Locala February 2022, Volume 1, Issue No. 9 by Lisa Anderson Media, LLC

VICKI SHEERIN

In the Moment: This Woman Lost 200 Pounds by Learning to be Present in Her Emotions

LEIGHTON OKUS

A Change in Perspective: Ballerina Reflects on Her Battle with Chronic Pain

BONNIE & KIM HEATH

A Heartfelt Calling: Foundation Thoroughbred Family Continues to Give Back

Volume 01, Issue No. 09 • FEBRUARY 2022

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EDITORIAL contributing writers APPLETON MUSEUM TEAM MEMBERS contributing writer DR. MANAL FAKHOURY contributing writer CYNTHIA MCFARLAND

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© Lisa Anderson Media, LLC and Locala. All rights reserved. Online: ISSN 2771-1056, Print: ISSN 2771-1048, February 2022, Volume 01, Issue Number 09. Locala is a monthly publication, which is published by Lisa Anderson Media, LLC, 2320 NE 2nd Street, Unit 5, Ocala, FL 34470. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. For reprint or reuse permission, email info@localamag.com. Locally printed at First Impressions Printing, 1827 SW 27th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Dear Ocala Join us for Health-Inspired Journeys

BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS

From the Ashes: One Woman Chose to Rise Up with Integrity & Courage

FOLLOW ME

Shared Suffering The Conclusion of Julia’s Story

F R O M T H E PA D D O C K

A Heartfelt Calling: Foundation Thoroughbred Family Continues to Give Back

FROM THE EXPERTS

ON THE COVER

Exercise: More than a New Year’s Resolution

Going for the Win: Champion Leadership On & Off the Field

THE CHEWS LETTER

BYOB: Brew Your Own Beverage

ARTIST CORNER

From the Appleton Museum: Q&A with Susan Martin

Artist Q&A’s: Olivia Ortiz, Left on Broadway & Drayton Carlton, End Archaic

H E A LT H Y H E A R T

In the Moment: This Woman Lost 200 Pounds by Learning To Be Present in Her Emotions

Can Do Spirit: Cyle Teaches Us Nothing Is Impossible if You Have the Right Attitude

Healing Techniques: Therapeutic Massage Changed Her Life

F E AT U R E

A Change in Perspective: Ballerina Reflects on Her Battle with Chronic Pain

GIVERTORIAL

Master of Possiblity: Retired Colonel Builds Bridges to Change

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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

LISA ANDERSON DEAR OCALA,

Photo by Bailey Aro Hutchence

e’ve already made it one month into 2022. How are your New Year’s goals and resolutions holding up? Have you joined a gym or committed to a new workout routine at home? Have you started planning your bucket list trips since reading our January issue? If you are being intentional about your health journey in 2022, we have some incredibly inspiring stories for you—from weight loss to healing to “can do spirit.” We are also featuring a story on Ocala’s ballerina, Leighton Okus. Her journey as a ballerina and the physical toll it has taken on her body is both eyeopening and inspirational. To top it all off, we asked Zone Health and Fitness owner Ben Marciano for some tips on how to start a healthy lifestyle, and Dr. Manal

Fakhoury uses football analogies to help you practice champion leadership on and off the field. This issue also ushers in some new favorites! Join us in welcoming staff members from the Appleton Museum, as they delight us with stories about artists new and old! Plus, we’re taking the reins in our newest department, From the Paddock, where we’ll share personal stories from people active in our city’s beloved equine industry. I hope you feel encouraged by the members of our community, as you enjoy another month of stories. Most Sincerely,

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Master of Possibility RETIRED COLONEL BUILDS BRIDGES TO CHANGE

olonel Gorham Black (U.S. Army, retired) is fourth generation military. Several members of his family have impressive military records. His father was only the thirteenth African-American colonel since the inception of the U.S. Army. “I’m a military brat, so I lived in the military for the first 20 years of my life, until I graduated college. Then, I went into the military for 27 [years], so I was 47 years old and had done nothing but militaristic-type things. [My parents taught us] to be Boy-Scoutish: kind, considerate, cheerful, thrifty, clean, brave... I’m not a fixer, but I really like to see things change for the better.” Gorham, like many who retire to Florida, was tired of the snow, and he had a family connection in the area. He and his wife found their dream home and moved from Fort Meade in Maryland to Ocala in 2010. Almost right away, Gorham got involved in a prison ministry at Lowell Correctional Institution. From there, he joined The Bridges Project of Ocala/Marion County. “Bridges was supposed to be just what the word says. It was supposed to bridge the gap between the Black and White populations of Ocala/Marion County. And what we were gonna do was look at the things that are precluding this bridge from existing.” One of the first projects the group took on was to successfully lobby to move the Confederate flag from the Marion County Governmental Complex to a museum in 2016. They have since commissioned studies on gun violence in present-day Marion County and on the history of lynching. (The study found 23 lynchings, the most of any Florida county.) They also have a goal of erecting a memorial to the lynching victims. Gorham is a member of several organizations: The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), the Military Officers of the World War (MOWW), and the Marion County Veterans Council. Through his volunteering, he has noticed a lot of redundancy. He convinced disparate groups, who were providing backpacks to needy children, to drop them off in one place to be disbursed evenly. “I’m trying to get rid of these silos,” he says, referring to his efforts to get groups with a common cause to work together. This month, Gorham will be giving two workshops, which will include controversial topics, through the Master the Possibilities (MTP) Lifelong Learning Education Center at On Top of the World. (Non-members are welcome to attend for an additional fee.) “I hope that people can share their disbelief, beliefs, imagined beliefs, and let’s discuss it. If I can take one person and turn them around in their thought process and deeds, I will have been successful.”

