St. Johns Living FREE
NOVEMBER 2012
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St. Johns
From the Publisher November 2012 Dear Reader, Welcome to the first issue of St. Johns Living!! As the publisher, I will strive each month to bring you interesting articles, a monthly calendar, and other features, as well as the the chance to connect with local businesses you may enjoy. This month, I visited with the St. Augustine Art Association, learning about its rich history and dynamic presence in today’s community. Writer Angie Bell met with a few old fashioned American heroes who live here in St. Johns county. Angie also caught up with some of the vendors at the St. Johns River Farmer’s Market, one of many fantastic locavore venues right here in our backyard. This recent creative endeavor has reinforced something I already kind-of knew. Attitude is everything. We can look around at our world and see what’s wrong or we can see what is right. We can look at our future prospects and feel fear or we can look fear in the face and smile. The only thing we really control is how we perceive reality. As a business owner, wife and mother of four, it is not always easy but I am getting better at taking the latter route in life. At its core, St. Johns Living is about perspective - that is, make it a priority to SEE the good things happening in our local communities and in our lives. Thank you for reading our first issue & remember to tell our advertisers you saw them in St. Johns Living. Debbie
INSIDE THIS ISSUE CALLING ALL LOCAVORES BY ANGIE BELL - PG 5 SUCCESSFUL FITNESS GOALS BY BRUCE CLINE - PG 6 A VISIT WITH THE ST. AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION - PG 8 & 9
Living
Owner/ Publisher/Editor/Sales/ Design Debbie Gaylord 904-687-8538 www.stjohnsmag.com debbie@stjohnsmag.com St. Johns Living - Mission We seek to connect local businesses to local consumers by celebrating the people, places and events in St. Johns and surrounding areas. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - ST. JOHNS LIVING LLC PUBLISHED MONTHLY AND DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE IN PRINT AND ON THE WEB If you would like to write about parenting, personal finance, wellness, home decorating or any other expert topic, St. Johns Living would like to hear from you: Please contact Debbie at 904-687-8538
NOVEMBER CALENDAR - PG 10-11 HEAR HEAR- THE SOUNDS OF THE SEASON BY DR. ROSANNE FAULL -7 A SALUTE TO LOCAL HEROES BY ANGIE BELL - PG 14-15
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Calling all LOCAVORES in St. Johns by Angie Bell
LOCAVORE: A locavore is a person interested in eating food that is locally produced, and not moved long distances to market.
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ere in St. Johns locavores are fortunate to have numerous locally produced foods available from growers interested in healthy living and providing for their customers. Here are a few local locavore superstars.
KYV Farms -Switzerland Francisco Arroyo and his wife, Vivian Bayona, began farming at their home in St. Johns County in 2007 and have expanded to work about 40 acres each year of an 80 acre plot on 16A. Their farm produces over 60 varieties of vegetables, fruit, and herbs. In addition to the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) of nearly 300 members that is in full swing in November, they sell to farmers’ markets from Amelia Island to St. Augustine and retail outlets such as Native Sun. The “hot” crops this year are will be rainbow carrots, kale, and multi-colored beets. KYV has four employees, including Nick Provo who works fulltime with the animals. There are a few cows and pigs and over 550 chicken, with egg production which has grown to sometimes over 1400 eggs a week. “It’s not romantic anymore,” says Francisco, who has worked seven days a week for the last three months. One of the hardest parts is making people aware. “There are too many resellers,” he explains. Many customers at farmers’ markets don’t realize that much of what they are buying isn’t local. KYV is involved with Slow Foods First Coast and Francisco is willing to help anyone who wants to get started in farming, especially if they want to go organic. They also have an internship program that runs September-May.
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Knowing what it takes to raise a family, they instituted the Feed-A-Family Program whereby CSA members can contribute shares to families in need. Francisco and Vivian have three children: Viviana works and takes college courses online, Andrew is a senior at Bartram Trail High School, and Veronica, an entrepreneur with a tie-dye shoe business, goes to Swiss Point Middle School.
