Ocala Magazine March 2020 Issue

Ocala’s City Magazine Since 1980 | $5.95

OCALA MAGAZINE

MAR 2020

Live Oak INTERNATIONAL Returns with both heart and soul

2020 Private School Guide Anne Frank’s Stepsister, Eva Schloss, visits Ocala The Area’s Most Prestigious Golf Courses

Photo by Kent Weakley

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CONTENTS CELEBRATING OUR 40TH YEAR!

MARCH • 2020 FEATURES

16 22 28 34 42 50

Live Oak International Hallowed and Hollowed: Bagpipes Legendary Links Eva's Story: Anne Frank's Stepsister Visits Ocala Fashionable Faves: Lauren Lindsay Livingston 2020 Private School Guide

DEPARTMENTS

p. 70 — On the Menu: Legacy Photo by Joshua Jacobs

ON THE COVER:

Ocala’s City Magazine Since 1980 | $5.95

Chester Weber, Chloe Reid, and Juliet Reid

OCALA MAGAZINE

MAR 2020

Live Oak INTERNATIONAL Returns with both heart and soul

2020 Private School Guide Anne Frank’s Stepsister, Eva Schloss, visits Ocala The Area’s Most Prestigious Golf Courses

8

| MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

12 14

Publisher’s Letter From the Mayor

53 54 58 59 62

LIVE Charity Spotlight: Women's Pregnancy Center State of the City State of the County Everything Equine

65 66 70 72

EAT Spring's Arrival On The Menu: Legacy Dining Out

77 78 82 86

PLAY Local Music Scene: The Voltron Collective Socially Speaking Anthology

89 90 92 94 96

ETCETERA Prose and Cons Kiwanis Korner Rotary Circle Looking Back

Come Cheer on the Gators University of Florida Equestrian Team

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OM Volume 39, Issue 9

MARCH 2020

OCALA’S #1 MOST AWARD-WINNING CITY MAGAZINE CELEBRATING OUR 40TH YEAR! Philip Glassman, CCIM | Publisher & Owner, Radio Host philip@ocalamagazine.com Penny Miller | VP/Corporate Development/Principal penny@ocalamagazine.com

EDITORIAL Benjamin Baugh | Managing Editor, Radio Host ben@ocalamagazine.com

Ronald W. Wetherington | Social Editor ron@ocalamagazine.com Robin Fannon | Food/Lifestyle Editor Laura Wampler | Copy Editor

ART Jessi Miller | Creative Director jessi@ocalamagazine.com

Joshua Jacobs | Senior Graphic Designer joshua@ocalamagazine.com PHOTOGRAPHY Ralph Demilio | Chief Photographer The Creative Pretzel | Photographer

Sharon Raye | Copy Editor ADVISORY

E OF FIVA R E N WIN 9 FLORID 201 AGAZINE M N CIATIO S S D AS OA R WA

Linda Marks | Founder & Advisor

to Listen Magazine a l Oca on WOCA Radio / 1370amm 96.3fms at 10:30a Friday

CONTRIBUTORS

Ashley Dobbs/City of Ocala | Writer Kelli Fuqua Hart/Marion County | Writer Mayor Kent Guinn | Columnist Sarah Jacobs | Writer Carlton Reese | Writer Judge Steven G. Rogers | Writer Louisa Barton | Writer OPERATIONS Randy Woodruff, CPA | CFO randy@ocalamagazine.com Doug Hummel | Director of I.T. Laura Wampler | Production Assistant Ross Anthony | Director of Distribution

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www.ocalamagazine.com OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER HOPS — Historic Ocala Preservation Society MEDIA PARTNER & PRESENTING SPONSOR of the Tailgating Competition at Live Oak International OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR 2020 International Women's Day EXCLUSIVE MEDIA SPONSOR FOR George Albright Annual Golf Tournament OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR FINE ARTS FOR OCALA

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| MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

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LETTERS

from the publisher

Spring has Sprung MARCH BRINGS A LOT TO THE TABLE here in Marion County. The first of spring, college kids surging to the beaches to celebrate spring break, but none more exciting than the global phenomenon known as Live Oak International. What Chester Weber and his wonderful sister Juliet have done for the horse community is nothing short of jaw-dropping. They’ve been able to attract attention not only from a national standpoint but globally as well. Live Oak International has been the stomping grounds for equestrian superstars such as Jessica Springsteen, Hannah Selleck, and Jennifer Gates, whose fathers (Bruce, Tom, and Bill respectively) are superstars in their own right. Chester and Juliet go above and beyond each year to make LOI unlike any other equestrian competition out there. We are happy to have them, along with Juliet’s daughter, Chloe, grace our March issue for the second year in a row.

This issue also has a bunch of beautiful content from an informative yet powerful article about Anne Frank’s stepsister and childhood friend, Eva Sloss, to an amazing history of Central Florida’s golf culture. We also wanted to highlight the Women's Pregnancy Center and all the work Allison Phillips and her team are doing to make sure our community's women are not alone in their pregnancies. This edition of OM has me very excited about spring and the new growth that comes personally and professionally with it. Out with the old and in with the new!

Philip Glassman with Chester Weber at last year's LOI Saturday Night Party

Until next month,

PHILIP GLASSMAN, PUBLISHER Allison Phillips, Women's Pregnancy Center Executive Director

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| MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

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LETTERS

MAYOR

from the

Sister Sincelejo

BY MAYOR KENT GUINN

I

t’s a relationship that spans more than 54 years.

Sincelejo, Colombia, was Ocala’s first Sister City, earning that designation in 1965.

The spirit of cooperation and fellowship between the two municipalities will be on display in late March, when a delegation from the South American nation, including the mayor of Sincelejo, public officials, and businessmen will make their way to Ocala.

The State of Florida’s fourth largest trading partner is the Republic of Colombia, exporting $2.4 million to the nation with the third largest economy in South America.

The city of Sincelejo is poised for the future, taking a proactive stance, with an emphasis on implementing a sustainable model for its municipality. There are a number of strategies and objectives Sincelejo will be directing their energies toward, making them a priority in the present and the immediate future, according to Sincelejo Mayor Andrés Gómez Martínez.

Sincelejo’s priorities include optimizing the city’s drinking water and basic sanitation system; improving their solid and organic waste treatment system; placing greater emphasis on academic mobility, students, teachers, and bilingualism; greater concentration on urban development and infrastructure; cooperating as a partner for equine industry development; engaging in technical cooperation and technology transfer; promoting cooperation for food security and agricultural development; foreign investment and tourist influx, allowing for improved socioeconomic conditions.

A renewal of the agreement between the two municipalities will be signed to expedite the process. This will allow for opportunities for U.S. businesses and those from Ocala to do business with them but also for those businesses from Sincelejo to benefit from us, especially in regard to the Paso Fino industry.

The U.S. State Department has also endorsed the spirit of cooperation between Ocala and Sincelejo. When the delegation does arrive, they will be placing an emphasis on learning, and there will be opportunities for local businesses to do business with them. It’s an opportunity to develop new relationships. There are lots of possibilities. We’re excited about it.

Mayor Kent Guinn

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| MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

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Chloe Reid

Live Oak International returns with both heart and soul Event brings global attention to Ocala.

I

t’s a competition that has continued to evolve, emerging from its nascent stages as a combined driving event to its present state as it enters its 30th year. Live Oak International has cemented its place, taking on global status and attracting many of the world’s best horsemen. The competition now features more than one equestrian sport discipline, featuring not only the sport of combined driving but also many of the world’s best show jumpers. The objective of the competition is to improve annually. It provides a world-class environment that caters to riders from around the globe. The worldwide scope of the competition has been the fuel that has ignited the Live Oak International team and the Weber family, expanding the event’s significance in the Ocala/ Marion County community.

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| OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020

The brother and sister team of Chester Weber and Juliet W. Reid are co-presidents of Live Oak International. The Weber’s commitment to excellence and love of equestrian sport has made the Live Oak International one of the most highly anticipated competitions on the Ocala area calendar. The event itself resonates deeply with those who make the competition a success: the organizers, exhibitors, sponsors, and spectators, making for a fun-filled weekend in a safe and family-friendly environment.

Juliet W. Reid isn’t an exhibitor, but that hasn’t stopped her from being deeply involved in the show world, serving in several capacities as a horse show organizer and manager as well as being a horse show mom.

Juliet gained her knowledge of show manage-

ment by serving as president of the Washington International Horse Show, earning the distinctive title of “ringleader” of Washington, the renowned horse show in the nation’s capital, for eight years. With Juliet’s attention to detail and event expertise, each and every year, Live Oak International is more exciting than the last. Juliet brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Live Oak International and drives the team forward with a positive outlook and a can-do attitude.

Chester continues to represent the U.S. in many European competitions and shares his love for combined driving, generating exposure for the sport nationwide and locally.

He’s set the standard in the sport of combined driving, reaching elite status in the upper levels, having won the USEF Com-

Photos courtesy Live Oak International

Juliet Reid and Chester Weber

bined Driving National Championship for the Advanced Four-in-Hand division 16 times. Chester is poised for success in 2020 and has his sights set on another title. A veteran horseman, Chester is well-seasoned and looking toward competing at home, in a familiar and welcoming environment.

If you haven’t seen Chester competing in the marathon phase of the combined driving event at Live Oak International, you need to!

It’s worth the price of admission. Spectators will have an opportunity to watch Chester compete in all three phases of the CDE, dressage, marathon, and cones, March 5-8 and in the marathon phase on Saturday, March 7.

Other notable drivers this year include crowd-favorite Mary Phelps, the talented Jennifer Keeler and her Zeppo, as well as the internationally renowned driver Suzy Stafford.

Chloe Reid’s passion for horses and the Live Oak International is as deep as that of her family’s. The 23-year-old has distinguished herself in the show ring, ascending to the top tier of the sport as a leading international show jumping professional. The daughter of Juliet W. Reid and Sam Reid, Chloe has been involved with horses from the age of four and has become increasingly involved in the event and tournament each year. Chloe has accepted additional responsibilities over time, helping with marketing and show initiatives to make Live Oak International a must-see event. Chloe’s practical experience and astute understanding has helped to transform the event into a world-class competition. She is a grand prix rider herself with many top results. She won the four-star Grand Prix in Wiesbaden, Germany, this

Chester Weber

Chloe Reid

past June. Chloe has enjoyed success on the international stage and was part of the U.S. team that went to Falsterbo, Sweden, in July, and represented the U.S. in the FEI Nations Cup Final this past September in Barcelona, Spain. Chloe, like her uncle, brings global experience to the Live Oak International team.

The Live Oak International transformed its status by hosting a show jumping World Cup qualifier. The change came about when Chloe mentioned to her mom, Juliet, that it would be fun to compete at home. The competition starting with a two-star grand prix continues to evolve, and the venue with its idyllic setting is poised to host the world’s greatest show jumpers, with show rings featuring top-notch footing, elevating the level of competition to rival any place in the world.

The venue hosts only one competition annually, so the footing is considered second to none.

Chloe will compete in this year’s $100,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Ocala on Sunday, March 8, as this is the final competition in the Longines FEI World Cup

Jumping North American League, and it’s the last chance for riders striving for points to earn a sport at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final this April 15-19, 2020, which will be held in Las Vegas.

The lineup of competitors this year includes a list of top riders including Adrienne Sternlicht, who has entered her World Equestrian Games Gold medal–winning mount Cristalline; young rider superstar Katie Dinan; and the previous winner of the World Cup Final, Beat Mändli.

In addition to some of the world’s best riders and drivers, this year Live Oak International will feature special presentations by the Budweiser Clydesdales, the Young Living Essential Oil Percherons, and the Paso Fino Association. With an AdventHealth KidsZone, Audi Beirgarten, and the Stella Artois Airstream Trailer, this year’s event is set to be four days full of live action with something for all to enjoy.

Come out to the show March 5-8. For the Live Oak International 2020 schedule, please visit www.liveoakinternational.com.

MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM |

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WITH THE FLOW

The bagpipe has played a role in ceremonies and celebration, with its unique and powerful sound punctuating events.

BY BEN BAUGH PHOTOGRAPHY BY RALPH DEMILIO

Christopher Knife

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| OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020

musical instrument with an interesting and rich history, the bagpipe is thought to have originated in Egypt.

However, the instrument itself has been found throughout history in many parts of the globe, consisting of similar components, a bag with a chanter and one or more drones, but many people identify bagpipes with one place in particular, said Christopher Knife, Executive Director for the College of Central Florida Foundation.

“The Great Highland Bagpipe based in Scotland is what’s probably best known around the world, mainly because of the British Army,” said Knife, who plays the Great Highland Bagpipe. “Sometimes it’s referred to as the Great War Pipe just because of its volume and particular sound.”

It’s hard to trace the definitive origins of bagpipes because they’re made of such fragile material, said Knife.

However, it was the Highlanders who placed an emphasis on developing and improving the instrument, until bagpipes became synonymous with Scotland, according to CelticLife International.

The bagpipe was the instrument of the Roman Infantry as early as 500 CE and can be found in the writings of the Greek historian Procopius, according to Lee County Pipes and Drums.

According to lore, Rome's emperor may have been playing the bagpipes when untoward circumstances were destroying one of the world’s greatest ancient cities.

“It’s just one of those myth things [that] perhaps Emperor Nero played the bagpipe rather than the fiddle when Rome burned,” said Knife. “You’ll find that reference in some older materials, when trying to put together the history of the instrument.”

But what is it about this wind instrument that seems to captivate anyone within earshot of its unique sound? To produce its

Firefighters from across the state come annually to honor fallen firefighters with a pipes and drums display at Citizens’ Circle, parading downtown Ocala and finishing on the rooftop at Pi on Broadway.

