility will make possible the finest health and medical care for the children in this area,” said Dr. John Whitcomb at the time, a pediatrician who helped make the children’s hospital a reality. “It will enable us to establish a pediatric residency training program. It will further enable us to concentrate the highly specialized pediatric nursing talent in one location to best serve the needs of patients.” The Children’s Hospital opened in 1969, followed by a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a new coronary care unit. In the 70s and 80s, the hospital experienced rapid growth, expanding capacity to 380 beds, an emergency center that multiplied in size, an added cardiovascular lab and more space for radiology, nuclear medicine and gastroenterology. New locations were opened in Tiger Point, Perdido, West Pensacola and on Pensacola Boulevard. “Changes at Sacred Heart include renovations within our Children’s Hospital, upgraded diagnostic and treatment technologies, and the addition of many talented new physicians to serve our local community and patients from across the region,” said Susan Davis, current CEO of Sacred Heart Health System. But it did not stop there. In 1990, the year of Sacred
Heart’s 75th anniversary, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for what was then the largest renovation and expansion program in the hospital’s history. Over the next two years, under the leadership of Sister Virginia Cotter and Executive Vice President Jay Hardman, the hospital added a new MRI facility, a new heart catheterization facility, a center for outpatient radiation therapy, an outpatient diagnostic center and new medical offices. The early 1990s also saw major surgical advances at Sacred Heart, including the advent of laparoscopic general surgery for removal of the appendix, gallbladder and spleen. Sacred Heart also began the use of coronary stents to improve outcomes for heart catheter procedures. For patients, the advances in minimally invasive procedures meant less pain NICU 1970
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Drew Barefield from Crestview
and much quicker recoveries. Then in 1993 the hospital broke ground on the construction of a new Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital. A second hospital was opened for Okaloosa and Walton counties in 2003, with an expansion to that facility planned to begin later this year. In July 2014, Sacred Heart celebrated the opening of the Bayou Tower, a five-floor addition providing 112 rooms and the latest technology. For the first time in its history, Sacred Heart was able to offer private rooms to all of its patients. Today, Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola has 566 beds, a large increase from the 125-bed hospital that began on 12th Avenue 100 years ago. The Health System is now part of Ascension Health, the nation’s largest system of Catholic, not-for-profit healthcare facilities. Ascension Health was formed in 1999 when the Daughters of Charity National Health System joined with the Sisters of St. Joseph to create a new faith-based healthcare ministry. According to Durant, Sacred Heart would not be the success story it is today without a patient-first focus. “We don’t just treat the patient; we treat the whole family,” said Durant. “Nurses and doctors work together, taking advice from each other, to help the sick physically, mentally and spiritually. This is not just a job; this is a passion. I think the patients’ loved ones recognize that, especially the moms.” Durant said that the families she has worked with in her career appreciate the time and dedication that doctors and 36
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nurses show to the patients’ loved ones. “Doctors take their time and make sure everyone understands what is happening,” said Durant. “We want to treat everyone as we would want to be treated in that situation, just like Christ taught.” One family that can certainly vouch for the care and attention that doctors give is the Barefields. In June of 2014, 12-year-old Drew Barefield from Crestview was struck by a boat propeller while snorkeling in Choctawhatchee Bay. He was further offshore than his father, Trey, when he was hit. “I ran over to him and pulled him to shore,” said Trey. “I held him in the back of a pickup truck until paramedics arrived.” Drew was life-flighted to Sacred Heart, where he was in critical condition. He stayed at Sacred Heart for twoand-a-half months, undergoing 13 surgeries and an array of procedures to repair his broken femur, collapsed lung, lacerated diaphragm and injured kidneys. Drew was also fighting three types of marine bacteria during this time. “There was a doctor-patient relationship we hadn’t seen before,” said Wendy, Drew’s mom. “It was a unique environment. He wasn’t just a patient. They treated him like a son.” Drew, an avid cross-country runner, is doing much better now and hopes to run a mile this summer, completely healthy and whole. The experience of it all stays with the Barefields, as do the friendships and connections they forged during this difficult time.