Susan Dykstra Nursery - Hastings Susan Dykstra, owner of Susan Dykstra Nursery in Hastings, grew up in the suburbs but started in the horticulture business when she was 15. A typical day for her starts at daybreak and ends around 10 p.m. This time is spent at her 1.25 acre nursery and at various markets and special events in and around St. Johns County. Her main crops are herbs, leaf vegetables, tomatoes, and onions, which are grown using no pesticides. She says her biggest problem is finding time to do everything and her greatest cost is electricity for watering. Spring is her busiest season, but she wants people to know how great fall is. She relies on the help of friends and family when she needs an extra pair of hands. She sees herself as a teacher and an example, and you can see her in action at the St. Johns Farmers Market every Saturday. She loves teaching young and old to grow and experience food. “Sharing is the greatest pleasure,” says Susan.
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Farmers Markets Doctors Village Farmers Market - First Satur-
210 Farmer’s Market - 2nd Saturday of the month at Winn Dixie Parking Lot, 9am - 1pm.
St. Johns River Farmers Market Saturday at Alpine Groves Park on State Road 13. The market runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in this beautiful park on the St. Johns River. Mandarin Farmers Market - Every Sunday from
day of the month, 10am-2pm at 3635 Race Track Road in Julington Creek. www.doctors-village.com
Palencia Fiesta Friday - Fridays, 5pm-9pm behind Mercado Walk at the entrance to Palencia. Jacksonville Farmers Market - Every day, dawn-dusk, 1810 West Beaver St. www.jaxfarmersmarket.com
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Nocatee Farmers Market - Third Saturday of the month, from 10am to 2pm. Located at the Nocatee Community Park. Each month features a different children’s activity. www.nocatee.com Old City Farmers Market - Every Saturday from 8:30am to 12:30pm. Located at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. Wednesday Market - Every Wednesday from 7:30am to 12:30pm. Located at the St. Augustine Pavilion. www.thecivicassociation.com St. Johns Living ~ Stjohnsmag.com ~904-687-8538
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Successful Fitness Goals By Bruce L. Cline
H
ave you ever thought about how you ended up on vacation? First, you experience a moment where you determine you need a vacation. You decide you want to go on vacation. Next, you decide where you want to go and when to leave.
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ccomplishing a fitness goal is very similar to planning a vacation. You decide you have a need and then decide you want to change. Next, you establish where and when you will accomplish your goal because it is important to you. What was your Momentary Moment of Motivation? Motivation to change a behavior can be ultimately traced back to a specific moment in time. One can usually remember that outfit they tried on that did not fit any longer. Another can recall sitting and hearing news about their health in a doctor’s office. Some may remember how out of breath they were when they were carrying in the groceries. Regardless of your scenario, it is important to remember the exact moment you decided that you wanted a change because of how you felt. This is where motivation is born. It is vitally important to write down what happened and how you felt about the scenario. Document your feelings and why you wanted something
better for yourself. Motivation naturally declines over time. Capturing why you wanted to change in the first place will become important when changing becomes difficult. Take some time and clearly define your specific fitness goal. Being healthy is an ambiguous and broad term used by all of us because it is what we see and hear all the time through the media. Setting clearly defined goals that are measurable is imperative in developing an exercise program. You cannot measure ‘healthy’. Losing 20 pounds, running a 5k, lower cholesterol 10 points are all examples of measurable goals. Measurable goals allow you to track your progress and change exercise routines tailored to reaching specific goals. Establishing times to achieve fitness goals is important because it establishes a sense of urgency. If you determine you want to lose 20 pounds, but don’t set a date to achieve your goal by then you allow procrastination to develop because there is always ‘tomorrow’. Clearly define the times you will devote to accomplishing your goal. Many people say they are going to go to the gym 3-4 days per week. When asked what days they will be going to the gym they are usually unsure. This is an example of poor planning. You must define
what days a week and what times you will devote to accomplishing your goal. This days and times cannot waiver and need to be adhered to like going to work. The reason we all go to work is because our employer has set days and time for us to be there. Would we actually make it to work if our boss said for us to come in to work around 40 hours whenever we felt like it? Establish a workout routine that is specific to your goal. The workouts we did when we were younger usually do not apply to the goals we have as busy adults. It is important to see the assistance of a fitness professional that can establish a workout routine that is specific to your goal. Your workout routine has to keep your goal in mind, but also work within the time constraints that you have set aside each week. Accomplishing any fitness goal is possible, but it requires a bit more work then just putting on your sneakers and going to it. Take the time to plan properly and increase your ability achieve the fitness goals that will change your life for the better. Bruce Cline is the Manager at Everybody Fitness. For more information or assistance with reaching your fitness goals, please stop by Every Body Fitness and speak with a Personal Trainer.
