The Lakelander | May - June 2013

MAY - JUNE 2013

SECRET SUPPER CLUB / THE TRADITIONALIST / EAST COAST/WEST COAST JUNIOR LEAGUE RETROSPECTIVE / SHADOWS OF THEIR FATHERS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

70 MAY - JUNE 2013

DEPARTMENTS MAY - JUNE 2013

18 20 102 106

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR EDITORIAL BIOS EVENTS HISTORY

Lakeland dances to the big band sound

ON THE COVER

Secret Supper club / The TradiTionalisT / eaSt coaSt/WeSt coaSt Junior league reTrospecTive / ShadoWS of their fatherS

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THE LAKELANDER

Meet our new friend, the pink flamingo — an image of Florida’s quirky and endearing kitsch at its finest. He and his friends made a notable appearance in our backyard supper club soiree, setting a colorful and lighthearted backdrop for our gathering. Read more, see more, and gain some inspiration for your own get-together on page 56. Photo by Tina Sargeant; styled by Rachel Plating

Dow n t ow n L a k e l a n d : Dale Dreyer, Community President of Central-West Polk 500 S. Florida Ave., Ste. 100, Lakeland, FL 33801 863.683.2300 L a k e Mi r i a m : Juli Surface, Branch Manager 4719 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL 33813 863.648.0900 Ba r t ow : Anita Stasiak, Branch Manager 1375 North Broadway Ave., Bartow, FL 33830 863.533.0475

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

24 32

44

FEATURES PEOPLE

CULTURE

24 ROTARY’S CHILD OF THE SUN JUMPSTARTS A HEARTFELT CAUSE

And helps the LPD save lives

44 THE ART OF BUILDING AN ART PROGRAM

F lorida Southern’s journey revealed

SHELTER 32

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THE TRADITIONALIST

Blake Scarbrough’s ministry of design

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

56 TASTE

PHILANTHROPY

56 SECRET SUPPER CLUB

We tell all

84 JUNIOR LEAGUE RETROSPECTIVE

A look back, inside, and around at an organization

66

mobilizing women for the greater good

RECIPES

SPORT STYLE 70

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EAST COAST / WEST COAST THis summer, take a vacation in style

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94 SHADOWS OF THEIR FATHERS

A game, a dream, and a legacy

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PUBLISHER Curt Patterson ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS Jason Jacobs, Brandon Patterson Advertising ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Jason Jacobs; 863.606.8785 ADVERTISING SALES Brandon Patterson; 863.409.2447 ADVERTISING SALES John Nichols; 863.944.3747

Editorial EDITOR Jackie Houghton CULTURE EDITOR Adam Justice MEN’S STYLE EDITOR Mark Nielsen PEOPLE EDITOR Adam Spafford PHILANTHROPY EDITOR Brooklyn Lindsey SHELTER EDITOR Rachel Plating SPORT EDITOR Wes Lowry TASTE EDITOR Logan Crumpton WOMEN’S STYLE EDITOR Courtney Philpot CULTURE CONTRIBUTOR Ann Gurley Rogers COPY EDITOR Laura Burke OFFICE MANAGER Deb Patterson ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Annalee Mutz Design ART DIRECTOR Philip Pietri GRAPHIC DESIGNER Daniel Barcelo Photography CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Penny & Finn, Michael Nielsen, Philip Pietri, Tina Sargeant, Jason Stephens Circulation CIRCULATION DIRECTOR CIRCULATION ASSISTANT

Jason Jacobs Molly Dodd

General Counsel

Ted W. Weeks IV

Published by Patterson Jacobs Publishing, LLC Curt Patterson | Jason Jacobs | Brandon Patterson | Steve Brown The Lakelander is published bimonthly by Patterson Jacobs Publishing, P.O. Box 41, Lakeland, FL 33802. Reproduction in whole or in part without express written permission of The Lakelander sis prohibited. The Lakelander is not responsible for any unsolicited submissions.

Contact Patterson Jacobs Publishing, P.O. Box 41, Lakeland, FL 33802 863.701.2707 www.thelakelander.com Customer Service: 863.701.2707 Subscription Help: jason@pattersonpublishing.com “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

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EDITORIAL

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

A

s summer quickly approaches, we Floridians begin to switch gears. We turn outside with longer days, our backyards begin to fill with friends and loved ones, and we wander (either physically or mentally) to whichever shore or sanctuary allows us that deep and satisfying kind of exhale. In my neighborhood, people take to their Adirondack chairs with a cold drink in hand to greet each other in the pink-hued dusk hour. My daughter rides her bike or blows bubbles in the grass, and I catch myself thinking how rare this sight is — a neighborhood functioning as it was intended.

I believe this is something that marks Lakeland as special, neighbors truly living in community with each other. I tell myself not to take it for granted.

This issue of The Lakelander is reflective of both the warm season and the sense of togetherness it brings. I’d like to think that it taps into the root of my observations by explaining a bit about how and why we function as a community through the lineup of articles we’ve included. In this issue, we delve into the history of two steadfast community organizations and reveal the long view of their impact on us all. We also aim to inspire with wellstyled travel musings and secret supper club details (which we hope you’ll try out on your friends). And we sit down with one beloved designer, two bigleague hopefuls, and three artists, all of whom are carving out their own distinct and varied paths right here in Lakeland.

This one just might make a lovely beach read. We hope you enjoy.

Jackie Houghton

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EDITORIAL BIOS BROOKLYN LINDSEY

PHILANTHROPY EDITOR In 2007 Brooklyn Lindsey moved to Lakeland to work as the middle school pastor and Saturday night campus pastor, alongside her husband, at Highland Park Church of the Nazarene. Wife of Coy. Mommy of Kirra and Mya. Pastor to teenagers. Advocate for giving and partnering.

Community leader. Dreamer. Ideator. Over the past decade, she’s authored six books, and shared with thousands of students and youth workers locally and across the United States. She and her family love living and giving in Lakeland. Find out more on her blog: www.brooklynlindsey.com or follow on Twitter: @brooklynlindsey

ADAM JUSTICE CULTURE EDITOR

Adam Justice is a Virginia native who moved to Lakeland in 2010 to become the curator of art at Polk Museum of Art. He received his B.A. in art history/ museum studies from Radford University and an M.A. in art history at Virginia Commonwealth University. Previously he was the chief curator at William King Museum in Abingdon, Virginia, and also served as the director of the Southwest/ Blue Ridge Regions for the Virginia Association of Museums. Additionally, he taught art history at Virginia Commonwealth University, Rappahannock Community College, and Virginia Highlands Community College. While being the curator of art at Polk Museum of Art, he is also an adjunct professor of art history at Florida Southern College. He currently serves on various boards, including the Downtown Lakeland Partnership, Polk Vision and Polk Arts Alliance, and is involved with various service and civic organizations.

ADAM SPAFFORD PEOPLE EDITOR

Adam Spafford came to Lakeland in 1999 to attend Florida Southern College and, except for a 20-month graduate school stint in Massachusetts, has been here since. When he’s not writing pageturners for The Lakelander, he trades stock and index options.

ANN GURLEY ROGERS CULTURE CONTRIBUTOR

Ann Gurley Rogers, who moved to Lakeland in 1992, has worked as a freelance writer for the past fifteen years. For the most part, she tells other people’s stories and has found that people are delighted to share the highlights of meaningful lives and careers. During her life she has been in contact with countless artists. She has become intensely interested in the ways effective artists communicate universal truths through their art and, in so doing, draw others into a dialogue about life. Additionally, she is fascinated by the ways that certain artists find to devote themselves full-time to their art. She is eager for opportunities to write about art, artists, collectors, and patrons, both as a way to support their endeavors and to understand the complex process of artistic communication. Since 1994 she has worked at the library at Florida Southern College.

She is married to Jim Rogers and has two wonderful children, and four granddogs.

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THE LAKELANDER

WES LOWRY

SPORTS EDITOR Originally from Orlando, Wes Lowry came to Lakeland to play baseball for Florida Southern College and was part of the 2005 NCAA National Championship team. After graduation, he became an assistant coach of the Lakeland Christian School varsity baseball team. He also manages The Cage, an indoor sportstraining facility. Simultaneously, he founded Lowry Creative, a small creative agency which produces web, video, and print media. Through his work with the agency, Wes is frequently afforded the opportunity to work with professional athletes and coaches. He lives in Lakeland with his wife and two daughters.

EDITORIAL BIOS RACHEL PLATING SHELTER EDITOR

Rachel Plating is the mother of two sweet little girls and married to Mr. Fix-It ( Jack).

She was born and raised steeped in Southern Bluegrass and sweet tea. An accomplished musician and designer, Rachel and her family fell in love with Lakeland while attending Florida Southern, and they just couldn’t stay away! When she’s not chasing a two-year-old or feeding a newborn, you can most likely find her creating idyllic spaces for her family and friends.

LOGAN CRUMPTON

MARK NIELSEN

TASTE EDITOR

MEN’S STYLE EDITOR

Logan Crumpton has been employed with the United States Postal Service for the last twelve years. Although he has lived nearly his entire life in the Lakeland area, he seeks out a world of food culture with the mindset of sharing it on a local level. Like many who have developed a love of food, he honed his skills in his grandmother’s kitchen, learning traditional Cuban and Italian classics. Pursuing more of a life in food has afforded him the opportunity of co-creating the food blog Eataduck, guest writing for online publications, as well as trying his hand as a caterer and private chef.

Mark Nielsen moved to Lakeland at the age of 12, moved away at 21, and came back just five years later. He attributes his interest in style to his career in design, translating the aesthetics and principles of design into fashion. Mark doesn’t sit still for long, and is currently building a café racer, has shaped a couple surfboards, maintains three blogs, and pursues a hobby shooting medium-format film. An accomplished designer, his work has been featured in such international design publications as HOW, Communication Arts, and Print, as well as the New York Times Magazine, and others. Over the years, he has also added photography and filmmaking to his resume, winning awards for cinematography with his twin brother, Michael. Mark currently holds the role of creative director at Publix and lives in Lakeland with his wife, Jill; their daughters, Andie and Bridget; and a German shorthaired pointer, Charlie.

COURTNEY PHILPOT

WOMEN’S STYLE EDITOR For as long as she can remember, Courtney has been doodling girls in dresses on any available paper, pad, or napkin. Born and raised in Lakeland, she attended FSU, where she received a degree in sociology and then earned a degree in fashion design and marketing from the Academy of Design in Tampa. After many years helping friends and family prepare for big events, she decided to turn her knack for fashion into a business.

She created Style by Courtney, where she works as a stylist for personal clients, groups, photo shoots, and runway shows. Eventually, she wants to design her own prints to be used in her own apparel line. Until then, she plans on spending time with her husband, Bryce, and daughter, Sydney, while sharing her fashion philosophy that “You don’t need a million bucks to look like a million bucks” with her clients and readers.

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commuNiTy iNvolvemeNT ongoing volunteerism at many local ministries elementary students minister in retirement communities Students and teachers actively tutor, mentor and serve

PEOPLE

ROTARY’S CHILD OF THE SUN JUMPSTARTS A HEARTFELT CAUSE and helps the LPD save lives story by Adam Spafford photography by Jason Stephens

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THE LAKELANDER

An interview with Lori Martini and Bryce Philpot of the Lakeland Rotary Club The Lakelander: Please give us a brief history of the Lakeland Rotary Club.

