Locala Magazine, December 2022, Ocala, FL by Lisa Anderson Media, LLC

YAMILA ACOSTA

Kinship: Cuban Immigrant Builds ESOL Program with Tough Love

MARGARET DIXON

Out of Chaos: Musician Finds Her Place with Community Outreach

JUSTINE DUTTON

The Horse Life: International Showjumper Lands in Reddick

Volume 02, Issue No. 07 • DECEMBER 2022

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© Lisa Anderson Media, LLC and Locala™. All rights reserved. Online: ISSN 2771-1056, Print: ISSN 2771-1048, December 2022, Volume 02, Issue Number 07. 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. Cover price for sale distribution is $3.75. Proudly 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 EDITOR

Dear Ocala Focus on Literacy

BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS

08 ON THE COVER

Unsung Hero: Retiree Launches County’s First Literacy Program

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

The Horse Life: International Showjumper Lands in Reddick

ACCESS

Patience: Legally Blind Father Focuses on What He Can Control

THE CHEWS LETTER

Cookie Art: Self-Taught Baker Fulfills Her Destiny

ARTIST CORNER

Inflatable Art: Large-Scale Artist Inspired by Pool Toys

Michelle Pack: The Wallflower Hippie

FOCUS ON LITERACY

Undaunted: Drop-Out Learns English, Earns GED Through Literacy Council

Dream Job: Volunteer Teaches More Than English

Kinship: Cuban Immigrant Builds ESOL Program with Tough Love

F E AT U R E

Out of Chaos: Musician Finds Her Place with Community Outreach localamag.com

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

DEAR OCALA,

December is National Read a New Book Month, so we partnered with the Ocala Marion County Literacy Council to bring you some stories about those who support, teach for, and learn through their programs. In our themed department, A Focus on Literacy (starting on page 11), we talked with former student Manuel Cortes Roldan, tutor Mary Beth Mutarelli, and Director of Programs and Services Yamila Acosta. Nothing breaks social norms like stepping out of retirement to create a non-profit focused on education. That’s why we caught up with Marion County Literacy Council founder Barbara Woodson (page 8). We also wanted to take the opportunity to take a look at music literacy, and we reached out to the Reilly Arts Center’s Director of Education and Community Outreach, Margaret Dixon (page 28). She joined us in the podcast studio for her interview, which means you can watch or listen to the full interview after reading her story. Speaking of the podcast, R.J. Jenkins, also a member of the Marion Literacy Council Board, took over as host of the Locala podcast to interview his former student Manuel Cortes Roldan. Check out both interviews for extended content!

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We have some more incredible stories in our other departments— Access, The Chews Letter, and From the Paddock. This month, we spoke with Tony DeLisle (page 23) about his experience with gradually losing his sight. We were completely impressed with trainer and showjumper Justine Dutton (page 19), and we tasted some mouthwatering cookies when speaking to Jessica Crouch (page 33). Don’t forget to stop by the Artist Corner to get a look into the lives and inspiration of some incredibly talented artists, and be sure to

stop by our blog at www.localamag.com to catch up on Dr. Manal Fakhoury’s take on leadership (From the Experts). We would also like to invite you to join us at the Juniper General Store on Saturday, December 10, 2022 for the Holiday Reading Party, a fun-filled day of readings, hot or cold beverages, and fundraising for the Marion County Literacy Council. We wish you a very merry holiday season! Most Sincerely,

Photo by Jackie Korpela

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BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS

Unsung Hero

RETIREE LAUNCHES COUNTY’S FIRST LITERACY PROGRAM

BARBARA WOODSON Story by TAYLOR STRICKL AND

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Photo by JOSHUA JACOBS

BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS

“I

had someone tell me once that I was being used in a divine way,” shares Barbara Woodson, former Deputy Regional Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration of Region IX in San Francisco and Founder of the Marion Literacy Council. “I’m not even religious, but I believe it.” In 1998, Barbara exchanged her beloved San Francisco for what she thought would be peaceful retirement in Ocala, Florida. “I found out I was very bad at golf very quickly,” she laughs. “I was only 56 years old, so I thought I would volunteer. I had always wanted to teach someone how to read. I was interested in it back in San Francisco, and I soon found out that there was nothing here in Marion County.” Nevertheless, Barbara was determined to help.

JUMPING HURDLES

“It occurred to me that I didn’t know how to teach someone to read, so I got on the internet and found out that Leon County had a literacy project,” Barbara recalls. “They steered me toward Orlando, which, at the time, had a big program. “They used a system called Laubach,” Barbara says. “It’s a beautiful system, because it’s based on all the senses: the eyes, the ears, tactile. “I was learning the system and thought it was simple. It occurred to me that I could teach other people how to do this. I thought, with all those retired people, there were probably a lot of them that were pretty bad at golf, too, and maybe they would want to help me.” When Barbara returned from her training in Orlando, she immediately set about recruiting others in her local community of Oak Run. “Pretty soon, we had 50 people.” However, the next hurdle was the most important. Barbara had no students and was uncertain how to find them. “I didn’t need to wait very long, because apparently, I’ve got a big mouth,” she says, only a little abashed. “I was a pest all over–Ed Dean, the hospital, the mayor’s office, anybody who would listen.” Not everyone was as enthusiastic about the project as Barbara’s neighbors. “Kind of the attitude I got was, ‘This little old lady who moved here from California thinks we’re stupid, and she’s going to educate us,’” Barbara mocks. “It took a long time to convince people that I wasn’t in this for something, but it’s a beautiful cause.” Not to be deterred, Barbara pushed forward. She knew there was need for a literacy program. “It’s easier to go to jail than to go to school. It’s an industry, and in the South, it’s intergenerational,” she says. “We have a huge literacy problem. “Word got out to the social workers. I got a cold-call one day from a social worker, and she says, ‘I got somebody that needs to know how to read.’ That was out in Belleview, and Eddie was my first student,” Barbara states proudly. “We did our first lesson of Laubach and then I said, ‘Okay, Eddie, read it to me,’ and he did. I said, ‘Holy crap! This thing works! I can teach someone to read.’ That lit a fire in me.”

