Currents Magazine July August 2014 by Community Newspapers

Helping nature provide.

Our family is your family. PotashCorp makes the safety of our people – like Dan Dahlgren, Environmental Engineer at PotashCorp White Springs, and his son, Kyle – our top priority.

PotashCorp operates with a commitment to safety, the environment, our communities and sustainable economic growth.

2 | Currents | July/August 2014

Helping nature provide.

Phosphate.

Helping nature provide.

Help natu provi

At PotashCorp, we have almost 700 employees in White Springs and we have a mission to ensure each of them returns home safely at the end of every work day. This summer, our people reached 2 million hours without a lost-time accident – a reflection of their commitment to protecting themselves and their co-workers. We are proud of their safety achievements because our people are part of our family too. To learn more, visit potashcorp.com.

Nitro

Currents | July/August 2014 | 3

PUBLISHER Todd Wilson EDITOR Robert Bridges ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Theresa Westberry SALES Eileen Bennett Donna Bowen Brian Duncan

contents

CrossFit success story Mason Dunn poses for photographer Bill Potts during a photo shoot in Potts’ Lake City studio on July 14, 2014. Potts shot portraits of several athletes featured in this issue, and designed the cover photo concept.

10 A stay-cation at Do Duck Inn 16 Becoming Fit for Life 26 CrossFit: Taking intensity to a new level

37 Darby Pavilion: A big draw 38 Ragnar: 198-miles, 32 hours, 12 runners

CURRENTS magazine is a publication of the Lake City Reporter. 180 E Duval St., Lake City, FL 32055. To inquire about advertising, call (386) 752-1293 or e-mail Currents@lakecityreporter.com. © Copyright 2014. Florida Magazine

4 | Currents | July/August 2014Association

40 Profile: Michael Williams 48 A life’s work in fitness 52 Kids learn to compete with themselves

WRITERS Carter Jackson Sarah Loftus Megan Reeves Emily Stanton PHOTOGRAPHY Jason Matthew Walker Bill Potts DESIGN Emily Lawson

ON THE COVER Lake City athletes Michelle Wilson, (left) Shayne Foote and Elena Mullins represent dozens of everyday people in Columbia County who have become active and successfully changed their lifestyle. The trio was photographed on July 14, 2014, in Lake City, by Bill Potts Photography.

Chest pain. It may mean nothing. But it may take everything. Heart Attack Warning Signs Include: Shortness of Breath Nausea Dizziness Chest Pain Arm Pain Cold Sweat

Getting help immediately gives you a better chance to survive a heart attack. So know the warning signs listed above. And if you ever experience any of them, call 911 and get to the nearest emergency room.

368 NE Franklin St., Lake City â&#x20AC;˘ ShandsLakeShore.com Currents | July/August 2014 | 5

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Every baby is unique

At The Birth Center at Shands Lake Shore Regional Medical Center, we help to make every childbirth experience unique. Babies and their families are the focus of everything we do. The Birth Center features the region’s most sophisticated birthing suites, all in a welcoming, comfortable environment. Our obstetricians, labor and delivery specialists and nurses do everything possible to help make your stay with us safe and special.

We offer: · Newly renovated, $3.4 million facility

· Flat-screen TV, wireless Internet, comfortable sofa

· Full spectrum of maternity and delivery care

· Free childbirth classes

· Latest monitoring techniques and procedures

· Lactation services

· 14 private, luxury suites with private baths You can also benefit from our women’s health services and education program.

To find a physician, visit ShandsBaby.com. To schedule a free tour of The Birth Center, call us at 386-292-7800.

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Helping You Make the Transition CARETENDERS LAKE CITY HAS A VARIETY OFof SERVICES cAretenderS ofOF gAineSville hAS A vAriety ServiceS THAT AID SENIORS IN MAKING A LIFESTYLE CHANGE. thAt Aid SeniorS in mAking A lifeStyle chAnge

he life changes that come with age can be at once mystifying and frightening. Whether it’s something as minor as new glasses or as major as a move to assisted living, Seniors are often concerned that lifestyle adjustments can lead to lack of independence. Thankfully, Mederi Caretenders of Gainesville has a variety of programs aimed at answering questions and easing the transitions that Seniors face. “As with anyone, when a senior is faced with one or more major life changes - such as a move to an assisted living community where they’re changing their lifestyle to accommodate some limitation, or they lose a loved one - this can be very scary and overwhelming and can possibly lead to decline in physical and/or mental health,” said Susan Swirbul, a patient care liason at Caretenders. Caretenders has a variety of services specifically designed for clients undergoing a stressful period of change. These Seniors might be experiencing new limitations on mobility, cognitive deficits, effects of medication or other challenges that necessitate a change in lifestyle. When combined with declining overall health and other factors, clients can easily become depressed and feel as if they are losing control of their lives. One such service, the Transitional Care Program, assists in a Senior’s transition to an assisted living facility. A physician’s order is placed for a comprehensive geriatric needs assessment, which is conducted by a nurse who

is thoroughly trained to identify the imminent needs of the patient. Once the client is settled in, the program professionals help manage medical needs and communicate with families, assisted living staff and other people involved with the client’s care. The program includes a team of psychiatric and medical nurses, therapists and social workers, all of whom have extensive experience and training in working with Seniors in transition. For patients dealing with loss of mobility or cognitive abilities, Caretenders provides occupational therapists to help them re-learn and perform everyday tasks. They can also ensure that Seniors are using medical equipment correctly – for example, they can demonstrate proper positioning in a wheelchair. All of these changes can take their toll on a Senior’s morale. Psychiatric nurses provide emotional support and teach clients how to deal with their feelings of frustration and helplessness. They also partner with other Caretenders professionals to provide education and moral support to caregivers, as they play a crucial role in a Senior’s outlook on life. “Having an expert team of Caretenders clinicians that specialize in working with senior adults needing transitional support can help seniors sustain good health by incorporating proven techniques, like thorough mental/physical assessments, support counseling and engagement in meaningful activity,” said Swirbul.