The Lakeland Rotary Club was chartered in 1918. It is composed of community leaders and has always been in the forefront of support for good causes in our community and beyond. It was active in bringing Florida Southern College to Lakeland, as well as the Florida Baptist Children’s Home. Many board chairs for the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce have been members of this club, and we boast a large contingent of graduates of Leadership Lakeland as well.

This is our 95th year of service to the community, so we decided to reflect back on the club’s history when selecting our current club project. Back in 1984, a consortium of the Lakeland Rotary Club; Watson Clinic Foundation; five pacemaker manufacturers; and support from both the American College of Cardiology and clubs from

Rotary’s main objective is service — in the community, in the workplace, and around the globe.

Rotary Districts 695, 696, and 6890 came together to form Heartbeat International. The purpose of Heartbeat International was to provide lifesaving pacemakers and leads to totally indigent patients in twenty-one Third World countries. Heartbeat International soon became a district project which led to being a Rotary International project until they became their own 501(c)3, and they are still providing a wonderful service worldwide.

This leads into why the AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) project for Lakeland Police Department patrol vehicles was selected as this year’s club cause.

TL: For those unfamiliar with it, what is Rotary’s mission?

The mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

Rotary’s main objective is service — in the community, in the workplace, and around the globe. The 1.2 million Rotarians who make up more than 34,000 Rotary Clubs in nearly every country in the world share a dedication to the ideal of “service above self.”

Rotary clubs are open to people of all cultures and ethnicities and are not affiliated with any political or religious organizations.

TL: How did the Lakeland Rotary Club come to present Child of the Sun? For years, the Lakeland Rotary Club actively explored ideas to find an annual signature event that would create awareness of Rotary all the while providing a familyfun event with net proceeds going directly back into the community. In 2011, the Lakeland Rotary Club was granted permission to bring back the Child of the Sun Jazz Festival from Florida Southern College, which originally founded the festival in 1988 and sunset it in 2007 due to budget constraints.

Bryce Philpot (Lakeland Rotary Club president) left; and Greg Shell (Child of the Sun event chair) right

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TL: Tell us about the Child of the Sun event.

April 6 was the third-annual Child of the Sun. The Lakeland Rotary Club expanded the event this year by adding a Kids Fun Run and a Healthy Pledge Walk to the morning events and expanded the musical genre for the jazz concert. The event linked two Rotary ideals — arts and music — into one great community event.

The Child of the Sun urban triathlon offered a swim in a freshwater lake; an urban bike loop that included stretches along three picturesque lakes; and an urban run through downtown Lakeland which featured some of Lakeland’s most scenic views. This is one of the few urban triathlons in Florida and one of the few triathlons that have additional entertainment. Added benefits included a post-race concert featuring the rock band Quittin’ Time, athlete photos, pre- and post-race stretching, post-race massages, and more, all courtesy of the entry fee.

All net proceeds from the Child of the Sun event will go towards the AED project — essentially everything that is raised minus the actual cost of putting on the event. The Child of the

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THE LAKELANDER

Sun proceeds are held differently than direct AED donations which are most certainly 100 percent directed to the purchase of AEDs. The 5k was added in 2012 and allowed additional athletes to enter the event, which amped up the atmosphere even more by providing triathletes’ families and friends the opportunity to participate and celebrate together post-race. In addition to adding proceeds for our AED project, entry for the 5k included a race shirt, individual race photos, pre and post-race stretching, postrace massages, and post-race food and beverages.

The Kids Fun Run provided a free opportunity for children ages two to twelve to participate in the fun whether it be the Diaper Dash (ages two and under), the Lickity-Split Quick Sprint (ages four to six), or the Long-Leg Lake Loop (ages seven to twelve).

Another way that funds were raised for the AED project was with the Heart Healthy Pledge Walk. All ages were welcome, and once pledges were secured, participants walked as many laps as they liked in efforts to create awareness, be healthy, and raise funds for AEDs.

FROM BILL LEPERE,

LPD COMMUNICATIONS AND RECORDS MANAGER: “This project will put this wonderful piece of technology in all patrol cars so that we have citywide coverage, which we don’t have now. When a heart stops, AEDs have proven their ability to save a life. This is a great opportunity to benefit citizens and it’s because of the generosity of the Lakeland Rotary Club and the community generally.

“As a young patrol officer around 1983, I was dispatched to help a heartattack victim in downtown Lakeland. I did CPR and waited for rescue to get there, but the person did not survive. When I joined Rotary and heard about this project, I thought, could we have done more had we carried this technology back then? I’m convinced the answer is yes. So it’s not just a conceptual plan — this is something I’ve seen.”

The Jazz Festival was a free community event with a lineup that this year included the Brian Sutherland Trio, the Florida Southern College Jazz Ensemble, Free Time, Jeff Phillips Collective, Belinda Womack, Valerie Gillespie, and Bogus Pomp.

TL: Tell us more about selecting the AED project for this year’s club cause.

One of our club members suffered a collapse a year or so ago, and it was the use of an automated external defibrillator that assisted in saving his life.

Club member Tom Conger relates his personal experience, saying, “On July 15, 2004, my wife of thirty-four years had a heart attack in Daytona Beach, Florida. When the paramedics got to her they were able to shock her heart and get it started, but unfortunately too much time had elapsed and she suffered irreversible neurological damage. On August 3, 2004, she passed away. Imagine what could have happened if effective CPR would have been performed to keep oxygen flowing to her brain and a nearby police patrol car had responded just a few minutes sooner

than the ambulance. I believe with all my heart she would have survived. This is why I consider this project so important. We will improve the survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest in this community and spare families from going through what mine did.”

Club member Dr. Alan “Rico” Rich went into sudden cardiac arrest while playing tennis with Mark Hollis at Grasslands a couple of years ago. Two doctors playing on the next court ran over to perform CPR. The Grasslands tennis pro heard the commotion and, without knowing the cause, immediately grabbed the AED unit from the pro shop. The fortuitous combination of medical personnel and the AED unit resulted in Rico’s life being saved.

The cause of Rico’s sudden cardiac arrest is one that only two percent survive.

It was about that time that we learned that the Lakeland Police Department did not have these units in their patrol cars. It didn’t take long for the club to agree that we wanted those who are many times our first responders to have the lifesaving devices.

An AED is a portable device used to administer an electric

shock to the heart and restore the heart’s normal rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest. Today, the AEDs used in public places and in the home are automated, portable and easy to operate.

FACTS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AEDS • It is essential that defibrillators be administered immediately following the cardiac arrest.

• W hen in cardiac arrest, if the heart is defibrillated within the first minute of collapse, the victim’s chances for survival are close to ninety percent.

• If the heart does not return to a regular rhythm within five to seven minutes, the fibrillation could be fatal.

• For every minute that defibrillation is delayed, survival decreases by seven to ten percent.

• If defibrillation is delayed by more than ten minutes, the chance of survival in adults is less than five percent.

• The use of AEDs by first responders could dramatically improve the survival rate of our citizens.

The Lakeland Rotary Club finds these facts captivating and has therefore decided to make an impact by raising funds toward the purchase of AEDs for the Lakeland Police Department patrol cars.

The club is part of an AED Consortium, a group of entities including the Watson Clinic Foundation, committed to increasing the number of AEDs in Polk County to make it a safer cardiac community. The AEDs purchased will be compatible with the cardiac monitors used by the Lakeland Fire Department’s fire apparatus and those on ambulances.

This will ensure uninterrupted care for the patient.

Our club’s focus on community health made the AED project an easy choice for our entire membership. It will make our community a much safer place and empower our first responders to save lives.

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THE LAKELANDER

TL: What is the financial goal? How long will this project last?

This project is intended as a gift to the community. LPD is the conduit in which to make the gift available to the community. Our goal is to purchase AEDs for one hundred LPD patrol vehicles. The average cost per unit is $1,200, making our immediate goal $120,000.

Additionally, there are maintenance requirements for each unit when it’s used, and the club would like to create a maintenance fund that would allow for an annual distribution to offset, if not cover, the cost of maintenance on the equipment.

TL: Can people donate directly to the AED project?

We encourage the community to make a direct donation to the Lakeland Rotary Club AED project. We are about to provide the funds to the City of Lakeland so that they in turn can make the purchase. Although donations are still encouraged and welcomed, by the time this article is published, the donations will be used exclusively for a maintenance fund established to ensure the continuation of the devices.

A donation to this project is tax deductible and is being made via the Lakeland Rotary Club fund within the Community Foundation of Greater Lakeland. Donations can be made online at www. cotslakeland.com/aeddonation. In addition, checks can be made payable to The Lakeland Rotary Fund w/CFGL. Please add “AED donation” in the memo area and mail your donation to The Lakeland Rotary Club, P.O. Box 2171, Lakeland FL, 33806.

TL: How can people get involved with the Lakeland Rotary Club?

To learn more about the Lakeland Rotary Club, the group offers two websites (lakelandrotary.org and cotslakeland.org) and four Facebook pages (the Lakeland Rotary Club, Child of the Sun Jazz Festival, Child of the Sun Urban Triathlon, and Child of the Sun 5k).

We are a membership organization with more than 175 members who are actively involved in the community and who continue to seek ways to provide “service above self.”

THE LAKELANDER

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SHELTER

THE TRADITIONALIST Blake Scarbrough’s ministry of design story by Rachel Plating | photography by Penny & Finn

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THE LAKELANDER

When it comes to color choices in his own space, Blake is no shrinking violet. You may have heard the old wives’ tale about darker/deeper colors making a room appear smaller. Blake blows that theory to smithereens, proving that deeper tones provide for a cozy living situation. Pastels or lighter neutrals in this same space just wouldn’t have the same gravitas found here in this deep sea-blue color.

THE LAKELANDER

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Left: Art and antiques are tied together by elements of red, blue, and white.

Right: Rich red in the dining area continues the saturated color theme. The ’60’s pagoda chandelier was traded for a painting.

B

lake Scarbrough is a man of many pursuits: professional decorator, floral designer, Christmas-decor installations expert, and rescuer of unfortunate felines, to name a few. In fact, he’s so busy that it took about two months just to squeeze in some time for this interview. That Blake has accomplished great success over the years is both a testament to his skill as a designer, and his commitment to Lakeland and the relationships he has built here.

Blake considers most of his clients like family. When I asked about the client/designer relationship, he said that one day a very dear client looked him square in the eye after a consultation and said, “This is your ministry, isn’t it?”

And it really is.

With his gift for making people feel at home right away, Blake’s love for his calling shines through every word of conversation. Humble, approachable, but with a keen eye for texture, pattern, and color, he has woven his own little cottage into a tapestry of aesthetic delight.

I knew we would be great friends the moment I walked through his front door. Our living-room walls are the exact same color. The fez-wearing Swiss mountain goat on the far wall sealed the deal. His place feels like stepping 34

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Blake’s airy Ikea kitchen provides a light, bright counterpoint to the saturated colors found elsewhere in the home.

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Just when you thought Blake was getting serious, the curio cabinet in shocking mint green brings a sense of playful energy to the dining area.