“We built a real connection,” said Wendy. “One nurse came up on her night off to watch after Drew so that Trey and I could both get some sleep in the Ronald McDonald house. She sent us text updates.” “The doctors would take an hour out of their day just to answer questions,” said Trey. “Sometimes, I didn’t even know what to ask, but I never felt rushed. I never felt like there was another patient the doctor had to get to. The doctors treated him and us.” This story is just one of the thousands that patients at Sacred Heart experience everyday, a testimony to the staff’s dedication to wholeness of the body, mind and spirit. In late 2014, a new hospital study that examined patient engagement ranked Sacred Heart Health System’s three hospitals among the five best in the state of Florida. In 2011 and 2012, Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola was rated in an independent national study among the top 5 percent in the nation for superior patient outcomes. The desire to put patients above all else comes from a passion for the sick, according to Dr. Amos Prevatt, an internal medicine specialist. “We’d do it even if we didn’t get paid,” said Prevatt. “The doctors have a respect for each other and above all the patients. We put the interest of the individual first; our other duties aren’t as important as that.” Davis echoed these sentiments and believes in a topdown approach to putting patients above business.
“What makes Sacred Heart different is our tradition and our mission started by the Daughters of Charity when they built the first Sacred Heart Hospital 100 years ago,” said Davis. “The Sisters who came here at the request of the Pensacola community created a wonderful legacy of providing medical care and spiritual care to all persons, regardless of their race, color, religious belief or income. The physicians and employees who work here today are dedicated to carrying on that legacy. It is a challenge that they embrace.” As if all that was not enough, Sacred Heart is not done growing. Davis recently announced plans for a major expansion of the Children’s Hospital. Sacred Heart’s preliminary plan envisions a four- or five-story building that will connect to part of the front side of the current Children’s Hospital. The project is estimated to cost up to $125 million, and Sacred Heart will need to raise $55 million of that from community supporters and donors. “The need and demand for children’s services is huge and it’s growing,” she said. “We will be building to meet the needs of the children and families of our region.” Sacred Heart meets those demands partly through key partnerships with national cohorts, including Nemours Children’s Clinic and the MD Anderson Cancer Network. “We also partner with Baptist Health Care in supporting Escambia Community Clinics, with the Florida State University College of Medicine,” said Davis. “For our
Drew Barefield going home
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We are blessed with dedicated employees and physicians who appreciate our rich heritage and the wonderful mission that the Daughters of Charity brought to this area a century ago.
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smallest and most precious patients in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, we have a special partnership with the neonatal specialists of Pediatrix.” And of course, all this care and attention is available to anyone, regardless of whether or not they can pay for it. Sacred Heart’s Mission in Motion provides free screenings, vaccinations and health information to area residents. The Senior Spirit program entitles members to a number of free or discounted health services, including screenings. Prescriptions for the Poor provides immediate and interim prescriptions for individuals who do not have a means to pay for them. In fact, Sacred Heart provides millions of dollars in charitable care each year to people who cannot afford to pay for hospital care. In April, Sacred Heart will provide free heart-health screenings at several locations in Pensacola, Milton and Ft. Walton Beach for adults who are poor, elderly or uninsured. Heart-health screenings measure blood pressure, blood sugar and total cholesterol, and can detect anemia. As Sacred Heart is now a holistic health system and not just a hospital, the facility has entire staffs dedicated to community awareness on issues like the flu, AIDS and even the recent Ebola scare. Many physicians also focus on research, like Dr. Paul Chomiak, who recently collaboratively 38
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published a piece on early-stage lung cancer. The study detailed 723 patients for a period of nine years and was the largest analysis of its kind. Eleven other physicians were also recently selected to present research findings at a national conference this month. With more than 4,000 employees serving a variety of functions, Sacred Heart boasts the largest system of highquality healthcare for children and adults in Northwest Florida. That’s 4,000 patient-focused, hard-working individuals, all steadfast in their pledge to make the Gulf Coast a healthier place, regardless of individual race, background, religion, or ability to pay, just as the Daughters would have wanted. “With 100 years of rich history behind us, we look forward in faith to the next 100 years of serving as a beacon of healing and hope and as a healthcare system that not only cares for the sick, but also improves the health of individuals and communities across the Gulf Coast,” said Davis. “We are blessed with dedicated employees and physicians who appreciate our rich heritage and the wonderful mission that the Daughters of Charity brought to this area a century ago.”
Above: Construction of Sacred Heart Hospital on 12th Ave. 1915
Left: Hospital ward
Right: Old Sacred Heart Hospital with the Nuns standing out front.
