FARM TALES: WINTER MEMORIES | TINSELTOWN TALKS: NEIL SEDAKA
WINTER 20-21
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Rainbow Canvas The Folk Art of Alyne Harris
INSIDE
HUGS IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 Helping Seniors Stay Connected
MARY DARLINGTON FLETCHER The Original Weeki Wachee Mermaid
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CONTENTS Winter 20-21 • VOL. 21 ISSUE 3 departments Tapas 42 Charity of the Month 48 Calendar of Events 6
Theatre Listings 19 Crossword Puzzle 44 Marketplace 51
features 8 Helen Cubberly Ellerbe Librarian at Home & War BY JOANNA GREY TALBOT
14 Hugs Covid-19 Connection for the Elderly BY DARLA KINNEY SCOLES
20 Union Academy A Lasting Legacy BY JOANNA GREY TALBOT
26 Rainbow Canvas Folk Art of Alyne Harris BY DANA BRYAN
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26 ON THE COVER – Local artist Alyne Harris is renowned for her folk art. Learn how her imagery embraces the spirit of imagination, drawing heavily from AfricanAmerican traditions and nature. PHOTO BY ERICKA WINTERROWD
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T inseltown Talks by Nick Thomas
30 See it, Plan it, Do it Laura Rutan’s Life Motto BY HAYLI ZUCCOLA
34 Mary Darlington Fletcher
41 Embracing Life by Donna Bonnell
7 Reading Corner Review by Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Original Weeki Wachee Mermaid BY BONNIE T. OGLE
38 Take Flight Gainesville’s Avian Winter Visitors BY DEBRA SEGAL
WINNER!
Congratulations to the winner from our FALL 2020 issue…
Madelyn Miller from Ocala, Florida
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STAFF œ CONTRIBUTORS
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Published quarterly by Tower Publications, Inc.
www.seniortimesmagazine.com PUBLISHER
Charlie Delatorre charlie@towerpublications.com PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Brian Knepp ads@towerpublications.com
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Ericka Winterrowd editor@towerpublications.com Fax: 352-416-0175 EDITORIAL INTERNS
Dana Bryan ADVERTISING SALES
Nancy Short from left to right DANA BRYAN is a journalism student at the University of Florida and a freelance writer. In her free time, she loves to read, write amateur code and watch television. itsdanabryan@gmail.com
JOANNA GREY TALBOT is the marketing director for the Matheson History Museum and the author of the blog “Florida Revealed: Dispatches from the Land of Publix, Citrus, and Alligators.” joannagtalbot@gmail.com
DARLA KINNEY SCOLES fell in love with the process of putting a story into print during a high school journalism class. Oodles of years, one husband, three daughters and multitudinous stories later, she’s still in love with it all. That, and dark chocolate. darlakinneyscoles@gmail.com
DEBRA SEGAL is an environmental scientist and long-time bird enthusiast. She is president of the Alachua Audubon Society and a volunteer for the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute. debbie.segal@gmail.com
BONNIE T. OGLE is a retired teacher, now teaching at the Museum of Natural History and blogging about natural history. Her children’s books are available on Amazon. btoteacher@cox.net
HAYLI ZUCCOLA is a New England native who enjoys listening to music and traveling. After graduating high school with her AA degree she got her Bachelor’s in Journalism from the University of Florida. HayzDesigns@yahoo.com
nancy@towerpublications.com
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4400 NW 36th Avenue Gainesville, FL 32606 352-372-5468 352-373-9178 fax The articles printed in Senior Times Magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Tower Publications, Inc. or their editorial staff. Senior Times Magazine endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we can not be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Senior Times Magazine reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. If you would like to discontinue receiving Senior Times Magazine please call 352-372-5468 for assistance. © 2020 Tower Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
If you would like us to publicize an event in Alachua or Marion counties, send information by the 20th day of the month prior. All submissions will be reviewed and every effort will be made to run qualified submissions if page space is available.
352-416-0175 (fax) or email: events@towerpublications.com Winter 20-21
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New Year’s Good Luck Traditions Around the World
TAPAS œ Winter 20-21
United States: A kiss at the stroke of midnight signifies the purification into the New Year, and making deafening noise is said to drive away evil spirits.
Celebrate National Poinsetta Day on December 12. This brilliant red and green plant takes its name from Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Poinsettas became popular in the 1820s after Poinsett sent some home from Mexico to South Carolina and began distributing them.
Xmas Fun Facts! • According to the Guiness Book of World Records, Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” is the biggest selling Christmas carol of all time, with over 100 million copies sold around the world.
the Wright Brothers made their first flight, which lasted 12 seconds and covered 120 feet.
• The White House sends more than 1 million holiday cards each year. Calvin Coolidge started this tradition when he sent the first official White House Christmas card in 1927.
A Festivus for the Rest of us!
• The first artificial Christmas trees were made in Germany out of goose feathers dyed green.
December is also a historical month • On December 17, 1903,
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• The first Nobel Prizes were awarded on December 1, 1901.
The fictional holiday of Festivus made its first appearance in an episode of Seinfeld called “The Strike” in 1997 but is now actually celebrated. Based on the household traditions of television writer Dan O’Keefe, the holiday occurs on December 23 and features a large aluminum pole instead of an evergreen tree. Activities include the “Airing of Grievances,”
an opportunity to inform friends and loved ones how they have disappointed you, and the “Feats of Strength,” which involve pinning the head of the household.
You spin me right round: Dreidel Facts Playing the dreidel game originated from students illegally studying the Torah, according to aish.com. When Greek soldiers came by to check on them, the students would pretend to be gambling. According to israel21c.org, Israeli author and politician Avraham Burg has the largest dreidel collection in the world, allegedly owning over 3,500 of the spinning tops.
Japan: In Japan they decorate their homes for the New Year with pine branches symbolizing longevity, a bamboo stalk symbolizing prosperity, and a plum blossom showing nobility. Greece: In Greece they bake bread with a coin inside, and if the third slice has the coin, it is said that spring will be early that year. Similarly, Norwegians make rice pudding with one whole almond, and whoever’s serving holds the almond is guaranteed wealth that year. Sicily: Lasagna is served on New Year’s Day, because any other noodle served is said to bring bad luck. Spain and Peru: These countries have similar traditions, in that they eat 12 grapes to bring good luck in the 12 months ahead. However, in Peru they eat a 13th grape to ensure their good luck. England: The first guest to arrive at their home is believed to hold their good fortune. They believe it should be a man bearing gifts, such as coal for the fire or a loaf of bread for the table. The guest will enter through the front door and exit out the back. Any guest who shows up empty handed or unwanted will not be allowed to enter the home first. Source: history.com
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BOOK REVIEW BY
TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER
“Singular Sensation: The Triumph of Broadway” BY MICHAEL RIEDEL c.2020, Avid Reader Press $28.00 / $37.00 Canada 335 pages
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ou know every single role in your favorite Broadway show. You can name all the actors who’ve ever filled those roles. You know the plot and every word to every song. How many times have you seen that show, bought the t-shirts, read a playbook, coveted the posters? And how much is there that you don’t know? In “Singular Sensation” by Michael Riedel,
come see. Hollywood’s supposed Golden Age lasted from the 1930s until just after World War II. The Golden Age of Live Television, says Riedel, roughly spanned the Eisenhower years. The Golden Age of Broadway, then, was from 1943 to 1959. At about that time, a “British invasion” arrived, lasting for decades. And then, in the later 1990s, everything changed. Suddenly, low-budget musicals were profitable. Musical comedies became popular again, and plays “made a comeback.” Corporations began eyeing Broadway as a way to further their brand and make more money. Perhaps most importantly, “[a] new breed of producers” stood up to theater owners who’d previously had serious power, and new theaters were established. Literally, the landscape of theater-going changed. It wasn’t all singing and dancing, though. Riedel says “Broadway has a knack for survival,” and it needed that knack: the AIDS crisis was in full-swing then, terrorism left its mark on theater audiences abroad, Times Square was seedy, and New York City itself was struggling, financially. The industry was ripe for change, and Riedel tells about it. He writes of egos, ideas, and role replacements, all of which often clashed.