It’s full to the brim with treasures from all over the globe — small, mischievous creatures which seem ready to leap off the shelf.

into the home of a very elegant English granny who expatriated to the South. The high-low mix is carried throughout. There are family pets all around. Octavia, his darling black kitty, meanders across surfaces filled with Staffordshire porcelain and artifacts from Blake’s travels. Two Boston terriers, Mr. French and Mr. Pickles, and a beagle, Tate, curl up on sofas and chairs — masters of their domain. The Ikea kitchen is full of old-fashioned charm (no upper cabinets) with a couple of stools gleaned from the remodel of the old Polk science buildings at Florida Southern College. The back entry is a nod to the home’s past, with original woodwork peeking through as a reminder of what once was. Blake’s little bungalow is elegant, cozy, quirky, and approachable — a delightful place to be.

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A Swiss mountain goat from the 1920s presides over the living room. Oh, and there’s a vintage fez.

And tassels.

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Q&A: BLAKE SCARBROUGH’S THOUGHTS ON ALL THINGS DESIGN How did you end up in Lakeland?

My family moved from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to Lakeland when I was thirteen. My father was a geologist, and his business was here. I loved Florida instantly.

Why did you choose to stay here?

I’ve always loved Lakeland. I have so many good friends here, and it has been a nice place to call home.

I think Lakeland is a pretty town with so much to offer, and it’s so easy to live here. Sunshine does a lot!

Whose work has influenced you most?

I’ve loved design as long as I can remember. The designers I most admire are Sister Parish, Albert Hadley, and Billy Baldwin. I grew up with their styles and they’ve been a huge influence in my taste level. I love anything that’s old and has a story to tell. My personal style is organized clutter — I love beautiful things and I love them to be around me. I hate decorated rooms. Rooms must be lived in! We read newspapers and magazines. We have animals and children. Yes, things need to be pretty, but they also need to be functional.

What’s your favorite part of the creative process?

Working with clients and figuring out what they want. I put my heart and soul into a project, but at the end of the day the client has to live in the room. I’ve always felt that the home should be a reflection of the owner, not the decorator.

How have your clients influenced you along the way?

I often say that my clients have trained me. I started out in my twenties, decorating homes for Christmas, and I still do it. It has been an important part of my business and remains a special part of my business to this day. I’m still with the same families I started out with.

An example of Blake’s work: the dining area of a longtime client

I’ve always known! My favorite Childcraft book was the one about the house. I never wanted to build the house. I wanted to make it pretty.

Describe the way you work best.

I like a collaborative effort. The client’s ideas are the most important and key to the outcome of the project being a success.

You mentioned that you decorate homes for Christmas. We also heard that you do flowers for special events. How does that work? How can we get you to come to our homes?

Yes, I still decorate homes for Christmas. That portion of my business has really exploded. I now have a crew of six, and we begin decorating in November. I will never say no, but if you call me in November it’s too late! I usually start booking in late summer and by October 1 everything is scheduled. I love doing the flowers and have done a few weddings for clients. I’m always available to do flowers — just call me.

The White House!

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The shop: WBS Interiors

Was there an “A ha!” moment for you when you realized this was something you wanted to do for a living?

What would be your dream project?

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Blake and one of his adored Boston terriers

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CULTURE

THE ART OF BUILDING AN ART PROGRAM FLORIDA SOUTHERN’S JOURNEY REVEALED

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STORY BY ANN GURLEY ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHILIP PIETRI

When bright, young, and energetic faculty join an academic department, remarkable things can happen. That’s the story of the Department of Art and Art History at Florida Southern College. Beginning at the end of the 1990s and over the course of several years, all three of the full-time studio art faculty retired. Art historian Dr. Jim Rogers, then the new department chair, led the search committees that chose their replacements. Already a new program of advising students within the department had been established, figure-drawing courses had returned to the curriculum, and the department was poised for growth.

In 1999, Bill Otremsky, a classical realist who the year before had received his MFA (Master of Fine Arts — the terminal degree in art) from the University of Pennsylvania, was selected to teach painting and drawing and to head the studio art program. The following year, Alexis Serio, both a painter and a designer and also with a newly minted Penn MFA, joined the team to lead the foundations program — the basic courses in drawing and design that all students take. The year after that, Bob Recht, an iconoclastic designer and abstract painter who received his MFA in graphic design from Yale and was designing websites in London before being laid off at the end of the dot.com boom, was hired to head up the graphic design program.

Before Serio’s first year was over, before Recht even had been interviewed, Otremsky and Serio convinced Rogers that if the FSC art majors were to have any hope of being admitted to graduate schools, the college needed to add a BFA program, an art-heavy, gold-standard degree not commonly offered at small liberal arts colleges. In fact, Rogers feared that both Otremsky and Serio might leave Florida Southern if he could not get approval to add the BFA degree. It was approved, and that was just the beginning. Portfolio reviews were put in place for admission to the BFA program, and that summer, Otremsky constructed nine individual studios out of 2x4s and plywood around the outer walls of the large, main painting studio so that seniors could work on their canvases undisturbed. Most important of all, Otremsky led the faculty in creating a serious work ethic among the students.

When Otremsky began his career at the college in 1999, he knew how tough it was to make it as a professional artist. To have any hope of succeeding in the career of their dreams, his students would have to work very, very hard, so his first mission was to create an ethic of hard work among the art majors. He constantly and successfully pushed for better and better work. Serio and Bob Recht worked with Otremsky on developing the “Art Department Work Ethic,” which manifests itself in the students’ commitment to putting in the long hours necessary for successful growth and pushing their fellow students to work hard and to make good work.

Signs — surreptitiously produced by the students — went up around the department with a picture of a scowling Otremsky and the headline “Get to Work!” Ultimately, the hard work resulted in great work, which in turn has been a source of true satisfaction to the students, who see how much they are growing.

Serio later moved on to teach at the University of Texas at Tyler, but she and Otremsky have continued to collaborate, each as visiting artists at the other’s home institution. Serio reported after visiting in 2011, “The

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BILL OTREMSKY

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students I met had the ‘Otremsky’ in their blood! . . . They were serious, dedicated, well spoken, passionate, and driven.”

To support the work ethic, Otremsky and his colleagues developed a program of department-wide critiques (forums in which students present and explain their work, take questions, and hear criticism) that are conducted at the level one would experience in graduate school. Each year the ultimate critiques are the ones for the senior studio and graphic design majors. During the senior year, each studio major develops a body of work and each graphic design student develops all of the design materials (logo, letterhead, business cards, brochures, calendars, web site, and packaging) for a company that he or she has fictionally created. During these senior critiques each student introduces his or her body of work or company and describes all that went into the project to the entire art faculty and all of the art majors. The critiques are held the day before the opening reception for each group’s Senior Thesis Exhibition, which are juried, with the winners receiving cash prizes. The work produced for the Senior Thesis Exhibitions form the core of the portfolios that students will present in job interview and graduate school applications as they begin the next phase of their professional careers.

By 2008 it was time for the second stage of growth for the department. Sam Romero, an FSC graduate who recently had received his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, was hired as the director of the graphic design program, taking the position that Bob Recht, who once had been Sam’s teacher, had had before moving on and back to London. In 2009, Kelly Sturhahn joined the team as director of the foundations program, the position that Alexis Serio once had inhabited.

Sturhahn, who came to the college from the prestigious Michael Werner Gallery in New York and who had received her MFA from Hunter College of the City University of New York, focused on upgrading the skills and concepts that students would take with them into both the graphic design program and studio from their foundations classes.

Romero and Sturhahn have updated the curriculum in their respective programs both technically and conceptually. They have taken students to Art Basel Miami Beach to give them a global perspective on the art world, and Romero believes that this event has enough to offer that it will be a regular field trip. Jessica Du Preez, who has a double major in art history and studio art and who wrote her senior art history thesis THE LAKELANDER

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KELLY STURHAHN

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on Chinese artist Laurens Tan, had the uncommon experience of being able to met with Tan’s dealer at Art Basel Miami Beach when she was writing her thesis. Trenton Moore, an enterprising senior who is a freelance photographer, observed, “Art Basel is also something that’s very recognizable within the art world. Prospective clients and employers realize the influence and prestige that an established festival of that level has, and they have been impressed that I made the effort to attend.”

Romero and Sturhahn’s efforts are part of ongoing efforts of Florida Southern’s faculty to create opportunities for their students to meet and learn from successful artists. The department has brought in established professionals — from the iconoclastic feminist Guerilla Girls and internationally recognized Chinese artist Laurens Tan to up-and-coming artists such as contemporary Italian videographer Roberto Bocci and Spanish realist painter Félix de la Concha. The design program has developed a wonderful relationship with the large, prizewinning department of creative services at Publix, whose designers generously participate in critiques in graphic design classes and whose leadership has rewarded many FSC students with outstanding internships. Other outstanding designers in the area have been involved similarly with the department.

Artists who have exhibitions at the Polk Museum of Art often are willing to meet with students. In 2012, Robert Puterbaugh, who has been a trustee of both FSC and the Polk Museum of Art, arranged for Louviere and Vanessa, a young, cutting-edge team of photographers from New Orleans who were exhibiting at the Polk Museum, to give a multi-media presentation for the Florida Southern students. In 2011, when Kelly Sturhahn took students to the museum to meet exhibitor Lillian Garcia-Roig, who is on the faculty at Florida State, Garcia-Roig was able to anticipate what these young artists needed to

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WHEN BRIGHT, YOUNG, AND ENERGETIC FACULTY JOIN AN ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT, REMARKABLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN.

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learn about her work and her career path, making the visit a very useful one. The museum’s director, Claire Orologas, and curator of art, Adam Justice, can be counted on to facilitate such encounters.

Not only do art students need to be talking to professional artists and learning from their examples, but also they can have an extraordinary learning experience when a talented artist critiques their art. To that end, Romero and Sturhahn have developed a visiting artist’s series. Anna Niebuhr, who graduated in 2012, was fortunate to have a critique with New York artist Ezra Johnson.

Anna said in an e-mail to Sturhahn, “Your connection with Ezra Johnson was imperative to my success for my senior thesis. He really helped me simplify my ideas and gave me such clear and profound direction.” It is worth noting that five of Niebuhr’s paintings from her senior thesis were purchased by Florida Southern and are hanging in the Christoverson Humanities Building.

Since 1998, the Department of Art and Art History has sponsored art-focused study abroad trips each year to sites around the world from Western Europe to Greece, Egypt, China, Peru, and Australia. This program was initiated by Jim Rogers, who turned it over to Sam Romero in 2012. These travel experiences greatly expand the horizons for young art students who interpret the world through their art. Trenton Moore who went to England, Ireland, and France in 2012 and will be on this year’s trip to India, said, “Lakeland, as wonderful as it is, isn’t always conducive to street photography. Many evenings after midnight, the downtown area can look and seem a bit like a ghost town in contrast to the big cities of Europe. Having that kind of work in my book can really give me an edge over the competition in a client meeting.”

Otremsky, Romero, and Sturhahn have worked as a team, along with eight adjuncts, to deliver a rich curriculum and in the process have brought the department to a new level of excellence.

