The Lakelander | September - October 2013

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2013

THE LAST JAR / SHE AND HIM / IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES / DRESS CODE

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2013

DEPARTMENTS SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2013

16 18 96 106

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR EDITORIAL BIOS EVENTS HISTORY An Ode to Bethel

ON THE COVER

THE LAST JAR / SHE AND HIM / IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES / DRESS CODE

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In a touching tribute to the culinary influence of his father, our Taste Editor, Logan Crumpton, explores how to honor family traditions while also discovering new ways to carry on those memories. Logan prepares some of his dad’s most memorable dishes and generously shares the treasured recipes with us. More in “The Last Jar” on page 32. Photography

by Philip Pietri.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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FEATURES 22

PARKER STREET POSSIBILITARIANS

An insider’s look at one of Lakeland’s most impacting outreaches

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THE LAST JAR

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RECIPES

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Preserving a legacy

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SHE AND HIM

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ENVISIONING A BETTER POLK

Polk Vision’s Executive Director Sara Roberts on meeting the county’s challenges, engaging current leaders through Leadership Polk, and inspiring new leaders through the Randy Roberts Foundation

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KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES

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IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY

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A unique family portrait

Familial wisdom and the making of an athlete

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PUBLISHER Curt Patterson ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS Jason Jacobs, Brandon Patterson Advertising ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Curt Patterson; 863.409.2449 ADVERTISING SALES Jason Jacobs; 863.606.8785 ADVERTISING SALES Brandon Patterson; 863.409.2447

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 Annalee Mutz TASTE EDITOR Logan Crumpton WOMEN’S STYLE EDITOR Courtney Philpot PHILANTHROPY CONTRIBUTOR Trish Hogan COPY EDITOR Laura Burke OFFICE MANAGER Deb Patterson ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Christine Wilson 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

Jason Jacobs

General Counsel

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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 is 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

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uch can happen within the course of a year. I am thoroughly pleased to say that with this, our seventh issue, The Lakelander commemorates our first year of existence. We are excited and sincerely thankful to be here, still doing the work we love. A depth of gratitude must be extended to both the community and especially to our team here at the magazine.

I feel enormous pride looking back at what we have accomplished since our inception. We created something from nothing. Something of substance and meaning from a small dream — you could even call it a whim. We now possess accolades such as Addys, the Advertising Federation Awards for Excellence, and several awards given by the Florida Magazine Association, including a Charlie Award for Best New Magazine in the state. Most significantly though, we’ve been given the faith and support of our fellow Lakelanders — all together, it’s more than we could have ever hoped for. Thank you.

The common thread woven through almost every article within this anniversary issue is family, in all of its varied forms and incarnations. They have the power to influence the trajectory of our lives and careers, affect our palettes and preferences, and are the first trial grounds for our gifts and talents.

Families shape who we are, which I have been especially mindful of in these recent weeks since the birth of my second daughter. To be honest, this was not an intended overarching topic, but themes often just emerge with minds of their own, and you really have no choice but to simply roll with it. In this case in particular, I’m glad we did.

Jackie

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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.

TRISH HOGAN

PHILANTHROPY CONTRIBUTOR Trish Hogan graduated from Warner University with a BA in English. Married for twenty-seven years to Jeff, she is also the mother of Savannah, Kathryn, Alyssa, Kaleigh, and Brianna. Her passions are youth ministry and missions. She has served as a mentor to youth at Highland Park Nazarene for over eight years and has been on staff at Parker Street Ministries for one year. When not home-schooling her two youngest daughters, she enjoys reading as well as studying medieval history. Trish has lived in Lakeland for over twenty years and loves its small-town feel while still having access to the big-city benefits of Tampa and Orlando.

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ANNALEE MUTZ SPORT EDITOR

Annalee Mutz spent much of her life overseas.

After living in Japan for about nine years, she moved to Florida where she eventually found her way to Lakeland. She then attended and graduated from Southeastern University with a degree in journalism and PR. She is now pursuing a master’s degree in business administration and serves as the Department of Student Learning coordinator at Southeastern University. She is a newlywed and loves traveling and doing missions work with her husband.

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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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PARKER

STREET

POSSIBILITARIANS AN INSIDER’S LOOK AT ONE OF LAKELAND’S MOST IMPACTING OUTREACHES SECTION EDITOR: BROOKLYN LINDSEY GUEST WRITER: TRISH HOGAN PHOTOGRAPHY: TINA SARGEANT

T

he first time I met Tim Mitchell, executive director of Parker Street Ministries, we were in a crowded meeting room at Jesse Keen Elementary School. The school’s principal had invited church leaders, organizational leaders, and other members of the community who she thought might be interested in reaching out to the students in her care.

I remember Tim distinctly. As he spoke, I wanted to write down the things he was saying. I couldn’t help but say “yes” out loud with every observation he made, as the principal discussed the student population and some of the challenges they were facing.

Later I learned that there was some serious weight behind his words. That he and his family had moved into the neighborhood where they focused their outreach. And that there was a vibrant ministry in the heart of our city because of this focused passion.

For a long time I’ve wanted to know their story — the “why they do what they do when they do it” types of things that make Parker Street Ministries (PSM) what it is today.

As I began investigating, I felt that this story would be more insightful if it were told by someone on the inside. And I knew just the person. Her name is Trish Hogan.

As a parent of five daughters who all still live at home, Trish is busy. But that has never kept her from being involved in church ministry, outreach, writing, and serving others. And this year she took a job as an after-school classroom leader at Parker Street Ministries where she had previously volunteered.

I asked her to help me write this story as someone from the inside looking out, someone who experiences the impact of Parker Street first hand.

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TRISH’S STORY My journey with Parker Street Ministries began in the fall of 2011. As a homeschooling parent, I’m always looking for ways that my kids and I can serve together. Service is one of the core beliefs of our school. My searching led me to the PSM website. Their Mission Statement says, “Parker Street Ministries, Inc. is a Christ-centered non-profit 501c3 organization committed to individual, family and community restoration, reconciliation, and revitalization beginning in Lakeland’s Parker Street Community.”

I contacted the volunteer coordinator, and the following week four of us were serving in the afterschool program. I ended up in the thirdgrade classroom with my daughter, Brianna. We were immediately welcomed by the classroom leader, Tara Campbell, and several eager students.

Once a week soon became twice a week, and before long we were hooked.

Summer of 2012 found me with only two daughters left to teach at home and a hunger in my heart for something more. I wanted to work part-time but I wanted to do something meaningful, not just bring home a paycheck.

I knew that Parker Street had two vacant teaching positions so, on a whim, I sent an email to Christina Allen, director of the Academic Enrichment Program. I had worked in daycare and afterschool programs before, but I knew that what they were doing at PSM was so much more than babysitting. It’s not common for volunteers to be hired as staff, but Christina expressed interest in interviewing me, and within weeks not only was I on staff, but my oldest daughter, Savannah, was hired as well.

I found out that I would be leading the same 24

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group of students that I had volunteered with the previous year. Feeling completely motivated and terrified at the same time, I started my new job. I had no experience working in an urban environment and at times felt an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and inadequacy. I had raised my kids in a mostly white neighborhood, attended a mostly white church, and now I was working with predominantly black, biracial, and Hispanic children who were dealing with situations my own children could not even imagine. My director and co-workers were a constant source of wisdom and encouragement.

Tara sent me a card reminding me to be persistent and consistent.

It became my mantra.

Persistent and consistent.

Persistent and consistent.

It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with over one hundred kids. I began to learn names and nicknames, appreciate diverse personalities, and realize that basically kids are kids regardless of where they live. They need boundaries, direction, discipline, and, above all, unconditional love. My heart is captured, and it feels like more than a job — it’s family.

Please allow me to introduce you to some people who take the call to love humanity to a whole new level. They are people I admire, respect, and am honored to work with. They are people of faith, vision, and energy. They are the people who moved into a forgotten, broken neighborhood, reaching out as friends, bringing encouragement and hope. Parker Street Ministries is about knocking down walls and building bridges, promoting community pride and restoration. It goes beyond race, religion, and social status to see individuals, not statistics.

GETTING TO KNOW TIM MITCHELL (Executive Director)

Meeting Tim Mitchell for the first time, you would never guess he’s the director of a large urban ministry. His long, blonde ponytail, slow drawl, and hunting trophies reveal his Arkansas roots. He doesn’t play basketball or listen to rap music, so how in the world does he fit into this urban neighborhood? It’s simple; he doesn’t try to fit in. He just loves people, whoever they are and wherever they are. He treats the wealthy entrepreneur and the homeless man the same, with respect and interest. He’s committed to leading an initiative to bring hope, healing, and restoration to a group of people on the verge of giving up. He’s passionately devoted to bringing them a vision and a reality of a healthy, functioning community.

Tim grew up in a racially divided town. There were very clear lines of separation that were not to be crossed. His family was an anomaly. They chose to see and appreciate the diversity in their community. They practiced “neighboring” by inviting the entire high school baseball team to a pool party, not excluding any boys based on race.

This caused friction with their town but didn’t keep them from opening their home to everyone.

It was not unusual for Tim to give up his room for a period of time to a runaway teen or homeless man. The Mitchell home was a haven for broken people to breathe until they were able to pick up the pieces and move on. Tim grew up thinking this was how families were supposed to function, and it stuck.

Arriving in Lakeland as an idealistic 19-yearold in 1997, Tim had no intention of staying long term. He connected with a small ministry

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called the Parker Street Project and decided to learn from them and maybe start a similar initiative elsewhere. Five years later he was offered the unenviable position of executive director of the struggling organization. With no financial backing, no salary, and only one board member, Tim accepted his new role. By this time he was deeply invested personally in the Parker Street neighborhood. He had grown up there and formed many close friendships with the residents.

In 2000, Tim married Christy, who had previously lived in the neighborhood. They were not about to abandon these fragile relationships.