It occurred to me that I didn’t know how to teach someone to read… — Barbara Woodson

AN HONOR

Barbara ascribes the Literacy Council’s success to the influence of many quiet, unsung heroes. “I didn’t do this alone, you know,” she asserts. Kevin Christian, current spokesman for the school district and former NBC affiliate reporter for Marion County, was one of many such charitable figures. “Kevin was there, one day, doing an interview with the principal, and I grabbed him.” Though hesitant at first, Kevin was amazed at the elderly Jerome’s progress. Rather than air his intended story on NBC that night, he did a feature on the Literacy Council instead. “That was huge!” Barbara exclaims. “People began to really believe we existed. We were real.” From a small project of determined retirees, Wednesday nights at St. Jude’s Catholic Church, to a room in Howard Middle School, to a closet in the old Chamber

of Commerce building in downtown Ocala, the Literacy Council slowly came to fruition through the labor and kindness of others. “This has been such a blessing to me. I don’t think I did it alone, so it makes me uncomfortable being praised. I would have quit if I could–I tried. “So many times, I thought, ‘Well, this is the end. I can’t go on.’ I was teaching students, evaluating the students, training the tutors, ordering the books, putting together bookcases, writing stories in the newspaper for free to get publicity, losing money, and my husband was sick. My husband was dying,” explains Barbara, referring to her late husband Lyle. “He was a big help to me. He did an awful lot. He was always my biggest cheerleader.” When asked what kept bringing her back, Barbara’s response is simple. “The phone would ring, and how do you tell someone no? How do you say no when they come to you and want a better job, a better life? You can’t.” She shakes head. “What an honor to be used like this. Truly divine.” Barbara has since retired from her leadership duties at the Literacy Council, but is still open to volunteering should her services be needed. Most of her time is now spent going on grand adventures with her senior dog. “Terminal,” Barbara says fondly, gesturing to her furry companion. “But we’re still going!”

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FOCUS ON LITERACY

Undaunted

DROP-OUT LEARNS ENGLISH, EARNS GED THROUGH LITERACY COUNCIL

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FOCUS ON LITERACY

MANUEL CORTES ROLDAN Story by TAYLOR STRICKL AND

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Photo by JOSHUA JACOBS

FOCUS ON LITERACY

orn in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Manuel Cortes Roldan has never called one place home for long. From the age of 2, he vacillated between one place or another. “First, I came here when I was 2 years old, then I moved back when I was 5, then I came back again when I was 12.” Manuel was in the fifth grade before he became acquainted with the United States’ education system. Linguistically, he felt little discrepancy in the change. “I didn’t see any difference, because when I came in, I went straight to the bilingual class. Everybody spoke Spanish, so I was like, okay,” Manuel shrugs. “I didn’t really like school. This is why I didn’t get my GED. It was because of the way the teachers acted towards you.” Manuel felt that most of his teachers invariably broke the little trust he had in them by overreacting to his childhood antics. “Once you acted out and did it, it was like the end of the world. “If I had put my head down and did it, I would have done good, but I was the clown in the class,” Manuel says, describing his adolescent self ruefully. “I failed the tenth grade,” Manuel shares. “I moved back to Puerto Rico.” He ultimately decided that school wasn’t for him. “I didn’t work. I was just doing whatever I could–stealing or riding horses.” Despite his roguish lifestyle, Manuel managed to avoid any serious trouble. Once he tired of living on the edge, he decided it was time for a change. “Like, I can’t find work here,” he explains. “So, let me move back to the United States, so I can find a better solution.” Manuel was 19 years old when he finally returned to the States. The heat was what brought Manuel to Ocala. “I was tired of the cold, man,” he laughs. “I came here with my grandma. She still lives with me.”

WINGING IT

Manuel’s involvement with the Literacy Council began with the president and CEO of Neighborhood Storage, Todd Rudnianyn. “It happened due to my brother. My brother was working with the mother of Todd on their farm. He said, ‘Hey, my brother is looking for work.’ After that, I was already hired as soon as my brother said, ‘He’s looking for work.’ “I started as maintenance,” Manuel recalls. “Just Tier 1: regular guy cleaning units, cleaning bathrooms, picking up trash, making sure everything was okay.” Unlike other places Manuel has worked, he felt something different about the environment at Neighborhood Storage. “It’s like they really value you as an employee, where with the other ones, it felt like you were replaceable.” Not only did Manuel feel appreciated at Neighborhood Storage, he also found people to uplift him. “Molly has been like the one who breaks me into the person I am today, little by little,” Manuel says fondly. Molly was Manuel’s manager and biggest supporter. “At the beginning, I felt I had no value; because of the other places, I didn’t care. She has been the one breaking that wall to the place I am now.” Manuel also credits the owner of Neighborhood Storage for his change in outlook. “The owner himself coming to me, asking me to go to school and giving me all these options. I was like, ‘Why are you even doing this?’ He said, ‘You have a lot of potential, so you’re just wasting it.’ “I wanted to improve myself. I wanted to grow in this company that treats me so well. That’s when I asked Todd and Miranda, what could I do to grow in this company?” Miranda is part of Neighborhood Storage’s human resources department. She directed Manuel to the Literacy Council. Despite his previous negative experiences with school, Manuel was undaunted by the challenge ahead. “I just winged it,” he says. “I needed to get my GED and just went for it.”