GIVERTOR IA L SPO NSO RE D BY L ISA AN DE RSO N ME DIA , L LC

BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS

From the Ashes ONE WOMAN CHOSE TO RISE UP WITH INTEGRITY & COURAGE

JAMIE BLANKENSHIP Story & Photo by LISA ANDERSON

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BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS

bout six years ago, Jamie Blankenship sat in her empty house. She had heard people enjoyed chilling on their couch watching Netflix, but it wasn’t relaxing for her. It was the first weekend without her children, and she had just come out of a terrible relationship. “My second relationship was so incredibly abusive. He was incredibly narcissistic, very financially abusive, [and] emotionally abusive. He was choking me out. I was counting pennies, at the that time, just to put milk in the refrigerator,” Jamie explains.

I have been so incredibly blessed. I have gone from being broke to being blessed with so many people, who put their trust and belief in me, and allow me to help them through such an amazing process. — Jamie Blankenship

It had taken a lot for her to step away from the situation she was in. Now, she sat on her couch, unsatisfied with Netflix. “I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life—find out who I [was] and recreate who I wanted to be. That’s where Invictus came in, because I wanted a company name that meant something. Invictus is the phoenix rising out of the ashes. When you just don’t think you [have] the strength or the courage to pursue [something] because it’s just so bad, but you have to figure it out and find a way.”

BEFORE INVICTUS

Jamie’s upbringing was less than ideal, which she connects to her previous choices in marriage and a pregnancy at 18 years old. With a baby to provide for, she began working part-time at a Publix in Lakeland, Florida, so she could have insurance. A few years later, when her daughter entered school, Jamie applied for and got a position within the Publix corporate offices. It was the first step into property management, and she really enjoyed it—unusual for the property management world. “It was pretty neat, because most people don’t like property management. Nobody ever calls and tells you you’re doing a great job managing the [property].” In fact, most people call to tell you what’s wrong or what is needed. “It’s not a glorifying job, but I loved it!” Jamie assisted her manager at the time with over 100 properties in the Jacksonville division. They grew a great reputation for exceptional customer service, and Jamie was eventually promoted to the site division, where she would thoroughly assess an area to determine if it was a good location for a Publix store. After her first divorce, she knew she needed to advance her career. “I was young, and I had, at this point, two children. I had to figure out how to live on my own, and I [hadn’t been] the bread winner. I left Publix on good terms. Once you’re in Publix, you’re just family.” She started working directly with the developers, but she quickly realized the way developers did business was not the way she preferred to work. If a developer got the contract for a Publix shopping center 10 to 15 years ago, it would generally have a profit of four to six million dollars, but it was never enough, according to Jamie. “Developers would literally run over their mother for five more dollars, and I watched [that behavior] happen over and over. A handshake deal is not a handshake deal. Even a contractual deal, you have to hire an attorney to get them to perform.”

That’s when Jamie started thinking, “Maybe this isn’t what I want to do in life, because I’m just not that kind of person.”

RISING FROM THE ASHES

Stepping out into the industry on her own took a lot of courage. Since the commercial real estate business is male dominated, Jamie wasn’t sure if she would be respected in the industry. After speaking with several developers who stated they would love to continue working with her, Jamie knew she could build the company of her dreams. “My goal, when I created Invictus, was to create a full service real estate company. It’s been fun, and I’ve learned so much about myself on the journey.” Invictus has commercial and residential real estate divisions, property management for commercial and residential, leasing for commercial and residential; recently, Jamie became certified to manage home owner associations (HOAs). She is also planning to launch a title company this year. “I have been so incredibly blessed. I have gone from being broke to being blessed with so many people, who put their trust and belief in me and allow me to help them through such an amazing process. “I have come out of survival mode and into goal-setting. I just want to continue to give back and to continue to do what I do with integrity and honesty.”

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H E A LT H Y H E A R T

In the Moment

THIS WOMAN LOST 200 POUNDS BY LEARNING TO BE PRESENT IN HER EMOTIONS

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H E A LT H Y H E A R T

VICKI SHEERIN Story & Portrait by LISA ANDERSON

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H E A LT H Y H E A R T

udden loss has been an unfortunate theme in Vicki Sheerin’s life. Her mother became sick in her late thirties from an infection caused by breast implants, and three days later, she was gone. Vicki’s grandmother and grandfather grieved the loss of their daughter every day for 18 years. When her grandfather suddenly passed away from pneumonia, her grandmother willingly let herself go, and soon, she too was gone. Reeling from the loss of her grandparents, Vicki took a vacation to Europe to relax and regroup. Upon her return, her husband’s seemingly innocent doctor’s appointment took a dramatic turn, and on November 8, 2019, the couple’s wedding anniversary, Vicki’s world came crashing down, as she learned her husband was actively dying. Two days later, she lost her husband, father of her two young children, and her best friend for over a decade. Vicki handled every loss with emotionally-charged binge eating, except for her husband’s death. She was halfway through her 200-pound weight loss goal at the time, and before he slipped into unconsciousness, he made Vicki promise she would not give up and to stay healthy for their children.

BEFORE THE PROMISE

Photo submitted by Vicki Sheerin

“I have been an emotional eater pretty much my entire life. My attachment with food stems from very early on—being a middle child and feeling like I never fit in anywhere.” Vicki, like middle children portrayed in sitcoms from the early Nineties, craved validation but could never seem to find it. So, she sought comfort in food. “Over the years, my weight kept going higher and higher.” Overweight and nearly six feet tall, Vicki was told she would always be the big girl. “I accepted that as my normal, and I hated it. I hated it so much, because I [was] missing out on so many things my older and younger sister[s] could do. So, I was always seeking validation.” Shortly before her grandmother passed away, Vicki had experienced an extremely stressful and emotional event, while visiting with her grandmother on Mother’s Day. She turned to food to find comfort, once again, and found herself eating until she became sick. It was the beginning of her wake-up call. “I saw myself in this

full-length mirror, and I had this flash of ‘if I don’t do something now, I’m looking at the end of my life.’ It scared the shit out of me,” Vicki recalls.