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Get away nearby

Wellborn’s Do Duck Inn offers the perfect picturesque stay-cation By EMILY STANTON A picturesque getaway is closer than you think with Do Duck Inn. The 777 square foot cabin is tucked away in rural Wellborn and offers the ultimate stay-cation. Forty feet from the edge of Bethea Lake, Do Duck Inn allows guests to experience untouched North Florida nature in private. This seclusion and natural beauty draws guests to the inn, owners Michael and Dr. Terri Andrews said. “People come here to get away from the hustle and bustle,” Terri said. The husband and wife duo built the cypress log cabin, located at 12818 27th Drive, in 10 | Currents | July/August 2014

2006. It combined their love of the outdoors and real estate. The two manage the cabin in addition to their careers; Michael works in in the fishing and camping department at Gander Mountain, and Terri co-owns a dental practice, Oak Hill Dental Group, in Lake City. Do Duck Inn is more than your average rental. It is fully furnished with two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room and kitchen. Guests are provided with linens, dishes and cookware. PHOTOS BY JASON MATTHEW WALKER

— Continued on Page 14 —

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Nationally Known Family Owned

icks Realty has been a household name in Lake City and Columbia County for more than 50 years. Lenvil Dicks, the son of Rev. John Dicks, remembers working on a 40 acre farm that his Dad had bought for $10 an acre.

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Lenvil Dicks was the Columbia County High School band director in 1967 when he purchased his first real estate property to sell. In 1968, Lenvil Dicks opened his first business selling land. The first 40 acre tract was financed with a low down payment. “His friends thought that he was crazy!” Within a year or two, he owned over 200 lots with monthly land payments coming in every month. Lenvil Dicks’ first office was located on West Duval Street, next door to the house that Pat Summerall was raised in. Next door to the office was Zimmie Petty’s 76 gas station. U.S. 90 was a two lane road at that time. According to Lenvil, the office had been a bait shop (a lot of people would walk in the door, and

ask “Have you got any crickets?”) In 1991, Lenvil’s son, Brad Dicks married his wife Susanna, and joined the business with his Dad in selling land. In 1996, Brad took over the development of properties. Since 1996, Dicks Realty has had over 1,800 real estate sales. Over the past 10 – 15 years they have spent a lot of effort marketing Lake City and their in-house developed properties. As with many other small town businesses, technology and competition for online customers can become overwhelming. For the past 2-3 years, they had been looking to expand their services to provide full service Real Estate solutions for the local area. In looking for solutions

for the growth of their business, they found a company that exceeded all of their expectations. Dicks Realty has joined forces with United Country Real Estate! United Country was founded 89 years ago, but has dramatically changed in the last 5 years. Their core mission is helping buyers find real estate in rural America. United Country is the largest fully integrated network in conventional and auction real estate professionals in the

United States. With United Country, the advantages are award winning national websites, national catalogs with thousands of listings, national advertising in hundreds of newspapers and magazines.

With the current position of United Country-Dicks Realty, they are pleased to offer services in residential, commercial, and agricultural real estate. Look to United Country-Dicks Realtyâ&#x20AC;Śto meet all of your real estate needs. Stop by their office next door to Rountree Toyota and meet the real estate professionals at Dicks Realty and allow them to show you what makes United CountryDicks Realty different.

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The living room is stocked with movies, and guests have access to Direct TV and Wi-Fi. A hot tub sits in the screened-in porch along with various fishing rods, and guests have access to a fishing boat, kayaks, grill and fire pit. “People are looking for — Michael Andrews, something different,” MiOwner of Do Duck Inn chael said. “We provide that.” In addition to the amenities, Michael and Terri give Do Duck Inn a personal touch. Fresh flowers and fresh fishing bait greet renters when they check in. Menus to local restaurants are in the kitchen, and if guests have a special request, Terri and Michael accommodate happily. Terri often refers to her husband as “the host with the most.” He does everything in his power to make guests comfortable. The cabin attracts a variety of people from across the country and even Canada and Europe. Authors, bird-watchers, nature photographers, newlyweds and snowbirds are frequent renters. “You never know who you are going to meet,” Michael said. They stay at the inn for a weekend getaway, for their honeymoon or for the winter. Guests often use the cabin as a hub for traveling around North Central Florida. Gainesville, Lake City, Jacksonville and Silver Springs are less than two hours away. Many renters are repeat customers who have fallen in love with the scenic lake-side cabin. Once they have seen the sunrise and moonrise off Bethea Lake, it is hard to stay away. “It’s absolutely gorgeous,” Terri said. “You have to see it for yourself.” 14 | Currents | July/August 2014

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MING FIT FOR

LIFE Everyday people accomplish amazing things in Lake City’s fitness community. Hard work and dedication lead to the conquering of goals. Workouts are completed before dawn, in the heat of the day and after dark in the evening. Athletes do the work and the work leads to results. More local residents than ever are finding their way to a workout plan that fits their schedule and lifestyle. Many have set goals — and achieved them — to the point of life-changing accomplishments. Many have become fit for life. And their stories inspire us.

[YOU CAN DO IT TOO[

veryday people accomplish amazing things in Lake City’s fitness community. Hard work and dedication lead to the conquering of goals. Workouts are completed before dawn, in the heat of the day and after dark in the evening. Athletes do the work and the work leads to results. // More local residents than ever are finding their way to a workout plan that fits their schedule and lifestyle. Many have set goals — and achieved them — to the point of life-changing accomplishments. Many have become fit for life. And their stories inspire us.

[

MARATHON RUNNER

[

Michelle Wilson “The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” This is marathon runner John Bingham’s inspirational quote that Michelle Wilson has in her home and uses daily to keep her motivated as a runner. “I use it all the time,” Wilson said. “In other words, it says that you just have to know and

tell yourself you can do it.” Wilson, 48, started running in January 2009, after deciding to tackle one of her goals since moving to Florida: finishing the Walt Disney World Half Marathon. She started her marathon training by running her first 5K at the February 2009 Olustee festival 5k race in downtown Lake City. A month later, she

competed in a Disney 5k run, where she won a plastic consolation medal for finishing the race. “It really just ticked me off, everyone got a plastic medal,” Wilson said. “Everyone at work was teasing me because all I got was a ‘chew toy,’ and I decided then and there that was it.” Wilson, who is the office Currents | July/August 2014 | 17

manager/human resources director at Lake City’s SunCrest Omni Home Care, started training harder and said she learned that running really is something that is all in the mind. “Once you get past running 6, 7, 8 miles, it becomes so much easier,” she said. One of the biggest realizations she had was how much time running takes. “I had to realize and accept that some days it may take me three hours to run 10 miles,” Wilson said. “But you just have to be dedicated and know that you can do it.” ‘You just have to want to’ U.S. Olympian Jeff Galloway’s Run Walk Run method also was something that encouraged Wilson in her workouts. The method was created by Galloway in 1974 while he was teaching a class for new runners. He realized that finishing a race is what gives a runner the sense of accomplishment, not necessarily the speed at which they do it. The Galloway method centers on running nearly to the point of muscle fatigue, then taking a rest break of walking any comfortable time interval up to 1 minute. Runners train at interval paces where they run for a certain time, then walk a certain time, then run again, repeating the process during training and races. Wilson has run two marathons, 10 half marathons and dozens of 5k and 10k races using the Galloway method. Wilson, much like Galloway, believes that running isn’t about times or distances, but about the willingness to try. “You don’t have to run marathons to be a runner,” she said. “If you step out the door and take one step, then you’re a runner.” She said her message is simple: Anyone can transform into a runner. “That’s my story,” Wilson said. “I just want people to know they can do it. Anyone can do it — that’s the thing about it — you just have to want to. You have to get up and go 18 | Currents | July/August 2014