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Hear! Hear!
The Sounds of the Season by Dr. Rosann W. Faull
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he Holidays are here! It’s time to enjoy family and friends. Engage in conversation and catch-up with everyone. Don’t miss a word! But do you sometimes find yourself saying: ‘Pardon Me’, ‘Please repeat that’? Do you sit quietly by yourself and have you stopped going to parties and family gatherings? Have you ‘dropped out’? Change those comments and give yourself the gift that will last for years – Better Hearing. If you waited do to something about your hear-
ing, you are not alone. Nearly 36 million Americans have some kind of hearing loss. But not everyone seeks help for their hearing. Only 1 out of 5 people who could benefit from using a hearing aid wears one. Does this describe you? Are you ready for a change and where do you start? A comprehensive evaluation includes examination of your ear canal and diagnostic hearing test. Is your problem ear wax? It could be. Visual otoscope is a camera that allows both your Doctor of Audiology and you to see your ear canal. No wax, then proceed with a hearing test that determines your ability to detect sounds and speech and most importantly, speech understanding. Are you able to comprehend what is said? There are tests that evaluate how well you recognize speech in quiet and in noisy situations. These tests must be administered by a professional, a Doctor of Audiology. Maybe a hearing aid is your next step. See a professional who represents many companies. The Doctors of Audiology at Dr. Rosann W. Faull, LLC are familiar with most manufacturers such as Oticon, Phonak, Unitron, Widex, Starkey and Siemens hearing aids. All new hearing aids are digital and they continue to improve. New advanced digital hearing aids not only amplify sounds but have technology to boost speech over background noise, directional microphones to reduce noises from behind the speaker, automatic volume control and feedback management to prevent squealing and whistling. Hearing aids were included in Popular Mechanics and History Channel’s 101 GADGETS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD. Learn more about Dr. Rosann W. Faull by visiting our website: www. drfaull.com. Call 904-262-5550, make an appointment, and start to hear all the sounds of the season and enjoy conversations with family and friends.
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A Visit To the
St. Augustine Art Association An Art World Treasure in Your Backyard
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By Debbie Gaylord
short twenty-minute drive from St. Johns, hidden
on a quiet narrow street across from the bay front is the St. Augustine Art Association. Founded in 1924, the Association is now a vibrant cultural epicenter for artists and art enthusiasts in Northeast Florida. I met with the President of the Board Diane Bradley recently to learn about all the wonderful things going on and to highlight the upcoming 47th annual Art & Craft Festival this Thanksgiving weekend. Forty-seven years is a long run for an art show and the roots of the Art Association go back even further to the late nineteenth century when Henry Morrison Flager St. Augustine Cityscape by Artists Ray Brilli
An Aerial View of the Festival created seven studios for artists in his Ponce de Leon Hotel (now the home of Flagler College). Flagler’s patronage combined with the fine climate, historic charm and already existing small group of writers and artists made it an ideal place for the artists colony that developed. St. Augustine’s art community is also well known as the home of the Lost Colony, a thriving art colony of northern Artist who wintered in St. Augustine between 1930 and 1950, helping to make it the largest artist community in the south until WW II. The first Festival was a natural outgrowth of the arts community. Today, the festival is out doors at Francis Field in downtown St. Augutine near
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the Visitors Center. The festival is a showcase of fine arts and crafts pieces including paintings, pottery, photography, sculpture and fine jewelry. It draws a crowd or roughly 15,000 art collectors and art enthusiasts who peruse the high quality juried pieces on display by artists from Florida and throughout the United States. “What is amazing to me is the quality of the artists. From emerging artists to professionals we give them the opportunity to sell vibrant art”, said Bradley. The festival also features live music from the Gamble Rogers Musicians, an historic colonial village complete with artists from the Fiber Arts Guild dressed in period clothing creating authentic textile pieces with spinning wheels. There are also activities for children and refreshments.