“...perhaps Emperor Nero played the bagpipe rather than the fiddle when Rome burned.” unmistakable sound, bagpipes consist of four parts: the chanter, the drones, the bag, and the blowpipe. The chanter is the melody pipe and has finger holes that are played to produce

the sounds of the song. The other pipes are referred to as drones, producing only a single note, commonly one bass drone and two tenor drones that are tuned to the chanter. The bag, which the drones and chanter are attached to, fills with air when blown into by the piper through the blowpipe, creating music that has been part of various cultures for centuries.

The instrument itself has a long history in Medieval Europe, said Knife. The French have their cornemuse du centre or Center-France bagpipes, Germany has the dudelsack and the English have had a revival with their instrument over the past two decades.

Bagpipes are a classification of instrument, not the instrument itself, and sculp-

MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM |

23

“There’s a strong connection on the East Coast of the United States with bagpipes and pipe bands as part of fire departments and police departments.” tures in the Middle East can date the bagpipe as far back as 1000 BCE. Bagpipes may have been played in the British Isles as early as the 14th Century, but the first solid evidence dates to the 16th Century, according to dojouniversity.com.

“It was probably a two-droned instrument to begin with, in Scotland, and at some point in the late 1600s or early 1700s, the great drone was added,” said Knife. “The longest of the three drones that lay across the shoulder was being added to give a deeper sound, more resonance to the instrument itself.”

According to legend, the Highlanders, who were renowned for their courage and bravery on the battlefield, were inspired by the playing of the Great Highland Bagpipe, said Knife.

“I think most people—in their minds, when they think of bagpipes—they immediately think of the early and mid-1800s, and later the Victorian bagpipers,” said Knife. “Or they think of the courageous piper playing at Waterloo to inspire the troops fighting against Napoleon, the pipers in India inspiring the troops during the mutiny, including pipers in the French and Indian War, the Seven Years’ War, and here as well in the American Revolution. The loyalist troops had pipers who played.”

The bagpipe has played a role in ceremo-

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| OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020

nies and celebration, with its unique sound and presence often poignantly punctuating the environment based on the event. The Great Highland Bagpipe played a ceremonial role amongst the clans, the clan chieftains and their whole system, and that sort of tradition has continued, said Knife.

“For those of us who play the bagpipes, we tend to find ourselves being included in celebrations in midlife and weddings,” said Knife. “It’s a very emotive instrument. To me, it has a very atavistic pull, and I don’t know if it’s the drone.

I think musicologists and music historians talk about the drone in the background being very sort of elemental to some early music, giving a backdrop. It’s always great to start something and end something with a bagpipe, but certainly it has played a role everywhere.”

However, the classification of instrument’s purpose took on greater gravitas as its capacity grew, and in some communities it became routine to hear the deep resonance of the bagpipe on a municipality’s street.

“I know in Northern England there were actually paid town pipers, so the town would pay a piper for a short period of time, whether it was at midnight, or it was time for you to get up,” said Knife. “A different kind of bagpipe, not as loud, but still one

that could be heard, and then of course on social occasions, both the Great Highland Bagpipe as well as other forms of bagpipes always came out as part of the dance reels and jigs too, to celebrate.”

The instrument has permeated different parts of our culture, leaving an indelible imprint, with the distinctive sound often being heard in certain communities, particularly in the public service sector.

“There’s a strong connection on the East Coast of the United States with bagpipes and pipe bands as part of fire departments and police departments,” said Knife.

“And some of it is due to the immigration, many Scotsmen and Irishmen became policemen and firemen. There would be pipers among them. Even in Detroit, in the early 1920s and 1930s, Ford and Chrysler companies both had sponsored pipe bands, partly as marketing, but they also had a lot of Scots who would come over and were great players and who taught and created pipe bands.

“A great tradition has continued on and was probably strengthened further after 9/11, just because of the dramatic images of pipers playing, pipe bands playing, and the horrific loss of both policemen and firemen during that tragedy.”

Ocala Jockey Club The Ocala Jockey Club was developed in the 1980s as a family-oriented thoroughbred horse farm with the Ocala Jockey Clubhouse as the centerpiece. Ocala Jockey Club Farm is known for its stunning sunsets and tranquil views over the entire land and farm.

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A vision for an acclaimed international destination resort and club, especially for those having passionate souls for horses.

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OM OM OM

OCALA OCALA MAGAZINE MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

2020

International Women’s Day CELEBRATION

Sunday, March 8 | 2-5pm | at the Appleton Museum of Art

Women in the arts

Join us in celebrating the strengths and accomplishments of Marion County’s

$20 luncheon tickets available on EVENTBRITE. Sponsorships available, email ollinwomen@gmail.com for more information.

EVENT PARTNERS: OLLIN WOMEN INTERNATIONAL

EVENT SPONSORS:

OM

OCALA MAGAZINE

Naila Khan MD

L Links

egendary

BY CARLTON REESE

A look into the area's most prestigious golf courses.

T

o penetrate the heart of Ocala and Marion County, one need only traverse its fenced, tidal pastures that showcase galloping warmbloods and thoroughbreds.

But for a glimpse into its soul, one must hit the links. A decade before Carl Rose jumpstarted the famed Ocala equine industry, 18 golf holes were carved into the terrain east of downtown and a milieu of sorts took root that thrives to this day—a legacy of diverse venues, warm comradery, and an atypical high level of skill and competition.

When it opened in 1931, what is now called Ocala Golf Club was the only golf course in Marion County and would remain as such

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until 1961, when Crompton Memorial Course was built on Ocala’s west side and would later become Pine Oaks Municipal. Three years later, the private Golden Hills Golf and Country Club was built, then in 1969, the Country Club at Silver Springs Shores joined the ranks.

Even at that early date, Ocala could boast of an eclectic nature, with municipal courses, daily-fee venues, and an exclusive private club. Not bad for a small town of just under 20,000 residents in those days, but it would certainly be indicative of the area’s love for the game and what the future portended. Today, with 25 golf courses located within Marion County, the area commonly known as horse country has a little bit of something to offer

Country Club of Ocala

anyone who loves the sport of golf. Cheap, daily-fee courses for the budget-minded golfer? Check. Upscale, private clubs for the well-to-do? Check. High-end daily-fees and semi-privates? Check. Flat, south-Florida terrain? Check. Undulating tracks with elevation changes and scenic vistas? Check.

Consider every item of the golf menu checked, as one can find championship-caliber venues as well as executive courses suited for beginners and aces alike. All that’s missing is a large mountain range or a vast ocean.

This well-rounded menu of choice has led to a 50-year run of golfing talent and a never-ceasing love affair among Marion County residents with the game. And it does

Photos provided by Juliette Falls, Golden Ocala, and Ocala Golf Club and The Plantation Inn Golf Course

“A decade before Carl Rose jumpstarted the famed Ocala equine industry, 18 golf holes were carved into the terrain east of downtown and a milieu of sorts took root that thrives to this day— a legacy of diverse venues, warm comradery, and an atypical high level of skill and competition.” not go unnoticed outside of central Florida.

Steve Humphrey, a former Kentucky Senior Amateur champion, knew Ocala’s golf reputation all too well and decided to make Ocala his home. “The golf courses here are always in good shape,” said Humphrey, who regularly plays national senior events and moved here from Lexington, Kentucky, in 2019. “Being from horse country myself and this being horse country for Florida, it feels like home. The land around here is pretty, there’s something going on every day. It’s just a really great place to live.”

For “old school” Ocala golf, several options exist: First, the aforementioned Ocala Golf Club, which has reared generation after generation of area players with its parallel fairways and Donald Ross–inspired charm.

Second, there would be Ocala National, known from its inception in 1964 as Golden Hills Golf and Turf Club. The area’s first private course underwent a massive transformation with Rees Jones’ renovation project, completed in 2004, to create modern length and bunkering. Third is the Country Club at Silver Springs Shores, a Desmond Muirhead design completed in 1969 and one that offers more water than any course in the county.

“That was it—the Shores, Marion Oaks (now defunct), Pine Oaks (now defunct), Muni and Golden Hills,” said four-time Marion Masters champion and lifelong Ocala resident Steve Albright. “Golden was the private, exclusive place and the Shores was always excellent. At that time it was the hot,

Golden Ocala

hot mini-tour spot. From the back tees, it’s as challenging a golf course as there is.”

Albright would know. Now 50, he has been a mainstay of the Ocala golfing scene since he was a grade schooler beating balls at the Ocala Golf Club (Muni). Part of Forest High School’s run of golf dominance in the late 1980s, Albright played four years at the University of North Carolina before a brief run on the professional Hooters Tour. Now an amateur, Albright is currently a member of the private Golden Ocala Golf and Equestrian Club but still relishes rounds played at the three originals which remain. “My top three, in no particular order, are Muni, Golden Ocala, and Country Club of Ocala,” Albright said.

“If I had to play just one for the rest of my life it would be the Muni.”

Ocala Golf Club seems to be the sentimental favorite among those who, like Albright, learned the game there as kids. But Muni’s charm is not lost on others. “I’ve yet to play a round at Muni with somebody that plays it for the first time and they don’t say, ‘What an incredible piece of land!’”

“I brought one of my teammates down from North Carolina to play the Camp [Invitational Tournament] for three years and

to this day he talks about the Muni and the character of the course. He said what intrigued him most was that, on paper, it was a 66 every time he played it, but then he’s shooting 70 and grinding the whole way.”

The classic venues of the Shores, Muni, and Golden Hills have been joined over the years by a host of unique venues. Golden Ocala, with eight holes that are stunning replicas of some the world’s most iconic courses, began as a daily-fee course when it opened in 1987 but is now one of four championship-length private courses in the county (the others being the Country Club of Ocala, the Links at On Top of the World, and the Tortoise and Hare at OTOW).

With the 1990s came the golf boom and the addition of Stonecrest (’93), Country Club of Ocala (’94), Links of Spruce Creek South (’95), Ocala Palms (’96), Royal Oaks (’97), Spruce Creek Preserve (’97), Lake Diamond (’98) and Eagle Ridge (’98). Now, what were few options had exploded into a delightful epicurean smorgasbord of golf.

All the while, Ocala continued to be a breeding ground for talent. Three-time PGA Tour winner Mike Sullivan went from Forest High School to the University of Florida then

MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM |

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Gone But Not Forgotten Pine Oaks | 1961–2019 Marion Oaks | 1980–2018 Huntington | 1989–2017 Rainbow Springs | 1979–2015 Adena | 2015–2019 Juliette Falls

straight to the big time. Others, such as Roger Rowland and Jimmy Gilleon, followed in the professional ranks and today Ted Potter, Jr., carries the mantle, having won twice on the PGA Tour after dominating the Marion County amateur circuits as a junior in the early 2000s.

In between, the area has generated numerous amateur talents such as U.S. Senior Amateur champion Bo Williams, Florida State Golf Association Hall of Famer Moot Thomas, FSGA Senior Match Play champion Berger Warner and State Amateur champion Steve Bradley, in addition to a myriad of others. “For a small area, there are a lot of good golfers,” Humphrey said. “I was amazed how many good players there are. I played a lot of tournaments with Berger and we talked about it, so I knew good players were here.”

While Ocala and Marion County have attracted many to the area simply for the golf and competition, the area has also sent untold numbers of golf ambassadors elsewhere and are always just a handshake away from being reminded of how special their time back home was.

Consider Brian Hawthorne, executive director of golf operations at the famed Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas. A Forest High graduate who cut his teeth at the Ocala Municipal Golf Course, Hawthorne admits that Ocala seems to follow him even out in the bright lights of the Nevada desert.

“I have so many stories where I meet someone with an Ocala connection—it’s incredible,” Hawthorne said.

Hawthorne recalled the time an instructor from New York was brought in for

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an annual outing of all the gaming outlets.

“This guy was a typical ball-busting New Yorker and he gets out of the limo, barking out orders to me. At one point he says, ‘You silver-spoon golf pros don’t know what it’s like to work at a regular course.’”

Hawthorne went on to explain how he used to work parking carts and washing them with a garden hose at a course back home in central Florida. “He stops in his tracks, looking me up and down and asks, ‘How old are you?’ I told him I was 31 (at that time) and he says, ‘You! You’re one of the rug rats!’”

Rug rats was the pet name he had for the group of golfing kids at the Muni back in the early 1980s, a group that also included Albright and Brent Dorman (University of Florida). “Turns out the pro was Tom Patri, who had worked with George Ritch, Tom Butscher, and Don Gillis, all those guys back then at the Muni! “All of us 12- and 13-yearolds harassed him all the time. Tom and I founded a great relationship at that point.”

Even out in Vegas, Hawthorne says it’s commonplace to run into people whose paths went through Ocala and an indelible mark was left on them.

For much of its golf history, Ocala has placed great emphasis on amateur competition and events—from the Henry N. Camp Invitational, which goes back 69 years, to the Marion Masters, the Doug Oswald Seniors, and Ocala Cup, which are part of a rich tradition that is only getting better and adding to the lore of Marion County golf.

Ron Russo, who founded the Marion

County Golf Association, is among those who moved to Ocala and was immediately drawn in by the golf community. “I never knew I was moving into such a mecca of competitive golf,” said Russo, a native of Connecticut who moved to Ocala from Naples, Florida in 2000.

“Everywhere I’ve been, nowhere do they treat amateur golf the way they do here.”

Russo founded the MCGA as a means to bring structure to a crowded local tournament schedule and the result has been what is arguably the finest golf association short of the state level. “The events were already there; we just decided to organize it because some tournaments were stepping on each other’s feet. The local golf courses get into it; even the private country clubs get into it and love hosting events. Elsewhere you don’t see that level of commitment.”

Russo recalls his first impression of Ocala not coming from the players but from the courses themselves: “I remember driving into the Country Club of Ocala, and as soon as you get through the gate you see that drop on 18. I thought, ‘This can’t be Florida!’ It was just beautiful, and I fell in love with Ocala.”