Graduate school now is a common avenue for the studio majors, and a large number of graphic design majors have job offers in hand before graduation. These three influential forces have been able to guide Florida Southern’s art majors along a path toward becoming practicing artists, not only because they are excellent teachers and facilitators, but also because they are exemplars as successful practicing artists.

Jessica Artman graduated from Florida Southern in 2006 and received her MFA from the National University of Ireland, Galway-Burren College of Art. She returned to teach

in the program as an adjunct between 2010 and 2011, and in the fall semester of 2012 she worked full-time as a sabbatical replacement for Otremsky. She said she felt that one reason the current students were willing to work as hard as they do is because they respect their professors as artists.

During the fall semester of the 2012-2013 academic year, Otremsky was on sabbatical to finish his most recent body of work, the “Narcissus Series,” which is a series of seventeen portraits painted of the nude model and the model’s reflection in a mirror. This series will be exhibited in the fall of 2013 at the Melvin Gallery at Florida Southern.

From February 18 to March 8, Sam Romero’s video from his collection “American Chola” was included in the exhibition Minority Rule: 28th Annual Positive Negative Juried Art Exhibition at the Slocumb Gallery at East Tennessee State University. This exhibition was judged by renowned artist Michael Ray Charles, who was included in the first year of PSB’s Art21 series. Kelly Sturhahn will have a one-person exhibition this May in Miami at the 6th Street Container Gallery.

In order to sustain this momentum on all fronts, the Department of Art and Art History invited Katharine T. Carter, nationally acclaimed art consultant, to visit Florida Southern in January 2013. She was asked to assess the department based upon today’s national art scene. Carter was a natural choice for this assignment because she and her company have worked with the Florida Southern Art Department in a variety of projects during the twenty-eight years of her company’s existence, and before she started her company, she taught for many years on the college level. She was at Florida Southern for three days and had individual three-hour consultations with Otremsky, Romero, and Sturhahn, helping them evaluate their own work; and she gave an inspirational talk to the faculty and students in the Melvin Gallery, giving tips on career development for artists.

More than ten years earlier, in 2002, Otremsky had a consultation with Katharine T. Carter, so it’s interesting to note her observations of his artistic development over the subsequent years. She told him, “The new ‘Narcissus Series’ seems much more contemporaneous/of the moment than the earlier large paintings I saw a decade ago. At that earlier point, I saw the connection to [Norwegian painter] Odd Nerdrum and was definitely impressed with your skill and ability, but the new ‘Narcissus Series’ particularly held my attention because I could not avoid creating my own subtext, personal associations/projections, and

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SAM ROMERO

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ASHLEY TODD IS A FRESHMAN AT FSC MAJORING IN STUDIO ART. ONE OF HER CLASS ASSIGNMENTS RESULTED IN THIS UNTITLED PIECE, RENDERED ALMOST COMPLETELY BY ACTUAL WORDS.

narrative; it grabbed me psychologically. Perhaps it is the starkness and severity of the figure against the black grounds that gave me the space to enter into this internal dialogue.”

Carter recommended to Romero that he print the photographs in his “American Chola” series larger, and with the department’s new large-format printer, he is doing just that. Carter went on to comment, “Going life-size on the photographs (even cutouts) could knock the ball out of the park for him.” And with regard to Romero as a teacher she said, “He is a strong artist, with enormous potential. My intuition tells me that he is a wonderful teacher, mainly because he is real and authentic; there is nothing like genuine sincerity when trying to guide others. He’s got that, which is rare. He is unpretentious and open, qualities that students can connect with and learn from in a meaningful way. Likely they won’t find that in most graduate programs where often it is a competition between faculty and student.”

Carter recognized the value of Sturhahn’s previous career experience working at the Michael Werner Gallery in New York both for her career as an artist and as a professor. She said, “This gal has got it together, and I definitely told her to keep that ‘Rolodex of contacts from her past’ involved in her career advancements as they occur; to let them know about her museum shows and other involvements. She got it immediately. She’s met a lot of people while in New York City, and staying in touch with other professionals is part and parcel of anyone’s efforts who wants to be a serious player in the majors.” Carter went on to observe about Sturhahn’s creative process that “Kelly’s ideas are advanced and well developed conceptually, and accomplished curators would recognize that immediately, but they have to see the work first, and know about her, so she’s got to get the work and word out.

She is an example for students because she is a classic adventurer of multiple mediums of expression, and I could instantly sense her natural ability to push her ideas beyond the norm. Students need to be exposed to anyone who embraces exploration and the unknown. She reminds me of [art critic and writer] John Mendelsohn in her willingness to be taken forward, not of her own volition, but by trust and faith in the creative process.”

The art department at Florida Southern has developed into an outstanding center for art education. It has grown from seventeen students in the mid-1990s to more than one hundred today based on the hard-work ethic promoted by Otremsky and his colleagues and by the variety of skills and talents of a diverse faculty who are always looking for ways to tweak the program. The most recent enhancement cleared the college’s curriculum committee just a few weeks ago. Now all art students applying to Florida Southern College, (both BFA and BA candidates) must have portfolio reviews for admission to the department. The students clearly are responding to this environment, and their art and their prospects get better every year.

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TASTE

WE TELL ALL story by Logan Crumpton photography by Tina Sargeant

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N

early a century has come and gone since the Roaring Twenties — the era of Prohibition and secret indulgences, when some of the most influential decisions of modern time were made during private parties in the dining room, not the war room. Today, what was once old is new again with the reintroduction of the modern speakeasy and supper club.

I believe it’s part of our nature to immediately want what was once prohibited. To have what is perceived to be unaccessible. This very notion drew me into my first experience at a speakeasy one night many years ago in New York City.

Hearing about a private party with food and drinks that could not be had anywhere else no matter what price, made me want to get an invitation to attend even more so. Part of the allure of private dining clubs and speakeasies are that chefs and mixologists treat their guests as test subjects, seeing how far they can push the limits of the conventional while still providing a stimulating event for all of the senses.

Historically speaking, as recently as sixty years ago the thought of a supper club brought to mind strong social implications — a destination where people got together to share food, drink, and quite possibly a dance or two. The main goal was to really make a night of things by getting away from one’s stressful routine and simply relax away.

The concept evolved throughout the years, ranging from early fondue parties to simplistic fish fries, and moving on to full-blown catered dinners paired with fine wines and artisanal cocktails, the key ingredient always being secrecy.

At present, the supper club is evolving more into a forward-thinking culinary entity for the underground. As diners tire of a normal restaurant encounter, they now are at the helm, taking it upon themselves to create a revolving premise and location for each event only to be revealed to a select few who are fortunate enough to receive an invite. The menu is shrouded in just as much privacy, often not being revealed until service. The reason for this omission usually stems from the heavy influence farm-to-table dining has within the culture, looking toward the local markets to write out the menus for us. In this way, not even the cook really knows what’s going to be prepared until the day of each dinner, pending what’s fresh and seasonally available.

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Those who keep up on the latest inclinations may already be aware of, and quite possibly be participating in, private dinners throughout the Central Florida corridor. This phenomenon has all but bypassed our town. As a community, we can encourage great change to our dining landscape if we show there is significant interest.

Look at your favorite restaurant’s menu next time you visit. Most likely it doesn’t change all that often. That’s because “regulars” get into a comfort zone of ordering certain menu items, thus causing the proprietors to stick to a staple of options. Believe me, this happens all over the country. It’s safer this way. I will bet you that past the dining room, buried deep in the kitchen, is a forward-thinking cook, aching to get a chance to let his or her creativity fly — creativity which is not satisfied simply by making up the occasional special. Cooks who still have a deep passion for cooking also have a strong desire to create. These instinctively go hand in hand.

As food appreciation grows and becomes completely mainstream, a person like this might not even be in the restaurant industry. To clarify, more and more we are seeing people who are not employed within or by the service industry, yet they have a growing knowledge of food and would love to share their most likely self-taught skills with a larger audience. These kinds of people are causing the resurgence of supper clubs. Do you find yourself watching food-based television on a regular basis, picking up little tricks of the trade every now and then? If so, you might just fit the mold as the next generation of dinner host.

From time to time we have our friends over for an impromptu meal or simply a glass of wine and some good conversation. Most likely the meal consists of dishes we are comfortable making any day of the week with little to no preparation required. What if on certain occasions, we made things more spectacular, grander — something of a night to remember for all invited? Maybe even make a meal that can’t be found on any menu, one that would make any chef downtown jealous that they didn’t think of it first. A new, secret supper club conceptualized in the comfort of your home perhaps?

Not everyone can devote as much time as is needed to produce a large-scale traveling circus of gastronomical proportions. But we sure can try our best with what we’ve got!

The following is a guide to the basics of a starting a small secret supper club that you and your friends can enjoy.

LakesideVillage_May-June2013_P_8x4.75 4/9/13 8:08 AM Page 1

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SUPPER CLUB SOURCES Style/Environment furniture / props provided by: Lisa Malott, Wish Rentals wishvintagerentals.com (863) 513-6555 custom pedestal table provided by: Matthew Kent, Pinestock pine-stock.com potted plants / accents provided by: The Green House Garden Store 110 Easton Drive, Lakeland, FL 33803 (863) 683-9176 greenhousegardenstore.com invitation, menu, and coaster provided by: Matthew Wengerd, A Fine Press (253) 237-4636; matthew@afinepress.com afinepress.com Graphic painting by Adam Justice, curator of the Polk Museum of Art Special thanks to Crowder Bros. for providing strand lights and their entire stock of plastic flamingos: Ace Hardware (Crowder Bros.)

2633 S. Florida Ave, Lakeland, FL 33803 (863) 683-6702

Food / Purveyors These vendors primarily sell their foodstuffs at Lakeland’s Downtown Farmers Curb Market: kale, carrots, turnips, radishes, strawberries, beets EcoFarm ecofarmfl.org farm-fresh eggs, society garlic Barefoot Creek thebarefootgardener.org strawberry jam Jims Jam (found at Barefoot Creek’s booth) Jim.Luna@yahoo.com lemon oil, champagne pear vinegar, honey, Herbs de Provence Primus Hydroponic Gardens white asparagus, strawberry onions, mangoes, corn, celery, red peppers AquaOrganics ao.locallygrown.net Wook’s beef jerky, hickory beef jerky www.wooksbeefjerky.com

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Here are some ideas from our Shelter Editor on party design and setting the atmosphere.

Having a dinner party doesn’t have to involve buying expensive cut flowers, polishing the silver, and breaking out your grandma’s candelabra. Think outside the box when it comes to setting the atmosphere.

We chose to set the tone by bringing the party outside, using some of the homeowner’s signature elements as key features of the design. Iconic Florida lawn ornaments, [Don Featherstone] pink flamingos meander through the garden while guests dine at table.

Original art hangs on the patio. Antique bottles hold cuttings from the yard rather than cut flowers. Industrial bobbins are used in lieu of fancy candle sticks. We made small terrariums inhabited by sunflower seedlings for the table, continuing our farm-to-table theme. I love to send guests home with a memento of the event.

The seedlings will last for weeks as is, or guests can choose to plant them outside and watch them grow.