THE RABBIT HOLE

While working at chiropractic offices, Vicki would coach people on weight loss using methods that had been slightly successful for herself, but ultimately, weren’t sustainable. She decided to research the ketogenic diet more thoroughly. After falling down the YouTube rabbit hole, Vicki came across a testimonial on intermittent fasting. “Most people’s initial reaction is that you’re starving yourself,” says Vicki, but one video led to another, and soon, she became highly motivated. “I did what’s called a 16:8 method for two weeks. I didn’t change anything I was eating, but obviously not binging on the foods I was eating.” Before this, Vicki had been eating nearly all day and felt constraining her eating times was a good way to begin the journey. “In two weeks, I went down 20 pounds like it was nothing. I got such a fire lit under my butt. I just wanted to continue to learn more.” She did just that and continued to tweak and try varying fasting times— from 20:4 to 24 hours or more. “It was something I looked forward to every single day.”

BEING IN THE MOMENT

The events in the weeks leading up to her husband’s death could

make anyone return to unhealthy habits—seeking comfort wherever you could find it—but this time, Vicki chose to stay in the moment. After her husband’s terminal diagnosis of an infection in the heart, they had a conversation that would keep Vicki on a healthy path through her grief. “I don’t even know how we had the frame of mind to have that awareness to tell me to not let myself go. Not to willingly pass like [my husband had seen] and experienced with me when my grandmother let go after my grandfather [had passed].” Vicki chose to fast instead of binging on food. “I was able to be emotionally present more than previous deaths or losses that I had experienced. What I have learned is that we can control how we react to these external life circumstances.” In the summer of 2020, she met her 200-pound weight loss goal and has maintained it for over a year. She’s not obsessed with numbers from the scale; she’s never counted calories or obsessively worked out. She’s done some ketostyle eating, but she’s not overly consistent, as she enjoys bread and French fries. She keeps herself at a healthy BMI, looks forward to her fasting schedule, and is completely comfortable in her body. “I’ve got the curves I want. I’ve got the body that I’ve always wanted and thought I could never get,” she says with a smile and satisfaction in her voice.

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H E A LT H Y H E A R T

Can Do Spirit

CYLE TEACHES US NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

DENISE SARKO & CYLE SARKO Story & Photo by LISA ANDERSON

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H E A LT H Y H E A R T

yle Sarko was born with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). According to the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association, “The common characteristics defined in the initial report, included small hands and feet, abnormal growth and body composition (small stature, very low, lean body mass, and early-onset childhood obesity), hypotonia (weak muscles) at birth, insatiable hunger, extreme obesity, and intellectual disability. PWS results from an abnormality of chromosome 15, and definitive diagnosis is based on genetic testing.” The article goes on to discuss the cause for the symptoms, which are likely due to a dysfunction of the hypothalamus—a small endocrine organ at the base of brain that plays a crucial role in many functions of the body. While this explains the syndrome, it certainly doesn’t describe Cyle and the personality those who know him love and respect.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ATTITUDE

“It’s a one in over 20,000 chance that you would ever get it, and [Cyle] has a rarer form of [it],” explains his mom, Denise Sarko. “When he was born, we weren’t sure why he was so quiet, and he was very floppy.” Cyle was not diagnosed with PWS until he was three or four months old. He spent his first 30 days in the NICU. “The interesting thing [with] him as a newborn, even though he was floppy like a rag doll, and he didn’t have too much expression, he just had this drive in him—like a no-fail attitude—from the very start. I always called it ‘can do spirit.’”

…he just had this drive in him—like a no-fail attitude—from the very start. — Denise Sarko

PWS causes developmental delay, but the boy who didn’t sit up until he was one years old and walk until he was two, now spends his days working out at the gym, playing basketball, fishing, learning to refinish furniture, pulling weeds, learning guitar, and many other things that were once thought to be out of his reach. In fact, one doctor didn’t think Cyle would ever walk. The therapies and environment set in place by Denise played a big part in his success, but there’s no denying his ‘can do spirit’ has played a large role.

SETTING UP FOR SUCCESS

“We had to start out when he was young with an environmentally-controlled diet, kitchen, home-life,” states Denise in reference to helping Cyle maintain healthy eating habits and weight management. Obesity is a common problem with PWS. In fact, most people Cyle’s age (22) with PWS do not have muscle mass like he does. “A lot of families lock the fridge and lock the cabinets,” Denise explains. “We have always locked the cabinets, but there was only a small period of time that I locked the fridge because I conditioned him from the start [to] eat appropriately.” Cyle and Denise have several small meals throughout the day. Part of the reason is to help Cyle regulate his sugar, but it helps with reducing the habit of overeating at mealtimes. There are several medical conditions that come as a result of PWS. For Cyle, it has come with hypoglycemia, thyroid issues, and narcolepsy. “One of the lifethreatening disorders he has is called Central Adrenal Insufficiency, and that requires an emergency kit similar to an EpiPen, but it’s not epinephrine at all.”

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

Cyle was able to be a part of the general classroom, when he was in elementary and middle school. Instead of needing to go to a separate class for his specialists and therapies, the teachers were able to come to him. “It was a tremendous experience,

because that’s where the friendships he has today [were] formed. Being in that environment, he always aspired to do what [the other kids] wanted to do. So, early on I plugged him into music, art, and even archery in middle school. He was in the chorus, [too]. He really liked all those extra experiences,” Denise says as she looks over at Cyle and smiles. Denise brought Cyle to the Frank DeLuca YMCA Family Center when he was around five years old. As soon as he was eligible, she put him into basketball, and it quickly became his favorite sport. “He was so, so, so captivated by that whole bouncing of the ball. The coaches that took him under their wing were tremendous. The advantage of going through the Y system is that all children get to play.” When Cyle was in high school, he obtained an Agriculture Associate Certification and the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape (FNGL) certification in horticulture. He has been a part of Future Farmers of America (FFA), and he’s shown animals at the Livestock Pavilion. He rides horses, is the sole caretaker of his dog Batman, and hopes to attend a few college courses in this spring. But if you ask Cyle what his favorite activities are, he will tell you basketball and fishing. Cyle will always require a caregiver by his side, but he will never let PWS slow his ambitions.