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PLAY•LIVE•give April 9-13, 25-29
Blue Wahoos Home Games
Bayfront Wine Festival April 10-11 Come sip, savor and find your new favorite spirit at the Bayfront Wine Festival, April 10 and 11. Held right on Pensacola Bayfront in Plaza de Luna, this two day wine festival is showcasing 60-plus exceptional wines, beers, and craft spirits and also offers an inimitable opportunity to learn about the finest designations. Jaco’s Bayfront Bar & Grille is the presenting sponsor for the festival. An exclusive five-course wine paired dinner on April 10 from 6 to 9 pm is combined with wine tasting, a craft spirits tent, and beer garden on Saturday, April 11 from 1 to 5 pm. A commemorative complimentary wine tasting glass is also included will supplies last. Tickets are on sale for $30 at bayfrontwinefestival.com. Also look out for additional news and updates. April 1, 2, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29
Blue Angels Practice The Blue Angels will perform practice air shows over Pensacola Naval Air Station most Tuesday and Wednesday mornings starting in March at 11:30 am with autograph sessions with the pilots inside the National Naval Aviation Museum on most Wednesdays. Admission to the Blue Angel practices is free and open to the public. The viewing area for the Blue Angels practice is located behind the National Naval Aviation Museum. Bleachers are available for seating about 1,000 people. Viewers can also bring their own lawn chairs, hats, sunscreen and water. For more information, visit blueangels.navy.mil. April 2
ABC Beverage Tasting at Atlas Oyster House Atlas Oyster House presents the next installment of Atlas Beverage Classes
(A.B.C.). This semester will feature a presenter discussing the highlighted beverages, each paired with small plates. Classes are held on the Deck Bar the first Thursday of the month and will feature a presenter for four tastings. Classes begin at 6 pm and cost is $20 per person (plus tax and gratuity). The April 2 class will feature “A Lesson in Liqueurs.” Reservations are required, so call 516.2324 to reserve a seat. April 4
Improvable Cause Improvable Cause is Pensacola’s best (and only) improvisational comedy troupe performing the first Saturday of the month at 10:30 pm in the M.C. Blanchard Courtroom Theatre at the Pensacola Little Theatre. Improv is unscripted theatre where dialogue is created instantaneously. Tickets are $7 and available at the PLT box office prior to shows. For more information visit pensacolalittletheatre.com.
The fourth season of Blue Wahoos baseball kicks off this month! Take yourself out to the ballgame to cheer on Pensacola’s newest home team, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, at the glorious Maritime Park baseball field. Home games for this month are listed below. For more information and time for games, check out bluewahoos.com. April 9-13 vs. Biloxi Shuckers April 25-29 vs. Biloxi Shuckers April 11
Saenger Celebrates 90th Birthday with Classic Movie Screening The Grand Dame of Palafox turns 90 on April 2—a historic date for a historic and integral part of Downtown Pensacola. In celebration of the Saenger’s birthday, the 1952 classic movie musical, Singin’ in the Rain will be shown, sponsored by the Friends of the Saenger. The screening is Saturday, April 11 at 7 pm. Consider the admission of only $5 a birthday gift to the Saenger Theatre because proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Great Saenger Pipe Organ Campaign. Tickets are available at the Saenger Theatre Box Office. As with all of the classic movies at the Saenger, seating is general admission. April 13
Memphis at the Saenger Theatre The Saenger Theatre is bringing to its stage the musical Memphis on April 13 at 7:30 pm. From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes a hot new Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Inspired by actual events, Memphis is about a white radio DJ who wants to change the April 2015
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world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break. Tickets start at $48 and are available at the Saenger box office and pensacolasaenger.com. April 14
Celtic Woman 10th Anniversary at the Saenger Global music sensation Celtic Woman brings their 10th Anniversary Celebration to Pensacola. The enchanting musical experience features Celtic Woman performing a treasure chest of traditional Irish standards, classical favorites and contemporary pop songs with an unforgettable signature style. The 10th Anniversary Tour features four sublimely gifted Irish women–three angelic vocalists and dazzling Celtic violinists along with a full band, The Anotas Choir, bagpipers and Irish dancers. Tickets are $42 to $102 and are available at the Saenger box office and pensacolasaenger.com. April 17-June 13
