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In the true spirit of living boldly, we asked Anthony Porter to jump out of a perfectly good airplane…
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J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9
G R E AT E R A L A C H U A C O U N T Y
| V O L . 1 7 | N O. 0 1
IN THIS ISSUE >> WE INVITE YOU TO DIVE INTO THE NEW YEAR! WHETHER IT’S OVERCOMING A FEAR OF HEIGHTS BY FINDING THE COURAGE TO LEAP OUT OF AN AIRPLANE OR FACING AN AUDIENCE AS YOU DEFEAT THE FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING — WE HOPE THESE STORIES WILL INSPIRE YOU TO SEIZE THE DAY! C O V E R P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y C L I F F O R D S T E E L E
FEATURE STORIES 20
SOLO TRAVEL Adventure for one! Not the typical way to travel for most, but with these helpful tips — you just might find yourself giving it a try.
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FREE FALLIN’ Hear from a first-time skydiver who volunteered to jump out of a perfectly good airplane in order to cross off a big item on his bucket list.
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CEREMONIAL SPEECHES A local speechwriter coaches clients in public speaking, giving helpful ways to ease those butterflies.
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EXERCISE CENTERED These fitness apps and podcasts may be able to help you reach your goals this year.
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MILL CREEK FARM Learn about a local sanctuary for animals and people, and how it is helping those it touches.
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RECIPE WONDERS Celebrate Valentine’s Day by making these tasty mints. Treat your sweetie to some homemade sweets! JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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CONTENTS
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9
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BOLD TASTE Spice up your palate in 2019 by giving these kicked up local entrées a try!
EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUALS Dante Mucherino and his wife made 2018 the year of adventure, take a look at what they learned along the way.
48 BOLD SENSES A guide to exploring Alachua County through the five senses. Grab your 3-D glasses and enjoy the world around you!
COLUMNS 46 NAKED SALSA by Crystal Henry
66 EMBRACING LIFE by Donna Bonnell
88 PH.D PAIN Local researcher, Daniel Pimentel, is testing the effects of virtual reality on pain through a collaboration with a local tattoo shop.
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FARM TALES by Mother Hen
128 FUREVER FRIENDS Spotlight on Rescue Animals
94 WILDCARD AUDIO A local audio engineer, Jared Anderson, has worked to create a device that lets you play a guitar through your car speakers and a local music app to connect music with people and businesses.
REVIEWS 92
READING CORNER by Terri Schlichenmeyer
118 GATE CRASHING 120 SIMPLE NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS A guide to four doable resolutions to enact in 2019 that just might have positive impacts on other aspects of your life.
68 LOVE AT FIRST SWIPE How to be bold and stand out as a fish in the vast virtual sea of online dating in the 21st century.
74 ASA WALKER Be inspired by a local youth pastor who has learned how to live boldly while also living with a rare disorder: Epidermolysis Bullosa. 10 |
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124 OUR TOWNIES Another installment of the recurring series of interviews with people who live in our town. Everyone’s got a story to tell.
by Brian “Krash” Kruger
INFORMATION 100 Charity Winners 102 Taste of the Town 108 Community Calendar
The articles printed in Our Town do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Tower Publications, Inc. or their editorial staff. Our Town Magazine endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we can not be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Our Town Magazine reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. All rights reserved. © 2019 Tower Publications, Inc.
Celebrating 60 years of breakthroughs in pediatric cancer care. Imagine what we’ll accomplish in another 60.
Home to one of the Southeast’s largest pediatric hematology/oncology inpatient units, UF Health provides children with cancer the leading-edge care they need. Through scientific discovery, our physicians are devoted to conducting research to prevent and cure childhood cancer. With our team of experts and continuous advances in treatment options, imagine where we will be 60 years from today.
60 YEARS S H A N D S H O S P I TA L
O F M OV I N G M E D I C I N E F O R WA R D
Visit UFHealth.org/Peds60 to learn more about one of the nation’s best pediatric cancer programs. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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PUBLISHER Charlie Delatorre ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Hank McAfee
Anthony B. Agrios, MD Joseph S. Iobst, MD Jean C. Cook, MD Nicole Scogin, MD Shelley Russell, ARNP, CNM Julie Rischar, ARNP, CNM Kristen Cook, ARNP, CNM
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ericka Winterrowd editor@towerpublications.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kaitlin Applegate, Sofia Arriaga, Savannah Austin, Cameron Cobb, Summer Jarro, Cecilia Lemus, Peggy MacDonald, Stephanie Richards, Steph Strickland, Cynthia Wonders Winterrowd, Hayli Zuccola CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Clifford Steele ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Jenni Bennett jenni@towerpublications.com Nancy Short nancy@towerpublications.com INTERNS Steph Strickland, Savannah Austin
CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Send calendar submissions to: 4400 NW 36th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32606 or events@towerpublications.com If you would like us to publicize an event in the greater Gainesville area, send information by the 1st day of the month prior to the next issue. For example, submissions for the March/April issue are due by February 1. All submissions will be reviewed and every effort will be made to run qualified submissions if page space is available.
Take care
of you.
AllAboutWomenMD.com • 352.331.3332 Helping You Live A Healthy Lifestyle! 12 | OUR TOWN MAGAZINE
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We want to hear from you. Send your letters to the attention of the editor at 4400 NW 36th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32606 or editor@ towerpublications.com. Letters must be signed and include a phone number in the event we need to contact you. (Your phone number will not be published.) OUR TOWN MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY TOWER PUBLICATIONS, INC. REPRODUCTION BY ANY MEANS OF THE WHOLE OR PART OF OUR TOWN WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER IS PROHIBITED. VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE EDITORIAL PAGES DO NOT IMPLY OUR ENDORSEMENT. WE WELCOME YOUR PRODUCT NEWS. INCLUDE PRICES, PHOTOS AND DIGITAL FILES WITH YOUR PRESS RELEASE. PLEASE FORWARD PRODUCT SAMPLES AND MEDIA KITS TO REVIEWS EDITOR, OUR TOWN MAGAZINE, 4400 NW 36TH AVENUE, GAINESVILLE, FL 32606. WE CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR UNSOLICITED PRODUCT SAMPLES.
A Publication of Tower Publications, Inc. 4400 NW 36th Ave., Gainesville, Florida 32606 phone: 352-372-5468 fax: 352-373-9178
“I believe we can live as emotionally healthy people in a healthy society.” DR. ADIL A. MOHAMMED, M.D. Medical Director | Board Certified Psychiatrist
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EDITOR ’ S LET TER J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9
A New Year, A New You... Greetings, Earthlings! It’s 2019 and we at Tower Publications are very excited to share our latest issue with you. The reason we’re so excited is because it’s our boldest issue yet — bringing you inspiring stories about bravery and becoming the person you want to be this year. They say each moment of our life is a gift, that’s why it’s called the “present.” After giving and receiving many goodies over the holidays, I think the greatest present we can give ourselves now is the courage to make the most of our lives. #NoRegrets! Within the pages of this magazine you’ll find a local guide for exploring the five senses in bold ways, such as feasting your eyes on the impressive 3-D mural behind the Florida Theater (don’t forget to bring your 3-D glasses!). And what better way to spice up the new year than by checking out some local restaurants serving up spicy dishes? From Asian Fusion to South American-inspired cuisine, we’ve got your taste buds covered this year. With Valentine’s Day in mind — learn how to stand out in the virtual sea of online dating, where your bio seems to hold the key in expressing who you are and what you want out of a relationship. Overcoming fears is a big part of this issue, such as the fear of public speaking and the fear of heights. We just so happened to find a local volunteer who agreed to jump out of a perfectly good airplane in order to overcome his fear and cross off a big item on his bucket list (thus providing the content for our very special cover story). Spoiler Alert: Thank God he made it! Lastly, we are very excited to announce the Our Town Magazine playlist on Spotify — a new way we’ll be exploring each issue this year. We hope you’ll check it out and feel empowered with the tunes that encompass this issue’s theme. Be brave, be BOLD — it’s your time to dive!