If you step out the door and take one step, you’re a runner. Michelle Wilson has run two marathons, 10 half-marathons and dozens of 5K and 10K races.

I had to realize and accept that some days it may take me three hours to run 10 miles [...] But you just have to be dedicated and know you can do it.

do it.” Even when she lacks motivation, Wilson gains perspective from memories of her favorite race, the 26.2 With Donna Finish Breast Cancer Marathon in Jacksonville Beach, which also features a half marathon she completed. “It’s just moving,” she said. “You see people who are taking chemo or have just started remission and they’re running. I have no obstacles in my way, so why shouldn’t I be doing the same?” Keeping it fun Wilson said rather than having a set routine, she runs when she has time and tries to make it fun. “I have a friend that I run with,” she said. “We park and then run into town. It gets to be really funny because you start using different stores and streets as marks for how far you’ve gone.” She enjoys listening to country or rock music when she runs, and much of her playlist comes from her 12-year-old daughter, Lauren. “She will be listening to something upbeat or fast and I’ll be like ‘hey what is that?’ and download it so I can run to it,” she said. Wilson’s next big goal is to compete in the Boston Marathon next April. She said she isn’t fast enough to qualify traditionally, but plans on competing through a charity option. Each charity involved with the race has certain fundraising qualifications for runners to meet to be a part of its race team. Raise enough money for charity and a runner can earn a bib entry into the iconic Boston race in April.

The requirements will be announced during the first week of August. “So as soon as I can log in, I will be able to see how much money I need to raise to qualify,” Wilson said. “And then that will be one more accomplishment I can cross off my list.” Out of all the satisfaction, stress relief and health benefits Wilson has gained from running, she has come away with one major lesson: “You just put one foot in front of the other and keep going and going and going and going,” she said. “The biggest part is getting the goal set in your mind and believing in yourself enough to accomplish it.” — Megan Reeves

Anna Mendoza runs the Tiger Mile three days a week at the Columbia High School Tiger Stadium.

There’s just this sensation that if you don’t do it every single day, then you’re missing something.

[

TIGER MILE TRAINING

[

Anna Mendoza

Your weight is just a number, and changing that number isn’t really about what you eat and how much you exercise, Anna Mendoza said. Sure, those are important aspects of weight loss, but what’s more important is getting in the right mindset, she said. For her, that mindset is that of a tiger. She harnesses her speed, power, determination and will to run the Tiger Mile three times a week, the same way a real tiger uses it energy and speed to master the wild. Mendoza learned about the Tiger Mile in 2008 when she started taking fitness classes at Step Fitness. It’s an intensive cardio workout that combines running one lap around the track and stadiums on each side of the field — GOAL: To become a twice. Mendoza does it at Copersonal trainer. lumbia High School’s Tiger Stadium. REASON: ‘Knowing

that I have inspired

‘Never want to stop’ somebody to get She has stopped takup and do it ... that ing the classes but hasn’t stopped running the Tiger makes me happy.’ Mile and says she never plans to. “It helps you mentally and physically,” she said. “And then you make it a lifestyle and never want to stop.” In 2008, when Mendoza started running the Tiger Mile, she was almost 200 pounds and wasn’t feeling confident about her body. She wanted something — anything — to help her shed the pounds. The Tiger Mile, along with healthier eating habits and weightlifting, helped her gain and lose. She gained her confidence back and has lost almost 60 pounds during the last six years. Sometimes, she runs it alone. Other times, she runs it with friends and her daughter. Now, the Tiger Mile, and fitness in general, is a part of her life — the same way a career is a part of other people’s lives. But there was a time, a couple a years ago, when she briefly stopped working out for personal reasons. Mendoza said she quickly realized she needed fitness and didn’t feel like herself without it. “That’s when I said, ‘You know what, I have to make this a lifestyle. I really have to keep up with it,’” she said. “Once you get it going, there’s just this good sensation that if you don’t do it every single day, then you’re missing something.” So, she started again and made it what it is now — an essential part of her life. In addition to doing the Tiger Mile, Mendoza runs 5Ks and eats clean. Currents | July/August 2014 | 19

Flexibility is key The thing she’s learned most about working out is that you have to flexible with your routine. Mendoza said she tries to run the Tiger Mile Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but if she can’t for some reason, she doesn’t worry about it. Also, on those days, after finishing the Tiger Mile, she and her friends do push-ups, lunges — really whatever strengthening exercises they can come up with that yields results, she said. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she runs three miles and then tries to end the week, either on Saturday or Sunday, by running five miles. The day she doesn’t run is her rest day. But again, if she isn’t able to run one day, she doesn’t sweat it. “You have to be flexible,” Mendoza said. “A lot of people want that regimen, and some people are good with that. I’m not. I like to be flexible for the fact that if anything gets out of whack, you’re not gonna feel disappointed that you didn’t do it.” Aside from flexibility, Mendoza said you don’t need anything else to start running the Tiger Mile. It doesn’t matter what kind of shape you are in. If you need to, you can start by jogging and walking the track and walking the stadiums, she said. “Anybody can do it,” she said. While Mendoza has seen tremendous results from the Tiger Mile, running and clean eating, there are still more things she hopes to accom-

plish because really, working out is all about continuing to improve and never settling. Right now, she can run a 5K in 28 minutes, and she’s hoping to shave three minutes off that time. She’s already seen improvement in her running. She has placed first in her age group in the last three 5Ks she’s run. She also hopes to eventually lose another 10 pounds, bringing her weight to 130 pounds and total weight loss to almost 70 pounds. But her biggest goal, perhaps, is to become a personal trainer. “Knowing that I have inspired somebody to get up and do it, and they feel good about it — that is my main goal,” she said. “That makes me happy.”