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H E A LT H Y H E A R T

Healing Techniques

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE CHANGED HER LIFE

ANDRIA BURTON Story & Photo by LISA ANDERSON

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H E A LT H Y H E A R T

ou enter into a calm, quiet waiting room. The massage therapist guides you to a dimly lit room with ambient music and an essential oil diffuser. After a brief consultation, they leave the room. You undress to your comfort level, crawl onto the massage table, and sink into the warmth of the covers surrounding you. With a knock on the door, the therapist returns. They begin the massage and, soon, you have fallen into a relaxing sleep. If you just pictured a fancy spa with mini waterfalls, women with cucumbers on their eyes, and cashmere robes, you aren’t alone. When Andria Burton started her journey into massage therapy, she had to shift her thinking from luxury item to therapeutic benefits.

THE LONG, PAINFUL ROAD

In 2004, Andria began to experience numbness, swelling, and pain in her hands. “Sleeping became very problematic because it would wake me up.” She assumed the pain was a result of 10 to 12 hours spent daily at her desk, and she just “dealt” with it. By the time she sought medical help in 2006, her hands were swollen to the point that she could only feel the pain surging through the nerves. All other sensation was gone. Her doctor declared she did not have carpel tunnel, and Andria’s journey with physical therapy, anti-inflammatories, and lots of other conventional medical treatments began. It would last for two and a half years without relief. In the end, the doctor informed her she had developed carpel tunnel and would need the release surgery if she wanted to prevent permanent nerve damage. But the procedure didn’t fix the problem. “In fact, it probably made it worse, because now, I have a weakened wrist,” Andria explains. “To say I was a little depressed is an understatement. I couldn’t play with my kids; I couldn’t do anything. My hands hurt really bad.”

To say I was a little depressed is an understatement. I couldn’t play with my kids; I couldn’t do anything. — Andria Burton

She turned to Google for help and she came across something called neuromuscular therapy. “Now, at this point, I had no idea it was massage. When I discovered it was massage, I didn’t realize [it] had any therapeutic value.” She decided to try some the techniques on herself, and for the first time in over four years, Andria found some relief. It was at this point she started researching neuromuscular therapy schools. She laughs as she thinks about the first time she spoke to the receptionist at Cortiva Institute in Chicago, because it was how she learned that neuromuscular therapy was the same thing as massage therapy.

FINDING HER GIFT

“It turns out I had a knack for it,” Andria humbly states. “I’m pretty positive that this was God’s way of getting me into the role He had for me.” Before the 750-hour program, she didn’t understand that an accident in early childhood could have impact on someone many years later. “When I was 12 years old,

I was riding a bicycle and I got hit by a car. I ended up rolling onto the hood the car. My head broke and shattered the windshield. I rolled back onto the hood and, then, rolled unconscious to the ground. So, technically, that’s what set me up. It basically took from 1987 to 2004 before I started feeling it, and honestly, sitting at that desk for 10 to 12 hours a day was not healthy.” It might have taken 17 years for her body to fully realize the traumatic event and the day-to-day activities that exacerbated the condition, but it only took 11 years for Andria to fully heal through massage therapy. In 2019, she finally found complete relief from her on-going symptoms—even as they had been greatly reduced over the years. After she had graduated school, Andria spent most of her time honing her craft in chiropractic, physical therapy, and wellness clinics. In 2018, she opened Seva Massage Therapy right here in Ocala. Her massage therapy career has already outlasted the average career span for a massage therapist, and Andria has no plans of stopping any time soon. She feels blessed by her gift and the ability to help others find their path to wellness as she has done.

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FOLLOW ME

Shared Suffering THE CONCLUSION OF JULIA’S STORY

JULIA DOSSANTOS Story & Photo by LISA ANDERSON

fter her brother passed away in 2007, Julia DosSantos knew she needed to get healthy. She would work out off and on, and her dietary habits would fluctuate. In order to establish a stronger routine, she began boxing. However, Julia’s self-confidence took a hit when she received a black eye during an exhibition match. She began to doubt her ability, and boxing was never the same for her. Between the low self-esteem and the loss of her aunt and her father-in-law, Julia decided not to return to the ring. She went back to her unstable home workout. In 2019, her doctor suggested she join a gym with classes. “I like being with other people. Shared suffering [is what] they call it,” she laughs. Julia decided to try the CrossFit classes offered at her new gym, but when she tried to lift the barbell, her weak wrist made the task feel impossible. The coach

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immediately began to show her alternative exercises, and Julia was encouraged by the directions she was given. Again, her selfconfidence started to become a barrier, but when she learned that several of the women in class had done CrossFit during their pregnancies, Julia was inspired. “Slowly, I started improving. It’s a tough workout, but [there’s] a feeling of accomplishment afterwards. It’s addicting!” One of her favorite accomplishments has been strengthening her wrists enough to pick up the barbell. “The feeling of holding the metal in my hands made me feel so strong.” Julia continues to attend classes, push herself, and conquer her fears. Ask her what she’d say to someone thinking about starting their own health journey and she’ll tell you to “get out of your comfort zone. You don’t know what you don’t know.” She didn’t know there were alternative ways to do the exercises in CrossFit, when she first started, and she didn’t expect to gain a new family, ready to motivate her. “Through shared suffering, you find a family you didn’t know you needed.”