Instead they allowed themselves to live in a “glass house,” exposing themselves, their marriage, and their failures to their neighbors. They worked through the challenges of being newly married with their newly married neighbors. They became an integral part of their community.

Tim shares a story of trying to convince some concerned middle school boys that he was, indeed, content to be with “just one woman” for the rest of his life. Every moment became an opportunity to love, encourage, teach, and do life together.

Tim is a visionary with a strong practical streak. He looks toward the future, but his feet are firmly planted in the difficult, often frustrating, present. He hopes for what he knows can happen while working to make things just a little better right now. Tim is a legal advocate, marriage counselor, foster parent, and role

Christina Allen (right)

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model. His job is self-defined as “we just need to be available.” That description doesn’t allow for 9:00-5:00 clock punching or very many quiet evenings at home. It does allow for phone calls at 3:00 a.m. because a teen is missing or an addicted dad is becoming violent. It may involve taking in someone’s kids while desperate moms or grandmas seek safe housing. In the early years of PSM, it sometimes meant eating rice and beans for a few days because you cleaned out the pantry to feed a family. Whatever the cost, the Mitchells pay it with their lives because they have a vision of hope for their neighborhood.

Tim and Christy are just one example of several families and individuals who have become “intentional residents.” These are the people who have chosen to move into a marginalized neighborhood and call it home.

They are eschewing gated communities, country clubs, and cultural norms for the idea of belonging to something revolutionary; the idea that friendship can cross the boundaries of race, religion, and economic status. Neighbors helping each other care for kids, crying together when things fall apart, celebrating graduations and weddings. This is the definition of community.

DISCOVERING CHRISTINA ALLEN

(Director of the Academic Enrichment Program) Christina Allen graduated from Florida Southern College with a degree in elementary education. Before coming on staff at Parker

Street Ministries, she taught in the public school system. Christina loved teaching but was looking for opportunities to combine teaching with her deep Christian faith. Newly married, she and her husband, Greg, searched for a church where they could connect.

At Trinity Presbyterian in Lakeland, they met Tim and Christy Mitchell, who introduced them to Parker Street Ministries. While Christina and Greg worked full time, they also began serving in the after-school program which consisted of two small rooms, ten to twelve kids, and one computer. The couple moved into the neighborhood in 2003. Their intent was to be emotional support for the Mitchells while helping out on a part-time basis as they were able.

In 2005, the Allens made the decision to try to live on one income so that Christina could volunteer full time. As an educator, she could implement tools that would increase the academic progress of the students. Christina went to Tim with the idea, unaware that a new grant would allow the ministry to hire a director for the academic program. She was hired and, within a short period, attendance increased to twenty and she was able to hire a part-time classroom leader. Goals were set and growth continued. Several years later, when the remodeling of the Family Life Center was completed and they moved into the new facilities, they were able to open up enrollment to the whole Parker Street community.

[CHRISTINA] HAS WATCHED STUDENTS GROW UP, SEEING SOME SUCCESSES AS WELL AS A FEW DISAPPOINTMENTS, BUT THROUGH EVERYTHING, SHE HOLDS OUT HOPE FOR THE KIDS OF HER NEIGHBORHOOD.

Christina’s goal was slow growth, eventually accommodating one hundred students at a ratio of ten students per classroom leader. In 2012 that goal was realized.

Over the years, Christina has been able to use STAR math and reading testing to create individual learning systems for each child.

Testing takes place at least three times per year, with additional testing, if needed, to identify weakness in specific areas. Each student is expected to complete homework, Accelerated Reader reading, and math enrichment daily.

Every classroom has access to computers for free time, homework, and extra academics.

Students bring lists of items needed for projects, and Christina purchases them and makes sure the projects are completed. This January, the Academic Enrichment Program (AEP) was able to add a one-on-one tutoring program, supervised by a staff member, to help students in danger of being retained.

Christina’s biggest challenge has been forming relationships with the moms of her students. When she started at PSM, she was extremely comfortable with children but suffered from shyness when dealing with adults. She has managed to overcome her timidity and now speaks publically; guides tours; trains classroom leaders; and conferences with teachers, parents, and principals on a regular basis. She tells a story of coming across a young mother in the laundry room. The mom was trying to unload the washing machine while holding a squirmy baby. Christina offered to help, and now that baby is a third grader enrolled in the AEP.

Christina’s challenge has become her greatest fulfillment. She has gained trust, respect, and friendship from the many mothers she has partnered with over the years. She sees her role primarily as bridging the gap between school and mom, often acting as a mediator. She has established good relationships with teachers in several Lakeland schools and is recognized by staff and administrators when she steps onto campus.

As with her co-workers, Christina’s job doesn’t end at 6:00 p.m. She has opened her home to children for days or months, and she is involved in the lives of her neighbors: planning weddings, baby showers, hosting birthday parties, and being a listening ear. She has watched students grow up, seeing some successes as well as a few disappointments, but through everything, she holds out hope for the kids of her neighborhood.

Future goals of the AEP include focusing more and more on quality, adding tutors and college prep to the high school program, and helping teens prepare for ACT and SAT testing and college placement. The teens of Parker Street Ministries have access to the computer lab from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and then are encouraged to volunteer with the younger students in order to gain community service hours and develop leadership skills.

The staff of PSM desires to see students break out of the cycle of poverty through education, spiritual development, and leadership training to become solid, productive citizens and leaders in society.

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MEET THOMAS GAIGE

(Neighborhood Revitalization) Tom Gaige graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. A New York native, he worked as a project manager for an engineering firm in the United States and the Dominican Republic. He has owned a construction company and, in his spare time, writes for a construction industry magazine. He could be working anywhere doing any number of jobs, but he has chosen to make the Parker Street neighborhood his home.

Tom’s job description doesn’t contain the word “typical.” His days are as diverse as the people who live in his community. As an engineer and project manager, Tom lived on a strict schedule. Falling behind on a construction job meant money lost; time wasted could never be recovered.

Living and working in Parker Street meant changing his whole way of thinking. There is no schedule, only a loose idea of what should get accomplished every day. As Tom says, “People come before projects.”

A drywall job might get postponed by a resident needing a ride to the dentist. Pulling wires for electrical might have to wait because someone is needed to pick up a student who missed the school bus.

He has been known to fill in for teachers who have called in sick, and share playground duty when the staff is shorthanded. He’s part of a team of people who are dedicated to helping out however and wherever necessary.

Tom moved to Lakeland about two years ago after the housing market spiraled downward. He and his wife, Leo, and two daughters bought a house just a block behind Parker Street Ministries. He says it’s convenient when the building alarm goes off in the middle of the night. That exemplifies Tom’s attitude toward his job. He, like Tim, is available around the clock.

Tom Gaige

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Tom’s passion is to beautify the neighborhood.

Trimming bushes, clearing overgrown lots, and keeping garbage cleaned up promotes a kind of community pride that was missing several years ago. He works with homeowners to address code violations, helping residents keep their property value and live in safe housing. He also believes that responding to physical needs opens doors to share emotional and spiritual burdens as well. Temporary relief often leads to longterm relationships and restoration.

In addition to working on neighborhood houses, Tom is responsible for the daily maintenance of the Community Center and Family Life Center. Built in 1949, the Community Center has been beautifully restored, as has the Family Life Center, which houses the George W. Jenkins Gym, kitchen, and classrooms. Both are incredible testimonies to the support of the Lakeland community which funded the renovations. Tom’s responsibilities include keeping these buildings beautiful and functional, as well as ensuring that the computers in each classroom are running smoothly. Somehow, in his busy schedule, he also finds time to perform car maintenance for the students on staff who are far away from home.

Parker Street Ministries partners with groups such as Habitat for Humanity and the Keystone Challenge Fund. These groups promote homeownership, believing that homeowners can help stabilize a community.

Tom dreams of someday putting together a financial training program that will teach basic money management, living debt free, and even planning for college. He believes the right curriculum, designed for low-income families, would radically change the situations that some of the residents find themselves in today. In the meantime, he does what he can to teach responsible spending habits and get potential homeowners connected to the right organizations.

Tom is currently revitalizing three neighborhood homes. He’s always in need of skilled and unskilled labor. He says that if a person is willing, he can be taught. Many 30

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of his volunteers come to him through the court system, men who can’t find avenues for community service hours elsewhere. Whether working off hours due the state, racking up hours for scholarships, or seeking a summer internship, volunteers are trained in a holistic approach to urban renewal — combining compassion, knowledge, and skill to help others experience a higher quality of life.

THE POSSIBILITIES Perhaps the best way to personify Parker Street Ministries is to hear from the staff and volunteers themselves, essentially the heart of Parker Street.

Tara Campbell, an AEP teacher with a degree in studio art, says, “This is one of the most important jobs I’ve ever had. We aren’t just keeping the kids busy to keep them out of trouble. We’re enriching their lives. We’re helping them learn and grow not just academically but emotionally and socially as well.”

After three years at Parker Street, Tara has seen firsthand the heartbreaking circumstances of some of the students. She says, “I come back every day and work with the exact same students on the exact same issues, because I know that one day it’s going to click, and those are the absolute best days.”

Christa Cochran, an elementary education major at Southeastern University, started her career at Parker Street as a summer camp counselor. Her favorite part of PSM is “the holistic aspect of the ministry.” She loves working with people who “not only feel called to serve the people of this community, but to live among them as neighbors, friends, and family.” Christa says she has seen God at work in her life through the lives of her students, revealing to her the need of the human heart for unconditional love.

Katie Mauer, another SEU education major says, “There are many things I love about my job, but my favorite thing is that Parker Street isn’t just the hours of 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for me. I am in constant

contact with the people in the neighborhood.”

William Wainwright came to PSM while trying to figure out a way to make his faith a bigger part of his life. He became a classroom leader and soon moved into the neighborhood.

William had been chasing the idea of “following your dream and dreaming big,” but realized there was much more fulfillment in making a small difference in your own piece of the world.