The Entrance to the Art Association’s Center
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The airy main gallery provides the perfect space for monthly art shows
The annual festival is only one aspect of the Art Association’s work. Bradley says the mission of the Art Association is to promote artistic excellence and foster appreciation of the arts. Its ability to thrive has always been reliant on a talented team of volunteers. Most recently that includes Bradley and her husband Bill Mayer, who handles the business end, the current Administrator Elyse Brady, and former administrator Kate Burton who continues to oversee the Association’s permanent collection. With 600 members, some of whom volunteer to organize the monthly shows, teach art classes or act as docients, their work is integral. A painter and former art teacher from Rochester NY, Bradley says her devotion to the center is a labor of love. When she and her husband moved to the area and first visited the center she joined as a lifetime member, instinctively knowing she would always be a part of it. The Art Association’s success is also due to its recognition of the need for connections within the community. “We think of the Art Association as a community art center and promote it that way. Its not strictly for artists”, said Bradley. The October exhibit, a Tactile Art Show, is one of many collaborations with the Florida school for the Deaf and Blind. What makes the exhibit unique is that all the pieces are touchable as part of the Art Beyond Sight Global initiative. The Art Association also works with the St. Johns C o u nt y
Public schools to bring to life two exhibits each year , one for middle school art students and one for high school art students. Two smaller side galleries offer oportunities for individual artists to hold shows, or provide a venue for a small collection. The day I visited, the Art Association was featuring local artist Rosamond Parrish, whose delicate pieces are collected in a book entitled, Lincolnville, and A Sketchbook Journal of St. A ugustine’s Historic Neighborhood. Along the south entryway of the building is an exhibit that demonstrates the merger of art and history and its connection to the city of St. Augustine itself. When the St. Augustine Art Association decided to do some remodeling in the mid 1990s, they were required (as are all buildings projects in St. Artist Rosamond Parrish Augustine) to do an archeological dig under the site. The artifacts unearthed below the North Gallery wing were evidence of the famous raid by Sir Francis Drake in 1586 when he burned the city to the ground. St. Augustine City Historian Carl Halbirt, Elyse Boyd and others researched and developed Drake’s Raid, a fascinating permanent installation of reconfigured pottery chards and other pieces that were discovered. Hanging on the wall is a tactile quilt intended for visitors to touch that shows the many layers of civilization that exist under St. Augustine from shell core, to layer of soot from the fire to the later layer of our modern times. Whether you visit for the monthly exhibit, to view the permanent collection, as part of Art Walk, or to take a class, the St. Augustine Art Association is hidden treasure.
or more information about the St. Augustine Art Association or the 47th Annual Art & Craft Festival please visit www.staaa.org/ For information about Rosamond Parrish please visit www. rosamondparrish.com
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St. Johns Living ~ Stjohnsmag.com ~904-687-8538
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The Scene November 2012 FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK ST. AUGUSTINE
(Every Month 2012) - Self-guided walking tour of numerous art galleries 5p-9p (904)829-0065 visitstaugustinegalleries.com
NOVEMBER 2-4 30TH ANNUAL LINCOLNVILLE FESTIVAL St. Augustine’s rich African American cultural heritage. Lincolnville is one of St. Augustine’s oldest neighborhoods with more than half of its buildings dating from the late 19th century black settlement. The event kicks-off on Friday with live R&B music, food, games, and arts and crafts. For more information call 904-797-7611
NOVEMBER 2-4 6TH ANNUAL PONTE VEDRA BEACH FOOD AND WINEFEST Explore the food and wine scene of Ponte Vedra while sampling the variety of culinary delights and wines available in the community. Takes place at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Spa. For more information call 904-285-2004
NOVEMBER 3-4 BRITISH GARRISON WEEKEND AT THE CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS at Castillo de San Marcos
Experience what the Castillo de San Marcos was like during the British military occupation of 1763-1784. Reenactors and rangers will be dressed as British colonial soldiers as they provide historic weapon demonstrations, talks and displays. Hours: 8:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Admission: Adults $6, children 15 and under free. 904.829.6506
NOVEMBER 10 MCKENZIE’S RUN
NOVEMBER 10-12 NATIONAL PARKS FREE ADMISSION
November 10-12, National Parks Free Admission Day 10th to 12 Area National Parks will offer free admission, in honor of Veterans Day. Parks include Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Cumberland Island National Seashore and more. Click Here for a List by State National Parks / www.nps. govSHOW - See all years, makes and models of vehicles there will be live entertainment, games, music, food and more. Map to St. Johns County Fairgrounds, S.R. 207, Elkton, FL. For more information call 904-823-9092 or 904-669-2321
9am EverBank Field -Join Jaguars quarterback, Blaine Gabbert, captain of the 3rd Annual McKenzie’s Run, a 5k run and walk and 1 mile fun run!