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F R O M T H E PA D D O C K

A Heartfelt Calling FOUNDATION THOROUGHBRED FAMILY CONTINUES TO GIVE BACK

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F R O M T H E PA D D O C K

BONNIE & KIM HEATH Story by CYNTHIA MCFARL AND

Photos by JOSHUA JACOBS

n the mid-1950s, two oilmen from Oklahoma, Bonnie Heath and Jack Dudley, bought adjoining cattle ranches on State Road 200, just west of I-75, and turned them into Thoroughbred farms. Bonnie Heath Farm became one of Ocala’s foundation Thoroughbred operations and was the home of Needles, who, in 1956, became the first Florida-bred horse to win the famed Kentucky Derby. Tributes to the farm’s history can be seen in Ocala, including Bonnie Heath Boulevard and the various Heathbrook developments established around the farm’s original location. The Heath family continues to call Ocala home, but after decades of breeding and raising racehorses, their focus now is the creation of a non-profit facility to provide a Thoroughbred retirement sanctuary, along with community programs.

HORSE-INTENSIVE BACKGROUNDS

Named for his father, Bonnie Heath III grew up on the farm during the thrilling Needles era. He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a business degree in 1971 and returned to Ocala in 1974. Bonnie bought into his first racehorse in the early 1980s with Scott Dudley, the son of his father’s business partner. In 1988, he married Kim. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Kim was the horse-obsessed girl who skipped lunch at school so she could save up her lunch and allowance money to go ride at the beach rental stables for an hour on Saturdays. Since buying her first horse at age

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20, Kim has focused her career on the animals she loves, operating her own Thoroughbred boarding and breeding farm in Ocala for seven years. After Kim and Bonnie were married, they offered to run the farm for the elder Heaths, but Bonnie’s dad didn’t take them up on the offer until January 1991. “Three days after we took over, Holy Bull was born, and he turned out to be the best horse off the farm in all our years there,” recalls Bonnie of the gray colt who became a Grade One stakes winner of

F R O M T H E PA D D O C K

$2,481,760 and 1994 Champion Three-Year-Old Colt and 1994 Horse of the Year. Development finally caught up with Bonnie Heath Farm’s original location on State Road 200. “We moved the horses off that location in 1999 and boarded them until buying a farm in Reddick in 2004,” says Bonnie. “Since we moved off that location this year, we’ve boarded our horses, some in Kentucky and the others in Ocala.”

STAYING ENGAGED

Bonnie credits his father with instilling a passion for giving back and helping others. “My father was the first president of United Way in Marion County in 1961,” says Bonnie, who was 11 at the time. “I’ve found that people remember you for how much good you’ve done.” For decades, that principle has been a heartfelt calling for Kim and Bonnie. While continuing to operate Bonnie Heath Farm, they also got deeply involved in equine hurricane disaster relief efforts, rescuing and re-homing Thoroughbreds, as well as humanitarian and community services. In 2017, Kim and Bonnie Heath received the Carry Back Award for Community Service from the Florida Thoroughbred Farm Managers, Inc. The award recognized their efforts to coordinate and send shipments of feed, hay, medication, and supplies to assist the horses and livestock of Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico, during the hurricane disasters of 2017. While doing relief work for natural disasters, the Heaths met Michael Blowen of Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, dedicated to pensioned ex-racehorses. “We got friendly with the organization; Michael was, and is, a huge inspiration and support,” says Kim, adding that he continues to advise them on their own nonprofit.

graded stakes-winning producer who overcame debilitating laminitis to live a long, healthy life before passing in October 2021 at age 26. “We want to add a laminitis care division, and that will be her legacy,” says Kim. As their 501(c)(3) application is being finalized, the Heaths are in the process of procuring the right property for Pangea Equine. “We wanted to find a location that was closer to WEC [World Equine Center],” says Kim, noting that this will be more convenient for the public to interact with their nonprofit. The Heaths plans with Pangea Equine are as much for the community as for providing a safe retirement for Thoroughbreds. “We will offer equine-assisted therapies for children,

veterans, seniors, the emotionally and physically disabled, and victims of human trafficking,” says Kim. The Heaths will assist the Ocala Horse Alliance with their Black Stallion Reading Project by hosting fourth graders to read to the horses. “We hope to have anyone with reading disabilities come read to the horses,” adds Kim. Community outreach and education will make Pangea Equine a rewarding destination for anyone hoping to learn more about horsemanship. “We will provide a retirement home for ‘un-adoptable’ Thoroughbreds,” says Kim, “and while this will be our main purpose, we will offer public and private tours, storytelling, and horsemanship classes, as well as job training in the equine industry.”

Every horse we breed can come home to us, and each has a sticker on their registration certificate to that effect. — Bonnie Heath

PANGEA EQUINE

Providing a permanent home to older Thoroughbreds is nothing new to the Heaths. “We’ve always taken care of our pensioners and had pastures for our retired horses,” says Bonnie. “Every horse we breed can come home to us, and each has a sticker on their registration certificate to that effect.” The Heaths named Pangea Equine in honor of one of their foundation broodmares. Miss Pangea was a

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FROM THE EXPERTS

Exercise MORE THAN A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION Story by CYNTHIA MCFARL AND

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FROM THE EXPERTS

FORGET THE QUICK FIX

If you’re new to fitness, Ben shares helpful tips on how to make it stick. The first step, he says, is realizing this is a lifestyle change, not just about exercising. “Find workouts you like to do, and work out with a partner. When you

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WATCH THAT DIET

Basic changes to the diet can have impressive results. “Cut out soda, sugar, and processed food as much as possible,” suggests Ben. “A lot of people are dehydrated and don’t realize it. Drink at least six to eight glasses of water a day, and pound a couple glasses in the morning right when you wake up.”