Party-Planning Timeline • Two weeks out: send invitations • One week out: visit farmers market / local purveyors to gain inspiration for your menu • One week before party: sketch out your plan for the evening / outline each dish • Weekend before event: grocery shop/visit farmers market to make final selections for your meal • Do as much prep as possible in the days before the party, so you have time to relax and enjoy your guests between courses • Invite guests to participate by bringing cocktails to share • Day of party: have apps ready when people arrive

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TASTE | RECIPES

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THE ASPARAGUS AND THE EGG Serves 10 1 pound white or green asparagus spears 2 tablespoons butter 10 large eggs, room temperature 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream plus 10 tablespoons 1/4 cup chicken stock 10 mint leaves finely chopped, plus extra for garnish 1 pound frozen English peas 1/2 pound crispy bacon, plus 1 tablespoon bacon drippings 1 loaf of white bread, toasted and cut into 1-inch-thick sticks premade pesto sauce salt and pepper to taste 10 6-ounce jam jars or ramekins Bring a large pot of water to boil and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the butter. Remove the woody bottoms of the asparagus by bending stalks until they snap. Where they snap is the part that is more tough and fibrous. Peel the outer skin for a more tender product. Place the asparagus in boiling water for 3-5 minutes (depending on thickness), then remove and place into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Remove from ice bath and place on paper-towel–lined dish. Keep the pot of water boiling. If desired, place asparagus on a hot grill for 2 minutes, then set aside. (Asparagus can be made up to a day in advance and reserved in refrigerator.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour peas into boiling water for 2 minutes, then with a slotted spoon, transfer to ice bath. Drain and put into food processor or blender with cream, chicken stock, mint, and bacon drippings. Add salt to taste. Blend on high for about 2 minutes or until very smooth and bright green.

Pour puree in jars or ramekins dividing into ten equal portions.

Crack one egg per serving atop puree, being careful not to break the yolk. Add 1 tablespoon of cream then top with cracked pepper. Place in large baking dishes and fill with hot water until about halfway up jars.

Bake until the egg white is just set but the yolks are still runny, about 19-22 minutes. Carefully remove each serving and set on serving dishes.

Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and some chopped bacon. Serve with asparagus, toast (use these items to dip into runny yolk), and a spoon with pesto on the side.

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CHEWY CAKE WITH BUTTERMILK PANNA COTTA AND STRAWBERRIES For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4 large eggs 2-1/2 cups light brown sugar 1 stick of salted butter, plus extra for greasing pan 1-1/2 cups self-rising flour, plus extra for greasing pan 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup pecans Grease a 9x9 baking pan with butter, then dust with flour.

In a medium saucepan, place eggs, brown sugar, and butter on Low heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat, add flour, and stir gently by hand until incorporated. Add vanilla and stir until mixed. Add nuts and mix evenly. Pour into prepared pan, then place in oven for 45 minutes. Test with a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, it’s ready. Set on cooling rack for at least 30 minutes or cool to the touch.

For the panna cotta: 1-1/2 cups heavy cream 2/3 cup sugar 1 vanilla bean 1/2 ounce unflavored gelatin (2 packets) 2 cups buttermilk In a small saucepan on Medium heat, warm cream and sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into cream. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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Place gelatin in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir.

It will turn to a thick paste. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Pour hot cream mixture over gelatin and stir until combined. Add buttermilk and stir again. Pour through sieve or strainer and into a 9x9 baking dish lined with plastic wrap. Shake to release any air that may have gotten trapped in liquid. Cover and let set in refrigerator at least 2 hours.

For the strawberries: 1 pint fresh strawberries, diced 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice strawberry jam whole espresso beans Stir together fresh strawberries, sugar, and lemon in a small bowl. Let stand until the juices from the berries have released, at least 30 minutes.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

To compose dessert, remove panna cotta by inverting dish onto a large cutting board. Cut individual portions of the panna cotta with a knife or small biscuit cutter, and place in the center of small serving dishes.

Repeat with cake and place on panna cotta. Spoon macerated strawberries randomly, then add a dollop of strawberry jam on the side. Finish with a light dusting of whole espresso beans over the entirety, using a Microplane to grate.

For more supper club recipes, go to www.thelakelander.com.

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East Coast / West Coast This summer, take a vacation in style

story by Mark Nielsen and Courtney Philpot photography by Michael Nielsen

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STYLE

Men’s Style

East Coast

East Coast / West Coast This summer, take a vacation in style

story by Mark Nielsen and Courtney Philpot photography by Michael Nielsen

The East Coast has a particular draw. For some, it’s the respite of sitting in the Atlantic, feeling the pulse of the ocean slide under you as you wait for the right wave. For others, it may just be lying on the sand enjoying the sun, listening to the waves crash on the shore. You may be drawn by the apparently effortless pace of life on a coast that hasn’t grown as quickly as its over-developed cousin. Whatever the case, the lure of the East Coast can’t be denied.

Your style can take on a certain East Coast vibe as well. This isn’t typical surfer style that everyone tries to mimic. It’s a kind of effortless flair that makes its way into every aspect of style — clothes, gear, music, even food and drink. So whether you’re taking a weekend trip to the beach, a jaunt to the city, or a big vacation abroad, think about letting the East Coast influence your style this summer. Heck, think about letting it influence your entire life.

I’ve put together some lists of essentials for a summer vacation to the beach. Be it for a day or a weekend, these should get you by. The one thing you won’t hear from me are packing tips — we all know most of us are just going to stuff everything in a bag anyway.

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Travel Essentials 1. Surfboard

This is a 5’2” quad I shaped and glassed myself. I made it for my daughters but have ended up using it for myself far more than planned. I can’t go to the beach without bringing a board. If you’re looking for a new board, check out Longboard House in Indialantic. They have the best selection on the East Coast, and the staff is super helpful.

2. Camera

I never travel without a camera. I use this Hasselblad 500cm medium-format film camera. After years of using digital SLRs, I wanted something that was a step back and would allow me to slow down and focus a little more on the craft of taking pictures. Similar, bhphotovideo.com

3. A good bag

Every guy needs a good bag — something that doesn’t look like you borrowed it from your wife. This one is from Filson, and it fits the bill perfectly. Filson Oil Finish Tote Bag, filson.com

4. Hoodie

I always bring a hoodie when I travel, even in the summer. The right one will fit perfectly, won’t look like you just came from the gym, and can work with shorts or pants. This one is from Saturdays Surf NYC. It’s simple, classic, well constructed, and has a perfect fit. Saturdays Ditch Hoodie, saturdaysnyc.com

5. Hat

I rarely leave the house in summer without a hat, and it’s usually a ball cap. This Patagonia trucker hat has been my go-to for the past couple of months. Patagonia Trucker Hat, patagonia.com

6. Sunglasses

You can’t go outside in Florida without sunglasses, especially during the summer. If you’ve never picked up a good pair of sunglasses, do yourself a favor and get some. My favorites right now are these Oakley Holbrooks. They’re light, have great optics, and look good. Oakley Holbrook™, Sunglass Hut or oakley.com

7. Board shorts

Let’s get something straight. Board shorts don’t have an elastic waist. Everybody has their own tastes when it comes to board shorts. I have a few and wear what I’m in the mood for that day. Plus, it never hurts to have two pairs when you’re on vacation so you’re not putting on wet shorts in the morning. I tend to opt for something a little shorter, hitting an inch or two above my knees, otherwise I feel like I’m three feet tall. One of the best things to happen to board shorts in the last couple of years is the hybrid — they’re basically board shorts with front pockets. Do I have to explain what a pain it was not having a place to put your keys? Hurley Boardwalk Walkshort in Camo, hurley.com; Reef Land to Sea Micro Hybrid Boardshort in Navy, swell.com

8. T-shirt

Some days you don’t want to fuss with a button-up shirt. Not me anyway. 105-degree heat calls for a T-shirt. The Critical Slide Society logo tee, swell.com for similar

9. Sunscreen

Protect yourself from the aforementioned heat. Sun protection is no joke. This sunscreen from Sun Bum is good stuff. It protects from harmful UVA and UVB rays, is waterproof and sweatproof, and it smells super good, too. Sun Bum SPF 70+ Sunscreen Lotion, swell.com

10. Pomade

When summer comes I need something a little stronger to keep my hair in place on those days when I can’t wear a hat. This pomade from Imperial does the trick. Plus, it’s water based, so it washes out easily and doesn’t leave you greasy. Imperial Classic Pomade, imperialbarberproducts.com; Large Comb – 7.75” Tortoise, Baxter of California

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Signature Drink Everyone needs a signature drink, especially in the summer. A few years ago we were in the Keys with some friends and I was trying to think of a cocktail to order, since I’m not a huge beer fan. I am a Hemingway fan, though, and I remembered hearing that while in the Keys he would drink a Dark & Stormy. I ordered one and have been making them myself ever since. Dark rum, ginger beer, simple syrup, and lime — it’s really simple, and it’s my favorite summer drink.

Reading List I’ll be honest, I don’t read much. Like not much at all. However, sometimes reading a good book on vacation is just what’s needed. As mentioned, I’m a big Ernest Hemingway fan, so you’ll see a couple of his titles here.

Books

The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway Green Hills of Africa – Ernest Hemingway My Name is Asher Lev – Chaim Potok How to Stay Alive in the Woods – Bradford Angier

Magazines

The Surfer’s Journal Overland Journal Kinfolk Garden & Gun Saveur

Playlist Try making a playlist to give your summer the soundtrack of your choosing. Don’t let the radio make it all Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars.

Here’s a sample of what’s on mine right now (don’t judge): “One Day” – Matisyahu “Here’s to Now” – Ugly Casanova “Three Little Birds” – Bob Marley “Paint a Face” – Neil Halstead “Diane Young” – Vampire Weekend “Linoleum” – Streetlight Manifesto “Badfish” – Sublime “Ruby Soho” – Jimmy Cliff “Little Black Submarines” – The Black Keys I also want to include the entire El Camino album from The Black Keys.

That one’s a winner.

Speaking of music, if you’re looking for some great headphones, try the Grado SR80i. Endorsed by audiophiles everywhere, these are incredible, no-frills headphones with classic styling and great sound. And they’re only $99. Grado Prestige Series SR80i Stereo Headphone, $99, amazon.com

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STYLE

Women’s Style

West Coast In that rare moment when it’s quiet, and daydreaming takes me further from daily to-do lists, I am immediately transported to a Caribbean beachfront bar, cracked conch and a Kalik in hand, steel drum echoing in the background. Though my family’s exotic excursions have been null since the arrival of our daughter, we have been able to escape for a more logistically doable beach trip to Florida’s West Coast.

Whether spending time in the Bahamas, where my husband and I were married, or weekends on the West Coast of Florida, the beach has always been my happy place. Like many Lakelanders, the West Coast has perpetually served as my weekend playground. Every summer as a child, my family piled into my mom’s Ford Bronco on Friday afternoon, boat in tow, with the dog, bags, coolers, loads of zinc oxide, Capri Sun, Yahtzee, Uno, and Mad Libs, and began our trek. My family had a modest house in Englewood, with easy access from our dock to the Intracoastal Waterway and Stump Pass, where we would fish from sunrise to sunset. On Sunday afternoon we’d head home, sunburned and windblown, and then back every weekend to do it all over again.