Ericka Winterrowd, Editor-In-Chief
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Caring for our community s most precious resources Board certified, University of Florida trained Pediatricians with over 20 years of experience. Ronald Emerick, D.O.
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J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9
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Whether it’s working out at the gym or riding in the car, music is one of the great motivators and entertainers in life. Melodies flowing through headphones can help invigorate an athlete waiting on the sidelines or soothe a hurried and scattered mind. Music can also connect people through a shared experience at a concert or through a discussion about their latest favorite album. Music helps people to be bold and brave, so with that in mind we have curated a Spotify playlist with encouraging and confidence-building songs to help you create a soundtrack for an inspiring new year. With over three hours of bright tunes, here’s a sneak peek at some of the tracks you will find: “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten, Echosmith’s “Future Me,” “Roar” by Katy Perry, Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” “Confident” by Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson’s “Invincible,” “Fear” by Ben Rector, “Work of Art” by Britt Nicole, Alicia Keys’ “Girl on Fire,” “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors, Florence + the Machine’s “Dog Days are Over,” “Rescue” by Yuna, Jess Glynne’s “Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself,” “Just Like Fire” by P!nk, “Rise Up” by Andra Day, Alessia Cara’s “How Far I’ll Go” from the movie “Moana” as well as “Shake it Off” and “Fearless” by Taylor Swift. Listen to our playlist as you ride around town, before a nerve-racking presentation or when you need a pick-me-up to remind you that you’ve got this. Choose from over 50 songs inspired by “The Bold Issue” with empowering lyrics and upbeat melodies sure to encourage you be your best and bravest self. Not only can you expect bold songs to jump-start you in January and February, but also for the entirety of the year with a unique playlist released for each issue. Search for Our Town Magazine on Spotify or find the link on our Facebook page. From there, a playlist for the issue will be available and waiting for you. To stay updated with new playlists added throughout the year, follow our Spotify account and social media pages. So, in the words of Sara Bareilles, we want to “see you be brave” and “Roar” like Katy Perry in 2019. Choose your “Fight Song” and say no to “Fear.” Happy listening!
RedBarnHomeCenter.com 16 |
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Special Delivery! We are proud to introduce the newest member of the family, our brand new Comprehensive Women's Health campus featuring a birth center, state of the art clinic and surgery suite, and more.
For more information, call 352-332-7222 or visit www.cwhŤ.com
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CONTRIBUTOR S
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OUR TOWN MAGAZINE
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9
STEPH STRICKLAND is a journalism student within the UF Honors Program and she loves telling stories through writing, photography and digital media. Outside of her studies she enjoys mountain hiking, nature photography and spending quality time with friends and family. stephanieannestrickland@gmail.com
KAITLIN APPLEGATE is a recent Rock School graduate. In her spare time she enjoys creative writing and finding inspiration in unexpected places (in truth, mostly from Netflix). kaitlinapplegatewrites@gmail.com
CECILIA LEMUS is a freelance writer and senior journalism major at UF. In her free time she enjoys photographing animals, watching movies and trying different flavors of tea. lemusc26@ufl.edu
SAVANNAH AUSTIN is a journalism and art student at UF. She is a passionate advocate for the color mustard yellow and can be found making hand-lettered greeting cards, binge-watching Jane the Virgin or incessantly taking photos of friends and family. savannahkaustin@ufl.edu
CAMERON COBB is a 2nd year graduate student at UF, working on her master’s degree in Mass Communication. She’s also an Air Force veteran. Cameron loves traveling, writing and all animals (her favorite being her rescue dog, Maggie). cameronacobb5@gmail.com
STEPHANIE RICHARDS is a freelance writer and a native of suburban Chicago. She was the Story Editor for The Sturbridge Times Magazine before recently moving to Newberry from New England. She loves to exercise, volunteer and spend time with her family. sarichards7@gmail.com
SUMMER JARRO is a senior journalism student at the University of Florida. Along with writing, she loves Disney, watching old films, going to the beach and traveling to new places. summerjarro@gmail.com
PEGGY MACDONALD is a native Gainesvillian and the executive director of the Matheson History Museum. She has taught history at Florida Polytechnic, Stetson and UF. She is also the author of Marjorie Harris Carr: Defender of Florida’s Environment. peggymacdemos@gmail.com
SOFIA ARRIAGA Sofia Arriaga is a junior at the University of Florida studying journalism, English and business. Her passions include film and literature, which she explores in her free time. arriaga.sofia@hotmail.com
HAYLI ZUCCOLA is a New England native who enjoys listening to music and traveling. After graduating high school with her AA degree she got her Bachelor’s in Journalism from the University of Florida. HayzDesigns@yahoo.com
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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TR AV TR AVEL VE >> SO SOLO LO O ADV D EN ENTU TURE RES ES
GETTIN’ HIGH ON GOIN’ SOLO
Journey for One The Adventures of Solo Traveling – and Why You Should Give it a Chance S TORY A N D PHOTOG R A PHY BY C A MERON COBB
A
h, the joys of a vacation abroad. The anticipation, the excitement of a new place, the fun of seeing the world with your favorite people… what’s not to love? The trip calculating, group planning and travel drama? Maybe not so much. Almost always, a group getaway means you end up sacrificing at least some of what you’d like to do to satisfy the collective wants of everyone else. But what if you didn’t have to? What if you could have your adventure 100 percent your way, from the first flight to the trip’s last leg and everything in between? A one-of-a-kind escapade catered to the star of the vacation – you and only you. The answer? Solo travel. With a 42 percent increase in bookings for solo travel between 2015 to 2017, according to Hostelworld, it’s become quite a popular option for international exploration (especially among women travelers). And with benefits like travel freedom, cultural immersion, and the chance to “escape from everyday life” (squeezepod.com), it’s no wonder the popularity of solo travel continues to rise. Familiarizing yourself with the beginning steps and having the right mindset is all it takes to get started. And getting started is all it takes to get hooked. 20 |
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SOURCE: HOSTELWORLDGROUP.COM, SQUEEZEPOD.COM
Corfu, Greece - Home to two Venetian Fortresses (the Old and the New), this tiny island off the coast of Greece holds enough history to keep any solo traveler wandering. Featured here is the Old Fortress, dating back to about 6th century AD.
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TRAVEL >> SOLO ADVENTURES
VACAY IT SAFE
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When traveling abroad alone, there are plenty of ways to stay safe. The first step is to research specifics of your destination. The U.S. Department of State’s website (travel.state.gov) features an in-depth travel section that provides specific information for every country, such as local laws, U.S. embassy and consulate locations, travel advisories and more. As also mentioned on the site, you can enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). As a free service, STEP updates citizens traveling abroad with safety and security information from local U.S. embassies and consulates. This is especially important for solo travel, as it also provides a way to contact you during an emergency. Even with STEP, solo travelers should maintain regular contact with someone they trust back home to keep in touch with. Write down the names/phone numbers of your accommodations, along with as detailed of a trip itinerary as possible. When traveling, send daily updates for what and where your plans are, and check in periodically to let them know how things are going. Should anything go wrong, it’ll make for a much smoother situation to solve if you have someone aware of your whereabouts. Another safety measure you can take is creating a just-in-case code (i.e. a unique word or phrase only you and the designated person would know). This provides a way to discretely send an S.O.S. if needed, or if something seems awry from the other’s end, he or she can ask for the password to ensure that everything’s okay with you. Have a plan for what each of you would do in the event the code is used. With certain flight plans (depending on airline and destination), you might not be allowed to carry certain protective options like pepper spray. However, there are airport-friendly options for virtually any TSA checkpoint, such as a personal alarm. The pocket-sized personal alarm comes disguised as your everyday keychain, just a heck of a lot louder. With the pull of a pin, the safety device blares an alarm sounding at the same decibel as an airplane take off. They’re even reusable ( just reinsert the pin), and at roughly $5-$10, it’s a small price to pay for universal peace of mind. After running into an issue where my airline travel between Asia and Australia prohibited mace in both carry-on and checked bags, I purchased the JDDZ Personal Safety Alarm from Amazon. com. For just under $7, the siren’s 140-decibel shriek can be heard from nearly 300 feet away. OUR TOWN MAGAZINE
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
Reynisfjara, Iceland - Along the southern border of the icy island country spreads miles of contrasting coastline where black sand meets the stark shore.