choice. If you don’t pay attention, that will be on you.” Manuel’s test scores increased exponentially during the program. His science tests alone increased 30 percent. “I think it was my determination to get the GED as fast as possible. I had a deadline for myself. I had to get this fast, so I could get my promotion.” The penultimate moment in Manuel’s academic journey was passing his first test. “Being straightforward,” he begins, “it felt more awesome when I did the first test than when I got my GED.” It wasn’t until that first hurdle was cleared that Manuel felt equipped to tackle the rest. Manuel has since been promoted to Lead of Maintenance at Neighborhood Storage. “They made me a trainer. Now, I know a little bit about how you feel teaching somebody something and they’re able to acquire that information, and you see them doing it for themselves.” Academia hasn’t released its hold on just Manuel yet. “I would like to keep going,” he shares. “I’ve already talked to Todd about college. He’s already set me up with an email. Now, it’s up to me.”

EXTENDED CONTENT Full interview on YouTube.

SCHOOL BEHAVIOR

Both Neighborhood Storage and the Literacy Council were prompt about Manuel’s enrollment. “Literally, after three hours of speaking with Miranda in HR, she went straight to Todd. That’s when I got the phone call.” To his surprise, Manuel excelled in the GED program. He believes his success was due to the different expectations for adult learners. “It wasn’t like school behavior,” he muses. “It was more like you’re here because you want to be here, so this is your

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FOCUS ON LITERACY

Dream Job

VOLUNTEER TEACHES MORE THAN ENGLISH

MARY BETH MUTARELLI Story by JODI ANDERSON

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Photo by JOSHUA JACOBS

FOCUS ON LITERACY

ary Beth Mutarelli’s life has always revolved around helping people. “I’m hooked on helping people move toward their goals.” Mary Beth finished her graduate studies in Social Work and moved to Ocala with her husband Rich in 1984. Except for a short stint in Phoenix, Arizona, they have been here ever since. “We came back to Ocala because that felt like home.” The newly minted social worker started her career with the Marion County Schools, doing home visits and acting as communication liaison between families and the five schools to which she was assigned. “That was a really good experience for me to firsthand understand some of the challenges people face,” she recalls. Over 15 years, she saw all the obstacles underprivileged families had to overcome, “basic things you would take for granted,” like no electricity or water, a lack of transportation and medical care, simply trying to get enough money to go to the laundromat. “You start where they are,” Mary Beth says. “I think that was the biggest lesson that I learned from social work school. You try to put yourself in their situation.”

A NEW DIRECTION

As her parents’ health declined, Mary Beth took a step back from her career to care for them for a couple of years. She began to volunteer in her children’s classrooms. The principal of Osceola Middle School approached her during a fundraising car wash. “She said, ‘I’m looking for someone just like you,’” Mary Beth remembers. “I wasn’t thinking about going school-based at that point.” A couple of years later, she had six new certifications and was working in a selfcontained classroom with developmentally challenged students. “I absolutely loved being school-based,” Mary Beth enthuses. “I enjoyed the parents I had. They were on the team with me to do whatever we could to help their children. It was a fabulous job for me.” Her goal was to help her students become as self-sufficient as possible. Their classroom had a kitchen and a washing machine and dryer. They went on field trips to the grocery store. And they would visit classes like art, physical education, and band. “We were very included in the school.” Mary Beth retired in 2012. Four years later, she discovered she had cancer. “I’ve always been taught to look around and see what others were doing. I would go to the waiting rooms and say, ‘Oh, that person is really going through it.’” Mary Beth had to learn to recognize that her pain was just as valid. “I have a lot of spiritual faith, so I believe I have been steered. I have been guided throughout my life.” Thankfully, she considers herself in recovery. In 2017, Rich had the chance at his dream job in Phoenix as a hospital administrator overseeing clinics in needy communities. During that time, Mary Beth volunteered with a women’s service club. “One of the things we were doing was tutoring at a Title I school. It was a school where the children had a lot of the problems [similar to the families] I had visited.” When Rich began having health issues, the couple returned to Ocala.

You start where they are. I think that was the biggest lesson that I learned from social work school. — Mary Beth Mutarelli

BACK IN THE CLASSROOM

Mary Beth started looking around for similar volunteer experiences, perhaps working with children again. Her son’s wife was involved with Marion County Literacy Council through the Junior League of Ocala and suggested she might tutor there. Mary Beth now teaches 1-1/2 hour basic English classes twice a week. “I have been there a little over a year now—love it. LOVE it, like I can’t even tell you. It’s amazing,” she gushes. Most of her students are Spanish-speaking, but she has a smattering of other languages: Portuguese, Mandarin, Russian, Ukrainian. She says all the adults have

different goals, but they have commonalities. “Their shared goal is to master life, where they need to speak English, where they need to understand English,” explains Mary Beth. “The emphasis is not so much on reading English, but they are acquiring it.” Mary Beth and her students have become like family. She compares it to her experience teaching her special ed students. “The environment of the classroom is so important...We are kind to each other.” She admires her students’ courage and motivation to come to class, but she feels they give her more than she gives them. “It’s like a dream job. I come out of there feeling very fulfilled and happy. I feel like I made somebody’s life just a little bit better today, and that makes me feel better about myself,” she smiles. “They thank me. They call me Teacher. ‘We love you, Teacher.’ And who wouldn’t love that?” In her spare time, Mary Beth is a selfdescribed “crazy avid reader.” She jokes to her attorney son that she has graduated from the John Grisham Law School, as her favorite genre is legal thrillers. She is excited to get to know her brand new granddaughter. And she does pilates to stay healthy. “It’s all about the age I’m at, right now; it’s stimulation, making sure that I’m keeping my brain active. That’s important!” But her heart will forever be with volunteering: “It’s the most feelgood experience you can imagine.”