To learn more about Ben Marciano and Zone Health and Fitness, visit their website below. Website: zonehealthandfitness.com

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Photo by Joshua Jacobs

“Across the country, only about 25 percent of the population is involved in some form of health and fitness program, but because of COVID, more people are waking up to realizing they need to do something about their overall health,” says Ben, who bought Zone Health and Fitness in 2014. This means many first-time exercisers will flock to gyms and start exercise routines in January. The question is: Will it last? “Someone has to be ready to make a change. We call it ‘uncovering their why.’ If someone is only at a four on a commitment scale of 1-10, they probably won’t stick with it when they get busy and life happens,” says Ben.

clothes will fit differently,” he explains. “At Zone we have a scanner that measures lean body mass, BMI, and hydration. Clients can use it as often as they want, because it comes with membership. People measure and see results and feel better about their journey as they see changes.”

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GETTING STARTED

have accountability with a partner, your likelihood of failing goes down,” notes Ben, adding that this is one of the benefits of joining a gym. “You have to find something you like to do. Weight training is very important, especially as you get older, because it increases bone density.” Don’t expect overnight results. “People come in and want to lose 50 pounds in 30 days, which is an unrealistic goal,” says Ben. “You may not lose the weight right away, but you can find improvement in other areas, such as more energy, better sleep, and lower stress. “A lot of people get hung up on the number on the scale. As you build lean muscle mass, you may weigh as much as you did before, but your

Photo by BrianAJackson/DepositPhotos.com

itness may seem physical, but it involves so much more, points out Ben Marciano, owner of Zone Health and Fitness in Ocala. “As someone learns discipline, gets fit, and sees changes, they find it’s not only about the physical, but it’s also mental and emotional,” says Ben, who has worked in the fitness industry for over 20 years.

FROM THE EXPERTS

Going for the Win CHAMPION LEADERSHIP ON & OFF THE FIELD Story by DR. MANAL FAKHOURY

ith Super Bowl LVI being played on February 13, 2022, it seems to be an appropriate time to look at the leadership qualities that create champions on the field and in the office.

WATCH THE CLOCK

When there are only minutes left to make that winning touchdown or meet those crucial deadlines, a true leader knows how to encourage the hustle successfully. If you find yourself in a leadership role, you’ll need to find ways to keep your calm under pressure, while simultaneously creating a sense of urgency. Screaming from the sidelines might be productive for Bill Belichick, but your team will probably respond better if you step back, take a breath, and create a realistic action plan to meet deadlines before the clock runs out.

KNOW YOUR TEAM

FOCUS ON THE FIRST DOWNS

For those not familiar with football, a first down is, according to Merriam Webster dictionary, “the first of a series of usually four downs in which a football team must net a 10-yard gain to retain possession of the ball.” To put it simply, a football field is 100 yards, not including end zones. A team’s offense has four

Photo by bernardbodo/DepositPhotos.com

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Photo submitted by Dr. Manal Fakhoury

Great leaders are surrounded by great teammates, and each member of the team comes with special strengths and skills. When building a team, find individuals with unique skill sets that complement the skills of other team members. It would be impossible to win if every member of the team played quarterback. Not only is it important to build a team with diverse skills, it is just as important to know how to encourage success. Find each member’s strengths and work on developing those. And remember that when the team wins, you must celebrate the team as a whole; the overall victory consists of countless small wins along the way.

chances to move down the field 10 yards. If they make it within those four attempts, they get four more to move another 10, and so on and so forth. Ten yards probably doesn’t seem like a lot, but for those on the field and in the moment, it can seem like an impossible goal. Similarly, when your team is making progress on a goal, even if the end zone still seems like a mile away, focus on the progress. Cheer on the progress. Encourage the next 10 yards. Regardless of which team you’re cheering on in this year’s Super Bowl, remember that you can lead your own team to success and create champions every day.

LEARN MORE

For the past 35 years, Manal has been making a difference in Ocala with hard work, generosity, and outstanding leadership. Visit: myfli.com or vestechpartners.com

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Photo by Lisa Anderson

a change in perspective Ballerina Reflects on her Battle with Chronic Pain

Story by LISA ANDERSON

ife rarely delivers what we expect of it; usually, we take the punches and move on. But every now and then, it stops us in our tracks, as it did for Leighton Okus on October 5, 2018. “I had chronic hip pain from ballet. When you’re a dancer you have a different level of pain threshold. I literally bled through my point shoes on stage, one time—where you could see the blood on my shoes— and I didn’t know it. The show must go on!” After researching a functional medicine procedure and speaking with individuals for whom it had been successful, Leighton thought the best-case scenario

would be a reduction in left hip pain. She thought the worst-case scenario was it wouldn’t help her, and she would spend her life taking too much ibuprofen. “But what it did, instead, was change my whole life,” she says, while fighting back tears.

LITTLE BALLERINA

“I started ballet when I was eight. I think, probably, just because of my life here in Ocala, I’m synonymous with ballerina.” Leighton is known for working with local photographers, showing up at the boxing gym with her hair in a bun after teaching ballet lessons,

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some minor injuries (e.g. lost toenails), and by 18, she had a bunionectomy. She returned to dance at 19, when she began teaching at Dance Divine.

COMPLICATIONS

“I had my children when I was very young. I had my first son at 21, my second son at 24, and my daughter when I was 27 [years old]. I think that my hip pain became something that was a concern after I had kids,” Leighton says thoughtfully. By her early thirties, the pain couldn’t be ignored as easily. She tried several methods of treatment from

anti-inflammatories to massage therapy. Most of the things she tried helped some, but nothing was long term. “Ultimately, I had arthritis in the joint. What I did not do was quit training like I was going to the Olympics,” she chuckles. In 2018, Leighton researched a European functional medicine procedure and opted to give it a try. It would either help reduce the pain or not. “What happened after was not…” She takes a long pause, as the emotions overwhelm her. “Within 24 hours, I couldn’t walk.” She knew immediately something was not right.