He explains how money and power makes or breaks a show, especially in behind-the-scenes deal-making with theater owners who decide which shows run and which don’t. He writes of writers, actors, directors, costumers, and criminals. Riedel explains how a daytime talk show host made Broadway a must-see destination for New York City’s tourists. He explains how Disney made its mark on Broadway, with the help of Rudy Giuliani. He writes of a genius who never saw his masterpiece and never knew its popularity. And he tells of a show rescued from near-obscurity by a husbandand-wife team who couldn’t let it go... House lights down, stage lights up and, within minutes, you’re transported to another place and time. Reading “Singular Sensation” is something like that: author and theater columnist Michael Riedel takes readers backstage, overseas, onstage, and in rehearsals and meetings with people you’ll recognize if you’re perpetually Broadway-bound. The nice surprise is that this serious-but-lighthearted, semi-scandalous collection of related stories will, because of the size of the names involved, make a non-fan happy, too. Indeed, Riedel gives readers a fly-onthe-wall feel through a bit of non-catty, relatively kind celebrity gossiping, done with an absolutely correct amount of drama. This keeps “Singular Sensation” under control while maintaining a sense of insider, somewhat like reading Variety with a delightfully droll PhD. It’s likely been a minute since you sat in a theater seat and you miss it very much, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying Broadway on paper. So grab “Singular Sensation” and roll with it. s Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was 3 years old and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives with her two dogs and 11,000 books. Winter 20-21
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GATEKEEPER OF KNOWLEDGE
Helen Cubberly Ellerbe A Librarian at Home and at War Written by Joanna Grey Talbot
L
ibrarians have had to deal with a variety of stereotypes over the years but to generations of people they have been the gatekeepers of knowledge and the written word. The University of Florida’s library opened in 1906, and Gainesville’s first public library opened in 1918. These two institutions have trained and employed generations of librarians, including one whose legacy is still visible today. Born on July 29, 1906, in Cedar Key, Helen Cubberly’s family moved to Gainesville when she was 4 years old. Helen would live in the house that her parents bought on the corner of SE 2nd Avenue and 4th Street for a total of 42 years before it was sold and then demolished in 1972. She moved away multiple times, but Gainesville always called her home. Her father, Frederich Cubberly, was a lawyer and the US Attorney for the northern district of Florida. Her mother, Mary Etta Hancock, was one of the first, if not the first, female principals in the Alachua County public school system. Helen and her sister, Hazel, could not help but be molded by their parents’ devotion to helping others and serving a cause greater than oneself. Helen graduated from Gainesville High School in 1924 and
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the Florida State College for Women in 1928 with a degree in English. In that same year, she married Edward Beverly Mann, a freelance writer of western fiction and articles. They were married in Gainesville but eventually moved to New York City for him to pursue his writing career. They divorced in 1939, and Helen moved back home to Gainesville to live with her widowed mother, Mary Etta. In 1941, she received her library science degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and began working for the University of Florida library system. On December 7, 1941, the United States was thrust to the forefront of World War II. Everyone’s lives dramatically changed and in 1942, Helen was the first woman faculty member at the University of Florida to be granted military leave. Helen joined the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, specifically its Special Services Division, which oversaw libraries, recreation centers, gyms, schools and more. She was assigned the task of designing and running a library at Camp Murphy, a top-secret radar training school located in Martin County in southeast Florida. Today, the land is Jonathan Dickinson State Park, but during World War II, it housed over 6,000 military seniortimesmagazine.com
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personnel. According to the Florida State work to rigging parachutes to ferrying military Parks website, the camp included more airplanes across the country to serving than 1,000 buildings, including a as radio operators. According to the theater, multiple power plants and National World War II Museum, a church. “Some women served near the Archivist Cara Setsu front lines in the Army Nurse Bertram said that for the Corps, where 16 were killed soldiers, the camp and the as a result of direct enemy hospital “libraries were fire. Sixty-eight American a place to relax, read, service women were boost their morale and captured as POWs in educate themselves. the Philippines. More Many soldiers were than 1,600 nurses thinking about which were decorated for jobs they wanted bravery under fire when they returned and meritorious serhome at the end of vice, and 565 WACs the war, so they read in the Pacific Theater about skills for variwon combat decoraous lines of work. For tions. Nurses were in a few, this was their Normandy on D-plusfirst exposure to books four.” General Eisenof any kind, and many hower believed that the illiterate men gained the Allies could not have won opportunity to learn to the war without them. read.” During the war, Helen met Helen was one of over and married Thomas Ellerbe 350,000 women who stepped of Hillsborough County, Florida. forward to serve in uniform during He was an officer in the Army and World War II. At that time women would continue to serve in both World could not be active-duty members of the War II and the Korean War, reaching the military, so they had to join an rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Helen Frazier Cubberly graduated from the Florida State College for auxiliary or reserve unit, such After the war ended, they Women in 1928 with a degree in English. She was a member of Alpha as the Women’s Army Auxiliary lived in Germany and then WashGamma Delta, Freshman Cabinet, the Senate, and the chairman of Corps (WAAC) or the Womington, D.C. Once Thomas left for the Press Board. In 1941 she received her library science degree from en’s Army Corps as it was later the Korean War, Helen returned Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Courtesy of the 1928 Florida State College for Women yearbook. renamed, the Navy Women’s to Gainesville and resumed her Reserve (WAVES), the Marine position as catalog librarian at the Corps Women’s Reserve, the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve University of Florida. (SPARS), the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS), the UF staff directories from 1941-1943 and 1950-1961 listed Army Nurses Corps and the Navy Nurse Corps. her varied job titles as assistant cataloger, readers’ assis After much debate, Congress passed a law in 1943 making tant, interim cataloger, assistant in library and assistant in the WAAC a part of the Army instead of an auxiliary unit. In library technical processes. September of that year, it became the Women’s Army Corps. Catalog librarians have the tough job of making materiThis meant the WACs could now receive the same pay, rank als accessible to library patrons by assigning them subject and benefits as male soldiers. The National Museum of the headings, giving patrons an understanding of what the United States Army states that “more than 75% of the WAAC materials are about. It may sound simple, but it is not easy chose to enlist.” to summarize a book or article in only a few words and do These brave, brilliant women did everything from clerical it in a way that the reader or researcher can easily locate it.
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(Left) Sgt. Seymore Grobzob, Virginia Hallowell (from Elizabeth City, North Carolina), and Sgt. Caffey. US Army Forces, Western Pacific (AFWESPAC). Manilla, Philippines. August 19, 1946. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration. (Right) 1966 Alachua County Historical Commission – A.Z. Adkins, Jr., James Richardson, Helen Ellerbe, and Jess G. Davis. Helen served as commission chairperson from 1979 to 1989. Courtesy of Alachua County Library District.
Prior to the digitization of information, catalog librarians many projects she helped to see to completion. In 1986, as compiled the document’s information and subject headings chairwoman of the Alachua County Historical Commisonto a paper card, and it was placed in the multi-drawered sion, she oversaw the writing and publication of a series of card catalog.Library patrons would then search through tour guides for towns throughout the county. The Mathethe drawers using the Dewey Decimal Classification Sysson History Museum’s research library is named after tem to find what they needed. Helen because her generous donation in 1994 made the Helen continued to pursue higher education and in 1960 furnishing of the library possible. graduated from the University of Florida with a master’s She was a member of many organizations, including the degree in education. She then Daughters of the American left the university and became Revolution and the Friends of a librarian for the Alachua the Library. From 1971-1981, County school system from she was a tour guide at the 1961-1971. In 1969, as the liMarjorie Kinnan Rawlings brarian for the Alachua CounState Historic Park in Cross ty public school’s cultural Creek. For her many years of enrichment center, she wrote tireless work on behalf of Ala“History Walk Around Downchua County citizens, she was The World War II Special Services Librarian patch. The nine different town Gainesville,” a booklet awarded the 1987 Gainesville colored books represent the nine branches of the Army. The unit patch containing a map and descripArea Woman of Distinction would have been worn on the left shoulder of their uniform. tions of 23 historic places. Award by the Santa Fe Com Retiring in 1971, Helen was not one to sit idly and let life munity College’s women’s history commission. pass her by. Raised by parents who were lifelong learners Helen died in 1995 and is buried alongside her parents and knew the importance of community involvement, Helin Laurel Hill Cemetery in Archer (her husband, Thomas, en continued the tradition. She helped form the Alachua is buried in Arlington National Cemetery). Her legacy is County Historical Society (the precursor to the Matheson one that we should all aspire to have – serving our comHistory Museum) and was the chairwoman of the Alachua munity and our country with whatever gifts and talents we County Historical Commission from 1979-1987. have been given. Helen Cubberly Ellerbe lived every day The restoration of the Thomas Center and the construcbelieving that “what I’ve learned from living a long life is tion of the downtown Clock Tower were only a few of the useful to other people, and I want to share it.” s Winter 20-21
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MOTHER HEN IS PROUD TO BE A “BABY BOOMER” RAISED ON A FARM POPULATED BY DOGS, CATS, CHICKENS, DUCKS, GEESE, HORSES AND COWS. THE WISDOM SHE GAINED WHILE GROWING UP IN THE COUNTRY CAN’T BE FOUND IN BOOKS. YOU CAN CONTACT MOTHER HEN AT motherhenfarmtales@gmail.com.
Winter Memories
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inters here in Florida are quite different from where I grew up. We Floridians like to say we have seasons. And if you are a transplanted southerner who’s lived here long enough, you actually start to convince yourself that we do. We have “hot, rainy, hotter and steamy” for our seasons. Of course, don’t forget to throw in hurricane season just for an added bonus. Where I live now we do get a few days, maybe a week if we are lucky, of pretty chilly weather. Those days might even get down into freezing overnight, which brings me to the question, “do I cover the plants outside or not?” It seems a huge undertaking for just a day or two of cold, so sometimes I decide to take my chances. However there have been a few occasions when the late-night weather report has indicated a hard freeze, and I have been out at 11 p.m. with a flashlight, covering my favorite tropical plants. These are about the only challenges of winters in the South. There are no blizzards, slushy snow or ice-covered highways to deal with. No chains are required to put on our tires, no snow plows to wait on before we can drive to work, and no snow days for the school children. That should be considered a good thing, right? But keep in mind there’s also no snowmen or snow angels for
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the kids to make, ponds that ice over for skating, and forget about that new sweater you got for Christmas. It’s too hot to wear it, unless you crank down the air conditioner. Ok, so let me get sentimental about the winters I grew up with. First, I’ll start with the bad. Winter usually started to rear its head sometime around Halloween. The change from the brisk, chill of autumn would happen quickly.