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FOCUS ON LITERACY

Kinship CUBAN IMMIGRANT BUILDS ESOL PROGRAM WITH TOUGH LOVE

YAMILA ACOSTA Story by TAYLOR STRICKL AND

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Photo by JOSHUA JACOBS

FOCUS ON LITERACY

“I

was introduced to the Literary Council, because they needed a part-time data entry person,” shares Yamila Acosta, Director of Programs and Services for the Marion County Literacy Council. “I started here April 2013.” “Honestly, I didn’t start getting really into it until later on,” Yamila confesses. The Literary Council found itself overwhelmed by the demands of its many programs, which prompted a supervisor to reach out and ask Yamila to take over the ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) program. “That’s when I was sucked in because of my background. “I was born in Cuba,” Yamila says. “I came to the United States when I was 10 months old. My parents are immigrants; I’m an immigrant–raised in this country, went to school in this country. I always had my culture present. At home, we had to speak Spanish. When we were with our friends and when we were in school, we spoke English. That experience really opened a whole new world for me to be able to do what I do today.” Yamila feels a kinship with her ESOL students, as she sees her own life echoed in the stories they share. “This was my childhood. I’m that kid that was translating everything the teacher was saying to my parents, because they didn’t understand. “I knew what these adults in the program were actually feeling,” Yamila explains. “It was easy for me to understand what they needed. I think that’s what makes it work, because I have connected with my students on that level. “ESOL grew to be our biggest program. At the time, we only had about 50 or so students. I took it to another level, because I felt so close to it.” Yamila briefly left the Literacy Council in 2015 to cope with her father’s passing. “I came back just as a volunteer. I couldn’t stay away.” After Yamila made her prodigal return, she was dismayed to find that the ESOL program was gone. “No one spoke the language,” she laments. “If you don’t have someone who speaks the language, you can’t connect to those students. It was my mission to bring that back up, and I did.” Yamila’s former students were eager to resume their lessons. “We grew the program again. We’re now looking at close to 300 students in that program. “I want to say that was my baby,” Yamila says fondly. “It’s nice to be able to help someone believe in themselves, because that’s the first step. We believe in our students–even on the days that they don’t believe in themselves.”

It’s challenging, you know? We’re a small non-profit. We only have two paid employees right now. — Yamila Acosta

TOUGH LOVE

Holding adults accountable is not always easy, but Yamila is more than equipped to deal with the challenge. “I don’t want to say it takes a special kind of person,” she says sheepishly. “It sounds like I’m showing off, but it’s true. I have a strong personality. “I do give tough love,” Yamila laughs. “I’m a strong believer in tough love when you’re dealing with adults. You really have to challenge them in that way, but once they feel comfortable and they realize that someone is backing them up, they get that courage and that will to say, ‘I want to do this.’” Though firm, Yamila is always encouraging. “I never tell a student no, that they can’t come back if they’ve missed a session. I tell them, ‘You’re always welcome, because maybe that wasn’t your time. What did you learn? What are you going to do different?’ “I don’t ever want anyone to say they walked into the Literary Council and felt like they were nothing. I want them to feel like we’ve known them their entire lives,” Yamila says. It’s an effect she has worked hard to achieve. “That’s why we have

an open-door policy. Anybody can come to my office at any time. I don’t want to be the director that’s in the office away from everybody.” Thankfully, Yamila has found a reliable form of support: her children. “My kids have been coming here since they were small. This is a way of showing them it’s great to be bilingual, because it gives you the opportunity to help more people. It’s really grown on them. They love it. “It’s funny, I would bring them here during the summer, and now my 26-year-old is actually the young lady you see at the front.” Yamila smiles.

DOING MORE

Yamila only recently became director in July 2022. “It feels nice to be able to come as entry personnel and gradually work through all the levels,” she says. “I sit as the director of this amazing place that gave me the opportunity to help so many people. Now, I just want to do more. “It’s challenging, you know? We’re a small non-profit. We only have two paid employees right now. We have an amazing board of directors that always [has] our back, but we do all of this with volunteers.” As far as the future goes, Yamila is happy right where she is. “The day that I dread coming in, then that is the day I know I have to move on and do something else. As of right now, I still love this place. We’re still growing, and I think we have the potential to be so much bigger.”