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10 GENEALOGY CLUB BARTRAM TRAIL LIBRARY 2pm - Genealogy (or family research) is a very fulfilling hobby. Be a part of the club...join us on Saturday from 2 - 4 pm. For additional information, please contact the Bartram Trail Branch Library at 827-6960.
NOVEMBER 12 SALUTE TO VETERANS – MOSH 10-5, Join MOSH for a day honoring veterans with activities throughout the day. Activities include military displays, scale models and a patriotic Cosmic Concert in the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium. Admission is free for active and retired military and just $5 for military dependents. MOSH / 904-396-7062 / 1025 Museum Circle / www. themosh.org
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Community ~ Family ~ Fun NOVEMBER 10, LIBRARY BOOK SALE 9:30 am-noon. The Friends of the Bartram Trail Branch Library will hold this month’s book sale from 9:30 am to noon--books of all kinds and items such as DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes, and audiobooks will be available! Proceeds from the book sale support programs at the Bartram Trail Branch Library!
NOVEMBER 7 25TH ANNUAL GREAT CHOWDER DEbate (St. Augustine) Local restaurants compete with their award-winning chowder recipes. Yum! Call The Conch House (904) 829-8646
NOVEMBER 14-19 ST. JOHNS COUNTY FAIR at the County Fairgrounds. Get a taste for St. Johns County agricultural heritage by enjoying exhibits, food, fun, entertainment and the best that it produces. Livestock, good things to eat, music, midway rides, and activities for the whole family are the mainstay of the Fair. Spotlight entertainment includes live performances by Falling Bones at 7:30 p.m. and MoFro at 9 p.m. on Friday, a special performance by Molly Hatchet at 9 p.m. on Saturday and the Hairy Buzzard Gizzards at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Other entertainment includes the Fair Rodeo on Friday and 4H Shows and Contests and more throughout the week. Hours: 5 - 11 p.m. Wednesday to Thursday, 5 p.m. - 1 a.m. Friday, 10 a.m. - midnight Saturday, and 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. Sunday Admission: $5 adults, students $3, children under 42 inches free. Info call 904.794.7287
NOVEMBER 17, RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL Jax Beach Seawalk Pavillion 10-4.
NOVEMBER 17-18 10TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE AT THE SAN SEBASTIAN WINERY. Wine tasting, great music, hors d’oeuvres.sansebastianwinery.com
NOVEMBER 18-JAN31 ST AUGUSTINE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS! More than a million white lights outline historic St. Augustine. Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
Entertainment. This holiday season, the Nights of Lights will be illuminated at a special opening event scheduled to begin on November 18 at 4:30 p.m. in the city’s historic Plaza de la Constitucion. After a musical performance the lighting ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. when a single flick of a switch will bathe the St Augustine historic district in the soft glow of two million lights. For more information call 800-653-2489
NOVEMBER 17 GREEN REVOLUTION FAMILY DAY 10am to 4pm - Growing and harvesting some of your own food at home is a great way to be green. Explore MOSH’s new exhibit Green Revolutions and learn the ways you can use food scraps for compost and grow some food at the same time. MOSH / 904-396-7062 / 1025 Museum Circle / www.themosh.org
NOVEMBER 18-19 SIEGE WEEKEND AT CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS. Learn about colonial military warfare and the architecture and engineering of this national monument that was built between 1672 and 1695 as a siege fortress. Rangers and reenactors from the Castillo de San Marcos will present living history demonstrations on the art of siege warfare during the 1702 and 1740 sieges on the fortress. Hours: 8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Admission: Adults $6, children 15 and under free. 904.829.6506
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19 BARTRAM TRAIL BOOK CLUB. 7pm/This month’s selection is The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. All are welcome to join us for this discussion.
