Ocala Magazine January 2025 digital issue

Considering Ocala?

ESCAPE TO THIS ENCHANTING 32-ACRE FARM

A rare gem of peace, privacy, and endless possibilities. The property includes a 2,926 SF main residence with 3 BR and 3 BA. A second home with 2/2 and 1,800 SF. A cozy 1/2 cottage with 900 SF, and a charming 400 sq ft guest quarters. The Equestrian enthusiasts will enjoy the 15-stall barn, 5 paddocks, and a second barn with storage and an air-conditioned studio. Whether you’re seeking a family compound, equestrian paradise, or private retreat, this property offers limitless opportunities. $2,900,000

Recently updated 5BR, 3BA home showcasing modern upgrades, soaring ceilings, and polished concrete floors. The spacious living room features coffered ceilings and built-ins, connecting to a gourmet kitchen. The outdoor highlights include a covered lanai, sparkling pool, pergola, and fire pit. The property also has a paddock with power and water, plus three versatile sheds. Conveniently located near retail, restaurants, medical facilities, and downtown Ocala, it’s also just 15 miles from the WEC and close to hiking trails. $999,000

Call today for additional information on various purchase options for this magnificent property.

SILVER HAMMOCK PRESERVE

Let Me Show You Ocala

HORSESHOE BEND — 5+ Acres in equine–friendly community, located between Ocala and The Villages.

$895,000

3 BR, 2.5 BA home and over 2,100 SF of living space. Attached 2-car garage and covered lanai. Enjoy all of the conveniences of the Villages, which include restaurants, shopping, and medical facilities, yet in your country setting. The home plans and community information available.

GOLDEN HILLS COMMUNITY — this luxurious home

DISCOVER YOUR DREAM OASIS - 18+ acres with majestic Grandaddy Oaks, perfect for a home or farm. Enjoy a custom-built cabin, stunning sunset views, and easy access to the Greenways and Trails for walking and riding. Experience rural tranquility just minutes from amenities. Create your paradise! $889,500

features 3 BR, an office, 3 BA, and a spacious 3-car garage with golf course views. Inside, enjoy the high coffered ceilings, an open floor plan, and a gourmet kitchen with a large center island and leathered granite counter tops. Expansive screened lanai, fenced yard, and top-tier water filtration system. Prime location near the WEC and Golden Ocala.

List with us today!

$998,000

ULTIMATE EQUESTRIAN LIFESTYLE — 9.7+/- acres NW property. The 3BR, 2 BA home features wood floors, a stone fireplace, and a screen-enclosed pool. The property includes a large 4-car garage/workshop and a show stable with 6 stalls and an entertainer’s office. With 4-board fencing, 7 grass paddocks, and a Generac generator. This is an exceptional equestrian retreat. $2,100,000

Equestrian Properties

NW OCALA-PRIME COMMERCIAL LAND FOR SALE!

Frontage on NW 44th Ave with B-5 Zoning, suitable for retail, wholesale, repair, and service businesses. Located just North of the US HWY 27 & I-75 interchange, it offers easy access to I-75. Buyers can purchase up to 3 parcels totaling 21.07+/- acres, including a 9.04+/- parcel, a 4.96+/- parcel, and a 7.07+/- parcel, with 120 fenced and lighted parking spaces and an office on-site. Situated in NW Ocala’s sought-after area, this opportunity allows buyers to design their workspace to reflect their brand. Don’t miss out on this exceptional chance! Call for pricing.

CLOSE TO OBS

Custom cedar house on 11+ acres with views of the Ocala Breeder Sales racetrack. Features include a wraparound screened porch, updated granite kitchen, and original cedar beam ceilings. A unique 30-foot lookout tower adds character. The main floor primary suite offers a spa-like bathroom and balcony. The property includes 5 bedrooms, a new roof, new HVAC, and a 42x50 workshop with an office. Just 12 minutes from the World Equestrian Center and near Ocala Breeder Sales, it blends convenience and tranquility.

$1,150,000

PINNACLE PARK EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY

8.38 +/- Acres just minutes from the WEC showgrounds. 3 BR, 2 BA, soaring ceilings, terrazzo floors, and a two-sided fireplace. Gazebo, Jacuzzi, and a 8-stall barn. Fenced with five paddocks, each with water access. 2 miles of riding and walking trails in a scenic 400-acre community. Experience elegance and function this exceptional equestrian property! $1,895,000

5.79+/- acres, beautifully surrounded by oak trees. The 3 BR, 3 BA home features a split floor plan. For equestrians, the property features an 8-stall barn and a workshop/ storage area. Conveniently located just 3 miles from town amenities, it provides easy access to WEC, The Florida Horse Park, and scenic trails.

If you’re considering buying or selling, give us a call today!

$850,000

Discover tranquility in this stunning home on a premium lot overlooking the Tortoise and Hare 13th hole. Located in the 55+ golf community of On Top Of The World, 2 BR, 2 BA, and a 2-car garage. Enjoy over $10,000 in upgrades. Access to over 200 clubs, On Top Of The World offers a vibrant lifestyle. $253,885

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LIVING EXCELLENCE

THE

ENCLAVE A GATED SUBDIVISION AT CALA HILLS

BRAND NEW CONSTRUCTION

COMING SOON TO CALA HILLS

UPSCALE, EASY LIVING IN THE HEART OF THE CITY OF OCALA. 104 LAKESIDE TOWNHOMES IN A GATED SUBDIVISION. WALKING DISTANCE — ON A SIDEWALK — TO SHOPPING, MOVIES, PADDOCK MALL, RESTAURANTS AND MORE.

TAKING LOT AND FLOOR PLAN RESERVATIONS. RESERVE YOUR SITE TODAY!

CELEBRATING OUR 44TH YEAR

JANUARY • 2025

Photo courtesy of Mark Emery

Philip Glassman, CCIM | Publisher philip@ocalamagazine.com

Penny Miller | VP/Corporate Development penny@ocalamagazine.com

EDITORIAL

Brad Rogers | Editor brad@ocalamagazine.com

Ronald W. Wetherington | Social Editor ron@ocalamagazine.com

Sharon Raye | Copy Editor

Louisa Barton | Equine Editor

ART

Little Black Mask Media Jessi Miller | Creative Director jessi@ocalamagazine.com

Joshua Jacobs Senior Designer + Lead Photographer joshua@ocalamagazine.com

Website | StevensLabs

Digital Media + Production Services OM Staff

Jackie Prince | Production Coordinator

CONTRIBUTORS

Mark Anderson/Marion County | Writer

Ashley Dobbs/City of Ocala | Writer

Madison Glassman | Writer

Mayor Ben Marciano | Columnist

Dave Schlenker | Writer

Zoee Zarillo | Social Photographer

Cierra Krise/Jade Lotus Photography | Social Photographer

OPERATIONS

Randy Woodruff, CPA | CFO randy@ocalamagazine.com

Ocala Magazine Wins Five 2024 Florida

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER HOPS — Historic Ocala Preservation Society

MEDIA PARTNER & PRESENTING SPONSOR of the Tailgating Competition at Live Oak International

OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR International Women's Day Celebration

EXCLUSIVE MEDIA SPONSOR FOR George Albright Annual Golf Tournament

OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR Go Red For Women / American Heart Association

COPYRIGHT ALL contents copyrighted ©2025 by Ocala Magazine Publications. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertising content in any manner without written permission is strictly prohibited. Horse Capital of the World® is a registered trademark of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ & Owners’ Association. FOLLOW US ON THE OFFICIAL CITY MAGAZINE OF TEDxOcala · HITS · Equiventure

CONTRIBUTORS

Philip Glassman, CCIM

Publisher

Philip has been at the helm of OM for 6 years with over 20 FMA awards. He is also an astute businessman, working primarily in the commercial real estate arena and joint venturing in business start-ups. Philip is a current SAG-AFTRA actor, a creative thinker and father to two beautiful children.

Penny Miller VP/Corporate Development

Penny is with OM over 20 years and owner of an insurance company over 30. She has authored 5 books, owns a media company, founded/directed the Marion County Homeless Coalition, and an appointed Senate-confirmed Commissioner by 4 Governors. Penny served on the Advisory Board of the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation and President of College Park Kiwanis Club. Her best blessings are her 4 children and 5 grandchildren.

Jessi Miller

Creative Director

Jessi's career is as old as Photoshop but she doesn't limit her art to the computer. Fine artist and awardwinning creative director, she is saving the world, one graphic design at a time at Little Black Mask Media. She is passionate about storytelling, community involvement, peacebuilding, family, and the arts.

Mark Anderson

State of the County Columnist

Mark Anderson is a Public Relations Specialist for Marion County, where he specializes in photography, writing and anything else that comes his way.

Louisa Barton

Equine Editor

Louisa is the Equine Initiative Director at the Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership, Showcase Properties of Central Florida Farm Realtor and host of the Horse Talk Show on the Sky 97.3, Audacy.com and Equus Television.

Ashley Dobbs

State of the City Columnist

Ashley Dobbs is the Marketing and Communications Manager for the City of Ocala. She is responsible for internal and external communications, managing social media, brand standards, and working with collaborators providing outreach to citizens. The City's goal is to put citizens first and make Ocala a great place to live, play, and prosper.

Madison Glassman

Kids Corner Columnist

Madison is a seventh grade middle school student whose favorite subject is Language Arts. Dancing is her ultimate passion. She’s been going to dance school since she was only three years old. As a proud member of the OM team, she loves getting involved in the creative process of writing for Kids Corner.

Joshua Jacobs

Lead Photographer | Senior Designer

Joshua Jacobs is a musician, photographer, and graphic designer from Ocala, FL. He brings a blue-collar, hard working approach to everything he sets his hands to. When not in the office, he can be found on stages across Florida with his band Feverdreams.

Ben Marciano Mayor's Column

Born in New York and raised in Ocala, Ben is the new mayor of Ocala. Formerly the executive director of the DeLuca YMCA, he is now the owner of Zone Health and Fitness along with his wife, Danielle. He earned an associate degree in criminal justice from the College of Central Florida and maintains his commitment to the law as mayor. He and Danielle have three children and are members of Blessed Trinity Catholic Church.

Jackie Prince

Production Coordinator

An indespensible team member who is usually hidden behind the scenes, she tolerates people with a smile — and prefers the company of her two great danes.

Sharon Raye

Copy Editor

Sharon is a native South Floridian who has called Ocala home for over a decade. She studied at The Acting School of South Florida conservatory. She was an active actress and model in FL, NY and abroad for 20 years. Her love for the arts dates back to childhood especially in writing and attention to detail. She is curious by nature, loves traveling, good food, learning about cultures and is an advocate for natural health. Sharon has a daughter who is her greatest joy and primary focus.