Loud, discreet, and most importantly, TSA-friendly. I certainly feel at ease having my personal alarm wherever I go (and for about $7, it’s more than worth the peace of mind!)
THE UNEXPECTEDS OF EXPLORATION Like car insurance, travel insurance is one of the few products in life we pay for and hope to never have to use. But unlike car insurance, travel insurance appears to be not nearly as important, with less than 40 percent of travelers claiming they would purchase such insurance for upcoming trips. You’ve most likely noticed it’s often an optionable selection you can add on to the cost of your flight, cruise or other travel-related expense. Though aside from a gimmicky sales pitch and threat that “NOW’S THE LAST CHANCE,” you don’t get much flexibility (or even explanation) with these prepackaged plans. SOURCE: STATE.GOV, CNBC.COM
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Christ the Redeemer offers an outstanding opportunity to overlook the bustling city of Rio. Finding a bus option that treks to the top is easy, or there’s always Uber (check out the app’s ride share options for a cheaper route).
Fortunately, there are other options outside of this “one and only chance.” Quite the contrary, travel insurance can usually be purchased up until even just 24 hours before your departure. There are dozens of free online resources for travel insurance comparison tools (such as insuremytrip.com and travelinsurance.com). From basic plans that offer coverage for main expenses to more premium options like including medical care, there’s sure to be a plan for your ideal coverage. Researching different options yourself is not only drastically
cheaper, but it lets you cater plan coverage to your trip and know exactly what you’re getting. For my first experience purchasing trip insurance, I used travelinsurance.com and found one of the basic options still suited my needs – and more than paid for itself. Due to a family issue, I ended up having to last-minute push the date of my Europe trip back a whole month, racking up almost $240 in ticket change fees. My travel insurance plan cost merely $14 but reimbursed me for this entire amount, depositing the funds less than a week after I submitted a claim. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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TRAVEL >> SOLO ADVENTURES
The Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia.
ALONE VS. LONELY You are, as the name implies, going to be alone. Pretty self-explanatory for an activity dubbed ‘solo travel,’ but if you’re unfamiliar with this, the whole solo part can seem fairly daunting. This means dinner tables for one, unaccompanied excursions, and mastering the art of the selfie (or trusting strangers to get your best angle). The first time I traveled alone exactly a year ago, I was admittedly terrified. What if I get bored? What if I get lonesome seeing all the friends and families together? And ultimately, what if I don’t enjoy my own company?
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By the end of Day 1, I discovered it to be quite the opposite – I spent every second of the first and the remainder of days doing exactly what I wanted, when I wanted. I could sleep in until noon without the fear of wasting someone else’s time. I could dine at all my favorite places without worrying about compromising on a meal choice. I could stop and take a picture any time the sun hit the horizon just right or I thought I saw an animal (and the best part: if no one’s there to call you out, then who’s to say you didn’t?) I found it’s not just okay to be alone – it’s incredibly freeing and empowering. Though this doesn’t mean you have to isolate yourself – solo traveling can be a great way to meet likeminded people (and help to kick a wave of loneliness before it arises). Hostels typically foster an inviting community for solo travelers, with shared accommodations and even hosting social events (i.e. pub crawls, city walks). You can also use Facebook to search for solo-travel-related pages/groups, or check out location-based social phone apps (like Meetup) to explore new places with new faces.
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With a plethora of tangible, emotional and mental benefits, solo travel is an experience everyone should try at least once. Worst case scenario—you decide it’s not for you, but still got to go on a vacation. Best case, you’re introduced to the liberating experience of not only making discoveries about the world, but about yourself as well. So do yourself a favor and plan that dream trip. Cross a couple travel to-dos off your bucket list. Being alone should inspire you, not hinder you. With a little self-confidence and a literal world of options, the possibilities are endless. And there’s only one person holding you back. SOURCE: MEETUP.COM
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PROFILE >> MICHAEL ROBINSON
TOASTMASTER
A LOCAL SPEECHWRITER HELPS COACH CONFIDENCE
Ceremonial Speeches STORY A N D PHOTOGR A PH Y BY SU MMER JA R RO
The idea of public speaking can be a nightmare for some. Standing in front of a group of people with multiple eyes staring back at you and the entire room dead silent you could hear a pin drop. Soon you begin sweating profusely as you try to force out the first word of your speech before those butterflies in your stomach completely consume you. But does it always have to feel this way? According to a 2014 Chapman University Survey of American Fears, public speaking was the greatest for Americans — beating out other fears such as heights, drowning and flying. While public speaking is an issue for many Americans, that isn’t the case for Michael Robinson, 70, who considers giving speeches his passion. “I have lost count as to how many speeches I have delivered,” Robinson said. 26 |
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Robinson, who started publicly speaking about 12 years ago, has given several speeches at different events, has multiple trophies for his public speaking work and is even a part of Toastmasters International, a communication and public speaking organization. Most people have anxiety or fear when they have to speak in public but feel comfortable when having a casual conversation. For Robinson, it is the opposite. When he speaks casually he stutters, which is something he’s dealt with for a long time. However, when he is publicly speaking it all goes away, he said. Today he is the proprietor of Ceremonial Speeches, a speech
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PROFILE >> MICHAEL ROBINSON
writing and presentation consulting company in Gainesville to do well. “I give them positive thoughts and one of the things I where he helps individuals construct their presentations, might say is...‘Well you were asked to deliver the speech. You can Robinson said. He started the company in January 2014 after do it’,” Robinson said. He also tells the client that the audience people began approaching him for suggestions on presentations could be anywhere else in that time, but they have chosen to come and hear what you have to say. or written products. “Other things that I tell my clients is that you will have “I realized that the more I spoke the more I enjoyed it, and along the way, I developed the skill to increase my enjoyment butterflies in your stomach, but what we are going to do is make of public speaking,” Robinson said. “I came to a realization those butterflies fly in perfect formation,” Robinson said. Since Ceremonial Speeches began, Robinson has helped that there may be others in the same boat I am [in], or almost in the same boat, who could use some tips and some confidence over 100 clients like Wendy Palmer, who has always been nervous about the idea of and some additional skills public speaking. “I’ve tried to increase their public to avoid it my whole life,” speaking.” Palmer said. Over the sumAt Ceremonial Speeches, mer, Palmer, who is now an Robinson helps clients by administrative assistant reviewing a speech already at Ceremonial Speeches, formed or writing a speech came to Robinson to help from scratch. He gathers her learn to pray and bless information about the meals in front of others at speaker, the type of speech, gatherings. the audience and the venue. “He is very professional He includes practice time and helpful,” she said. and rewrites with the cliWith his help, this past ent to overall prepare them Thanksgiving Palmer gave to feel comfortable when her first blessing before they finally deliver their dinner. It was a surprise to speech, he said. Robinson her family members, and it has helped with ceremowent well, she said. nial speeches for weddings, Robinson hopes that graduations and receptions once clients get the help along with assisting clients they need from him at in other forms of commuCeremonial Speeches, nication such as writing that they “will have a important emails. tremendous amount of For Robinson, a great confidence and he or she ceremonial speech includes will know that I will be three things: an opening, a there for them,” he said. body and a conclusion. He Robinson has won several awards and accolades in public speaking, including recognition as a Distinguished Toastmaster by Toastmasters International. One “However, I try to instill explained that the opening award he received in 2010 is for best evaluator of other speech performances. in them that they can do it should include recognition Another he won was second place for impromptu speaking in 2005, where he with or without me.” of the dignitaries present spoke during a debate about environmental cleanups. and be short. The body should contain relevant content to the occasion but also give a bit of extra information. ROBINSON’S TIPS FOR GIVING A MEMORABLE SPEECH: “The audience expects you to say certain things in general, • Practice but don’t over practice. Read the speech once and then but if you give them more than what is expected — something verbally go through it to yourself and aloud to someone else. extra — then that will endear the speaker to the audience,” he • Dress appropriately. said. • Have confidence the audience wants you there. The conclusion should be short like the opening. It should restate what was previously mentioned and include a call to • Do research on the topic. “I have a saying, ‘Know your topic as well as you know yourself,’” he said. action, such as asking for everyone to congratulate the bride • Drink plenty of liquids at room temperature. Don’t drink cold drinks and groom in a wedding toast, Robinson explained. Giving a speech may not come as easy for Robinson’s clients as it does for him, so he helps them get the confidence they need
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because the coldness constricts the vocal cords. • Ask a few questions to keep the audience focused.