Still, Russo notes the main difference in Ocala’s favor is accessibility. “This is more of a working man’s area for accessibility and affordability. In Naples or in Connecticut, if you didn’t belong to a club, there wasn’t much opportunity for affordable golf.”

Which brings us to the new millennium when the golf construction boom continued with the addition of nine more courses including Candler Hills and Stone Creek, two highly-acclaimed

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and well-conditioned venues west of Ocala.

Among them was also Juliette Falls in 2007, in the Dunnellon area. Juliette Falls’ arrival immediately enhanced the county’s golf reputation, as it consistently earns national rankings and was included in Golfweek’s “Best Courses You Can Play” in 2017.

With the boom, however, comes the inevitable bust. With the economic recession of the previous decade and the glut of venues, several courses could not survive and are no longer with us. From the mid-2010s on, five courses closed their doors: Pine Oaks (opened in 1961), Marion Oaks (1980), Huntington (1989), Rainbow Springs (1979) and the short-lived but stunning private quarry course of Adena (2015). “Like the rest of the state of Florida, we got way oversupplied in the ’90s,” Albright said. “We lost some old courses that I hate to have lost, but I still contend that even with the loss of Pine Oaks, Rainbow Springs, and both Marion Oaks courses, we may still have too many courses. I think having more options has always been cool, but it’s hurt our market a bit. It gets cheaper, which is a detriment to the golf courses.”

The courses, the weather, the affordability, and the accessibility all make Ocala unique for golf. But what separates Ocala, most of all, is the golf culture so dearly preserved by its people. “There are good players and they are all such good guys,” Humphrey said. “I’m living the dream.”

Marion County Golf Courses Course Ocala Golf Club Ocala National Silver Springs Shores Rolling Greens Tortoise and Hare The Links On Top of the World Golden Ocala Baseline Grand Lake Stonecrest Country Club of Ocala Links of Spruce Creek South Ocala Palms Royal Oaks The Preserve Lake Diamond Eagle Ridge SummerGlen Briarwood Executive Lopez Legacy Amberwood Executive Candler Hills Juliette Falls Stone Creek Trilogy

TIMELINE

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Ocala Golf Club 1931-PRESENT Pine Oaks Golden Hills Silver Springs Shores Rolling Greens Rainbow Springs Marion Oaks Golden Ocala Tortoise and Hare Baseline Huntington Grand Lake Stonecrest Country Club of Ocala Links of Spruce Creek South Ocala Palms Royal Oaks The Preserve Lake Diamond Eagle Ridge SummerGlen Briarwood Executive Lopez Legacy Amberwood Executive Candler Hills Juliette Falls Stone Creek Triology Adena

Status Public Public Public Public Private Private Private Public Public Semi-Private Private Semi-Private Semi-Private Semi-Private Semi-Private Semi-Private Semi-Private Semi-Private Private Semi-Private Private Semi-Private Semi-Private Semi-Private Private

1940

1950

Holes 18 18 18 18 18 18 27 18 9 18 18 18 18 18 18 18 36 18 9 27 9 18 18 18 18

Level Championship Championship Championship Executive Championship Championship Championship Executive Executive Championship Championship Championship Championship Championship Championship Championship Championship Championship Executive Championship Executive Championship Championship Championship Championship

1960

1970

Year opened 1931 1964 1969 1977 1982 1982 1987 1988 1990 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1997 1998 1998 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2007 2008 2016

1980

1990

Course architect E. Ellsworth Giles Re-design Rees Jones Desmond Muirhead Ken Colen Ken Colen Ron Garl Arlin Parker, Stan Norton Steve Newgent Steve Newgent Steve Newgent Terry Doss Steve Newgent Terry LaGree Terry Doss Mike Christian Anderson Terry Doss Karl Litten, Lorrie Viola Ezell and Clifton Ezell and Clifton Ezell and Clifton Gordon Lewis John Sanford Terry Doss Tom Lehman, Tripp Davis

2000

2010

2020

1961-2019 1964-PRESENT 1969-PRESENT 1977-PRESENT 1979-2015 1980-2018 1982-PRESENT 1982-PRESENT 1988-PRESENT 1989-2017 1990-PRESENT 1993-PRESENT 1994-PRESENT 1995-PRESENT 1996-PRESENT 1997-PRESENT 1997-PRESENT 1998-PRESENT 1998-PRESENT 2000-PRESENT 2001-PRESENT 2002-PRESENT 2003-PRESENT 2005-PRESENT 2007-PRESENT 2008-PRESENT 2016-PRESENT 2015-2019

MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM |

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95,000 ilable 4 , 1 $ t a d e Pric ncing Ava a n i F r e n Ow

EVA’S ST RY

Anne Frank's stepsister visits Ocala to tell her historic story of survival.

BY BEN BAUGH

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Photos courtesy of Chabad of Ocala and The Villages

T

he complexion of one’s life can change in an instant.

The anxiety associated with hiding; being forced to abandon one’s previous life, often being stripped of one's identity in terms of a profession and being denied the opportunity to make a living with an existing skill set; living in fear and uncertainty; remaining circumspect in one's actions and relationships—all of these were variables that left long-lasting psychological trauma, whose effects resonated a lifetime with survivors of the Holocaust.

This was routine for many of the Jews in Europe, one that saw the decimation and destruction of their population of nine million.

By the end of the Holocaust, two-thirds of the European Jewish population was lost as the result of the wrenching event, one whose impact is still felt today. Six million people of the Jewish faith and ethnicity were systematically murdered by the Nazis.

Chabad of Ocala and The Villages are presenting a program featuring a speaker who experienced the horrors of having lived through one of the most inhumane periods in history. Eva Schloss is an author of three books and a survivor of The Holocaust, having been incarcerated in Auschwitz-Birkenau for eight months. She is also the step-sister of one of the most globally renowned authors of the 20th century, Anne Frank, whose Diary of a Young Girl has impacted generations of readers, since its first publishing in 1947. A Historic Evening with Anne Frank’s Stepsister, Mrs. Eva Schloss, will be held March 26, at the Marion Technical Institute at 6 p.m.

“For us, this is very important, especially because there’s so much anti-Semitism lately in our community,” said Rabbi Yosef Hecht, from Chabad of Ocala and The Villages. “It’s also very significant that it’s [been] 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz. The community is becoming less and less educated about what’s going on. You also have Holocaust deniers coming along, and so, we as a central Jewish community Center, feel that we have an obligation to educate people. The event is open to everyone, not only to Jewish people, but to all faiths and all people.”

However, it’s Schloss’ experiences along with the experiences of her family—her mother, Elfriede; her father, Erich; and her

Eva Schloss

“THE CONCEPT THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, AND THAT EVERYONE IS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD; EVERYONE HAS A MEANING AND PURPOSE. THAT’S WHAT’S REALLY SO IMPORTANT.” MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM |

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Anne Frank

“I DON’T SEE WHY THERE’S PREJUDICE AGAINST PEOPLE FROM A DIFFERENT RACE OR A DIFFERENT COLOR OR A DIFFERENT RELIGION.” 36

| OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020

brother, Heinz—that have played a pivotal role in the author’s life, allowing her to tell her story of personal heartbreak and eventual triumph that has impacted audiences globally. Both Erich and Heinz perished during the Holocaust. Schloss’ tomes—“Eva’s Story,” “The Promise,” a book paying tribute to her artistically gifted brother Heinz, and “After Auschwitz”—provide readers with a first-hand look at the adversity and challenges associated with the Shoah, the Hebrew word for the Holocaust, and Schloss’ spirit for living and her connection with her mother, that would lead to Schloss’ eventual triumph.

“The concept that all men are created equal, and that everyone is created in the image of God; everyone has a meaning and purpose,” said Hecht. “That’s what’s really so important.”

The Austrian-born Elfriede Schloss and German-born Frank were neighbors in The Netherlands. They knew each other and played together, so it’s poignant that Schloss’ writing would continue a story that should resonate as loudly today as it did more than 70 years ago, with a far greater impact.

Schloss’ mother married Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father, in 1953.

When Schloss first began writing “Eva’s Story” in 1986, she realized that the human race really hadn’t learned anything from the experiences associated with The Holocaust, that prejudice, discrimination, and hatred were still prevalent in society. The memoir tells in great detail the ordeal that Schloss and her mother went through. “Eva’s Story” was published in 1988.

“People really didn’t talk that much about it [The Holocaust], but this was an opportunity to come out with it,” said Schloss, who’s 90 and lives in the United Kingdom.

“It became very popular and I was always asked to talk at different schools, different venues and so the message spread. That was my first book [Eva’s story], and my mother was still alive, and she had experienced quite a few miracles.”

Schloss’ second book, The Promise, was intended for a younger audience.

“I lost my older brother—he was not quite 18—when he was murdered by the Nazis,” said Schloss. “He was a wonderful musician. But in the course of hiding, we

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“HITLER DIDN’T REALLY WANT TO KILL THE JEWS, HE JUST WANTED TO GET RID OF THEM. HE INTENDED TO MAKE EUROPE HIS BIG POWERFUL EMPIRE ...

WITHOUT THE JEWS.” were hiding for two years, he couldn’t make any music, and he created some amazing art work, paintings, and a lot of poems.

“Very often my mother said, ‘Anne has become world-renowned and well-known through her diary, and she has become immortal, but what about Heinz? He had been a wonderful young man, possessed so much promise in his life, and his life was cut short.’

And being artistic, he [Heinz] was very much afraid of dying. I think we all are a bit. He asked my father one day, ‘What will happen when we die?’ and my father said, ‘Of course, your body will disintegrate, but if you have children, you will live on in your children.’ And Heinz said, ‘But what if I die before I have any children?’ And this is what happened to him. He died at 17. And my father said, “Whatever you’ve done in your short life, people will know about it, and you will not be forgotten.’”

It was then that Schloss decided to write a book, featuring images of Heinz’s artwork, some of his poetry, leaving a legacy that’s poignant and powerful.

“That’s what I think we would all really like to be, to have lived in this world and to leave something behind to help people create a better life, or an interesting life so people can remember what you’ve achieved,” said Schloss. “Someone has made a postcard book with all the pictures in it. You can tear

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them out and send them as postcards or you can keep them as well. It’s very beautiful.”

After the second book, Schloss didn’t see herself writing another, but the author would soon be back at work, having been commissioned to write a third, “After Auschwitz.”

“Of course, it’s not only after Auschwitz,” said Schloss. “You just can’t start someone’s life story in the middle of something. It’s a bit of a different version of “Eva’s Story” and much more of how I had to struggle about not being able to share my experience, how I had the hatred, trying to get over that, and that will interest the reader as well. And of course, a play came from it, “And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank.” It’s a play about the Frank family and my family.”

The presentation in Ocala will provide a platform for Schloss to share her experiences.

“I will explain what happened, how unprepared we were, but even worse, Hitler didn’t really want to kill the Jews, he just wanted to get rid of them,” said Schloss. “He intended to make Europe his big powerful empire, and he wanted to do it without the Jews. So, at first the Jewish people were able to go to America, Australia, Canada, England, France and other European countries. We came from Vienna, Austria. But at that time, nobody wanted anymore Jews. And then, Hitler realized, people don’t seem to care about them. So, if you were going to kill them,

nobody was going to object, lift a finger or anything, and indeed, that is what happened.”

The experiences left Schloss full of acrimony. She was not just bitter with the Germans and Nazis, but with the whole world because The Holocaust could easily have been avoided. She sees some parallels now with what’s transpiring in the world, with the vast number of refugees.

“We make wars in different countries, like Syria and Libya, and then people have no way of living,” said Schloss. “Their house and their property are destroyed. There is no work. There’s disaster, illnesses, and maiming of children. People try to go to a different country to start a new life, and then the world isn’t interested, doesn’t want them, and you know, I try to explain this to people that it has to stop, and that we need to make the world a good place, where you don’t have to move from your own country. We need to find hope for these people. I don’t see why there’s prejudice against people from a different race or a different color or a different religion. It’s very personal. I just don’t understand why this hatred is between people.”

The apathy that still exists after decades is troubling, with many turning away with an all too familiar indifference.

“I think they realize that but don’t seem to care. These people have become very selfish, very self-centered, living in a world and in a community where people should care about each other and that enriches lives,” said Schloss. “I wouldn’t say everybody is bad, there are some wonderful young people growing up now who really care about things … the whole world has problems and we have to solve them and not go against it.”

FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION visit www.AnneFrankOcala.com or call (352) 330-4466.

CHABAD OF OCALA AND THE VILLAGES PRESENTS

a historic evening with

ANNE FRANK’S

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 6pm

stepsister mrs. eva

AT THE MARION TECHNICAL INSTITUTE 1614 E FORT KING ST, OCALA, FL, 34471

VIP RECEPTION AT 4:30 tickets + info www.annefrankocala.com 352.330.4466

schloss enter the world of

anne frank as told through her stepsister and childhood friend.

COMING NOVEMBER 2020

Special OM 40th Anniversary Edition

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You can respond by phone or mail—they’re secure, too—but going online is a great option, because it is: Convenient You can respond from anywhere, at any time, using a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. You just need to be connected to the internet.

Easy When you respond online, the website will guide you through each question on the 2020 Census and provide more information if you need it. The census form will be available in English and 12 additional languages. Videos and guides to the form will be available in 59 languages.

Secure All responses submitted online are encrypted to protect personal privacy. Once responses are received, they are no longer online.

How to respond online: as easy as 1-2-3 1.

In March 2020, your household will receive an invitation in the mail to respond online.