We went from a light jacket or sweater in the fall to our winter coats in the time span of a few days or a week. The bitter winds off the prairie required our heavy coats, hats and gloves. And don’t forget your boots. Those winds could be brutal. I remember helping my mother unload groceries from our car when the wind would catch the open car door and it seemed like it would rip it right off. If we had a wet snow it would soon
turn to slush, which made it hard to walk or drive anywhere. The only thing worse would be when the weather would quickly go below freezing after the snow, which then turned the slush to slick ice. Try driving on that, or even walking on those icy sidewalks. We Midwesterners were used to falling on the ice at least once every winter. It was just a fact of life. Now for the good part. I can remember being a child and waking up on Christmas morning to look out the window at our snow-covered yard. It was a beautiful winter wonderland, just like the lyrics in the song—especially when the first snow of the year happened on Christmas morning. On those snowy days, I remember dressing up in my snow suit, wool hat and boots (quite a time-consuming project) and running outside to catch snowflakes on my nose and mittens. After a bone-chilling romp out in the snow, I would come back in the house to the delightful smells coming from my mom’s kitchen. It might have been a big kettle of homemade soup or a pot roast in the oven. Corn bread or a couple pies might have been baking—and, of course, hot chocolate would be waiting to warm me up! When I was really young it was hard for me to walk in deep snow, so my parents fastened a wicker laundry basket onto a sled for me. It was my daily treat to take a sled ride to get the mail. My mother or father would pull the sled down the lane to our mailbox located on the country road by our house. My mother told me I would say a cheerful greeting “Mailbox, hi!” when we arrived at our destination. Even though I was pretty small, I can remember the fun of those sled rides. During the worst weather, my mother and I wouldn’t set foot outside. We didn’t have a fireplace in those days, but I often sat wrapped in a blanket on the seniortimesmagazine.com
WE’RE HERE FOR YOU! furnace’s floor register to keep warm and toasty. We had a good supply of canned goods from our garden’s harvest in the basement, and our chest freezer was stocked up with meats for the long winter. My dad would venture out in his truck when it was safe enough to drive for any necessity like bread or milk. He would also go to the nearby gas station/restaurant to get the newspaper and catch up on the local scuttlebutt with his fellow farmers. If a neighbor needed help, he was the first to lend a hand or organize a group to come to the rescue. I remember when he returned and opened the front door there was a frosty chill encircling him and his clothes. It made me feel all the warmer and safe to be inside our cozy house. We didn’t have a lot in the way of conveniences, but the hardships of winter made us all draw closer. Neighbors pulled together to help one another out, and families grew closer tucked inside the four walls of their homes. I can’t help but wonder if the hardship of those Midwest winters was what we needed to grow and develop our character. In our society today, with our busy schedules and our windows closed to keep the air conditioning inside, how many of us actually get to know our neighbors beyond a casual wave as we drive by them? It is such a good feeling to help someone in a time of need. However, you will never know of a need to fill, unless you take time to know who you’re living next to. Maybe we actually could use a snow storm or two this winter… and some snowflakes on our cheeks and mittens. s
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CONNECTION
Hugs in the Time of COVID-19 Helping the Elderly Stay Connected Story and Photography By Darla Kinney Scoles
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he COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly affected America’s vulnerable elderly population in a large way, with COVID-19 deaths among the 55+ population 10 times that of the non-senior demographic across the country. However, many of those same individuals’ physical and mental health have been significantly affected - without having fallen ill to COVID-19. The culprit? Isolation. Julie Roca, area manager for Encompass Health - Home Health, has seen this firsthand in her work with patients both in and out of care centers. “We’ve seen a definite and sometimes rapid decline,” Roca said. “It started with our memory care patients as we put protective procedures into place, even before it was mandated by the state. Not only were no visitors or volunteers allowed at facilities, but the residents themselves had to stay inside their rooms with no common dining or leisure activities where they could socialize.” The result was often a swift descent into depression for
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some, a physical failing for others and a handful who simply gave up the will to live altogether. It’s a far cry from the common image of the elderly safely tucked away and protected from disease, waving through windows at loved ones and participating in weddings via smart tablets. “The problem with window visits,” Kimberly Sullivan, community liaison and business development director at Parklands and Williston Care Centers, said “is that many of our residents are visually or hearing impaired. Communication this way often leaves something to be desired.” As 2020 moved on without them, the unintended consequences from safety measures necessary to save elderly lives resulted in diminished - and sometimes shortened - lives. The list goes on: isolated from people they love, absent for major life events like weddings and birthdays, placed in unfamiliar environments when hospitalized, these seniors were even robbed of funeral ceremonies when they passed. Both Roca and Sullivan, whose paths crossed often in their career, decided it was time to find a solution to these problems and bring some joy back to those they served. Over a lunch seniortimesmagazine.com
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meeting, they discussed possible options. Sullivan mentioned she had permission to create some kind of a tent for safe hugs, but she had been unable to find anything suitable online and had no idea how to make one. “As the daughter of a pastor, I knew the value of community involvement,” Roca said. “I told Kim that ‘Even though we did not know how to do this, there were people in our area who do this kind of thing every day.’ We immediately reached out to mold remediation companies, knowing their job was to keep ‘bad stuff’ out or contained.” Dreyer’s DKI, a family-owned Gainesville company offering 24-7 emergency services for fire, water, mold and storm damage incidents was quick to jump on board and take on the task. “Long before COVID-19 came along, we provided services for biohazard situations,” Dreyer’s DKI sales and marketing manager Zach Heern said. “This year, we’ve done that same work for pandemic safety measures at medical facilities in the area. This was very much in our wheelhouse, and our staff was excited about this feel-good project. “When we heard that Parklands residents only had limited window visits, we thought about how we could set up a system that would allow some human contact but without the risk of infection.” The solution? Isolation. On October 17, Dreyer’s DKI was able to put in place (free of charge) an isolative hug tent with arm holes for both resident and visitor in Parklands Care Center’s courtyard, where two people - having scrubbed and double-gloved up can embrace in a safe yet meaningful manner. While the process is not quite the same as pre-pandemic hugs, the recent hug tent unveiling (done via video tour)
proved the result is just as moving. “Our residents’ families have been very appreciative,” Sullivan said. “We have been overwhelmed with appointments for the tent, which can continue to be used even during an outbreak in our area.” Williston Care Center has no tent, but instead it boasts a plexiglass divider inside a double-door vestibule that creates a space where residents and family can meet and visit touchand-risk free as well. The family contact hug tent and plexiglass offer is helpful for staff members who take on a familial role for residents while safety protocols are in place. The longer hours and added responsibilities place a new stress on the care center personnel, adding on to the anxiety it produces in their residents. “Every facility in the area has been touched by this in one way or another,” Sullivan said. “We have worked together more as a community of caregivers and gotten creative in the way we approach care, while still being vigilant via testing, PPE, temperature monitoring, hand washing and other measures. We continue to partner and share ideas between centers. Staff members have grown closer too as we work to solve these new problems together and unite in giving the best and safest care our residents need and deserve.” For Roca, whose role is in marketing, the pandemic created barriers to her facility visits as well. Instead, she worked to help with community projects like the hug tent and different special initiatives to help patients when they are released and return home. “We just really loved the beauty of watching our community come together to help our seniors,” Roca said. “Dreyers DKI is not normally a company that people would think of as a
“When we heard that Parklands residents only had limited window visits, we thought about how we could set up a system that would allow some human contact but without the risk of infection.”
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The courtyard at Parklands Care Center in Gainesville is the perfect setting for many heartfelt - and long awaited - hugs between family, friends and now-frequent visitors to the facility’s many residents, thanks to the hug tent teamwork of Julie Roca (L), Kimberly Sullivan (R) and Dreyer’s DKI.
senior citizen community helper, and yet, they were thrilled to help. We wanted to inspire other companies to put their heads together and see how they can help our seniors in this difficult time.” Sullivan said they are trying to form a volunteer citizen group that would make anonymous deliveries of gift baskets to the elderly. They would call it Sisterhood of the Senior Sprinkles. “It would be a when-you-can-if-you-can type of service,
kept simple and fun yet still allowing area residents to feel the joy that comes from bringing cheer to the life of a homebound senior.” Roca is also working on plans for The Longest Day, a June 20, 2021, event benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association. She knows even then COVID-19 modifications that keep seniors safe will need to be in place. Isolation, hopefully, will not be one of them. s
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HISTORY IN THE TEACHING
The People of Union Academy Their Legacy and Impact on Alachua County Written by Joanna Grey Talbot
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he end of the Civil War brought many changes to Gainesville. It had escaped the devastation that many southern towns had experienced so the economy and population immediately began to grow. The 1860 census states that there were only 46 African American residents in Gainesville. As a result of emancipation and economic opportunity the number of African Americans grew to 765 by the 1870 census. That was over half of the town’s total population of 1,444. Settling in the growing Pleasant Street and Porter’s Quarters neighborhoods, newly freed African Americans founded businesses, constructed homes, and began rebuilding their lives. Amid these changes the federal Bureau of Freedmen, Refugees, and Abandoned Lands (known as the Freedmen’s Bureau) sent agents south to assist former enslaved workers with everything from housing to employment. One of its major focuses became education because before emancipation it had been illegal for enslaved workers to attend a school of any kind. Prior to 1865 Alachua County had no public school system. Private schools were available for white children who could afford them. The Freedmen’s Bureau agent assigned to Gainesville was Captain Joseph H. Durkee, a Union veteran and recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. In partnership with Capt. Durkee, the National Freedmen’s Association of New York sent Catherine Bent of Newburyport, Massachusetts, to Gainesville in November of 1865 to start a school for the formerly enslaved children.