PMA Presents Between the Layers The Pensacola Museum of Art, in partnership with First City Arts Center, presents a dual exhibition that explores the imagery of artist, Rachael Pongetti, and her creation of the “Pensacola Graffiti Bridge Project.” A 2011 photographic chronicle of the constantly evolving local landmark, the Graffiti Bridge, located at the 17th avenue train trestle. Photographs include the change of the bridge to artistically abstracted images that convey the order in the midst of chaos between the graffiti. This dual exhibit will feature a variety of events including live graffiti demonstrations, artist-led gallery talks, and more at both the museum and First City Art Center. Pongetti is an MFA photography graduate of the Savannah College of Art & Design and former instructor at Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida. She is currently completing a book on the Graffiti Bridge Project following a recently successful Kickstarter campaign that raised $25,000 for publishing. An opening reception will be held April 17 at the museum during Gallery Night from 5:30-7 pm and an artist talk will be held April 23 at 6 pm. For more information visit pensacolamuseum.org. April 17
Pensacola Civic Band – Return of John Williams at the Saenger John Williams is one of the most popular and successful American orchestral composers of the modern age. In a career spanning over six decades, he has composed some of the 42
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Pensacola Little Theatre’s Cabaret April 11 Join the Pensacola Little Theatre for the benefit event that’s become known as “Pensacola’s most popular party,” Cabaret! Cabaret will be held at the Pensacola Cultural Center Saturday, April 11 from 7 pm until midnight. This year’s over-the-top affair will have the theme Timewarp: A Musical Journey Through Time, and will include rooms styled after the 20s, 40s, 60s, 80s and the future. Throw on a costume or cocktail attire and join the party for live music, games, entertainment, food, signature cocktails and always a few exciting surprises. Cabaret is a fundraiser for the PLT and proceeds from ticket sales and silent auction go to productions and education programs at the theatre. Tickets are $50 and unlimited drink wristbands are $25. For more information or to purchase tickets visit pensacolalittletheatre.com.
most popular and recognizable film scores in cinematic history and the Pensacola Civic Band is returning to the music of John Williams at the Saenger on April 17. The show begins at 7:30 pm. Join the Pensacola Civic Band for a night filled with beautiful music that will take you places beyond space and time. Tickets are $10 and are available at the Saenger box office and pensacolasaenger.com. April 17-19, 23-26
PLT Presents G.I. Jukebox During WWII, Hollywood stars and starlets made it their duty to entertain “the boys.” G.I. Jukebox is a night at the Stage Door Canteen. Harmonies straight from the big band and swing era are the backbone of this nostalgic retrospective of an America we’ll never see again. Step back in time on this musical journey at the Pensacola Little Theatre Mainstage April 17-19 and 23-16. Tickets are $14 to $30 and are available at the PLT Box Office, pensacolalittletheatre. com or by calling 432.2042.
Through April 18
PMA Presents OBJECT: Sculptures, Prints & Drawings by Michael Boles The works in this exhibition include sculptures, ink-jet prints, and drawings by Michael Boles spanning the past ten years. Boles has been a prolific and active member of Pensacola’s art community since 1980. He is a professor of art at Pensacola State College’s Switzer Center for Visual Arts and has won numerous local and regional awards. Additionally, his works are on display in many private collections throughout the United States and Europe. For more information visit pensacolamuseum.org. Through April 18
PMA Presents Sketches of Spain by Nina Fritz The exhibition includes the oil-on-canvas paintings of local portrait artist Nina Fritz. The paintings of oil and watercolor are inspired by Nina’s memories of travels to Spain, a region close to the artist’s heart because of her friend and Honorary Consult to Spain, Maria
Through April 25
At Blue Morning Gallery