2. Visit 2020census.gov to access and complete the census questionnaire.

3. You’re done!

For more information, visit:

2020CENSUS.GOV D-OP-GP-EN-421

fashionable faves

OCCUPATION • Owner of L.Evate Fitness LLC • Personal Trainer • Corrective Exercise and Wellness Coach at Chiropractic Centers of Ocala • Inferno Hot Pilates Instructor at ONE Hot Yoga PROUD MOMMA TO • Tyler: 13 • Lyla: 10 BIO Growing up, I didn’t have the luxury of shopping in department stores. My mom and I would thrift a lot! I didn’t like to look like everyone else (I still don’t) and thrifting gave me the opportunity to be creative and piece together my looks like an eclectic work of art! Fashion was and is still my greatest expression of me. My art. My edge. My way.

FLOWER POWER • Authentic vintage circa 1960s • Estate sale: $2.00 • Shoes: Steve Madden

Lauren Lindsay Livingston 42

| MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

SOME LIKE IT SATIN • Earrings: from local artist Hannah Gray • Romper: Skies Are Blue • Shoes: Steve Madden I love supporting local artists every chance I get!

MOM JEANS • Jeans: Vintage circa 1960s • Vest: Vintage Levi circa 1960s • Hat: Forever 21 • Shoes: Steve Madden IBOX • Hoodie and Shorts from Target I love Target... like, a lot.

I like punching bags almost as much!

These were literally my mom’s jeans in the 60s. She embroidered them with my dads name on the back pocket! This vest was my Dad’s vest in the 60s; I had it taken in to fit me!

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020 |

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ROPE ‘EM UP • Top: Athleta • Leggings: Lululemon • Shoes: Nike Fitness and wellness is an outlet for me.

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| MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

LEATHER & DENIM (MY TRUEST SELF) • Jacket: Forever 21 • Bratop: Victoria’s Secret • Leather leggings: Spanx • Gold gummy bear necklace: Tory Burch • Shoes: Gianni Bini I love gummy bears and jewelry, so my best friend found this gold gummy bear to be appropriate and it totally is!

GREEN GODDESS • Dress: B. Darlin • Shoes: Gianni Bini I bought this dress with no place to wear it...

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020 |

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Historic House For Sale Real Estate Only

Reduced!

$599,900

Z.C. Chambliss, National Historic Registry Commercial/Residential Home

This commercial/single-family home is located at 743 E Fort King St., Ocala, FL. The house has 4 bedrooms, 2 full, 2 half bathrooms with approximately 3,335 sq. ft. of floor space. This property has a lot size of 10,454 sq. ft. and was built in 1891, fully renovated in 2003. Adjoining lot at 42 S. Wynona has an approved building plan of 4,000 sq. ft. Also has an existing 2/1 apartment and one-car garage with rental income, currently at $750/month.

Philip Glassman, CCIM 813-727-7657

This information is from sources deemed to be reliable. We are not responsible for misstatements of facts, errors or omissions, prior sale, change of price, and/or terms or withdrawal from the market without notice. Buyer should verify all information with its own representatives as well as state and local agencies. Brokers please note that a variable rate commission may exist on this offering that might result in a lower commission cost to the Seller if a Buyer’s broker is not involved in the transaction. ©2019 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.

HOPS Set amid the ambience of the city’s oldest historic district and through the generosity of the homeowners, H.O.P.S. is pleased to showcase some of Ocala’s distinctive architecture, history, and culture. Since 1992, these home tours have provided a rare opportunity for guests to go inside some of our community’s most beautiful private residences.

2019 Historic Ocala Preservation Society Board Members

Purchase David Cook’s book,

The Way It Was: A Trek Through Marion County’s Past for $25.

Available at Shannon Roth Collection downtown and Your Heart’s Desire in Ocala.

Pamela Stafford — President Brian Stoothoff — Vice President Richard Perry — Secretary Dennis Phillips — Treasurer Linda Anker Ryan Batchelor Leon Geller Jarl Hagood Peg Harding R.J. Jenkins Lela Kerley Caryl Lucas Penny Miller Suzanne Thomas Rhoda Walkup Diana Williams Link Wilson

712 S.E. Fort King St. Ocala, FL 34471 | (352) 351-1861 | www.HistoricOcala.org

Get in QuickER. Get out faster.

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Life is unpredictable. When a non-life-threatening emergency happens, you can reserve an ER treatment time online for care at an AdventHealth ER near you.

Schedule online at GetInQuickER.com and wait in the comfort of your home.

In case of a life-threatening medical emergency, call 911.

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1/22/20 10:46 AM

2020 Private School GUIDE The Florida Department of Education’s Florida School Choice Office of Independent Education & Parental Choice lists more than 30 private elementary and high schools in Marion County. We’ve heard from parents that the variety of options can be a little daunting, so we’ve compiled a directory of local private schools to help you find the best learning environment for your precious pupils.

AMBLESIDE SCHOOL OF OCALA 507 SE Broadway St., Ocala, FL 34471 Phone: (352) 694-1635 Principal: Jill Romine Grade Levels: K-10 www.amblesideocala.com

BLESSED TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL 5 SE 17th St., Ocala, FL 34471 Phone: (352) 622-5808 Principal: Megan Losito Grade Levels: K-8 www.btschool.org

CROSSROADS ACADEMY 3681 NE Seventh St., Ocala, FL 34470 Phone: (352) 694-4466 Director: Mary Beth Anderson Grade Levels: 3-12 www.crossroadsocala.com

BARBARA’S KITCHEN SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE 17050 N. Highway 301, Unit 1, Citra, FL 32113 Phone: (352) 595-1346 Principal: Barbara Fleming Grade Levels: K-12 www.bkse.org

THE CORNERSTONE SCHOOL 2313 SE Lake Weir Ave., Ocala, FL 34471 Phone: (352) 351-8840 Head of School: Ingrid Wasserfall Grade Levels: PK-8 www.thecornerstoneschool.org

DESTINY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY 5109 N. U.S. Highway 441, Ocala FL 34475 Phone: (352) 622-3390 Director: Bernard Tuggerson Grade Levels: K-8 www.destinyleadership.net

CAPSTONE CHILD CARE ACADEMY 7794 SW 60th Ave., Ocala, FL 34476 Phone: (352) 351-3777 Director: Zandra Singh Grade Levels: PK-1 www.capstonechildcare.com

DR. D.D. BROWN CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF HOPE 907 SW Third St., Ocala, FL 34471 Phone: (352) 433-2217 Principal: Sonja Freeman Grade Levels: PK-12 www.drddbrownchristianacademy.com

BELLEVIEW CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 6107 SE Agnew Road, Belleview, FL 34420 Phone: (352) 245-6151 Principal: Mike LaCrone Grade Levels: PK-8 www.bcaknights.com

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DUNNELLON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 20831 Powell Road, Dunnellon, FL 34431 Phone: (352) 489-7716 Director: Kristy Minton Wheat Grade Levels: PK-8 www.dcaeagles.com

OCALA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 1714 SE 36th Ave., Ocala, FL 34471 Phone: (352) 694-4178 Administrator: Randy Osborne Grade Levels: PK-12 www.ocacrusaders.org

FIRST ASSEMBLY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 1827 NE 14th St., Ocala, FL 34470 Phone: (352) 351-1913 Principal: Earlene Carte Grade Levels: Infant-12 www.facs.ocalafirst.org

OCALA CHRISTIAN LEARNING ACADEMY 3732 NE Seventh St., Ocala, FL 34470 Phone: (352) 694-2546 Director: Louis Pfleger Grade Levels: K-12 www.claeagles.com

GRACE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 4410 SE Third Ave., Ocala, FL 34480 Phone: (352) 387-3090 Head of School: Dr. Bethany McKee-Alexander Grade Levels: PK-8 www.gcsocala.com GRACEPOINTE ACADEMY 6185 SE 140th St., Summerfield, FL 34491 Phone: (352) 897-0822 Director: Austin Tucker Grade Levels: K-12 www.gracepointe.tv GRACEWAY ACADEMY 2255 SE 38th St., Ocala, FL 34480 Phone: (352) 629-4523 Principal: Laurie Baluyot Grade Levels: PK-6 www.gracewayacademy.org LIBERTY CHRISTIAN PREPARATORY ACADEMY 850 NE 36th Terrace, Suite F, Ocala, FL 34470 Phone: (352) 694-2223 Director: Stephen Day Grade Levels: K-12 www.libertychristianocala.com

OCALA PREPARATORY ACADEMY 7634 SW 60th Ave., Ocala, FL 34476 Phone: (352) 509-4085 Principal: Samantha Owens Grade Levels: K-12 www.ocalaprepacademy.com PALM GROVE ACADEMY 1601 NE 25th Ave., Suite 401-402, Ocala, FL 34470 Phone: (352) 304-5343 Director: Dr. Yousef Elyaman Grade Levels: 01-12 www.palmgroveacademy.com THE READING CLINIC 1333 SE 17th St., Ocala, FL 34471 Phone: (352) 867-0027 Director: Robin Poindexter Grade Levels: K-6 www.thereadingclinicschool.com REDEEMER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 155 SW 87th Place, Ocala, FL 34476 Phone: (352) 854-2999 Head of School: Luke Butler Grade Levels: PK-12 www.redeemerlions.com

MEADOWBROOK ACADEMY 4741 SW 20th St., Bldg 1, Ocala, FL 34474 Phone: (352) 861-0700 Principal: Tina Stelogeannis Grade Levels: K-12 www.mbaocala.org

RIVERLAND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 19455 SW 61st St., Dunnellon, FL 34432 Phone: (352) 489-6177 Principal: Denise Aiello Grade Levels: PK-12 www.riverlandbaptistchurch.com

MONTESSORI HOUSE OF OCALA 9880 SW 84th Court, Ocala, FL 34481 Phone: (352) 237-3281 Director: Jill J. Ferrer Grade Levels: PK-5 www.montessorihouseofocala.com

ST. JOHN LUTHERAN SCHOOL 1915 SE Lake Weir Ave., Ocala, FL 34471 Phone: (352) 622-7275 Director: David McFalls Grade Levels: PK-12 www.stjohnocala.org

MONTESSORI PREPARATORY SCHOOL OF OCALA 2967 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, FL 34470 Phone: (352) 351-3140 Director: Pauline Braner Grade Levels: Infant-6 www.montessoriacademies.com

SHILOH S.D.A. CHURCH SCHOOL 500 SW 17th Ave., Ocala, FL 34471 Phone: (352) 629-6857 Principal: Lywanda Bell Grade Levels: K-8 www.shilohsdaschool.org

THE SONDER ACADEMY 3850 W. Anthony Road, Ocala, FL 34475 Phone: (352) 512-9282 Director: Richard Sumner Grade Levels: PK-12 www.thesonderacademies.com SOULS HARBOR CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 12650 SE Highway 484, Belleview, FL 34420 Phone: (352) 245-6252 Principal: Donald Currie Grade Levels: PK-12 www.shcaonline.com TRINITY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL 2600 SW 42nd St., Ocala, FL 34471 Phone: (352) 622-9025 Principal: Dr. Erika Wikstrom Grade Levels: 9-12 www.trinitycatholichs.org VICTORY ACADEMY OCALA 3401 SE Lake Weir Ave., Ocala, FL 34471 Phone: (352) 622-4410 Headmistress: Carey Jones Grade Levels: PK-8 www.victoryacademyocala.com VILLAGE VIEW CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 8585 SE 147th Place, Summerfield, FL 34491 Phone: (352) 693-5941 Principal: Craig Allen Grade Levels: K-12 www.villageviewchristianacademy.org

MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM |

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COLLEGE of CENTRAL FLORIDA FOUNDATION

invites you to

Saturday, March 7, 2020 | 6:30-9 p.m.

College of Central Florida Vintage Farm Campus 4020 S.E. Third Ave., Ocala

Country Chic attire • $125 per person • $200 per couple

Call 352-873-5808 or visit NightAtTheFarm.org to purchase tickets.

live

Gracious Central Florida Living Photo by Ralph Demilio

Charity: Women’s Pregnancy Center p54 | State of the City p58 | State of the County p59 | Everything Equine p62

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020 |

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LIVE

charity

Advocacy Through Compassion

BY BEN BAUGH

When it comes to facing the life-changing challenge of pregnancy, there's comfort in knowing you are not alone. We want people to know they’re valuable.

F

or nearly four decades, the Women’s Pregnancy Center has been providing a safe space for women andmen to talk through the decisions surrounding pregnancy.

“We give compassionate care,” said Allison Phillips, Women’s Pregnancy Center executive director. “We give accurate and truthful information that empowers.” Women’s Pregnancy Center places an emphasis on providing support, compassionate care, and medically accurate information and then

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support regarding pregnancy—the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects, said Phillips.

“We know pregnancy in general can bring a lot of concerns and anxiety,” said Phillips. “We just want to relieve some of the fear, help people talk through those things, and without judgment, as they make decisions regarding those options; so we talk through those things.”

The Center gives them information about their specific pregnancy, providing nocost pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, and

about their options in general: parenting, adoption, and abortion, said Phillips.

“Although we don’t provide abortions here, we know that there’s a lot of information a woman would need, or a man would need as well, before they make that decision,” said Phillips.

Those clients facing the challenges of bringing a new life into the world won’t be alone. The Women’s Pregnancy Center has a medical staff and what the facility refers to as “advocates,” said Phillips.

“They’re not professional counselors,

and we make sure that everyone knows that,” said Phillips. “It’s a listening ear. It’s somebody trained in listening techniques and abortion methods, adoption, and things like that. It’s training specifically to what we’re doing. The advocate comes in and provides that calm and kind of helps remove that fear.”

The Women’s Pregnancy Center refers people out to counselors and has coaches to provide additional support. The decision is one of great gravitas and the facility itself allows for those who need its resources to take a deep breath, slow down, and think through the aspects, said Phillips.

“We believe that information brings clarity, and clarity brings hope,” said Phillips. “We want everyone who walks through the door to feel more hopeful about their situation and to feel more supported and cared for.”