“Settling down in the middle of nowhere and investing in a few — I have become less and less concerned with my big dream and more concerned with trying to figure out what it looks like to live out the Gospel here and now.”

Robert, a George Jenkins High School volunteer, captured the philosophy of PSM during a small group discussion on poverty. He said, “Relief is like finding a piece of furniture and giving it a coat of paint — it looks nice for a little while. Restoration is taking the time to scrape, repair, and then beautify the furniture so that it can function as its designer created it to function.”

Kim Schell, director of communications, sums up the vision of Parker Street beautifully.

She says her most rewarding moment was “the very simple dedication of the Anne MacGregor Jenkins Bell Tower in 2012. It represented the culmination of a major renovation and a generous operational gift that allowed us to serve more people. It was attended by the rich and the poor who, side-by-side, celebrated and recognized the accomplishments of the neighborhood. That day the bells began ringing in our community to remind the residents they are loved and cared for, and we hope the constant marking of time teaches us to number our days.”

From my (Brooklyn’s) perspective, what Trish and all of our friends at Parker Street have found, is that there is a world of possibility right here in our own backyard. Some will believe in it and become a part of the same possibility born in grace, graciousness, and genuine care for other people.

Thanks, Trish, for giving us a look at ourselves and what we could be when we hold hands and take care of each other.

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TASTE

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he guava tree, which sits just outside and to the left of my parents’ front yard, is still hanging on despite a couple of frosty nights last winter. We don’t get much fruit from it anymore since the last time Dad harvested it years ago. No one else has the patience to care for the tree as if it were a small child all alone shivering in the cold. To be able to keep something alive that’s so delicate, that thrives only in a subtropical climate, is too much for any of us to deal with. Sadly, because of this, we got only a couple of jars of guava jelly from that last harvest. For so long, a lone jar sat in my mother’s pantry, like a shrine. Not that I idolize inanimate objects — or people, for that matter — but I really did cherish that jar. I didn’t want its contents to be eaten.

Now all I want is for my dad to come back. To make me one more grilled cheese, with chunky natural peanut butter (you know, the kind that you have to stir for about thirty minutes before spreading) generously atop the sandwich, and a hearty helping of guava jelly layered on top of that.

I know that request will go unfulfilled, but I can’t make my heart stop its endless wants of just one more of the amazing things Dad used to make or do for us. Maybe then I might be able to do a more respectable job of chronicling all of this — a precise documentation so that I can better attempt to recreate what so few have had the pleasure of experiencing.

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It couldn’t have been more than a few weeks later when I found myself sitting on my kitchen floor, face to face with the fridge, gutting it of all the things that have been forgotten over the last long while. I always find myself cleaning it out when an article deadline is impending, because I need all the room I can get to intermingle photo-shoot food with my regular food. As I mindlessly finished up the last few stragglers on the shelf, piling up the expired condiments and undesirable forgotten foodstuffs, I saw it. I’d forgotten it was there this whole time. Had it been sitting untouched and unopened for an entire year? Had it really been three years since he last made it? I couldn’t process fully what was going on in my mind. I pulled the jar out of the fridge, with a smile so big I don’t think I’ve used those muscles since my son was born. Another “last” jar of my dad’s guava jelly!

I yelled to my wife, “Come look what I found!” She didn’t understand what could have possibly made me so happy as I sorted through the deep recesses of our tiny refrigerator. That is, until she saw it for herself, since she was just as in love with the stuff as everyone else. Without saying a word, I raised the jar like a trophy to show her my treasure. We exchanged smiles and a few words; then she walked away as she’d been in the middle of something I’ve since forgotten. I brought the mason jar back down to my line of sight to make sure it would be safe in my care.

Then I inspected it a bit closer, focusing in on the top of the lid.

Tomato Jam...

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I’ve never really lived in a halcyon house, but at that moment it never seemed more quiet. I stared at the walls as if they were transparent and I was looking through them. After a long pause, I began to straighten up the refrigerator as tidily as I could and as quietly as I could bear. I dumped the items deemed of no further use into the trash bin, and placed a few mason jars and storage containers in the sink to be washed. I walked to our bedroom and slowly closed the door so as not to disturb anyone, then began to break down on a level I didn’t know existed. It was the first time I could say that I grieved for my father since I walked out of his funeral.

I believe that food plays a central part in our lives. It’s at the heart of family gatherings, special life events, and lists of favorite things. It’s part of who we are and tied to the memories of those we love. If you don’t believe that food is powerful and can move us to express emotions across the feelings’ spectrum — from extreme happiness to great sorrow — then I feel for you.

As a society, we’re always looking toward the future, trying to make things more efficient and less time consuming. The things of the past, our heritage or history, need to be cherished, but we often fail to grasp the importance of the moments in which we live. That goes most certainly for family traditions and the recipes we hold dear.

What I would give to be able to spend a whole day arduously picking mustard greens with my dad, only to spend even more time cleaning them and subsequently braising them, sneaking little bits of smoked ham hock along the way. Many of the things he is famous for in my eyes took a great deal of patience and love. Of note, he shared the gift of creating wonderfully tasty food on the fly with what he had available, something I try so hard to duplicate. If only I had just one more day, where Dad could come back and make his delicious guava jelly for me.

During each subsequent visit to my parents’ home, I found myself at the kitchen window looking out at that fragile guava tree. I pictured it covered in blankets and heat lamps to be protected from the elements, just like Dad used to do on those frigid Florida winter nights. And I thought, It’s my duty to keep this tree and these traditions alive. Gradually, I made my way to the front yard for a closer inspection of the tree and was delighted to see a plethora of guava blooms coming in nicely.

Maybe it’s not the last jar for this tree after all.

In honor of my dear father, here are a few things he loved making for my family and his closest friends.

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RECIPES

DAD’S GUAVA JELLY WITH CHEESE TOAST AND PEANUT BUTTER Makes 3-4, 8-ounce jars of jelly

6 whole guavas (peeled with the seeds scooped out, then roughly chopped) 32 ounces guava juice 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon) 1 cup cane sugar 1 (3-ounce) pouch fruit pectin In a large stockpot on Medium-High heat, bring the fruit and juices to a boil, about 20 minutes. After the liquid has reduced by one-third, add the sugar. Bring to a rolling boil, approximately 8 minutes.

Lower heat to a simmer and add pectin. Stir occasionally for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from heat immediately after reaching the gel point or desired thickness. Look for the jelly to begin clinging to the sides of the pot and showing slight “wrinkles” on the surface. If there is any sediment or foam on the top of the jelly, use a wooden spoon to remove excess, then pour into prepared mason jars, within 1/2 inch of the tops. Wipe off any spilled jelly from the jar top and cover with sealed lids.

If properly sealed, jellies will keep up to one year. Refrigerate upon opening.

GRILLED-CHEESE TOAST Makes at least 5 large sandwiches

1 loaf of thick-sliced brioche or breakfast bread 6 ounces thinly sliced manchego cheese 6 ounces thinly sliced sharp yellow cheddar cheese 1 stick high-quality butter Making a proper grilled cheese is subjective to the quirks of each and every kitchen’s stovetop. A general rule for me is to lean toward a slow food approach. My dad would take 15 minutes to craft his masterpieces for me after we completed a hard day’s work. So, keep the heat down.

Compose by using 2 slices of bread and 1 ounce of each cheese per sandwich.

Heat a large sauté pan or skillet on Medium-Low heat.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter for each sandwich. The butter should instantly melt and swirl in the pan. Place the prepared sandwich directly onto the butter, slightly pressing down on the sandwich. Cover with a lid and leave alone for about 5 minutes.

Remove lid. With a spatula, lift one side to check for color and crispness. The bottom should develop a rich golden color with a noticeable textural feel.

Flip the sandwich, adding more butter if needed, then cover for another 5 minutes.

To serve, spread crunchy roasted peanut butter over the top of the sandwich, followed by a generous smear of guava jelly.

Serve with a fresh cup of coffee and the 10 o’clock news.

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RECIPES

BLUE CRAB PASTA WITH LEMON-BASIL COMPOUND BUTTER 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more for pasta water 1 pound spaghetti 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 1 medium sweet onion, diced 1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed juice of 1 lemon 1 3.5-ounce jar capers, drained 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon dried pepper or chili flakes 1 pound jumbo lump Florida blue crab meat, picked through looking for small bits of shell 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley salt to taste For the Lemon Basil compound butter zest of 1 lemon 1 garlic clove, finely minced 1/4 cup fresh basil, about 8-10 leaves, finely minced 1 stick salted butter, at room temperature sea salt to taste Stir all ingredients together until well mixed. Then place over a sheet of plastic wrap. Form a cylinder, encasing the butter with plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, until solid.

For the Crab Pasta Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Pour pasta into pot and cook about 8 minutes or until it reaches al dente or your desired texture.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a medium pot over MediumLow heat. When the oil has warmed, add half the garlic and all of the onion. You are looking to soften and not to add color.

When the onions begin to look translucent, add three-quarters of the tomatoes. Take a ladle of the pasta water and add that, too, along with the lemon juice. Simmer, stirring in the capers, oregano, and chili flakes.

Heat 4 more tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over Medium-High heat. When the oil is hot, add the other half of the garlic. Don’t let it burn! Once it gets some color, add the crab. SautÊ, and toss for about 3 minutes using restraint so as not to cause the crab to flake apart.

Once all of the crab has warmed, add the crab to the sauce.

Simmer another 3 minutes or so.

When the pasta is ready, transfer the drained pasta directly into the sauce in the pot or skillet. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, and toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Serve the pasta, using any extra sauce to cascade over the top; then add a generous pad of the prepared compound butter per serving to finish.

