SPRING 2012
THE MAGAZINE
RAULERSON
OSPITAL
Top Performer on Joint Commission Key Quality Measures 2010
Dear Friends & Neighbors, On February 9th Raulerson Hospital celebrated its 33rd anniversary of service to the community of Okeechobee with an annual breakfast for all employees. Throughout these years, many advancements have occurred in the healthcare industry and Raulerson Hospital is on the cutting edge of these developments. Raulerson Hospital offers patients and their families’ access to quality healthcare with modern conveniences. I am happy to announce the details of two new programs designed to offer our patients the most convenient patient-experience possible. Online pre-registration is now available for patients scheduling a screening mammogram, surgical procedure or inpatient / outpatient testing. Patients scheduling one of these services, can simply pre-register online at RaulersonHospital.com, from any location with internet access. Online pre-registration allows patients to pre-register when it is convenient for them. Traditionally, patients requiring these services registered over the phone with a hospital registrar. Patients wishing to pre-register by phone may still do so. Raulerson Hospital is offering the additional service of online preregistration for individuals who may benefit from the convenience it offers. Pre-registration should be done two business days in advance of the requested date of service. Another exciting program beginning at Raulerson Hospital is the Bedside Pharmacy Delivery Service. Often times when a physician discharges a patient he/she will prescribe a medication for the patient to take at home. For the patient’s convenience, Raulerson Hospital has partnered with Walgreens Pharmacy to fill that medication and deliver it to the patient’s bedside before they are discharged. This is an optional service and there is no charge for the delivery to the patient’s bedside. The benefits for patients utilizing the Bedside Pharmacy Delivery Service include no stops to make when leaving the hospital, no lines and no waiting. A pharmacist will be available for consultation for patients electing the BedsidePharmacy Delivery Service. Patients wishing to utilize the Bedside Pharmacy Delivery program can just give their nurse their completed Bedside Pharmacy Delivery form, found in their patient folder. I am excited to share the latest developments in the patient-centered-care offered at Raulerson Hospital. Speaking of sharing, members of the community are invited to attend our next Patient Advisory Council Dinner and share their experiences about our facility. Recent patients and a guest are welcome to join us for dinner in a relaxing atmosphere as they provide valuable feedback about their experiences as a patient in our facility. Regardless of your experience, your feedback will help us to improve and remain your first choice for healthcare. Hospital administration and nursing supervisors will be present to listen and learn from the feedback provided by our former patients. The next Patient Advisory Council Dinner will be held on May 15th at 6:00 p.m. in the Raulerson Hospital Cafeteria. To RSVP call 824-2702. I hope to see you there and in the meantime remember, my door is always open. Sincerely,
Robert Lee, Chief Executive Officer
The Emergency Department at Raulerson Hospital is ready 24/7 to immediately treat your emergent healthcare needs. 2 | Spring 2012 OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE 1796 Highway 441N • Okeechobee, FL 34972• 863-763-2151 • RaulersonHospital.com
Dr. Charles W. Bartels Board Certified Optometric Physician
Big Lake Eye Care would like to welcome Dr. Carlo D. Fodor, a Board Certified Optometric Physician to our practice here in Okeechobee. Dr. Fodor graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a Doctor of Optometry and is living in Sebastian with his family. He also obtained a Bachelor of Science in Vision Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry with a Minor in Biological Sciences.
(863) 763-3937
We Accept and Bill Most Major Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare & BlueCross Blue Shield Healthy Kids
These accomplishments have enabled Dr. Fodor to teach the natural sciences in the past as an associate professor at the Palm Beach Community College. He brings his teaching skills into the exam room because educating patients on their conditions is a crucial part of every exam. Dr. Fodor has excellent communication skills in English, Spanish, and Italian. He has completed
Dr. Carlo D. Fodor Board Certified Optometric Physician
rotations in Primary Care, Ocular Disease, Glaucoma, Contact Lenses, Pediatrics Binocular Vision, and Low Vision. He has also served two years working at the Visual Health & Surgical Center managing all types of post-operative patients. Dr. Fodor is well qualified and trained to identify subtle abnormalities in our eyes that may be able to be corrected. Dr. Fodor has been working in the field since 1994 in numerous commercial and private offices. His knowledge and well- rounded background will allow him to manage his patients where ever he decides to practice. He enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with his family.
606 North Parrott Ave Okeechobee 863-763-3937 Visit : www.biglakeeyecare.com
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OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
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Spring 2012 | 5
Quality - Commitment - Design
Wind Mitigations & Home Inspections STATE LICENSED & INSURED - #CRC058109
Blue Ribbon Winner Treasure Coast Parade of Homes
863-467-1933 221 NE Park Street - Okeechobee, FL 34972 We now have a 2nd location at 1120 NW Park Street
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Spring 2012 | 7
Publisher’s Note volume
6, number 1 | Spring 2012
publisher/managing editor
Welcome to Okeechobee The Magazine’s fifth anniversary edition. In this issue we look back through the past five years of bringing you the best of Okeechobee through photos. As we move into the future, we will showcase new features we hope you will enjoy. New in this issue is our quarterly feature series Behind the Business. This will give you a glimpse of local businesses and what makes them tick, as well as their owners and operators. Find out what makes them tick. For our first two installments, you’ll meet Dr. Albert Bravo and Dr. Melissa Kendell.
Maureen Budjinski creative director
Bridgette Waldau copy editor
Jason Budjinski office manager
Tamra Cunningham office assistant
Rose Brennan bookkeeping
Also in this issue, meet Okeechobee County Administrator Robbie Chartier, a very dedicated woman who loves this community and is passionate about what she does. Learn about how she balances her commitment to her town, family and faith.
Carol Lieberman
As the Girls Scouts of the United States of America celebrates its 100th anniversary, meet Laurie Pharr, a local longtime Girl Scout leader and tireless volunteer who loves what she does. Read about this wonderful organization and how it helps the community. Even I was a Girl Scout many years ago.
Sharon Cannon Felicia Maxwell Rafael Pacheco Sandra Pearce
As always, we continue to bring fabulous local events to you with pages of colorful photos. Plus, we continue showcasing the area’s beautiful homes in our feature Okeechobee At Home. In this issue, meet the Nunez family as they share their home with us. I want to end my note with a sincere thank-you to all the readers who have continued to write, call, e-mail or mention in person how much they love their magazine. And, again, this would not be possible without the many advertisers who continue to support it. Please thank them. Enjoy reading, and thank you again for giving me the pleasure of publishing Okeechobee The Magazine, your magazine.
account executive
Trish Grygo Gail Lockwood photographers
writers
Jason Budjinski Ron Bukley Raye Deusinger Jan Fehrman contributors
Chauna Aguilar Charles Murphy Michael Shellen Carol Witt distribution
Jessica Smith Okeechobee The Magazine
111 NE 2nd Street Okeechobee, FL 34972 Phone: (863) 467-0054
www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com
Sincerely,
Maureen Budjinski president
Joshua I. Manning vice president
Publisher
8 | Spring 2012
OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
Barry S. Manning chairman & ceo Okeechobee The Magazine, is published quarterly in Okeechobee, Florida. Copyright 2012, all rights reserved by Okeechobee The Magazine, LLC. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. The publisher accepts no responsibility for advertisement errors beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error within the advertisement itself. The publisher accepts no responsibility for submitted materials. All submitted materials subject to editing.
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Spring 2012 | 9
Contents
Spring 2012
features
22 Okeechobee The Magazine Five Years in Review 50 Robbie Chartier
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Leading the Way at Work, Home and Church. By Raye Deusinger
64 Laurie Pharr
A Century of Girl Scouting By Jan Fehrman
departments
36 Okeechobee at Home By Ron Bukley
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Behind the Business 38 Dr. Albert F. Bravo 40 Dr. Melissa Kendell
columns
74 Fishing on Lake Okeechobee By Capt. Michael Shellen
78 John Kemp By Charles Murphy
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COMMUNITY EVENTS 12 16 20 28 44 46 48 56 60 72
Battlefield of Okeechobee Christmas Parade and Festival Big Lake Bass Tournament PhilFiesta Peace Lutheran ‘Wild Wild West’ Buckhead Ridge Catfish Festival Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration American Legion Fair FLW EverStart Series Okeechobee Family Health & Safety Expo
80 Around Okeechobee 82 Advertiser Index 10 | Spring 2012
OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
SPRING 2012
THE MAGAZINE
ON THE COVER Okeechobee The Magazine Five Years in Review Cover design by Bridgette Waldau
Upcoming Shoots Mar. 11 ...... African Safari Club Fun Shoot Mar. 17 ...... Treasure Coast Food Bank Fundraiser Shoot Mar. 18 ...... NSCA Shoot Mar. 24 ...... Young Guns Fun Shoot (JAKES Shoot) Mar. 31 ...... St. Lucie Co. Farm Bureau Shoot Apr. 1 ....... Okeechobee Habitat Alliance Fundraiser Shoot Apr. 14 ...... Highlands Co. Farm Bureau Shoot Apr. 20-22 .. FL State Championship
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Spring 2012 | 11
Community Event Okeechobee Battlefield Monument Rededication During the annual re-enactment of the Battle of Okeechobee held Feb. 4 and 5 at the Okeechobee Battlefield State Park, Okeechobee Battlefield Friends Inc. held a rededication of the monument on the battle site, marking the 175th anniversary of the battle. The rededication had many guest speakers as well as the unveiling of the monument at its new location.
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The event, which was fought on Christmas Day 1837, commemorates the largest and fiercest battle in the Seminole wars. Representatives from the Seminole Tribe and other exhibitors were on hand to offer children’s activities, alligator demonstrations, good food and music for a funfilled family day. Visit www.okeechobeebattlefield.com for more info.
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1. Elizabeth Gentry Sayad, great, great granddaughter of General Richard Gentry, spoke on behalf of the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Okeechobee. 2. Unveiling of the monument by Elizabeth Gentry Sayad’s granddaughters Lily Elizabeth Todd Sayad and Adrienne Virginia Gentry Sayad. 3. Rededication Chair Su George addresses the crowd. 4. Seminoles community outreach specialist Willie Johns, Brighton Ah-tahthi-ki.