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

ome people outgrow their childhood obsessions, leaving them behind as fond memories. Others channel their passions into successful careers that shape their lives. Justine Dutton chose the latter. An international showjumper and three-day eventer, who has competed around the world, Justine also trains and sells top caliber horses. Born in the south of England, Justine hails from Worthing, where she was fascinated with horses at a young age. “My aunt had horses, and my mum would take me to her place to visit and I would ride. I started taking weekly lessons about age 5,” she recalls. When Justine was 10, that same aunt gave her a Connemara-Cleveland Bay cross gelding named Lucky. “I did cross-country, jumping, and games—absolutely everything with him,” says Justine, who had that horse for about five years. At age 16, she stopped riding to just “be a teenager.” At 18, she got a job working in a bank and moved to London. However, it didn’t take long to realize she missed horses enough that she needed to find a way to get them back in her life. “Through the internet, I found a position in Canada. I called a friend and asked if she wanted to go with me, so we did,” says Justine of that job as working students at a riding school in Ontario. From then on, she never considered a career—or a life—that didn’t revolve around horses. “For a time, I went back and forth from Canada and the UK. I worked for Damien and Tanya Charles at their showjumping and boarding business in Surrey in England,” recalls Justine, who came to the U.S. in 2002, when she took a working student position in a three-day eventing barn in Pennsylvania. “We would go to Ocala for the winters, which is how I learned about Ocala,” she adds. At age 24, Justine went out on her own, riding and training three-day event horses. She was still in Pennsylvania in the summer and Ocala in the winter. She moved to Ocala permanently in late 2016.

CHANGING COURSE

The sport of eventing was her first love, and Justine competed through four-star level. She competed on the British Nations Cup team twice. She had a few bad falls, including one in particular at the 2017 Nations Cup in Virginia, when the horse she was riding fell on her in a water jump. The horse walked away, but Justine ended up with a collapsed lung, broken collarbone, multiple broken ribs, fractured shoulder and humerus and a damaged optic nerve that permanently altered the vision in her right eye. “I evented for a year after that, but my heart wasn’t in it anymore,” she says. “I always liked showjumping, so I began focusing on that.” Justine and her fiancé Chris Barnard are both British but met in the U.S. through friends in the horse world. Chris is a show jumping course designer, who travels extensively, designing competition courses. The couple owns Notting Hill Stables in Reddick, just north of Ocala where Justine’s business centers on riding, training, and selling showjumpers. Key members of the team include Jenn Cain, barn manager and head groom, and assistant Maya Wentz.

helpful. To ride in that kind of atmosphere is just great, and it’s also a great education for young horses,” she adds. Another aspect of Justine’s business traces back to her talented first horse as a child. She and Kate Tarrant, a partner in the UK, import and sell Connemaras for amateur riders in the States. The Irish breed is in high demand as jumpers, hunters, and fox hunters. “We’ve been selling two a month recently. It’s a good niche market. We have fun with it and name all of them after rock stars, so we don’t really run out of names,” smiles Justine. The other four-legged critters in her inner circle include two French Bulldogs, Fergie and Billie, and an orange mutt named Miley. Horses take up most of her life, but Justine still finds time for her friends, and she enjoys music, bands, and attending concerts. After all, those rock star names for her horses and dogs have to come from somewhere!

SHOWTIME

Justine currently has five horses she’s showing, three of which she owns; two are syndicated. While syndication of horses is more common in eventing and racehorses, Justine is happy to offer this experience to people in the world of showjumping. “It’s a way of owning a competition horse without the full responsibility of owning it all yourself. It’s a chance for people to have a nice day at the show in the VIP booth without having to ride or work in the barn,” she explains. Having World Equestrian Center (WEC) here in Ocala has been a boon to business for both Justine and Chris. “Now that WEC has been built, I don’t have to travel as much to show, because we have this beautiful facility 18 minutes away. We’re at WEC throughout the year for multiple circuits,” says Justine. “We love it, and the horses love it. The footing is great, the staff is great, everyone’s so friendly and

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ACCESS

Patience

LEGALLY BLIND FATHER FOCUSES ON WHAT HE CAN CONTROL

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ACCESS

TONY DELISLE Story by CIERRA ROSS

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Photos by JOSHUA JACOBS

ACCESS

“A

ccess, to me, is more about my attitude and the attitudes of other people,” Tony DeLisle says. He believes there is a distinction between tangible and intangible access. Intangible is about attitude, which are beliefs people have. “Intangibles that I can control [personal fear, anxiety, stress, or vulnerability] and [the] things that I can focus on [for] improving access.” Everyone can learn and grow. Tony was born on August 4, 1969 in Daytona Beach, Florida and was eventually diagnosed with macular degeneration. Due to his young age and with no family history of vision impairments, doctors were puzzled. Regardless, it has not prevented him from living a full life. He lived in Colorado and Rhode Island before returning to Florida. “I wasn’t legally blind at birth…I was able to drive from like 16 to 24 [years old],” Tony recalls. Macular degeneration didn’t take his eyesight overnight; rather, it progressively decreased his vision over time. Soon, he was putting books up to his nose to see the words, which led to him accepting his decreased vision and using necessary magnification to read. One difficult challenge Tony faced was getting his license taken because of his decreased vision. “When I lost my license, that impacted my independent living. It significantly impacted my mobility. It’s not easy, and it has affected my choices of where I live.” It also negatively impacted his self-image. “I felt devalued in my selfworth. What can I do to contribute? That was just tough.” Along with this painful loss, Tony realized he had to make a career shift.