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CARING >> MILL CREEK FARM
FORGET-ME-TROT
Field of Dreams The Bold and Selfless Work of Mill Creek Farm W R IT TE N BY SO F I A A R R I AG A
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very three months when Robin Stellars has the weekend off, she wants to bathe in the most rejuvenating place she can. Stellars doesn’t opt for beaches or spas. Instead, she flies from Idaho to visit Mill Creek Farm in Alachua to be surrounded by farmland and animals. Stellars said the environment and aura of the farm gives her more life than any other vacation could. Not only does Mill Creek Farm heal human volunteers such as Stellars, but the home for retired horses serves as a sanctuary for otherwise unadoptable horses, donkeys and miniatures. Mill Creek Farm houses an average of 145 horses at a time on its 335-acre property. The nonprofit offers a home for rescued horses found by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), and other
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abused, old and sick horses rescued. Horses such as Maggie, a 30-year-old horse who has been at the farm for a decade, are rescued from the Everglades, where they’re released by owners to find food for themselves and face predators such as alligators. Some horses enter the farm with severe conditions such as blindness, rotten teeth and physical and mental scars from abuse. Once a horse enters the gates of Mill Creek Farm, the staff bestows promises onto the animal. First, the staff promises the animal that it will never be worked or ridden again. Second, the animal has a life-long home at Mill Creek and will never leave the farm. Lastly, the animal will never fail to receive its necessary amount of love, food, shelter, grooming and medical care to remain healthy and thriving. Once the new horse receives its promises, it’s brought to a paddock for assessment. “We like to see how the PHOTOGRAPHY: TJ MORRISSEY
Kayla Stump and her son, Xavier Edwards, 4, visit with one of the many horses at the Mill Creek Horse Retirement Farm.
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CARING >> MILL CREEK FARM
Mary (Left) and Paul (right) stand around Dusty and while cuddling Bailey.
Lancelot (top left), also known as Lance, retired from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Patrol Unit after working there for eight years. The 20-year-old Gelding retired due to stifle lameness and caudal heel pain. Maggie (top right), 30, was rescued by the SPCA after being found abandoned in the Everglades. Lady Soul (bottom right), a 25-year-old mare, has been retired at the farm since 2010. Before then, she had been forced into anxiety-provoking experiments at a research center, where she was breed yearly for an entire decade.
The staff always plants an oak tree on the grave of the horse or in the field the animal lived on. horses behave in the paddocks, whether they get along with the horses on the fence and how they interact. Based on that, we decide which pasture to place them in,” said President of Mill Creek Farm, Paul Gregory. Afterwards, the staff grooms the animal, a veterinarian medically inspects and gives necessary shots, a farrier assesses the hooves, a dentist examines the teeth, then finally the staff moves the animal to its pasture. “Every horse is different, they all need different things. So we examine each one individually,” Paul said. Once a member of the farm, the animal freely roams their pasture, grazes the fields and enjoys their earned retirement. Mary Gregory and her husband Peter purchased the land in 1984 with the intention to build some sort of animal sanctuary. “We met at the University of London and were both huge animal lovers,” Mary said with a laugh. She and Peter started off with about four horses. Mary said their numbers skyrocketed once the word of their sanctuary got out. “We didn’t do any advertising, 32 |
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it was completely word of mouth,” she said. Driving through the pathways of the farm on her golf cart, the amount of adoration the horses show for Mary can be clearly seen. Horses trot to the fence to greet and gather around her. Even Chip, one of three blind horses at the farm, followed the familiar sound of her cart and trotted to the edge of her pasture to meet Mary. “I can’t imagine why anyone would abandon them,” she said. “They are all so sweet.” The staff, consisting of Mary, her son Paul, two workers and visiting medical professionals, strive to keep the horses in their best health. With horses coming in with Cushing’s disease and respiratory issues, Paul said veterinarians are always present. Paul also schedules a farrier to inspect the horses’ hooves every seven weeks and assigns members of the staff and volunteers to groom horses once a week. During weekly inspections, the horses are checked for any cuts from nails on fences or other unnoticed injuries.
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CARING >> MILL CREEK FARM
Sally’s Way, the scenic route towards the back of the farm, serves as the resting place and commemorative path for Paul’s late dachshund, Sally.
The staff prepares personalized food each morning based on each horse’s individual nutritional needs. Paul said this ranges from additives such as fat-boosters for skinny horses or muscle building supplements for those who need it. He also said the staff soaks grain to make “mash” for senior horses who do not have all of their working teeth. Despite the heavy schedule, Mill Creek operates smoothly and has never turned down a rescue. Paul has even been expanding the versatility of the farm with the installation of solar panels. While the farm serves as a place of refuge for horses, birds have dropped seeds around the property and as a result have built approximately 50-acres of native woods and wetlands. This area offers a place for deer, foxes, rabbits, squirrels and other birds to call home as well. As these dear horses live out their best lives at the ranch, some tragically pass away. “It’s always heartbreaking,” Mary said. Once one of these gentle souls passes away, the staff place him or her to rest in eternal peace in “The Field of Dreams,” a memorial area for fallen friends. The staff always plants an oak tree on the grave of the horse or in the field the animal lived on. The morning Mary sat down for this interview, she discovered one of her favorite horses, Dakota, passed away. “She passed away in the night by herself. You never know with them,” she said. While horses typically live for 20 years, Dakota spent almost a decade at the farm and grew to the age of 45. “She was so sweet. Everybody loved her,” Mary said. Currently, there are approximately 400 horses buried in the Field of Dreams. The Gregory family admits to also being huge dachshund lovers. Mary said at one point she carried six in her golf cart with her. The family plants camellias on the grave of each late dog 34 |
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who also rests in the Field of Dreams or around the property. Both Mary and Paul said their favorite part of the farm is the private and serene Sally’s Way, a picturesque pathway named after Paul’s late doxin puppy, Sally. “She was so cute,” Mary said. “Paul was so upset when she passed. So we decided the name the path after her.” In 2016, Mary received the 2016 Conservation Steward Award from Tom Kay, President of the Alachua Conservation Trust. In her speech, she honored her late husband, Peter, and her son Paul saying, “Within minutes of hearing of his father’s passing my son Paul drove up from Ft. Lauderdale and has never left. He has worked on projects that Peter and I have always wanted to do but never had the time for, such as creating additional pastures for future horses, building an additional feed and tack room, starting a monthly Mill Creek Farm Gazette that we send out each month by email and having a biography outside each horse’s pasture so that people can learn about their history.” The efforts being made by the Gregorys and the entire staff at Mill Creek Farm continue to make a difference, improving the life of every animal that passes through their gates. “We just want to keep doing what we’re doing,” Paul said. “Just do it better.” Mill Creek invites the public to visit the farm every Saturday from 11am - 3pm, during their Open House. Admission is two carrots, which people can keep and feed to the horses. People can also sponsor horses for $50 a month, volunteer or become monthly patrons to keep the farm thriving. More information can be found at: millcreekfarm.org/contributions.