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www.PuebloViejoRestaurants.com Betsy Cheney, Su George, Barbara Makant and Julie Turner. 12 | Spring 2012
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Photos By Sharon Cannon
Battle of Okeechobee Re-enactment
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Jack Williamson, also known as Col. Zachary Taylor. Federal soldiers on their way to battle. Pedro Zepeda prepares for battle. Missouri Volunteer soldiers Alyn Bryan, Robert Hynd and Dennis Musgrave enjoy the campfire. Missouri Volunteer Tom Geffert takes cover behind a tree. Amelia DeLand-Zepeda had her face painted. Ramone Baker holds the gator, Pherian Baker holds the tail, while Lanie Sedatol and Jr. Miss Florida Seminole Jaryaca Baker Jr. Miss Florida Seminole looks on. The Missouri Volunteers prepare to fire.
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Spring 2012 | 13
Hammerhead’s Banquet Hall Elegant Facility for All Occasions
863-467-1115 Seating up to 200 Table and Chairs Included Table Cloths, Sashe & Seat Covers Extra Charge Dance Floor - Bartender Provided Reasonably Price
Seating over looks beautiful Taylor Creek
202 NE 7th Avenue & Hwy 70 E - Okeechobee, FL | 15 www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com
Spring 2012
Community Event
Photos By Sharon Cannon
2011 Christmas Parade and Festival Okeechobee Main Street hosted its annual Christmas Festival and Parade Dec. 10 at Flagler Park under overcast skies and light rain. In spite of the weather, the Christmas Festival had a large turnout. As sundown approached, the residents and visitors lined the parade route in anticipation of the parade participants and lighted floats to pass by.
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1. Santa waves to the crowd. 2. Okeechobee Main Street float. 3. “Rudolph” with two mysterious Santa helpers. 4. Winning float, Flower Petals. 5. Santa with Gina Hines and baby Andrew Seals. 6. Peace Lutheran Church Pre-School’s little Angels. 7. Pemayetv Emahakv Charter School of Brighton Reservation. 8. Eight-month old Grace Lynn Miller. 9. Cheyenne Rhoden and Josh May with Adar, a miniature horse. 10. (L-R) David Pierpopan, James Edwards, Bud Duprey, Paul Rox, Dan Dolan, Ken Jarvis, Jason Moody and Pastor Jim Benton of the Okeechobee Rotary Club. 11. Aven Selph loves his dog Philly.
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Spring 2012 | 17
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OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
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United Country MidFlorida Realty Okeechobee’s Hometown Realtor
3126 Hwy 441 South Okeechobee, FL 34974
863-763-3566
United Country MidFlorida Realty is conveniently at located at 3126 Hwy 441 South Okeechobee, FL 34974. Julie Turner is an Okeechobee native who has raised her family here because she loves Okeechobee. She is familiar with the community, its history, and uniqueness – qualities which enables her to help current or prospective residents find the perfect home and neighborhood for their needs. Julie has a B.S. from Florida State University and has been a Realtor since 2003. Julie is currently the President of the Okeechobee County Board of Realtors (OCBR). United Country MidFlorida Realty’s goal is to get you the best possible price in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of inconvenience to you. By remaining focused on this goal, it is our desire to obtain exceptional, individual results utilizing skills, honesty and integrity to create a lasting relationship one client at a time. UNITED COUNTRY is America’s rural real estate company. Your best source for locating real estate for sale throughout the small towns and cities of rural America – residential, farms, ranches, recreational and business! Through a network of over 600 offices – nationwide, United Country has been uniting buyers and sellers of country real estate for over eighty years. MidFlorida Realty’s years of local experience and reputation, provides sellers and buyers with a unique insight into the local marketplace. You can count on United Country - MidFlorida Realty to provide you with quality, professional service.
Broker Julie Turner
View all of our properties at
www.MidFloridaRealty.net Virtual Tours, Multiple Photos & Detailed Descriptions on All Our Properties and the Entire Okeechobee MLS available on our Website.
United Country MidFlorida Team Pictured (L-R): Garry Smith, 2010 President of Okeechobee County Board of Realtors (OCBR) Julie Turner, 1999-2002 OCBR Treasurer Lynne Price, 2010 OCBR New Comer Award Wendy Bostwick and 2010 OCBR Treasurer Betsy Sheffield.
863-763-3566 - 3126 Hwy 441 South - Okeechobee, FL 34974
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Spring 2012 | 19
Community Event
Photos By Sharon Cannon
Big Lake Bass Tournament Benefits March of Dimes The 10th annual Big Lake Bass Tournament was held Jan. 28 at the OkeeTantie Marina. Sponsored by Seacoast National Bank, the event featured 44 anglers and a field of 22 boats participating. Sixteen out of the 22 teams returned with the five-fish limit. Buck Durrance of Okeechobee snagged the biggest fish, which weighed in at 7.18 pounds.
First-place winners Buck Durrance and Larry Wright.
Jack Schoonmaker wins an autographed photograph of fishing pro Roland Martin.
Event coordinator Kathleen Shatto announces the winners with help from WOKC’s Billy Dean.
(Right) Second-place winners Jerry Reynolds and Larry Bucher with event coordinator Kathleen Shatto.
(Below) Boats line up on the Kisssimmee River at dusk after the tournament.
Don Miller wins a fishing rod.
Dominoe the Springer Spaniel enjoyed the event. 20 | Spring 2012
OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
Hilary Swain Customer and Executive Director Archbold Biological Station
TO A MORE HUMAN WAY TO BANK At Seacoast National Bank, we take your business banking needs personally. Developing and offering products that work well for you is good for our business, too. Stop in today to meet with a dedicated team of specialists who are experts in your line of work. Together, let’s get down to business.
500 N. Parrott Avenue, Okeechobee • 863.467.5330 1409 S. Parrott Avenue, Okeechobee • 863.467.4663 SeacoastNational.com
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Spring 2012 | 21
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Okeechobee The Magazine
Leslie Stokes Summer 2008
5 Years in Review Louis “Red” Lawson Fall 2008
Quail Creek Plantation Winter 2008
Billie Dean Fall 2008
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May l C. u a P f S h e r i f Winter 2008
Anna Jane O’Steen
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Sandra Pearce McAuley Spring 2009
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Mimi Arnold
Brian Cartland
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Ed Walpole
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Judy Rowland Summer 2010
Dr. Trinidad Garcia Winter 2009
Linda Syfrett Spring 2010
• Dr. Patricia Cooper Summer 2010
Sam Smith Eva Mae Williams Spring 2010
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Shoenfelds Winter 2009
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Okeechob A t H o m ee e
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Mitchum Home Summer 2010
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John Williams
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Tabitha Trent
Kristy Crawford
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Market Area Executive/SVP
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Branch Manager/VP
Commercial Loan Officer/VP
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Spring 2012 | 27
Community Event
Photos By Sharon Cannon
PhilFiesta
The Philippine-American Cultural Foundation of Florida held its second annual PhilFiesta Jan. 7 at the future site of the Philippine Heritage Enrichment Complex and Gardens in Okeechobee. The festival was a full day of celebration featuring cultural performances, Miss PhilFiesta, music, arts and crafts, exhibits, Philippine martial arts, a chess tournament and delicious Philippine food. For more info., visit www.philiamculturalfoundation.org.
Maria Barrameda, Dr. Trini Garcia, Philippine Consul General for Florida Dr. Angelo Macatangay and PACFF Secretary Joel Cruz.
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1. Drs. Trini and Manuel Garcia. 2. Cultural dance presentation by University of Central Florida Filipino Student Association. 3. Esau Vazquez and Lita Cardenas make pancit noodles. 4. Polynesian flaming torch dancer Pama Leao. Isabella Wallace. 5. Miss Little Phil Fiesta Isabella Wallace Boynton Beach. 6. Mrs. Miami Tropic USA Kirsten Regalado with Donny Arnold. 7. Criselda Sorianno and her baby Sophie. 8. Philippine-American royalty.
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CIRCLE OF F.R.I.E.N.D.S. OF SOUTH FLORIDA INC. a 501 (c)3 Florida Corporation 675 Royal Palm Beach Blvd., Ste. 103 l Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411 l USA Phone (561) 371-0825 l E-Fax 1-(561) 228-0218 email: dominadoe@bellsouth.net
Founded March 12, 2011 Edwin Dominado …..Founder/President Aurora Ante ………..Vice-President Modesta C. Tenay…..Secretary Zenaida Tesalona…..Asst. Secretary Fe Orbigoso………...Treasurer Dina Hussein……….Asst. Treasurer Members: Jess Santamaria Sid Estrada Amante Tesalona Allen Orbigoso Terry Estrada Esther Pilan Nic Pilan Kirsten Regalado Larry Regalado Pinky Chance Dennis Chance Butch Tenay Kharis Kerby Sibayan Malen Sibayan Norma Nycum Shailini Ramos Carol Sabinano Eric Sabinano Ann Sroivattana
Coordinators: Cultural Projects & Events ………………Aurora Ante Budget & Finance…………Fe Orbigoso Donors & Contributors…...Dina Hussein Stage & Production Design......................Kirsten Regalado Video & Photography....Larry Regalado Butch Tenay Civil works…………Nic & Esther Pilan Concepts & Architectural Design……………….Carol Sabinano Mechanical Engineering Works……………..Amante Tesalona Site Management & Coordination……..Sid Estrada
Dear Friends, The Circle of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. of South Florida, Inc. (COF) cordially invites you to a gala event celebrating our first anniversary on March 17, 2012 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in West Palm Beach at 7:00PM. The hotel is located at 1601 Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406. The Circle of F.R.I.E.N.D.S (Few Reliable Individuals Expecting Nothing for Doing Something) is an organization created for the purpose of providing any form of assistance to the less fortunate of our society as well as victims of natural disasters and social injustices. In addition to its philanthropic mission, it also vigorously supports the preservation and promotion of culture and the arts. As a matter of fact, CoF is a dedicated supporter of The Philippine-American Cultural Foundation of South Florida, Inc. (PACFF) which is presently undertaking an ambitious and laudable project of building the Philippine Heritage Enrichment Complex and Gardens in Okeechobee, Florida on a 20-acre property. When completed, it shall be the biggest Philippine cultural complex in the world which shall truly be the pride and joy not only of every Filipino-American but also of every patron of the art. To date, CoF has extended its help to several beneficiaries and continues to pursue its objectives through the unqualified commitment and effort of its members and the unfaltering support of its benefactors. As we celebrate our first anniversary, we will appreciate if you can honor us with your presence. We assure you of a time well-spent with people who share our common aspirations as well as a fun time with specials guests and performers such as Elizabeth Elias (Miami Heat Arena performer), all crowned Beauty Queens of South Florida, Brazil Samba Dance Troupe, Gold Strings Orchestra, Professional Ballroom Dancers, Rhythm and Motion Band and DJ Greg. The Event ticket is $100 which should cover meals and other incidentals. Any savings that will be generated by your attendance shall be used to augment funds for existing projects of Circle of Friends. Kindly acknowledge your attendance by sending me an email. Yours truly, Edwin Dominado COF President dominadoe@bellsouth.net
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Spring 2012 | 29
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At Home
David and Anita Nunez By Ron Bukley O Photo by Rafael Pacheco
David and Anita Nunez built their 7,300-square-foot home around the swimming pool so they could always keep their four girls and their friends in sight while they were growing up. The result was a horseshoe-shaped home with two wings joined together by a 22-foot-tall foyer and formal living room with French doors that look into the swimming pool.