Brad Rogers

Editor

For more than a generation Brad has written about the people, places and issues that shape Ocala, first as a newspaper columnist and editor and now as a freelance writer. He is married and the father of two grown children and grandfather of one. In this month’s issue, he interviews Monica Bryant, OM’s Person of the Year.

Dave Schlenker

Columist

Dave is a 30 year journalist/escapee who spent 29 of those years writing about cats. He and his wife, Amy, have two grown daughters. He is a writer and photographer with the University of Florida. He loves writing about himself in the third person.

Ronald W. Wetherington

Social Editor

Born to a pioneering Miami family, Ron moved to Ocala in 2007 and purchased the Fort King Manor apartment building in Ocala's prestigious historic district. Since his early days as a society editor in Miami Beach, as a photojournalist Ron has devoted his writing and dedicated his photography to charity events.

Zoee Zarillo

Social Photographer

From the city in Connecticut, Zoee fell in love with the country and Florida through Ocala. Her passions lie in modeling, the arts, and fashion. Being in front of the camera has inspired Zoee to also work behind the camera.

Happy New Year to our beautiful community

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO OUR BELOVED Marion County, the vibrant city of Ocala, and our loyal readers! As we welcome 2025, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our incredible staff, dedicated contributors, loyal advertisers, and everyone who plays a part in making Ocala Magazine what it is today.

This year, we’re embracing positivity and focusing on giving back. With an attitude of gratitude, we’re committed to paying it forward and supporting those in our community who need it most. Together, let’s make 2025 a year of kindness, health, and happiness for all.

We’d also like to shine a spotlight on the amazing work being done by Sabrina Hughs and her team at Transitions Life Center & Community, Inc. Their unwavering dedication to providing a safe, caring, and enriching environment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is nothing short of inspiring. It’s organizations like theirs that embody the spirit of compassion and community we strive to celebrate in each issue of Ocala Magazine.

On a personal note, I’d like to wish my son, Brax Glassman, a very happy 8th birthday! Congratulations to him and his team, the Hammerheads, for their phenomenal Little League championship win at the Rotary Sports Complex. We couldn’t be prouder of their hard work and dedication.

Here’s to an inspiring and joyful year ahead!

PHILIP GLASSMAN, PUBLISHER

Brax's Championship Ring

‘Home for the Holidays’... forever

When Dale Marshall woke up on December 13 – yes, Friday the 13th -- he was the father of eight kids. Before the day was over, he and his wife were the lucky parents of 10.

Merry Christmas, Dale. Marshall, his wife and children were among 13 families who took part in the annual Home for the Holidays mass adoption event hosted by Circuit Judge Stacy Yeomans at the Marion County Courthouse. Home for the Holidays was started in the 1990s by former Circuit Judge Sue Robbins and over the years has become an annual feel-good holiday happening that draws a packed courtroom that goes beyond the families and their children.

Besides the adopting parents, the adopted children and in many cases their new siblings, there are families, friends and a host of dignitaries that range from judges to mayors to state senators.

Oh, and there is always one extra special person in attendance, Santa Claus.

In fact, it is Santa who hands the children and their new parents a certificate formalizing the adoptions.

There are few events in Ocala that can compare to the joy that envelops Home for the Holidays. After all, it’s not only a joyful event at a joyful time of year, but it’s a moment that will change the lives of the newly adopted and their families forever. That’s why the folks at Kids Central Inc., which arranged and oversaw the adoption process of these 13 families, call these “forever homes.”

After the formal proceedings in the courtroom, the families and their new additions retired to a nearby jury room where the Kids Central staff had organized a holiday party, complete with cookies, gifts and more

time with Santa.

Yeomans, who understandably allowed courtroom decorum to slide a little during the formal legal proceedings, attended the festivities and said she took over the event because it fell within her jurisdictional purview, but the beaming smile on her face showed that it was also a labor of love.

“This is just so wonderful,” she said.

Yes, it is, Judge.

Jose Pichardo was among the new adoptive parents. He flashed an unyielding smile throughout the ceremony as he and his wife added 2-year-old Ariel to their family that already had six children.

“We just couldn’t say no,” he told me as he chased young Ariel around the party.

Kids Central Inc, the private-public partnership that oversees child welfare, including adoptions, in Marion County, not only ushered the parents through the adoption process, but put on the after party.

BY BRAD ROGERS

KCI CEO John Cooper said that it is one of his staff’s favorite events of the year.

He also noted, while KCI arranged nearly 200 adoptions last year, these are special because it allows his agency and the families to share this special moment with the whole community.

“These families didn’t have to finalize their adoptions at this event, they chose to,” he said.

And thank goodness they did … and do year after year.

As an adopted child, I can assure you that what happened to the 13 families and 18 children at Home for the Holidays will change those children’s lives — and their families’, too – forever, in a wonderful and lasting way. The Pichardos know it. That’s why the whole family wore t-shirts reading “Forever Family Day” across their chests.

Jose Pichardo and his family celebrate the adoption of 2-year-old Ariel at the Home for the Holidays event on Dec. 13.

New year is a good time for a new you

BY MAYOR BEN MARCIANO

As we dive into the New Year, I want to encourage you to make a healthy lifestyle your priority. As you already know, this is a perfect time to set resolutions that focus on our well-being, and our physical health affects our mental health.

It is so easy to get overwhelmed by setting unrealistic expectations for yourself, and not only losing interest, but giving up on your goals.

Begin by incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet. Our Downtown Market has vendors who offer fresh, seasonal produce. They can also provide recipes to take the guesswork out of preparation. Consider replacing sugary beverages with water to stay hydrated as a quick, simple improvement.

Regular exercise is equally important. Whether it’s a walk in any one of our beautiful parks or joining a fitness class, find activities that you enjoy.

Eating healthier and exercising automatically improves your mental health. In addition, you can improve your mental health by making time for activities that bring you joy, such as reading, meditating or spending time with loved ones.

It is so easy to get overwhelmed by setting unrealistic expectations for yourself, and not only losing interest, but giving up on your goals. So, start small and increase your goals as you progress.

Exercising or any lifestyle improvement is more fun with friends and family to foster accountability and help motivate. In fact, you can participate in a communitywide step challenge by downloading the AMP 2 app to your device and registering with a group. Win prizes when you hit milestones and watch your enthusiasm for your “new you” increase.

Remember, change takes time. So be patient with yourself and celebrate your progress. Together, we can make Ocala a healthier community. Wishing you all a happy, healthy New Year!

Ben Marciano is the mayor of Ocala.

Farmland and Springs Horse Farms

Forever

Summit: How farms protect our springs

BY BRAD ROGERS | PHOTOS BY SEAN M. DOWIE

Ocala is proudly known as the Horse Capital of the World®. As home to the world’s largest and most famous freshwater springs, Silver Springs, it is also arguably the springs capital of the world — with Three First Magnitude Springs that, together, churn out nearly 1 billion gallons of water every day.

Unbeknownst to many, Ocala’s legacies of its horse farms and its springs are inextricably linked.

That connection was the focus of Horse Farms Forever’s 5th Annual Conservation Summit, Conversations About Conservation,

held at Ocala Breeders Sales on November 14th, where a lineup of noted springs experts spoke about how vital the preservation of our horse farms is to the preservation of our springs. Speakers included cinematographer Mark Emery, international springs artist Margaret Ross Tolbert, and National Geographic Explorer and geologist Dr. Jason Gulley. Guy Marwick, this year’s Acorn Award winner, also spoke passionately about protecting the springs.

Emery, a globetrotting Emmy Awardwinning cinematographer, composer and photographer who has done work in 35 countries for National Geographic, the

Smithsonian Network, the BBC and PBS among others, is a native Marion Countian. He talked about his experiences growing up around Silver Springs as well as the state of Florida springs today.

As a young man, Emery wrestled alligators and milked rattlesnakes alongside the famed Ross Allen in Silver Springs’ heyday and even did a short stint as a captain of the park’s renowned glass-bottom boats.

It was those experiences that created his passion for our springs.

“This area, just because of its springs,

Margaret Ross Tolbert International Artist of the Springs

has been drawing people to this area for centuries,” Emery told the summit audience of about 450 people.

But as Ocala has grown, he said, Silver Springs and Marion County’s other two First Magnitude Springs, Rainbow and Silver Glen, have faced increasing pressure from nitrate pollution and overpumping of the aquifer. The spring flow at Silver Springs is down from its historical 550 million gallons a day to 400 million gallons a day today. And invasive algae growth fueled by nitrate pollution that started in the 1970s has dramatically reduced the clarity of the springs.

Despite the loss of clarity and spring flow, Emery noted that our springs remain an important part of our community, both environmentally and economically.

Gulley, a National Geographic Explorer, research geologist and photographer, echoed Emery’s thoughts on our springs.

He said that with some 1,000 freshwater springs across the state, Florida is home to more springs than any place on earth. And in addition to being a window into our water supply, the Floridan Aquifer, they also feed some of our most important rivers, like the Suwannee, Santa Fe and Silver. Marion County’s three First Magnitude Springs, he noted, pump out a billion gallons of water a day.

Like Emery, he bemoaned the decline of our springs, re-emphasizing that water flow is down significantly and that preserving our springs is not only imperative for protecting our water supply, but also can have an important economic impact on our community. He cited the restoration of Crystal River’s springs, which draw large crowds year-round to see the manatees, as a springs success story that every springs community should emulate.

“Healthy springs support healthy local economies,” the University of South Florida professor said.

But it was Guy Marwick — who received Horse Farms Forever’s prestigious annual Acorn Award for his contributions

The Springs Protection Zones for Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs are located within Farmland Preservation Area, which was designated in 2005 by Marion County to protect the mineral rich agricultural soils and springsheds. The yellow ovals are the two springsheds. The red line is the boundary of the Farmland Preservation Area. The blue line is the Urban Growth Boundary. Green and Orange are conservation areas.

to preserving Ocala’s open spaces, including its horse farms – who drove home the point that preserving our horse farms is critical to preserving our springs.

Marwick has been a visible and outspoken advocate for preserving Ocala’s open spaces since moving here in 1970. Besides being the creator and longtime director of the Silver River Museum – which hosts 10,000 public school students every year –he has led fights to slow stormwater runoff into Silver Springs, acquire and preserve some 11,500 acres of land around Silver Springs and has been a major environmental philanthropic force as executive director of the Felburn Foundation.