I wasn’t legally blind at birth… — Tony DeLisle

FINDING MORE

Tony was a scholarship swimmer for the athletic department of the University of Florida and chose to coach swimming. When he moved to Colorado, he was coaching high performance athletics. “It got to the point to where I didn’t have the visual acuity to be able to coach effectively, and technique is very important,” Tony recalls. He was a certified teacher, as well, from K-12, which also became problematic when his limited eyesight prevented him from seeing students’ work. Soon, he realized that a career change was necessary. “Public health was always something that I was very interested in.” Tony found himself in Gainesville, Florida, pursuing his PhD in Health and Human Performance. Connecting with his university’s disability resource center provided him the opportunity to learn about different assistive technologies and software. The adaptive technologies were pivotal, yet even with the increased access, it still prolonged the time Tony needed to complete his work. “The amount of time it would take somebody to do something for [one hour], it would take me three to five hours,” he explains. Though technology provided greater access, Tony still had to be strategic when he studied. “I couldn’t get through everything in the way that other people could. I had to really be strategic; [it] was a challenge.” Even today, with Tony’s work at the Center for Independent Living, he finds himself putting in more hours to get his work completed. “I [have to] work harder and smarter.” He confronts all these challenges with a willingness to learn. “Challenges are good.” Each challenge has taught Tony something new. These opportunities of growth have encouraged him to be vulnerable and honest about his needs.

EVERYDAY LIFE

“I have wonderful children, but being limited in my abilities to see can affect [my] abilities to do certain things,” Tony states. “Maybe their shirts are on backwards and inside out. Sometimes, [there are] difficulties: if there [are] toys on the ground that especially don’t have a lot of color contrast, I’ll be stubbing my toes.” Moving objects or other things around in his house can be hazardous for someone with limited sight. Tony notes that being blind and wanting to be seen and treated as an equal can be paradoxical. “I don’t wanna be seen as being different and stand out, but at the same

time it would be nice [if] people did kind of understand.” Many people don’t consider the need for alternative formats or needing a little more time to check out of the grocery store, because someone like Tony may need the cashier to read the screen. “Patience, you know, is a good thing,” declares Tony. “We live in such a fast society and going [so] quickly that sometimes... patience is a big one.” Patience to see and respect each other’s differences and different needs is pivotal for opening the doorway to access.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE “Another challenge is [when] out in public, you’re making eye contact with people–I don’t do it anymore. I don’t even look at people, now, in the eye because I can’t tell if they’re looking back at me, and I don’t want them to misinterpret that,” Tony says. “I do believe [that] those…challenges have led to me having to learn more about who I am. It’s allowing me the opportunity to be more self-aware,” states Tony. Though his eyesight forces him to take more time to complete his work, it encourages him to be vulnerable with others about his need for alternative formats or assistance reading. He notes that these aspects have “allowed me the opportunity to practice courage, and fear allows me the opportunity to have gratitude. I’m not totally blind. I can still see colors and sunsets.” He is grateful for those privileges.

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Out of Chaos Musician Finds Her Place with Community Outreach Story by LISA ANDERSON

Photos by JOSHUA JACOBS

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it down with Margaret Dixon for just a few moments and you will be delighted with her joyful attitude and infectious laugh. In fact, you may be surprised to find out her heroes are fictional characters. Not just any fictional characters, but villains. This plot twist may not be what you’d expect from someone as sweet as Margaret, but once you hear her reasoning, you will probably get a firmer grasp on her character as a whole. “As I got older and got more in touch with my personality, I realized the people that are the coolest are, like, evil villains,” says the young Director of Education and Community Outreach for the Reilly Arts Center. “I want to be like that. Maybe I don’t want to be an evil villain, but I want to cherry pick the characteristics.” Mix a little of Meryl Streep’s portrayal of the fashion icon Miranda Priestly’s tenacity and confidence with the chill attitude of fictional character King Julien from the animated movie Madagascar, and you get the true character Margaret aspires to be. “I want people to want to work hard. I want to take that; the power and presence that [Miranda Priestly] is so good at her job and so together. She’s never freaking out or fumbling around. She’s got a plan, and she knows what to do. She’s delegating tasks. “I love [King Julien] because he’s a terrible, terrible monarch. Absolutely not a good leader, but everyone values him. They love him. He’s so carefree. Nothing rattles him. Everything’s on fire, and he is completely like, ‘Everything’s fine.’ I just want to be that: stable, while chaos is happening.”

A CHAOTIC CHILDHOOD

Perhaps Margaret’s desire for confidence, quick direction, and stability comes from the lack of it in her childhood. She describes her younger self as defiant, resilient, creative, innovative, fearless, and definitely unbreakable. “My parents didn’t have the healthiest relationship. They were divorced when I was 9 or 10. Then, I lived in a single-parent household with my mother,” explains Margaret. Her mother developed cancer and passed away when Margaret was only 13 years old. “Then, I lived with my father, who I hadn’t interacted with for a long time. It didn’t quite work out. He wasn’t quite ready to take care of children.” Prior to this, the family had moved around a lot. Margaret’s father was in the Army; she was born in Germany. When she was 3, her family returned to the States and her father retired, but it didn’t stop the multiple times they relocated. “I’ve lived in Kentucky. I’ve lived in Cincinnati. I’ve lived in Michigan. I’ve lived in Chicago. “So, just a lot of chaos, a lot of taking care of myself, a lot of taking care of my little brother, and taking care of my sick mother. I think I learned [at] an early age, like, survival skills, essentially—being stubborn and not letting stuff like that break me down, even as a child. I feel like that carries over, now, in a hopefully more

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healthy way. I retain a lot of that stubbornness, where I’m not going to quit. Make stuff happen, you know. Just resilience.” Stability didn’t come for Margaret until the ninth grade, when she made the last move of her childhood to live with her aunt in Alabama. There, she was able to graduate from high school and attend college in the same state. It was also there that her love for music was nurtured and encouraged.