Photo by Tommy Cuevas

teaching barre classes at ONE Hot Yoga, and now in the medical community. She grew up dancing at a Christian dance studio called Dance Divine, where she would go on to teach for 12 years after college. “What I loved the most about ballet was equal parts athleticism and the structure of it, but at the same time, the goal was always to be graceful. “The school where I grew up dancing really, really, really focused and drove home being healthy. We talked about the prevalence of eating disorders in ballet. No one skirted the issue. We talked about what was healthy for us to eat, in order to maintain our athleticism. We would have honest conversations with our teachers about what we were eating and if we were feeding our bodies well, because it was very important to our teacher that she have a culture of healthy dancers. I appreciate it now as an adult. I appreciate it now that I have a daughter, who is in sixth grade. It paved the way for me to be able to have those kinds of conversations, because I always had them growing up.” At the age of 16, Leighton realized her body was not the standard for professional dancers at that time. So, she decided to give her body a break. She already had

Photo by Lisa Anderson

Her hip joint became frozen. “The practice where it happened had not seen this type of reaction before. They treated me for pain, [but] it only got worse. On the sixth day I went to the hospital. I had a systemic staph infection. It was resistant to medication, and ultimately became a septic infection that encapsulated in my hip joint.” Leighton describes it as a plot in a movie where a freak accident occurs. The infection would simply not leave her body. “It was really one of the hardest, darkest, scariest things. I was at West Marion (Ocala Health) for almost a month. I had really wonderful care there. I have thought, over the years, how much I wish I could go back and find my nurses to tell them thank you.” In addition to the staph infection, Leighton had a very rare bacteria called actinomycosis. Her doctor reached out to his medical network across the country to discuss her case. One of the bright spots for her was a note written on the whiteboard in her room that read “ballerina.” Leighton finally had surgery to flush her hip joint, on November 7, 2018, and she was able to return home three days later, free of infection. She remained on antibiotics for “what felt like eternity.” Coupled with the strong medications she received for pain and her PICC line, Leighton’s body required a long time to heal. She noticed her hip pain was completely gone after the surgery, and she began to think maybe the whole ordeal was a blessing in disguise. “A couple months after [the surgery] it came back with a vengeance, but I really didn’t want to have anything else done, ever. I didn’t want to care for it, because I was too afraid—” Her words cut off, as she begins to choke up with emotion. “You play out all the scenarios in your head.” At last, she went for an MRI in late 2019, and her doctor told her she would require a hip replacement. This was something she thought wouldn’t happen until her fifties, but now her second hip replacement will be in her fifties. The surgery was postponed until September 2021 due to COVID-19. “Twenty twenty-one was probably one of the hardest years, physically. My hip pain was at an all-time high. It made it hard for me to function, hard for me to train [or] sleep. I sprained my left ankle in January, then I broke my right heel in March.” Both incidents were weird accidents that took a long time to heal. “Chronic pain is just awful. It changes who you are. It makes everything a bit more aggravating. It makes everything more exhausting. Now, I have no hip pain. I will not have pain in that joint until it’s time to get a new one.” The month in and out of the hospital in 2018 and her recent hip surgery really changed Leighton’s perspective on life, and she feels it’s for the better. A fighter from the beginning, a little hip surgery won’t stop this ballerina. “The goal is that I’ll be able to dance again. I can do a little. Almost daily, I try a little something, but I promised my doctor I wouldn’t overdo it,” she says with a mischievous smile.

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THE CHEWS LETTER

BYOB

BREW YOUR OWN BEVERAGE Story by CYNTHIA MCFARL AND

Photos by JOSHUA JACOBS

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THE CHEWS LETTER

From trying new recipes, to making the product and interacting with customers, we make sure they’re having a good experience. — Tim Allen

TIM ALLEN

hen opportunity knocks, it’s best to open the door, even when it means relocating and tackling something totally new. For Tim Allen and Adam Wood, owners of The Corkscrew Winery, that door opened in September 2019. Both are Florida natives. Adam was raised in Ohio and joined the Air Force out of high school. Tim hails from Destin. The two met when Adam was stationed in Pensacola; they’ve been together since 2012 and married in 2017.

HOW IT BEGAN

“Adam wanted to own a business. I was working as a server,” recalls Tim. “We worked with Dawn Crown, a business broker from Ocala.” After discovering that most of the Panhandle opportunities were in the medical and military fields, they agreed to look in Ocala. “We came down

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here in May 2019, and Dawn showed us three businesses. The Corkscrew kind of stood out. The concept was unique and not something we were familiar with,” says Tim. Founded in 2012 by Joe and Kelli Carvalho, with locations in both Ocala and The Villages, The Corkscrew originally just offered the opportunity to make your own wine. The business expanded as a place to socialize over wine and snacks, and in 2016, craft beer-making classes were added. Although neither Adam nor Tim had winery or brewery experience, they quickly realized this was the business for them. “After Adam got out of the military, he worked with an accountant. He had the financial business background, and I had worked in the service industry most of my life, so this was the best of both worlds for us,” says Tim. “We didn’t have a lot of wine knowledge, but we learned a lot from Joe and Kelli,” he adds.

HOW IT’S GOING

Tim and Adam updated some of the recipes and now offer about two dozen wine recipes and about 12 craft beers. “We

try to make it educational and fun,” says Tim, who enjoys teaching the beer classes, while they both teach wine-making. “From trying new recipes, to making the product and interacting with customers, we make sure they’re having a good experience and having fun,” says Tim. Beer-making classes are held at The Villages location and can take up to four hours. Winemaking classes take about an hour, after which the wine enters the aging process. Fermenting can take several months, depending on the wine. Participants then return to taste, cork, and bottle their creations. In addition to wine and beer-making, The Corkscrew features a wine and beer bar, live music, and a venue for private events. At the Ocala location, customers rent out the back room and patio for celebratory events like birthdays, anniversaries, bridal showers, and more. “We also do side events like paint and sip, wine yoga, and we want to do more things like that,” adds Tim.