“There’s nothing more precious than keeping some of these beautiful open lands open and beautiful,” he said. “I really believe that one of the things we need to do is look beyond the borders of the Farmland Preservation Area (FPA) for other land that needs to be preserved.”

The Farmland Preservation Area, 193,000 acres in northwest Marion County that is home to some of the county’s most celebrated horse farms, was designated by the Marion County Commission in 2005. It has been the focal point of HFF since the

organization’s founding in 2018. That founding was spurred by a now-rescinded state plan to build a highway through the middle of the FPA and some of our most important horse farm country.

But as Busy Shires, HFF director of conservation, pointed out, the FPA doesn’t exist just to protect the equine industry – it also helps to protect our springs. Because of its soil makeup – it is high in limestone and it is also highly permeable — the FPA serves as a major springshed and recharge area for Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs because the limestone allows the rainfall to recharge the aquifer.

Shires calls these two springsheds, “the lungs of Marion County,” an apt description

when the two are shown on a map (see adjoining map), because they are the key sources for replenishment of the aquifer, often referred to as “the lifeblood of the springs” and is the source of much of Florida’s drinking water.

The vision of HFF is “to inspire the preservation of horse farms, and by protecting our farms for the equine industry, we are also protecting the health of our springs,” Shires said.

HFF President Bernie Little followed the speakers, reminding the audience of the importance of the equine industry to Ocala, where 22 percent of the local workforce is tied to that industry.

Little also said HFF’s goal, beyond tracking and weighing in on road or devel-

Sara Powell Fennessy, Mark Emery, Busy Shires, Bernie Little, Dr. Jason Gulley, Margaret Ross Tolbert and Guy Marwick

Amy Mangan, Executive Director, AdventHealth Ocala Foundation, Erika Skula, President & CEO, and Billye Mallory, Community Relations Manager

opment proposals that adversely affect the FPA, is to expand the organization’s efforts on education, awareness and the exchange of ideas – all in the pursuit of protecting our farmlands and equine industry.

In its fifth year, the summit has covered a host of pertinent issues related to the preservation of our horse farms and farmlands in general. Since its inception, the summit has addressed topics including the importance of conservation easements, the public’s recognition that farmland preservation is vital to Ocala’s future, building roads and highways without destroying farmlands, helping create

the Florida Wildlife Corridor through conservation easements and, this year, the importance of horse farms to preserving our springs.

In addition to the discussion of the relationship between the $4.3 billion-a-year local equine industry and our fabled springs, this year’s Conservation Summit also included:

• AdventHealth Ocala President and CEO Erika Skula discussing the hospital’s new Harnessing Health: Equine Worker Health Initiative to provide onsite health care to horse farm workers.

“I was honored to represent AdventHealth Ocala as one of the presenting sponsors at

the annual Horse Farms Forever event. This event aims to raise awareness about the importance of conservation, not only for our local horse farms but also in the broader region and state. It was incredible to welcome a crowd of nearly 400 attendees and speak about the necessity of creating a sustainable environment for our beautiful county, recognizing that healthy land leads to a healthy community,” wrote Skula in a Facebook post.

• A salute to Brook Ledge Horse Transportation for being the title sponsor for the fifth year in a row of the Conservation Summit.

“As a business, we think about how we can give back to this place and the horse farms and families that we’ve been able to serve. It’s so easy to think in the ‘now,’ but the ‘now is tomorrow and the next day. We want to encourage growth in Marion County but there is still plenty of land where that can strategically happen so that everyone can flourish in such a wonderful place that is Marion County,” said Brian Roberts, Manager, Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, Ocala.

• Presented awards to a dozen local school children who won the summit’s Springs Forever poster contest.

Springs Forever Poster Contest winners

Chester Weber, HFF Founder and Director; Michelle Stone, Marion County Commissioner; Charlie Stone, former member of the FL House of Representatives

HFF President Bernie Little, Guy Marwick, Executive Director of The Felburn Foundation, and Margaret Spontak, President of the Great Florida Riverway Trust

George Isaacs, General Manager, Bridlewood Farm and HFF Founder & Director, Erika Skula, AdventHealth Ocala President & CEO and Brian Roberts, Manager, Brook Ledge Horse Transportation, Ocala

James London, MD, FACC

Board Certified Cardiology

Yasmin Amin, MD, FACC Board Certified Cardiology

Bipul Roy, MD, FACC Board Certified Cardiology

Our highly skilled Cardiology team here at OFMC, Dr. James London, Dr. Yasmin Amin and Dr. Bi pul Roy specialize in the prevention, treatment and management of various heart and vascular diseases. The focus of our Cardiology department is to develop treatment plans to help patients live heart healthy lives. Our Cardiologists encourage their patients to take an active role in their health and believe that preventing a disease is better than having to overcome one. We have in-house diagnostics that allow us to provide one-stop Cardiology care and treatment in one location!

Our Cardiology services include, but are not limited to:

•Preventive cardiology

• Coumadin Management

•Permanent Pacemaker/Defibrillator Checks

• Calcium Scoring

• Echocardiogram (ECG) Studies

• Elect rocardiogram (EKG)

• Holter Monitors/Event Monitors

•Nuclear Cardiac Studies & St ress Testing

of the year

Laurie Zink

PERSON 2024 OM Cultural arts warrior

BY BRAD ROGERS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSHUA JACOBS

Laurie Zink has made her mark over and

over

in helping elevate Ocala’s arts community

It was September 2001 and Ocala’s now-iconic Horse Fever public art initiative was ready for launch. Fifty-three elaborately painted horses were stabled in a local warehouse, all waiting to be put on display across the city.

Then 9/11 happened.

“We were sitting there with all these beautiful horses and bawling our eyes out, asking ‘What are we going to do now,’” said Laurie Zink, who along with Paula King organized Horse Fever from idea to reality.

Then some of their project’s most ardent supporters showed up at the storage facility and offered strong encouragement.

“They said, ‘You have to do it, you have to do it. They’re the most beautiful pieces of art. They will lift people up at this horrible time.’”

So, to get the herd moving onto the streets of the city, Zink and King sought out a group of first responders and Boy Scouts and asked them to carry one of the horses, a red-white-and-blue painted patriotic piece called “Old Glory,” over their heads through the streets to the downtown square.

“It was probably one of the top evenings of my entire life,” Zink

remembered, tears welling in her eyes.

It was just the start of Zink’s involvement in Ocala’s cultural arts scene that has stretched over the past quarter century, a journey that has included not just Horse Fever, but initiatives and programs involving film, theater, public art and the expansion of arts programs throughout the community.

For her devotion to our community and its ever-expanding cultural arts scene, Ocala Magazine names Laurie Zink its 2024 Person of the Year.

Zink moved here in 1997 with her ex-husband and two children, Brittany and Dillon. Her husband at the time was a veterinarian and she was involved in horse training.

“I am only here because of the horses,” she said.

They owned a farm, Magnolia Run, and operated a training facility for 2-year-olds, True South, and she also helped train show horses.

Her introduction to the local arts scene came when her daughter, Brittany, got involved in acting at the Ocala Civic Theater.

“That’s how I got to know the community,” Zink said.

HORSE FEVER CATCHES ON

It was through those connections that she got involved in Horse Fever. Horse Fever, which initially raised nearly $1 million to be used to establish an arts consortium and help other community charities, led to the creation of the Marion Cultural Alliance. MCA has become a driving force for the growth and diversity of art in Ocala.

She said Horse Fever emerged after a group of people interested in the arts held discussions about how to raise money to promote the arts. With Ocala being the horse capital of the world, a project focusing on our equine industry seemed a no-brainer.

“The conversation was we needed a funding source for the arts,” Zink said.

King and Zink traveled the country at their own expense looking at other public arts projects and returned invigorated. They needed seed money, so they approached the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association with a business plan. FTBOA embraced the project and lent the Horse Fever group $85,000.

“Horse Fever would have never happened without FTBOA,” Zink said.

“That culture set up a standard. People saw and began to believe in the importance of working together instead of separately.

The ensuing auction to sell the horses was uncharted territory, but Zink said after the first horse sold for $15,000 – three times what they expected – and the fund-raising effort raised not only enough money to launch the Marion Cultural Alliance, but also funneled more than $300,000 to other local charities, they knew they had a winner. The fund-raising effort was so successful, FTBOA was paid back its loan in six months.

Two things propelled Horse Fever, Zink said. One, it was a juried art show, and two, it provided for other charities beyond the arts. That collaboration and partnership was a winning formula that today still guides MCA’s efforts to fund and promote the arts in Ocala.

“That set up the culture for what MCA has been ever since,” Zink said. “That culture set up a standard. People saw and began to believe in the importance of working together instead of separately. And what we also have here is opportunity that is created by collaboration and partnership … whether it is film or poetry or science.”

Horse Fever would go on to have second and third editions – in 2010 and in 2020, during the midst of a recession and a pandemic respectively. It has raised $2.2 million to date for the arts.

“Our joke is we did the first Horse Fever after 9/11, the second one we did during the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes and we did the third during the pandemic,” Zink said, laughing. “So, when someone asks when we’re doing the next one, we joke we’ll have to wait for the next big crisis.”

ART IS LIFE

Born in Denver, Colorado, Zink has been surrounded by cultural influences her whole life. Her father, a professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Boulder, Colorado, was a

published author. Her mother, meanwhile, was a poet, composer and also a published author.

Those influences instilled a love for the arts that she carries to this day.

For example, while she and King were giving birth to Horse Fever, Zink worked at what was formerly known as The Centers as a marketing/public relations person tasked with rebranding its image. While there, The Centers implemented a number of arts programs, most notably Healing HeArt, which benefitted the patients and instilled art as a meaningful therapeutic vehicle.

Of the patients who took part in the Healing HeArt program, she said, “They were so proud of their work. And those therapists would then sit with the clients, and they would talk. It just showed how important art is in our lives.”

She said one of her proudest professional accomplishments came during her time at The Centers, which ended in 2010, with the creation of the Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit “that was and is the only one of its kind in the region.” Zink coordinated raising $1.5 million for the project.

After Horse Fever, Zink once again took the lead in bringing another major art initiative to Ocala — the Silver Springs International Film Festival. During its five-year run, from 2014 to 2019, it attracted hundreds of filmmakers and their films to Ocala annually, bringing the area international attention. It also opened the door to local filmmakers, especially young ones, to learn and earn scholarships to further their craft.

One of Zink’s collaborators in the film festival was actor/director/producer Greg Thompson, who today serves as executive director of the Ocala Civic Theater.

Her latest undertaking in the world of the arts is the Ocala Film Derby, an immer-

sive filmmaking contest for the best and the brightest of Marion County’s public school video arts students. Just having completed its second year, the Film Derby has already drawn praise from industry experts both in and out of Ocala.