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To me, my father was the king of improvisation. Often he would rig up a delectable plate of food with just a handful of less-than-desirable foodstuffs lying inside the recesses of our cupboard. The above-mentioned pasta dish was inspired by one of his staples, his key ingredients being canned tuna, spaghetti, and lots of onions. I just took that general idea and ran with it, hopefully not too far off. There was something about the way he cooked those onions ever so slowly in olive oil, without adding color but just a touch of peculiar opaqueness. He had a simple sophistication of knowing how to make anything not just edible, but so tasty that “if you dabbed it on your forehead, it would make your tongue beat your brains out trying to get at it.�

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SHELTER

and Two Lakeland aesthetes prove that opposites do, in fact, attract story by Rachel Plating photography by Penny & Finn

O

n a Friday night, as the breeze wafted through the trees and the mosquitoes feasted on our appendages, my husband and I sat down with Adam and Elyse Justice to talk about the makings of their home just off the shores of Lake Morton. More specifically, we asked about the contrast/interplay between their vocational callings in contemporary art versus decorative arts, and how that plays out into their life together.

He says, “She came with furniture.”

She says, “He came with art.”

Adam explains that when Elyse walked into his life, he was “already in the midst of his curmudgeon,” having worked alone in his office at the William King Museum in Abingdon, Virginia, for nearly a year.

Elyse came to fill the position opposite him as curator of decorative arts (he held the same title in the field of modern art). The brainy brunette with her background in art history/decorative arts was the perfect foil to Adam’s more postmodern dialogue. They became fast friends, and as their relationship developed, it turned into a sort of game to see how long they could keep the romance under wraps, in a town of 8,000 people, no less. On work days, they’d meet for clandestine lunches on an old abandoned railroad track (now a park), and by the time their secret finally came out, Adam was already planning his move to the Sunshine State.

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The Lakelander: Describe for us the primary similarities/differences between being the curator of a modern art museum [Polk Museum of Art] versus curator of a historic site [Pinewood Estate at Bok Tower].

Elyse: At Pinewood, my primary concern is translating a home from the past for current and future generations while at the same time protecting it and its contents. I research the objects we have from the families who lived in the house (like antique furniture and deceased people’s diaries) to better understand their lifestyles, and then employ the objects to help visitors better understand the families’ ways of living or appreciate the objects. I feel as if my job is to put these things in context, and I am a very contextually driven person,

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whereas Adam’s role is to help people focus on forms themselves, out of that context.

Adam: One of my concerns is not to preserve a space but to constantly change it. The average length of an exhibition is eight weeks. After that, the process repeats, only with a different design for different artworks. The space always submits to an exhibition’s checklist of works and its concept.

But, all museums, whether they’re historic, artistic, or scientific, strive for that important educational factor, that broad eye-opening, the collective ah-ha moment. It’s as exciting for us as it is to museum visitors — perhaps even more so. Turning people on to history, science, or art through diverse objects and ideas (from the past, present, and future) is

a shared objective for us. I suppose, in order to translate that into our personal lives, Elyse and I collect to appreciate and collect to preserve something about ourselves, but also collect to learn.

TL: The process of coming together to make a home can be traumatic for some couples. She doesn’t want his hunting trophies on the wall or his shotglass collection taking up space in her cupboards. He doesn’t want to live in a world with girlie florals and furniture you can’t put your drink on. But your home retains a dynamic contrast between feminine/masculine ideas, and you seem to have come together without softening much in either direction. How did you go about the process of combining your collections?

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Was it a knock-down, drag-out fight — the lady with the fancy china versus the rocker with a penchant for, ahem, notso-alive animals?

Elyse: It’s not really all that dramatic for us. We both feel strongly that the other should be represented and visible in our home, because it’s “ours,” and, although our tastes are different, they do complement each other. We both enjoy the idea of the Renaissance cabinet of curiosities, where amateur scholars were curating collections of natural history specimens, art, and antiquities, all in one place. Now that we’re married and making more of our selections together, we also check in with each other. We each have veto power if we truly feel strongly against something.

Adam: Actually, we never discussed [the process]. Before Elyse moved to Florida, I had over a year to tag every room of our previous apartment. When we packed up and moved here, it was just stirred while it was being unpacked.

(I will, however, admit to a box of antlers, crucifixes, and taxidermy in the closet.) To be honest, Elyse and I are so relaxed with each other that we weren’t

concerned with it. I like what I like; she likes what she likes; and we both nod in agreement. It’s just another sign that we belong together.

TL: Does your work influence the way you live at home?

Elyse: Our work definitely influences us. When we moved from our apartment to this house, we made a conscious effort to bring our skills of curating from work to the home, so that things would not look haphazard (at least to us). Because I spend a great deal of time thinking about objects and their meanings, I try to surround myself with things that have certain meanings for me or reflect my personality. Of course, I’ve also developed a greater interest in creating outdoor living spaces since [the move].

Adam: Absolutely. When I was young, people would always tell me to do something I love. I never knew you could do something you’re addicted to. Elyse and I are just collectors by nature. The fact that we are who we are professionally is directly related to that.

I love art. That doesn’t mean I want to

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speak endlessly about it, but I do want to surround myself with it. The fortune I have to call that my profession is just one reason why I’m a damned lucky guy. That and Elyse, of course.

TL: What has changed about your lifestyle in going from an apartment to living in a house? Or has anything changed at all?

Elyse: We definitely have more space, and I think that has allowed us to stretch our legs and relax more. I personally love having a separate kitchen. We can also put out more of our collections!

Adam: Square footage, and the ability to own a dog and crank our stereo as loud as we want. We have relaxed a bit more. She has gardens to experiment with. I have a yard that takes twenty minutes (which averages to roughly ten Misfits songs, by the way) to mow. It’s nice to feel personally vested in where we live.

TL: Elyse, you have said you were initially reluctant to move but now are very glad you took the leap and moved here. What convinced you, besides your wonderful man?

Was it the Spanish moss dripping from the trees? The Old Florida feel of the place? The incredibly high humidity which

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makes one glisten with dewy vibrance on a summer day? Or maybe it was the giant cockroaches?

Elyse: I feel as if I should preface this by stating that autumn is my favorite season, and I was moving from the mountains of Virginia, where autumn is just beautiful, so that should indicate how strongly Lakeland appealed to me.

Lakeland feels really dynamic — you can sense that people here genuinely want to make changes for the better, and they are so welcoming. I can’t get over the changes that have occurred in the two and a half years that I’ve lived here, especially in Dixieland. Because I’m a historic-preservation nerd, I fell in love with Lakeland’s beautiful historic fabric.

For me, what gives Lakeland that “Old Florida” feeling goes beyond the Spanish

moss. It lies in the lakes remaining so open to the public rather than being hidden behind private homes; and the variety of styles of historic architecture, including the commercial buildings around Munn Park, the 1920s’ and 1930s’ bungalows and Mediterranean homes throughout town, and the mid-century modern buildings. I’m a big believer in variety in planning, and I love that so many of Lakeland’s historic districts have single-family residences lined up next to apartments, with maybe a church or even a college plunked down in the middle.

TL: Both of you come from other places [Adam from Virginia and Elyse from Illinois]. Adam, you have mentioned before that sometimes locals are surprised by your love of this town and Polk

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County, especially some folks around our age who grew up here and all they want to do is get out and run to the big city.

Why do you think it’s so easy to get blinded to the beauty surrounding us every day? What is it that you love so much about this place?

Adam: The people. Hands down. The welcoming, out-of-the-box, inside-thebox, dedicated yet open-minded people.

I’ve met so many great people since I moved here in 2010. And every one of them has introduced me to four other great people. I understood that after my first interview with Polk Museum of Art. It’s funny; Elyse often tells me that I found the only place in Florida she would ever consider living. I didn’t realize there were other places in Florida. She’s a smart one, that Elyse.

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STYLE

DRESS CODE 54

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STORY BY MARK NIELSEN AND COURTNEY PHILPOT PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL NIELSEN

WHAT TO WEAR TO WORK The workplace can be a deadly world where fashion goes to curl up in a ball and quietly end its days. The repetitive nature of going to the same place five days a week can cause us to get into a monotonous routine of clothing choices. For men, that can easily become a regimen of khaki pants

and polo shirts. Usually it’s a navy polo shirt.

Tucked in. For women, it can at times be the same scenario as the men, which scares us more than we care to admit. Usually, though, it’s grey or black pants with some sort of blouse.

While for both men and women these outfits

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can be perfectly fine once in a while, unfortunately they often become the default decision every day — they’re easy, don’t typically need to be ironed, and conform to the expected dress code. However, these easy choices cause us to become just another worker going about his or her nine to five.

We don’t stand out, don’t show we have a sense of individuality, and can even make it seem as though we don’t want to be noticed.

Dress codes are standards by which companies aim to make sure their staffs uphold a certain level of professionalism, typically by banning such items as jeans, shorts, tank tops, and flip-flops from the workplace. In other words, to ban the possibility of sloppiness. Carelessness. It should be understood that any respectable company, especially in the white-collar world, would want clients or outsiders to view them as put-together, accomplished, smart, and other five-dollar words. But slipshod knows no bounds and can easily find its way into a dress code.

Companies have a decision: to implement a dress code that bans such items as jeans and T-shirts — with the exception of the glorious casual Friday — or hold employees to a higher standard, no matter the dress.

And as employees or associates, we have a decision to make as well: to continue with the humdrum routine of uninspiring work wear, or raise the grade whether there’s a dress code in place or not.

TIPS FOR MEN While dressing for the job can often be as dreaded as the arrival of a Monday morning, it can also be a gratifying creative outlet. Treat yourself like a blank canvas and seize the opportunity to showcase your sense of style. To help inspire you, we’ve put together some looks that will keep you well within the company dress code without sacrificing your individuality.

We’ll show you three looks that cover the spectrum of what you can wear to work: casual, business casual, and business wear. You probably know which is right for your job, but take cues from each look and incorporate them into whatever you do.

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CASUAL (LOOK 1) You’re the lucky guy who owns his own business or works at a company without a dress code. Just because you can wear whatever you want doesn’t mean you should wear whatever.