Happy Thanksgiving
from St. Johns Living
NOVEMBER 22-30 HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS NIGHTS OF LIGHTS TOUR AT OLD ST. AUGUSTINE VILLAGE An evening Trolley tour around the beautiful city of St. Augustine during the Nights of Lights. A storyteller in period costume will tell of holiday traditions in the ancient city covering over 400 yeas of history. Old St. Augustine Village is the final destination where an entire city block of historic homes will be trimmed and decorated to reflect the holiday season. After a guided lantern light tour through the homes, guests will enjoy refreshments before departing. Hours: Fridays and Saturdays 7 p.m. Admission: $20 per person
NOVEMBER 25-26, ST AUGUSTINE FALL ART & CRAFT FESTIVAL Sponsored by the St. Augustine Art Association. This two day event features art created from lace to limestone and crayons to crystal. Hours are from 10am-5pm 904-824-2310 * see article on page
NOVEMBER 30, FESTIVAL OF TREES AT WORLD GOLF VILLAGE The eighth-annual Festival of Trees at the St. Johns County Convention Center adjacent to the Renaissance Resort at World Golf Village. The event is free and open to the public, and showcases trees and wreaths decorated by businesses, organizations, families and friends from the community. Trees will be part of a silent auction. All proceeds raised during the event will go directly to St. Johns County-based charities.
NOVEMBER 23 – 25 CHRISTMAS MADE IN THE SOUTH This nationally acclaimed event is a fantastic way to ease into your holiday shopping and find that special holiday gift for that “hard to shop for” friend. Handmade, one-of-a-kind designs populate the booths that fill the festival! http://madeinthesouthshows.com/Jacksonville_Christmas.html / Adults /$6.00 Children 12 & under FREE
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Pet Pages Your Pet & The Holidays
Warm, Compassionate, Affordable Care
by Dr. Peter Veling, DVM
Did the Holiday Season sneak up on you like it did on me? It’s November already! 159 Palencia Village Drive It’s time for Christmas and other holiday Suite 101 shopping to get serious. (next to Starbucks at Palencia) While you are busy shopping and wrapping, your pets will be “watching” what you are doing in hope that old Saint Nick will bring some goodies for them. Please realize that I mean what they get from their “watching.” Their version of observation includes INITIAL EXAM what their nose tells them about what comes (a $50 value) into the house. Each new item will have Valid for New Client a scent of its own. We may not be able to or New Pet Only Valid with coupon only smell it but they can. If it is food or wax or Not valid with any other offer anything that smells good they will eat it. If Exp 11/30 you have a puppy or kitten it just has to look like fun for them to decide to unwrap it or chew it up. As a precaution, nothing should Mon, Tues & Thurs 8am-6pm, be placed under a Christmas Tree until it Wed 8am-12 Noon, Fri 8am-5:30pm, Sat 9am-12Noon has been checked to see if it would harm a pet. The rule of never unwrapping a present until Christmas is a rule that should be broken for your pets’ sake. been known to harbor the bacteria that cause What should we be watching out for? Choco- food poisoning. late is toxic to pets. Please realize that the A very dangerous and attractive sight in the smaller the pet the less volume of any toxin it house that is sure to get attention from many takes to produce illness or worse. A spirit-soaked pets is the decorated Christmas Tree. Kittens, fruit cake can contain enough alcohol to kill a puppies and other young pets love to chew on pet. Candy can produce vomiting and diarrhea the electric cords that brighten our trees. It only without chocolate. Yarn or other types of string takes seconds to shock a pet. It is wise to get can be swallowed by a pet and get stuck in their some Bitter Apple to apply to electric cords. It stomach or small intestine requiring emergency should be applied several times during the seasurgery to save them. Mistletoe is a toxic plant. son in case the first attempt at chewing is not noPoinsettias are toxic if eaten in enough quantity. ticed. The same thing should be done to power Please keep them up away from pets. A planter cords used to decorate the outside of our homes. may contain philodendron. The overall look is Bitter Apple needs to be reapplied after a rain. pretty but poisonous. Lastly, how about a true gift for your pet? If it Even pet toys should be purchased with a has been a while since you have visited your wary eye. Check to be sure that the eyes and veterinarian, have a Christmas checkup at your squeakers in a pet toy can’t be removed and veterinarian’s. Good health is a gift for a pet too. swallowed by a chewing pet. Rawhides should Happy Holidays! be made in the USA. Foreign made rawhide has 12 St. Johns Living ~ Stjohnsmag.com ~904-687-8538
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A Salute to Local Heroes by Angie Bell
Benjamin Bell