“Of all the arts, I think that film has a far-reaching ability to bring a thought or idea to a large population and make a difference,” said Zink, whose daughter, Brittany, is now an actress in Hollywood, appearing in the Amazon Prime series “Fallout.”

Since 2016, Zink has been community outreach director of the Institute of Human and Machine Cognition at its Ocala research facility. She sees her role there as a continuation of her promotion of the arts, particularly through its monthly lecture series.

“The lectures are about expanding the mind,” she said. “And I believe anytime we can introduce new ideas and thoughts, it makes us a better community.”

STILL ROOM TO GROW

After 28 years in Ocala, most of that deeply engaged in the cultural arts, Zink believes in the power of art more than ever.

“Of all the arts, I think that film has a far-reaching ability to bring a thought or idea to a large population and make a difference.”

“I think art is integral to every part of our lives,” she said. “Art is encapsulated in everything we do – at least it should be. It makes life more fulfilling.”

Because of that, she said she is proud of the cultural advances she has seen and been part of in Ocala but believes there is still work to be done.

“Clearly we are much further ahead than we were 28 years ago (when she moved here),” Zink said. “And clearly, there are a contingent of people here who are open to new ideas and new types of art. Also, I still believe there are people who need to under-

stand the economics of art in our community, too.

“Yes, we’re light years ahead — but why is there still a major part of the community that doesn’t know the Appleton exists, that OCT exists, that MCA exists?”

At age 66, Zink is still starting new projects and keeping an eye on old ones. But she also is ready to slow a bit. Maybe spend a little more time pursuing her other passion, sailing, on her sailboat “Ghost,” a pastime she came to love “sailing thousands of nautical miles with my dad.”

“What I’ve realized in my life is I’m

ready to slow down some. But what I do is part of my DNA, it’s part of who I am. … I love to create things and get them going, but I don’t want to have to keep running them. I will say, it isn’t easy.”

To those who follow her, her advice is simple. Making a little bit of difference adds up to a big difference over time, if enough people make a difference.

“If more people realized that small drops in a bucket eventually add up to a full bucket, they’d realize small things can grow into big things,” Zink said.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve built here. I think we have a long way to go, but at least we have a platform upon which to build.”

As for her legacy, Zink said: “I want to make a difference – and long after I’m gone.”

Wordley Martin delivers on design for the equestrian community

BY ALICE COLLINS

Taking an empty plot of land and creating a beautiful equestrian facility from scratch is an incredibly exciting prospect but also one that can be daunting, and it can be hard to know where to start. This has been the question facing many members of the equestrian community currently flocking to Ocala to put down permanent roots in Central Florida.

The experienced duo of Sharn Wordley and Craig Martin have the solution. They are the brains behind the specialist footing and arena construction company Wordley Martin, which has helped with many bespoke world-class riding arena builds and renova-

tions in the area. Together, they have stepped up to fill the void and help horse folk take their dream farm from concept all the way to completion.

Already armed with the expertise and contacts thanks to Wordley Martin, the pair are now spearheading a new equestrian design collective offering a turnkey solution through trusted service providers. As a result, they provide one-stop shopping for planning and building for both home and stable. The innovative Equine Design & Development Collective (EDDC) is a group of trusted local advisors, designers, architects and builders brought together to help seamlessly guide every step of the process, from concept and planning, through design, permits, construction, and finish.

“We saw that there was a real need for

the Equine Design & Development Collective, where we could build on the experiences we’ve had and the relationships we’ve built with others in the same market to provide a trustworthy source for everything one would need,” explained Wordley. “So often, we speak to clients who say the riding arena we’ve built is great, but they ask if we know anyone who designs barns or houses. Or do we know of a good landscaping architect who specializes in equine facilities? We wanted to provide an all-encompassing experience for those building a new facility.”

Both Wordley, an Ocala local, and Martin have competed at the top level of equestrian sport themselves, with Wordley representing New Zealand at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and Martin long-listed for the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The surface a horse trains and competes on is integral to its success.

Photo by Devyn Ivy Media

Wordley has competed in more than 20 countries at some of the world’s most prestigious show jumping events. As well as helming Wordley Martin, he continues his active international competition career with a string of talented jumping horses and can often be found competing at HITS Ocala and World Equestrian Center – Ocala, sometimes on the same day!

Martin, meanwhile, is one of a select number of professionals worldwide to hold the title of Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI — horse sport’s world governing body) approved footing specialist, as well as being a licensed realtor.

Through Wordley Martin, the pair have leveraged their extensive equestrian experience and knowledge to provide brand new rings and major upgrades to high profile venues such as the HITS showgrounds in both Ocala, Florida, and Saugerties, New York. Competitors and competition managers alike understand that the better an environment a horse can be given, including the surface it is jumping and training on, the greater its chances of success.

The better an environment a horse can be given, including the surface it is jumping and training on, the greater its chances of success.

A custom riding arena designed and built by Wordley Martin for an owner relocating to Ocala, Florida.

Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography

A showcase of Wordley Martin equestrian property design in Ocala, Florida.

Photo Courtesy of Wordley Martin

ENTER THE EQUINE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT COLLECTIVE

With the influx of professional equestrian riders, owners, and enthusiasts who continue to pour into the booming Ocala area, where available land is still relatively affordable, there is more need than ever before for Wordley Martin’s, and now the Equine Design & Development Collective’s, services.

Wordley’s brainchild, the EDDC was formed to facilitate smooth sailing for a new property owner’s vision, taking them all the way from land acquisition to build out. He has partnered with trusted service providers who know the Ocala area well to provide a full-service, bespoke offering. When designing and building an equestrian property, it’s imperative that the team understands the unique needs of life with horses, and the key role that good design plays in everyday comfort. The EDDC can be trusted with both the macro, big-picture decisions, and the micro, right down to the interior design finishing touches and the artwork on the walls of the new home.

It’s a far cry from Wordley Martin’s founding as simply a footing and arena company, but the duo saw an opening in the market and decided to bring together a team of specialists to offer a joined-up approach for equestrian enthusiasts. With so many

horse people choosing to relocate to Ocala and build from scratch, demand for an endto-end service has been growing, bolstered by the expertise that these equine-specific companies bring to the table.

After all, for horse people to build their

Craig Martin (left) and Sharn Wordley are the duo behind Wordley Martin, renowned riding arena specialists.

Photo Courtesy of Wordley Martin

Wordley Martin led a six-acre renovation project at HITS Post Time Farm in Ocala, Florida.

Photo by Devyn Ivy Media

dream equestrian property in idyllic Ocala, it makes sense to use collaborative contractors who specialize in the sector. In keeping with the fully bespoke ethos, EDDC is also happy to work with the owner’s own teams on any aspect of the property design and development phase, seamlessly integrating them into their processes.

The unique collective brings together experienced companies including Southern Heritage Developers, specialists in equine

property development known for building many stunning properties in Ocala; interior designer Shawn Kronen of Kronen Design; JDS Drafting & Design; and more. The goal of each company within EDDC is to find what works best for each client’s budget and to ensure that they — and their horses — enjoy their homes for years to come.

“From the minute a client purchases land through to the moment the final touches are put on, they can keep everything in-

Services offered by Equine Design & Development Collective include:

• Architectural design

• Farm layout

• Permitting advice

• House construction

• Interior design

• Barn construction

• Riding arena construction

• Fencing

• Equine walkers, treadmills, and water treadmills

• Pools, cabanas, and pool houses

• Outdoor kitchens

• Well drilling

• Excavation, driveways, and roads

• Landscape design, implementation, and maintenance

house with EDDC,” said Wordley. “All of our partners in the Collective can provide inspiration for what’s possible and deliver on the property owner’s goals thanks to their proven expertise.”

Are you contemplating building the horse facility of your dreams? The EDDC provides endless possibilities for equestrians who want to build their dream house or farm while keeping the horse at the forefront of the decision-making process. From the welcoming entrance landscaping to stalls in your barn, the EDDC can guide property owners every step of the way, with stunning results.

To learn more about the Equine Design & Development Collective, visit www. equineddc.com.

For more information on creating the ideal horse training arena, visit www.wordleymartin.com.

A picturesque Wordley Martin riding arena incorporating Ocala’s famed Oak trees.

Photo by Katherine Hay

A recent project by the Equine Design and Development Collective in Ocala, Florida.

Photo Courtesy of Wordley Martin

Faces

Ocala

Photo by Nicole Schultz Photography

Carson Springs Wildlife Sanctuary offers up-close experience with lions and tigers and more

BY BRAD ROGERS

TheWildSide

Looking for a day trip that will introduce you up close to the world of exotic and endangered animals, then a visit to Carson Springs Wildlife Sanctuary in Gainesville is an exhilarating option for North Floridians.

Less than an hour north of Ocala, Carson Springs is a former horse farm that has been transformed by owners Christine and Barry Janks into one of the nation’s premier wildlife sanctuaries, featuring everything from lions and tigers to hyenas and jaguars.

Rated the No. 1 outdoor attraction in Gainesville/Alachua County by Visit Gainesville, Carson Springs covers about 80 acres of large pens designed to provide as natural and pleasant an environment for the animals as possible, said Christine Janks, a former horse trainer who has had a lifelong fascination with cheetahs.

It was that fascination that led the Janks to retire from horse racing – Barry was a jockey agent and breeder of champion race horses – and form the Carson Springs Wildlife Foundation in 2003. Their first objective was to help save cheetahs.

Over time, however, Carson Springs has grown into so much more. Today, Car-

son Springs offers a host of ways to visit and interact with the animals – as close as 4 feet – that now include nearly 100 endangered species. As a result of the Janks’ work and devotion, Carson Springs is licensed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture and accredited by the Zoological Association of America, the International Species Breeders Association.

Visitors can take guided tours of Carson Springs – all led by trained zoologists – and Janks said she is always amazed at the reaction she gets from those who visit.

“People go away from here saying they learned things they never knew,” she said. “That’s music to my ears. The biggest compliment we get is the animals look so happy.

“It’s really spectacular. Nobody goes away disappointed, I mean nobody.”

In addition to helping save endan-

Photos courtesy of Carson Springs Wildlife Foundation

gered species, Carson Springs is also a major breeding facility for zoos around the nation. In fact, one of the park’s most famous animals is an Indian rhino named Henry, who is the leading sire of Indian rhinos in the United States, having fathered more than 30 offspring and dozens of grandbabies as well.

But it is the big cats that dominate the Carson Springs sanctuary. Janks said about 60 percent of the animals at Carson Springs are big cats, including cheetahs, lions, tigers, caracals, lynx, pumas, leopards and jungle cats.