Anna Mendoza lost 60 pounds in six years by simply choosing a healthier lifestyle.

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MOTIVATED METAL[ BY METAL[ [ MOTIVATED[BY

Shayne Morgan

Shayne Morgan is currently training for The Twilight Zone’s Tower of Terror 10-mile run at Disney in October.

What is on the ultimate running playlist? Hair metal, hard rock and American classics, according to Shayne Morgan. The Columbia County Emergency Management Director is always experimenting with his workout playlists. Music is a major motivator for Morgan while he runs competitively. “I’ve got everything from Springsteen to Metallica to 80s hits, just a wide variety of stuff that I incorporate over various playlists just so I don’t get burned out on the same ones over and over,” he said. “I’m frequently adding new stuff and moving stuff around.” His playlists are crafted with the upmost care. They are between three and four hours long and in a specific order. His playlists help him push past the crowd and keep pace while in a race. The ultimate playlist should have upbeat songs for the beginning and end of a run, Morgan said, with mid-tempo jams in-between.

‘Addicted’ to running Morgan started running competitively in 2010 after some encouragement from StepFitness owner Michelle Richards. “I was fighting it tooth and nail, actually,” Morgan said. But he eventually gave in and has been addicted since. He’s competed in 35 races over four years. Morgan is most proud of his recent 15k race, which he completed in 115 minutes. “It’s the ultimate me-time,” Morgan said. “I can put my headphones on, go out, hit the pavement just me and myself and forget about the day.” Morgan’s next race is The Twilight Zone’s Tower of Terror 10-mile run at Disney Hollywood Studios this October. It’s a family tradition. He has been competing in this race for the past three years with his cousins cheering him on. Last year Morgan finished in 148 minutes, but this year he hopes to finish in under two hours. He has been doing extra cardio, weightlifting and night running to prepare. Morgan is also working on his pacing, which is the hardest part of running competitively, he said. Morgan is currently editing his Tower of Terror playlist. It starts out with 80s classic “Animal” by Def Leppard, cross fade to [Running Bruce Springsteen’s “Bobby is] the and Jean.” Music by Black Label Society, Cinderella ultimate and Iron Maiden follow. me-time. He’ll be switching and I can mixing until October. For Morgan, running is put my more than just a way to headphones stay in shape, it has opened up a whole new world. on, go out, “It’s really neat to just hit the go out there and be a part of a community like this pavement because the support I get just me has been really, really aweand myself some,” he said. — Emily Stanton

and forget about the day.

Currents | July/August 2014 | 21

22 | Currents | July/August 2014

[A RUNNING LIFE [

Michelle Richards Michelle Richards remembers the first race she ever ran. She was 8, and she was with her dad. Running had just become her new hobby, thanks to him. They were running a midnight 5K at the Oaks Mall in Gainesville. Figuring she would finish first — he knew how fast she was — her dad told her to be careful at the finish line because he didn’t want anyone stealing her. Richards started running the race and quickly got to the finish line — long before any of the other runners did, but with her dad’s advice in mind, she never crossed the finish line and soon ran back to him find him. So even though she was the first in the race to come near the finish line, she didn’t actually win. “I’ll never forget him going, ‘Why didn’t you cross? Why didn’t you cross?’” Richards said, laughing. “I

was like, ‘You said someone would steal me.’ And I was from the country. I was so sheltered.” Now, years later, as a self-confessed running addict and certified personal trainer who owns Step Fitness in Lake City and coaches adults and children, she tells the kids she trains to always cross the finish line when running a race. “Watching kids start running brings back that memory of me,” Richards said. “And I always tell them, ‘Cross the finish line! Nobody’s gonna steal you. I won’t let them steal you.’” The 26.2 challenge Even though Richards didn’t win that first race of hers, it didn’t matter — it got her hooked on running. Since that first midnight race, she has run countless races — literally more than she can keep track of. “It’s an addiction,” she said. Richards has been running 5Ks, 10Ks and 15Ks since she was 8 but only started running half-marathons and marathons in 2005. And the half-marathons and marathons weren’t really something she wanted to do. Richards never thought she could actually run 26.2 miles, she said. But almost 10 years ago, one of her cousins provoked her competitive side and challenged her to run the Disney half-marathon. She told her cousin “No” at first. But her cousin said, “Come on. It’s only 13 miles.” So Richards grudingly did it. But she surprised herself and came to love marathon running. “I run for the bling and swag,” she joked, gesturing to the wall in Step Fitness lined with T-shirts and medals she has gotten from races, including the stuff she got from that first half-marathon. Currents | July/August 2014 | 23

A marathon a month Since then, she has run 43 half-marathons and 18 marathons. In January, she decided she wanted to run a marathon a month in 2014, which she has done. She just ran her eighth one this year. Now, she travels with her husband and three children across the country for half and full marathons, using 5Ks and 10Ks as ways to train. Those trips are the Richards’ family vacations. She homeschools her children, so she uses travel as another way to educate her children about the world around them. For a while, the only vacations the family took were to destinations where she was running a race. “My daughter goes, ‘Mom, can we just take a vacation where you’re not running anything or doing anything? Can we have a Michelle Richards poses real vacation?’” Richards said. with more than 40 full- and The family has been to Disney half-marathon medals that World many times for her runs as she’s won from races dating well as other places around the state back to 2004. She has and country — they’ve even gone to finished 48 half- and 7 fullBoston, so Richards could run in the marathons and is on course Boston Marathon, which she ran for to compete in at least one five years from 2006-2010. marathon a month this year. ‘Spectacular’ Boston “It’s amazing. Boston’s my favorite marathon because you don’t ever cross back over where you’ve already gone. You start at Hopkinton and go all the way to Boston,” Richards said. “Everything

shuts down that day — it’s Patriots’ Day, so it’s one big huge party central from Hopkinton to Boston. You report to your buses at 3 a.m. — it’s a very long day, but it seems like it just flies by, and you’re never tired. At these (other) marathons, I don’t really get a runner’s high anymore, but at Boston, there’s always this high because of just the spectacular everything that goes on.” In 2009, she beat her previous year’s time by not just a couple minutes, but by 23 minutes. She finished the race so early that her husband and kids weren’t even at the finish line yet when she crossed. “It was so funny because my family — they have family meeting areas, and my family wasn’t even there yet,” Richards said. “They thought they had like 20 more minutes. I’m like, ‘Where are you all?’ I’m like, ‘Where are you?’ ‘What are you doing calling us?’ I’m like, ‘I’m done.’ ‘What? What’d you run?’ I’m like, I’m sittin’ down here, waitin’ for y’all.” Now, she’s preparing for the 2015 Boston Marathon — her sixth Boston. In 2012, she had her third child, which put her out of running for a bit. Her pregnancy was deemed high risk, so she wasn’t allowed to run or exercise during that time. She only started running again in 2013 and recently qualified for the coming Boston marathon. “I think it’s a blessing from God that I was taken back to that baseline nothing, so that I can help people more because I remember thinking, ‘There’s no way I’m gonna get back to running 26 miles,’” Richards said. “And I here I am. My son will turn two on (July 27). And I’ve run eight marathons (since he was born), so I mean, it’s doable. I think it gives people hope.” — Sarah Loftus