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Miss Bent taught 60 African American students by herself in a dilapidated church building until Harriet Barnes of Norwalk, Connecticut, joined her. They received their funding from the Freedmen’s Bureau and northern organizations. Although they faced ostracism and persecution from the white population, these two women persevered and continued to teach their students. A Board of Trustees, consisting of nine African American men from the community - Isaac Davis, Johnson Chestnut, John Bullard, Anthony Jumper, Henry Roberts, Henry S. Harmon, David Coleman, Thomas Dawkins, and Edward Deyer - formed in 1867 to purchase land for a permanent school building. On November 20, 1867, they bought a parcel on the corner of what is now NW 1st Street and NW 6th Avenue (where the Rosa B. Williams Center is located today). The school building cost $6,000 and was the second largest school built by the Bureau of Freedmen in Florida. It was constructed by volunteer African American carpenters who had learned their trade as enslaved craftsmen. The new school was named Union Academy. In 1869 the Alachua County Board of Instruction was formed and began supporting Union Academy as the public school for African American students in Gainesville. Miss Bent and Miss Barnes had moved on to other schools by 1870. They were replaced by Maggie Gardner and Emma B. Eveleth who were assisted by two local African American teachers, Eliza James and Lawrence Chestnut. Mr. Chestnut was the son of Johnson Chestnut, trustee and former enslaved seniortimesmagazine.com
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As the premier school for Black students in Alachua County, Union Academy’s growing enrollment called for a second floor to be added to the building in 1896.
craftsman on the Haile family’s Kanapaha Plantation where Lawrence was born. Miss Gardner and Miss Eveleth left by 1873 and from then on, the leadership and teachers of Union Academy were all African Americans. All support from the Freedmen’s Bureau and northern organizations ended by 1874, so it became a part of the county public school system. Union Academy quickly became the jewel of the African American community and was as beloved as the former Lincoln High School, which eventually replaced Union Academy in the 1920s. By 1896 the one-story building was bursting at the seams so a second floor was added. The expanded building had eleven classrooms. A normal school (training academy for teachers) was also added. Although a lot has been lost to history, we do know the names of many teachers and trustees thanks to newspaper articles and the County Board of Education archives. An article in the Gainesville Daily Sun on April 18, 1909, shares about that
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The Union Academy building was located at the corner of NW 1st Street and NW 6th Avenue, but was torn down in the 1960s.
Hampton and Emma Williams, pictured here with their children Jannieve and Reginald, were teachers. Emma taught at Union Academy and Hampton taught at a variety of public schools in the county. Both would go on to teach at Lincoln High School. Emma and Hampton were the children of former enslaved laborers. Hampton’s parents were born in South Carolina and eventually moved to Florida where they had seven children. Hampton and Emma were married around 1914 and lived in Gainesville for the rest of their lives. Jannieve was born in 1916 and Reginald in 1920. The Williams lived first at 916 N Arredonda Street but eventually settled at 932 N Arredonda Street (736 NW 3rd Street). Emma died in 1948 and Hampton in 1964. They are both buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Gainesville.
year’s graduation and the surrounding festivities. The school was led by Principal Thomas E. DeBose and there were eight boys and four girls in the graduating class. Bertha M. Jones was the valedictorian and received a clock from Louis J.
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The first Union Academy building, pictured here, was one story. The second story was added in 1896. (Photos courtesy of the Matheson History Museum.)
Burkhim, a Jewish business owner in Gainesville, as her prize. Baccalaureate and graduation took place at the Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church and week-long festivities were held at Johnson’s Hall in the Pleasant Street neighborhood. There were close to 500 students in the school that year. We may not know everything about these community leaders but it is important to remember their names and legacy. According to the Gainesville Daily Sun article previously mentioned, the teachers for the 1908-1909 school year were as follows: Primary – Miss Minnie C. Debose, Mrs. Lucy L. Murrell, and Mrs. Mozelle A. Gipson; 3rd Grade – Mrs. Meta A. Hearst and Mrs. Mamie E. Gardner; 4th and 5th Grades – Mrs. Christena E. Artson and Mrs. Emma P. Williams; 6th, 7th, and 8th Grades – Mrs. Amy L. Davis and Miss Susie A. Grant. Emma Williams was married to Hampton Williams, a fellow teacher. They were both Florida natives and lived on N. Arredondo Street, now NW 3rd Street. They had two children, Jannieve and Reginald, and retired as teachers at Lincoln High School. As the city’s population grew so did the school’s student body. The 1922-1923 school year was Union Academy’s last. The building could no longer support the number of students seeking an education. Its last principal, A. Quinn Jones, oversaw its closing and became the first principal of its replacement, Lincoln High School. In 1925 the building became a recreation center then a retirement home and eventually fell into disrepair. It was sadly demolished in the 1960s. The building may no longer be standing but the legacy of its founders, leaders, teachers, and graduates lives on in Gainesville today. s
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Tinseltown Talks Neil Sedaka still singing through the pandemic by Nick Thomas
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any performers have recorded videos of encouragement for fans throughout the COVID-19 pandemic months. But few, if any, have been as prolific as Neil Sedaka. With more than 150 mini-concerts posted since April on his YouTube channel NeilSedakaMusic, the singer, pianist, and composer of ‘60s hits such as “Calendar Girl” and “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen” continues to churn out the casual performances from behind his home piano several times a week and plans to continue into the Christmas season and beyond. “The response from people all over the world has been unbelievable, even those who were never really Neil Sedaka fans before,” said the 81-year-old singer from Los Angeles. “They can’t believe my body of work.” Sedaka’s repertoire would impress any artist. “I started writing songs when I was 13 and have composed over 800,” said Sedaka who, in late March, was one of the first entertainers to post a video of hope during the early pandemic days in the US in the form of rewritten lyrics to “Oh! Carol,” his hit from the late ‘50s. A week later, his first mini-concert – filmed by his wife on a cellphone from their New York home with the family
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parrot in the background – consisted of a medley of a half-dozen Sedaka hits. “I just thought the music could be therapeutic for people locked down at home,” he recalled. “Then people began requesting songs on my Facebook page, so I decided to continue the mini-concerts.” For Sedaka, too, the performances have helped get through the months of isolation after moving to the family’s Los Angeles home earlier in the year. “I’ve continued to play all the big hits, but I’ve also done a lot of my lesser-known songs that I like to call my forgotten or neglected children,” he said. “Some of them I wrote 60 years ago and haven’t played for years, so it can take a while to relearn the lyrics along with the chords and rhythms. But it’s been very enjoyable for me as well.” Trained as a classical pianist at New York’s Juilliard School, Sedaka discovered pop music as a teen and teamed up with lyricist Howard Greenfield to
co-write the songs mentioned above and many more. In later years, other hits were written with Phil Cody (“Laughter in the Rain,” “Bad Blood”) but Sedaka’s love for classical music never waned. “There are not many singer-songwriters of my era who can play Chopin, Debussy, and Bach!” he said. “I’ve even performed a few piano pieces during the mini-concerts.” Like other artists, Sedaka’s live tours have been postponed until 2021 (see www.neilsedaka.com) and he says the mini-concerts have helped fill the void all entertainers are experiencing this year. He’s also been appearing monthly on the Sirius XM channel ‘50s on 5’ with his program “In the key of Neil.” While he’s looking forward to returning to live concerts next year, don’t expect to hear any new Neil Sedaka songs since he stopped composing several months ago. “I felt if you can’t top it, you should stop it,” he said. “I think the reason I’ve been around so long is I’ve always been able to raise the bar, reinvent Neil Sedaka, and to develop and grow. It’s still very gratifying to hear my music played on the radio – the songs will outlive me.” s Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for over 850 newspapers and magazines. seniortimesmagazine.com
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MEET THE ARTIST
Rainbow Canvas The Folk Art of Alyne Harris Story by Dana Bryan Photography by Ericka Winterrowd
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t 78 years old, Harris still remembers how her artistry began when she was a young girl drawing angels in the sand and mud. Her sisters would run around and play in the dirt making mud cakes while she drew whatever her heart desired that day. Trees, flowers, angels, birds and more were scattered across the ground until her brother came and smushed it together with his feet, erasing her hard work. Harris always had a creative mind. Since she was a little girl, she had visions of what she wanted to paint. “I could see it in my head,” she said. She simply “paints all [her] dreams on canvases.” She imagined seeing angels riding on clouds and the flowers smiling at her. Along with African American traditions, nature is one of Harris’s biggest inspirations. She can rely on the beauty of the outdoors to bring her a sense of peace and joy. She brings
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that sense of wonderment to her paintings. She said rainbows are her favorite. “It’s a beautiful thing ya know,” she said. “A rainbow is a very beautiful thing.” As a child, she would run through fields to chase the end of a rainbow. She searched for the legendary treasure, hoping it was there waiting for her. She never found a pot of gold. Years later, Harris’ mother passed away. She remembers the rain pouring from up above on the day of her mama’s funeral. Harris, her friends and her family were sad her mother was gone, and then, in the sky, was a rainbow. “I said, ‘Oh she’s gone over the rainbow now. She’s gone home,’” she said. Harris credits her imagination for her way of thinking. “Most of the time, I look for [rainbows] when it rains,” she said. “It comes out a brighter day.” She said she’s thinking about painting a picture with two people holding hands and staring at a rainbow for an upcoming art show. seniortimesmagazine.com
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Harris uses acrylic paint for her art. She uses a wide assortment of colors. Specifically, for her paintings with rainbows, she focuses on reds, oranges, yellows and greens. She focuses on the colors most associated with nature to bring her artwork to life. Depending on the painting itself, the focus of her colors will change. She has a home studio where she can sit, paint and let her imagination run wild. Harris’ love for art continued to grow as she got older. She asked to go to art school, but at the time, her mother did not have enough money to send her. She worked a variety of jobs, but her love for painting remained. When she was able to, she signed up for a class at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville.