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic April 30 Don’t miss George Clinton aka Dr. Funkenstein at Vinyl Music Hall on October 30. Vinyl’s intimate setting is the perfect place to see and hear Clinton in all his funky glory. Clinton is the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s and is also a solo funk artist. He has been called one of the most important innovators of funk music, next to James Brown and Sly Stone. Clinton is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. For more information, visit vinylmusichall.com. Davis. The exhibition takes viewers through a visual tour of beautiful Spanish landscapes, architecture and people. For more information visit pensacolamuseum.org. April 18
PlayPensacola Touch a Truck Event at the Maritime Park At PlayPensacola’s Touch a Truck event, children of all ages get to be behind the wheel and rub elbows with their hometown heroes at the Community Maritime Park April 18 from 10 am to 2 pm! Climb on and explore fire engines, police cars and construction trucks. Learn about and explore public safety equipment like rescue helicopters, ambulances, and more. You can also help Cram the Van with Summer Camp supplies (balls, markers, construction paper, board games) and enjoy raffles, games, a DJ, mascots and costume characters, plus learn all about our PlayPensacola Summer Camps and more excitement throughout the day! April 20
Jazz Gumbo at Phineas Phogg’s The Jazz Society of Pensacola presents its monthly edition of Jazz Gumbo held the third
Monday of each month at Seville Quarter in Phineas Phogg’s. This month will feature jazz bands from Northwest Florida State College and Pensacola State College. Doors open at 5:30 pm and the concert begins at 6:30 pm. Admission is $10 for JSOP members, $15 for nonmembers, $5 for students and free for military members in uniform. With admission you receive a cup of gumbo. For more information visit jazzpensacola.com. April 23-26
Disney on Ice Presents Let’s Celebrate Come join the party when this spectacular ice show visits the Pensacola Bay Center April 23 through 26. It’s one colossal party on ice, with all your favorite Disney friends! Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as they celebrate a Very Merry Unbirthday Party with Alice and the Mad Hatter; Mardi Gras with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen; a Royal Valentine’s Day Ball with the Disney Princesses; a Hawaiian luau with Lilo & Stitch; a winter wonderland with Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear; a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains and more in a magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivals from around the globe. Tickets are $16 to $53 and are available at pensacolabaycenter.com.
The gallery will feature an exhibition of work produced by 2015 UWF Scholarship Recipient Corey Frey from March 29 through April 25 with a special reception on Friday, April 10. The reception is free and open to the public and Frey will be present. Frey is a BFA Candidate at the University of West Florida and is currently exploring different media, honing his skills in painting, sculpture, and print making, as well as studying Art History and criticism, and working from a strong desire for concepts. Frey’s work is about questions: “I want to question the spiritual, popular culture trends, artistic trends, and ways of seeing.” Art classes are offered on an ongoing basis at Blue Morning Gallery. Please visit bluemorninggallery.com for an updated announcement of classes. Blue Morning Gallery is located at 21 Palafox Place. Hours are Monday through Wednesday from 10 am to 5 pm; Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 8:30 pm; and Sunday from 12:30 to 4 pm. For information, call 429.9100 or visit bluemorninggallery.com. April 25
Pensacola Symphony Orchestra: Organ Symphony Join the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra for Organ Symphony at the Saenger Theatre at 8 pm, April 25. This concert will feature composer Kenneth Fuchs. Musical selections will include Respighi’s Fountains of Rome, Kenneth Fuchs’ Atlantic Riband and Saint Saens Organ Symphony. Tickets range from $22 to $84 and are available at pensacolasaenger.com. April 25
March for Babies Walk Get ready to walk at the March of Dimes March for Babies at the Community Maritime Park April 25 from 9 to 10 am. The event promises to be a fun day out with people who share a passion for improving the health of babies. There’ll be family teams, company teams and people walking with friends–it’s a great feeling knowing we’re all helping real families. Join the event and walk to raise money for babies right here in our community! There is no fee to participate but donations are encouraged. Register at pensacolacommunitymaritimepark.com.