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Shayne Foote said he was doing the ‘typical gym work, but wasn’t seeing results.’ After working out at Moowatee Crossfit he ‘has more muscle definition and has gotten stronger than I’ve ever been. I can actually see my abs. I have more endurance, more power and more agility.’ 26 | Currents | July/August 2014

rossFit Fitness for you By Megan Reeves Photos by Jason Matthew Walker Moowatee Fitness, home of Lake City’s very first CrossFit program, has been a tremendous success, according to locals. // The word Moowatee was derived from owner Anthony Davis’s 2-year-old daughter. It means “more water.” The

name fits, says Davis, because of the health benefits water can provide during workouts of this caliber. // CrossFitters of all shapes, ages and sizes told us their Moowatee stories, giving insight into the new workout trend that is sweeping the U.S.

SHAYNE FOOTE Shayne Foote said he is thankful for CrossFit because has prepared him for his job. The 24-year-old local law enforcement officer said the workout has trained him to be ready for the unexpected situations that his profession entails. “I see more muscles than I have ever seen, I have more endurance and I’m stronger,” he said. “I just wasn’t active before, even though I thought I was.” Foote was patrolling a community event at the county fair when Anthony Davis came up and greeted him.

“This guy was wearing those crazy toe shoes and everything,” Foote said. “The way he felt about [CrossFit] was just pouring out of him, I wanted to drop down and do some pushups.” Davis invited Foote to come to a workout the next day, which Footer said completely wore him out. “Once I got finished I was flat on my back,”he said. He said that after doing the first workout, he realized that everything he had been doing was wrong. “I didn’t understand what my body needed. I had just

I didn’t understand what my able to been gorun to ing to the body needed. I had just been running gym dogoing to the gym doing the how he ing the did as regular a 140 stuff I pound always member h a d , ” I had always done. I call of the F o o t e it functional fitness, but it h i g h said. “I just wasn’t enough for me. school call it t r a c k functionteam. al fitness, He credits it all to CrossFit. but it just wasn’t enough for “When you come in Anthony me.” Footer was 205 pounds sits you down and talks to when he started CrossFit you about what you need to and now weighs 190. He eat, how you need to stretch, | 27 on — you| July/August need to2014work said went from being un- whatCurrents

REGULAR STUFF

Shayne Foote is seen performing four stages of a ‘Muscle Up’ on the rings at Lake City’s Moowatee Crossfit gym. everything,” Foote said. “You are getting so much more than just the exercise. You have someone personally training you, giving you the tools you need to achieve your goals.” Foote said his main life focus right now is performing well as a local law enforcement officer, which CrossFit has helped with tremendously. “CrossFit prepares me for the unknown. I don’t know what I could be faced with tomorrow,” he said. “I could have to drag someone 40 feet from a burning car, or carry someone away from danger. If I’m not where I need to be physically, I’m not going to be able to perform under that kind of stress.” He said that if he can do everything physically possible to ready

himself for those types of situations, he is going to. “That is what is going to keep me safe,” Foote said. “That is what is going to keep me coming home to my family.” Foote said the passion Davis first shared with him at the fairgrounds rubbed off so much that he could talk about it all day. He said one day he eventually hopes to become a CrossFit coach.

He said he hopes to encourage current non-CrossFitters to try a class because he believes it truly changes lives. “I don’t know how other people run their gyms, but I do know how they run Moowatee Fitness,” Foote said. “It’s spot-on and it’s worth it. CrossFit is changing lives.” Continued on Page 30

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Anna Rainbolt, the Moowatee Crossfit gym manager and head coach, pushes Dennille Decker for a full set of handstand push-ups during a workout. ‘I was surprised that I could actually do it,’ Decker said. ‘It works your core and improves your balance and upper body strength. I can do 10 straight now.’

30 | Currents | July/August 2014

DENNILLE DECKER attends 5 days a week. “To me, the best part of CrossFit is the group aspect,” Decker said. “I excel when I am with a group of people, it’s like a built-in support system that is there for you every morning.” She said that although she has always been interested in fitness, CrossFit workouts are crazy intense,and make her feel ready to conquer the world after an hour is up. “In life, we’ve all done jumping jacks or sit ups or gone for a run,” she said. “But never in my life have I ever done what I’m doing in this class. It’s something totally different.” Decker said since joining she has learned to do snatches, clean and jerks and proper pull ups —all things she said she never thought she would have the ability to do. “It’s like having a personal The biggest misconception people have about trainer telling you exactly CrossFit is that they have to get in shape first. what to do to get fit, but the That is so not true. cost is much less,” she said. After Dennille Decker had her second baby, she decided she needed something to kickstart her back into shape. When she found out about CrossFit, she decided to join under one condition. “I suggested an early morning class,” Decker said. “Being a mother of two small children, a wife, a person involved in civic activities and a person who works a lot of after hours, I don’t have much time.” She was told if she could find enough people to do a class with her at 5:45 a.m., it could happen. It since has become one of the most popular classes, which she

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Decker said she has yet to see someone try CrossFit who hasn’t seen a major difference in their fitness. She said as she encourages people to join, there is one thing she would love for people to understand about CrossFit.

Anna Rainbolt, the Moowatee Crossfit gym manager and head coach, does pistol exercises with Mason Dunn. ‘The series of exercises that they put together is great cardio and entire core workout in a short amount of time,’ Dunn said. ‘Everyone here motivates everyone else. I haven’t worked out since high school, but since I started six months ago I’ve lost 50 pounds. It’s been a head to toe total transformation.’

“The biggest misconception people have about CrossFit is that they have to get in shape first,” she said. “That is so not true. Nobody expects you to walk in there and be perfect, you can’t get caught up in that. You need to be there for yourself.”