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Art has and will continue to be a large part of Harris’ life. She has lived in Gainesville her entire life, born in March 1942. She’s participated in art shows and had her work is displayed all over the city, including at the Thornebrook Art Festival, the Santa Fe College Spring Arts Festival and the Downtown Festival and Art Show. She’s created a loyal following in the folk art genre. She has painted sunflowers, bumblebees, mountains and people. Two years ago, there was an art exhibit at the Historic Thomas Center titled “The View from Paradise: The Paintings of Alyne Harris” filled with her artwork. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the spring art shows Harris would’ve normally participated in were canceled or postponed. This means Harris will not have as many opportunities
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to have her artwork on display for people to purchase. “It’s scary,” she said, “to see even the doctors and nurses getting sick with the virus.” COVID-19 has affected every community and social group in the world in some way. The disease can be lethal to the elderly and those with immune deficiencies. At the age of 78, Harris said she can’t take any chances. Although, most places Harris would spend most of her time have closed indefinitely, such as volunteering at a daycare center and spending her Sundays at a local church in her community. For Harris, the coronavirus may mean less opportunities for her artwork to be displayed and recreational activities being canceled, but it also means more free time to paint. She can sit outside on her porch, gain inspiration, grab a canvas and start painting whenever she pleases. Her indoor home studio allows her to paint inside or outside depending on her choice that
day. Now, when she paints, she sets aside the piece of art for the next open and available art show. Committing to a passion can be challenging, but Harris believes “it’s up to you what you want to be.” She said she remembers her daughter playing with dolls pretending to heal them of imaginary illnesses and now, she’s a nurse. “That’s what she wanted,” she said. Harris is a mother, grandmother and artist. Her work is what she wants it to be, a celebration of the simplicity and beauty of nature. She paints things she’s seen in person and items she’s only seen in pictures. She paints memories and dreams or visions. She’s inspired by the world around her. Her artwork provides people with insight into her mind and thoughts, enabling admirers to see her past, present and future. Alyne Harris has never stopped doing her favorite thing, and she never will. s Winter 20-21
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GO FOR IT
See It, Plan It, Do It Laura Rutan Lives Life to the Fullest Written by Hayli Zuccola
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aura Rutan has never been one to shy away from an adventure or let an opportunity pass her by. Her self-professed motto, “See It, Plan It, Do It,” isn’t just a phrase, it’s a way of life. From solo explorations of foreign countries to skydiving over sun-soaked beaches, Rutan possesses a fearless attitude and the desire to live life to the fullest. She’s also never been one to let something so trivial as turning 31 twice dictate what she can and can’t do – proof that age really is just a number and you really are as young as you feel. “I think attitude has so much to do with age,” she said. “I have my motto ‘See It, Plan It, Do It,’ and I’ve just been doing that for a long time.” Her courage to try anything at least once, paired with her positive personality, makes for a fulfilling and worthwhile existence. “Positivity will keep you younger than just about anything else,” she said. “When you wake up in the morning and you think a positive thought, your day is going to go a lot better.” As the daughter of a military father, Rutan was introduced to traveling at a young age. Born in Texas, she’s lived in Germany, Spain and California before settling down in Pensacola and later moving to Gainesville. Though she’s since picked a permanent residence, she’s never outgrown her love for travel. The first time she went to Italy was a solo achievement complete with architecturally beautiful castles, Italian
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reindeer and – being the social butterfly she is – making new friends, which came in handy when she made a return trip with her boyfriend, Roy. Though she was able to complete that voyage a second time, some of her exploits are once-ina-lifetime opportunities, like wandering the streets of Mexico with her friend and sampling tacos sold out of the backs of pick-up trucks in Cabo San Lucas. Despite her growing list of international passport stamps, it was Sweden that combined her passion for travel with her admiration for music. The country recognized for its display of the Northern Lights and Midnight Sun is also home to the Sweden Rock Festival – a four-day event featuring over 90 classic rock, hard rock and metal musical acts and renowned headliners like KISS. KISS is a favorite for Rutan who not only enjoys listening to their discography but will dress like them too. Whether it’s for a KISS cruise or a show, Rutan reaches for a black and white makeup palette to transform from a blonde real estate appraiser into her black-haired KISS persona. “I don’t think I’m shy at all,” she said. “When I was a little girl, I think I was shy. But when you wear a costume, it’s not really you. You get hundreds of pictures taken, but it’s not really you. I guess it’s kind of like when we were kids and played make-believe.” Her love of dressing up doesn’t end with KISS ticket stubs either. In the past, she’s adorned herself in swashbuckling attire for Cedar Key’s Pirate Invasion, Blackbeard’s Ball in St. Augustine and the Mermaid Delilah Pet Rescue Benefit in seniortimesmagazine.com
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“You’re not promised tomorrow, so just live and do what you can today. You can do anything you want to do.” Daytona; a habit for Tator’s Nun Pub Crawl in Daytona; a ‘50s ensemble for A Night With the Rat Pack A Tribute; medieval clothing to attend a Renaissance Faire and a World War IIstyle Boogie-Woogie Bugle Girlz uniform for a fundraiser for Gainesville’s Girls Place, Inc. While some of these costumed events are for sheer joy and entertainment, most of the activities Rutan participates in are charitable and benefit causes near and dear to her heart, which typically relate to veterans and animals. Going on motorcycle runs, stuffing Christmas stockings for a veterans nursing home in Daytona; attending Sanford’s annual USO benefit and volunteering to work the Vietnam Veteran Tribute in Gainesville are just a handful of ways Rutan, who has a packed schedule nearly every weekend, gives back to her community. While exploring historic Italian castles, participating in philanthropic endeavors and immersing herself in music festivals have all been uniquely memorable, for Rutan, nothing beats the rush of stepping outside the safe interior of a plane and diving into a pool of clouds. Rutan, whose father was a paratrooper in the army, inherited that gravitational pull toward planes. While managing a rock and roll bar in Pensacola, Rutan went skydiving for the
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first time and saw the beaches from a bird’s-eye view – an unforgettable moment she tries to replicate at least once a year. “It’s just something that gives such an adrenaline rush that lasts for several days and gives you a perspective of how little we are compared to this big world,” she said. Of course, Rutan doesn’t only jump from planes, she’s also dabbled in flying them by taking locally-based discovery flights. Though the exhilaration is milder than the heart-dropping sensation accompanied by skydiving, it’s just one more experience she’s managed to cross off her never-ending bucket list. Whether she’s skydiving over the Florida coastline in Sebastian; taco hopping on the streets of Cabo San Lucas or transforming into her inner KISS character, Rutan is the embodiment of living life to the fullest and whose eccentric autobiography – if she were to write one – would easily become a best-seller. “You’re not promised tomorrow, so just live and do what you can today. You can do anything you want to do,” she said. “There are only so many days left on this planet, I might as well enjoy as many as I can.” s seniortimesmagazine.com
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UNDER THE SEA
Mary Darlington Fletcher The Original Weeki Wachee Mermaid Written by Bonnie T. Ogle
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s she approaches ninety years of age, Mary Darlington Fletcher is a treasure trove of North Florida memorabilia. She was one of the first Weeki Wachee mermaids. Raised on a chicken farm, twenty-five miles south of the now famous spring, Fletcher recalls her dad announcing Saturday trips to the family’s favorite swimming hole. “My brothers, Ed and Albert, and I would rush to complete our chores, feeding the chickens and horses and milking cows. Finally, in our bathing suits [because there were no dressing rooms at our destination], we’d ride through Tarpon Springs to pick up our friend, Jackie Pappas. His dad, Louis, would have a giant Greek salad (yes, the now world-renowned Pappas Greek Salad) prepared for our picnic,” she said. Fletcher explained that one day, when she was 15 years old, they arrived to find the spring roped off with a “Do Not Enter” sign posted. “Stunned, I raised a rope and went under,
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searching for someone to confront,” she said. Having no luck, Fletcher and her friends returned several times. Until the day she ran into Newt Perry. Perry had trained Navy Frogmen to swim underwaterWhen he saw a business opportunity in 1946, he bought land surrounding the Weeki Wachee Spring. He explained that there would be no swimming that day because construction on his new underwater theatre had begun. There were to be 500 seats embedded in one side of the spring. Perry described his vision of underwater shows featuring live mermaids. He asked Fletcher if she’d like to be a mermaid and invited her to tryouts the following Saturday with other high school girls who had answered his ad. “That was the longest week of my life,” Fletcher said. “I woke up my brothers early to tend to the animals. I think we arrived at the spring by 6:30 a.m.” Mr. Perry lined the girls up seniortimesmagazine.com
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Top left: Mary Darlington (now Fletcher) in 1947. Bubbles rise from the airhose used by the mermaid, as visitors watch her performance from the gallery. Top right: Gainesville resident Mary Fletcher, dressed for the 50th anniversary celebration of Weeki Wachee in 1997.
on one side of the spring and instructed them to swim across and back. Those who made it became mermaids. “There were nine of us. We all made it,” Fletcher said. She explained that in the early days there were a couple of mermen also, including her brother and best friend, Ed Darlington. She and Ed, who
In the early days of the Weeki Wachee attraction, there were a couple of mermen, including Mary’s brother Ed Darlington. They performed a brother/sister act until he graduated.