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FOOD >> BOLD FLAVORS
DARING EATS
Bold Flavors Spicy Dishes to Spice Up the New Year From Asian Fusion dishes to South American inspired meals, locals looking for savory dishes to spice up the new year have plenty of options to choose from. After looking into a few sizzling spots in town, here’s a list of some of the dishes which just might pleasantly surprise your taste buds this year. To top off the bold flavors or complement any of these dishes, Gainesville-based sommelier Alan Legato provides some wine suggestions for those looking to quench their thirst via vino as well.
S TORY A N D PHOTOG R A PHY BY CECILI A LEMUS
Cilantro Tacos cilantrotaco.com This family-run business has a welcoming aura along with warm flavors that seem to fill the restaurant. Sydney Meth is the manager, also working behind the scenes to help with the creation of new menu items that are sure to become hits. One of the new items is the Mexican Lasagna, prepared with a few modifications to most original recipes. It is made with corn tortilla layers rather than pasta and shredded chicken as opposed to beef. Spinach, black beans, tomatoes and cheese are among the ingredients incorporated into the 36 |
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dish. She said this take on Mexican lasagna helps to make the dish a lighter version that is less heavy on cheese and has no lasagna noodles. A soup of the day that Meth recommends is the Caldo de Pollo, which translates to chicken soup. She said one of the special ingredients incorporated within it is saffron, which gives it a nice kick. The chicken taquitos are another new addition to the menu, also packing a hint of spice when served with any of the hot sauces or fresh guacamole. Other staples on the menu also have classic spices incorporated in them such as oregano, cumin and cloves. “I use a lot of herbs and seasonings,” Meth said. “That’s how I cultivate the flavor.”
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FOOD >> BOLD FLAVORS
Crane Ramen craneramen.com Located in the heart of downtown Gainesville, you’ll find the sleek craft ramen restaurant, Crane Ramen. Some of the establishment’s staple items include the homemade kimchi, steamed buns, and of course their assortment of Ramen soups. There is one ramen dish in particular, the Spicy Pork Shoyu Paitan, which is sure to pack a kick. The dish has a spicy hint of habanero and a Paitan-Chicken Broth. It’s topped off with pork, a soy-marinated egg, enoki mushrooms, sweet shitake pickle, bok choy and scallions. Another customer favorite is the Roasted Brussel Sprouts. The flavor packed vegetables are tossed with garlic mushrooms, complemented by a kimchi puree. Although this side 38 |
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dish is usually served with lardons, it can easily be made vegetarian by omitting the pork. The kimchi is made in-house in a special cooler, once it is ready and fermented it is then pureed. The charred brussel sprouts deliver a subtle smoky flavor and have been known to make diners instant fans of the dish. “I didn’t like brussel sprouts until I worked here,” Andrea Mandell, who runs the restaurant social media accounts said. “That’s what we are here for, to get people out of their comfort zone and try something new.” Mandell shared some tips for eating their signature dish. “The broth is the base of the bowl. When you eat through your bowl you don’t want to skim off the top, you would want to dig your spoon all the way in to get everything swirled up in there,” she said. The nature of habanero is that it builds as you work your way through the bowl. She also explained that it’s
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ha if you men se tion this ad. not “melt your face off spicy,” but definitely has a kick to it and will warm you up as you continue to eat it. When people think of ramen and broth they think of water and flavoring, but all of the broths at the restaurant are made over hours of work. “Lots of love and time go into creating every one of our broths,” Mandell said. It is not unheard of for people to slurp up their ramen within minutes of it being served. In Japan people say it is supposed to be eaten within 10 minutes, according to Mandell. Aside from the spicy kimchi ramen, items on the menu can be made spicy by adding any of the house-made spicy sauces.
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Bangkok Square With two locations in Gainesville, Bangkok Square offers a variety of traditional and revamped Thai dishes. One of the newly incorporated dishes within the restaurant’s specials is the Grouper & Seafood Pad Cha. The menu item consists of a lightly fried grouper fish and a combination of sautéed seafood. It also serves up an authentic Thai sauce consisting of chili spice and a variety of herbs such as young peppercorn, sweet basil leaves and galangal (a traditional Thai ingredient that resembles ginger). Manager Kate Kiativitatyasophon (Kate K.) said the Chicken Tom Kha soup, which accompanies the dish, resembles Chinese hot and sour soup. This Thai soup uses coconut milk to enhance the flavor, making it creamier. The dish is quite special for the restaurant since most do not include the fish that this one does. Kate K. said the entrée uses a combination of herbs which enhance the flavor and are also associated with health benefits in Thai culture. Many traditional components are included in this menu item that she remembers enjoying during her childhood. “It’s quite good during this season since its cold outside and when you have a hot soup like this it makes your body warm,” Kim K. said. “Thai food is outstanding in taste, I always say it has a colorful taste, sometimes spicy, sour or sweet.”
Mi Apá Latin Café miapalatincafe.com A common favorite for workers and customers at the Cuban restaurant in Gainesville and Alachua is Ropa Vieja. The main components of the dish are the shredded beef and peppers, which are accompanied with white rice and sweet plantains. Amanda Lopez, general manager, said the menu item is a Cuban staple. The slow-cooked beef features an aromatic red sauce. When asked what flavors come to mind, Lopez described the dish as “juicy with savory spices.” She explained that the combination of rice and sweet plantains brings the dish together. Some flavors within the shredded beef dish include garlic, cumin, thyme, onion, sweet red pepper, green pepper and cilantro. Behind the preparation of the dish, the meat is slowly cooked for over seven hours until it is tender to the fork. “It takes you back home, it’s a dish that your mom would cook for you because it takes a while,” Lopez said. “I think that’s what makes it so special.” 40 |
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PHOTO BY ADRIENNE FLETCHER
FOOD >> BOLD FLAVORS
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FOOD >> BOLD FLAVORS
“You want to favor fruity, aromatic and off dry wines, also referred to as demi-sec wines.” FROM THE EXPERT: Wine Pairings to Complement Bold Dishes. Florida-based sommelier Alan Legato has been working in the field of food and hospitality for over 20 years. Now, the wine expert works on private tastings and consults restaurants by helping them put together a proper wine list. Legato breaks down some wine recommendations that fit alongside spicy flavored entrées. It’s important to keep it simple when dealing with foods that pack a punch. Legato said there are three basic rules to follow when it comes to complementing a spicy dish with wine. 1. Avoid oaky wines and high alcohol wines. The oaky notes mask the dish and potentially add a flavor that the chef may not want. High alcohol exacerbates a hot flavor or the spice profile of a dish, Legato said. 2. In your wine selection you want to favor fruity, aromatic and off dry wines, also referred to as demi-sec wines. People often confuse fruity and sweet, but wines can be fruity and give off a sweeter tone. Moscato is a sweet wine, Pinot Grigios are fruity wines, he said. You will start to get a more fruit feel and a layer to the wine that tends to complement the heat coming off the food. 42 |
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3. If you decide to go with a red wine, consider light and crisp flavors. Legato said this rule helps avoid elevated tannins, a compound which can impact the finish a wine leaves in the mouth. “You cannot go wrong pairing any of the spicy dishes with a Reisling. Perhaps from New York’s Finger Lakes region, Germany, New Zealand or Washington state. Another aromatic wine recommendation would be an Albariño, from Spain,” he said. When it comes to pairing red wines with spicy foods, Legato said you want to focus on low to medium tannins, which leave gentle silky notes. This means drawing away from Bordeaux or Cabernet wines. He said he tends to go with a Beaujolais. “When all fails — if you have a Reisling or a Pinot Grigio, you cannot go wrong,” he said. Notably, one of the last white wines you want to take on is a Chardonnay because a good portion of the chardonnay wines carry the oaky flavors which should be avoided. You could go with a crisp chardonnay that is not oaked and get away with it, but Legato said he prefers Sauvignon Blancs or any of the other suggestions previously mentioned. Although these wines may not quench the heat completely, they should cool your taste palate as you enjoy your dishes. Here’s to making bold menu choices! Just don’t forget to order a large glass of ice water in case of emergency.