BUILDING HER LIFE After undergrad, Margaret migrated to Gainesville to attend the graduate program and began building her adult life. “When I moved to

Gainesville, I would get in my car and just drive around, get lost, [and] discover the city. And when school started, I did the marching band stuff. So, if you do marching band, you make 400 friends before school starts.” Margaret auditioned for the Ocala Symphony Orchestra while still in grad school. “[I] won the position, and I played with the Ocala Symphony for several years. As the symphony grew, there were more opportunities. I kind of latched on to that,” she states. Beginning with symphony programs that allowed her to go into elementary

schools and speak about instruments to the schools’ orchestras, Margaret eventually began helping to run the program. “I took that over and then kind of re-envisioned that and revamped that and turned it into a really great program. In 2019, maybe the end of 2018, I actually took over management of the orchestra.” Margaret became more and more involved with the orchestra, as time went on, which eventually led to her current position as Director of Education and Community Outreach. It also prompted her move to Ocala in May of this year. “It’s definitely been an adjustment. There are some things that are great and some things I kind of miss. Gainesville is a little more busy, but it’s also a much younger crowd. But, there’s a lot of things about Ocala that I really like. It is a more mature atmosphere. I feel the art scene is easier and more prevalent in a different way.

MUSIC LITERACY

When Margaret was asked to spearhead the programs for the Ocala Symphony Community Music Conservatory, she couldn’t say “yes” fast enough. “I’ve had a vision of having my own music school for a long time. I have [had] those giant Post-It notes on my wall for four or five years with the plans. Like, these are the

classes I’m going to teach, and this is what’s going to happen. So, the school was already planned.” Some of her many tasks in her position include organizing the school, hiring teachers, planning for growth, community outreach, and more. With her students, Margaret focuses a lot on literacy and fluency. “Music is very similar to how [your brain] processes the written language. It’s essentially like when we read a book. Our brain is taking symbols and encoding them, processing them, and turning them into meaningful words or sounds. The same thing happens in music.” Margaret can quickly identify a student’s reading level based on their ability to play their instrument and answer a few questions. “I work a lot on [what] I call the four aspects of fluency: reading, writing, hearing, speaking.” Music can help with a lot of practical life skills, such as “finding gross motor skills, concentration, problem solving, [and] goal setting.” These are the very same skills that helped Margaret to become successful in her career and overcome some of the effects of her chaotic childhood. Identifying with villains in fictional settings may sound counter-intuitive, but it’s easy to see how Margaret has picked their best qualities to which to aspire. And you could argue she has many of those qualities already.

LEARN MORE

Learn more about the Community Music Conservatory at reillyartscenter.com. Watch the full interview on YouTube.

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THE CHEWS LETTER

Cookie Art SELF-TAUGHT BAKER FULFILLS HER DESTINY

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THE CHEWS LETTER

JESSICA CROUCH Story by CYNTHIA MCFARL AND

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Photo by JOSHUA JACOBS

THE CHEWS LETTER

ne firm, sweet, buttery bite of Jessica Crouch’s amazing cookies and there’s no doubt this Marion County baker is doing exactly what she was meant to do. The culinary creator behind Ocala Cookie Couture is a wife, mother, physical therapist assistant, and full-time cookie magician or, as she puts it, a “cookier.” Raised in Broward County, Jessica was just 3 years old when her adoptive parents moved to South Florida. The family relocated to Citra in 1991. “It was a very different world from South Florida,” recalls Jessica, who graduated from North Marion High School. Jessica and her husband Shane have four children: Carley (22), Austin (20), Lucas (17), and Quentin (14). While busy as a stay-at-home mom for over a decade, Jessica did “odds and ends” jobs, such as babysitting and house cleaning, before going back to school. She graduated from the College of Central Florida, in 2018, with her physical therapist assistant degree. Her cookie adventure started earlier. Like many children, Jessica was in the kitchen when young, but that wasn’t what sparked her to launch a cookie business. “I always helped my mom make Christmas cookies every year. We baked them, burned them, used bought frosting and put sprinkles on them,” she laughs. “There wasn’t any real talent.”

GETTING STARTED

Jessica is the first person to admit her “cookie destiny” came about due to some lifechanging friendships—and divine guidance. “The cookies wouldn’t have happened without God,” she says simply. “I feel this path was laid out for me, and every piece has fallen into place.” From 2007 to 2016, Jessica was part of a women’s Bible study group called “M3: “Moms, Muffins, and More” that was mentored and led by Ruth Bell. The members were mothers whose children attended preschool at Grace Building Blocks (now Graceway Academy). “She changed my life,” says Jessica of Ruth, who was battling breast cancer while still living out her faith and inspiring others. With Ruth’s encouragement, Jessica baked her first cookies for a fundraiser in 2013. They were so well-received that, for the next two Christmases, she sold them at the preschool. By 2015, Jessica was getting orders and selling regularly. Ocala Cookie Couture was “official.” She later formed an LLC. “Ruth...died February 28, 2015,” says Jessica. “She did get to see my business take off, and...I know she’d be happy to see how it’s grown.”

LEAPS AND BOUNDS

Jessica started her cookie venture with a butter shortbread recipe from a friend in her Bible study group. She’s never changed recipes, because it’s so popular with customers. While her fledgling business had great support from the women in her original study group, word-of-mouth from satisfied customers has caused it to grow exponentially. “It’s been a huge blessing. I can’t escape giving glory to God, because that’s how it’s grown,” says Jessica. She did become a physical therapist assistant and works at UF Health The Villages Hospital, where she loves working with patients. At the same time, she’s passionate about growing her cookie business. When filling orders, Jessica uses her thousands of cookie cutters. She’ll also cut out dough freehand or print clip art for the patterns, when a customer has an unusual request—such as a recent one for submarines. She’s completely self-taught as a baker, including mastering royal icing techniques. Having added an Eddie edible ink printer to her array of equipment, she’s able to print logos and pictures on cookies. “This opens up a whole other avenue,” she states. “If I’m not learning, I get bored, so I always want to learn more,” says Jessica, who credits YouTube videos and local cookie groups, including Nice Ladies, with

helping expand her cookie skills.