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was two years older, had a brother/sister act until he graduated. In published interviews, Billie Fuller, a mermaid from 1968 to 1969 reported, “One time we could not swim because there was an 8-foot long gator in the spring.” Fletcher reported there was never any danger during her stint, twenty years earlier. “Mr. Perry made sure each mermaid was well-versed on the dos and don’ts of diving,” she said. “We had to swim to a depth of 25 feet to the air locker to retrieve our air hose.” All the performers inhaled compressed air from rubber hoses, which they’d drop and pick up as needed. “He instructed us not to have one ounce of air in our lungs when we resurfaced,” Fletcher said. Perry, a gifted swimmer, was clocked holding his breath underwater for up to 8 minutes. He rightly billed himself “the Human Fish,” initially performing underwater with a troupe of young women in bathing suits. The costumes with fish tails were developed later. In 1959, ABC–the American Broadcasting Company–bought the spring and began using it as a filming location. The first magnitude natural spring, which produces 117 million gallons of water a day, is now a part of the Florida State Park system. Before COVID-19, you could see mermaids, take a trip on a river boat, kayak, have a wildlife encounter or swim in Buccaneer Bay. Currently, only commercial kayak tours are available. But Gainesville’s own mermaid lives on, as does the memory of Ed Darlington, one of Weeki Wachee’s first mermen. s
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SNOW BIRDS
Take Flight Gainesville’s Avian Winter Visitors Written by Debra Segal
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he internal signal to migrate sends birds on marathon journeys that can cross continents and oceans. Many of the birds that fill our yards and woods with song throughout the summer — vireos, tanagers, warblers, and flycatchers — will wing their way to Central and South America in September to winter in habitats replete with insects, berries, seeds and other food items necessary to sustain them for half of their annual life cycle. Even the ruby-throated hummingbirds that sipped nectar from flower blossoms and feeders vacate Florida and zoom southward to distant environs. After our summer breeding birds depart in September, the true snowbirds slowly filter in. Flocks of tiny birds, some dazzling shades of yellow, others nondescript brown, many hyperactively pumping their tails up and down, and still others flashing yellow rumps as they flush to another feeding spot, replace our winter migrants. These are the snowbirds from Maine, New York, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland that have departed their northern habitat for Florida’s
38 Winter 20-21
mild and more hospitable winter. Many Floridians mark winter by the sight of the most notorious of snowbirds — sandhill cranes and American robins. Tall, gray and stork-like, sandhill cranes gather by the hundreds in local farm fields during the winter months. And in our yards, flocks of robins will converge on cedar and holly trees to feast on the fruit, and announce their presence with a “puk, puk, puk” horse-like whinny. Those who stock their bird feeders with sunflower seed, millet and other avian treats will marvel at the abundance of snowbirds that visit these feeders. And if you place a heaping tablespoon of grape jelly in a dish suspended from your bird feeder, and wait patiently, you may be gifted with the sight of the most spectacularly plumaged snowbird of all, the Baltimore oriole. Or another winter treasure, a painted bunting, may sneak to the feeder to dine on the smorgasbord of seed. What are some strategies for spotting the avian snowbirds? Groups of warblers — palm, pine, and yellow-rumped – form conspicuous flocks as they forage for seeds in grassy seniortimesmagazine.com
Chipping Sparrow
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Painted Bunting
Palm Warbler
Baltimore Oriole
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
Baltimore Orioles seek out ripe fruit. Cut oranges in half and hang them from trees to invite orioles into your yard. Special oriole feeders filled with sugar water supplement the flower nectar that Baltimore Orioles gather. You can even put out small amounts of jelly to attract these nectar-eaters (just don’t put out so much that it risks soiling their feathers).
fields and road edges. Eastern phoebes are also quite easy to discern. Look for a cardinal-sized bird with a smudgy dark head, tail pumping up and down and perched prominently on a fence post or exposed branch waiting to swoop out and nab an aerial insect. Two snowbird woodpeckers grace us with their winter presence — Northern flicker and yellow-bellied sapsucker. The tell-tale call of the flicker’s high-pitched, piercing and clear keew or the sapsucker’s mewing neeah will reveal their whereabouts. One technique that savvy birdwatchers employ to locate hard-to-find snowbirds (or migrants that pass through during fall and spring migration) is to closely scrutinize flocks of local birds, the tufted titmice and Carolina chicka-
40 Winter 20-21
Sandhill Crane
dees. These year-round residents are the most knowledgeable at finding local food sources, detecting neighborhood predators such as outdoor cats and sounding the alarm when the resident Cooper’s hawk arrives. So the snowbirds often use the knowledge of the locals by tagging along and forming mixed flocks with the year-round residents. This winter spread your wings by learning which snowbirds have set up temporary residence in your neck of the woods. This is the time to discover orange-crowned warblers, chipping sparrows, gray catbirds and others that have heeded their internal signal to flee their frosty habitats and spend the winter in sunny Florida. s
seniortimesmagazine.com
COLUMN œ DONNA BONNELL
Embracing Life COVID Inspired Decluttering
B
aby Boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) have taken COVID seriously. Seniors were cautioned that our odds of experiencing severe symptoms were higher than those of younger generations. Heeding those warnings, many folks (like myself ) spent a great deal of time social distancing. During quarantine, we simply stared at our stuff. After months of rearranging and repeated dusting, which (for a while) seemed like a good use of time, I began wondering why I kept so many things. After sharing my dilemma with friends, I learned many felt the same frustration. My quest to understand our quandary began. Recalling my early years was the best place for me to start. My parents were minimalists, long before the lifestyle philosophy became a trend. It was not by choice, but simply a means of survival. Their extended families were poor. The Great Depression taught them the old-fashioned value of ‘waste not, want not.’ Recycling meant repairing and reusing an item or giving it to someone who needed it more. Hard work, thriftiness and saving money were standards, not options. Those ethics were embedded in my being from birth. Today, I struggle with discarding leftovers or disposing gently used merchandise. Fortunately, I am not a hoarder. Over
the years, I have had dozens of yard sales, donated to charities and managed to gift some items. Yet, there is still a need to de-clutter and let go of mementos, which marked milestones from my lifetime. My two millennia-aged children are nostalgic about family memories, but do not have an interest in the six decades of tangible memorabilia. It finally sunk in. They are creating their own nostalgia. Now what? My methods of rehoming unwanted (but still good) objects are outdated. Paying with cash is slowly ceasing. COVID has created a fear of close contact with humans or handling currency. Repeated warnings to beware of touching anything is contributing to the slow death of consignment shops, thrift stores and yard sales. Consumers are turning to online sources. PayPal and eBay are examples of how used wares are bought and sold. Unfortunately, I do not know how to use either one. Regular readers know I tend to be too analytical and overthink everything. I began to believe that there were no acceptable solutions and was ready to forget this entire saga. Failure would be attributed to COVID fog and I would resume dusting duty. Alas, common sense prevailed. As an aging (but logical) Baby Boomer, I knew that it was time to begin the purging process. I just needed corroboration that my concerns were legitimate.