The house is on five acres in the northern edge of the city, with ranch-style homes to the west and pastures to the east. “We lived down the road, and the land came up for sale,” Anita said. “We bought it, and we already liked the neighborhood.”
Visitors enter the home through mahogany French doors into a 400-squarefoot foyer and formal living room with a 22-foot ceiling. The living room looks through large double doors to the swimming pool. To the right is an open, airy kitchen and dining room, which Anita spent a lot of time designing, incorporating trapezoidal and triangular angles into the granite countertops to enable a smooth traffic flow around the kitchen island as the house bends. Large windows look onto the swimming pool from most points.
David, who is president of Seminole Design Build of Okeechobee, supervised the building of the home in 2003, with much of the design done by Anita, along with the help of local architect Bob Gable. Throughout the house are doors and windows looking out to the pool area so Anita and David could keep an eye on their daughters, Apolonia (“Apple” or “Caboose”), who is now 13; Airiana (“Ari”), 15; Amelia (“Ami”), 17; and Ali, 18. “My whole idea was from every room I wanted to be able to see the pool,” Anita said. “My whole thought process on the designing was from every room I wanted to be able to see our swimming pool. If my kid was missing and drowning, I wanted to be able to see. That’s a mother’s point of view, so when you walk around our home, it’s all designed around that pool. And there are doors to get to that pool from all angles of the house.”
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The couple took a year to design the home and nine months to build it, Anita said. “We took a design from a magazine that we liked,” she said. “The only thing that was left of the original layout when we got finished was the back of it being in a U shape. A friend of ours flew over it in a helicopter and said, ‘Your house looks like a UFO from up here.’ The back is in a U; the front isn’t.”
(Above) The Nunez family: (front) Apolonia; (middle) Anita and Amelia; (back) Airiana and David. (Not pictured: Ali). (Pictured right) The beautiful architecture of the formal living room and hallway leading to the kitchen.
“We always host our family parties for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter,” she said. “We made sure we designed it so we could cook the dinners here and host everybody.”
David said he enjoys being in proximity to the city but still in a rural environment. “The property was big enough but still close to town,” he said. “But when you drive up it feels like 100 acres because there’s two open pastures next to us and behind us.”
David credits Anita with most of the design concepts. “Bob was the architect, but my wife really pulled a lot of her ideas into it from different houses and stuff,” David said, explaining that Anita went to Miami to select the granite for the counters. “We do a lot of
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(Above) The Nunez’s ranch-style home is surrounded by beautiful landscaping.
(Above left) A baby grand piano adorns the living room. (Top right) The airy living room.
(Above) The pool area can be viewed from many rooms of the house. (Below) The grill and patio area are accessible to the kitchen.
(Above left) The formal dining room. (Above right) The open kitchen is next to the dining room.(Below left) The master bathroom includes a spacious walk-in shower with glass tiles. (Below right) The master bedroom has double French doors that open to the swimming pool and hot tub area.
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gatherings, so the whole concept is to sit around together and cook.” The original design was to have the bedrooms in the north wing, and the kitchen and recreation area on the south side, although they have adapted over time. “We designed the north wing to be living quarters and the south wing to be more of an entertainment and recreation hangout,” Anita said. The house has five, formerly six, bedrooms. The only bedroom and bath in the south wing was originally an exercise room. “It’s now my daughter Ami’s bedroom,” Anita said. “I took her bedroom and made it a closet.”
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Finishing out the south wing is a large billiard and television room with couches, and a bar with two counters, one to serve billiard players and TV watchers and another looking onto the pool with pocket windows that slide into the wall when there is a pool party. An insert fits in the runners to create a complete counter. They paid close attention to detail to get just what they wanted, Anita said. “Just the little things, that’s why it took us a year,” she said.
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Spring 2012 | 33
(Above) The state-of-the-art theater room with eight chaise lounges and a 12-foot movie screen. (Below left) The casual dining area off the game room. (Below right) The home features a large billiard and television room.
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The game room was David’s idea. He played pool competitively for a while and placed second in the state one year. “The kids have kind of taken over here now,” he said. “They play pool and watch TV. We watch Super Bowls and everything here.” The entire house design is on one story. “I had little ones, so I didn’t want two stories,” Anita said, noting that it resulted in an expansive floor plan. “I had called the guy I bought the property from and said, ‘Do you know how wide the property is?’ and he said, ‘Anita, what kind of house are you building that you have to worry about how wide that property is?’”
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(Above) Accent pieces with family photos are found throughout the home.
Although the house is 7,300 square feet on one level, communication is relatively easy because of the openness. The kitchen windows also open for easy access when they’re grilling outside by the pool, he said. “It’s a pass-through window here as well,” David said. “Wherever we’re at, we can holler at our kids and they’ll hear us.”
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Spring 2012 | 35
3258 Hwy 441 South Okeechobee, FL 34974
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The 30- by 30-foot master bedroom is appointed with furniture from Skeffington’s. It has double French doors that open to the swimming pool and hot tub area. The adjoining bathroom includes a spacious walk-in shower with glass tiles as well as Jacuzzi-style tub. There are also his and hers closets, with hers being the converted bedroom. There is also a separate bath for the girls. The laundry room has double washers and dryers. David’s closet includes a military jacket that he wears as a member of the Seminole Color Guard. “I’m an honorary color guard for the Seminole Tribe,” he said. “That’s part of the uniform I wear when we bring the flags in. I was in the Navy.” The back yard has a tennis court and Chickee equipped with a smoker grill, as well as pens for the daughters’ 4-H projects. “All my girls did 4-H and school projects,” David said. “That’s where they housed their projects, their pigs and a little area to walk them around.”
The back yard has pastures on two sides. “It makes it feel like it’s more acreage,” David said. Anita, 41, and David, 43, have been married 18 years and are both natives of Okeechobee. Their daughters are all members of the Seminole Tribe. They divide their time between their home in Okeechobee and another on the river in Jupiter. O 36 | Spring 2012
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Syble’s Flowers
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Behind the Business T
This Doc Rocks
By Jason Budjinski O Photo by Felicia Maxwell
he road to becoming a medical doctor is one that requires a lot of schooling. But for Dr. Albert Bravo, owner of Lake Okeechobee Digestive Disease Center, his education didn’t end with just a medical degree. In addition to training in internal medicine at the University of Miami School of Medicine, and respective fellowships in gastroenterology and hepatology at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine and the UM/Jackson Memorial Hospital Center for Liver Diseases, Bravo studied music at
the UM Department of Jazz and the esteemed Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. Throughout the workweek, he’s Dr. Albert Bravo, gastroenterologist and internist. But when the patients have all gone home, he hangs up his lab coat and straps on the guitar. That’s when he becomes Dr. Aljazz, performing at nightclubs throughout South Florida. Bravo writes his own songs, some of which fall under the jazz umbrella while others are more rock-oriented, influenced by ’60s and ’70s psychedelia. His primary instrument is the guitar, though he also plays drums, piano, bass guitar and trumpet. To date, Bravo has one album available, a 23-song selftitled CD, though he is working on two more. “For the most part, I do all the instruments on recordings,” Bravo said. “When I play live, I’ll have some friends who are professional musicians and bring in other people who put their efforts and their talents to it, too. Sometimes we just jam. Music is a language. Even if you haven’t rehearsed, if you show up at a gig, you know how to make it work.” Most of his shows have been in MiamiDade and Broward counties, though Bravo said he would like to get some bookings in Okeechobee. He’s currently working to develop a web site and is looking to take photos and create posters, as well as produce more videos. “I’m becoming involved in photography and video shooting myself,” he said, noting that he was inspired by the long trek from Fort Lauderdale to Okeechobee on U.S. Highway 27. “I’d like to shoot videos depicting farm land, sugar cane mills, smokestacks, dilapidated buildings. The ride out here is like a day trip.”