Have a level of respect for clients or your company, and dress like you care about what you do. Clean, dark jeans; good shoes; and a buttonup shirt are all you need. Some days you can mix it up by throwing on a tie or sport coat to add a dash of sophistication to your ensemble, all while still keeping your cool.

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BUSINESS CASUAL (LOOK 2) Here we take the aforementioned trap of khaki pants and polo shirt and show you how to do it right. And while we’re on the subject, “khaki” is a color, not a fabric. The appropriate name for these pants are “chinos,” and every guy should own a pair of them. Khaki chinos are a cornerstone of the work wardrobe. Get a pair with a flat front rather than pleated, and in anything other than a relaxed fit. Go for straight, slim, skinny, or tapered. Find something you’re comfortable in but that doesn’t look like you wrapped yourself in a tent.

You may find that chinos are just the right thing for your workplace, where jeans aren’t allowed and anything else may be too dressy. If that’s the case for you, find a few different colors to mix up your wardrobe — khaki, navy, charcoal, earth, olive, brown, stone. You get the idea.

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Gant Rugger Dreamy Oxford Solid Hugger-Fit Original Button-Down Shirt Croft & Barrow Tie Plectrum Cardigan by Ben Sherman

BUSINESS (LOOK 3) If you’re reading this section, you probably work in a law office or other professional practice. Dress shirts and ties are required, and a suit isn’t out of the question. Life can be hard, and we feel for you. The upside is you can look better than anyone in town if you try, and you’re already dressed for a nice dinner with the significant other after hours.

First on the list is to get a good suit. If you’re buying your first suit — or starting your wardrobe over — your one suit should be charcoal, two-button, and fit perfectly. In Lakeland, go to a menswear expert like Nathan’s Men’s Store and ask for help. Tell them you want a good two-button charcoal suit and that you want it tailored to fit you. Don’t wear a suit off the rack — it won’t fit right, and you’ll never feel 100 percent in it. Usually you’ll want to shorten the sleeves, hem the pants, and maybe even slim things up a bit. Pair that with a lightcolored solid shirt, a good tie, and a pocket square, and you’re set.

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TIPS FOR WOMEN When it comes to a work wardrobe, women have a few more choices than their male counterparts. Dresses. Skirts. Pants. Power Suits. The blessing of multiple choices can also be a curse. Keep the 7 a.m. decision-making less daunting by investing in classic work staples and updating with of-the-moment seasonal items and accessories.

We’ve put together three looks that represent three job categories that most women fall into: casual, business casual, and business.

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CASUAL (LOOK 1) This is the look taken on by the woman who owns her own business, works for herself, or anyone who implements their own daily dress code. This category may also include casual Fridays. As we stated in the Men’s section, “casual” is not code for “no effort.” You can keep it casual while still maintaining a put-together, respectable look. Dark, straight jeans or a casual day dress. Layer with a cardigan or blazer as we’ve done here. Classic pumps or patentleather flats. Pearls work when thrown into a menswear-inspired look. Top it all off with a colorful day bag.

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BCBG Maxazaria Cream-Colored Blazer Splendid Blue/White Check Button-Down, (nordstrom.com) J.Crew Black Slim-Cut Pants, cropped at ankle Anne Klein Burgundy Pointed-Toe Heels Ray Ban Black-Frame Glasses J.Crew Gold Chain-Link Necklace Michael Kors Gold Watch

BUSINESS CASUAL (LOOK 2) This is where most women find themselves when it comes to their daily dress code. It’s also where most can find themselves in a monotonous routine with their work attire.

Resist the urge to throw on the wrinkle-free, button-down blouse and khaki pants. Have fun with your fashion choices and take advantage of the multitude of choices that fall under business casual. This category also provides you generous liberties to play with print and texture mixing.

Try a straight-cut pant (can be cropped to ankle or right above, avoiding any capri length) with a nice-quality blouse and sweater or blazer. Or try a casual day dress or a fun midi skirt with a button-down.

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BUSINESS (LOOK 3) Although the business style is the dressiest, it’s not reserved solely for power suits. While you definitely need to invest in a great suit or two if this is where you find yourself working, you should also pick up a stretch wool sheath dress, a few pencil skirts, and a couple of button-downs and silk blouses.

Printed pencil skirts are very big right now — try one with a solid top or blazer.

When purchasing a suit, go for fit. You should also opt for versatility — make sure you can create multiple looks when separating the jacket and skirt. Wear the jacket over jeans and the pencil skirt with a chambray top to dress it down, or with a silk blouse for a more formal affair. When paired together, break away from the traditional suit/white buttondown look. Choose a printed silk top or a tie-neck blouse. Even though this category is a little more buttoned up and refined, you can still bring a little flair, just save it for your jewelry, accessories, and bags. To take this look from day to night, simply ditch the suit jacket and day bag, add a clutch, and you’re ready for dinner and drinks.

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PEOPLE

ENVISIONING A BETTER POLK Polk Vision’s Executive Director Sara Roberts on meeting the county’s challenges, engaging current leaders through Leadership Polk, and inspiring new leaders through the Randy Roberts Foundation story by Adam Spafford photography by Tina Sargeant

The Lakelander: What is Polk Vision?

Sara Roberts: Polk Vision is a broad, community-led partnership of organizations, businesses, government, and individuals acting collectively to ensure implementation of Polk County’s community vision. In 2003, community leaders came together to define a vision for the entire county. In order to determine how the county should move forward to be successful in the future, town hall meetings, surveys, and focus groups were engaged in creating the vision document. Through these meetings, input was gathered from every corner of the county. Soon after the vision plan was documented, the non-profit organization Polk Vision was created to ensure that the vision is implemented throughout the county.

Polk Vision works through six focus areas to fulfill the vision: education, economic development, infrastructure, government, quality of life, and civic engagement. Each of these areas has volunteers who LEAD (learn, engage, assess, and discuss). LEAD is the process through which our volunteers delve into each focus area. For instance, through our Quality of Life group, the issue of obesity came up about eighteen months ago. The group learned as much as they could about the effects of obesity on health. Then they hosted a forum on obesity in June 2012, which engaged about 100 people in a broad discussion of what we as a county should do to address this health risk. That group has since been branded “Building a Healthier Polk” and continues to meet and move the needle on wellness in our communities.

As the visioning group for the county, we constantly look at where we stand compared to the state and the nation. The vision document was completed in 2004. Since then, we’ve used that document to measure how we are addressing the needs of the community over time. We all agree that economic development is critical to our county’s success. And we all agree that education is vital not only to our children and their pursuits, but to the economy as a whole. If we don’t have a solid education system and economy, then our quality of life suffers.

We can see how all of our focus areas affect one another, and all are needed to make our county the best it can be.

TL: What is your background, and how did you become involved with Polk Vision?

SR: I am a native Polk Countian and was raised in Davenport. After graduating from Haines City High School and Florida Southern College, I began a career in non-profit management. When I graduated from FSC, there weren’t many jobs for my advertising degree, so a mentor suggested I work for her at Lakeland Regional Medical Center’s (LRMC) foundation. From there I was hired to work

“What Polk Vision does is bring people to the table to dialogue about key issues in the community.”

for Best Buddies International (BBI), a non-profit focused on enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities.

There I created programs, raised money, lobbied legislatures, led international conferences, and many other projects. I enjoyed all eleven years with the company and worked in Orlando, Jacksonville, and Atlanta, before moving back to Lakeland.

After my second child was born, I left BBI and began consulting for non-profits, focusing on board development and strategic planning minimally and mostly focused on my family. I learned of Polk Vision when it started as I had just moved back to Lakeland when it was underway. The concept always intrigued me, so when the position became available, I threw my hat in the ring. I was hired in April of last year.

TL: Polk Vision redefined its vision in 2010. What are its areas of focus?

SR: Actually, the vision was refreshed in 2010, meaning the staff and board went back to the original document and honed in on strategies in each of the established focus areas that I mentioned before. The six areas are the same, now with more focused strategies.

TL: How do you measure Polk Vision’s efficacy?

SR: Polk Vision has a benchmark committee in addition to the six focus areas. This committee reviews key community benchmarks with a variety of data that scores Polk County.

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The benchmarks include education, economic development, infrastructure, and quality of life. Each of these areas has goals to be obtained by 2020. For instance, in education, one benchmark is to “narrow the gap between Polk County and the state of Florida on an annual basis in order to meet or exceed the state of Florida average by 2020 on the following measurements: kindergarten readiness, tenthgrade reading proficiency, and high school graduation rates.” This information is shared at our annual meeting and on our website.

Our benchmark chair, Peter Usinger from Polk State, is great at data collection and statistical analysis. For instance, we’ve been working on an initiative to combat obesity for the last eighteen months — we are the seventh most obese metropolitan area in the country — so we had already been talking about that at Polk Vision in our Quality of Life group, and then a week before our obesity forum, a USA Today/CNN poll came out that said basically, “You are the fattest.” We knew it was a problem, and this emphasized it. So we take these statistics, determine where the county lands, and can set benchmarks from there.

What Polk Vision does is bring people to the table to dialogue about key issues in the community. Every one of these strategy areas has eight legs to it, so it’s easy to go down rabbit holes. There are very broad-based issues. Members of the community came together in 2003 — United Way, Board of County Commission, several community leaders — and said we need to have a community-wide mission for the whole county. We have seventeen municipalities, 2,200 square miles, and we need to have a clear vision for where we want to move into the future. So that’s how the process started: They hired a consultant, formed a 501(C)3 called Polk Vision, and met with every inch of the county using town hall meetings, focus groups, and surveys to gather an extreme amount of data to find out what issues were most important to those who lived in the county. That’s how they crafted the original vision document, and if you read it you can see that just the education component alone included over fifty strategies for improvement.