MASON DUNN Mason Dunn knew nothing about CrossFit when his stepdaughter asked him to join with her in January. “I had been wanted to get back in better shape,”said 47-year-old Dunn. “I had let myself go for too long, and she

32 | Currents | July/August 2014

didn’t want to join alone.” He called the beginning of his CrossFit journey extremely rough, but said he has only improved since. “Some people can just walk into the gym and do everything,” Dunn said. “But I just

couldn’t. I wasn’t that guy.” He said his favorite part about CrossFit was the way it eased him into learning how to workout. “They teach you that it’s OK to start out with light weights,” he said. “It’s really important

“

The workouts are set for everybody. You can be Mr. Universe or just an out of shape old guy, like I was when I started.

You end up telling yourself ok ...

ONE MORE REP, I GOT THIS to them that you aren’t hurting yourself.” Dunn said he thinks CrossFit works because it is a different, high intensity style of workout, including repetition and a focus on cardio. “You have to push yourself because it is a lot of different exercises in a short amount of time,” he said. “There’s repetition, adrenaline, cardio —it really gets your heart pumping, and you’ll sweat your butt off.” Dunn said his class, which he attends four nights a week, is filled with people of all ages. “The workouts are set for everybody,” he said. “You can be Mr. Universe or just an out of shape old guy, like I was when I started.” He said one of the biggest motivations he has are the other people in his class that keep him going. “Push-ups, sit-ups — whatever it is — you are constantly being pushed in a positive way,” Dunn

said. “You end up telling yourself ok, let’s just do this, one more rep, I got this.” Dunn said he has told several people from work about his CrossFit story, and has even convinced some to try it with him. “After they started seeing results, that’s when they really started listening,” he said. “They were just, like, wow.” After going to class for six months, Dunn’s proof is in the numbers. He has lost a total of 51 pounds since signing up. He also said his mobility and movement have increased tremendously, and he plans to just keep going. Above everything, Dunn’s favorite part about his workout is that it is personal. It’s not about what everyone else is doing, he said, it’s about competing against yourself. “Every day you push yourself to do more than you did the day

before, and even more the next time,” Dunn said. “I am so pleased with what CrossFit has done for me and my health, but mostly my overall life experience.”

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ELENA MULLINS In June 2013, Elena Mullins ended up in the emergency room. The 28-year-old Lake City VA Medical Center nurse had been sick for several weeks before finding out her gallbladder was completely nonfunctional. Mullins was sent into immediate surgery because the rupture had allowed toxins to leak into her body. After days in the hospital, a physician came into her room and told her that she was severely overweight, classifying her near 215 pound body weight as obese. “They told me that I was too young to be living this way, that I needed to do something,” Mullins said. “I became determined.”

34 | Currents | July/August 2014

She joined CrossFit in August 2013 after she saw it advertised on Facebook. She said she thought it would be a good experience but wouldn’t be something she would stick to. “As I started the class, I couldn’t breathe. I got sick, my blood pressure was low and I almost threw up,” Mullins said. Even though it was difficult, she said she decided to stick it out because she was determined to prove her doubters wrong. She continued to tell herself she was not going to be a failure. “I think I was one of his first clients who was that severe,” she said. “I couldn’t even run. But he would push

me until the very end of each and evA real 5K!” she said. ery workout.” At 75 pounds lighter, Mullins said Mullins said Moowatie owner Anshe is so thankful to the people at thony Davis would run beside her CrossFit for forcing her out of her and tell her to keep going, that she miserable existence. She said she could do it and that she couldn’t give now sees a life of happiness and up on herself. hope ahead of her. As she started to “Not only do I look lose inches and gain better, but I feel betElena Mullins, who muscle, Mullins ter physically, emorealized she was tionally, mentally began working out at also gaining and spiritually,” Moowatee CrossFit in confidence. By she said. August 2013, began Thanksgiving, She said her losing inches, gaining three months original intenmuscle, and gaining from her start tions were to confidence. In the first date, she had simply to prove lost 60 pounds she could do it, three months of her and set several but the results workout routine, she lost new goals for hershe has seen has 60 pounds. self. taken her CrossFit By the end of 2013, story much further Mullins was down to a than that. size 10 and was continuing to “The one thing I’ve learned set and reach new goals. over this past year was that I may In May, Mullins ran her first 5K, have wanted to prove someone else something she still can’t help but get something, but in the end I proved it excited about. to myself,” Mullins said. “I’ve done “I couldn’t even run down the road things that I never thought posbefore, and now I can say I ran a 5K. sible.”

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Darby Pavilion A beautiful addition to the downtown lake front.

By CARTER JACKSON

arby Pavilion at Wilson Park on Lake DeSoto is one of the city’s newest places to visit. The pavilion, completed in early spring, will be rented for weddings, receptions and is open to public and private events. More importantly, it will give a new incentive for people to visit historic Downtown Lake City and Lake DeSoto. “At the Chamber, we are very excited about having it down there,” said Abbie Chasteen, marketing director of the Lake City-Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. “It is good for the community because people can rent it out and enjoy the beautiful area in which it is located.” The Pavilion was named after Herbert Darby. He has been the City Attorney for over 35 years and is one of the founding members of Darby, Peele Crapps Green & Stadler, LLP. The park

on which the pavilion is located is named after Jay Y. Wilson, who was a longstanding and successful business man in Lake City. The pavilion and park have already hosted city events such as the annual Easter Egg Hunt and the annual Derby Dash 5K Run/Walk and car and truck show. Lake DeSoto has been a staple of Lake City for many years and now, this new pavilion could bring more people to see what great things the city has to offer. Darby Pavilion is poised to serve the city and create a thriving atmosphere that only the people of Lake City do best. “Lake DeSoto is a underutilized asset that we want to get back to the core of Lake City,” said Jackie Kite, Community Redevelopment Administrator. “We want to continue to develop the area so more people will realize the importance this lake has had on our history.”

It will have tremendous success because it is part of the proposed Lake DeSoto Waterfront project. This project could include art nodes, a lake dock, restaurants, an outdoor market, park expansions and many other venues. Granted, these are just proposed expansions to Lake DeSoto, but the Darby Pavilion could be the start of a new look and feel to this historic area, city officials say. Many people think of Lake City as an “interstate town.” While it is true that a large percent of the revenue made in Lake City comes from interstate travel, there is a lot of beauty and history away from the interstate. Darby Pavilion is a place where people can come to be a part of community events and further engage in being part of Lake City’s present history. For information about renting the facility, contact Terri Phillips at 386758-5427.