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Though these projects are still in the works, Bravo has already made a video for the song “I Feel Fine” from his debut album. It is available on YouTube by searching “Dr. Aljazz I Feel Fine.” Bravo said that his being a musician has had sort of a calming effect on his patients. “For many patients, it makes the doctor more approachable,” he said. “A lot of patients get a kick out of that.” The doctor-patient relationship is very important to Bravo, so much so that he gives patients his cell phone number — something a lot of doctors would rather not do. “I try to make people comfortable, and I find out that they appreciate that,” he said. A third-generation man of medicine, Bravo follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, a urologist in the Cuban military, and his father, who still practices endocrinology and internal medicine in Fort Lauderdale. Bravo said it’s important that Okeechobee residents know
there is plenty of quality care right in their back yard. “I want to let people know you can get the medical help you need right here in Okeechobee,” he said. “Experts are here just the same as if you go out of town. There’s no need to go see a physician in Jupiter with a big name.” Just as Dr. Bravo knows to invest in the latest medical equipment, Dr. Aljazz knows that having high-end production equipment gets the best results. Whether he’s using his surgical instruments or musical instruments — an endoscopy snare or a snare drum — Bravo has proven that he is dedicated to his work. “Doing music is like buying a car,” Bravo said. “This is who I am. It’s what I do. It pays off if you’re into it that much.” Bravo is board certified in gastroenterology and internal medicine, and specializes in hepatology. The Lake Okeechobee Digestive Disease Center is located at 225 NE 19th Drive. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call (863) 357-8222. O
We Proudly Support The Community We Live And Work In. As an organization and member of the community, we are dedicated to the safety of our driving professionals, as well as the motoring public.
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Spring 2012 | 39
Behind the Business Dr. Melissa Kindell Comes Back to Okeechobee By Raye Deusinger O Photo by Felicia Maxwell
G
rowing up in Okeechobee, Dr. Melissa Kindell loved being in the midst of nature, wildlife and the country. Today, her dental office décor reflects
Okeechobee and the whole South Florida area including the Everglades, so much so that she named her practice Everglades Pediatric Dentistry. As an Okeechobee High School student, Kindell was extremely interested in science. Upon graduation, she entered Indian River State College (then IRCC), where she completed her associate’s degree in pre-med and then enrolled at the University of Florida with a major in microbiology and cell science. Upon graduating in 2000, Kindell went to work at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, doing diabetic research while applying to dental school. As early as high school she had known she wanted to work in pediatric dentistry. With 800 applicants applying for only 82 available slots, Kindell got into dental school on her first try, receiving her Doctorate of Dental Medicine in 2004. For the next four years Kindell practiced dentistry with Florida Community Health Centers in Okeechobee. Just before graduation she married Eric Kindell, whom she knew from childhood. They now have two children: Gavin, 6, and Mason, 4. In 2008, one of Kindell’s mentors suggested she apply for pediatric dentistry training. She was one of four accepted to the University of Florida, which had just opened a specialty school for that degree in
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Naples, and she graduated with that certification in 2010. Kindell practiced for one year before opening the state-of-the-art Everglades Pediatric Dentistry in November 2011.
There is a special treatment room for sedation dentistry as well as a recovery room where a parent can cuddle with the recuperating patient. The office’s aim is to make every visit for every dental need comfortable, calming and reassuring both to the patient and Kindell is board certified and treats children from the parent. Parental participation is welcomed and enbirth to adolescence (18), with the goal of being pro- couraged. active with prevention. Each treatment room is child friendly, with a place for the parent to be present. Em- The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recphasizing the need for compassion, she focuses on spe- ommends a child’s first dental visit by 12 months to cial needs and medically compromised children and enable the evaluation of the child and educate about their families. TVs are mounted directly above each proper oral hygiene. Located at 2029 Hwy 441 North, dental chair for youth-oriented movies. There are play Kindell’s office is open five days a week and accepts areas and training centers where youth can learn prop- most forms of insurance. er techniques in oral hygiene. An Okeechobee native, Kindell looks forward to a Everglades Pediatric Dentistry is the only local facility long-lasting relationship with her community. “It is specializing in pediatrics. The office is skilled in regu- always good to come home,” she said. lar nitrous oxide sedation, and conscious sedation plus (IV) unconscious sedation, when necessary and boasts For more information, or to schedule an appointment, digital X-ray technology. call (863) 357-7338. O
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Spring 2012 | 41
FEATURE DEPARTMENT:
GENERAL SURGERY
Raulerson Hospital’s Surgical Services team consists of Registered Nurses who work exclusively in the Operating Room. These staff members have outstanding relationships with the surgeons, such as Dr. Garcia, who practice at Raulerson Hospital. Raulerson Hospital’s Surgical Services team consistently works alongside their fellow operating room nurses and surgeons on similar surgical cases, further developing and strengthening their skills. The Surgical Services Department, along with the dedication of Dr. Garcia have been providing our community quality healthcare, with a personal touch for more than 30 years. 42 | Spring 2012
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General surgery is a crucial function for any hospital. Many times the outcomes of diagnostic tools such as tests and lab work leave physicians with no choice but to recommend a surgical procedure to correct a patient’s condition. Having a surgical procedure is a major event; often a once in a lifetime occurrence. Although experiencing a surgery may be considered a rare For the professional operating incident that only a portion of room nurses and general the population ever requires, the surgeons, like Dr. Manuel Garcia, results are often life-changing. Just ask the patients who have performing surgical procedures had emergency surgery to treat is their day-job! their appendicitis, or the patient who received a total knee General Surgeon replacement or the patient whose cancerous tumor was removed. There is, Dr. Manuel Garcia however, a small portion of society for which experiencing a surgical procedure is not a once in a lifetime event. For operating room nurses and general surgeons, like Dr. Manuel Garcia, performing these and many other surgical procedures, is their day-job! They are professionals and their precision and experience are a comfort to patients requiring a surgical procedure at Raulerson Hospital. The waiting-process can be very difficult for friends and family of a surgical patient. Raulerson Hospital’s waiting rooms have television, complimentary Wi-Fi access and hot coffee to make the wait as comfortable as possible. The Patient Tracker is a tool that Raulerson Hospital has implemented in waiting rooms to provide family members with updates regarding the patient’s surgery. The Patient Tracker system could be compared to checking the status of a flight on a monitor at the airport. From the comfort of the waiting rooms, family members who have the surgical patient’s pass-code may view the Patient Tracker monitor to follow their loved one’s progress through pre-operative care, surgery and recovery. Raulerson Hospital’s General Surgeon, Dr. Manuel Garcia, has been performing surgical procedures at the facility, since it opened in 1979. Raulerson Hospital offers a wide variety of Inpatient and Outpatient General Surgery procedures, performed by Dr. Garcia, including: • Laparoscopic Gall Bladder Removal • Laparoscopic Appendectomy • Lumpectomy • Mastectomy • Colon Resection • And many other General Surgeries 1796 Hwy 441 North Okeechobee, FL 34972 • (863) 763-2151 • RaulersonHospital.com Emergency Services - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week For a Free Physician Referral & Healthcare Questions, call CONSULT-A-NURSE ® at 1-800-449-8642 www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com
Spring 2012 | 43
Community Event
Photos By Sharon Cannon
Peace Lutheran Hosts ‘Wild, Wild West’ Peace Lutheran School held its third annual benefit auction Feb. 11 at the KOA Convention Center. The theme this year was “Wild, Wild West.” For more information on Peace Lutheran School, call (863) 763-7566.
Committee members: (L-R) Gay Carlton, Donny Arnold, Karen Smith, Magi Cable,Jennifer Ceballos, Celeste Hawk,Katie Nelson and Paula Daniel. Michael Noel (center), winner of the Cracker Cowboys of Florida Commemorative Rifle, with Maggie Cable and Kay Duke.
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7
Karen Smith welcomes everyone to the event.
1. Miss Rodeo Okeechobee Princess McKenna Hickson, Miss Rodeo Okeechobee Kellie Munn and Miss Teen Rodeo Okeechobee Sierra Coward with Fred Fanizzi. 2. Fred Brown, Earlene Spiller and Kerri Smith. 3. Cowboy’s BBQ & Steak Co. owner Jim McCoin and General Manager Sharyl Williams. 4. The custom-built play house by Platinum Builders was auctioned off. 5. Ron Clark and Tammie Lee enjoy the evening. 6. Ryan Bass, Phyllis Bass, Jerry Newcomer, Pete and Susan Clemons, and Gwen and Monrad Chandler. 7. Davey Altman serves Cherie Nelson and Alan Nelson.
Okeechobee
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Spring 2012 | 45
Community Event
Photos By Carol Witt
Annual Buckhead Ridge Catfish Festival The Buckhead Ridge Community Volunteer Fire Company held its 19th annual Catfish Festival Saturday, Jan. 28 at the firehouse and the Buckhead Ridge Community Center (30076 E. State Road 78). The festival is held every year to raise funds to help operate the department. For more information or to volunteer, call (863) 763-1151. Volunteer firefighters (front, L-R) Scott Obenstine, Heather Marlin, Renee Rosnick and Janis Bayless; (back) Jack Bayless Jr., Rick Brown, John Wilkinson, Chris Crum and Eddie Hammond.
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1. Glades County Tax Collector Gail Jones. 2. Forest ranger Danny Callahan Sr. 3. Attendees enjoy the weather and friends. 4. The Cripple Creek Band: guitarist Phil Eddings, drummer Scott Eddings and keyboardist Ryan Eddings. 5. Smokey the Bear. 6. Glades County Commissioner Paul Beck.
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P.O. Box 1074 517 SW Park St. Okeechobee, FL 34974
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Spring 2012 | 47
Community Event
Photos By Sharon Cannon
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration took place Jan. 16 beginning with a parade in downtown Okeechobee and continuing at Flagler Park. Prayer and song kicked off the celebration, followed by speeches and music provided by the Chobee Steelers. A march back to the Douglas Brown Center continued the festivities, and refreshments and lunch were served.
Nell Wilkins, founder of Women of Wisdom International (WOW).
Rose Ferrell, Brenda Scott and Leon Jones.
“Maintain Faith� is the theme for this float.
The Berger Clinic
Adult Health Care Diagnosis and Management of Medical Conditions Preventive Health
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Jay S. Berger, MD Okeechobee Medical Park 1713 Hwy 441 N. Suite D Okeechobee, FL 34972 (Located across the street from the hospital.)
Dr. Berger and Staff have proudly served the Okeechobee area since 1985. 48 | Spring 2012
OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
(Above) Viotusia Remdert and Jenna Smith enjoy the candied apples. (Below) The Chobee Steelers entertain the group.
www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com
Spring 2012 | 49
“My childhood created my drive.”