Although our family outgrew our old fishing house, we never outgrew the West Coast. Most summer weekends you can still find us fishing and boating on the Gulf. These days, our captain and crew operate on a more “island time” schedule. While the weekend still involves loads of fishing, we’re not on the boat by sunrise. We savor our morning coffee while watching a family of manatees make their way in and out of the canal, enjoy sandbar hanging, sunset cocktail cruises, and day trips to Captiva Island with a stop off at Cabbage Key for a “cheeseburger in paradise” and a Cabbage Creeper — a must-try if you get the chance.

Deeply rooted in the coastal way of life, beach towns and Old Florida fishing villages are understandably more concerned with the tides than they are their fashion choices. With that in mind, it truly does depend on what particular shore you land upon when defining East Coast / West Coast Florida’s West Coast style. While most destinations embody a casual, This summer, take a vacation in style Florida-sportswear style, towns such as Boca Grande and Naples, for example, epitomize a more classic resort wear look with their colorful caftans and overall resort aesthetic. story by Mark Nielsen and Courtney Philpot photography by Michael Nielsen It’s no surprise that when it comes to style, I relate more to the cool, casual elements of the West Coast. While I can appreciate the East Coast vibe, I’ve always gravitated more towards the loose layers, bold colors, and prints provided by the proverbial West Coast aesthetic — which often stems from the iconic California boho genre. Whether it’s the casual yet chic style, the warm waters and cool breeze, or the nostalgia of summers spent growing up on the Gulf coast, I am a West Coast girl in every sense of the word.

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Travel Essentials 1. Bathing suit

Coral Print Bikini by Milly

2. Shades

I had to list sunglasses right after bathing suit because they’re a must-have for beach trips and really anytime you’re outdoors in Florida. Chanel Wayfarer Style Sunglasses, Limited Denim Edition, Nordstrom

3. Cover-up

Choose a tunic or dress style that will make it easy to throw on over your suit for lunch, shopping, etc. Favorite brands: Echo, La Blanca, DVF, Trina Turk , Milly

4. Maxi dress and/or shorter-style printed tunic dress or shift

Fuchsia and Red Print Caftan by Echo, www.hautelook.com Purple Silk Strapless Tunic by Yumi Kim, www.yumikim.com

5. Tunic in colorful print

Favorite brands: Trina Turk, Alice and Olivia, DVF, Milly, Calypso St. Barth

6. White linen pants or straight-fit, cropped, cigarette-style white denim

These are the perfect summer partners for your colorful tunics and tees. Watch your proportions. Pair a longer, flowing tunic with a fitted, straight-style pant. If your pants are a wide-leg, loose-fitting linen, go with a more fitted top or tee.

7. Pashmina or large square scarf

Doubles as a sarong for your bathing suit and a wrap for cooler evenings

8. Wide-brim sun hat

PACKING TIPS

Because females tend to prefer a more methodical travel bag

Great for travel as they can be folded and still hold their shape. Nine West

9. Straw fedora

To avoid overpacking, select versatile pieces you can mix and match. The goal is to have a no-brainer, grab-and-go suitcase that will eliminate any undue stress when presented with too many options.

10. Thong sandals in a neutral color or metallic 11. Cork wedges in bold coral or fuchsia

Choose pieces that will travel well with less wrinkles to worry about. Look for knits. Pieces with Lycra will stretch and hold their shape. Linen is also a good choice as it’s meant for the wrinkled look. In case your destination is not equipped with an iron, travel with a bottle of Downy Wrinkle Release. Hanging an article of clothing in a steam shower will also help. When packing your suitcase, roll rather than fold the clothing as this helps prevent wrinkles and allows for more room.

12. Havaianas sandals for pool and boat

I learned this one the hard way — pack all toiletries in Ziploc bags and then place them in a plastic zippered pouch or bag.

There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination with a wardrobe covered in shampoo and lotion.

I rarely leave the house in the summer without a hat. Straw Fedora by Banana Republic

Winter White/Gold Thong Sandals, by DV Dolce Vita

(unless most of your clothes are bold prints , then stick with a nude wedge).

You’d be amazed at everything these two shades work with — coral plays well with navy, white, turquoise, tan, while fuchsia works with turquoise, navy, green, and red. Coral Wedge by Charles David, Nordstrom

13. Straw beach tote

I like JCrew’s Farmer’s Market tote. Great at the pool, beach, and shopping

14. Straw clutch

Essential for evenings out when you need a small bag for your cards, lip gloss, and phone. JCrew’s Havana clutch is a perfect choice. I scored one last year in red at an outlet for half the price. It’s the perfect size, and I love the ’50’s woven wicker inspiration. It’s available this season in fuchsia, black, and natural gold. Red woven wicker clutch, JCrew

I haven’t found a travel jewelry case that I like; they’re never big enough and jewelry often gets tangled. So I pack each piece in a Ziploc snack bag and place in a larger zippered pouch or a larger Ziploc. If you’re traveling by plane, make sure to pack all of your jewelry and valuables in your carry-on.

15. Camera (I use a Cannon) and notepad for sketching

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Beauty Essentials Mac lip gloss in Viva Glam V Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer Smashbox liquid bronzer Nars Blush in Orgasm Bigelow Rose Salve lip balm Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava lotion Essie nail polish in East Hampton Cottage or Ballet Slippers Minimergency Kit, Pinch Provisions, Nordstrom Cosmetic Bag by Tory Burch

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Reading List Honestly, I have more magazines than books in my weekend tote. I have good intentions, but I’m not sure if it’s my short attention span that’s to blame or my knack for picking. I’ve been reading the same book for the last four or five trips — no joke. It has actually become a running joke in my house, as my husband will ask, “Is Mr. Darcy’s Daughters making the trip?”

Books

Historical fiction and classics. Anything by Jane Austen

Magazines

InStyle Harper’s Bazaar Vogue UK Elle Decor

Playlist “A Pirate Looks at Forty” – Jimmy Buffett “Wagon Wheel” – Old Crow Medicine Show “There Goes the Fear” – The Doves “Roll With It” – Easton Corbin “Shake It Out” – Florence + The Machine “Straight to Hell” – Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ “White Blank Page” – Mumford & Sons “Against the Wind” – Bob Seger “It’s Time” – Imagine Dragons “Come on Get Higher “(live) – Sugarland “Leaving” – Indigo Girls “Sunday Morning” – Maroon 5 “The Crossing” – Meg Hutchinson “Southern Cross” – Crosby, Stills and Nash “Amie” – Pure Prairie League

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PHILANTHROPY

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JUNIOR LEAGUE

RETROSPECTIVE A look back, inside, and around at an organization mobilizing women for the greater good story by Brooklyn Lindsey photography by Tina Sargeant

W

hen considering a story to tell, writers often peer through investigative lenses, searching for what others might overlook, probing for information, insights, or surprising revelations. They wish for a detail to grab their curiosity, a place in the story where everyone reading, regardless of their background, would be drawn to enter in and compelled to respond.

There are also rare moments when the writer becomes the reader and the lines are blurred, and it’s difficult to distinguish which way is up because what has been uncovered is so important and connective and revelatory that it begs to be wrestled with even before it’s given as a gift to the reader.

Retrospective turned introspective as I learned about a lively and deeply philanthropic guild of women that includes and impacts everyone in our community, the Junior League of Greater Lakeland. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if covering a story on the Junior League would be helpful. I’d heard that it was an elite club of sorts. It required an invitation, a sponsor, a name, extra monetary resources, and a Lakeland heritage.

Measuring up to the rumored standard was never a possibility in my mind, having lived here only six years, working full-time with two small children, and living on a youth minister’s budget. I’d never thought twice about the Junior League. Therefore, writing a story about the League caused me to hesitate and pause with some quizzical doubt. My initial thoughts were that where few are included, few are affected.

They do good things, but they’re just not “me,” so they’re probably not really “us.” Maybe the

story wouldn’t be the best fit for our much larger and more diverse community. Maybe I shouldn’t learn more. I didn’t want to meddle or judge but to just leave it alone and move on.

However, there was a shift that started when I, the curious reporter, began to see and hear evidence from friends in the community that conflicted with my perceptions as an outsider.

I decided to go ahead and dive into the world of the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, speak with those at the heart of the organization, and learn what it’s really all about. Mid-interview, I become grateful. Engaged. Thankful. Wondering why it took so long for me to learn about the League and how it has evolved over the years.

I hadn’t realized the countless benefits both small and large that our families have received and experienced due to the dedication and commitment of the League. As I spoke with President-Elect Tiffany Osler, I quickly realized that I was a part of the story I was about to tell.

And that’s a very exciting place to be.

One of the most beautiful and historic buildings in Lakeland overlooks Lake Morton.

You may have wondered what this building is and what it is used for. Known as the Sorosis Building, it’s the place where community gathers on the weekends. It’s rented to brides and grooms, companies, and families for parties.

While it sits waiting to be photographed, shared, and communed in, its walls swell with history and purpose. Its doors invite others into a philanthropic life and into a community of women who have learned the secret of living for more than everyday needs and desires. I had no idea how far this building reached — all the way back into the hearts of a few women, bent

on education, community development, and women’s issues.

In 1901, Mary Harriman, a nineteen-yearold New York City debutante with a social conscience, formed the Junior League for the promotion of settlement movements (the Association of Junior Leagues International Inc.). The story is striking. Harriman mobilized a group of eighty other young women, hence the name “Junior” League, to work to improve child health, nutrition, and literacy among immigrants living on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Inspired by the work, Eleanor Roosevelt, niece of President Theodore Roosevelt, inherited a sense of making a difference from watching her family reach out to paperboys living on the street. In 1903, she joined the Junior League of the City of New York.

It was moving to learn why these fine women were getting involved. They were concerned about the plight of the poor, many of whom were immigrants who didn’t speak English and living in settlement houses in a wretched state of poverty. These early League members did what they could to help alleviate problems, particularly where children were concerned.

That concern eventually moved south and can be seen today in Lakeland. Beyond the steps of the Sorosis Building, we can peer into the windows and into the lives of those who began a great movement in our city.

Nineteen thirty-three was a pivotal year; it’s when the Junior Welfare League of Lakeland was organized. Twenty-five charter members adopted to make charitable volunteer service within the community their purpose. This group began gathering together to focus on the same THE LAKELANDER

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purposes that were born in New York City and were necessary in Lakeland, Florida.

The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. (AJLI) currently has a membership of over 160,000 women in 293 Leagues in four countries — Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The twenty-five charter members and those who followed are a part of this respected international movement.

Today, the Junior Welfare League has evolved into the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, an organization that funded and / or founded and contributed to some things our readers may be familiar with: • The Learning Resource Center • Polk Museum of Art • Lakeland Christmas Parade • The Salvation Army’s Halo Child Enrichment Center • Explorations V Children’s Museum • The Bethany Center • Lakeland’s Annual PigFest • Reading Is Fundamental Program This is an attention-grabbing list. So how can an “elite,” “closed,” “social” group do so much for Lakeland? Perhaps those words that may have once described the Junior League are no longer applicable. Maybe these words need replacing, and an honoring of the past and a reimagining of the present and future needs to take place.

We started with coffee. Although Tiffany is the incoming president of the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, it was surprising to hear that 86

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she has been a member for nearly ten years. She’s a young wife and mom, but also a volunteer in active community service and a leader developing other leaders.