And that takes on a lot of different lives — early childhood learning, having kids kindergartenready, reading proficiency levels, high school

graduation rates, making sure all those goals are above the state average. It takes a lot of different people being involved to make that happen and it also takes recognition of what is already in place.

That’s where Polk Vision comes into play: finding out from the community what’s happening now, assessing why and how the needs aren’t being met, and bringing people together who are subject-matter experts or maybe just interested volunteers who are passionate about the county and passionate about us being successful.

The revised vision document includes the same concept areas as the original but broadens the scope and puts vision components in priority order. For instance, the first priority is education. We all want our children to be educated, have great schools and teachers — how we get there we may differ on a little bit — but if you look at the first strategy, it includes creating a culture that promotes the care and education of children 0 to 6 years old.

TL: How about some successes?

SR: One of our Quality of Life benchmarks

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is to reduce the percentage of births to unwed mothers under the age of 18, to below the state average by 2020.

That number has been falling every year. Tying the decrease directly to Polk Vision may be difficult, but we’ve facilitated a collective awareness of the issue and, through better education throughout the county, the goal is being reached.

It’s a partnership. We have a lot of discussions that generate byproducts that we may never know about — we don’t build houses or widgets — but what we can do is put the right people in the room and have a discussion, and build a vision regarding poverty or education or economic development.

One direct success is through our government task force.

We recognized that dialogue is key in making anything successful, so for the last three years we’ve facilitated a mayors’ roundtable with the mayors of the seventeen municipalities in the county. The third-annual roundtable happened just last month. It was a three-hour discussion facilitated by David Steele of Polk State [for an interview with David Steele, see the March-April 2013 issue of The Lakelander]. Before the discussion, David talked to all of the mayors about strengths and weaknesses of their cities, best practices, and so on to facilitate the roundtable effectively.

Some of the products of these roundtables have been inter-local agreements between cities, shared best practices, and new projects. Lakeland has a multimillion-dollar budget, and then you have a place like Lake Hamilton with maybe a $4 million budget at the most, so it’s important that the

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authenticity of each municipality is preserved. But we’ve found that some helpful projects or practices in one city can be scaled up or scaled down to be appropriate for another city.

TL: What are your largest challenges?

SR: The biggest challenge is poverty. It’s a hard discussion to have, but it affects every task force area that we have. There are a lot of people doing great things around the county that help the impoverished population — some connected to Polk Vision and some not — for instance, filling backpacks with food for children who would otherwise be malnourished at home.

But we have to talk about best practices for lowering poverty rates — in places we rival Appalachia — and much of the time in Lakeland you don’t see that. But then you have people like Tim Mitchell at Parker Street Ministries who is just amazing and should be cloned — people who get it. Eileen Holden, a past Polk Vision board chair, says courageous conversations are what we need to be having about poverty. In some ways we have addressed the issue, but not completely.

We’ll have a LEAD discussion this fall on housing to determine what programs already exist and what still needs to be done.

TL: What is Leadership Polk?

SR: Leadership Polk came from our civic engagement task force seven years ago, and it brings together leaders — business, non-profit, religious — from all over the county who are committed to their communities.

They can be nominated to Leadership Polk. They fill out an extensive application, tell us what’s most important in the community, what they see as the biggest challenges in the county, what they see as successful, what they want to learn about, and so on. Leadership Polk is a year-long program with monthly meetings to create county-wide relationships, so that someone from Lake Wales can learn about Polk City, or visit Davenport, or see how something is done in another city.

TL: Tell us about your presidency of the Randy Roberts Foundation (RRF).

SR: My husband, Randy Roberts, was the lobbyist for Publix for six years before he passed away very suddenly in 2009. He and I always wanted to help youth; we volunteered a lot. We really thought that knowledge of civics and how the government works was waning in our schools, and we knew there were a lot of great teenagers doing cool stuff. We had both been very engaged young people in church and community, and we had always talked having a non-profit that lifts up the high school and college kids who are doing great things (instead of all the stuff that’s on the news).

When Randy passed away, there was this unbelievable outpouring of support, and to grab onto that support and make it do something, a group of friends and I started the foundation. We didn’t know what exactly it would do at the beginning, but we knew it would have something to do with youth and civics and community service. Randy passed away

in February 2009, and by June 2009 we had our first scholarship recipient.

Our scholarships are for students who excel in public service. We like them to have good grades, but that’s not a requirement — Randy and I were both C students — so we’re not picky about high GPAs. Our board decided that in order to honor Randy, who always wanted to know more about the person he was in front of, that our scholarships would be longterm transactionary. We give $1,000 for freshman year, $2,000 for sophomore year, $3,000 for junior year, and $4,000 for senior year. So throughout the college experience, as long as the student is engaged in the college community and/or the community at home, and doing something to give back and keeping up decent grades, we continue to support him/her.

The student can use the money for books or rent or whatever — it goes to the student, not the institution.

Then we cultivate a relationship with that student, too.

We like to help mentor or find internships or just be a resource for them over a lifetime. It’s not just about them attaining a degree; our mission is to cultivate Florida’s future leaders. We want them to stay or come back to Florida, and ideally for the Polk County students to come back to Polk County.

We also run a program called Congressional Classroom. We are in our third year working with Congressman Dennis Ross, focusing on Polk County with a strong presence in Lakeland, selecting students to take to Washington, D.C. for five days on an experiential learning trip. The students do everything from going to the FBI Academy to sitting in committee hearings to meeting senators. We try to broaden their horizons. Last year, of the fourteen students we took, four had never been on an airplane, probably six of them had never been out of the state. It’s an interesting and fun program — it’s my sweet spot because I love youth, I love high school and college kids. It’s been a very healing thing for my family to do this in Randy’s memory.

TL: How can readers get involved with Polk Vision and RRF? SR: I would encourage anyone interested to go to both websites: www.polkvision.com and www.randyrobertsfoundation.org. Regarding Polk Vision, we always have open meetings which are posted on our website; those interested can also attend a forum or a LEAD meeting. Just listening and offering to be involved, applying for Leadership Polk.

Regarding Randy’s foundation, encouraging students to apply for scholarships is a great start (scholarships are always due February 15), learning about Congressional Classroom in schools, directing people to our website. Really, word of mouth for Randy’s foundation is great. Both are non-profit charities that will take any and all donations! But if you want skin in the game, there are a lot of ways to do that.

TL: Any other final thoughts?

SR: Stay tuned for some changes in our look, and please, get involved if you can!

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CULTURE

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES A unique family portrait story by Adam Justice photography by Tina Sargeant In 1761, 5-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed his first piece of music. By 17, he was a court musician at Salzburg, playing for the likes of German royalty. Mozart’s father, Leopold Mozart, who was a composer and violinist, took early note of his son’s talent and began nurturing junior’s abilities. Little did Leopold suspect that his son’s aptitude for music would far exceed his own in only five years. The name Mozart is now synonymous with an entire genre of music.

Over a century later in 1888, a very young and impressionable Pablo Picasso began his formal training as an artist under the tutelage of his father, José Ruiz y Blasco. Although barely 7 years old, Picasso’s astute ability to draw astounded his father, who was himself an art professor and painter. By the age of 13, Picasso’s artistic ability had surpassed his father’s, forcing the elder to literally withdraw from painting entirely. As we now know, Picasso went on to become one of the most distinctive signifiers of a new era and the most definitive artist in all of modern art.

It’s easy to say that these noted prodigies were somehow predestined with their natural creative abilities. And there may be a bit of truth to that. Or perhaps they were simply born in the right place at the right time. That’s quite plausible. But that all seems too easy, doesn’t it? Giving credit to fate and other such uncontrollable causes doesn’t pass existential muster, especially when addressing something as malleable and personal as artistic dexterity. Surely there is something more pragmatic that can be cited for the early advancement of such exceptional young artists.

I think the answer can begin to be found in heredity. But to inherit a certain skill set isn’t enough; it doesn’t guarantee those skills will continue to be honed as you mature physically, mentally, and emotionally. A nurturing environment is important to ensure the sustenance of natural talent — and not just access to culture, although that’s important, too. It’s more about a degree of extra-personal encouragement to always keep those abilities at the forefront through engagement, practice, and stimulation. It takes an intimate group of like minds to keep a revolving spirit of creative nourishment, feeding on one another to create a collective energy.

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Top right: Sara Jones, The Best Time to Wear a Striped Sweater (2012) Above: Sara’s permanent camera and colors Below: Untitled drawing by Sara

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With that said, meet the Joneses, a Lakeland family who not only seem to be gifted with predestined creative abilities, but who also live and thrive by one shared artistic nerve. Just like artistic families before them, including the Mozarts and Picassos, Marty Jones and his two daughters, Sara and Emily, influence each other as immediate relatives and as respective creative individuals. It becomes quickly obvious when speaking to the Joneses that they each rely on the others to complete one creative unit, to the point that it is at times difficult to speak to them individually without referencing the other two. I had the pleasure of meeting with all three of them and witnessing the Jones phenomenon first-hand.

Marty Jones is the third generation to manage Jones & Sons Printing in Lakeland. His grandfather founded the print and design shop in 1952, and Marty is the last remaining “son.”

He began working at the print shop in 1981 after growing up in Mulberry. In high school, he experimented with photography and remembers wielding his first camera, a 35mm Praktica, at anything that seemed unconventional. His first photography gig was with the Mulberry High School yearbook staff. But it wasn’t long before his photography style was admonished for being too fluid for yearbook material. “I guess they couldn’t use photos of trashcans and brickwork,” Marty says with a shrug and a smile. He tempered his creativity for the sake of high school journalism but remained open and experimental with his personal work. Marty continued dabbling in photography but never planned to be an exhibiting photographer.

Eventually, as it does, life intervened, and Marty went to work for his grandfather in the

family print business. There, in the early 1990s, he began designing graphics for clients. Although he still occasionally experimented with photography (at one point transforming his bathroom into a darkroom), Marty’s work as a printer and designer kept creativity at the forefront of his daily life. Nowadays, Marty pours most of his creative energies into his two daughters.