The center also provides parenting classes to help alleviate some of the physical fears and answer questions to help new parents cope with providing for a child they weren’t expecting. It’s through these parenting classes that new parents have access to diapers, wipes, brand new clothing, and in some cases, a car seat, said Phillips.

“And then for the more emotional and spiritual part, pregnancy brings a lot of ‘what ifs’ about their life,” said Phillips. “‘I wasn’t expecting this. But now where are we going?’

For that, we have coaches, who meet with them as well, and kind of track out goals and

steps of how to get there. We also provide post-abortion support for those who made that decision and are struggling with some emotional or spiritual consequences of that, and we want to come alongside them.”

Many people in the community know the Women’s Pregnancy Center offers nocost pregnancy tests and ultrasounds but aren’t aware of the other resources, programs, and services that are available.

“We want to be a link to other resources in the community,” said Phillips. “We try to stay very aware of other things, whether someone comes in–maybe they’re struggling with addiction, maybe they’re homeless—we stay aware of other programs in the community and services become a bridge. We’re very active in getting someone to Interfaith or pointing someone in the right direction.

We truly care for them, their support system, and the child. We let them know they’re all valuable.” Each individual case is different, said Phillips. Some will have a large support system and others who come to the center will say they have no one. The Women’s Pregnancy Center fosters a nurturing safe space, where they are welcome and are able to share their concerns. After the ultrasound, the center places an emphasis on following up with the individuals, connecting with them and pointing them toward other programs. This past year, the center began providing coaching programs for men. “We

know our name is the Women’s Pregnancy Center, but there’s always a father involved,” said Phillips. “We have a man’s coach on staff, and then others that volunteer to be the same kind of advocate for the dads involved.

They’re involved with parenting classes. They earn their own baby bucks, so they can, from the beginning, help to be a support.”

The Women’s Pregnancy Center can make a significant difference in changing the complexion of someone’s life, with many of the first-time parents not having a healthy parent model. That’s not necessarily an indicator that they won’t be great parents, said Phillips. A lot of the self-doubt can be caused by fear.

“In our parenting classes and through the coaching, you can be a fantastic parent, no matter what your story, but again knowledge, equipping, and empowering them to start out with hope, that’s due to emotional, physical. and spiritual aspects,” said Phillips. “We want them to feel like family. Our parenting classes are 10 weeks, and the parents will say, ‘We don’t want to leave. Can we keep coming?’”

It’s the facility’s sense of community that creates a familial atmosphere, with many of the expecting parents bringing their new babies by after they’re born and visiting with staff long after their initial experience.

“It’s really a gift to us,” said Phillips.

“We have a large number of volunteers who really believe in providing these services and programs. We consider it such a gift that this center is here for our community, pointing people to live their best, most abundant life.”

The Women’s Pregnancy Center’s mission has been the same for the past 39 years, staying relevant for their clients, allowing their clients to dictate the pace of their conversation, with the objective being to remove any fears they might have.

“We bring a listening ear and a lot of helpful information,” said Phillips. “Our beliefs don’t all have to line up for someone to be welcome here and be treated with dignity and respect, no matter the situation surrounding their story.”

THE WOMEN’S PREGNANCY CENTER is located at 1701 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. For more information, call 352-351-1294 or you can access their website at wpcocala.com.

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020 |

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DO GOOD(ER) INTRODUCING

VOLUNTEER CONNECT is the easiest way to find meaningful volunteer opportunities in Florida. It’s free, it’s easy, but it might just change someone’s life. And, it will certainly make Florida a better place to live. Visit volunteerflorida.org today.

NATURAL HEALTH REDEFINED Acupuncture is recommended for painful conditions, insomnia, allergies, hypertension, and more.

Discover a healthier you!

Erica Olstein, DOM, AP Acupuncture, Cupping, & Herbal Medicine

(352) 615-5566

www.ABetterUHealthcare.com 2609 SW 33rd St., Unit 103, Ocala

state of the city

Citizens Academy

BY ASHLEY DOBBS Have you ever wanted to gain insight into how your local government runs on a day to day basis? Are you curious about the elected officials and how the City Council operates, the preparation of city budgets, city planning, water resources, electric, and the fire and police departments? Citizens Academy highlights these departments and many more over the course of a 10-week program.

Citizens are invited to learn more about their city and how elected officials and staff strive each day to provide residents with a great place to live, work, and prosper.

Citizens Academy is a free, exciting, 10-week program that touches upon virtually every facet of city government. The goal of this program is to cover a variety of topics and provide an interactive and educational experience that allows citizens to feel more knowledgeable about what is happening with the City of Ocala. Sessions will be held Thursdays, April 2 through June 4, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at various city locations and taught

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by City of Ocala employees that are experts in the field. Each session will include live demonstrations, a question and answer portion, and educational discussions to give participants a better understanding of current city projects and economic development opportunities.

The application process is currently open to city residents or business owners within Ocala/Marion County. All participants must be at least 18 years of age and must be able to attend a minimum of eight sessions to successfully complete this program. Space is limited and is reserved on a first come, first served basis. Class size is limited to 35 participants to provide a positive and engaging experience to each person attending. Food and refreshments will be served at each class. For those completing the 10-week course, a certificate of completion and recognition will take place at a regularly scheduled City Council meeting.

The City of Ocala is committed to

making residents feel confident about their local government and invites those residents who want to make an investment in their community to participate in this program.

Recognizing the time and commitment it takes to complete this program, each program promises to be informative and engaging. Previous participants have commented on how much they learned during the process and have often encouraged others to take part in the academy. Each year a new group of residents, who are ready to take a more active role within their local government, are eagerly welcomed to the academy.

For elected officials and city staff, it is an opportunity to share knowledge and goals of Ocala’s future and meet citizens who are just as passionate about what happens within our community. We look forward to meeting the Class of 2020.

TO APPLY FOR the 2020 City of Ocala Citizens Academy and to see the schedule of events and dates, please visit www.ocalafl.org/citizensacademy.

Photos courtesy of the City of Ocala

LIVE

LIVE

state of the county

Empowering Marion for Success Marion County takes big steps to become cyber-safer.

WRITTEN BY KELLI FUQUA HART, MARION COUNTY PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

E

very 39 seconds, someone unsuspecting is attacked by a hacker.

This means 1 out of every 3 Americans will fall victim to an online scam, lose private data or download malware that opens up their entire lives to heinous criminals. These victims are everyday people – like you and me – who believe they are working or shopping online in accordance to best practices. They click what looks to be a safe email, legit shopping app or update notification that has actually been carefully crafted by hackers, phishers or even a malicious insider with devious plans for your protected information.

Often, cybercriminals target government agencies to try and gain access to as many pieces of information as possible. Because these large agencies do business with so many people and other businesses, the amount of data is vast – the perfect target for criminals.

The Marion County Board of County Commissioners takes protecting its citizens’ information very seriously. As governmental data breaches and cybersecurity threats continue to grow, Marion County understands the need to stay educated and trained on ways to ensure their information is kept safe.

On Feb. 11, Chairman Kathy Bryant welcomed representatives from several Florida counties, as well as local dignitaries and

representatives, to an in-depth workshop on Cybersecurity for Local Government. It was a packed house at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion where Attorney General Ashley Moody was in attendance and started the workshop by saying, “[Governing agencies] are sitting prey. We must act with a sense of urgency, being both proactive and aggressive in this fight.”

Cyber Florida’s Luis Valdez presented multiple steps organizations, like Marion County, can take to enhance its cybersecurity.

He explained how cybercrimes cost taxpayers more than $2 billion annually and how these crimes are evolving every single day.

“We are seeing an uptick in data breaches and cyber-attacks across our nation,”

Commissioner Bryant expressed, “resulting in various risks and challenges. Workshops, such as this, lend to excellence in the way we conduct business with and for those who live within our counties.”

Marion County officials and staff are guided by three principles – a dedication to serve, professional operations and resource stewardship. February’s workshop is a shining example of the county’s dedication to those principles and one way we hold ourselves accountable for the success and safety of our community.

LEARN STEPS TO TAKE to keep your information safe by visiting marioncountyfl.org/cybersecurity.

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020 |

59

PROFESSIONALISM RESPONSIVENESS QUALITY

BUSINESS SERVICES

Small Business Accounting QuickBook Services Part-Time CFO Service Audits – Reviews – Compilations Cash Flow Management Bank Financing Business Valuation Strategic Business Planning Succession Planning New Business Formation Non-Profit Organizations Internal Controls Certified Fraud Examiner Homeowner & Condo Associations

INDIVIDUAL SERVICES Personal Financial Planning Estate Planning Elder Care

TAX SERVICES Tax Preparation Tax Planning Tax Problems

HOMEOWNER & CONDO ASSOCIATIONS Services Audits/Reviews/Compilations

THE STAFF AT SUNCOAST CPA GROUP IS DEDICATED TO EXCEEDING YOUR EXPECTATIONS

We are devoted to providing each of our clients, whether an individual or a business, with the highest quality of services and attention they deserve.

5471 Spring Hill Dr • Spring Hill, FL 34606 | 801 S Broad St • Brooksville, FL 34601 | Ocala Office Now Open

OUR PROMISE: TOTAL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. OUR TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS CAN HELP WITH YOUR CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS.

CALL TODAY (352) 596-2883

SUNCOASTCPAGROUP.COM

How To Handle Market Volatility

Looking back at the past few weeks, the market has made some investors nervous.

Market volatility can lead to some serious stress but what are the best ways to respond to this uneasy feeling? When dealing with market volatility, it's important to keep several things in mind to avoid making major mistakes.

HAVE A PLAN

It's frequently said that those who fail to plan are planning to fail. When investing, it's important to have a plan. If your plan is to put aside $1,000 or $5,000 a month stick to it. Slow and steady wins the race.

Sticking with your plan will allow you to take advantage of the periods when the stock market is down.

KEEP REINVESTING

Dividends and interest tend to keep coming whether the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 500 points or it's up 300 on a given day. It's true that there are situations that will lead some companies to cut or suspend their dividends. However, most companies will keep paying out dividends as long as possible because a cut is a sure-fire way to lose investors and see the price of your company's stock drop like a rock.

Dividends from stocks and interest from bonds are two of the best ways to deal with volatility. You should keep reinvesting the capital your investments throw off.

When the market is down, you'll be able to buy more shares, and this will add to your flow of dividends and interest. By reinvesting during periods of volatility, you'll be able to increase the power of compounding greatly.

DON'T SELL

Many financial professionals will tell you to avoid selling your investments at the worst possible time is a part of sticking with your plan. Often times, this is an ideal strategy. It can be tempting to sell when the market is down 10% so that you can avoid the next 20% loss.

This is generally a bad idea. Time in the market will usually beat attempts to time the market. Although, one exception would be drawing down some money strategically during your golden years.

You'll probably want to make quarterly or annual withdrawals regardless of what

the market is doing in that case so that you can fund your living expenses.

REBALANCE

Another important step to take when the market is showing extreme volatility is remembering to rebalance your portfolio periodically. You may have a strategy of rebalancing quarterly, semiannually or yearly. If you have a target allocation of 75% of your portfolio in stocks and 25% in bonds, a major drop in stocks could leave you with 65% in stocks and 35% in bonds.

In this instance, you'd sell a chunk of your bonds and move the money into stocks. If you're still in the accumulation phase, you could stop contributing to bonds and put all of your money in stocks until you reach your targeted balance. This will keep you from becoming too overweight in one area and allow you to maintain the proper level of diversification.

One big piece of advice that's important to remember during market volatility is to stay the course. If you have a plan, stick to it.

This includes making periodic investments as you would if the market were at record highs. Real money is made during market downturns. If your portfolio gets out of balance, it's a good idea to rebalance it in the event of a major market downturn to take advantage of the sale price on stocks.

If you have cash sitting on the sidelines, volatility to the down side can be a great time to put that money to work.

Planning your retirement means diversifying to reduce the risk to your overall retirement plan. We are here to help guide you to and through a successful retirement.

LEADING YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE

Our mission at Take Point is to simplify investing and provide throughtful, intelligent advice to clients searching for added peace of mind. We treat each client as an individual to provide a high level of personalized service. Erick Arnett, founder of Take Point, and the rest of the team work to help you pursue your financial goals and work toward financial freedom.

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:

H Investment Management H Retirement Planning H Tax Planning H Trust and Estate Planning H Insurance Services H Asset Protection H Business Analysis

Discover more about our resources and services by contacting us today.

Erick Arnett 352-340-2942 erick@takepointwealth.com www.takepointwealth.com Investment Advisor Representative of Retirement Wealth Advisors, Inc. (RWA), 89 Ionia NW, Suite 600, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (800) 903-2562. Investment Advisory Services are offered through RWA. Take Point Wealth Management and RWA are not affiliated.

LIVE

everything equine

Live Oak International has one word on their mind:Community

BY LOUISA BARTON

It is that exciting time of the year again! We are on the downhill scramble to pull together a truly magnificent event on March 7, 2020 in and around downtown Ocala.

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O

nce again, we get the opportunity to not only bring together the horse world and the non-horse world in the horse capital but also to unify all the breeds and disciplines in the ultimate showcase of the most beautiful horses, many who are champions in their breed, from all over the Ocala area, in the Horse Capital Parade, presented by Live Oak International (LOI).

The Ocala/Marion County Chamber and Economic Partnership (CEP) created the equine initiative, presented by New Millennium Realty, several years ago, after commissioning an equine industry study that showed tremendous numbers, proving that our equine industry was equal to well over 2 billion dollars and represented at least 17% of our economy. The challenge was bringing the horse world and non-horse world together and unifying horse breeds and disciplines to ensure the success and continued growth of the equine industry. The Ocala CEP was the first Chamber that we know of to focus in on the equine industry’s continued success and growth and the first organization of this kind to try to bring together all breeds and disciplines. This past year, CEP staff were able to create an Equine Advocacy committee, protecting farmland, working on farm immigration concerns, working towards an international equine quarantine facility and other key equine and farm issues in a partnership with Horse Farms Forever. These efforts plus CEP’s new equine inventors program culminate in the Horse Capital Parade, presented by Live Oak International on March 7, 2020.