Validation was found in the book, “The Boomer Burden.” Author Julie Hall is also an estate expert. Hall said, “My goal is to make both generations aware the burden is not our parents, the burden is their stuff, because their children don’t know what their things are worth or what to keep and what to sell.” Hall’s statement hit home! Independence is a strength I touted my entire life. I abhor the idea of being a burden, especially to my children. If my stuff adds stress to their lives, it is time for it to go. Spiritual stimulation came from a dear friend, Mary Chever-Watson. She wrote about her journey of decluttering in her blog, Daily Walks with Mary. Her personal Nehemiah challenge was created, based on the story of Nehemiah as told in the Bible. Nehemiah needed help rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. It had been in shambles for 140 years. Forty-two families accepted his challenge. The reconstruction project was finished in 52 days. Given the opposition they faced, it was nothing short of a miracle (or God). In today’s world, my friend’s goal to declutter her home in 52 days was an equally brave leap of faith. If you need inspiration, check out her blog at https://marycheverwatson.com/my-nehemiah-challenge/. As for me, who knows? Maybe I will create a way to hold COVID-safe yard sales or learn how to post my prized possessions online. One thing is certain, my recycling bins will be overflowing in 2021. They will be filled with years of tokens. The unforgettable memories they represent, however, will remain in my soul through eternity. s Donna Bonnell is a freelance writer who moved to Newberry in 1983. She enjoys living and working in the town she now calls home. bonneldj@gmail.com
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We feel the best way to find and recognize local charities in our communities is by asking you! The SunState Community Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves the communities in and around North Central Florida by promoting and facilitating philanthropy. The Foundation was established to promote and provide charitable assistance that contributes towards the development, education and well-being of the communities, areas and residents of Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy Counties in Florida. The foundation’s initial goal is to administer and fully fund the award winning Facebook Charity-ofthe-Month program. SunState Federal Credit Union started the program in 2013, but has turned over administration of the program to the foundation, with SunState Federal Credit Union acting only as a sponsor. This has been done in the belief that this path will ensure the program remains a strong and expanding community resource long into the future. The SunState Community Foundation, Inc., provides donors/members opportunities to participate in the furtherance of the foundation’s goals in multiple ways. First, and foremost, the donors/members are providing funds to support the foundation’s charitable initiatives. Donors/members can also nominate groups for the Charity of the Month program, and then vote for the group of their choice. Donors/members are encouraged to participate and vote in the Charity of the Month program. Ultimately, the voters choose where foundation donations go as part of the infrastructure of the program.
SunState Community Foundation, Inc. S PONSORSHIP LEV ELS AVA ILA BLE 1,000 CHARITY OF THE MONTH SPONSOR
$
500 RANDOM CHARITY SPONSOR
$
• Recognized on all 4 Entercom Communication stations, 30 times (120 total); KTK, SKY, WRUF and ESPN.
• Recognized on 2 of Entercom Communications stations, 30 times (60 total); WRUF and ESPN
• Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Senior Times’ Facebook page.
• Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Senior Times’ Facebook page.
• Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Senior Times Magazine.
• Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Senior Times Magazine.
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300 NOMINATOR SPONSOR
$
• Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Senior Times’ Facebook page. • Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Senior Times Magazine.
100 RANDOM VOTER SPONSOR
$
• Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page.
• Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Senior Times Magazine
seniortimesmagazine.com
COMMUNITY PARTNERS >> CHARITY OF THE MONTH
CH A RIT Y OF THE MONTH WINNER S MOST RECENT WINNING ORGANIZATIONS TO NOMINATE A CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE OR TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE NOMINEES, VISIT:
www.facebook.com/SunStateFCU and click on “Charity of the Month”
SEPTMEBER 2020 WINNER
OCTOBER 2020 WINNER
Bronson Eagles Baseball
Bronson Eagles Softball
The winner of the September Charity of the Month is Bronson Eagles Baseball. They will receive $1,000. Julie Robinson will win $300 for nominating them. The random charity GRiP — General Relief in Prosthetics — will win $500, and the random voter Thomas Carbone will receive $100.
The winner of the October Charity of the Month is Bronson Eagles Softball Team. They will receive $1,000. Virginia Phillips will win $300 for nominating them. The random charity Lubee Bat Conservancy - will win $500, and the random voter Alison McMurray will receive $100.
A project of the SunState Community Foundation, Inc. Presented by SunState Federal Credit Union, Our Town Family of Magazines and Entercom Communications
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READER ADVISORY: National Trade Associations we belong to have purchased the classifieds on these pages. Determining the value of their service or product is advised. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the anyone your checking, license ID, or credit card numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.
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CALENDAR UPCOMING EVENTS IN ALACHUA & MARION
ANA VARELA HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE Saturday, December 12 at 10am – 5pm
650 SE Tuscawilla Road HISTORIC MICANOPY – Head to historic Micanopy for Ana Varela’s 24th Annual Open House celebration – a holiday tradition featuring unique pottery and much more. Following health and safety precautions, a maximum of five guests will be allowed inside the studio at once. varelaana53@gmail.com
Gainesville Garden Club, 1350 NW 75 St. GAINESVILLE – Join the Gainesville Garden Club for their Aged to Perfection event featuring a wine social, open house and auction. ggcfl.org FUN WITH FLOWERS Gainesville Garden Club, 1350 NW 75 St. GAINESVILLE – Hands-on floral design program includes lecture, demonstration and materials. Coffee social at 9:30am, RSVP requested: rsvp. ggcfl@gmail.com or ggcfl.org 1ST ANNUAL NCFAA INVITATIONAL
Thursday, December 17 at 2:30pm - 4:00pm
Friday, January 22 at 9am – 5pm
Online Webinar This presentation will look at how the early presidents’ wives defined and fashioned this role, each one contributing special skills that had a permanent impact. Registration required: Please send an email request to primetime.inst@gmail.com with your name and email address. To see the programs for future months, please go to the PTI website at primetimeinstitute.org in the last week of each month to get the new schedule, or contact Jean Outler at 248-480-5672.
Ironwood Golf Course, 2100 NE 39th Ave. GAINESVILLE - Join the NCFAA for their first Golf Invitational event. Enjoy lunch, drinks, prizes, networking
Friday, December 18 at 8:45am – 9:45am
The Historic Thomas Center, 302 NE 6th Ave. GAINESVILLE – Join Flow Space for a free all-levels yoga class under the large oak tree at the West Gardens at the Historic Thomas Center. No experience required, all are welcome. flowspacegnv.com
opportunities on the links and much more. Cost is $65 per player and includes 18 holes of golf with cart, range balls, lunch and awards. Contests will be held for putting, longest drive and closest to the pin. ncfaa. net/events/register
Tuesday, January 19 at 10am
PrimeTime Institute/ElderCare of Alachua County
FREE YOGA UNDER THE OAK
*Please be sure to reach out to the organizers of these events prior to your attendance in case of cancellation or rescheduling due to Covid-19. Also, be sure you are aware of the proper social distancing rules for each event, such as wearing your face mask and maintaining 6-feet distance from others.
UPSTAGE AT THE PHILLIPS CENTER: DAVINA AND THE VAGABONDS Saturday, January 30 at 10pm
University of Florida Performing Arts, 3201 Hull Road GAINESVILLE – Davina and the Vagabonds has been creating a stir with their shows filled with New Orleans charm, Memphis soul swagger, and a front-woman whose voice and
Survival Of The Slowest Exhibit Opening Day January 23 10am – 4:30pm Florida Museum of Natural History, 3215 Hull Road GAINESVILLE - How can slow and steady win the race? Does bigger always mean better? “Survival of the Slowest” takes a look at animals that are slow, small or weak and how they use these traits to survive and thrive! Exhibit will be on display from January 23 – September 12, 2021. floridamuseum. ufl.edu
AGED TO PERFECTION Thursday, January 14 at 4pm – 7pm
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stage presence are simply electric. Purchase tickets for in-person attendance or live stream select performances with UFPA Live. performingarts.ufl.edu UPSTAGE AT THE PHILLIPS CENTER: LYSANDER PIANO TRIO Sunday, January 31 at 2-4pm and 7:30-9:30pm
University of Florida Performing Arts, 3201 Hull Road GAINESVILLE - Known for innovative approaches to master works from the canon, Lysander Piano Trio has turned heads with their ecstatic embrace of newer works and hidden gems. The New York Times has praised the ensemble for its “polished and spirited interpretations.” Purchase tickets for in-person attendance or live stream select performances with UFPA Live. performingarts.ufl.edu GAINESVILLE ORCHESTRA PRESENTS: MYSTERY Friday, February 19 at 7:30pm – 9pm
Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 3201 Hull Road GAINESVILLE - Explore the secrets of the universe with the most popular works in the symphonic repertoire. Gustav Holst’s “The Planet’s” a sonic explosion of the cosmos. John Adam’s pulsating and electric “Harmonielehre” are not to be missed. Tickets are $40. performingarts.ufl.edu PORTRAITS Thursday, February 25 at 7:30pm – 9pm
Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 3201 Hull Road GAINESVILLE - Dance Alive National Ballet presents Ani Collier’s PORTRAITS. An original work starting from a blank slate, filled with each dancer’s unique sparkle, and painted with choreographer Ani Collier’s artistic brush. Tickets are available at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts ($20-$40). Due to limited seating, please contact the Phillips Center at 359-ARTS, purchase on-line or visit the box office between 12 and 6pm weekdays.
performingarts.ufl.edu UPSTAGE AT THE PHILLIPS CENTER: NELLA Friday, February 26 at 7pm and 9pm
University of Florida Performing Arts, 3201 Hull Road GAINESVILLE - A fresh and exciting voice from Venezuela’s Margarita Island, Nella’s music has been described as “pop with something to say.” In 2019, Nella, a Berklee College of Music graduate, won the Best New Artist category at the Latin Grammys. Purchase tickets for in-person attendance or live stream select performances with UFPA Live. performingarts.ufl.edu
Ave. GAINESVILLE – Enjoy live music with Hoggtowne Fancy and dancing every Monday. Lesson starts at 6:45pm, dancing at 7pm. Dance is $5 plus a tip for the band. godsdance.org MINI MARKET HOLIDAY SERIES Saturdays at 12pm – 5pm through December 19
The AUK Market, 2031 NW 6th St. GAINESVILLE – Each week The AUK Market will be featuring makers and
FLORA AND FAUNA FEST 2021 Saturday, February 27 at 10am – 2:30pm
Steinmetz Hall, 1881 Natural Area Dr. GAINESVILLE – An annual fundraiser for the Agrios Scholarship Fund for Doctor of Plant Medicine students, the February Flora and Fauna Fest will feature local vendors and UF clubs relating to flora and fauna; insect-related crafts; educational workshops and tours through the University of Florida’s Natural Area Teaching Laboratory. facebook.com/UFDPM GARDEN PARTY AND FASHION SHOW
Guided Walk At Kanapaha
Thursday, March 4 at 10:30am
Gainesville Garden Club, 1350 NW 75 St. GAINESVILLE – Join the Gainesville Garden Club for their annual Garden Party and Fashion Show featuring the “Garden Hat Competition.” ggcfl.org FUN WITH FLOWERS
First Saturdays at 10am Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, 4700 SW 58th Dr. GAINESVILLE – Enjoy a guided tour through Kanapaha Botanical Gardens starting at 10am, the first Saturday of every month. Regular admission price applies for non-members. *Masks Required. kanapaha.org.