The sisters Jones are like dual magnets joined by their opposite polarities. Sara, the older of the two at 19, is an accomplished and easygoing photographer with a penchant for the unconventional. Perhaps the most telling and immediate sign of her dedicated stance is the 35mm camera she has tattooed on the inside of her right arm. It’s set adjacent to another tattoo of three circles, each a primary color (red, yellow, and blue), the foremost weapons of any colorist. Sara is without a doubt outspoken in her own unique way, without a lot of excess verbal extravagance. She is a visual person with an aptitude for mathematics, which makes sense given her love for photography as a quantitative medium.

During her “formative years,” Sara was influenced by the photo albums her father had retained of his earlier work. Likewise, Marty’s old camera intrigued her until she began producing her own photographs with disposable cameras.

Sara attended Lakeland High School where she remembers fulfilling her physical education requirement online in order to have three art classes as a freshman. Despite baffling the guidance counselor, it was legit. The teachers acknowledged Sara’s reign over the darkroom and granted it her domain. The door of the arts supply closet bore a sign that read “Sara’s Studio.” In all,

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Top Right: Emily records vocals for her new album.

Below: Playing live banjo at Evolution Records

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it was obvious that Sara was neither the typical student nor an apathetic art student.

She has since honed her craft to excel well beyond those disposable cameras of childhood.

Sara’s photographs have been exhibited throughout Lakeland at venues such as Arts on the Park, the former J Rowan Galleries, various Platform Art events, the Lakeland Bus Station, and Polk Museum of Art’s George Jenkins Student Gallery, where she received a Purchase Award.

Sara admits that her current work is fueled by the effects of emotion and memory. These photographs often contain personal sentiments that may not be fully realized by the viewer but are striking nonetheless. Her talent can be clearly seen in the way she stages her photographs, using props or settings that are contextually disconnected but hold a cohesive and attractive whole. To achieve this, Sara simply takes advantage of whatever her present environment may be; she borrows, frames, and reinterprets her surroundings into tight, creative compositions.

For her portraits, she often turns to her younger sister to model.

Emily is perhaps the quieter of the two Jones sisters, which is ironic given her inherent musical talents. She is an already seasoned musician at 15. So, her age is no indication of inexperience.

Emily has been performing since the age of 8, playing guitar since she was 11. You may have heard her play at Evolution Records, where she has performed countless times, or at The Venue, First Friday events, or Platform Art parties. She released her first EP of original material, titled This Girl, in 2010 and is currently working on a second to be released later this year. She is currently enrolled at Harrison School for the Arts where she studies classical guitar with Dr. Robert Phillips, who assigns her to practice independently for two hours each day. Needless to say, she overachieves.

Emily was drawn to the guitar at an early age. She remembers always being curious about Marty’s 1983 Hondo guitar propped in a corner of their house, until one day she picked it up and just began playing. It was then that Marty said, “We have to do something about this.” Emily was immediately signed up for private guitar

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lessons. Those early lessons have now led her to be proficient on not only guitar, but also banjo, bass, and ukulele.

But playing an instrument followed Emily’s knack as a singer-songwriter. She has been singing since she was 6 and recorded her first original song at the age of 8. That first recording was written as a fundraiser for her church’s mission trip. It proved far more popular than she had expected. She currently records at a Lakeland studio operated by Christopher Metz and Jeff Hanshaw, aka The Danger Brothers. For her album designs, Emily turns to her reliable Jones cohorts: Marty designs the liner notes and Sara provides the cover art.

Being so talented, and driven to evolve that talent, at such a young age are characteristics of prodigies, and are only enhanced when surrounded by a nurturing environment. As such naturally talented individuals, Emily and Sara find that environment as two measures of a three-part Jones equation. Their father, Marty, completes the trifecta. It’s clear that the Joneses benefit from shared inspiration, enthusiasm, and constructive criticism. As Marty has gladly taken a more supportive role as parent and number-one fan, his obvious belief in and excitement about his daughters’ potential is admirable, commendable, and talented in its own right.

As I sat with the Joneses to prepare for writing this article, while Sara and Emily were lost in sibling conversation, Marty smiled and nudged me, then mouthed the words, “This is really all about them.” I think he concluded the interview best when he looked across the table at his daughters and simply said, “You both are very cool people.”

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FAMILY Familial wisdom and the making of an athlete

story by Annalee Mutz • photography by Jason Stephens

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J

essie Scarpa is an accomplished soccer player from George Jenkins High School who deeply loves the game. Entering her senior year of high school, she has already been highly sought out by college soccer teams for her talent, motivation, and humble attitude on and off the field. Jessie demonstrates that work alone does not formulate the all-star athlete. Her humility and modest demeanor are the keys to her success, along with her family who has provided the right amount of wisdom along the way.

The Lakelander: Tell us about your roots. Are you a Lakeland native?

Jessie Scarpa: I’ve lived in Lakeland all of my life, but I’m a dual citizen (Canadian-American). My mother is Canadian with British/Scottish roots, and my father is American with Italian/Jewish roots.

TL: At what point did you develop a love for soccer?

Jessie: I was involved in a variety of sports at a young age.

I started water skiing before I was 2. By age 3, I played t-ball at Christina Park, took swimming lessons at the YMCA, and ballet at the Highlands School of Dance. When I was a little older, I took golf lessons at the Par 3, tennis lessons on Edgewood, played indoor soccer at the YMCA, basketball at Lakeside Baptist as well as the YMCA, and started the

track and field team in kindergarten at St. Paul Lutheran School. Once I hit fifth grade at St. Paul, I also played interscholastic volleyball, basketball, soccer, and boys’ flag football. I progressed onto a travel softball team and then swam competitively at Eaglebrooke.

I loved every sport — well maybe not ballet. Unlike my older sister, I always started things with hesitation. My parents say I would cry and put my finger in my mouth at the first of every new sport, and then by the second practice I loved it! When I was younger, I would never say I had a favorite sport. I liked them all. I started a ball collection and had a love for every ball. Every birthday or Christmas I was sure to get a new softball, football, basketball, or soccer ball. When I started at George Jenkins, I wanted to play basketball as well as soccer because I also enjoy playing that THE LAKELANDER

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sport, but it was the same season as soccer. I did track and field my freshman year (long jump, triple jump, and some sprints).

My love for soccer developed early. I played u-6 at Carter Road.

Neither of my parents were soccer players, but our close family friends quickly encouraged my sisters and I to sign up. My love for the sport was totally self-driven. I think I just understood it early, and because I was always playing with a ball in my backyard, I quickly developed enough skills to feel confident. Although I could keep playing all four sports through middle school, I had to eventually pick which travel sport to concentrate on because there was too much overlap. I didn’t like letting one of the teams down and, eventually, I chose soccer over softball. I’m thankful that I’ve been able to continue playing a variety of school sports because I think that helped me develop an overall strong body and a good awareness of game concepts. A variety of sports also helps keep your mind and body from burning out on one thing.

One of the things that has helped me be humble is that I know that talents are a gift from God, and I try to use my talents to help other people. Also, my parents made me work hard around the house, and I understood at an early age that I had to be responsible for my own clean uniform, help get everything to the car, and do chores to help pay the sport fees.

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TL: You come from a highly athletic family. How do you feel they’ve shaped your athletic background?

Jessie: My father played baseball at Florida Southern College and was an All-American. He went on to play in Holland. My mother was on the Canadian barefoot water ski team and won a Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal at the world championships. My uncle was also a world champion barefoot water skier. My mother and grandfather are both physical education teachers.

My parents have always encouraged me to try new things, including jumping off cliffs into lakes in Canada, walking across fallen trees on the Suwannee river, horseback riding down mountains in Australia, etc. I think they always encouraged any physical challenge, not just ones on the playing field.

Another huge influence has been my older sister, Kacy. She was never scared to try anything new, and I was always a little more cautious and quiet. I was lucky to often play on Kacy’s teams, and she was a great leader but also looked out for her little sister. She was a different kind of player than I am — she was awesome at anything defense related, and I was more

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was awesome at anything defense related, and I was more of an offensive player. I think we balanced each other well. I also have to say that my younger sister, Sandy, was a totally different athlete but helped me grow. She kept everything funny. She has also been on many teams with me and has a gift for motivating players, and also for making them laugh when practices get boring.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, WHETHER IT’S SOCCER OR MUSIC OR ANYTHING, IS TO LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND DO IT WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART.

TL: What is your favorite part of playing soccer?

Jessie: It’s my stress reliever. Playing soccer allows me to escape reality and forget about all of my school stress. I can truly say that I am excited any day that I have soccer practice. I also love the family environment it provides. Your teammates become your sisters. Soccer has allowed me to make many friends from all over the country. These friends have been my teammates and some will become my future rivals.

TL: How did it feel to receive the Player of the Year award in women’s soccer for both Gatorade and the state of Florida?

Jessie: Many great athletes have received this award and I am honored to be a part of it. It’s nice to be recognized for these awards, but soccer is a team sport, and I know I wouldn’t be able to achieve any of this without my team.

TL: Tell us about the Olympic Development Program that you’re a part of.

Jessie: I’ve been involved in the Olympic Development Program since I was 13. I’ve been on the state team for several years, which involves training in Florida and then traveling to a camp in Alabama each summer to compete against other states. From this camp, you can be selected to the Region team. The Region team then trains you, and you have the opportunity to travel to represent your country.

Last year I went to Germany and the Czech Republic to compete internationally. That was a great honor and learning experience. Traveling and meeting new people is such a great part of competitive sports.

[Editor’s Note: Jessie was invited to a national training camp in Oregon this past August. It is sponsored by the Elite Club National League (ECNL), Olympic Development Program (ODP), and Nike. About twenty-five girls from her age group were chosen from across the country.]

TL: With graduation fast approaching, what are your plans for the near future? You’ve committed to UNC, is that right?