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Celebrating 30 Years of Beautiful Smiles
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hen patients enter the office of Douglas M. Adel, DDS, they become members of a family. With 30 years of service, Dr Adel and his highly trained team have been blessed and honored to provide the best dental care and treatment to their family of patients —including second and third generation patients. After earning an undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Florida and a Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Emory University in Atlanta, Dr Adel launched his private practice in Alachua. Since then, he has watched his business go from handwritten schedules and files to a full-fledged digital office. Devoting his career to providing the utmost in innovative care has been at the forefront of his practice growth. “It has truly been amazing to implement state-of-the-art technology and computerization into my office”, Dr Adel said. “It is such a benefit, not just for our dental office but more importantly for our patients.” Always looking for ways to improve the patient dental experience, Dr Adel was one of the first dentists in Alachua County to utilize the Wand to deliver local anesthetic in a computer controlled, less traumatic and more gentle manner. This provides additional patient comfort and takes the
place of the traditional “shot” or injection. Along with digital x-rays, laser technology, electric hand pieces, smile imaging software, massage and heated dental chairs for ultimate patient comfort, Dr Adel is currently using a digital impression scanner for capturing 3-D impressions. This allows him to take hundreds of images, which takes less time than the traditional “putty” filled trays and eliminates sources of error due to shrinkage of impression material allowing for a more perfect impression for crowns, bridges, partials, veneers, and other restorations. The Cone Beam Cat Scan (CBCT)/panorex machine used at Dr Adel’s office can provide precise 3-dimensional radiographic data. The CBCT is very useful in diagnosing Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD/TMJ), Sleep Dentistry/ Medicine and Implant Surgery Placement. Dr Adel has achieved fellowship status in the ICOI, International Congress of Oral Implantologist, which requires many hours of continuing education in the placement and restoration of oral implants. In the last decade, Dr Adel has been very involved with Sleep Dentistry Medicine, a field concerning snoring, obstructive sleep apnea and quality of sleep. Spouses of sleep apnea patients have thanked Dr Adel for the oral appliances he has made which not only have minimized their
“snoring” problems but it allowed their spouses to get a good night sleep too. Many patients are also thankful to Dr Adel for his treatment of their TMD disorder, which includes headaches, grinding, and clenching of teeth. He is also a member of IAFA (International Academy of Facial Aesthetics) and has placed Botox therapeutically for relief of TMJ symptoms in addition to using TMJ appliances for these patients. “Our patients have helped us to grow and prosper by their kind words about our dental practice. I thank each of them for their trust and support over these last 30 years and feel truly blessed to be part of this wonderful community.” From cleaning teeth to smile makeovers, from porcelain crowns and veneers to implantology, from composite fillings to root canals and extractions; Dr Adel and his team of dedicated and caring hygienists, assistants and front office professionals are there to help you with any of your dental needs.
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www.DRDOUGLASADEL.com 386-462-4635 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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COLUMN
CRYSTAL HENRY’S
Naked Salsa LEARNING IT’S OK TO HAVE VALUE
CRYSTAL HENRY IS A FREELANCE WRITER AND COLUMNIST BORN AND RAISED IN WEST TEXAS. SHE RECEIVED HER B.S. IN JOURNALISM IN 2006 FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. SHE IS IN LOVE WITH THE FLORIDA LANDSCAPE. ces03k@gmail.com
I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A PLEASER. IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL I WAS A HARD-CORE RULE FOLLOWER, AND I LINED MY BEDROOM WALLS WITH MY CITIZEN OF THE MONTH PHOTOS.
A
s an adult I’ve always been a much better worker bee than a fierce boss babe. I volunteer at every chance I get — often forgoing paid gigs in order to lead a Girl Scout troop or help with the elementary school bike rodeo. In my mind I feel good when I’m doing good. But in reality I think it’s just easier to work for free than it is to actually value myself. It’s not a new concept for a woman to find it hard to attach value to her work. We’re taught from a young age that it’s much better for a young lady to be agreeable and not to make waves. It’s supposed to help us get on well in life. But that struggle to value my time was compounded by my career choice. Starting a career as a writer is a tricky business. I assumed that my journalism degree would at least land me a low-level job at a newspaper, but it didn’t. In order to write for a magazine or newspaper you need clips. And clips are published examples of your work. So in order to become a published writer you need to have already been a published writer. It’s a bizarre world. The typical route to success is to just start writing in the hopes that someone will eventually publish what you wrote. That means a lot of free work before anyone decides to pay you for it. I lucked out, and the local paper picked up a feel-good story I wrote about a guy I worked with at T.G.I.Friday’s. I was working on the article for one of my reporting classes anyway, so I thought the $25 check I got was more than I could have hoped for. The fact that I got my first clip was more valuable than cash because it meant I had a tiny foot in the door to my desired career.
As I finished up my degree, I continued freelancing for peanuts and being happy for the privilege. I learned a lot in those classes like how to recognize and be honest about my own biased opinions in order to really be able to write every angle of a story. I had one class that counted 50 points off any paper with a typo, because as my professor pointed out, Amy Jones is a completely different person than Amee Jones. So that typo could be slanderous in the wrong context. Reporting wasn’t for the faint of heart. But the one thing they failed to teach us was how to move beyond the beginner mindset. I was so busy trying to hustle my way in the door, I didn’t recognize when I was safely on the other side. I was more than 10 years out of school before I realized that $100 for a story I spent 10 hours on wasn’t as lucrative as working at Target part-time. But I felt locked in by rates in the industry. After all, there were plenty of hungry young graduates willing to do the story for $25 just to get some clips for their portfolio. When both of my daughters started school I decided to look for full-time work. I lucked into a salaried job at a boutique PR firm. It was an absolute dream. When I interviewed for the job, the boss told me I’d be pitching to editors at national magazines I had only dreamt of writing for. Now I’d have the chance to be on a first-name basis with my idols in the publishing industry. I accepted the job on the spot, and I called my husband squealing as soon as I got in the car. “Cool. Congrats. What does it pay?” he asked. I was offended. Who cares what it paid? It was an amazing job and she used the word “salary.” How dare I bring up something as taboo as dollar amounts when I was just thrilled to have the gig? I pouted about him raining on my parade, and he told me I needed to call or email her to negotiate my salary. I told him to kindly shuck off, using all the colorful words I knew. But he was right. Later that night after I had cooled down, I took a mental
The little feminist dig still stuck in my craw, and my husband told me I better ask for double what she was paying me.