‘We’re also big on spotted hyenas,” she added. “They’re so entertaining.”

Carson Springs is a nonprofit organization that receives no state or federal funding. It relies entirely on receipts from tours and

private and corporate donations. Individuals are also encouraged to adopt an animal for as little as $10 per month, or businesses can sponsor an enclosure.

Janks said Carson Springs provides all of its animals ongoing veterinary care and feeds its animals only pre-approved diets by a licensed nutritionist, a diet that includes some 200 pounds of fresh meat every day.

“We don’t feed the animals anything that I wouldn’t eat myself,” she said. “And our animals’ work amounts to coming up to the fence and getting a treat, then dancing around for a tour.”

Carson Springs is only open for tours that are scheduled through its website, carsonspringswildlife.org. The park is located at 8528

E. County Road 25, Gainesville, FL 32609.

In addition to providing tours for individuals and families, Carson Springs also offers opportunities for school field trips, business retreats, team building events and group tours. For information about these special events, see the Carson Springs website at carsonspringswildlife.org. Again, all tours are led by experienced zoologists.

Janks invites Ocala area residents to visit Carson Springs and enjoy the interactive and personal experience of meeting the sanctuary’s large collection of exotic species.

“We hope to share our animals and the joy they bring us with the people of Ocala,” she said. “So many people in Ocala are animal lovers. I know they will love our park.”

“That’s music to my ears. The biggest compliment we get is the animals look so happy.”

A Third Act

TI lost my job, then came another new beginning

he first thing I remember about Lay-Off Palooza ‘24 was the unseasonably delicious Florida spring.

Perfect for walking Rigby Floyd the Doodle at Silver Springs, reading long-unread books under the live oak, and staring into saturated blue skies and thinking, “What the hell just happened?”

That’s because the second thing I remember most about those tense-andtearful three months is the morning my supervisor scheduled a surprise Zoom call. It was Feb. 15, the day after a lovely Valentine’s Day celebration that left me thinking, “I am the luckiest schmuck on the planet.”

I was doing well at my job. I worked for a large utility company that treated

THE DELICIOUS SPRING OF 2024

What’sNews Lay-Off Palooza

your master’s degree. You wish you would have saved more money. You wish you paid more attention to … well, everything.

We were ready to move, as the jobs with promise were in bigger cities. My stomach churned at cleaning the garage, never mind moving. Plus, I loved my reading tree and all the memories of water-balloon fights and puppy chases and princess birthday parties.

not value newspaper vets who spent the last 30 years writing about nose hair and litter boxes. Who knew?

me well five years after rescuing me from a beloved-but-ailing newsroom. The money was good, my team was family, and the job had me doing something I never thought I could do: Solving customer problems, from moving unsightly transformers to replacing spoiled Korean food after an outage.

When I logged onto the surprise meeting that morning, my supervisor’s supervisor also popped up on the screen. Uh oh. There was no small talk, just a rehearsed review of corporate restructuring and a severance package. The words “lay off” or “sorry” never surfaced. It took me a few minutes before I realized, “Hey, I’m fired.”

What followed were three months of humility, weight loss, highs, lows, job interviews, dog walks, daily calls from outraged

calls from confused customers, and the realization that the words, “The job is yours if you want it” does not mean “The job is yours if you want it.” At one point, I was ready to pack my bags, as the only company that showed real interest was an Alaskan cruise line that wanted me as a shipboard photographer for six months out of the year for benefits-free chicken feed and a shared room with other crew members.

It would have been a dream job for a 23-year-old single me. But 56-year-old married me asked questions like, “Where would I get my meds refilled? Can I go to bed at 9 p.m.? Do the bartenders stock prune juice?”

Turns out, the marketplace does not value newspaper vets who spent the last 30 years writing about nose hair and litter boxes. Who knew?

Those who have been there know. It is scary, especially if you were banking on retirement in the coming years. You question your worth. You wish you would have earned

Then came an email from a longtime friend and newspaper source who was looking for a writer at the University of Florida’s College of Engineering. The job was, basically, writing and taking photos of cool stuff at a premier research university. We’re talking robot dogs and concrete canoes and wind tunnels (with lasers!) and a 3D printer that can make A FREAKING HOUSE.

All at UF.

These days, I commute across the prairie to a small office in a 75-year-old redbrick building a stone’s throw away from The Swamp. I am doing what I love – writing and taking photos – in a diverse university setting.

Professors with more degrees than I have teeth will email: “David, can you write an article about my research on nanoparticle imaging/landfill-leachate mitigation/drones in agriculture/global disease forecasting via satellites?”

And I do. And sometimes it even makes sense. I even wrote a script for a video featuring UF’s robot dogs, although the handlers – both human – politely ignored my clearly written stage direction: “Have larger dog lift his leg as if peeing on the dean’s shoe.”

Point is, I am loving my Act III. I bounce out of bed at 5:30 a.m. and head north serenaded by a playlist packed with Blondie, The Monkees, Green Day and Fat Boy Slim.

This black-and-gold-bleeding UCF Knight is warming to Gator Nation. In fact, I am starting graduate school in the spring at UF. So now I am a college student again three years shy of 60. I fully plan to walk at commencement, even if I look like Mongomery Burns with a catheter bag dragging under my robe.

It is never too late for a new act. Especially one without rotten Korean food.

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There are 52 weeks in each year. What are you doing this week?

Brick City Anime Festival

Jan. 11-12 | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | World Equestrian Center

Brick City Anime Festival returns on January 11th-12th, 2025 at the World Equestrian Center. Brick City Anime Festival is Ocala, Florida’s Anime and Cosplay event! Our show will give fans the chance to meet celebrity voice actors, shop from over 200 exhibitors, enjoy hourly fan events, panels, take part in our costume contest, experience a maid cafe, and more! To view the current guest list and pre-order tickets for the January 11th-12th, Brick City Anime Festival, please visit: brickcityanimefestival.com

Sunset Song Series

Jan. 8 | 6 - 8 p.m. | Ocala

Historic Downtown Square

Music lovers of all ages will enjoy Sunset Songs Series! This free concert series on the downtown square brings you the best local and regional artists performing funk, blues, reggae, and country originals as the sun goes down. Kick back and soak in the melodies with the perfect Wednesday night activity. If you love music and sunsets, the Sunset Songs Series is for you! End your day on a melodic high note at these not-tobe-missed community concerts.

34th Annual Young Artist Competition: Honors Recital

Jan. 12 | 3 p.m. | Reilly Arts Center

This special recital performance features the finalists from our 34th annual Young Artist Competition. These talented young musicians, from our junior and senior divisions, take the stage to perform their concerto with a pianist for a live audience. The winners will be selected live immediately following the performance and will go on to perform as soloists with the full Ocala Symphony at “Youth, Tricksters, and Metamorphosis” on March 8 and 9, 2025. Ticket info: reillyartscenter.com

Dixon’s Violin

Jan. 17 | 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. |

Ocala Civic Theatre

You’ve never heard violin like this! The world’s premier visionary violinist, Dixon’s life mission is to inspire people – and he has done so at more than 1,000 concerts across North America, including giving five TED talks/performances, 10+ years at Burning Man and Electric Forest, plus radio, TV, and film appearances. A former technology leader and symphony violinist, Dixon walked away from a distinguished career to follow his dream full-time, and invented a whole new music genre. Dixon now improvises on a 5-string electric violin with a looping system he developed to create an all-live one-man symphony, guided by his remarkable personal story of life transformation. Ticket info: ocalacivictheatre.com

2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Celebration

Jan. 20 | 8 a.m. | Downtown Ocala Square

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Commission invites you to participate in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March. The march will line up at 8 a.m. and begin at the Downtown Ocala Square at 9 a.m. Thousands will march to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex, where the festivities and celebration will continue with a Day in the Park until 2:00 PM. For individuals that have trouble walking the entire distance transportation will be provided to the end of the march.

Couch Sessions Encore

6th Annual Duck Derby

Jan. 18 | 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. |

Tuscawilla Park

This is an all Duck Alert! Come join us for the 6th Annual Marion Rotary Duck Derby on Saturday, January 18th at Tuscawilla Park in Ocala. This family-friendly event will support the Discovery Center and other charities supported by the Marion County Rotary Clubs.

Jan. 23 | 8:30 p.m.11:30 p.m. | Professional Firefighters of Ocala Lodge

Immerse yourself in a night of music, art, and good vibes. Don't miss special guest appearances and the chance to support local talent with Tips for Sips.

OTrak Chalk Walk

Jan. 25 | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Tuscawilla Park

Ocala Cultural Arts presents the second annual OTrak Chalk Walk as part of the Tuscawilla Art Park Series. Walk along the OTrak to watch live chalk art drawing by professional and student artists competing for prizes. Winners will be announced at 4:30 p.m. in the Art Park. Enjoy live music, local artisans and craftsmen, non-profits, and food trucks along with the chalk art! This free event will host live musical performances by Fareeza, Niño Castaneda, David Smith

Jr., The Mudds as well as student performances by Devotions Dance Company. The Tuscawilla Art Park Series is sponsored by Fun4Ocala Kids.

Ocala Home and Garden Show

Jan. 25-26 | 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

| World Equestrian CenterExpo 2

Celebrate 5 years of the Ocala Home & Garden Show and start your year with inspiration, innovation, and expert advice! Featuring everything you need for your next home improvement project, from exterior upgrades like windows and doors to kitchen and bath innovations, landscaping, sustainable energy solutions, and more. Wall-to-wall displays, professional exhibitors showcasing the latest products and services in home improvement. Whether you’re planning a remodel,

renovation, or decorating project, this is your chance to meet experts faceto-face, gain valuable advice, and get inspired. Free Admission & Parking

Truckin’ It To Preschool

Feb. 1 | 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

| Silver Springs Shores Community Center

The Coalition of Marion County is hosting their inaugural Truckin' It To Preschool event at the Silver Springs Shores Community Center on Saturday, February 1, 2025. This free event is a one-stop shop for parents to learn about the many preschool options available in Marion County and to apply for VPK, Florida’s free Voluntary Prekindergarten program for all 4-year-olds. For more information, email CommunityRelations@ELCMarion.org.

Bourbon in the Barn to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Marion County

Feb. 7 | 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. | CF Vintage Farm

Live Auction, Silent auction, Raffle, Bourbon samples, Tasty bites VIP $150, GA $100, All proceeds to support youth programs at our three Marion County clubs.