PRETTY AND TASTY

Jessica describes Ocala Cookie Couture as a place “where art and cookies collide.” “One of the biggest things I hear from people is that my cookies actually taste good; they’re not just pretty,” she says. Her beautifully decorated cookies make an appealing addition to special occasions of all sorts—from birthdays and holidays to weddings, showers, and more. A favorite holiday order is for her Christmas Advent Calendar box, featuring 24 days of delectable cookies. “It’s never lost on me that I’m part of someone’s event,” notes Jessica. “When I’m working on any order, it’s not just some sugar I’m handing to someone; it’s going to be a memory for them.” She typically has 20 to 45 minutes invested in each cookie, depending on the detail of decoration. Now that her oldest children are in college, the family’s schedule has slowed just a bit, allowing Jessica more time in the kitchen. Social media continues to help her business grow, and she has plenty of ideas moving forward, such as offering quarterly cookie classes. Whatever comes next, the future is sure to be sweet.

LEARN MORE

IG: @ocalacookiecouture FB: @CookieCouturebyJessica

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ARTIST CORNER

Inflatable Art LARGE-SCALE ARTIST INSPIRED BY POOL TOYS Story by JASON STEUBER

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rtist Susan Lee-Chun lives and works in Miami, Florida, where she is represented by David Castillo gallery. Her work is currently on view at the Appleton Museum of Art in the special exhibition “Blow Up II: Inflatable Contemporary Art.” Her larger-than-life inflatable flamingos are both humorous and thoughtful, looming over museum visitors with their vastness and familiarity. Working across multiple disciplines, LeeChun has exhibited and performed widely in the U.S. and abroad. Appleton Director Jason Steuber chatted with the artist to learn more. Where did you grow up and go to school? I was born in Seoul, South Korea, and when I was 4 years old, my family immigrated to Chicago. I grew up in Chicago, attended University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign, and obtained my MA at School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Chicago—the Midwest—holds a special place in my heart. When did you first get introduced to large-scale and/or inflatable art? When studying sculpture in undergrad, I had great appreciation for artists such as Ann Hamilton, Louise Bourgeois, and Niki de Saint Phalle. The level of presence and potential for interaction that large-scale works possess is what continuously interests me. Inflatable art is interesting, because we have different associations to this medium in various forms, such as gigantic parade floats or inflatable pool toys. What are the steps from concept to completed inflatable artwork? The large-scale inflatables were modeled after the omnipresent flamingo as an inflatable pool toy.

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These flamingos on display in the museum were commissioned by the Bedford Gallery specifically for this traveling exhibition. Their durability was important, so they were fabricated by a company based in California that specializes in the production of large-scale inflatables. Once I had a pool toy selected, the images and desired dimensions were discussed and sent to the fabricator. And voilà! Gigantic pink flamingos! I enjoy these types of projects where I am afforded time to conceptualize the work and not labor over the production and execution.

The intention was to emphasize the humor in their scale and how they are displayed and also reimagine these familiar objects and images that are specific to Miami and their transformation into cultural "artifacts" and their lasting impacts or perceptions of a place.

Why flamingos? The work that is displayed at the Appleton Museum of Art was influenced by a previous project that included 2- to 8-ft. inflatable flamingos that were displayed in a very small window display space in Miami.

Jason Steuber is Director at the College of Central Florida’s Appleton Museum of Art. Previously, he worked at the NelsonAtkins Museum of Art, Glasgow University, and Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida.

LEARN MORE

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ABOUT THE WRITER

Photos submitted by Appleton Museum of Art, Susan Lee-Chun, “Untitled (Flamingos only hang by the pool),” 2019, vinyl fabric, electric fans

ARTIST CORNER

Michelle Pack THE WALLFLOWER HIPPIE

ichelle Pack was born and raised in Ocala. She lived in the area until August of this year when she moved to Tennessee to begin a new chapter of her life. “My entire life, friends, and most of my clients are in Ocala,” she states. Michelle handcrafts beautiful candles, and she took some time to tell us more about herself in this month’s Artist Q&A. What types of art and culture do you like to consume? I enjoy listening to singing bowls, chakra meditation, and solfeggio frequencies. I enjoy art festivals and spiritual festivals, also. I enjoy art and history museums— really anything historical.

lifestyle with less toxicity in their homes and everyday lives, one step at a time. How can we support you? FB: @thewallflowerhippie

Is there a connection between your message and the way you make your art? My daughters and I handcraft candles, bath salts, oat soaks, salves, and balms using organic essential oils, herbs, flowers, and oils to offer products that reduce the toxicity level in homes. Healing crystals and stones are used to enhance the candles with a specific intention. What are you besides an artist? How do you define your role in life? I am a Registered Nurse, Reiki Practitioner, Yoga and Mindfulness Instructor, Transformational Mindset Coach, and a student of Ayurveda and Herbal Remedies. How do you define success as an artist or person? What do you hope to accomplish? Success is standing behind your art, having the support of friends and new customers, good reviews. I hope to help people live a more intentional and holistic

Photo by Michelle Pack

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Publisher's Letter, December 2022