Robbie Chartier received her
first training in money matters at the age of 5 with her grandma as her first “employer.” The lessons she learned about finance, work ethics, dealing with others and love of organization had an influence on her current position as Okeechobee County ad-
and a handle to pull). She quickly fell in love with numbers. Seeing the variety of clients her grandmother dealt with, Chartier decided in the seventh grade that her goal was to become an attorney. Chartier spent three years in a work-study program at her
spending and profitability. However, wanting a warmer climate, Chartier moved to Florida in 1990, settling in Charlotte County, where she stayed for the next eight years, working in county government. She worked as a cost accountant at the county public works department and
Robbie Chartier County Administrator
Leading the Way at Work, Home and Church By Raye Deusinger O Photos by Rafael Pacheco
ministrator. The first woman to hold this position, Chartier hopes to have the job for many years. Born in Seattle, Wash., Chartier and her family moved to California shortly thereafter before moving to Illinois at age 4. Chartier made it to Okeechobee after graduating from college. “I am right now just about as far away from my birthplace as I could possibly be,” she said. While in Illinois, Chartier spent time with her grandmother Jane Thomas, who did tax returns for a living. Showing a fascination for the machines surrounding her, Chartier learned from her grandmother how to use a calculator (not the hand-held type common today, but the type with buttons to punch
high school. There she got more experience with the public while working at a Upick field, where she got to pick vegetables and handle the cash register. It was also in Illinois where Chartier worked as a custodian in high school, which brought attention to her work ethic. Always a stickler for detail, Chartier was so meticulous in her job that she was recognized for it and asked to work in the school finance office. Later she attended college classes in Michigan. “My childhood created my drive,” she said. As Chartier grew older, her fascination with numbers drew her to become a cost accountant in Illinois, working in the private sector. In that capacity, Chartier learned to manage a company’s finances, weighing the balance between
then was promoted to budget analyst four years later. Ever the planner, in 1992 Chartier realized that as a recent transplant to Florida she might have difficulty getting into a Florida university, so she enrolled in Edison Community College (now Edison State College) in Punta Gorda. She learned that attaining an associate’s degree at a Florida school guaranteed her a spot in a Florida college. Upon graduating from Edison, Chartier enrolled at the University of South Florida while continuing her work in Charlotte County government. Though originally enrolling as a medical technician, Chartier switched her major to accounting and graduated in 1996. During her college years,
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Spring 2012 | 51
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Chartier found a job in the budget office in Charlotte County, working on the same floor as the county administrator. Lunch conversations were often government-centered. One day, returning to her office from lunch, Chartier found lying on her chair an ad, highlighted in pink, for a job opportunity. The ad said Okeechobee County was looking for an assistant county administrator. Chartier sent in her application, and in February 1998 she received a phone call asking her to come for an interview with a steering committee. In April she had a follow-up interview with County Administrator George Long. As Chartier left the interview, she pulled into a gas station, and sat and considered what had happened and what might happen. “It was a God thing,” she said. Chartier was offered the position the following month, May 1998, and began
Employee Commitment, Dedication and Community Partners. Okeechobee Landfill, Inc. Okeechobee Landfill District Manager Tony Bishop honors Equipment Operator John Fisher for 20 years of service and is joined by Operations Manager Jason Johns.
Waste Management Okeechobee Landfill, Inc. 863-357-0824 10800 N.E. 128th Ave. Fax: 863-357-0722 Okeechobee FL, 3497 www.wm.com www.thinkgreen.com
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Office Manager Pam Casperson celebrates her 15 years of service with District Manager Tony Bishop..
WM employee Michael Burgess builds a habitat for an injured iguana for Arnold’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center as part of Waste Management’s Community Volunteer Partners program.
Chocolate.. it's what's for dessert! GOURMET CHOCOLATE We Also Offer FRESH CHOCOLATE-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES (Every Friday & Saturday)
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Robbie’s office is located in the historic Okeechobee County courthouse, which recently underwent a complete restoration.
working in June as deputy county administrator for budget and finance. She had begun work on her master’s degree in public administration prior to coming to Okeechobee and completed the degree at Florida Gulf Coast University in 2002.
the commissioners, staff and the public; works on the budget; supervises various departments; conducts union negotiations; and prepares commission agendas. But it doesn’t stop there.
In November 2007 Chartier was chosen by the Okeechobee Board of County Commissioners to serve as interim county administrator while the board searched for a new county administrator. She served five months in that role, until April 2008.
Chartier also is supervisor of county agencies such as Senior Services, Veterans Services, the Extension Office, tourist development, the Agri-Civic Center and even the Okee-Tantie Campground. “To best administer, I must rely on my staff,” Chartier said. “My goal is to have each person work at the level they have been hired to work.”
In March 2011, Chartier again was chosen by the county commissioners to serve as interim county administrator, a position made permanent that November. In this capacity she meets with
Chartier said she doesn’t like to micromanage but prefers, instead, to delegate. “This office,” she said, “is to implement policy and procedures. I am here for guidance, and I maintain an open-door
“A Special Gift for that Special Someone”
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Spring 2012 | 53
We’ve Moved
Making a difference, one smile at a time.
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Creating beautiful smiles in Okeechobee for over 28 years!
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Focused on serving small town communities with excellent up to date surgical care. General Surgery Vascular Surgery Colonoscopy Endoscopy Breast Surgery Endocrine Surgery Minimally Invasive Vascular Surgery Laparoscopic Surgery
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Call for Appointment 863-357-0045 54 | Spring 2012
OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
LAW OFFICE of
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policy. I can recommend to the commission, but they are there to create policy. Information is available to meet any question, we just need to find it.” In 2001, Robbie married Richard (Rick) Chartier and took on the added job of wife and step mom to his two children: Tyler, now 16, and Kelsie, now 14. Her family time is very important to her as it helps balance the busy-ness of her career. The family loves all outdoor activities, including water and snow skiing, scuba diving, snorkeling, biking and fishing. They enjoy spending time at Disney World but a great deal of family time is spent in the Florida Keys.
“I can’t do this [job] without God.”
The family is active at First Baptist Church, with both Robbie and Rick teaching the Awana High School class, a program that helps churches and parents work together to develop spiritually strong children and youth who faithfully follow Jesus Christ. Robbie has served as chair of the church stewardship committee and sings in the choir when her schedule allows. Rick is a member of the Praise Band, for which Tyler plays the drums. Robbie, Rick and Tyler also referee Upward Basketball games. Tyler, Kelsie and Rick participate in flag football as well. The children are active in school activities. Kelsie is a JV cheerleader for the Okeechobee Brahmans and attends the Freshman Campus, and Tyler is in the Okeechobee High School band and plays the snare drum. He recently received a Superior rating for his performance on the tympani (a percussion instrument also known as kettle drums). “I can’t do this [job] without God,” Robbie said. “He is my ultimate boss. I need His guidance and discernment. It is a job which cannot be done in your own flesh. He gives us our leadership roles, but decisions must be passed by God first. As long as I’m staying in His will, that’s who I am.” O www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com
Spring 2012 | 55
Community Event
Photos By Chauna Aguilar
American Legion Fair The 56th annual American Legion Free Fair was held Jan. 1222 at the American Legion fairgrounds for 11 days of family fun. The fair featured a free circus and motorcycle show every day, along with the midway specials throughout the week.
Lauren Raulerson and Jessie Arrellano enjoy the rides at the fair.
Roselyn Orozco, 5, and her brother Alexis enjoy the merry-go-round.
This fire engine is full of hot excitement with Maluan Williams, Nederia Morris and Syleena Lawson.
All Star Cheer & Tumbling Only USASF Certified Staff in Town! Only Full Spring Floor and Tumble Track in Town
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Caylus Hopewell (left) reels in a fish for a big prize.
Nate, Maya and Isaiah Pippin hold on tight.
Tryouts being held May 5th. Ages 3 - 18 Tumblings Beginner - Advanced Competitive Cheer
Never cheered before? That’s OK! Our amazing staff will get you started!
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OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
Cousins Elisa Bucio and Maria Bucio took their chances on the Orbiter.
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Community Event
Photos By Chauna Aguilar
FLW EverStart Series Held In Okeechobee The FLW EverStart Series Southeast Division event was held Jan. 19-21 on Lake Okeechobee. For the second year in a row, Brandon Medlock of Lake Placid took top honors with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 68 lbs., 2 oz. For his victory, Medlock earned $35,000 and a Ranger boat. Medlock also caught the biggest bass of the tournament, weighing 10 lbs., 8 oz. in the Pro division. Rounding out the Pro division was Randall Tharp in second place, Keith Fels in third, Brian Holder in fourth and Bryan Honnerlaw in fifth.
Rodney Glunt of Orlando did not expect to win the event while only coming in with 11 fish total for the event, but his weights held strong.
Brandon Medlock of Lake Placid took home the professional division first place for the second year in a row, winning $35,000 and a Ranger boat.
In the Co-Angler division, Rodney Glunt of Orlando took home a Ranger boat in his second-ever EverStart event with a three-day total of 29 lbs., 4 oz. Rounding out the Co-Angler division was Cal Clark in second place, Kevin Spooner of Vero Beach in third, Vince Parker in fourth and Joe Ventrello in fifth. The Okeechobee Tourist Development Board works to bring tournaments such as this to Okeechobee on a yearly basis. For more info., visit www.okeechobee-tdc.com.
Professional Randall Tharp of Gardendale, Ala., came in second place with his bass weighing in at 62 lbs.
Co-angler Cal Clark of Pulaski, Tenn., came in second place with 28 lbs., 5 oz. of bass. 60 | Spring 2012
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2012
Okeechobee, Florida
April 14th & 15th Flagler Park in the Heart of Okeechobee
National and Local Fine Artists. Student’s Art Musical Entertainment Large Children’s Art and Fun Activity Area Ethnic and Heritage Presentation of entertainment, art & food Green and Agricultural Market
Special to the Event!
Hometown Legal Team
Devin and Elizabeth Maxwell 405 NW 3rd Street - Okeechobee, Florida 863 763-1119 www.maxwellandmaxwell.net
Dedication of Okeechobee Main Street’s Fourth Mural Project of the Old Bank Building - April 14th For More Information call or go to our Website!