Applause for Applaud the Arts

Ocala/Marion County is known far and wide as “The Horse Capital of the World.” What is less well known is the size and scope of our arts scene. Our arts community was on full display at the recent Surrealist Ball hosted by the Marion Cultural Alliance. It was a transformative experience with fantastic costumes in the enchanting NOMA Black Box within the Reilly Arts Center.

During an awards ceremony, the

creativity and dedication of our local arts community were honored. $60,000 in cultural grants was dispersed to 11 deserving organizations. This was the 17th annual Applaud the Arts and community members made nominations and a committee selected a recipient for the categories of service, arts, education, and vision.

This is the eighth year that the awards have been conferred. The awards are annually powered by Duke Energy and were presented by Staci Bertrand, Duke Energy’s Government and Community Relations Manager. B-J Trophies and Gift sponsored the stunning awards.

More than 200 artists, arts and business leaders, and arts patrons gathered for the Surrealist Ball which was designed to provide guests with immersive and surreal experiences throughout the night. Guests were encouraged to wear a costume to complement the surrealistic theme.

To donate, please contact Jaye Baillie, MCA director at 352-229-2000.

STORY + PHOTOGRAPHY BY RONALD W. WETHERINGTON, SOCIAL EDITOR

Deborah Horvath, Stevie Bryant, Rodney Harper, Samantha Zeman and Darian Mosby

Monica Garces and Courtney Kravig

Sachin Mangra, Lauren Teejai and Nikki Upton

Janet Voyles and Kathy Haldeman

Kendra Brazzel, Sarah Lajealle and Tasha Strigle

Anthony Marino, Emily and Colin Parkman

Mel Fiorenino, Lisa Irwin, Isaiah Pepper and Geraldo Rodriguez

Tammy and Jason Warren

Jaye Baillie, Beth McCall and Rebecca Rogers

Ocala Art Army performers

Jessica St. Hilaire and Lorrie Terbilcox

GO52 makes that an easy question to answer. Unless you struggle with choices, because yeah, there’s a LOT to do here in Ocala. GO52 is an online event listing epicenter that is dedicated to sharing all of the Ocala and Marion County happenings in one place. Visit go52.events, do a quick search, then get out ang go!

HOPS Holiday Decorating Contest

The Historic Ocala Preservation Society held its annual Holiday Decorating Contest during December, recognizing participants in the best house, best porch and best door categories. The decorating of the houses was based on the theme and spirit of Christmas and the holidays. The houses taking part in the contest were decorated by their owners, who showed imagination and creativity in their choices. A HOPS spokesperson said the contest participants created “a kind of magic of the story of Christmas we used to know.”

PHOTOS BY HOPS

Flying High on Career Day

STORY AND PHOTOS

BY KEVIN KING

On a sunny morning in November, 60 eighth-graders from the Ina A. Colen Academy arrived for a field trip to the Ocala International Airport. Every day since the Academy opened two years ago, students have looked skyward as sleek jets and prop planes fly over the fields surrounding the school and disappear behind the horizon.

So, due to the students’ curiosity, the Academy arranged for the eighth-grade class to see the airport up close.

Airport Director Matthew Grow, standing in the airport lobby underneath a vintage silver Navy plane hanging from the ceiling, regaled the students with stories of

the different types of planes and the celebrities and horses who have landed there.

The students, for their part, had lots of questions about the many different jobs and careers that are possible at an airport.

Students were then treated to a visit to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office helicopter hangar where the series “Chopper Cops” on Paramount is filmed. They got to see inside the helicopters, talk to the police officers about their missions and saw a helicopter land as it returned from an emergency call.

But the most exciting news they heard that day was that they could start training to fly at age 13 and be flying solo at 16. So, needless to say there are a number of young scholars anxious to try their wings and explore those previously unknown possibilities. For them, the future is now!

Special thanks to Mr. Grow and the “Chopper Cops” team for creating such an exciting and inspiring program for students at this extraordinary and multifaceted facility.

65th Ocala Christmas Parade

BY CIERRA KRISE/ JADE LOTUS PHOTOGRAPHY

The 65th Annual Ocala Christmas Parade was held the evening of Saturday, Dec. 14, bringing an annual tradition to the city for tens of thousands of spectators who lined Silver Springs Boulevard to watch.

More than 150 units participated in the parade, with former Ocala mayor Kent Guinn serving as grand marshal.

Put on by the nonprofit Friends of the Christmas Parade, the Ocala event is one of the nation’s oldest and largest nighttime holiday parades. Featured in this year’s parade were marching bands, dance troupes, floats, mounted units, local service clubs, businesses and classic cars.

Organizers said it was the largest parade in the history of the Ocala Christmas Parade.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mayor Ben Marciano and family

JR Binard Sailor

Ariella Tavares, Bella and Charlotte Piotrowski

Wilson family

Kiwanis Annual Pancake Breakfast

PHOTOS BY ZOEE ZARILLO

Loving The Children of Marion County

Kiwanis held their Annual Pancake Breakfast on December 14th at the Eighth Street Elementary School. It is a cherished family tradition that successfully continues year after year for the benefit of our children of Marion County. Many Kiwanis members and community volunteers showed up bright and early for the cause. Two very special guests were the highlight of the morning, being Santa Clause and the Grinch, who somehow managed to ‘slide‘ in. Both made it a magical event for all in attendance along with the wonderful breakfast that was served. To learn more about Kiwanis, visit their website at www.ocalakiwanis. org and follow them on Facebook. Kids need Kiwanis. Volunteers matter.

Christopher, Cole, Samantha and Rexton Jarvis

Gina and Harold Frederick

Forest High School Basketball Team

Jessica Munster, Emily Alfano and Lilly

Kevin Lopez with Harrison, Evelyn and Phillip

Sharlyn Reiter, Cat Walston and Jeff Ruttenber

Kinley York, Kourtney Sawyers and Gabriella Tarantino

Cooper Owen, Donna Wilson, Katy Owen, John Wilson, Foster and Shepard

Ken & Gail Devilling and Scotti Mcneil

Charlotte Hiett, Lea Dailey, Austin Dailey and Bethany Chapman

Tammi and Brooklyn Warren with The Grinch

The not so solo show: B.L.U.E.

PHOTOS BY JESSI MILLER

Becoming Legendary Underneath Expectations

Omari and Jordan Shapot presented “Becoming Legendary Underneath Expectations,” a multifaceted art exhibition delving into the profound depths of the color blue. Exploring themes of collaboration and triumph over adversity, B.L.U.E. celebrates the spirit of excelling past naysayers and overcoming self-doubt. Selected distinguished artists contributed art that embodies the resilience and unity reflected in the serene yet powerful hue of blue. Guests enjoyed live music, artist talks, curator presentation, food, drink, and a fabulously blue experience. The event was held at Shapot Art Gallery and proceeds benefitted the Magnolia Art Xchange.

Omari and Jordan Shapot

Ladies Christmas Connection

The Annual Ladies Christmas Connection was held on Dec. 13, 2024, hosted at the home of Pamela Stafford, co-hosted by Betty Young. The ugly sweater attire was encouraged but not enforced. The guest of honor was Charlene Hill, representing CASA of Marion (Community Action Stops Abuse) – Domestic Abuse)

Donations and gifts were given by the attendees for much-needed new clothing for women and children of all sizes.

To learn more about CASA of Marion go to their website at: www.casamarion.org or email info@casamarion.org.

PHOTOS BY HOLLY YOCUM

Charlene Hill, CASA of Marion , Pamela Stafford, Hostess, Betty Young, Co-Hostess

Saddling up for a cause

BY BETH NELSON

Get ready for a spectacular day of equestrian excitement and community spirit at United Way of Marion County’s Children’s Charity Classic, a whimsical show jumping event that will take place on Friday, Feb. 21, at HITS Post-Time Farm. This unique event features costumed riders representing their favorite children’s book characters, all competing to raise funds for 10 local children’s charities in Marion County.

Each participating charity submitted innovative grant proposals to meet the needs of local children and families. The funds raised will go directly to Arnette House, the Boys and Girls Club of Marion County, the Early Learning Coalition, Episcopal Children’s Services, Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection, the Pearl Project, SMA Healthcare, and United Way’s internal programs — Community Partnership Schools, Strong Families and ReadingPals.

“We know that 51% of families in Marion County live in poverty,” UWMC CEO Robert Haight said. “This legacy event will provide opportunities for children in our community to succeed.” He noted that the Children’s Charity Classic aligns with United Way’s initiatives, focusing on children’s nutrition, education, financial stability and physical and mental health.

Riders will showcase their skills while dressing as beloved children’s literature characters, creating a vibrant and magical atmosphere. Spectators can expect to see everything from classic fairy tale heroes to contemporary favorites as riders jump for a cause.

“This is sure to be a fun and meaningful event that belongs in Marion County, the Horse Capital of the World,” UWMC’s Vice President of Resource Development Niki Tripodi said.

United Way’s Children’s Charity Classic will delight, support Marion County kids and families

Arnette House Chief Executive Officer Cheri Pettitt couldn’t agree more. Pettitt, an equestrian since childhood, is excited to see her love for horses and children come together.

“This is horse country, and for nonprofits to be able to engage with the equine community and offer support is amazing,” she said.

Pettitt encourages the public to attend the event to see the magnificent horses and the prowess of the riders. However, she emphasizes that the Children’s Charity Classic does more than showcase equestrian talent; it shines a vital light on the needs of families and children.

“Not everyone knows that children and families struggle as much as they do in our community. We have hard-working parents who are struggling to make ends meet, and the stress causes depression and anxiety in children,” she said.

Pettit still is optimistic. “We can support local charities and help address pressing challenges faced by our youth.”

ReadingPals Director Jan Hathaway

sees the Children’s Charity Classic as a crucial opportunity to advance her mission of getting books into the hands of kindergarteners. Since 2012, ReadingPals has provided 45,000 books to local elementary students, reinforcing the belief that children need to learn to read so they read to learn. By participating in the Children’s Charity Classic, Hathaway hopes to raise awareness and funds to support literacy initiatives further, ensuring that young learners have the resources to develop essential reading skills and foster a lifelong love of learning.

The event is free to attend, but parking is $10. Parking tickets will go quickly, and people can get them in advance at uwmc.org. If you want more information about being a sponsor, please get in touch with Tripodi at ntripodi@uwmc.org.

“The CCC is a great place to come out and support your favorite charity and watch the magnificent horses and skilled riders. Families will love it,” Pettit said.  “It’s just fun.”