With her notes jotted on a piece of paper, I found Tiffany to be familial and disarming. She told me in advance that she would normally dress professionally for our interview, but we had made a quick decision to meet up and were both caught in our workout clothes, which didn’t seem to be a problem for either of us.

Amid the noise of South Florida Avenue and the Starbucks at Beacon Road, I began to learn about the Junior League. Tiffany’s first sentence about the Junior League was impressive. “We are currently in our eightieth year.” There was a nostalgic pride coupled with hopeful optimism that they have come a long way and are excited about the future.

In the 1940’s wartime effort, the Junior League shifted from community service in the traditional sense to making care packages for soldiers and even taking shifts sighting enemy planes from the roof of the old Regency hotel.

In the years following, the women focused on impacting literacy development, early childhood readiness, and developing women professionally.

Because of these efforts, Lakeland is the home of the longest-running Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) program in the state. It was founded by Past President Anne McLaughlin.

It sounded like the League was and is a solid group of women with a common purpose. But curiosity was killing me. I had heard that the

Junior League was a socialite club hosting tea parties and limited to those who could meet during the day. I couldn’t help but think of the now infamous book, The Help.

We live in a different world, where many women work full- and part-time jobs and aren’t able to meet in the mornings or afternoon for extra meetings. How does the League function when many don’t have the luxury of free time and even those who do stay at home with children are very busy, managing multiple schedules and diverse responsibilities? How does this actually work for women today? I offered my honest questions and concerns.

Tiffany, more than graceful in her responses, explained how things have evolved and where they are heading. Leaning in, I learned some vital facts.

It used to be true that a woman had to know certain people to be included in the Junior League. It was difficult to join. But so much has changed. Currently the League seeks diversity, and a woman can join at any age beyond twentytwo. This year the League has ladies joining ranging from twenty-two years old to fifty-one years old. They are cancer surgeons, teachers, stayat-home moms, volunteers, and business owners, coming from various backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, and nationalities. A woman interested in joining doesn’t have to know someone or have a connection. As it states in the bylaws, “She shall have an interest in volunteerism, a commitment to community service, and an interest in developing her potential for voluntary

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World of Reading Festival | Leigh Harris, Lauren Respess, Kim Elmhorst, Bevin Strickland, Elisa Buffington, Coleen Pizzuti, Brandie Philpot, and Tiffany Osler | JLGL volunteer at PigFest

community participation.” The League has been intentional about inclusive community, and its membership reflects this purposefulness.

Tiffany was debunking my myths.

The League is in essence reaching out, opening its arms for any woman who wants to better her community. It’s safe to say that over eighty percent are now actively working outside of their homes either part-time or full-time.

Tiffany continued to share what it’s like to join the League. Again, I waited for that stipulation that excluded half of our population. But there wasn’t one. I wanted to know exactly what it takes to join. Here’s how it shapes up.

Any woman living in Lakeland can make an application to join. Applications are accepted once a year. Once she has applied, she will be assigned to a sponsor if she doesn’t have one already. I was curious about the dues, so I asked about them as well. Surprisingly, the provisional year is only $208 to join ($158 for dues, $25 for yearbook photo, and $25 for Junior League apron). Tiffany says members can make payments over time, and they encourage any women interested to apply.

They do not discriminate.

Members become involved by planning or volunteering at one or more of the events held by the League. There are seven meetings a year, held the first Tuesday of every month except December, and one banquet (the Spring Banquet is optional).

Currently there are 506 members in the Junior League of Greater Lakeland. Of this number, there are 140 active members, 330 sustaining 88

THE LAKELANDER

members, and 36 provisionals (those seeking membership). During this year as a provisional, one would learn about the history of the League.

The provisional group functions together and participates in a signature group project. The Lakeland Christmas Parade (founded by past president Anne Furr) — is such a project, and all of the provisional members are asked to volunteer.

I ask Tiffany what happens if a member misses a meeting or has to bring their children to a meeting. She explained about the professionalism of the League and that minutes are always available for those who can’t attend a meeting. Mentors are also provided to make sure each member has access to information if she isn’t able to attend. She says there are moms with their babies at just about every meeting. The League is a family in many ways and encourages family values.

We move on to other aspects of the League and to something that keeps surfacing in our conversation — the literacy program.

Every year, the Junior League goes to the schools with the highest percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunches. Using funds raised through events, the League offers a mini book fair (Reading Is Fundamental program).

Today they provide this program to eight schools twice a year, with the opportunity to distribute books to children from kindergarten through fifth grade, working alongside the school resource personnel. Care is taken to provide books at appropriate reading levels.

Tiffany switches from sharing details to speaking from the heart.

“For many of these children,” she says, “the books they receive are the first ones they have ever owned. We get to read to and share with children who have bright futures but limited resources. Literacy is important for every child.”

I reflect, becoming a participant in the story once again. I was that child. My mother, the sole provider in a single-parent home of four children, wasn’t able to purchase book-fair books very often. I remember other children getting them and wishing I could have brand-new books, too. Later in life, when she was able, she ordered books for me as her budget allowed. And I remember every new book I ever received in elementary school.

Tiffany has no idea what’s going on in my mind. But this is certain: the League isn’t what I thought it was at all. It’s something beautiful and collective. It’s hard work and dedication.

It’s changing and evolving. It’s including and reaching out.

And it does all of this by hosting fundraisers that thousands of Lakelanders participate in every year. In addition to renting the Sorosis Building for weddings and events, the Junior League also supports Lakeland’s annual PigFest.

(Did you know that the PigFest is an official and highly regarded stop on the Kansas City BBQ circuit? Ask my husband, BBQ is a big deal in our family. And now that I know why we have this event in Lakeland — to support literacy programs here — I’m doubly obligated to eat

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The volunteer recruiting and event planning of the PigFest is powered and supplied by Junior League efforts. Girls Inc. partners by selling the drinks, and their program benefits the community as well. This year, the Junior League raised over $111,000 at PigFest.

The Junior League also adopted the Lakeland Pro-Am Tennis Tournament. The 2013 Pro-AM raised $21,000, benefiting the Achievement Academy which assists children with special needs in reaching their full potential by providing quality education, therapy, and family support. The Pro-Am benefits three community programs: Reading Is Fundamental, Ready to Read, and the World of Reading program, providing both literacy education and resources for Lakeland children.

Publix Charities and grants from Florida’s Natural, the Community Foundation of Greater Lakeland, Rooms 2 Go Children’s Fund, Target Grants, are all sources that fund the community programs the Junior League seeks to provide. Members of the community may also donate to the annual fund that helps the League develop women professionally and fund programs.

The shape and function of the Junior League becomes more fascinating as the layers unfold. I feel myself wanting to know more, not for the sake of writing an article, but because I feel drawn to the core values and the 90

THE LAKELANDER

possibilities of women working together to be the change they want to see in the world.

It turns out the Junior League is committed to developing the potential of women as well.

During the year, the League sends six women to attend the Organizational Development Institutes conference.

The Junior League has given Tiffany and hundreds of others opportunities to be stretched professionally. The League will give a member the opportunity to be the treasurer and run a quarter-million-dollar budget.

They give a woman that space to learn. She can write, do event planning, volunteer coordinating, party planning, training, you name it, there are opportunities for her and room to make mistakes.

Tiffany’s words are echoed in an email I received from a Junior League sustaining member, Sheila Lotterhos (Sustainer Historian, Past President). She writes, “The League heightened my sense of responsibility and accountability to my fellow members, the organization as a whole, and the community at large. The leadership training we received was excellent and has been applicable not only to volunteer work, but also professionally.

I’ve enjoyed my affiliation with the League for over 30 years.”

Having donated more than one million dollars to the community, the League’s presence has left a lasting impression.

More than ten thousand families have been reached through the literacy programs, and

the League continues to offer the same camaraderie and support to women as they did in the 1930s.

Many things have changed over the years, but one thing has not — women continue spurring women on in community growth and personal development through the efforts of the Junior League. There are families everywhere supporting their wives, sisters, mothers, and friends to be legacy leaders right here in Lakeland.

As I finish my meeting with Tiffany, I find myself daydreaming about everything I just heard. I envision the classrooms where books are passed out and shared, and I ask myself, because we enjoy the PigFest, all of this is possible? Because we enter a float in the Christmas Parade, children are given extra time reading with adult mentors and role models? When I participate in the tennis Pro-Am, hundreds of little ones are getting their very first books?

My mind shifts and once again I am a child, the one whose mom did her absolute very best to provide for four growing children.

She couldn’t always afford to order books from the Scholastic flyer that came home with me. When the book fair came to our school, I remember the teacher who bought one for each of us. I hold in the emotion and exhale.

Thank you, Tiffany, for sharing your story with me. I didn’t realize how much the work you do, together with the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, means to all of us.

Mayor Gow Fields cutting the ribbon at the Celebration Garden opening

For additional information, or questions on how to get involved, please contact:

JUNIOR LEAGUE OF GREATER LAKELAND

P.O. Box 8797 | Lakeland, FL 33806 | Office: (863) 682-2112 | jlgl@tampabay.rr.com | www.jlgl.com Tiffany Osler (President-Elect) (352) 256-5035 tiffuf@aol.com

Laurie Melton (Provisional Chair) (863) 660-3705 gapeachinfla16@tampabay.rr.com

Special thanks to Sheila Lotterhos, sustaining member, who researched and compiled important historical details for our readers.

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THE JUNIOR LEAGUE

80 YEARS OF HIGHLIGHTS 1930

1945-46 Sold war bonds totaling $367,000. Accepted complete sponsorship of day nursery.

1933-34 Charter Year Junior Welfare League

1949-50 Formed and sponsored Y-Teens for high school girls

1940

1935-36 Began directing Milk Fund (for children in need)

1940-41 Started a dental clinic for children.

The Lunchroom Committee began a free school lunch program at Central Avenue School.

1936-37 Salvage Shop opened.

1939-40 Purchased incubator and resuscitator for Morrell Hospital (forerunner to Lakeland Regional)

1953-54 Purchased a bookmobile and a book return for the library, and manned the bookmobile.

1950

1941-42 Started a Defense Committee to gather clothing for Red Cross

1950-51 Began sponsoring the Juniorettes for high school girls. Began volunteering at Bartow School for Spastic Children.

1942-43 Began manning the Lakeland Aircraft Warning Service Post.

Established the Blood Bank. Staffed USO Information Booth.

Sold $53,000 in war bonds and defense stamps.

1967-68 Youth Museum launched, with $10,000 set aside for a future director’s salary.

1960 1960-61 First Charity Ball held at the Civic Center

1961-62 Children’s Theatre launched as a project, with Snow White and Rose Red being performed twenty times in fourteen schools.

1970-71 Donated $1,200 to Central Florida Speech and Hearing Center for a pilot program for preschool children. 1973-74

1970

1968-69 First Annual Thrift Sale held. The Youth Museum was expanded into the Polk Museum of Art, and a director was hired.

1955-56 Cerebral Palsy Clinic was adopted as a new League project.

1951-52 Bargain Box opened.

1977-78 RIF expanded from five to thirteen schools.

1960

1956-57 $1,000 in equipment donated to the Cerebral Palsy Clinic’s speech therapy room.