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Spring 2012 | 61
• 30TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON •
2011-2012
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March 2 at 7:30pm
The Allan Harris Quartet
March 15 at 7:30pm
Palm Beach State College Music Department
Call for a Free Estimate 863-467-6707
March 22 at 7:30pm
Celtic Fire: Irish Music & Dance with Riverdance’s Michael Londra March 23 at 7:30pm
30th Anniversary Celebration with Buffalo Rome & Larry Gatlin April 17 at 7pm
Missoula Children’s Theatre
May 5 at 11am and 7pm
Street Beat, Inc. May 11 at 7pm
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A Century Of Girl Scouting Scout Leader Laurie Pharr is still dedicated more than 50 years later By Jan Fehrman O Photo By Sandra Pearce
O
keechobee Girl Scout Leader Laurie Pharr’s happiest scouting memory is her first visit to founder Juliette Low’s birthplace in Savannah, Ga. As a Brownie more than 50 years ago, Pharr participated in the flag ceremony when the Gordon family donated their home to the Girl Scouts. Pharr came full circle in March when she and her troop visited the birthplace as part of the Girl Scouts’ 100th birthday celebration. The Girl Scouts were founded by Juliette Gordon Low on March 12, 1912, with 18 girls. The membership now reaches 3.2 million in the U.S. More than 50 million women in the United States are Girl Scout alumnae. One of those is Okeechobee Girl Scout Leader Laurie Pharr, who is also Pegasus service unit manager for Okeechobee County, and volunteer membership manager for Area 1, serving Okeechobee, Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties. Pharr is an enthusiastic, dedicated leader and manager who believes strongly in the benefits of being a Girl Scout. The Girl Scouts’ motto is “be prepared,” and its slogan is “do a good deed every day.” These two philosophies help mold girls into responsible, caring citizens. “The mission of scouting is to teach girls they are special and they can do anything they want to do,” Pharr said. “There are so many things open to girls. It shows them a whole new world where they can do anything.” As a second-grader at Juliette Low Elementary School in Savannah, Ga., Pharr began her career in scouting and stayed with it as her father, Air Force pilot Capt. William McMullen, moved the family to different locations, including stays in Michigan, California and Maine. Pharr remembers one cold winter in Bangor when she iceskated across back yards because she was so anxious to get to her Girl Scout meeting. After Pharr’s father was killed in a B-52 crash over North Carolina — when Pharr was in junior high school — the family moved to Orlando. She graduated from Colonial High School in 1966. Pharr continued scouting all the way through high school and became a senior Girl Scout. “I earned the First Class badge, which was the highest one offered at the time,” she said. Pharr went on to earn the Thanks badge, one of the highest honors given to an adult in Girl Scouting, according to Area 1 Mission Delivery Manager Jeanne Cuddy. “Laurie firmly
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believes in the Girl Scout mission and enjoys what the Girl Scout leadership experience can do for young girls in our community,” she said. Girl Scouts today do many of the same activities they did when Pharr was a girl, but now new pathways can be found online. “If a troop isn’t available, the girls can be a scout online,” Pharr said. “But in Okeechobee, people want their daughters to be in a troop. I’m old-fashioned; I think that’s the best way, too. In a troop they learn cooperation, leadership skills and money management.” In Okeechobee, there are seven troops with two leaders each. Kindergarten to first-grade girls begin as Daisies, followed by Brownies for second- and third-graders, Juniors for fourth- and fifth-graders and Cadettes for sixththrough eighth-graders. Scouting nationally also offers the Senior level for ninth- and 10th-graders and Ambassador level for 11th- and 12th-graders, but those levels are not available in Okeechobee at this time. Pharr is a coleader of the Cadette troop with Kay Mathis. “We need more leaders,” Pharr said. “We have a waiting list of girls who want to be scouts.” A typical meeting for the Okeechobee Cadette Troop 60599 is to recite the pledge, promise and laws followed by a program or badge work. The girls delve into different areas of interest to achieve badges, which are sewn on a sash or vest. Through badges and awards, the girls explore a wide range of subjects such as art, science, travel, history or healthcare. For example, in girl scouting you can earn a badge and certificate for babysitting and childcare. The girls are trained in a babysitting course that includes first aid and CPR. At their meetings last fall, the scouts sewed pillow cases for Conker Cancer, which gives special pillow cases to sick children. 66 | Spring 2012
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Local attorney Elizabeth Maxwell, a former troop member, speaks highly of her scouting experience with Pharr. “Ms. Pharr was the leader of my Girl Scout troop when I was a child and now serves as a mentor to me as I lead my own Daisy troop,” Maxwell said. “Her example of service has been an inspiration to me. Ms. Pharr has dedicated thousands of volunteer service hours to fulfilling the mission of Girl Scouts: to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.”
High School. When her husband, Dr. William Pharr, was alive, she worked as a visual therapist for his optometry business in Okeechobee and later did home daycare so she could help her mother, whose health was failing.
Pharr has four daughters who grew up in Okeechobee, and one of them, Michelle Coleman, still lives here and is a math teacher at Yearling Middle School. Leesa Polley lives in Tampa and works for Kraft Foods; Mary Ellen Curran is a pre-kindergarten teacher in Pharr’s life is an example of the best of Yorktown, Va.; and Jill Turlington is a the Girl Scout values. “Girl Scouts is the mortgage broker in Tampa. most wonderful thing that can happen to a girl,” Pharr said. “It made me who When it comes to scouting, it’s all in the I am. I’ve always been a caring person family. Curran was a Cadette leader and who liked children.” is now a Daisy leader. “Mom’s passion has always been Girl Scouts,” Curran Her concern for others is expressed not said. only through her work as a Girl Scout leader but also in her career path. Pharr Pharr said her daughters are the reacurrently is a health aide at Okeechobee son she became a Girl Scout leader. “I
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Spring 2012 | 67
“Her example of service has been a inspiration to me.” -Elizabeth Maxwell loved scouting as a girl and wanted my daughters to have the same experience,” she said. Her daughters went on to become very involved in Girl Scouts. Polley, Pharr’s oldest daughter, earned the Gold Award, the highest award in scouting, and was the first to do so in Okeechobee.
Pharr with her granddaugher, Raylee Coleman.
Pharr’s other three daughters earned the Silver Award, which is the secondhighest award. “In my Cadette troop they will be working on silver next year,”
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Pharr said. “As Juniors they earned the Bronze Award.” She has had these same girls for nine years, since they were 4-year-old Daisies. Pharr was a leader for 15 years and then retired — but not for long. When her granddaughter Raylee (Coleman’s daughter) was old enough to become a Daisy, Pharr became a Girl Scout leader again. “I feel fortunate to have my mom as my daughter Raylee’s Girl Scout leader,” Coleman said. “It has given them a chance to experience and share memories. They have an even greater bond with each other through scouting. My mom is a total package of a true Girl Scout and has done an amazing job of sharing this love with my daughter.” Pharr is appreciated by the community for her dedication to the girls of Okeechobee. “Laurie is such a fine example of caring and giving,” local historian and former Girl Scout Betty Williamson said. “She has spent a lifetime showing girls how to be the best they can be.” On March 18, the Okeechobee Cadette Troop attended Low’s 100th birthday celebration at her birthplace in Savannah, Ga. After a tour of the home, they attended an etiquette dinner at the Pink House and a ghost tour. The next day they traveled to Tybee Island to learn about marine life there. For their travels, they will earn the World of Travel and the World of Marine Science badges. To finance their trip, the troop sold cookies for three years. “This year the girls worked hard and sold 286 cases (12 boxes per case) of cookies,” Pharr said. The Girl Scouts in the Pegasus Unit had planned to celebrate Low’s 100th birthday with a community project, building benches for Okeechobee’s
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Spring 2012 | 69
Okeechobee KOA welcomes locals to join SUMMER FUN
To celebrate the 100th anniversary in Okeechobee, 100 area Girl Scouts marched in the Speckled Perch Parade on March 10, two days before their actual founding date. The girls represented Okeechobee, Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties.
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Pharr’s dedication and work with over 100 scouts is proof of the kind of character and concern for others that the Girl Scouts help nurture. “If I only help one girl then I have done my life’s work,” she said.
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With leaders like Pharr, it’s easy to see why scouting is still going strong. For more information on the Okeechobee Cadette Troop, call Pharr at (863) 634-0465. O
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Modern, Trendy or Traditional We do it all. Large Beautiful Showroom Stop in to see our new specialty cupcake designs! “We deliver smiles.”
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“Strolling Down County Roads” Book Signing A successful book signing was held in December at the CenterState Bank.
Pictured above (l-r) John Williams, President of the Okeechobee CenterState Bank, Betty Chandler Williamson, President of Okeechobee Historical Society and Tabitha Trent, First Vice-President of the Okeechobee CenterState Bank.
The Okeechobee Historical Society and Okeechobee CenterState Bank, are co-sponsors of third printing of the book entitled: “Strolling Down Country Roads.” The authors are Twila Valentine, now deceased and Betty Chandler Williamson. Available for purchase at: Chamber of Commerce of Okeechobee County 412 NW 3rd Street Okeechobee, FL 34972 863-467-6246 PennySaver 111 NE 2nd Street Okeechobee, FL 863-763-7283 Sybles Flowers & Gifts 119 S. Parrott Avenue Okeechobee, FL 34974 863-763-2225 The books sell for $40.00 and $45.00 shipped
Photos provided by the Okeechobee Historical Society www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com
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Community Event
Photos By Chauna Aguilar
Fifth Annual Okeechobee Family Health and Safety Expo The fifth annual Okeechobee Family Health and Safety Expo was held Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Agri-Civic Center. Local business, health and safety professionals, and law enforcement personnel gathered together to provide a fun and informational event for the families of Okeechobee. Entertainment ranged from singing to steel drums, and there were games as well as health screenings. Each booth had drawings for giveaways and other freebies for the locals. The event is free to the public each year and provides a free lunch as well.