LEARN MORE

thecorkscrewwinery.com

Photo Credit: Dave Miller

www.nomaocala.com

ARTIST CORNER

Q&A with SUSAN MARTIN Story by PATRICIA TOMLINSON

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ARTIST CORNER

How did you come up with the idea to paint botanical subjects? I have loved plants and trees since I was young. The varieties in shape and form, color, and texture—especially in Florida—provide a rich source of imagery. Many of my paintings are based on plants in my yard or my neighborhood. Why do you focus intently on a small section, instead of painting a larger scene? I revel in the variety of line and shape, color and value, that are only visible when one is up close. When examined thus, these elements become something more than a tree or vine or leaf. Focus in on a defined area without background and one begins to compose a design, as through the lens of a camera. The shapes between—the negative shapes—become as important and interesting as the positive ones. How do you approach these paintings? Do you paint plein air [out-of-doors]? Do you paint from photographs? My paintings usually take hundreds of hours, so I take many, many photographs, as a sort of “sketchbook,” and create compositions from those, often using only a small part of an image. What are you trying to communicate through your paintings? That the botanical world is a glorious place to explore. It need not be beautiful or perfect to be interesting, and often, it is right in front of us. All of the vegetation rendered in your artwork appears to be from different places. How do you decide what/where is a suitable subject for your paintings? Are you looking for something specific? Yes, complexity. A little chaos from which to compose. Images with color and lots of distinct parts and pieces. Out of all the photographs I take, only a few provide that. Anything else you’d like to add? I encourage viewers to get up close to my pieces and experience the colors and lines and shapes without thinking too much about what it is. Let the eye wander and enjoy just for the pleasure it might bring.

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ABOUT THE WRITER

Patricia Tomlinson is Curator of Exhibitions at the Appleton Museum of Art, College of Central Florida. She joined the Appleton in 2016 after having served as curatorial staff at the Denver Art Museum for eight years. Tomlinson received degrees from the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado State University and the University of Denver. Current research includes portrayals of women in 19th Century art and the convergence of cultures as witnessed in art of the ancient Americas.

Photos submitted by Appleton Museum: Susan Martin, “Mosaic,” 2009, Acrylic on canvas, 36 x 60 in. On loan from the artist. Susan Martin, “Croton Splash,” 2013, Acrylic on canvas, 18 x 24 in. Gift of the Artist. | Patricia Tomlinson

lorida artist Susan Martin’s photorealistic canvasses explore the botanical world by concentrating on small portions of plant life. Her exquisite attention to detail, sharp use of contrast, and balanced compositions of lush plant life can be appreciated by art and outdoor lovers, alike. Her work is currently on exhibit at the Appleton Museum of Art in a solo-show called “Garden Party,” in the Balcony Gallery for Florida Artists, through April 24th. Patricia Tomlinson, Curator of Exhibitions at the Appleton, chatted with Martin about her work and inspirations.

ARTIST CORNER

ARTIST Q&A: OLIVIA ORTIZ, LEFT ON BROADWAY What type of an artist are you/What is your medium? Musician/Singer/Songwriter What types of art and culture do you like to consume? Local art shows, concerts, and museums. Also, new music Friday releases on Spotify have caused many “down the rabbit hole,” moments where we have found new musicians and bands to enjoy listening to. Is there a connection between your message and the way you make your art? As an individual, I enjoy sparking joy and fun in the lives of others. During COVID, when no one could leave, we did a “Gratitude Tour.” This was our creative way of imparting a message of hope and a little bit of nostalgia to get people feeling a little bit normal during that time. It also opened us up to being vulnerable and creative when we made up an individual song for each location on the spot. What are you besides an artist? How do you define your role in life? A creator down to my core. My days are filled with creating handmade beauty and personal care

products, design, writing lyrics and programming music, and painting when I can. I also love creating ways for others to experience the joys of the arts as well. I think my role in life might be to give hope to others by sparking joy and making way for other creatives to have a platform to share as well. How do you define success as an artist or person? What do you hope to accomplish? I think past trauma and pain can cause intense creativity, and channeling that into your art is a beautiful thing. Success as a person and artist is when you are comfortable

enough in your own skin to show this vulnerability to the world and let others know that it is 100 percent okay to be flawed and have a past and that you are okay with that. How can we support you? The band website is leftonbroadway.com and the band can be found on Facebook at Left on Broadway.

ARTIST Q&A: DRAYTON CARLTON, END ARCHAIC

What types of art and culture do you like to consume? I was born in Detroit Rock City, where all walks of musicians and artists gathered to express what they do and who they are. With that level of artistry and culture around every corner, you feel the creativity surrounding you. This turned into a passion for culture and all different kinds of art, such as graphic arts, cooking, music, and acting.

Photo by Olivia Ortiz

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Photo by Mike Palma

What type of an artist are you/What is your medium? My biggest goal, when playing drums, is to express who I am and my story without the use of words. I come from a diverse background, starting with classic rock, like Foreigner and Mötley Crüe, eventually evolving into jazz and blues. The story told is completely up to how the listener interprets the music.

Is there a connection between your message and the way you make your art? My message and art are one in the same. End Archaic has connected music with deeply realistic subject matter within the songs. We are performing our thoughts as a whole and performing them into a message itself.

What are you besides an artist? How do you define your role in life? I strongly believe that the selfless side of myself says that being a decent human being, role model, the ideal son, and the best fiancé I can be to my better half is currently my role.

How can we support you? Search "End Archaic" on all music platforms. We are also on Facebook and Instagram with the same search.

How do you define success as an artist or person? What do you hope to accomplish? In our modern times, “success” tends to be measured in monetary terms. While I agree with that on certain levels, I think that success is measured by the people you moved and/or helped with your art.

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forgiveness IS THE hardest thing

Locala February 2022, Volume 1, Issue No. 9

Articles inside

Letter from the Publisher