Currents | July/August 2014 | 37 Herbert Darby, the pavilion’s namesake, sits with his wife (center) at the pavilion’s ribbon cutting earlier this spring.

198 MILES

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12 RUNNERS THAT’S WHAT THEY CALL RAGNAR. By EMILY STANTON Wheeler doesn’t look like a thrillseeker. The Lake City native kind of looks like your best friend from high school’s dad — unassuming, tall, glasses. By trade, he’s an insurance agent. But in February, Wheeler and 11 others ran from Miami to Key West in a non-stop, relay-style Ragnar race. The team — dubbed C9H13NO3, the molecular formula for adrenaline — ran 198 miles in 32 hours, a feat accomplished by peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Gatorade and sheer willpower. “I’m not a serious runner,” Wheeler said. “I just do it to stay in shape.” This was his first experience running a Ragnar race. Ragnars are extreme relay races where teams of 12 run hundreds of miles in a overnight marathon. Each participant runs threes time 38 | Currents | July/August 2014

COURTESY PHOTOS

throughout the race, with distances spanning three to eight miles and varying in difficulty. While one teammate is running, the rest of the team rides along in two vans. As each runner begins, the van cheers them on and drives ahead to an exchange point. After the first six legs of the race, van number two hits the pavement and starts putting in the race miles. The team was named C9H13NO3 for a reason. Once a year the group participates in an extreme fitness competition. Last year they took on the Florida Tough Mudder, a 10-12 mile obstacle course designed to test strength, stamina, teamwork and grit. “We like to push ourselves,” Wheeler said. But don’t expect to see him jump out of a plane anytime soon. These events are fitness motivators for the group, Wheeler said. It’s a goal to work toward while exercis-

ing and staying healthy. Health is a priority for C9H13NO3, who’s members are in their 40s and 50s. The group regularly runs, swims and bikes for fun, teammate Augy Goff said. “It’s a way of life,” Goff said. For Wheeler, it’s a long-term investment. “I know the habits I create in my 40s are going to determine what kind of life I have in my 60s,” he said. The team trained three to four days a week prior to Ragnar Key West. They would run twice a day to prepare for Ragnar’s pace, teammate Alan Dean said. But preparation can only get you so far. For team C9H13NO3 the most challenging aspect of the race was the heat. “The sun shines a lot brighter down in the Florida Keys then it does in Columbia County,” Dean

C9H13NO3 The molecular formula for adrenalin — and the team’s inspiration. said. The team’s motto, Keep Calm and Adrenalon, was a reminder to beat the heat and power through. “It was the hardest race I’ve ever run,” Goff said. Lack of sleep also took its toll on the runners. Jason Williams recalled sleeping in a field full of other Ragnar competitors, tents and sleeping bags placed across the grass. It looked like a post-disaster camp, he said. C9H13NO3 also got some Z’s in their vans, a ditch and the Homestead-Miami Speedway. “We slept a lot of places you aren’t supposed to sleep,” Williams said. Statistically, Team C9H13NO3 did well at Ragnar Key West. They finished 84th out of 480 teams. The team’s average pace was 8.95 minute miles, and on average each member

ran 16.43 miles total. Though it was physically exhausting and challenging, C9H13NO3 team members came out of Ragnar Key West much closer. T h e r e’s just something about b e i n g squished into a van for 10 hours at a time, mini— John Wheeler mal sleep and a protein-heavy diet that breeds camaraderie. “I couldn’t wait to do it again,” Dean said.

I know the habits I create in my 40s are going to determine what kind of life I have in my 60s.

The team of 12 RAGNAR runners pose for a picture.

Two C9H13NO3 team members make their way down the road between Miami and Key West in a non-stop relay race in February.

Currents | July/August 2014 | 39

Making the world

BETTER Mike Williams says he enjoys working for a business eager to end world hunger By CARTER JACKSON Many people aspire to do great things that bring them fortune and fame. Very few aspire to do great things just to help make the world a better place. Mike Williams is one of those few. Williams is Public Affairs Manager at Potash Corporation in White Springs. Potash Corporation is the world’s largest potash producer and the third largest producer of nitrogen and phosphate, primary ingredients of fertilizer. Williams enjoys working for them because they are helping to provide a solution to the global food crisis. Williams was enlisted in the United States Army from 1973-1995, 2005-2006 and was a Sergeant Major. He has been deployed all over the world during various wars and conflicts. He worked mostly with communications electronics. — Continued on Page 42 —

40 | Currents | July/August 2014

Currents | July/August 2014 | 41

“I loved being in the Army,” Williams said. “You have a self sacrifice and service to your nation. Freedom is not free. Freedom is earned. No one can give it to you.” Working for a Williams, company like who has also served as Potash Corporacounty mantion is incredible. ager for HamThey share the ilton County, same vision for the is a member of the Board community as I do of Directors which is great. for the Lake City-Columbia County

Chamber of Commerce and is the chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee. “Mike is very passionate about the Chamber,” said Joy Lizotte, the chamber president-elect. “He has always done a great job of representing what business owners want to hear and learn about.” Williams was the Lieutenant Governor of District 4 of Florida for Kiwanis. Kiwanis’ mission is to serve communities one child at a time. Williams is someone who puts it upon himself to help change the world for the better. “He has always given back to the community,” said fellow Kiwanian Norbie Ronsonet Jr. “I always wanted to be on his team no matter what job we were working

on. He’s just one of those people that you want to help.” Williams is also president of United Way Suwannee Valley this year. “Mike has been active with United Way for over 15 years,” said UWSV Executive Director Rita Dopp. “He has had many leadership positions and he has an incredible ability to take in details. He is a great man and wonderful to work with.” Williams is also on the Florida Gateway College Foundation Executive Board. “It gave me a firm foundation with great mentors that served me well for the rest of my college — Continued on Page 44 —

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career and my life,” he said of FGC. “I am a part of this board because it is about growing the college as well as scholarships.” Mike Lee, Executive Director of Foundation for FGC, has great respect for Williams. “He is a wonderful friend, partner and he is very pasI always wanted sionate about to be on his team no the stumatter what job we were dents working on. He’s just here,” one of those people L e e said. that you want “His to help. community — Norbie Ronsonet Jr., service Fellow Kiwanian is a reflection of his character. He is a first class man.” Says Williams says of his community involvement, “Every organization that I am involved in or want to be a part of is not about itself, it’s about giving back to the community.” Looking ahead, Williams sees nothing but more opportunity to give back to the community for which he cares so deeply. “I have been very blessed,” he said. “I have a wonderful wife who supports me. Working for a company like Potash Corporation is incredible. They share the same vision for the community as I do which is great because I am involved in so many different things. They allow me to be flexible with my schedule so that I can help wherever I am involved. I look forward to many years of giving back to my community because that is what it’s all about.”