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1. The Okeechobee City Fire Department displayed its ladder truck. 2. Raulerson Hospital performed health screenings at the expo. (L-R) Marketing Coordinator Jenny Pung with OR surgical services staff members Melissa Jones, Jaki Parshall, Terry Harden and Shelly Main. 3. Irene Luck, Maggie Sandoval and Clare Bennett of Martha’s House. 4. Okeechobee County firefighters demonstrate the Jaws of Life. 5. Okeechobee American Red Cross Director Chuck Parker. 6. Logan Newman (front-center) got to feel what it’s like to hold the jaws of life in his hands thanks to the Okeechobee County Fire Department’s fire paramedic Justin Hazellief, training officer Karl Holtkamp and Lt. Ryan Hathaway. 7. Heartland Discount Pharmacy’s Cameron Orem and Harry Patel. 8. Florida Community Health Center Manager Tom Jones (back) with staff members Patti Allen-Comfort, Elyssa Crutcher, Gricelda Becerra and Maria Olivares, and event coordinator Sharon Vinson. 9. Nurse On Call Home Healthcare’s Laura Graham, Judy Gilliatt, Beulah Anisko and Judy Cracraft.
We Love To Care... Family owned and operated, Okeechobee Health Care Facility began providing Long-term and Rehab care to the citizens of Okeechobee and the surrounding communities in December of 1984. ring ra Riser rtduactivity n & Barba o Lacie Lotiftnoe interview & repparticipating the Valenrth ES 5th-graderastional program. with No onth intergener in the 9-m
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Betty Mills modeling her Mardi Gras costume.
Rehab Therapy, consisting of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and Out-Patient Therapy, is available seven days a week in a loving, caring environment. Long-term care is available for loved ones who can no longer be cared for safely at home, in addition to a secured Dementia/Alzheimer's Memory-Care Unit.
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Herschel Haverlo therapy fro ck receiving out-patie while Pat LammmMaurice Cogle, RPT. - nt exercises with a smile"
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Eula Morgan, 96, with her painting that was selected as the cover for the annual Resident Art Calendar.
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Spring 2012 | 73
Fishing on By Capt. Michael Shellen
S
pringtime in Okeechobee is my favorite time of the year. There are a lot of reasons I love spring, and many of the reasons have to do with the tremendous fishing that the season offers us.
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401 NW 4th Street Okeechobee FL 34972 Okeechobee County Farm Bureau is now on Facebook. Become a fan.
Okeechobee County
Your Local Hardware Store For ALL Your Hardware Needs "We match local advertised prices." Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 5 pm Saturday 8 am - 4 pm
www.okeechobee.doitbest.com
863-467-1010
pen! Mid-Florida Hardware Postal Center
Now O
U.S. Postal Service Contract Postal Unit
Postage for Domestic and International Mailings Insurance and Certified Mail with No Surcharges Operating hours are: Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Saturday 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
3603 HWY 441 S. Okeechobee, Florida 34974 74 | Spring 2012
OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
Some of the bass are spawning, while others are already done spawning and are feeding heavily on baitfish, as they attempt to regain the strength they lost during the spawning process. During this time of year, bass can be caught on live bait such as shiners or artificial baits. There are numerous artificial baits that will work when the water gets warm. Spinner baits, top-water plugs, flukes, plastic worms, senkos and others too numerous to mention. The first waves of shell cracker and blue gill are moving en masse into the shallow water areas where they prepare to spawn. The shallow flats areas and the numerous canal banks around Lake Okeechobee will be loaded with pan fish looking for an easy meal. Many different methods are employed to catch pan fish on Okeechobee. Some use ultra-light spinning outfits, while others prefer using a fly rod or even an old-schooltype cane pole. Each of these methods works in the right place and time, providing many bites for the angler. Live bait is the preferred incentive for pan fish for most anglers, although some will use scaled-down mini-versions of plugs to pursue the chunky fish. Red worms are always a favorite bait, whether fishing for shell cracker or blue gill. Crickets are effective also in most situations. The one can’t-miss bait for pan fish on Lake Okeechobee is a grass shrimp. Seasoned anglers use a dip net to collect the tiny crustaceans in the thick hydrilla
Lake Okeechobee
Capt. Michael Shellen
beds on the lake. Every species of fish that swims in Lake Okeechobee will eat a grass shrimp. Many times when using them we have caught shell cracker, blue gill, bass, catfish and other species as well. Day in and day out, nothing will outperform a grass shrimp form pan fish. Grass shrimp can be hard to find and are hard to keep alive when it gets hot, but they are worth the extra effort. Fly rod anglers use small popping bugs or floating rubber-legged spiders to entice bites from pan fish and bass, too, as they fish along the canal banks edges or tight against the weedy cover in the lake. If you have never fished beautiful Lake Okeechobee, maybe now is the time to “wet a line.” Our small county has a lot to offer aside from fishing — great dining, wonderful places to stay the night and plenty to keep you busy even if you don’t fish. If you are a new visitor to our little piece of paradise, welcome. When you return home, wherever that may be, tell all of your friends and relatives about our great community, that they might experience it for themselves. We are all very proud of our town and what we have accomplished, and are happy to share it with everyone. O Capt. Michael Shellen Shellen Guide Service
(863) 357- 0892
www.OkeechobeeBassFishing.com
Okeechobee Motor Company Quality Ford Sales and Service for over 65 Years! We will gladly locate or special order the Ford car or truck you need. Low mileage, late model Pre-owned with factory warranties.
Never high pressure sales.
863-763-2121 3175 Hwy 441 S
www.okeechobeeford.com www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com
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The Economic Future of Okeechobee County is in Good Hands Culpepper & Terpening wishes to say Thank You to the Business Development Board of Okeechobee for their untiring work to bring responsible economic growth to Okeechobee. The Business Development Board of Okeechobee is making a positive difference for the future of all of Okeechobee County. The Business Development Board of Okeechobee is committed to diversifying the economy and increasing the number of high wage job opportunities for Okeechobee residents.
A special Thank You to the Board and its leaders!
(772) 464-3537
76 | Spring 2012
www.ct-eng.com
OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Kick Tobacco in the Butt!
Peace Lutheran School
Growing together with Jesus
Enroll now for summer camp. Ages 2 - Fifth Grade. Scholarships available. Accepting enrollment for the 2012-13 school year. Now accepting Step up for Students and McKay Scholarships for kindergarten. Serving Children Ages 2 - Kindergarten Small Class Size Christian Centered Program at an Affordable Price Nationally School Phone: 863-763-7566 Accredited School Church Phone: 863-763-5042
The Tobacco Free Partnership of Okeechobee The Tobacco-Free Partnership of Okeechobee County is a membership group of local adults and youth dedicated to limited tobacco use to children and creating a tobacco free environment.
Quit Smoking Now Quit Smoking Now Classes Call 877-819-2357
750 Northwest 23rd Lane - Okeechobee, Florida 34972
FREE NRT available for those who are eligible (Patch, Gum, Lozenges while supplies last)
Our Mission
B L R U E F V I F R
The Tobacco Free Partnership of Okeechobee County is a community based coalition mobilized to impact policy and systems change, prevent initiation and reduce the use of tobacco products.
Located on Beautiful Kissimmee River
Goal 1. Prevent Initiation of Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults Goal 2. Eliminate Secondhand Smoke Exposure Goal 3. Promote Cessation from Tobacco use
Fishing Resort
Policy Goals
Meeting Dates
www.OkeechobeeFishingResort.com
AM
T
CA
For more information please contact:
GR
(863) 467-4371
U & ED
14725 NW 1st Parkway
ACCO PREVE OB
ON N TI
Laundry Room - Game Room - Bath House Boat Ramp - Boat & Dock Rentals
OCHD
Nicely Furnished One & Two Bedroom Rentals Nitely - Weekly - Monthly
Tobacco-Free Partnership of Okeechobee meets the last Wednesday of the month Call for more information: 863-462-5781 Okeechobee County Health Department 1728 NW 9th Avenue Okeechobee, FL 34972
TION PRO
Rosalind Brown Program Manager
863-462-5781
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Spring 2012 | 77
John Kemp reaches state wrestling finals By Charles M. Murphy, WOKC’s Voice of the Brahmans
O
keechobee High School senior Johnathon Kemp finished the year 26-5 and among the best wrestlers in Florida in the 182-pound weight class this year. Kemp won two matches at the state finals in February in Lakeland and won the district title as well in 2012. He finished third at the regional tournament in Stuart. Kemp was also a four-year letter winner for the Brahman football team during his high school career. Kemp described his trip to the state finals as the greatest accomplishment a
wrestler can accomplish while in high school. “It was real exciting to compete,” he said. “It was my first time, and I didn’t really know what to expect. I always have the same mind set; I want to win.” Kemp wrestled three years for the Brahmans. He wrestled at 189 pounds as a junior and decided to drop weight for his senior year. He said it was like love at first sight when it came to his wrestling career. “Football I bump up to about 200
A State Certified General Contractor St. Lic. CGC1507657
Mack “Hoot” Worley President
Johnathon Kemp (R) with his Coach Robert Olive.
pounds, and then I cut way down for wrestling,” Kemp said. “It’s tough at first, but you take it slow.” Coach Robert Olive said Kemp was a really good leader who got practices going and was willing to help younger guys with wrestling holds. He called Kemp an ambassador for the OHS wrestling program. “He worked for this and put in all the time,” Olive said. “It is really his glory here. We’re very proud of him. The main reason he got this far was he is a very smart wrestler who doesn’t make mistakes.” Olive also praised Kemp’s mental toughness and preparedness. He said Kemp has a strong drive to win, is very mature and is not very easily intimidated.