The Live Oak International event itself runs from March 5-8, 2020, and in my opinion, it has probably always been the most friendly horse event for horse people and non-horse people alike, offering incredible and thrilling world-class horse sport, a wonderful vendor village and great family friendly activities, all set in some of the most glorious surroundings. Many non-horse people are intimidated by horses and

Photo courtesy of Louisa Barton

Chester Weber, the most decorated driver in the USA, and his sister Juliet and their team, support staff, and volunteers have always put together this incredible event for the community. horse events and LOI has always proven able to overcome that in our community. The oak hammocks and the rolling hills beckon all and make this event second to none in the scenic surroundings of the Live Oak Stud. The community has come out every year and enjoyed this event, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. There really is something for everyone of all ages to enjoy.

Chester Weber, the most decorated driver in the USA, and his sister Juliet and their team, support staff, and volunteers have always put together this incredible event for the community and for their global competitors. Businesses, families, and retired folk come out in droves to enjoy this beautiful venue and event and all that it has to offer. With Live Oak Interna-

tional taking the role of presenting sponsor of the Parade downtown, comes an opportunity for their team to thank the community for their support over the years and to invite more people to get familiar with all that Live Oak International has to offer, while showcasing the horses who make up much of what makes us “The Horse Capital of the World!”

In the Parade downtown, you will see and meet horses from the American Miniature to the Clydesdale, Mustangs, Paso Finos, Gypsy Vanners, Cracker Horses, the only Thoro-teke in the world and more.

Make sure you attend Live Oak International on March 5-8, 2020 at 2215 SW 110th Ave, Ocala, 34481 and the Parade on March 7, 2020 in our downtown. You will be

scintillated by the stagecoach in action on the square and delighted to see the large variety of amazing champion horses, many who are the best in their breed. Then the ultimate Parade Grand Finale begins, as the world-renowned Budweiser Clydesdales take center stage with our Grand Marshal Chester Weber himself, sweeping the square in all their glory! Cheer as loud as you want! The Budweiser Clydesdales are also at the Live Oak International event for visits and for the enjoyment of our community, providing us with this additional opportunity to have them on our downtown square.

Two events—the same goals—Live Oak International and the Horse Capital Parade, providing world-class events, bringing the horse world and non-horse world together, unifying all breeds and disciplines, while making the horse world a welcoming place for everyone in our community and saying a huge thank you to all who come to touch, to learn, and to enjoy the horse!

Mark your calendars now and do not miss these events—it does not get much better than this! Get tickets now for the Live Oak International weekend online at www.LiveOakInternational.com and with grateful appreciation and due to their sponsorship, the Parade will be a free event for all to enjoy.

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2020 Marion County Go Red for Women

Ali Nasser, M.D. & Sonya Nasser, J.D.

Peter Chung, M.D.

For table and sponsorship information, please contact 727.563.8083 or Kristina.Donohue@heart.org.

TM Go Red trademark of the AHA, Red Dress trademark of the DHHS.

eat

Lollipop Lamb Chops — recipe on ocalamagazine.com Photo and recipe by RSVP Robin

Spring’s Arrival p66 | On the Menu: Legacy p70 | Dining Out p72

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spring’s ARRIVAL

A fresh collection of recipes to add zest to your springtime table.

STORY + PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN FANNON OF RSVP ROBIN

A

hhh, spring has sprung! It is definitely my very favorite time of year. While fall has its own unique beauty to behold, it is spring’s natural bounty that brings a sense of renewal and refreshing transformation to our lives.

It’s time to throw open the drapes, let the fresh air in and dust off the winter doldrums. Spring also brings a new crop of fresh vegetables and herbs to harvest. This month’s featured recipes highlight the best (and healthiest) of them. Citrus is still the starring fruit during March so we incorporated lots of this refreshing element.

So pack up a picnic and spread a blanket out in the grass. Take your puppy for a long walk and tend to that neglected garden. Let body and soul recharge and reconnect in nature. Your sense of well-being and mental health (and Fido!) will thank you.

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Asparagus mimosa (this dish is meant to be eaten at room temperature)

INGREDIENTS

» 1 1/2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed and lower half of stalk peeled » 2 1/4 teaspoons salt » 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar » 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot » 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard » 1/8 teaspoon black pepper » 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil » 2 tablespoons capers » 2 hard boiled eggs at room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS

• Prepare a bowl of ice and cold water for shocking.

• Put asparagus in a 12-inch heavy skillet, then cover with cold water.

Bring water to a boil and add 2 teaspoons of salt, then reduce heat and simmer asparagus, uncovered, until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer with tongs to ice water, then to a clean kitchen towel. Pat dry.

• Whisk together vinegar, shallot, mustard, pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Toss in capers and stir.

• Halve eggs, then force through a medium-mesh sieve into another small bowl. Toss asparagus with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette in a large shallow bowl, then divide asparagus among 4 plates.

Spoon additional vinaigrette over asparagus and top with egg mixture.

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Fennel and blood orange salad » 1/4 cup walnuts (pine nuts or slivered almonds also work well) » 1 medium-large fennel bulb, leaves and stems trimmed off » Salt and freshly ground black pepper » Juice of 1 lemon » 2 large blood oranges » 1 small shallot, peeled and cut into paper-thin slices » 10 mint leaves » 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil » 1 teaspoon lime zest

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place nuts in a dry skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, to toast. Let cool. If using hazelnuts, roll them around in a dishcloth (or, if cool enough, in your hands), discarding any loose skins.

Coarsely chop nuts; set aside.

• Slice about 1/2 inch from bottom of fennel and discard. Slice fennel very thinly. Toss in a serving bowl with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

• Trim all peel and pith from blood oranges. Holding peeled fruit over bowl containing fennel, use a sharp knife to cut supreme sections from the membrane and drop them into the bowl. Squeeze remaining orange over the bowl to drizzle fennel with remaining juice and discard membrane. Add shallots, mint leaves, olive oil, and reserved nuts and toss gently.

Sprinkle with lime zest.

• Note: thinly sliced radish is a delicious addition to this salad.

Turmeric glazed salmon with cucumber dill sauce » » » » » » » » » » » »

4 teaspoons turmeric 2 teaspoons cumin 1 pound salmon (always look for wild or sustainably farmed) Olive oil Salt and pepper Dill and lemon sliced to garnish For the Sauce: 2 cups of plain yogurt 1/2 lemon squeezed 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 1/2 organic cucumber partially peeled.

Salt and pepper to taste.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place all ingredients in a mini chop or blender and blend throughly.

• Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, turmeric, cumin and salt & pepper to taste.

• Rub mixture all over Salmon and let marinate for 30 minutes.

• Roast under broiled for approximately 6 minutes(until cooked to desired temperature).

• Garnish with fresh dill and lemon slices and serve with cucumber dill sauce.

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EAT

on the menu

A Legacy

Reimagined

BY SARAH JACOBS

I

n life, few things matter more than the legacy we will leave behind. The Suleiman family is working hard to ensure that the name they are building for themselves in the restaurant industry is one that will stand the test of time. The family owns three restaurants in the Ocala area, and each of them have their own unique flair. A year ago they decided to add Legacy at Nancy Lopez Country Club to their business endeavors and, in true Suleiman style, curated a gorgeous restaurant

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for their customers. Manager Joseph Suleiman works hard to ensure a personal touch is delivered to every guest. If you are looking for a distinctive dining experience, Legacy is sure to deliver an atmosphere and a meal that will have you immediately planning your next visit.

Upon arriving at Nancy Lopez Country Club, the restaurant is easy to locate on the beautiful grounds. The exterior of the building is quintessentially Floridian in its design and blends nicely with the tropical feeling

of the golf course. The moment you set foot through the door, you will feel as if you are in a whole new world. The Suleimans did a full renovation from floor to ceiling of the building, and no detail was overlooked. The pattern of the carpet, the embellishments on the wallpaper, and the custom light fixtures come together to create the perfect ambiance for fine dining. Furniture was handpicked to fit the space, and every piece adds to the rich mood the interior exudes.The bar was redone

Photos by Joshua Jacobs

The Suleiman family find new ways to deliver the classic dishes you know and love.

and completed with red light glass from New York City, which rounds out the feeling that you could be in the Big Apple itself. Nancy Lopez’s legacy is proudly displayed through family portraits and memorabilia from her golf career and flows smoothly into each piece of the restaurant. Diffused lighting helps make the setting more intimate, and sound panels were built in to dampen the normal noises of the restaurant, allowing guests to focus on their conversations with minimal interruptions. It is apparent that any need a customer might have was taken into consideration when designing Legacy.

The menu was created with the idea that fine dining and service would be provided at competitive prices. The cost of each dish is reasonable for the amount of care that is put into every item. Legacy boasts an array of dishes that are not easy to find in the Ocala area. The Suleimans

work closely with their kitchen staff to make sure that every plate arrives at the table with the perfect presentation. Whether it be edible flowers, delicious sauces, or a bit of fiery flair, each menu item is a work of art on its own.

Appetizers for the table could include beef carpaccio or escargot. The beef carpaccio is served with yogurt blended with local honey and dijon mustard and will be a perfect start to your meal. The escargot is prepared perfectly and each of the twelve pieces served will feel as if they melt in your mouth. If you want a memorable drink , the bar menu should be fully explored. A refreshing lemon drop martini is a fun way to start your meal, or if you are feeling adventurous, order a smoked old fashioned. The old fashioned is delivered in a cloud of smoke that appears otherworldly. The smell and the flavor of the drink are enough to make anyone stop and savor each sip.

When you are ready to move on to the main course, there are several options that should be featured. Pear and Ricotta–stuffed

Sacchettini comes tossed in a pulled short rib, marsala cream sauce and envelops your tastebuds. The creamy sauce compliments the crisp bite of the pear, and the expertly prepared sacchettini is important from Italy. If you are looking for a rich meal that delivers flavor and comfort, look no further than the Salmon Wellington. The crispness of the pastry combined with the moistness of the mushrooms and the salmon make this dish a stand out. Slow roasted for 14 hours, the lamb shank is another meal that is sure to impress. It is drizzled with a port wine reduction and delivered to the table with freshly roasted rosemary. Chateaubriand is a rare find on any menu, but Legacy will win you over with theirs. Many of these items are accompanied by whipped garlic potatoes and vegetables that are capable of stealing the show on their own. To end your dining experience, there are a variety of desserts to pick from. Chocolate lovers should try the Chocolate Trilogy. It is sweet and light but still manages to bring a richness that could bookend any meal.

Legacy does not just provide a place to enjoy fine dining but also takes their customers other entertainment needs into consideration.

Personalized wine lockers are available for customers to store their collections and allow access to wine tastings and difficult to find wines. They are beautifully displayed with custom name plates. If you have a particular bottle in mind, you can also bring your own wine to chill before your meal. Legacy also provides a scotch collection that features vintages aged as long as 35 years. VIP membership is available and earns you special discounts and promotions, making dining with Legacy even more accessible. For those that like to try their hand at new adventures, cooking classes are offered on Mondays at 12:30 and 2 p.m. A chef immerses you in every step of making a dish as you sip on a glass of wine and sample the completed meal. Private dining is also available for any event you might be hosting and will allow you and your guests to have a memorable evening.

Consider visiting Legacy for your next date night or special occasion. The Suleimans will make your fine dining experience unforgettable, and you will definitely want to return to sample all of the phenomenal food they have to offer you.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit www.legacyrestaurant.com.

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dining

OUT

Katya Vineyards Katya Vineyards Tasting Room is owned by Drs. David and Patricia Sokol and Kat and Tony Deras.

Katya is a Boutique Winery and Fine Eatery on the Square that pairs local wines with locally-sourced, fresh cuisine in a quaint, upscale atmosphere.

Follow them on Facebook for more information.

Private event space available by appointment.

Award-winning Chef Tony Deras changes the menu each week, carefully selecting ingredients to balance taste, texture, and beauty.

Tues-Sat 4-10pm 101 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Suite 102, Ocala, FL 34470 (352) 528-CORK (2675) | www.katyavineyards.com

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KATYA

dining out

EAT

Tony’s Sushi Sushi Me! At Tony’s Sushi you can select your favorite sushi to include made-to-order specialty rolls by creating your own! Enjoy being entertained at the grill, watching your food being prepared while having some fun. For a more intimate setting, Tony’s offers private tables – perfect for special moments. Tony’s full bar includes sakes, imported draft beer, and more. Like Tony’s on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TonySushiOcala

Ask about our daily, not on the menu items!

We offer gift cards, catering and entertaining.

Mon–Thur 11am–10pm, Fri & Sat 11am–11pm, Sun 12pm–10pm 3405 SW College Rd. #103 Ocala, FL 34474 | (352) 237-3151 www.tonyssushi.com

Ivy On The Square Whether gathering with friends or family for lunch or a night out, you’ll enjoy fresh salads, mouthwatering comfort food, late-night tapas and drinks. Specials include our Pecan Salmon, Southern Fried Lobster and famous baked Krispy Chicken. After dining enjoy a stroll in our boutique where we offer a variety of gifts, jewelry, home decor and clothing. Looking to host a special event or dinner? Call and talk to one of our staff members on the options we have available.

Stop by our new speakeasy bar and enjoy our specialty drinks! Gift certificates available.

We are now taking reservations for Easter.

We invite you to join us for Easter, our hours are 11-2.