The Children's Charity Classic Committee surprised Kimberly's Center for Child Protection by saying they would be one of the ten charities selected for the impactful event on Feb. 21. L-R: Kourtney Corcoran, Katie Hunnicutt, Ken Ausley, Tamara Fleischhaker, Thad Boyd, Dawn Westgate, Robert Haight, Lindsey Fields, Niki Tripodi, Beth Nelson

The Children's Charity Committee arriving at Arnette House to tell them they are a participating agency. L-R: Kourtney Corcoran, Shanda Hope, Niki Tripodi, Herlyn Ferrer-Gonzalez, Morgan Nebel , Jason Kasten, Robert Haight, Lindsey Fields, Beth Nelson

COME JOIN THE FUN

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2025

Don’t miss this inaugural event as we raise money to support children’s charitable causes in Marion County.

Grand Prix Society Sponsor Corporate/Supporting Sponsor

Scan QR for ticketing and registration information.

18 South

Ocala’s newest and finest dining and entertainment experience. Enjoy cuisine that offers a perfect fusion of raw delicacies of the sea and hardy bites from the land. Raise a glass with craft cocktails and world-class wine selections, while enjoying the best service and ambiance in town. Limited number of private memberships available.

18 South Magnolia Ave., Ocala, FL 34471

Sun-Mon: Closed, Tues-Thurs: 5PM—10PM Fri: 5PM—11PM Sat: 11AM—2PM / 5PM—11PM

www.18south.vip

Mark’s Prime Steakhouse Mark’s Prime Steakhouse

Mark’s Prime Steakhouse is Ocala’s Premier Destination Restaurant.

Mark’s Prime prides itself on being a traditional fine dining steakhouse delivering a world-class guest experience. Our diverse menu features awardwinning wines and spirits, prime steaks, and fresh local seafood all prepared by our Certified Executive Chef DJ Fleming and his outstanding team. We pride ourselves on delivering exemplary service to every guest, with attention to detail and intentional hospitality.

30 S Magnolia Ave., Ocala | (352) 402-0097 Tues - Thurs 5pm - 9:30pm | Fri, Sat 5pm - 10pm https://marksprimesteakhouse.com

Stop by our bar and enjoy our premium, specialty drinks! Gift certificates available.

Living in a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) such as Lakeview Terrace a Life Care Community is a positive step to confidence, independence and security.

Thriving Community

Forge new friendships and create lasting connections with like-minded individuals. Our community events, social clubs, and recreational activities ensure there’s always something exciting happeni ng at Lakeview Terrace.

Beautiful Residences

Our thoughtfully designed living spaces cater to various preferences and needs. Whether you’re seeking a cozy apartment or a spacious villa, we have the perfect home for you.

Delicious Dining

Enjoy culinary delights at our on-site dining venues. Our talented chefs create nutritious and flavorful meals, providing a delightful dining experience for our residents.

The new Ground Storage Water Tank Mural by Christian Stanley

Photo by Joshua Jacobs

The Mangalarga Marchador

Marion County is home to more than just thoroughbreds

BY LOUISA BARTON

The Marion County area is home to over 70 known horse breeds, including a variety of breeds that some have never heard of. Dales Ponies, Cracker Horses, Paso Finos and Missouri Foxtrotters live in and around “the Horse Capital of the World.”

Among this wonderful variety is the Mangalarga Marchador. This breed is the national horse breed of Brazil, where you will find more than a half million of these beautiful horses. The Marchador is among the most popular breeds of riding horse in the world, with four gaits: the walk, the canter, and two

ambling gaits, the marcha batida and the marcha picada; this breed does not trot.

The development of the Marchador dates back to the mid-18th century. Francisco Gabriel Junqueira of Portugal imported Lusitanos into Brazil and began breeding them to Barbs and other horses that were already there. This included the Spanish Jennets, known for speed and effortless movement. Junqueira, Baron of Alfenas, began breeding his imported Lusitano to the mares on his farm.

The result was a smooth-gaited and very attractive horse. The baron called this horse Sublime. He sold some of the Sublimes to a friend who had a farm in Rio de Janeiro. The

farm's name was Mangalarga, and the owner rode Sublimes to and from Rio de Janeiro. In Rio, people noticed the smooth-gaited, attractive Sublimes and that was when they began being called Mangalargas. Those who have researched the breed and most of the breeders, at least until the early 1900s, noted that most of the ranchers involved in the breed's development followed the Baron's recommendations for the breed's marching gait, hardiness, endurance, health and temperament.

In 1934, the Mangalarga Breeders Association was created to establish a clear direction for breeding. Bloodlines from several non-gaited horse breeds, including the Ara-

bian, Anglo-Arabian, Thoroughbred, Lusitano and the American Saddlebred were added in. These crosses were intended to adapt the Mangalarga to the local topography, with as little loss of gait smoothness as possible.

There were disagreements between those who preferred the original breed type and those who liked the new type of Marchador, and the breed association closed its doors. A group of breeders who disagreed with this decision met in 1948 and founded the Association Mangalarga Marchador, which became the ABCCMM. Although separate breed organizations exist for the Mangalarga and the Mangalarga Marchador and the breeds have different bloodlines and conformation, their roots are quite similar. To unite differing factions, a new breed association was started to preserve the original

Marchador horse. In 2017 the breed numbered almost 540,000 in Brazil. The Mangalarga Marchador breed exists internationally, with horses found in many countries. Europe and the United States have the most of this breed, outside of Brazil.

The Mangalarga Marchador is a medium-sized breed with prominent withers, a silky coat, a long back (while still in proportion), a deep chest, muscular hindquarters, a sloping croup and hard hoofs. For stallions the ideal height is 15.0 hands, or 60 inches, and the ideal height for mares is 14.1 hands, or 57 inches. Its head is triangular with a straight profile, ears pointing slightly inwards and large, large nostrils and expressive eyes. Stallions have a slight crest to their neck.

The breed is smooth-gaited, with two natural intermediate speed ambling gaits, called

marcha; the marcha batida, where the feet move diagonally, in a manner similar to a fox trot; and the marcha picada, a four-beat lateral gait, similar to a stepping pace. The picada, meaning "light touch" in Portuguese, is usually the smoother of the two, because the lateral movement creates little vertical momentum, and is similar to the paso llano of the Peruvian Paso. Conversely, batida means "to hit," and that gait is similar to the trocha gait of the Paso Fino.

On level ground at a normal speed, the Mangalarga Marchador will overstep slightly. In other words, the hind hoofprints will slightly pass the front hoofprints. The marcha is said by breed experts to be comfortable to ride. The Mangalarga Marchador does not trot or pace, moving from the marcha into a canter.

They are generally a personable and friendly horse with a nice nature. If you are curious to learn more, we have one of the finest Marchador breeders in the United States right here in Ocala. Her name is Claudia Bellandi and she hosted us at her farm last week for the Chamber Equine Christmas Meeting, and the group was able to see the Marchadors up close and in action. It was quite an experience! With delicious Brazilian cuisine and the best live music and entertainment, the experience was wonderful for all who attended. Hopefully, in the near future, that ‘Marchador Experience’ will be available via tours to all who visit the “Horse Capital.” Stay tuned.

Louisa Barton is the Equine Initiative Director at the Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership, Engel & Voelkers Farm Realtor and host of the Horse Talk Show on the Sky 97.3, Audacy.com and Equus Television.

EACH MONTH, OCALA MAGAZINE FEATURES A LOCAL ORGANIZATION FROM OUR CHARITY REGISTER

Meeting a Special Need

Transitions Life Center serves adults with developmental disabilities

ORGANIZATION NAME: TRANSITIONS LIFE CENTER & COMMUNITY, INC.

LEADERSHIP:

Sabrina Hughes, executive director, and Darren Ritch, president of the board of directors

LOCATION: 3360 NW Gainesville Road, Ocala, FL 34475

MISSION STATEMENT:

Transitions Life Center is a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide a safe, caring and enriching community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

WHAT WE DO:

TLC is a nonprofit organization made up of parents, family members, educators and people from your community, dedicated to improving the lives of adults with special needs. At Transitions Life Center we focus on strengthening independence, building friendships, expanding their world and growing in faith. Our funding sources include private and individual donations, corporate sponsorships, grants, fundraisers and community contributions. We also house a Community Navigator; a position funded by the Marion County Hospital District that was

BY THE NUMBERS:

WE SERVICE ABOUT 65 MEMBERS PER WEEK, AT A RATE OF ABOUT 30-33 MEMBERS PER DAY. WE HAVE AN EXPANSION SCHEDULED TO BREAK GROUND IN 2025 THAT WILL ALLOW US TO SERVICE AROUND 60 MEMBERS PER DAY.

created to help any families of special needs people find the resources they need. This help is available to anyone who needs services, free of charge.

HOW YOU CAN GIVE OF YOUR TIME AND TREASURE:

TLC is always looking for angel donors to help fund our scholarship programs, which benefit underprivileged Marion County families by giving them the ability to send their intellectually loved one to TLC. General donations are also welcome and help us purchase program supplies so that our members can continue to THRIVE. We also welcome new community partnerships where a plethora of corporate sponsorship opportunities are available throughout the year for your business.

Vitamin Checkup

How to know if you can trust your supplement

COURTESY OF BRANDPOINT

Amultivitamin. Calcium. Vitamin

C. Chances are, you've taken at least one of these today, along with three-quarters of American adults.

There are hundreds of brands and thousands of products to choose from. So, how do you choose a quality vitamin, mineral or botanical supplement, and how do you know whether it will do what you hope?

You may be shocked to learn that the

FDA does not approve dietary supplements that are on your store shelf. In fact, according to the new "Habits and Healthspan" survey, sponsored by Amway, 47% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 70 mistakenly believe their supplements are FDA-approved.

The good news? Thanks to the internet, it's easier than ever to research products and there are four easy ways to ensure you are putting a high-quality product into your body.

1. DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE INGREDIENTS?

* 87% of Americans want to know exactly what they're putting into their bodies. Although manufacturers are legally required to

use safe ingredients, the FDA does not approve dietary supplements. The bottom line? It's up to consumers to research and know what they're putting in their bodies. This is where ingredient traceability — the process of tracing the origin and journey of ingredients through the supply chain to ensure safety, quality and transparency — comes in.

* 67% are more likely to purchase dietary supplements that are traceable from the seed to the shelf.

2. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE THE INGREDIENTS ARE GROWN?

* Over half (60%) of consumers agree it's important to know the seed-to-production path to ensure quality.

Consumers are looking for products they can trust. Thanks to the internet, it's easier than ever to dig into product ingredients and see the seed-to-supplement pathway.

3. IS THE COMPANY YOU'RE PURCHASING FROM ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS?

In addition to what's in the products they consume, there is a growing concern amongst Americans about how products are made and what impact is made on the environment.