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It’s all family at American Family Fitness

PHOTOS BY JASON MATTHEW WALKER

Ben Miller, owner of the American Family Fitness gym, weighed 310 pounds before deciding to change his life six years ago, dropping down to a slim 218. Miller said that he is an ex-paratrooper and when he left the military he weighed 215. He knew that he needed a change when his knees and ankles constantly hurt him because of the extra weight he carried. ‘My endurance was terrible. I couldn’t bend over and breathe at the same time while tying my shoes.’ 48 | Currents | July/August 2014

The locally-owned and operated gym provides inspiration to clients. By EMILY STANTON Tucked away off Southwest Heritage Oaks Circle is a 24-hour gym with a heart and soul. American Family Fitness Center has been serving Lake City residents since 2011. It’s owner, Ben Miller, has been dedicated to fitness since 2008. The 55-year-old was in the construction business, traveling frequently and eating unhealthy food on the regular. At his heaviest, Miller weighed more than 300 pounds. He knew he had to do something, so he did. Through exercise and proper nutrition, Miller lost 92 pounds in eight months. Then, the recession hit. Miller’s new-found love of fitness inspired him to start a new career and open his gym. Owning a gym is rewarding for Miller because he loves people. At American Family Fitness Center, members receive one-on-one guidance from Miller himself. He demonstrates how to use the machines. He’ll show you the proper form for a squat. He will talk to you about nutrition or just how your day is going. “We go a step beyond being a gym,” Miller said. The 800 American Family Fitness Center members have access to a variety of classes like Zumba, step, sports conditioning and power abs. Classes range from 8 a.m. to 6:35 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Class instructors share Miller’s passion. April Green is the center’s certified Zumba instructor. She loves the community atmosphere of American Family Fitness. After taking a Zumba class at the gym three years ago, she was offered a job instructing and has been shaking it to upbeat Latin music ever since. Her Zumba classes are attended by a diverse group of people aged 18 to 86. Body shape, skill level and gender are mixed.

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Her students’ progress keeps her motivated. “My thrill is seeing people getting healthy,” Green said. Dena Taylor teaches the Core and Curves class Friday night. She likes to get to know gym patrons on a personal level. She is familiar with most of her students and considers them friends. The connection with her students helps her push them to reach their goals. Before joining the American Family Fitness team two and half years ago, she was a stay-at-home mom, jumping from gym to gym. “I was a gym bouncer,” Taylor said. No fitness center could hold her attention for more than three months. That is until she came to American Family Fitness Center. The family atmosphere welcomed and kept her there. Miller also teaches classes on

If they become successful in their health goals, then I’m successful in my business.

Miller said the Atkins diet initially helped him to shed pounds, but credits weight training and cardio to the bulk of his success. He emphasized that while weight lifting is important, ‘cardio is essential to weight loss. It’ll help boost metabolism. You can go a lifetime without lifting weights, but cardio makes you healthy.’

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strength training and weightlifting in addition to running the gym and wellness coaching. His main goal is to help people become healthier versions of themselves. And that’s not always about losing weight, Miller said. The “family” in American Family Fitness Center is an important part of the business. The center offers child care in the morning and evening. This is a major help to single parents and working parents who don’t have much time to exercise, Miller said. Taylor’s daughters Courtney, 6, and Kati, 8, look forward to going to the gym with their mom. “They love it here,” Taylor said. For Miller, a healthy lifestyle and a love of people keep him and his business going. “If they become successful in their health goals, then I’m successful in my business,” Miller said.

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‘The only person you compete with is yourself’ Children’s camp keeps kids active and healthy throughout summer

PHOTOS BY JASON MATTHEW WALKER

TOP: Kids jog around the block for a cool down after working out. ABOVE LEFT: Bella Fernandes (left), 8, Kaylyn Kneen, 11, and Anthony Davis work on their upper body strength with a few sets of pull-ups. ABOVE RIGHT: Moowatee Crossfit instructor Anthony Davis helps Weston Kneen, 7, with assisted pull-ups during a summer kids camp.

Many parents of young children struggle to get their kids to eat healthy. But the kids who are attending the children’s summer camp at Moowatee CrossFit in Lake City are different. Their parents no longer have to fight to get them to eat their vegetables. The children want to eat healthy. The group of roughly 12, ages 3-13, that go to the kids club at Moowatee CrossFit are learning how to exercise and eat healthy, and they like it. Essentially, they’re learning how to live a healthy life, Anthony Davis, the owner of 52 | Currents | July/August 2014

Moowatee CrossFit, said. “If we can start them young and make healthy living a habit, it’ll change their adult lives,” he said. The camp started in June the week after public schools let out and goes through the second of week of August, the week before the new school year begins. Six weeks in, one 9-yearold boy, Darin Handy, had already lost 12 pounds from the camp. Anna Rainbolt, the manager of Moowatee Crossfit, said his mom told her he won’t even go near junk food

By SARAH LOFTUS

anymore. When the camp first began, he couldn’t do squats properly, she said. Now, he can do multiple squats in a row while using proper form. “He has made huge, huge progress,” she said. “He’s made the biggest transformation (out of any of the children in the camp).” Rainbolt will continue training him during the school year to ensure he continues to progress, she said. Darin said his favorite exercise he has done at the camp is pull-ups because he enjoys how hard he has to

work to do them. At the camp, which lasts about an hour and is three times a week — Monday, Wednesday and Friday — Davis teaches the children proper form for various exercises. Some of the kids started doing pull-ups like they’ve been doing them their whole lives, making them look easy. Others struggled a bit more, but Davis said what’s important is that they beat their personal records. The only person you compete with is yourself, he said.

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We recognize taking the time to get to know a patient is a huge aspect of what makes the healing process a positive one. The other aspect is treating a wide range of medical needs with the most advanced surgical treatments available. That means everything from cancer detection and treatment to hernias and gastrointestinal problems.

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When being admitted to a hospital, you can request us for your surgical provider. Call for Appointment (386) 755-6682

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