53 S. Magnolia Ave., Ocala | (352) 622-5550 Closed Mon, Tues 11am-2pm, Wed 11am-9pm, Thurs 11am-9pm 106 NW Main St., Williston | (352) 528-5410 Sun-Wed 11am-2pm, Thurs-Sat 11am-8pm | ivyhousefl.com

West 82° Bar and Grill Overlooking Kings Bay and Crystal River is the West 82º Bar and Grill. With its distinctive view and welcoming ambiance, guests can be seated both inside and out. The West 82º serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day of the week.

Entrees are prepared with the finest and freshest ingredients, including locally caught fish and Florida beef. Our large dining room can accommodate the romantic couple, the active family or any grand party event. Catering services are available as well as take-out, if you are so inclined. The West 82º Bar provides a place to unwind, relax and partake of libations with business associates or good friends. Treat yourself to your favorite beverage and light fare from our chef’s selections. Complete your meal by the fire with an after-dinner cordial, book, or puzzle.

End your week with our unmatched Sunday brunch.

With over 12 options to choose from there is something for everyone’s palette, be it inclusive of meat or of a vegetarian preference.

The West 82 º is open to the public and children’s menu available.

Breakfast Daily 6am-10:30am | Lunch Mon –Sat: 11:30am-2:00pm Dinner Daily 5pm-9pm | Sunday Brunch 11:30am-2pm 9301 West Fort Island Trail, Crystal River, FL 34429 | (352) 795-4211 www.plantationoncrystalriver.com OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020 |

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dining out

Sky Fine Dining Sky Fine Dining is located on the 6th floor of the Holiday Inn Suites. The eclectic gourmet cuisine and steak house concept is inspired from current trends and classic dishes like fresh cut steaks, live Maine lobster, rack of lamb and fresh seafood such as sea bass, salmon and shrimp. Golden Spoon Award Winner 9 consecutive years–2010 to 2018. Sky is the place to be for a unique fine dining experience.

Golden Spoon Award Winner 9 consecutive years!

2010 to 2018

Special menu Wednesday through Saturday.

FRIDAY SEAFOOD NIGHT AND SATURDAY STEAK NIGHT

Mon-Thurs 5pm-10pm, Fri & Sat 5p-11p 3600 SW 38th Ave., Ocala, FL 34474 | (352)291-0000 www.skyfinedining.com

Fine Dining

The Lodge Craft Pub & Eatery The Lodge Craft Pub and Eatery is Downtown’s new gastropub for cocktails, food, and fun!

Follow The Lodge Ocala on Facebook for announcements about menu items and specials.

We have more than 200 craft brews, a large wine selection and specialty food menus. This casual pub and eatery is located just off the downtown square, so you can take advantage of free valet service. We’ll see you soon at The Lodge!

Sun-Thurs 11:30a-11p, Fri-Sat 11:30a-2a 36 SE Magnolia, Ocala, FL 34471 www.facebook.com/thelodgeocala

Cafe Crisp Faith. Fitness. Food.

Conveniently located in the Frank DeLuca YMCA, Cafe Crisp makes clean eating easy with fresh, healthy meals—to enjoy at the cafe or to take home—and they offer weekly meal prep packages that make it easy to stay on track with meals and snacks. Cafe Crisp also caters events large or small! Stop in for a smoothie before your workout and come back for delicious sandwiches, soups, and salad bar.

Mon-Fri 7am–6pm 3200 SE 17th St (in the YMCA), Ocala, FL 34471 | 352-694-3100 www.facebook.com/cafecrispocala

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Ask about our weekly meal prep specials!

dining out

EAT

Ipanema Brazilian Steakhouse Experience an authentic taste of Brazil featuring roaming gauchos slice and serve fire-roasted meats from skewers in continual fashion. Ipanema Brazilian Steakhouse boasts 12 of the finest cuts of meat complemented by an opulent 50 item salad-vegetable bar, decadent desserts, wines, beer and cocktails.

Our Sunday Brunch from 11a to 3p includes the 50 item salad bar plus crepe, waffle and omelet station. For $32.95 you’ll receive all of the above plus a free mimosa or bloody Mary and five different cuts of meat and our grilled pineapple.

Our keto, paleo, gluten friendly buffet menu will allow you to stick to your dietary new year resolutions.

Our NEW 3’s Catering Company brought to you buy our family of restaurants Ipanema, Latinos Y Mas and Craft Cuisine.

3sCateringCompany.com

Save the date for our April 12th Easter Sunday Brunch!

2023 S Pine Avenue, Ocala | (352) 622-1741 | ipanemaocala.com Lunch Friday 11am-2:30pm › Brunch Sunday 11am-3pm Dinner Tue-Thu 5pm-9pm › Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm › Sun 4pm-8pm

Craft Cuisine Craft Cuisine World-Inspired Culinary Creations invites you to join us for our weekly specials or book your in-house gatherings, private parties, weddings, or off-premise catering today!

•Mouthwatering Monday: Build your own 4-course menu, selections from $17 and $20. •Tuesday Tapas: Complementary glass of well drink or glass of wine with any Tapa or dinner entree. $3 Margaritas and 2-4-1 Martinis •Wine Down Wednesday: From 4-7pm order a charcuterie board paired with house wine for $10.

Complementary glass of wine with any dinner entree.

•Friday: Prime Rib Happy Hour Monday to Thursday: 3-6pm $4 wine, $5 single well drinks, $6 Martinis, and $5 tapas selection.

For All Catering Needs: 3’s Catering Company and Craft Cuisine Is Your Event Venue. *We will close to the public for special parties and events.

We do weddings, corporate events, family gatherings, holiday celebrations, birthdays and more.

Golden Spoon Award Winner!

2237 SW 19th Avenue Rd., # 102, Ocala | (352) 237-7300 craftcuisineocala.com Mon-Thur 4-9pm | Fri-Sat 4-10pm

Latinos Y Mas Our restaurant is the perfect atmosphere for business lunches, family lunches or romantic dinners. Since 1991, Latinos y Mas restaurant has been serving our valued customers in Ocala and surroundings.

Try the exquisite fusion of Latin food, such as one of our entrées, including Pargo Rojo, Paella, Ceviches, homema de Tres Leches and our amazing passion fruit Mojitos. Enjoy in house or order from the takeaway menu. Our friendly staff is more than happy to help plan an extraordinary dining experience.

Our NEW 3’s Catering Company brought to you buy our family of restaurants Ipanema, Latinos Y Mas and Craft Cuisine.

3sCateringCompany.com Try out NEW Curbside Pick Up and Online Gift Cards

Try our keto, paleo, gluten friendly menu options Happy Hour Mon-Thur 3-7pm.

Kids Eat Free Mondays

2030 South Pine Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471 | (352) 622-4777 www.latinosymas.com Mon-Thurs 11am - 9pm | Fri-Sat 11am-10pm | Sun closed OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020 |

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dining out

Milano Ristorante Italiano NOW OPEN! Milano Ristorante Italiano brings authentic to the Ocala area. Enjoy made-from-scratch Italian cuisine every day, including freshly baked bread.

• 2 for 1 chicken parmesan every Sunday all day (with purchase of 2 beverages) • Free bottle of wine with the purchase of two dinner entrees every Monday • $5 calamari appetizer every Tuesday all day • $6.99 slice combo at lunch (2 slices of cheese and a side salad)

Suleiman Family Establishment.

NEW Italian Restaurant.

Ingredients Made Fresh Daily.

Authentic Italian Family Recipes.

Express Takeout & Delivery

Open Daily 11am-9pm 5400 SW College Road, Unit 106 | Ocala, FL 34474 | (352) 304-8549 www.milanofamilyrestaurant.com

Legacy Restaurant At The Nancy Lopez Country Club Join us at The Villages‘ Best Country Club for lunch and dinner. Serving steaks and seafood with various wine selections.

Weekly Specials: Monday - VIP membership Monday (Discount for all VIP members) Wednesday - Lobster night Sunday - Prime Rib night NEW entertainment Wednesday-Saturday from 5-8pm A Suleiman Family Restaurant.

New Tuesday and Thursday 3-course meals starting at $19.99. Includes salad, entree with 2 sides, and dessert.

Join us for Happy Hour 11-5 Daily

17135 Buena Vista Blvd | The Villages, FL 32162 | (352) 753-1475 SuleimanLegacyInc@gmail.com | Follow us on Facebook www.legacyrestaurant.com Open Every Day 11 am-9pm

Havana Country Club We offer an extensive variety of cuisines—these include superior hand-cut steaks, freshly caught seafood, and authentic Italian fare.

A Suleiman Family Restaurant.

Weekly specials: Monday - Lobster night Tuesday - Italian night Thursday - Prime rib night Friday - Seafood night

2484 Odell Circle | The Villages, FL 32162 | (352) 430-3200 Suleimanrestaurants@gmail.com | Follow us on Facebook www.havanacc.com Open Every Day 11am–9pm

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Join us for Happy Hour 11-5 Daily LUNCH PAIRINGS – Half Soup, Salad, and Half Sandwich. New Small Bites menu starting at $6.99 (with purchase of Beverage).

play

Detail of “Bountiful Garden” by Maggie Perez Weakley 4’x7’ Fluid Acrylics | callmaggie@yahoo.com | IG: @callmaggie

Local Music Scene—Voltron Collective p78 | Socially Speaking p82 | Anthology p86

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PLAY

music scene

Defender of the Scene

What do you get when you mix intelligent musicianship with an elusive collective? You get the enigmatic Voltron Collective. I got the opportunity to sit down with Adam Volpe, the brilliant mind behind Ocala's must-see collective ensemble.

BY JOSHUA JACOBS WHERE DID YOUR LOVE FOR MUSIC COME FROM? Oh boy. Well without getting too esoteric, I think music is this kind of innate force that tends to influence and govern all of us from birth. Everything from walking and talking to the tides and seasons have a rhythm and cadence to them; so whether we know it or not, music is always with us from day one. I was lucky enough to have parents who always had tons of great music in their respective homes so that just opened me up to so many different worlds throughout my childhood. My grandfather was a prominent working musician in New York, and when I would spend summers with him, I got to see him perform beside artists like Johnny Cash and The Charlie Daniels band. Once I got to middle school, I had an amazing music teacher and mentor named

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Craig Eason who just changed everything for me. We don't realize these things at the time, but I struggled to find my way at that age, and he was really able to nurture me in a way I hadn't seen from anyone else in the school system. He made music so much fun and came down to our level and made us feel important. I think that was when I knew that music would be a very big part of my life forever. It's funny because, sometimes, when I'm on a gig or in a rehearsal and I'm just not feeling it, I'll imagine Mr. Eason is watching me and I will instantly play better and with more passion. He's my secret weapon.

HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND? Transient. The modus operandi of this band is that it is different every single time. You might see us as a 6-piece band performing a tribute to

"the women of soul" and then as an organ trio of completely different players doing funky instrumental interpretations of jazz standards. The only constant in the group is myself.

WHAT INFLUENCES THAT SOUND? The musicians and, of course, the theme of the show. Basically, I either get asked for something specific, or I get inspired to want to tackle a body of work or a genre and then I select the musicians that I feel will work best for it. I hire people from all over the state of Florida and the most important criteria is that they want to perform the music. If there is any indication that someone seems slightly uninterested, and they are not completely jazzed about the program I'm putting together, the conversation ends there and I move

“I think music is this kind of innate force that tends to in fluence and govern all of us from birth”

Photography by Joshua Jacobs

down the list. I'm really fortunate to have built relationships with so many talented people throughout my life.

HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK MUSIC, ESPECIALLY LIVE MUSIC, IS TO OUR COMMUNITY? Extremely important. Music is such a unifying force. I've met so many beautiful people through music and nothing brings people together like a good concert. There's this photo someone snapped of me at last year’s Levitt AMP concert series during the PJ Morton show. I love it so much because I was just barefoot in the grass enjoying the tunes, and this older woman walked by, and we just grabbed hands and started dancing together like we’d known each other for a lifetime, but we were complete strangers. If that’s not community, I don't know what is. The one critical thing I will say about the importance of music in community, though, is this—I wish there were more resources for music in our school system or for young people in general. It was so important to me when I was in school, but we had a big marching band with uniforms and decent instruments, and you really felt like you were part of something. These days, I see the 20-piece bands at the christmas parade who are lucky to have T-shirts with logos and it really bums me out.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE BENEFIT FROM IN THE FUTURE? Oh, definitely what I just mentioned above. I'm

really excited for the expansion of the Reilly Arts Center.The addition of the smaller black box theatre will offer a more accessible stage for local and regional acts to perform for our community, and I understand there may be a wing dedicated to classroom space for private and group instruction.

I think the best way we can create value and a promising future for our local music scene is to invest in our youth and treat music like a viable option for them to have a future in the arts.

HOW AND WHEN DID THE BAND FORM? If I remember correctly, the first incarnation was formed in 2017 for a tribute to Stevie Wonder during Ocala’s Oktoberfest in Tuscawilla Park. I believe we had 8 or 9 people on stage for that one, and it was so much fun. I thought, what a great idea to just keep it going as a revolving door of musicians and music. The whole thing is really just about having as much fun as possible for one night.

THE VOLTRON COLLECTIVE IS A GREAT NAME, HOW WAS THAT DECIDED ON? Well, I wish there were a more interesting story, but basically I had been doing some DJ sets at Pi out of necessity, and it was kind of an inside joke with my good friend and one of the best guitar players I know, Jordan Garno. Because of my last name, Volpe, he would sometimes call me Voltron or 'Tron for short.

When people would jokingly ask what my DJ name was, I think I just said "DJ Voltron."

When I had the idea of making this band

kind of a collective of ever-changing players, Voltron Collective seemed like a perfect fit. If you recall the cartoon from the ’80s, it was all these different superhero characters who would assemble to make the super robot known as Voltron. I had no idea the two would correlate back when I was just making fun of myself with my friends, but here we are.

