LETTER
from the publisher
Three Years and Counting I’VE MADE IT THREE YEARS AS PUBLISHER OF OCALA MAGAZINE, and what a ride it has been and will continue to be. For me, I like to keep my focus on the future, and that means moving forward with a team at OM that just keeps getting bigger and better. Now on board the OM train is Brad Rogers, “Mr. Ocala” as far as print media is concerned, and we know he will take us to new heights of important journalism to go along with our window to the community’s arts and leisure segments. On our beautiful cover this month, Honey Bee is among those joining the OM team and will soon stand guard in front of our office on Fort King Street. Christian Stanley’s depiction of honey bees is part of the Marion Cultural Alliance’s Horse Fever 20/20 exhibition and carries much symbolism here. Rogers himself was involved in the first Horse Fever project back in 2000 and he continues to be a champion of the MCA and its projects, which have made Ocala a significant player in the arts world. The economic impact of the arts in Ocala is roughly three times the national median for communities of our size and MCA has a lot to do with this. Not only that, the amount of public art per capita in Ocala, so Brad informs me, is exponentially higher than that of major cities such as Chicago. What I like most about Honey Bee is that it represents not only the thriving Ocala arts community, but is also a reminder to all of us that we must stay committed to protecting the actual honey bees. Our agriculture depends on these creatures and their depletion since the 1940s has been a wake-up call that we seem to be heeding. Our Charity of the Month segment looks at the Ocala Lions Club, which truly is a special organization that helps in so many ways, from feeding the hungry to offering sight to the visually impaired and even making happy Christmases for needy children. Many children of kindergarten age have visual impairments but don’t even realize it themselves — and that’s where the Lions’ KidSight program is so remarkable. How heartbreaking it must be for a child to grow up seeing everything in a blurred fashion and thinking that is normal. The main damage may be not in missing out on much of the world’s great beauty, but in missing out on maximum learning that can be had through perfect vision. I believe great potential resides in every child, and it hurts to think that any of it is untapped. Thanks to the Lions, more of this potential can be reached as a result of their program. I have two children of my own and every day brings learning experiences for them and me. I cringe at the thought of either of them languishing quietly with poor vision, but that’s exactly what many kids do. For this I have nothing but admiration and thanks for Lions and the part they are playing to make the world and this community a brighter place. ‘Til next month,
PHILIP GLASSMAN, PUBLISHER
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| MAR 2021 | OCALAMAGAZINE.COM
Christian Stanley, Honey Bee, and Philip Glassman