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shot of tequila and drafted an email to kindly — well if it wouldn’t be too much trouble — ask if my new boss could just let me know how much she’d be graciously awarding me in dollars outside of the hearts and rainbows of happiness I’d already received. She told me the position started at $12 an hour, but there was room for negotiation after 30 days. I told her that sounded great, and that I couldn’t wait to start. My husband told me I was the reason our daughters would grow up without equal pay for equal work. He always new which feminist buttons to push. My first two days were hellish. I’d never worked in PR, but I tried to play it cool and just learn as much as I could as fast as I could without looking like an idiot. The girl I started with got fired on her second day because she brought a seashell picture frame to work, and she told the boss she couldn’t live without her “venti fraps from Starbs.” I too loved the occasional PSL, but I brought coffee from home because I didn’t want to be late. Apparently the world of PR is 100 percent about being “on brand,” and basic garbage like well-known coffee chains and seashell picture frames were horribly “off brand.” I lived in a constant state of fearing for my job. But after 30 days, not only was I still there, but my boss called me to let me know she wanted to promote me, and we needed to discuss salary. The little feminist dig still stuck in my craw, and my husband told me I better ask for double what she was paying me. I was horrified. There was no way I was worth that much money. But he pushed my face in front of some real stats that indicated I was in fact worth that — and more. I steeled my nerves. Took another mental shot of liquor, and I asked for about $3,000 more than I thought I would get. She quickly agreed, and told me she was actually testing me. She didn’t want any wimps working for her because if I couldn’t value myself, I wouldn’t value her company. And she was right. It was terrifying to first assess my own worth, and then have the nerve to even politely ask for it. But since that negotiation I’ve learned that it gets easier, and now I feel confident in knowing my own value and confidently demanding that I’m worth it. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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EXPERIENCE >> BOLD SENSES
SENSATIONAL
Oh, What a Feeling Local Ways to Explore the Five Senses The world tells us its story with only five characters. Sight, touch, taste, sound and smell make up the human experience. The creative expression of these senses make life bold. And Alachua County offers up some radical takes on the five of them. Here are five ways to see, feel, hear, taste and smell what makes our community so special.
S T O R Y A N D P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y K A I T L I N A P P L E G AT E
Sight: 3-D mural behind the Florida Theater by Insane51 233 W University Ave, Gainesville Sight is one of the most encompassing and immersive of the five senses. Art often focuses on pushing the manipulation of our vision to extremes. Street art turns the mundane to insane. That’s what Greek artist Insane51 evokes with his work. Iryna Kanishcheva, a local art enthusiast, is responsible for the genesis of murals in Gainesville. “I used to live in France, and when I moved to Gainesville I noticed that there weren’t that many murals,” Kanishcheva said. Originally from Ukraine, Kanishcheva wanted to bring murals to Gainesville to inspire students. “Murals were something unusual for Gainesville when we started, but now people are understanding 48 |
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it more and more,” she said. “It might look like a tiny thing, but it actually has power if you use it correctly.” The most recent mural in Gainesville is a 3-D work of Insane51. Now behind the Florida Theater, the mural had a shaky start. “The surface of this particular wall wasn’t flat,” Kanishcheva said. “It had a lot of wavy concrete. I asked many artists who told me no, they didn’t want to work with this.” After securing Insane51, gathering supplies was the next challenge. Kanishcheva did not have time to order the necessary paint online so she drove to both Jacksonville and Saint Petersburg in order to purchase supplies for the artist. But the payoff is always worth it to Kanishcheva. During the mural’s celebration event, observers “really enjoyed being together and exploring. Then
PHOTO BY: PUBLIC ART PRINTS
Kanishcheva and artist Insane51 (right) pose for a photo infront of his 3-D mural. The two met before they started collaborating on the massive project. Kanishcheva’s connections have helped broaden Gainesville’s artistic representation.
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they started discussing and expressing their opinions and ideas. It was like a magic moment,” she said. What’s so special about this mural is that it allows viewers to see different images while they are wearing 3-D glasses and while they are not. The project was inspired by personal relationships and the atrists’ interest in working with double exposure over the last few years. Make sure you bring a pair of your own 3-D glasses when you stop by — if you want to see the image within an image!
Touch: Flip Factory 7400 W Newberry Rd After Insane51’s vibrant colors and 3-D effect have arrested your eyes, visit the Flip Factory Zone to have your sense of touch flipped upside down. Opening last year, Flip Factory seems to be every child’s dream. Owner Jay Patel said that “when [kids] walk in they see nothing but a ropes course, all the flashing arcade games and the trampolines.” He said they also have an observation deck for parents to lounge. With a huge expanse of indoor trampolines, jumping starts to feel less like hopping and more like walking on the moon. It doesn’t hurt that the walls are painted like outer space, either. There are so many fun activities to experience at Flip Factory, but Patel’s favorite part doesn’t seem to change—seeing the smiles on children’s faces when they walk through the doors.
Taste: Fresh, local produce at Ward’s Supermarket 515 NW 23rd Ave, Gainesville When you just can’t jump anymore, it’s time for a refreshment. Fewer things can excite your taste buds more than the fresh produce you’ll find at Ward’s Supermarket. Opening in 1951, Ward’s is a grocery store that goes back four generations. Store manager Danielle Ward said that the supermarket has always been her passion. “I had a vision evidently as early as the first grade,” she said. “We started a 50 |
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project in class, and at the very end we had to fill out what we wanted to do when we grew up. I said ‘own Ward’s supermarket.’” Danielle, along with the help of her brother and her husband, took over the store when her parents retired a year and a half ago. “It’s always been a passion of mine, I’ve never thought of doing anything different,” Ward said. Ward’s Supermarket is breaking the typical grocery narrative by selling fresh food. “We try to do most of our business through local farmers. It comes straight from the field to us, there’s no middle man,” she said. “You’re not pulling it from California or North Carolina, it’s twenty miles up the road.” Other than the produce, patrons come to Ward’s to feel a sense of belonging. “It’s family,” Ward said. “Customers will be laughing with the cashiers and baggers regularly.” The atmosphere at Ward’s Supermarket seems to foster a place where the customers feel more like friends. “We love our Gainesville community and we wouldn’t be here without them,” Ward said.
Sound: Arrow’s Aim Records 10 N Main St, Gainesville, FL 32601 Communities are formed out of grocery stores and record shops alike. Arrow’s Aim Records is a hub for people looking to enjoy new and classic sounds. “This place is awesome,” said co-owner Steve Parker. As a used record store, Arrow’s Aim serves as a musical “meeting place.” Music is the common language. “I think the record store’s always been a cultural hub,” Parker said. When you come into the shop “I think you’re bound to find your people,” he said. “You come in on a Saturday, and there could be twenty people in here that are so completely different it’s mind blowing. Where else would you ever get those twenty people in a room together?” Hear something new and meet someone new — Arrow’s Aim is the place!
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Ritual Tree offers natural scents from eucalyptus and orange to even more unique fragrances like Egyptian amber. Sasha (Salmi’s dog) is often her partner when she’s creating new candles in her workshop.
Smell: Ritual Tree Soy Candles etsy.com/shop/RitualTree | fb.com/ritualtree While sight and sound are some of the first senses that come to a person’s mind, Deborah Salmi is proving that smell can be a special experience too. After being laid off from her marketing job, Salmi became interested in making soy candles. Now, almost a year later, Salmi runs Ritual Tree, a company dedicated to producing environment-friendly soy candles. Most candles are made from petroleum-based paraffin, which is nonrenewable. “We chose soy because it’s a renewable resource,” Salmi said. Soy also burns cleaner. For patrons who use their candles and bring their container back, Salmi said she takes off a couple dollars from the price. 54 |
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In addition to fostering the health of the earth, Ritual Tree is dedicated to fostering the health of the community. Salmi loves meeting her customers at festivals and getting “to know them, not only in business but as people and friends.” You can also find Ritual Tree on Etsy and discover a world bursting with vibrant and refreshing scents. Whatever sense you find yourself drawn to, our community is here to offer you something new, brave and bold. So do a flip, get lost in a mural, dance to a new song, try a different kind of food and smell something you’ve never imagined before. The world is telling us a story with five senses, it’s time to learn the language!