*78% say they're concerned about how pollution and chemicals can affect their health, with 29% "very" concerned.

With that, consumers are opting for products that are both good for their health and well-being as well as the planet. One way companies can be more

environmentally conscious is by practicing regenerative agriculture, using farming methods that conserve water and protect the soil.

4. DOES THE PRODUCT HAVE A CERTIFICATION OR SEAL OF APPROVAL?

Having an objective, third-party assurance that the product you are using meets quality standards is another way to ensure reliability. Only 6% of consumers do not prefer using a sunscreen that is certified with a third-party assurance. When it comes to personal care products like sunscreen, you

can check the packaging to note which ones have certifications such as the Seal of Recommendation from the Skin Care Foundation, which provides assurance that the product meets a third-party's criteria for safe and effective protection.

Americans want products that not only work but also align with their sustainability values. The brands that rise to the occasion and meet these demands stand to create deeper, more loyal relationships with their customers. By forging partnerships down its supply chain and making strong commitments to transparency, many companies leading the charge in corporate responsibility and environmental stewardship.

Sprawl.

state of the city

Celebrating Community and Culture

Exciting events to kick off 2025 for Ocala

BY GREGORY DAVIS

As the new year begins, the City of Ocala reflects on the joy and togetherness of the holiday season and looks ahead to an exciting calendar of events. City leaders hope everyone enjoyed the warmth of family, friends and community during the holidays. In December, the city provided free downtown parking and festive holiday lights to enhance the celebrations, and residents and visitors alike were able to enjoy all that Ocala has to offer during the season.

January brings a continued celebration of Ocala’s vibrant culture and creativity.

On Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Cultural Arts Department will host the second annual OTrak Chalk Walk at Tuscawilla Art Park (213 NE 5th St.). The event features live chalk art created by professional and student artists competing for Best in Show, which will be announced at 4:30 p.m.

In addition to the live artwork, the Chalk Walk will include performances by local musicians Fareeza, Niño Castaneda, David Smith Jr., The Mudds, and student groups such as Devotions Dance Company. Local artisans, craftsmen, nonprofit organizations and food trucks will add to the day’s festivities. Families can also create their own chalk art for $10 in a designated area, with supplies provided by the city’s Cultural Arts Department. This year’s competition theme, “Natural Wonders, Great and Small,” highlights Florida’s flora and fauna, making it a uniquely local celebration. The event is free and is part of the Tuscawilla Art Park Series, sponsored by Fun4Ocala Kids.

In February, the Ocala Recreation and Parks Department will host the second annual Brick City Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, Feb. 1, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Citizens’ Circle (151 SE Osceola Ave.). The family-friendly festival features an afternoon of live bluegrass music from national and regional bands, including The Wandering Hours, Unspoken Tradition, East Nash Grass, Pert Near Sandstone and Arkansauce. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and enjoy the open-air environment. Food trucks will offer a variety of options, with beer and wine also available for purchase.

Tickets are $25 when purchased in advance at www.ocalafl.gov/brickcitybluegrass. Children under 8 and veterans can attend for free.

The City of Ocala is committed to hosting events that foster a sense of community, celebrate the arts and provide shared experiences. Whether admiring the creativity of chalk artists at Tuscawilla Art Park or enjoying bluegrass music at Citizens’ Circle, residents and visitors are invited to join in the festivities.

Here’s to a new year filled with community spirit, culture, and connection. Happy New Year, Ocala!

Ag Hall of Fame Inductees

Local agricultural leaders receive recognition for their contributions

BY MARK ANDERSON

Since its inception in 2003, the Marion County Agricultural Hall of Fame has honored farmers and those in the agricultural field for their achievements and contributions to not only Marion County, but the state of Florida and the nation.

The Hall of Fame grew out of an idea by Jerry Arthur to name an arena at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion after local agricultural icons David Ballie Jr. and Marion Roche. Arthur approached the Marion County Board of County Commissioners with the idea, and from there, it grew into forming the Ag Hall of Fame that still exists today. Ballie and Roche were the inaugural inductees in 2003.

Inductees in the Ag Hall of Fame receive a plaque with their photo and bio that is hung on the wall in the foyer of the Marion County Extension Service Auditorium next to the Livestock Pavilion. And beginning last year, in 2024, inductees also receive a custom jacket with their name and the Ag Hall of Fame logo stitched on the front.

The Ag Hall of Fame induction takes place in November each year as part of FarmCity Week, a “nationwide initiative aimed at recognizing and celebrating the importance of relationships between farmers, consumers, community leaders and everyone in between who contributes to our safe, abundant food supply,” according to the Florida Farm Bureau website.

This past November, Dr. Harrell Phillips and Scott Seiler were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Phillips is a large animal veterinarian with experience in the beef cattle, equine and crop industries, and he is an active participant in the Ocala Bull Sale, Southeastern Youth Fair, 4-H and FFA.

Seiler has been involved with peanut production and the beef cattle industry for more than 40 years, and he also enjoys team roping.

For more than 20 years, the

Marion County Ag Hall of Fame has recognized those individuals who have lent their significant expertise, time and efforts to promoting the agricultural industry here in Marion County. These individuals continue to inspire younger generations to take the reins and maintain Marion County’s status as a significant contributor to agriculture around the country.

Photos courtesy of Marion County

Rotary Circle

Four New Rotarians Inducted Into Rotary Club Of Impact Ocala

Founded 1924

Kiwanis Club of Ocala provides a positive influence and creates opportunities for local children to be curious, safe, and healthy. Please join us at one of our meetings to network and highlight local community speakers.

Founded 1924

Kiwanis a positive opportunities curious, at one highlight

Kiwanis Club of Ocala provides a positive influence and creates opportunities for local children to be curious, safe and healthy. Please join us at one of our meetings to network and highlight local community speakers.

Christopher 1510 SE Every Friday,

Jennifer LeBrecht

David Shults Mehul Patel Sam Cone III

David Shults, Jennifer LeBrecht, Mehul Patel, and Herb Silverman

A New Year of Celebration and Goals

BY MADISON GLASSMAN

This month is all about New Year’s. I’m going to be talking about the things I do, my traditions, some New Year’s goals I have, and what New Year’s is all about.

Some of my family traditions are getting dressed up and going to dinner, which is one of my favorite things to do because I love getting dressed up. Then, after dinner, we come home, turn on the TV and watch the ball drop as I’m sure many do. But while we watch the ball drop, we drink sparkling cider and I get to stay up till midnight. These are things I’ve done since I was little, and they make New Year’s even more special than it already is.

Just to move off the topic of the New Year for a bit, because in the month of January I have three very special birthdays. The first one is my brother’s, on Jan. 16th, which this year he’ll be turning 8, and as we do every year on his birthday, we go to Legoland. It’s also one of my classmates’ birthday, Jan. 13th, and I’ve known him now for eight years, and he’s turning 13. Last but not least, my best friend’s birthday is Jan. 14th. I have had so many special memories with my best friend, and she’s turning 14 this year. So, I can’t wait to go to Tampa and surprise her on her birthday.

Back to the topic of New Year’s, let’s talk about some of my personal goals for this 2025 season.

The main thing I will be focusing on is my dancing. One specific thing I really want to make happen is to try out for and make my dance school’s competition team. This is something I’ve wanted for a long time, and I really hope it happens for me. I also

really want to be on point for ballet. I’ve been training for years now, and I think I’m ready.

But not all goals have to be big ones. They can be small everyday habits, which can lead to big successes.

And finally, New Year’s isn’t just about the traditions, or the dinners and the fancy clothes or even the goals. It’s about fresh starts and looking forward to the future.

I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and that they received something special and spent quality time with their loved ones. See you next month.

Birth of a museum

How a campfire chat led to the Appleton coming to Ocala

BY THE HISTORIC OCALA PRESERVATION SOCIETY & THE CITY OF OCALA

The Appleton Museum is recognized as one of the nation’s finest small-city art museums, but how came to be in Ocala was hardly a highfalutin affair.

Back in 1984, five Ocala businessmen were on a hunting trip near Merchant, Texas. One night, as they sat around a campfire talking, one of the men in the group, Clyde Nix, said his boss, Arthur Appleton, was looking for a place to house his massive art collection. Ears perked up, the conversation expanded, and the other four Ocalans – Doug Oswald, Jim Kirk, Jim Jernigan and Richard Chazall – determined they would pitch the idea of putting such a museum in Ocala.

“We said, ‘Why don’t we make a museum,’” Jernigan would say in a later interview.

Nix, who managed Appleton’s massive Bridlewood Farm in Ocala, arranged a meeting with Appleton, who had made a fortune in his family’s Chicago-based electrical supply company.

Appleton, who also had homes in Miami and Chicago, said he would build a museum if the community would contribute $1 million in cash or land toward the effort, he would build a $10 million museum to house

his 6,000-piece collection, at the time valued at more than $20 million.

“It was an unbelievable offer he was making,” Kirk told the Ocala Star-Banner in 2007 interview. “It was phenomenal that he would go that far, giving $30 million to his adopted community.”

The four movers and shakers – Oswald, Kirk, Jernigan and Chazall – went to work. With Oswald and Kirk both being former mayors of the city, people listened. When they were done, they had convinced the city to donate 44 acres of land on East Silver Springs Boulevard to the cause.

During their conversations with Appleton, a renowned horse breeder and holder of thousands of patens, he had a definite idea of what he wanted the museum to look like. He scribbled his idea on the back of a napkin, the Ocala group would later remember, complete with the reflecting pond that greets Appleton Museum visitors, the soaring ceiling of the entryway, and the courtyard with a fountain.

Appleton accepted the city’s offer of land, which today is home not only to the Appleton Museum but also the Ocala Civic Theatre, and work began on the 67,000-square-foot museum.

The Appleton Museum of Art opened in December 1987 and over the years has seen its collection – that includes one of the world’s finest collections of pre-Colombian art – grow to more than 16,000 pieces. A storage facility for the art that is not on display has been added, as has an educational wing.

The four hunting buddies would all go on to serve on the museum’s original board of directors and remain ardent supporters of it throughout their lives.

Today, the Appleton is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, a distinction held by less than 10 percent of the country’s museums.

Appleton’s daughter, Linda Potter, who still serves on the museum advisory council, once told an interviewer the museum has fulfilled her father’s dream.

“For our family, it is a celebration of the lifelong love of art and collecting that my father had, and it’s nice to be able to see his dream personified,” she said. “He wanted it in a place he loved so much. He loved horses, he loved the arts, and wanted people to share his passions.”

And it all started with a campfire chat on a hunting trip in Texas.