DO YOU WRITE ORIGINAL MUSIC AND IF SO, WHERE DOES THE INSPIRATION COME LYRICALLY AND MUSICALLY? We all work in different bands and groups that do write and perform original music, but I don't think this band has any intention of doing that ever. We are inspired by the artists we all love and the challenge of interpreting their original pieces in a way that might be a little or a lot different. If someone hears an idea for a transition or a new dynamic, we go for it, and that is where the originality comes in on our end.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE EXPERIENCES WHILE PERFORMING? Hands down, performing with the Ocala Symphony Orchestra for Bowie and Glass: A Symphonic Tribute. It was powerful for so many reasons. Performing the music of David Bowie with an entire orchestra behind us was unparalleled. The band for that show was made up of some of my closest and longest friends in the world and the audience was on fire. We were really nervous about attendance leading up to it, but the community really came through in those last few days leading up to the show, and they were electric. That exchange of energy is what makes a show really special. I'll never forget looking over at the orchestra musicians after a song would end. I think a lot of the time, they perform brilliantly but the setting doesn't allow for too much fanfare or excitement. The looks on their faces when the entire audience was on their feet, screaming and whistling and applauding, was priceless. I think I smiled for a week straight after that one. I really can’t thank Matt Wardell and the OSO enough for trusting us and giving us that opportunity. One for the books.

TO LISTEN to The Voltron Collective takes a little effort on your part. As they do not have a dedicated social media, be sure to follow the Reilly Arts Center for mentions of their truly one-of-a-kind live shows!

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020 |

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Art&Soul STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY RONALD W. WETHERINGTON | SOCIAL EDITOR Ron@ocalamagazine.com

K

imberly’s Center for Child Protection recently held their annual fundraising event, Art & Soul, which garnered a phenomenal $211,000 in donations and sponsorships.

This was the charity’s largest fundraiser of the year. This annual dinner features a limited live auction of children’s healing artwork.

The art pieces are highly sought after and the evening’s winning bids totaled more than $64,000. The evening’s guests were willing to reach deep into their pockets for these prized art pieces and each have a story to tell. These rare and small treasures found their way into some very fortunate homes and businesses in Ocala/Marion County. It was an especially noteworthy evening celebrating Kimberly’s Center’s 20th anniversary.

Eaton’s Beach catered the food and the evening’s donor impact was given by Big Lee’s BBQ owner, Rashad Jones. Rashad and his wife, Patrice, are long time donors and friends of the Kimberly’s Center’s mis-

sion. Kimberly’s Center Vice Chair, Melissa Bianculli, observes, “These are real people showing up for a real cause. Marion County has shown children are its priority and is willing to fight for them.”

The cultivation of old and new relationships created a fun as well as meaningful experience for the evening’s guests. The opportunity to have local corporations sponsor this event gives exposure to the compassionate team members of some of Marion County’s most philanthropic companies. Niki Tripodi, Kimberly’s Center Development Director,

Niki Tripodi, Angie Clifton, and Dawn Westgate

Bill and Debbie Browder

Ben Adams, Victoria Smith, and Ken Audley

Shannon and Karen Cobbs

Lauren Delorio, Kathy Bryant, and Chad House

Bill Chambus, Cindy Warner, Becca Livingston, and Doreen Penn

Chief Greg and Amie Graham, Tom Ingram, and Lauren Delorio

Amanda Pell and Kim Dinkins Marc Hallick, Maddy Horne, Renee and Carl Bucker

notes, “Bringing the right people together, at the right time, for the right issue never gets old. We broke our fundraising record for the most contributions made at a Kimberly’s Center event and couldn’t be more grateful.”

Kimberly’s Center proudly announced their latest program, Prevention and Community Outreach. Every second grader in Marion County will be taught an age-appropriate awareness curriculum. This will include body safety, online protection and anti-bullying techniques. With this long-awaited partnership with Marion County Public Schools, Kimberly’s Center will be taking immediate steps in being proactive in the lives of our local children. Community Outreach Advocate, Maddy Horne, says, “Every child deserves to be safe, not just their bodies, but their feelings too. It is our hope that we are able to grow our prevention program every year until we can bring this vital information to all children in our community.”

Dawn Westgate, Kimberly’s Center Executive Director, emphasizes, “We are so proud of how Kimberly’s Center has evolved over these past 20 years and has continuously sought better ways to serve children, but

Rashad Jones and Davis Dinkin

we know that there is so much more to be done. The funds raised through the generosity of this community at Art & Soul will have a lasting impact in the lives of children who need help, hope, and healing that Kimberly’s Center is uniquely designed to provide.”

As Kimberly’s Center celebrates two decades of their mission’s work, they are aware that the need for their services is greater than ever before. Kimberly’s Center is best described by their mission statement: Our community working together to respond to, protect, and restore children who have been abused or neglected. Each child’s plan of care is specifically designed for them and their families with the goal of setting a healthy future.

Ocala/Marion County is much more than horse pastures, downtown city streets, and rolling vistas. In the end, we are known by our people. None of our people are more vulnerable than the children treated at Kimberly’s Center. They deserve the best care that money can buy to secure happy futures for them.

TO MAKE A DONATION, go to www.kimberlyscenter.org or call 352-873-4739.

MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM |

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Slow ... slow moving so slow hardly a moment will ever go doing the things you want to do, but enjoying it all the way through time is a gift we must learn to use time is a gift we must not abuse fast ... moving so fast, hardly a moment will ever last slow ... slow moving so slow, that might be the way to go.

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Prose and Cons p90 | Kiwanis Korner p92 | Rotary Circle p94 | Looking Back p96

OCALAMAGAZINE.COM | MAR 2020 |

89

ETC

prose and cons

Call of Duty

BY JUDGE STEVEN G. ROGERS

The few.

The proud.

The chosen.

Photo by Ralph Demilio

“I

...this may be common practice in John Grisham novels, but is definitely the exception to the rule in actual cases.

don’t believe in your whole system here,” said the gentleman as he looked me in the eye. Rather contentious language for our initial meeting. Especially when considering this statement was his request to be excused from one of the principles upon which our legal system is founded … jury duty.

The right to a jury trial in criminal and civil cases is guaranteed by the sixth and seventh amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

With rights come responsibilities and our court system cannot guarantee these rights without responsible citizens willing to serve as jurors.

In Marion County, prospective jurors are selected by a computer program which compiles a random list from the Florida driver license and identification card databases. But not everyone is excited with their winning the “prospective juror lottery.”

Requests to be excused from jury duty are regular occurrence. Some of these requests are genuine and authorized by law.

They include expectant mothers, full-time law enforcement officers, and individuals over the age of 70 who do not wish to serve.

Even the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are excused from jury service.

Aside from the authorized excuses listed above, the second most common requests fall under the hardship category.

Small business owners and employees comprise the group who state they simply can-

not afford to miss time from work. The $15 a day juror pay and free lunch is hardly an adequate substitute to those who depend on their normal paychecks.

Schoolteachers will often ask for their jury service to be postponed until the summer months. Others have claimed physical limitations which prevent them from sitting for long periods of time.

Then there are those who have requested to be excused from jury duty for other, atypical reasons. Aside from the “I don’t believe in your whole system here” comment, I’ve also had jurors tell me such things as “I was planning on visiting my sister that day,” “I don’t like judges or lawyers,” and—my personal favorite—“I get sick in courtrooms.”

One reason people are reluctant to serve on a jury is the fear their being selected is going to require significant personal sacrifices, such as being sequestered away from work and family for several weeks. I explain this may be common practice in John Grisham novels but is definitely the exception to the rule in actual cases. Most circuit court jury trials are completed in less than a week, and rarely does a county court jury trial last more than a single day.

So the next time you retrieve your mail and find a jury summons with your name on it, consider yourself special. The few. The proud. The chosen. Citizens willing to serve as jurors in civil and criminal cases are necessary to protecting the longstanding rights afforded to us under the United States Constitution. As a sign of our appreciation, we will even include a free lunch.

JUDGE ROGERS has been a member of the judiciary since 2005. In addition to being a judge, he is a husband, father, teacher, and lover of all things Gator.

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| MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Ft FAITH

Faith. A powerful element in fighting cancer.

Joyce Dean has more energy than most 70-year-olds. She’s full of stories about love, family and her days as the first African American professor at Edison Community College. More than 25 years ago, Joyce went for a routine annual physical. She was diagnosed with advanced multiple myeloma — a cancer with a grim prognosis at the time. She was referred to Florida Cancer Specialists, and she’s been a patient ever since.

Living with cancer hasn’t been easy, but with over two decades of compassionate, cutting-edge care, and a little faith, Florida Cancer Specialists has shown Joyce that when hope and science join forces, great outcomes can happen.

“Without Florida Cancer Specialists, I wouldn’t be here.”

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Get to Know Key Club

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F

The Guest House was represented well by special guest speaker, Thomas Pecca, Senior Clinical Advisor.

A

ll in attendance were educated as to how founders Judy Crane and John West help those struggling with addiction overcome the odds and find a new way of living, at their first-class facility. They believe that behind every person you meet is a story. For over 20 years, they have been helping those in the Ocala area with trauma and addiction through proven techniques with world-class treatment. They bring a wealth of knowledge and compassion for each individual person to ensure their best path.

92

| MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

ounded in 1925, Key Club International, or more commonly known as Key Club, is the largest and oldest student-led service organization in the world. The purpose of Key Clubs is to develop strong future leaders at their schools and in the community. The students acquire volunteer hours for the Bright Futures Scholarship and hopefully, later in life, they become members of their local Kiwanis club here or in whatever community they reside in.

Marion County currently has students in Key Clubs at area schools. Belleview High School has 45 students, Lake Weir High School has 35 students, Vanguard High School has 95 Students and West Port High School has 135 students. Dunnellon High School has 20 students in their Key Club but is not under the greater Marion County Kiwanis Club.

The high school Key Clubs host and work the annual Pancake Breakfast, one of Kiwanis largest fundraisers. They also work in the summers at the Camp Kiwanis for Kids, along with volunteering their time at numerous other Kiwanis and civic or school events. They host their own monthly meetings and work within their schools to make a difference daily.

As the Key Club expands, we are hoping to add clubs at both Forest High School and Trinity Catholic High School this next school year, with North Marion High School on our radar in the near future.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, call Bob Murphy, 352-789-8239, Key Club Advisor, Marion County Kiwanis Club.

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Rotary Service Above Self Rotary Clubs of Ocala are leading the way in using their passion for the community to make a difference daily. From literacy and peace to water and health, they are always working for the better and are committed to the end. Some of Rotary's shared responsibility among their many achievements are providing clean water, sanitationm and hygiene; saving mothers and children; fighting disease; supporting education; and growing their local economies. Part of the Rotary Mission Statement is to provide service to others, promote integrity, advance goodwill and peace through the fellowship of business, community, and professional leaders. Something we all need more of. Marion County Rotary Clubs give back in our community through projects and events, which they diligently work to make happen as a team throughout the year.

Annual events such as Golf Tournaments, The First Annual Duck Derby, Planting Trees, Aces for Autism, and many more, bring blessings to our children and families that are less fortunate. Becoming a member of Rotary is the start of Being the Difference.

94

| MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

Circle

ETC

looking back

Six Gun Territory

A page out of the old West

O

ne false move could be the difference between life and death.

And, for two decades, scenes from the old west were played out at an Ocala attraction, one that brought many of Hollywood’s biggest stars to Marion County. A theme park that spanned 200 acres opened in 1963. Six Gun Territory was the idea of Ronald Braxton Coburn, who also founded the Wild West-themed Ghost Town in the Sky in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, two years earlier.

Six Gun Territory was evocative of a different era, the Wild West. The Wild West's pioneering underpinnings and its adventurous spirit for living were showcased in authentic structures that added to the attraction’s appeal, creating a sense of realism, and all for an affordable price.

It was an opportunity to experience the Wild West up close, watching gunslingers ply their trade, with spectators finding their heart rate escalate as they watched in suspense as lawmen and outlaws reenacted scenes that are a part of Americana and have resonated with generations who have fallen in love with the iconic image of the Old West and its signifi-

96

| MAR 2020 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM

cant influence on American culture.

It was more than entertainment, leaving an indelible imprint on those attending the attraction. The experience itself gave parkgoers a chance to embrace a part of history. And for many, it was a defining moment in their youth, providing an outlet to live out a fantasy, expanding their imaginations as they became part of a living and breathing culture. Six Gun Territory was more than just a theme park; for many, it was a unique part of their childhood.

Visitors would find themselves immersed in the genuine authenticity of the buildings, featuring a jail, courthouse, Wells Fargo, and a bank. There were gift shops and concession areas offering refreshments, including the El Sombrero Café.

The Palace Saloon and Theater and Red Dog Saloon were home to live entertainment, featuring a variety of acts, the iconic cancan dancers, singers, and comedians. The Indian Village and Trading Post and American Indian Museum gave visitors insight into Native American culture. The Mexican Border Town was also a popular part of the attraction, featuring La Cantina de México.

The theme park’s midway did offer sev-

eral rides at an additional cost, including a carousel and ferris wheel.

Where else could you enjoy and experience the realism of a train or bank robbery, the beauty of cancan girls performing, and a shootout all in the same afternoon? Six Gun Territory made western folklore come alive to new generations, inspiring the imagination and greater interest in an era that has been popularized by the many movies and television shows that glorified the cowboy, horses, and our nation’s pioneering spirit.

However, trends change, and with the presence of Disney World in near proximity and the popularity of the Western beginning to fade from the American consciousness, Six Gun Territory shuttered its doors for good in 1984.

But its legacy lives on at the Kirby Family Farm, with reenactments in February perpetuating the popularity of an attraction that captured many Ocalans’ imaginations.

IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION or historic photos to share, please contact the Historic Ocala Preservation Society at Hops_admin@historicocala.org.

Photo courtesy of sixgunterritory.com

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