As a sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery, Sgt. Ben Bell experienced something not many are able to do. After training as a military police, Bell was selected to be a member of the Old Guard, an elite group who serve at Arlington Cemetery. Very few are accepted for training and become full-fledged Tomb Guards, making the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Identification Badge the second least-awarded decoration of the US Military. As a member of the Society of the Honor Guard, Bell has been instrumental in rebuilding and maintaining their website, (https:// tombguard.org/). “The skills I learned in the military transferred to the civilian world pretty easily,” Bell attests. “I was prepared to be a leader and a professional. I went in as a boy and I came out a man.” After serving five years, Bell earned his BSN degree from USF, using the G.I. Bill. He then worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs as a staff nurse at the Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa. Bell is currently in graduate school at UNF, working towards a CRNA degree. He lives in Fruit Cove, but takes turns commuting with his wife, Claire, who is still in Tampa. They have a son, Everett, and are expecting a girl in February. (Note: Ben Bell is the son of the author)
David Renner
After graduating from high school and the Navy JROTC program, David Renner served in the Navy from August, 2002 - April, 2011. After gunner’s mate school, he served on the USS Seattle out of Norfolk, VA, until it was decommissioned
in December, 2004. Renner received several specialized trainings, and was assigned to the USS Carney out of Mayport. With a wedding planned for September, 2006, Renner was concerned
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as the time approached and he was still in South America. The Navy kept a promise that he would get home, and flew him there a week before the ship was due to arrive, where he married Megan. When Renner got out of the Navy in 2011, he found the transition to civilian life tough. After several short-term jobs, Renner returned to TSO Armor and Training in Mayport, where he had worked while still in the military, as a weapons instructor. He is also going to school to earn his degree in public safety management, using the G.I. Bill. Renner says he would highly recommend the military as an option for teens to consider. “It’s a good experience. I’ve crossed the equator, got a tattoo in Italy, and snowboarded in Chile.” The Renners moved to Fruit Cove a year ago and love it there. They have a four year old daughter and look forward to raising her in St. Johns County.
Bryan O’Hagen
Bryan O’Hagen joined the Navy in 1993 because he felt it would provide him with some direction, cultural experiences, and skills. O’Hagen, a Chief Petty Officer stationed at Mayport, currently works as an Information Systems Technician, operating and maintaining the Navy’s global satellite telecommunications systems and computer systems, ensuring communications are linked between units at sea and stations ashore. During Operation Enduring Freedom, Chief O’Hagen was stationed in Camp Phoenix, Kabul, Afghanistan for a yearlong tour. “As the lead communicator, one of my duties was to provide IP communications to outlying Forward Operating Bases throughout Afghanistan. Seeing the faces of service members talking to loved ones for the first time is priceless,” says O’Hagen. He also volunteered in an effort called Operation Hearts and Minds in Afghanistan, where necessary food and clothes were distributed to families in outlying villages. Being in the Navy has changed Chief O’Hagen’s life completely. “I met my beautiful wife, Katy, and now have a wonderful new family. I have skills and experiences I could never get in the civilian sector.”
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The O’Hagen family moved to St. Johns County in October of 2009. Daughter Alexsys, 14, is a member of JROTC at Bartram Trail High School. They have a three year old daughter, Kennedy, and a son, Declan, who is almost two.
Herman Zipperer
As a 17 year old, Herman Zipperer joined the Army Air Corps in 1943 because of his love for planes, and to avoid the draft that could limit his choices at age 18. Because facilities could not keep up with the need, he received his basic training at a resort in Miami, training on a golf course and at the beach.
with 90 holes from anti-aircraft fire. He celebrated his 19th birthday while stationed in Naples by taking a trip to Pompeii. Zipperer ended his service as a Staff Sergeant in 1945, and was able to return to the job he’d had at 17 with Central Georgia Railway. Zipperer and his wife moved into a home in Westminster Woods in 1994. His wife, Eloise, passed away in 2003, but visitors can still hear the tenderness when he tells about marrying her when she was 17 and he was 20. Among his three children he has eight great-grandchildren, some of whom he keeps in touch with using a web cam.
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After going to gunnery school in Arizona, Zipperer was a tail gunner on a B-17. “We carried about twelve 500 pound bombs at a time,” he explains. He received the Air Medal with a succession of oak leaf clusters for his outstanding service; completing 29 missions over Europe. He recalls one mission where his plane came back
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