863-467-2541
110 NW 5th Street - Okeechobee, FL 34972
In the Country, or in the City; We'll be there! 78 | Spring 2012
OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
Olive credited Kemp’s parents, former OHS coach Bruce Jahner and several others for contributing to Kemp’s success during his career. “The state finals experience will help him as a person,” he said. “It shows he has the toughness and character to do a good job.” O
Serving Okeechobee Since 1993 JOHNSON • EVINRUDE • YAMAHA • MERCRUISER I/O POWER POLES • MINNKOTA TROLLING MOTORS KEY WEST BOATS • LANDAU PONTOONS • MAGIC TILT TRAILERS BOAT STORAGE - WINTERIZE - SUMMERIZE INSURANCE REPAIRS - ELECTRONIC SALES & INSTALLATION FIBERGLASS REPAIRS - BOAT HAUL OUT / TRANSPORT
1365 US Hwy 441 SE - Okeechobee, FL 34974 (Next to the bowling alley)
863-763-4080
For All Your Paper & Chemical Supply Needs Industrial • Institutional Janitorial • Agricultural Safety Hardware • Automotive Food Service Supplies
863-467-0333 Toll Free 800-441-5405
TriCoSupply@yahoo.com
216 S.W. 7th Avenue Okeechobee, Florida 34974 (Behind Morgans Furniture next to Ferrell Gas)
Let’s Celebrate 50 years! WOKC Radio has been on the air for every Okeechobee sunrise since February 6, 1962.
A Local Legend
Sunrise at Nubbin Slough 2011
863-467-1570
Fax 888-875-1570
www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com
Spring 2012 | 79
AROUND Okeechobee Okeechobee Xplosion Sweeps Again
The Okeechobee Xplosion All Stars recently celebrated their second sweep of the season. On Jan. 21 Okeechobee Xplosion took three teams to the Bash Spirit Competition at the Florida Atlantic University campus in Boca Raton. Okeechobee Xplosion All Stars Tiny Sparklers (ages 3-5), Mini Flames (ages 5-9) and Junior Dynamite (ages 14 and under) each brought home a first place in their division. Follow these athletes on what is sure to be an amazing season at www.xplosionallstars.weebly.com or on Facebook.
Turner Receives Award
Julie Turner attended United Country’s National Training & Awards Convention in Orlando on Feb. 20-22. The MidFlorida Realty office earned the 2011 Diamond Award from United Country. Pictured above is Owner/Broker of United Country MidFlorida Realty Julie Turner as she receives the Diamond Award from Joe Karpinski, area vice president of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Costa Rica.
Arbor Dedication at North Elementary
Quarterly Chamber Luncheon
North Elementary School, together with Okeechobee Rotary and Faith Farm, dedicated the new “Peace Arbor” in their Florida Reading/Teacher Garden on Feb. 14, kicking off the Peace, Love, Read Day at school. The Rotary Club of Okeechobee provided the financial contribution, and Faith Farm provided the labor to endow the arbor to NES. Over 500 students enjoy reading and hands-on learning in the garden. Pictured (inset) is fourth-grade teacher Megan Williamson, who helped coordinate the project. 80 | Spring 2012
OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE
The Chamber of Comm e r c e o f Ok e e c h o b e e County hosted its quarterly Investment Luncheon on Feb. 22. The luncheon speaker was County Administrator Robbie Chartier, and the business spotlight was on Faith Farm with Jim Benton.
Okeechobee Main Street Mixers
Inaugural Okeechobee County Ag-Venture set for May 9 and 10, 2012
Presenting sponsor TD Bank will host the educational event showcasing Okeechobee County’s agricultural diversity and all fourth-grade students are invited. Pictured (L-R) are board members Mark Roberts, Audrey Driggers, Melissa Montes de Oca, Diane Davies and Cecilia Elliott.
Brown Cow Sweetery Ribbon Cutting
2012 Speckled Perch Pageant
Photo by Bobbi Poole
The following Okeechobee Main Street members held mixers at their businesses: (top) Raulerson Hospital; (middle) Grand Oaks; and (bottom) The Law Office of Philip DeBerard.
Located at 103 SW Park Street, Brown Cow Sweetery held its grand opening and ribbon cutting. Local dignitaries from the county, city, chamber and Main Street joined in the event held Jan. 20. Pictured (above) are owners Mark and Paulette Brag with local dignitaries.
Okeechobee Main Street held the annual Speckled Perch Pageant on Feb. 25 and crowned the following royalties: (R-L) Miss Speckled Perch Ashli Clemons, Junior Miss Speckled Perch Hope Wisener, Speckled Perch Princess Kailynn Reichert, Little Miss Speckled Perch Olivia Campbell, Little Mister Speckled Perch A.J. D’Ariano and Tiny Miss Speckled Perch Landi Kirton.
www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com
Spring 2012 | 81
List of Advertisers 14K Gold Store ........................................... 53 5th Street Pharmacy ................................ 34 A & G Concrete Pools ............................... 71 Ag-Vantage Spreader Service .................... 60 Audebel Hearing Center .......................... 66 Badcock Furniture .................................... 82 Bass Electric ............................................. 55 Berger Clinic ............................................. 48 Big Lake Eye Care ........................................ 3 Bridgette Waldau Graphic Design ............ 36 Buyer Brokerage Co. of Okeechobee ........ 46 Brown Cow Sweetery ................................ 53
Come in & Check out Our New Spring Line! Jewelry & Accessories Personalized Mugs Gifts Shoes and More Ladies and Men's Clothing Boys Sizes 4-20 Girls SIzes 4-16
CenterState Bank ..................................... 27 Charlie’s Landscaping ................................ 41 Circle of Friends .......................................... 29 Cowboys Steak & BBQ Co. ...................... 18, 58 Culpepper & Terpening .......................... 76 Custom Window Treatments & Blinds ..... 33 Dermatology Center of Florida............... 76 Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center ................. 62 DR Willson Land Co. ................................ 71 Edward Jones Investments ....................... 35
Farm Bureau ........................................... 74 Florida Eye Institute ................................. 18 Flower Petals ............................................. 70 Gilbert Chevrolet ....................................... 9 Glades Gas ................................................ 70 Golden Corral ............................................. 61 Hammerheads .......................................... 15 Hampton Inn ............................................. 37 Heartland Discount Pharmacy.................. 58 Highland Pest Control ............................... 62 Holiday Inn ............................................. 67 ICS Computers ........................................... 62 KOA ......................................................... 70 Lake Okeechobee Digestive Disease Center 57 Lakeshore Marine .................................... 79 Law Office of Gerald Lefebvre .................. 68 Law Office of Glenn J. Sneider ................ 54 Law Office of Philip DeBerard ............... 83 Lodge at the Lake .................................... 49 Los Cocos Restaurant ................................. 63 Mama Flegos ............................................ 67 Maxwell & Maxwell ................................... 61 MidFlorida Hardware ................................. 74 Mixon Realty ............................................. 17 MorganStanley SmithBarney .................... 75 Morgan’s Furniture ................................... 33 New Vision Eye Center ................................ 57
We are not just Western.
863-357-8693
1001 South Parrott Ave. - Okeechobee, FL
Okeechobee Claws & Paws ...................... 45 Okeechobee Dodge Chrysler Jeep ............... 7 Okeechobee Health Care .......................... 73 Okeechobee Medical Reserve Corps ........ 37 Okeechobee Motor Company ................... 75
Nikki and the staff at Okeechobee The Magazine are looking forward to many more years bringing you the best of Okeechobee.
Pat’s Floral Design ...................................... 68 Peace Lutheran School .............................. 77 Platinum Performance Builders ............... 6 Pritchards & Associates ............................ 58 Pueblo Viejo VI Restaurant ....................... 12
Quail Creek Plantation .............................. 11 Quality Air Conditioning ......................... 34 Rafael Pacheco-Creations in Fotografia ...... 36 Raulerson’s Absolutely Art ......................... 67 Raulerson Hospital ..................................... 2 Raulerson Hospital ................................. 42, 43 Raulerson Hospital ....................... Back Cover River Bluff Fishing Resort ........................ 77 Rustic Style & Cabins ............................... 54 Sandra Pearce Photography ....................... 77 Seacoast National Bank ............................. 21 Southern Styles ..................................... 82 St. Lucie Tires ............................................. 52 Stafford’s Salon ......................................... 36 Sun Surgical ............................................... 54 Superior Water Works.............................. 60 Syble’s Flowers & Gifts .............................. 37 TD Bank .................................................... 69 Teez 2 Pleez ............................................... 69 Tobacco Free Partnership ........................ 77 Toni’s Chic Boutique .................................. 45 Top of the Lake Art Fest ............................. 61Total Roadside Services ......................... 47 Treasure Coast Dermatology ...................... 14 Tree Locators ............................................. 35 Tri-Co Supply ............................................ 79 Trinidad Garcia, M.D. ................................. 5 United Mid-Country FL Real Estate ............ 19 UPS Store .................................................. 45 VNA/Grand Oaks ........................................ 4 Walpole, Inc. ......................................... 39 Waste Management ............................... 52 Wemmer Family Orthodontics.................. 54 Williamson Cattle Company ..................... 71 WOKC 1570 AM ........................................ 79 Women’s Health ......................................... 59 Worley Construction ................................ 56 Xplosion All Stars ....................................... 56
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LAPAROSCOPIC HYSTERECTOMY Raulerson Hospital offers Laparoscopic Hysterectomy, performed by Dr. James Bradfield. Dr. Bradfield is a Board Certified Gynecologist with 30 years experience in the field. Find out if Laparoscopic Hysterectomy is right for you. For more information, call Raulerson Hospital at 763-2151.
RADIOLOGY DEPARTMENT Images from a CT Scanner allow doctors to make critical diagnoses and develop a treatment plan for patients.
Raulerson Hospital’s Radiology Department is one of only a few in the state of Florida that is accredited by the American College of Radiology in all 5 Imaging Modalities.
Imaging Services available:
MRI ~ CT Scan ~ Ultrasound ~ Digital Mammography ~ Nuclear Medicine All Imaging Devices at Raulerson Hospital use the Picture Archive and Communication System (PACS) to provide digital medical images and other related information within seconds. Imaging studies can be downloaded onto a CD/DVD for easy transport to your physician. To learn more about the Imaging Services available at Raulerson call: 824-2982. Emergency Services - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (863) 763-2151 • 1796 Hwy 441 North Okeechobee, FL 34972
RaulersonHospital.com CONSULT-A-NURSE ® • For Free Physician Referral & Health Care Questions call 763-9228