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April 25
Cooking with Chef Irv Enjoy a Cooking Demonstration and Wine Pairing at Jackson’s Steakhouse with Chef Irv Miller. For the April 25 demonstration Chef Irv will present “Simple & Southern.” Tickets are $45 and there will be two seatings between 5 pm to 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm to 9 pm. For reservations call 217.2347. April 29
Slipknot: Prepare for Hell Tour at the Pensacola Bay Center The next North American leg of the GRAMMY® Award-winning rock juggernaut Slipknot’s phenomenally successful “Prepare For Hell” world tour featuring special guests Hatebreed will head to Pensacola Bay Center on April 29 at 8 pm. Tickets are $41.50 and $52 and are available at the Pensacola Bay Center Rodizio Grill Box Office or at pensacolabaycenter.com. April 30
Mint Jubilee Party at the Barkley House Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the Gulf Coast Diplomacy Council’s spring celebration, a pre-derby party celebrating citizen diplomacy and the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program! Join the Mint Jubilee Party at the Barkley House April 30 from 6 to 9 pm. There will be international visitors joining as guests mingle and enjoy dinner to the sounds of live bluegrass. Dress for the theme, because the party will also include celebrating with a hat contest for the ladies and a prize for the “gent most ready for the races.” RSVP by April 23 to Jena Melancon at 595.0817 or jena@gulfcoastdiplomacy.org. April 30
Menopause the Musical at the Saenger Now celebrating 13 years of female empowerment through hilarious musical comedy, Menopause The Musical® has evolved as a “grassroots” movement of women who deal with life adjustments after 40 by embracing each other and the road ahead. Inspired by a hot flash and a bottle of wine, Menopause The Musical® was created as a celebration of women who find themselves at any stage of “the change.” Tickets range from $33 to $53 and are available at pensacolasaenger.com.
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Chocolate Fest 2015 April 25 Join the Gulf Coast Kid’s House at Cordova Mall for their 12th annual Chocolate Fest from 12 to 3 pm on Saturday, April 25. Once you pay for entry to the chocolate extravaganza, you may travel through the corridors of Cordova Mall filling up your “togo” box with as many chocolates as you can fit. Proceeds from the festival will go toward funding awareness and prevention of child abuse, as well as toward support for victims of child abuse in Pensacola and Escambia County. There will also be a special children’s area called the “Chocolate Factory,” which will feature activities, games, and prizes for kids. You can purchase tickets in advance at the Gulf Coast Kid’s House, Sam’s Club, or online for $10, or you can pay $15 at the event. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit pensacolachocolatefest.com. Through May 1
Quayside Gallery Escambia Co. School District High School Art Exhibit Artists from Tate, West Florida, Escambia, and Pensacola high schools will participate in a special exhibit at Quayside Art Gallery this spring with a show through May 1. The student art selected is representative of the best art created by the talented young artists in the local school district’s art program. This district wide exhibition will be followed by subsequent exhibitions throughout the year featuring individual high school art programs. There will be an opening reception April 23 from 6 to 8 pm. For more information visit quaysidegallery.com. Through May 2
Quayside Gallery Featured Artist Show: Artful Sisters Join Quayside Art Gallery for its newest exhibit Artful Sisters, which is on display through May 2. The show features three very different sisters with strong bonds: love of creating art and loving support of each other. Mary Lou is a professional artist in many mediums. Her latest artwork includes transparent water media pours. Joy is an accomplished stained and etched glass artist. She has recently expanded
her talents to fused glass and drawing. Dixie Ferrer is an award winning collage and mixed media artist as well as oil paintings and artful spirit dolls. For more information visit quaysidegallery.com. Through June 12
New Exhibit at the T.T. Wentworth Museum: Your Florida Archaeology The Florida Public Archaeology Network (FPAN) and UWF Historic Trust have opened a new exhibition on the third floor of the T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum titled Your Florida Archaeology. The exhibit will be open through June 12. The exhibit is in celebration of Florida Archaeology Month and FPAN’s ten year anniversary and features information about Florida Archaeology Month, the creation of FPAN, and information and artifacts recovered from several different types of archaeological sites by faculty and graduate students in the University of West Florida Department of Anthropology and Archaeology over the past few years. The Wentworth Museum is part of UWF Historic Trust. Admission to the complex is $6 for adults, $5 for AAA, seniors 65+, as well as active military and dependents, and $3 for children 3-15. Tickets are good for one week. For more information visit historicpensacola.org.
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Pensacola Scene
...at the Renaissance Fair
Courtney Crump
Sonny & Ellen Warner (Pensacola Costumers Guild)
Zach Langel & Tessa Fitzgerald
...at Gallery Night, Downtown Pensacola
Citizens Police Academy
Dr. Stacey Rimmerman and Susan Baumert
Jacob Stoffer Kazoo and Jacob Cole
Jennifer Harrington and LeAnn Easteal
Johnny v and Donna Good
Lauren and Lailah Smith
Liz Walker, Emily Brooks, Carlee Charbonneau and Ashley Finch
Louise Finch, Bryan Finch and Leigh Finch
Murat Caglaroglu
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