Tuesday, March 16 at 10am
Gainesville Garden Club, 1350 NW 75 St. GAINESVILLE – Hands-on floral design program includes lecture, demonstration and materials. Coffee social at 9:30am, RSVP requested: rsvp.ggcfl@gmail.com or ggcfl.org
Recurring Events ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCE Mondays from 6:45pm – 9:30pm
United Church of Gainesville, 1624 NW 5th
vendors for open air style pop-up shopping. Following Covid precautions, masks will be required for both indoor and outdoor shopping and there will be an 8-person capacity within the store. theaukmarket.com GAINESVILLE CARS & COFFEE Second Sundays 9am – 11am
Whole Foods Market, 3490 SW Archer Road.
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Affordable Housing for Senior Citizens
Pine Grove Apartments Federally subsidized apartments for persons 62 and older. • Studio & One-Bedroom Apartments. • ADA accessible apartments are also available. • Rent is based on income. for your appointment, call
352-373-1213 TDD: 800-955-8771 Total annual income limit for eligibility:
One Person $24,450 Two Persons $27,950 1901 NE 2nd Street Gainesville, Florida
OFFICE HOURS: MON-FRIDAY 9am-12pm 1pm-4pm CLOSED SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
GAINESVILLE – A gathering for automotive enthusiasts of all types from exotics and classics to imports and jalopies. The meet is free to attend; coffee will be provided to attendees, as well as breakfast items for sale. gainesvillecarsandcoffee.com MARY’S HIGH TEA AT SWEETWATER BRANCH INN Third Tuesdays from 3pm – 5pm
Sweetwater Branch Inn, 625 E University Ave. GAINESVILLE – Traditionally served on a three-tiered stand, includes Sweetwater Branch’s savory and sweet treats paired with your choice of teas and coffees. $25 per person. Please call for reservations 352-373-6760. sweetwaterinn.com COMMUNITY MARKET Fourth Saturdays 8am – 2pm
Gainesville Shrine Club, 8100 SW Archer Road GAINESVILLE – The Gainesville Shrine Club’s Community Market will feature food; arts and crafts; vendors and more. Contact David Jones at 336-430-910 to reserve your vendor spot. gainesvilleshrineclub.org YIN & YANG Mondays, 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Wildflowers Yoga, 205 NW 10th Ave. GAINESVILLE – Join Wildflowers Yoga every Monday evening for a free yin & yang yoga class. In this class you will hold postures (yin) for the first half of class, followed by a specific easy flow (yang), both focusing on a specific area of the body or meridian line. wildflowersyoga.com/schedule HIGH SPRINGS FARMERS MARKET
ALACHUA COUNTY FARMERS’ MARKET Saturdays from 8:30am – 12pm
5920 NW 13th St. GAINESVILLE – Don’t forget to bring shopping bags, your grocery list, and plenty of small bills. This market prides itself on being a grower’s only market – meaning the vendors selling produce, plants and other products must have grown the items themselves. 441market.com HAILE FARMERS MARKET Saturdays from 8:30am – 12pm
Haile Village Center GAINESVILLE – Take a stroll down the tree-lined streets of the Haile Village Center to browse for groceries, prepared food and handmade gifts then continue on for more shopping or brunching at the Village Center’s locally-owned stores and restaurants. Covid-19 recommendations: maintain physical distance, don’t touch products, one customer served per vendor at one time and protect yourself and others by wearing facial coverings. hailefarmersmarket.com DANCE ALIVE PRESENTS NUTCRACKER Running From Thursday, December 17 – Sunday, December 20
Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, 3201 Hull Road GAINESVILLE - The all-time family favorite with beautiful dancing, sets and costumes is here again. Tickets are available at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts ($25$45) Due to limited seating, please contact the Phillips Center at 359ARTS, purchase on-line or visit the box office between 12pm and 6pm on weekdays. drphillipscenter.org
Fridays from 3pm – 7pm
23517 NW 185th Road HIGH SPRINGS – Florida grown fruit, vegetables, dairy and meats as well as honey, handmade treats and more. The Farmers Market is produced by The City of High Springs. highsprings.us/farmersmarket
If you would like us to publicize an event in Alachua or Marion counties, send information by the 13th day of the month prior. All submissions will be reviewed and every effort will be made to run qualified submissions if page space is available.
1-800-967-7382 (fax) calendar@seniortimesmagazine.com
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THEATRE Acrosstown Repertory Theatre......................619 S. Main Street, Gainesville Curtis M. Phillips Center............................................ 315 Hull Road, Gainesville Gainesville Community Playhouse........ 4039 N.W. 16th Blvd., Gainesville Hippodrome State Theatre.................................. 25 SE 2nd Place, Gainesville UF Constans Theatre.................................................. Museum Road, Gainesville Nadine McGuire Blackbox Theatre.................... Museum Road, Gainesville Insomniac Theatre Company.............................E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala Ocala Civic Theatre...................................4337 East Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala High Springs Community Theater........... 130 NE 1st Avenue, High Springs
352-371-1234 352-392-ARTS 352-376-4949 352-375-4477 352-273-0526 352-392-1653 352-897-0477 352-236-2274 386-454-3525
*Please be sure to reach out to the organizers of these productions prior to your attendance in case of cancellation or rescheduling due to Covid-19. Also, be sure you are aware of the proper social distancing rules for each event, such as wearing your face mask and maintaining 6-feet distance from others.
THE HIPPODROME STATE THEATRE
A Christmas Carol (online production)
HIGH SPRINGS PLAYHOUSE
A Tuna Christmas December 4-20
In this hilarious sequel to Greater Tuna, it’s Christmas in the third-smallest town in Texas. Radio station OKKK news personalities Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie report on various Yuletide activities, including the hot competition in the annual lawn-display contest. In other news, voracious Joe Bob Lipsey’s production of “A Christmas Carol” is jeopardized by unpaid electric bills.
Streaming Dec. 7 - Jan. 3 The cherished Gainesville tradition continues a little differently this year. The Hipp will be streaming their high-quality archival footage of last year’s brandnew adaptation of “A Christmas Carol.” Enjoy the magic of the season right from your own home! OCALA CIVIC THEATRE
I Hate Hamlet January 14 - February 7 Alas, a poor young actor. He dreams of TV stardom but is haunted by the ghost of John Barrymore, who insists all the world’s a stage, and he should be on it. To be or not to be? ‘Tis a witty farce!
Talley’s Folly February 25 - March 21 On a Missouri farm in 1944, two kindred spirits with very different pasts are brought together by love letters. Tender and touching, this gentle romance is a night of moonlight magic. ACTORS’ WAREHOUSE
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblin (online viewing) December 10-18 Inspired by the children’s book written by Eric Kimmel, it features the prominent Jewish folk hero and trickster figure Hershel of Ostropol. He challenges and defeats a series of goblins over the course of the eight nights of Hanukkah, which builds up to a showdown with the King of the Goblins on the final night.
Barefoot in the Park February 5-28 Paul and Corie Bratter are newlyweds in every sense of the word. After a six-day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Corie’s loopy mother. They decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor in the attic Velasco, where everything that can go wrong does. Winter 20-21
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We’ve Recently Lowered Our Rates, Plan Ahead and SAVE!
It’s easy to walk into a dealership, let them do all the math, and make all of the arrangements. It could cost you thousands of dollars over the life of the loan, but it is easy. Let’s face it, the dealerships are used to twisting and turning the numbers on auto deals and financing every single day, and they are experts at making even the highest rates and delivery expenses look great! If your budget can’t absorb thousands of dollars in unnecessary up charges associated with your next auto purchase, why take the chance? Speak with a SunState Federal Credit Union representative before you hit the dealerships. Once you decide on a payment amount you can or want to afford, we will work with you throughout the process to finance the vehicle of your choice. APPLY ONLINE OR FROM OUR MOBILE APP AND MAKE NO PAYMENTS FOR 90 DAYS!*
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Proudly serving our members and our community since 1957
352-381-5200 www.SunStateFCU.org 52 Winter 20-21
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