Jessie: Yes, I am committed to UNC. It was a very difficult decision. I was fortunate to have some great options. It came down to FSU (with my sister), Stanford, and UNC. It’s hard to make a life decision when you’re 16, but I feel really good about it and am grateful to the college coaches who supported my decision and really wanted what was best for me.

I’m excited to have another year of high school. I’ve always loved the schools I attended. I went to St. Paul from pre-k to eighth grade, and then George Jenkins. Being involved in sports has really made me passionate about my school pride.

Some athletes are encouraged to finish high school early so they can start training at college early, but I would hate to miss my senior year. I’m planning on starting at UNC for summer session next year so I can start training and be ready for this huge step.

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TL: Who have been some of your biggest influences?

Jessie: My biggest influences are my parents and my sisters.

My parents have always pushed me to try new things. When I was younger, I was a very timid girl who would never try anything new. Over the years my parents have pushed me to do many things that I thought I would not enjoy, but they knew I would end up loving it — which I did. Having sisters is such a blessing, but the sister bond is even more special to athletes. Being athletes, the three of us are all competitive. When we work out together, we all push each other.

St. Paul has also greatly influenced me. For ten years it has provided me with a place for my faith to grow. I believe this school has also molded me into the person I am, both on and off the field.

TL: What has been some of the best advice you have received, and what advice would you give others regarding soccer and an athletic career?

Jessie: The best advice I have ever received is that if you want to be great at something, you have to do what most people do not want to do. I am reminded of this often. When it comes to practice, I never mind going. When it comes to doing something new, I need pushing. My advice to parents is to expose their children to many different sports and to keep things positive. I

always appreciated that my parents were quiet when they watched my games, and I felt like they supported my passion, but it wasn’t about them. The most important thing, whether it’s soccer or music or anything, is to love what you are doing and do it with all of your heart.

Q&A WITH JESSIE’S PARENTS, KARYN AND GLENN SCARPA

TL: How have you influenced your children’s decisions towards the sports they play actively today?

Karyn: A parent’s role in what their child participates in is huge at a young age. I think that early in our girls’ lives, we really did not ask them what they wanted to do but just looked around the community to see what was available and what would keep them active. Our only rule was whatever we signed them up for, they needed to finish until the end of the season and then the next year was up to them. When sport seasons started to overlap and pressure started mounting about which tournament they would attend, we let them pick which sport they were most passionate about. Eventually all three chose to concentrate on soccer. This choice had nothing to do with either of our personal sport experiences, which really made their choice that much

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better. There was not a family reputation to live up to or any pressure to play at the college level.

Jessie wants to play at the highest level possible.

For me, it’s their decision to make.

TL: What involvement did the two of you play in your daughters’ athletic careers growing up and today?

Karyn: As far as their athletic careers, we have exposed them to all that was available and encouraged them to push themselves when we felt they might not have the wisdom to see where a door could open. It’s easy to say, “Okay” when a child says, “I don’t really think I want to...” But you have to think past their hesitation and know when it might just be insecurity. More often than not, our daughters have thanked us for pushing them in areas where they may not have gone on their own. It really is a delicate balance of helping your child push past the normal roadblocks but letting them feel in control. You have to go with your gut feeling and be there for them when needed but pull back when you see they can handle it.

Glenn: My soccer knowledge is limited, so I would say my contribution is to help them understand the mental aspect of sports, keeping them in the proper state of mind in

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both victory and defeat. Most of all, remind them they are participating for the joy of it.

TL: What advice would you give parents who are raising children in a highly serious athletic sport?

Karyn: The main advice I would give parents at any level is to encourage responsibility in whatever activity their child is involved in. Let them be in charge of packing their equipment, knowing their schedule, and helping get out the door to the events. They should also never be too busy to help with chores around the house or to help prepare meals. The activity should not remove the importance of church and family or make all meals “take out.” If we were really pinched for time it might mean eating a bowl of broccoli in the car on the way to practice, and then it would be okay to grab a pizza to-go after practice. Or it might mean that we all sat down to a late meal at home, but we still had sit-down family meals at least a few times a week even if it was 10 o’clock at night.

As far as advice for families with high-level athletes, give them the tools for success but ensure that it is their child’s passion and not the parents’ passion. When a child is sad that practice is cancelled and is willing to pay for

their own sports equipment, or asks for new cleats for Christmas, you know that it’s coming from within. Don’t let them think that they are entitled to all of that expensive gear. It should be a gift or earned from chores. If they become complacent, the main reminder I offer is that, “Successful people do what unsuccessful people don’t want to do.” Yes, at times it is work.

Glenn: Get a second job; it’s going to get expensive. Seriously, I believe it has to be the child’s choice to participate in the sport and decide what their goals are. Help them define the steps needed to reach those goals, but most of all let them control their destiny. It’s supposed to be fun, and it can be for everyone.

TL: What are your main goals as a parent?

Karyn: My main goal as a parent is to raise hard-working children who care about others and want to give back to their community. Our girls have been blessed by many caring people in their lives who have helped them become who they are — teachers, pastors, coaches, friends, relatives. It takes many people to shape the lives of our children. We all have to help each other.

Glenn: To help my kids become wellrounded, decent human beings.

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OCTOBER 25 RED, WHITE AND THE BLUES Polk Museum of Art www.polkmuseumofart.org OCTOBER 25 - NOVEMBER 17 (Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only) LES MISÉRABLES Lake Mirror Theatre www.lakelandcommunitytheatre.com OCTOBER 28 SEU FACULTY MUSIC RECITAL First Presbyterian Church www.seu.org OCTOBER 30 MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL The Lakeland Center www.thelakelandcenter.com

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THE LAKELANDER 105

HISTORY

AN ODE TO BETHEL

Recognized as the first church in Lakeland, Bethel Baptist celebrates 150 years

by Christine Wilson Described today as being “worn, but solid,” the log building in which Bethel Baptist’s first congregation met was adorned with benches crafted from 18-inch-wide logs from the piney woods dating back to the early 1800s. The cabin’s successor, a simple framed structure raised in 1908, lasted only an estimated twenty years. It was replaced in 1929 by the third and most renowned building. Named “Bethel” by William T. Rushing, the historic church still stands off of Socrum Loop Road in north Lakeland.

Carol Veronica Reed writes in Holland’s: The Magazine of the South on the iconic journey of missionary settlement and gives tribute to Rev. J.M. Hayman, Bethel’s first regular pastor: “During pioneer days in Florida, circuit riders and itinerant preachers braved swamps, alligators, snakes and panthers, fought hostile Indians and yellow fever, and lived on berries gathered along the way in order to reach their scattered congregations. The early pastors of Bethel Baptist Church, which had its beginnings in the 1840s, were men of that caliber. Dedicated to their calling, they endured many hardships to bring spiritual instructions to wild, remote places such as the settlement of Socrum was at that time.”

On October 6, 2013, the congregation will hold a 150th Homecoming Celebration to honor God and recognize former pastors, staff, and members. Bethel serves as a spiritual and geographical heart of the community and is located on the same property as the historic brick church beside “Indian Pond” on Socrum Loop Road.

Dear Old Bethel

Written by Joseph Thomas Mallory Dear old Bethel, the earthly home of my soul, Where I have found Jesus, and my heart was made whole, Long have I loved thee, thy panels so dear, And ever I’ll love thee through my pilgrimage here.

Thou hast been my protector, my sun and my shield, Thou hast helped me to live more like Jesus so dear, Thou hast been such a beacon to lighten the way, And will carry me on to that beautiful day.

Dear old Bethel, the home of those that I love, When they leave here I will meet them above, Long have I loved them, their faces so dear, And ever I’ll love them through eternity’s year.

photos courtesy of Arlene Costine Alford’s Archives

106 THE LAKELANDER

Introducing South Lakeland’s Newest Gated Community!

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• Equestrian friendly home sites now available • Lots 1-20: 2800 Sq. Ft. minimum; Tracts D-S: 3200 Sq. Ft. minimum Features include a park, horse and nature trails and access to a 550 acre preserve for horseback riding, hiking, jogging and biking

Tract K

2.16 ac

Tract L

1.33 ac

Tract M

Tract N

1.51 ac

1.55 ac

SOLD

Tract J 1.75 ac

SOLD

Tract O

1.44 ac

Tract P

Tract R

Tract Q

1.34 ac

1.36 ac

1.90 ac

SOLD

Tract I

Tract H

Tract G

Tract F

Tract E

1.39 ac

1.32 ac

1.29 ac

1.26 ac

1.01 ac

Tract S

Tract D

1.13 ac

1.08 ac

Park

SOLD

Lot 4 Lot 3

.60 ac

SOLD 863-647-5815 www.hulberthomes.com hhomes@tampabay.rr.com

Lot 2 .64 ac

.61 ac

Lot 5

Lot 6

Lot 17

Lot 7

.66 ac

.60 ac

.66 ac

SOLD

.60 ac

Lot 18

Indian Creek Park Dr.

Lot 1 .70 ac

Lot 20 .60 ac

2116 Indian Sky Circle

.82 ac

Lot 19 .77 ac

WE’VE MADE CHANGES. BIG CHANGES. Changes so big that we’re ranked as one of the most efficient and advanced emergency departments in the nation. We did our research. We talked to patients, engineers, architects, doctors, nurses and staff to redesign our emergency department just for you. These changes have captured the attention of people at hospitals across the country who are coming to Lakeland Regional to see our nationally ranked ER for themselves.

We already had the most advanced technology. We already had physicians and specialists who were capable of diagnosing and treating some of the toughest emergencies in the region. What we needed was to get rid of the wait because in an emergency, time matters. Now every patient who enters through our doors rarely has time to sit down before being seen. Patients are immediately seen by a registered nurse and assessed by a doctor in less than 20 minutes on average.

SEE FOR YOURSELF. TAKE THE 24/7 ER TOUR AT LRMC.COM/ER.