1957-58 25th Anniversary League. $7,500 donation to Pediatrics Division of Lakeland General Hospital.

The Junior League of Greater Lakeland Inc. became the 225th member of the Association of Junior Leagues.

1980-81 Provided the Lake Mirror Wall Restoration a $15,000 grant over three years. Formed the Architectural Survey Team to survey historic structures.

1974-75 Reading Is FUNdamental (RIF) pilot project instituted with 5,600 books donated to 1,200 children. Learning Disabilities Center (later to become the Learning Resource Center) is adopted 1992 - 93 as a new project.

The League celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 1993. Over $67,000 in funds were given to the Jr. League of Miami 1984-85 Hurricane Andrew Fund, the Bethany Center, Explorations 100th Hurrah Follies Fundraiser held at the Polk Theatre V, Girls Inc., New Beginnings, Salvation Army, LRC Super (marking Lakeland’s Centennial Celebration). Adopted the Summer Science. annual Lakeland Christmas Parade as a project to be cosponsored with the city.

1993-94 1986-87 Encore ’94 Follies Fundraiser held at the Polk Theatre.

Palm Country Cuisine Cookbook published. $34,500 grant

1980

1990

1996-97 From founding to date, the League donated over $1,000,000 to the community.

2004-05 The Junior League purchased 1995-96 the Sorosis Building as its new Ready Set Go! and Read to Headquarters. RIF celebrated its 30th Succeed were adopted as new Anniversary.

League projects.

1990

2000

1998-99 Showtime ‘99 Follies Fundraiser held at the Polk Theatre.

1999-00 RIF celebrated its 25th Anniversary. The League participated in PigFest for the first time and received $5,000 in exchange for volunteer services.

2002-03 The League celebrated its 70th Anniversary. The League was awarded $16,182.50 by the Community Foundation from an anonymous donor for Read to Succeed’s Reading Around the World project. Hot meals were given to parents who participated in the event with their child.

awarded to the Polk Theatre’s Kiosk/Outer Lobby restoration.

Opened our newly constructed headquarters. Founded the Jr. League Community Advisory Board.

1988-89 Top of the Line ’89 Follies Fundraiser held at the Polk Theatre.

The League funded three new projects: LRMC Parent Child Education Center, LRC’s new facility, and a Teen Center Task Force in addition to grants to other agencies.

2010-11 In addition to PigFest, the League voted to host the Pro-Am Tennis Tournament.

2010

2009-10 A $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation allowed the League to enhance World of Reading, and over 1,400 children were served.

2007-08 The Junior League celebrates its 75th Anniversary. PigFest funds were divided between the League, Girls Inc., and Common Ground Park. This was the first time the event was opened on Friday night to the public.

2013

2011-12 Broke ground on Celebration Garden.

2012-13 80th Anniversary serving the community is marked on March 3.

Approximately $2,000,000 in both project and historic property funds, along with untold volunteer hours, have been invested in the community.

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SPORT

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OF THEIR FATHERS | A GAME, A DREAM, AND A LEGACY story and photography by Wes Lowry

Baziel Cabrera (left) Rafael Bournigal Jr. (right)

94

THE LAKELANDER

Imagine you’re a young man, eighteen years old and on the verge of graduating high school. Your desire is to pursue a career in baseball, which is why you just signed with a college to play. You’ve done quite well on and off the field. All of your family, friends, coaches, teachers, and community support you. Everything seems to be in line except for one remaining obstacle — the shadow of your father’s former career looms over you.

He was a professional baseball player, one of that sport’s elite, and you feel you will have to try and live up to it. You’ve always been known as “so and so’s” kid. Will you ever be distinguishable from those who have gone before you?

R

afael Bournigal knew his son was serious when he asked him, “What will it take for me to become a Division I baseball player?”

Rafael Bournigal Jr., also known as Rafi, had just experienced defeat in a close game where a costly mistake on his part gave the Lakeland Christian School’s (LCS) Vikings the go-ahead runs they needed to defeat his team, Sante Fe Catholic, in a heated district match-up.

Rafael was in a unique position to answer his son. He had played Division I baseball at Florida State University, where he was then drafted by the Dodgers and ultimately advanced to the majors. He played fourteen years total; seven of them being in the majors with the Dodgers, A’s, and Mariners. After his tenure, he became a scout with the Mets for several years, climbing the ladder to director of scouting, where he oversaw the scouting of all international players. Needless to say, he was more than qualified to evaluate others. But this was his son who had not seriously devoted himself to the game until he was fourteen years old. How do you tell him the truth without crushing his dreams?

Rafael chose to play the scout because he knew his son was not looking for another, “Don’t worry, you’ll get ’em next time” speech. Rafi wanted the brutal truth, no matter how difficult it THE LAKELANDER

95

may be to hear. To show Rafi the difference of where he was and where he needed to be, Rafael filled out a player evaluation sheet to rate him. Rafi was somewhat familiar with the rating scale. Growing up, he helped his dad evaluate players by holding the radar gun while Rafael made notes on the prospect.

The results of Rafi’s evaluation stung but did not defeat him. In fact, they reinvigorated his desire to play Division I ball. Rafi had played baseball only recreationally until high school, never competitively. To move forward and realize his goal, he would not only need to change his work ethic, but also his entire mindset.

It was while on a trip to the Dominican Republic with his father that Rafi’s eyes were finally opened to just how far behind he was. With his dad’s professional evaluation fresh in his mind, he began comparing himself to the Major League hopefuls. The gap was vast. But instead of 96

THE LAKELANDER

being discouraged, Rafi was spurred into action. He began speed and agility training, sprinting through sandpits in his backyard designed for the purpose of running faster.

He began a steady regime of lifting, hitting, throwing, and fielding hundreds, if not thousands, of ground balls almost every week since that fielding blunder three years before.

Today, Rafi is a completely different baseball player. He transferred to Lakeland Christian School for his junior and senior year. Confidence has replaced fear as he begins to see the fruit of his labor. And people are taking notice.

He laughs recalling how his friends used to ask him for his dad’s autograph.

When younger, this was awkward for him, as he was keenly aware of his ability, or lack thereof, at the time and worried about being the disappointment of a former Major Leaguer. He felt pressured to be a superstar just because his father

made a living playing the game of baseball.

Ironically, the one place he did not feel this pressure was from his father. Says Rafael, “It has always been [Rafi’s] choice.

If he wanted to play baseball, I would be there to help him play baseball. If it was something else, I would be there, too, but it has always been Rafi’s choice.”

Rafi says this is one of the reasons he was able to overcome his father’s shadow.

“Before, it used to bother me,’ he says. Now, it doesn’t affect me. I play because I love the game and it’s fun.”

“He is becoming his own man, paving his own way forward,” Rafael proudly states, “and that is what I wanted. I wanted people, along with himself, to see that he earned it on his own and not because of what influence I had. I am so proud of his work ethic these last three years, developing himself into a Division I ball player and learning to handle the ups and downs of the game and life on his own.”

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“I

t’s not going to be easy” has become Basilio Cabrera’s mantra to his youngest son, Baziel. He hopes that every time he says it, it will become deeply rooted in Baziel’s mind.

His son is still young, unable to realize the difficult road before him.

Basilio began his arduous journey in 1985, when he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers from the Dominican Republic. He spent eight years in the minors, riding in overnight bus trips, traveling from city to city, living out of a suitcase, making little money, and clinging to the hope of one day playing in the majors. Once his playing career ended, his coaching one began. For the past twenty years, he has been a hitting coach in the Tigers’ organization in Lakeland. He knows exactly how difficult it is to turn that boyhood dream a reality.

Today, Basilio freely offers the simple yet profound piece of wisdom that something as special as playing in the big leagues requires a staunch resolve of sacrifice, work, blood, sweat, and tears.

It’s safe to say Baziel grew up in a home where baseball was at its core. When not in school, he was with his father at the field or in the batting cages at Tigertown. Current and former big league ball players served as temporary babysitters, including former Tiger All Star Curtis Granderson.

Baziel’s older brother, Yordy, currently plays in the minors with the Marlins. Yordy and Baziel played at Lakeland High School together (Baziel, JV; Yordy, Varsity) until recently when the elder of the two entered the draft straight out of high school. Yordy was drafted in the second round of the 2010 draft by the A’s.

Growing up in this environment could easily cast a shadow of insurmountable pressure to not only perform on the field, but also to follow the same path taken by his father and brother. But for the LHS third baseman, this wasn’t the case.

“I never dreamed of doing anything else,” Baziel says. “The pressure to play baseball doesn’t really exist, because it’s something I have always wanted to do. My dad played. My brother is playing. And hopefully I will follow in their footsteps.”

Basilio implemented a work-hard mentality with the boys when they were young. To do it, and do it right, requires effort. This, coupled with the constant surrounding of professional athletes who have given their lives for the chance to play, has given him a unique insight that very few have access to. “Now that Baziel is in high school,” he says, “I am hands-off most of the time. He’s a wonderful kid with a great work ethic who has learned to figure things out on his own. I’m very proud of that.”

100 THE LAKELANDER

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• Lakeland’s city magazine • Beautiful, perfect-bound • Independently produced in Lakeland • Rediscovering the Lakeland you love • 100 pages | Bimonthly • Mailed to your door in a protective polybag 104 THE LAKELANDER

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In the next issue:

Special SHELTER edition.

Coming July THE LAKELANDER 105

HISTORY

It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that

Lakeland dances to the big band sound “It was the late 1930s. Florida and the rest of the nation were still in the throes of world-wide economic depression, exacerbated in Florida by the collapse of the land boom a decade earlier. People sold fruit and pencils on street corners to make ends meet. Dark clouds of war hung ominously over Europe and threatened to engulf the United States. A sense of foreboding permeated the country.

“Still, the young people of America retained the exuberance of their youth. They sought their entertainment where they could find it. They danced to the music of orchestras and swing bands led by Glenn Miller, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Bennie Goodman, Duke Ellington, and Les Brown. Tunes such as Tuxedo Junction, In the Mood, Choo Choo Cha Boogie, and It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got that Swing had the feet of America’s youth tapping.

“The young people of Lakeland were no different. Maybe Glenn Miller and Woody Herman didn’t come to Lakeland, but there were local swing bands who could play the popular tunes of the day with as much enthusiasm, if not as much talent, as their famous counterparts. So the young people of Lakeland went to the Airport Grill at the Lakeland Municipal Airport and to the Crystal Lake Pavilion to dance to the big band sounds.

“If you look closely at these pictures, you can almost hear the strains of In the Mood faintly in the background.”

Source: The Lakeland Public Library Special Collections

106 THE LAKELANDER

The area’s first Hybrid Operating Room Lakeland Regional Medical Center, the region’s leader in cardiac and vascular care, is proud to open the area’s first Hybrid Operating Room.

This state-of-the-art operating room gives our patients new treatment options and gives our surgeons increased flexibility by coupling traditional surgical capabilities with the latest imaging modalities.

By investing in the newest technology, LRMC continues to set an elite standard of care for your health and for the wellness of our community.

Please visit LRMC.com/Hybrid-OR for more information.

1324 Lakeland Hills Blvd. / Lakeland, FL 33805 / 863.687.1100 LRMC.com / facebook.com/LakelandRegional THE LAKELANDER 107

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