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CONQUERING FEAR >> SKYDIVING
THE SK Y’S THE LIMIT
Free Fallin’ Overcoming Your Fears through Skydiving W R I T T E N B Y H AY L I Z U C C O L A P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y C L I F F O R D S T E E L E O F S K Y D I V E PA L AT K A
T
he ‘90s sitcom “Wings” once compared flying a plane to knowing a secret that nobody else knows. That same notion could be said for jumping out of one – an act that invokes a feeling almost indescribable for those who have tackled the feat. While making the ascent to 13,500 feet, the world seamlessly flips upside down as the clouds now linger beneath the belly of the plane. When the door opens, a burst of cold air rushes through the cabin and invites you to dangle your toes over the edge. You inch forward a few times and just like that you’re free falling at 120 miles per hour, until a tug on a cord releases the parachute allowing you to fly alongside
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the birds using nothing but the steady wind to keep you afloat. A few moments later you glide back to where you started, your feet brushing over the grass until they’re planted firmly on the ground once again. It’s a short experience, but an unforgettable one. And for some it can be life changing. Art Shaffer grew up around aviation. His father was a pilot and Shaffer would eventually follow suit. However, despite his ability to fly planes, he’d much rather jump out of them. Shaffer began skydiving in 1985 well before tandem jumps were commonplace for beginners. Thirteen years ago, he made his passion for skydiving his full-time job and became the owner of Skydive Palatka, which has been in operation since 1995.
For first-time jumpers like Anthony Porter, a tandem jump with an experienced skydiver creates a sense of reassurance. Skydive Palatka owner Art Shaffer has jumped over 14,000 times, so it’s safe to say he’s an expert on the sport and an ideal tandem instructor for any skydiving newbie. For more info on taking the dive, visit: skydivepalatka.com.
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Throughout his almost 34-year skydiving history, Shaffer’s been able to see the world from a rather unique angle, performing jumps everywhere from Canada and Sweden to Australia and France. He’s also had the opportunity to “travel back in time” and drift onto the beaches of Normandy as part of the 75th anniversary reenactment of D-Day, and was part of the 1992 world record for the most jumps performed at once – a record that has since been broken. Although Shaffer is involved in other outdoor adventures like scuba diving, rock climbing and wakeboarding, skydiving still holds the top spot for his favorite sport. “It’s one of those things that you do that you’ll remember the rest of your life,” he said. With over 14,000 jumps to his name (both solo and tandem) skydiving is like riding a bike for Shaffer, but for first-time jumpers, taking the leap releases stomach butterflies and a sense of anxiety until ultimately giving them a new outlook on life. “Most people, 99 percent of the people in the world walk outside in the morning and they will never look up,” Shaffer said. “When you jump, if you jump for the first time – I’ve asked people this – they’ll walk outside in the morning and they look up... they notice more in the world than they did before they jumped.” Of course, people wouldn’t willingly jump out of a plane without an overall sense of safety, which for Skydive Palatka is their top priority. “I’m not in this for the money... so if the conditions are marginal we just don’t jump. There’s no reason to take a chance... so when things are marginal we always err on the side of safety,” Shaffer said. One of the most recent tandem jumpers to join Shaffer on a canopy-adorned descent into the Skydive Palatka field was Gainesville native and first-time jumper Anthony Porter, an audio/visual system designer with Electronics World who volunteered to attempt the adrenaline-inducing activity for this story. Towering at 6 feet 4 inches, Porter’s height added an extra element of risk to the tandem jump, which in turn elevated the nerves of Porter who suffers from a fear of heights. “Apparently tall people usually have a fear of heights, it’s weird,” he said. The long drive to Palatka and the wait for his name to be next on the list only upped the suspense and created a small sense of doubt. “Leading up to it I was probably the most nervous — like the more time went on, the more nervous, the more I kind of thought about it,” Porter said. After a few rounds of watching other jumpers appear from the clouds and slide in with excitement, Porter’s name was finally called. He was secured with straps and clips before making his way to the Cessna Caravan with the other jumpers – a walk that made the upcoming undertaking feel all the more set in stone. As the plane began to reach its intended altitude overlooking the St. Johns River, Porter was clipped onto Shaffer before the door shot open. “It’s scary looking down outside of that plane, because when you’re in a plane you feel like you’re in this safe zone,” Porter said. Being the first tandem jump on the OUR TOWN MAGAZINE
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flight, the two edged closer to the opening and in a matter of seconds they leaped from the plane and disappeared from view. For just a few seconds, they began plummeting toward the ground until the
is kind of what you’re doing at the time.” Despite his height being an additional risk factor for the jump, it was his trust in the instructors and the facility that made it easier for him to go through
“My first reaction was just surprise. Like that’s all I could kind of feel in my face, was surprise. Like oh my god, this is happening.” parachute opened and abruptly pulled them back up to sail across the wind. However, the ability to fly was short-lived as they quickly approached the airport and made a landing similar to a baseball player skidding into home base. “My first reaction was just surprise. Like that’s all I could kind of feel in my face, was surprise. Like oh my god, this is happening,” he said. “The experience itself, it was surreal as hell. It’s hard to imagine this 60 |
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with the endeavor. “With the facility and their professionalism, I mean, you know they [have a sense of humor] but they’re really good at what they do. And I think if you call and you have an honest conversation... I mean [Shaffer] might be a little blunt, but he’s blunt for everybody’s safety,” Porter said. While Porter was rather speechless after the jump, one thing he realized was that despite his initial fear, he was glad he took the plunge. “I felt
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CONQUERING FEAR >> SKYDIVING
like I did something that was just something I honestly think I avoided before,” he said. “...I feel like I accomplished something.” A skydiving experience can do different things for different people, but that one jump seems to have the power to spark a change. “[Skydiving] gives a lot of people a lot of confidence, that’s why I love doing it. You see people’s lives get changed because they came out and did a jump,” Shaffer said. “The best example I can give is this one time, years ago, I did a demonstration jump somewhere and this lady came up and gave me a big hug and 62 |
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she was crying and she said coming out and jumping gave her the confidence to get out of an abusive relationship... it’s one of those things like it’s going to change the way you look at things.” For Daniel Schmidt, a local trainer with Zen Fitness, skydiving left him with a lasting desire to try new things. “I walked away from it having a different perspective on life to where, you know, I could have just ended my life right there... I walked away thinking I need to do more things like that, like don’t let fear have such a huge influence in your life.” Although Schmidt jumped over eight years ago through
TRAINING GAINESVILLE FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS
After they slid into the Skydive Palatka landing zone, Shaffer’s dog Reba rushed over to greet Porter and Shaffer. Reba is just one of the several dogs who watch from the sidelines as their owners magically appear from the clouds in the sky.
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a different facility in another state, the experience created a lasting memory as if it just happened yesterday. “I’ve never experienced anything like that in my entire life,” he said. “Even though the wind is rushing through, it’s completely quiet, like it’s just so peaceful.” After accomplishing such an anxiety-provoking venture, it often becomes easier to let go of other fears. “Everyone kind of lets
fear get in the way but once you do it, you won’t regret it. You’ll find out that the fear was totally without grounds,” Schmidt said. Whether you have a fear of heights or just an overall persistent fear of trying new things, surprisingly, skydiving could be the antidote. “Skydiving is not for everybody but doing a jump is,” Shaffer said. “Doing one can really do so much for somebody.” The sky’s the limit!
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SUNSTATE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION’S
Community Connection SunState Federal Credit Union has been serving our community for over 60 years. Since the beginning, we’ve always found ways to support some of the area’s most amazing charitable organizations. Check out our Facebook page for more information and get involved.
Charity of the Month & 10 for Teachers WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: SUNSTATE AND THE COMMUNITY SunState Federal Credit Union is part of your community and we want to invest in the local community with you. That’s why two of SunState’s programs that provide resources to local charities and teachers were designed to include your participation. Through our Charity of the Month program, you can nominate and vote for a local nonprofit that is making a difference in your community. Administered through our Facebook page, the program allows you to nominate a charity and then invites the general public to vote. Each month, the charity receiving the most votes receives a $1,000 donation and is profiled in Our Town Magazine. Another charity of a randomly selected voter receives a $500 donation. In addition, the person nominating the charity receives $300 and one random voter receives $100! The program has benefitted charities located in Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, or Levy Counties. “There are so many worthwhile organizations in the local area. The best way to find out about them is to ask our members and the local community. We provide the funding, but it is the community that nominates and decides which one will be the monthly award recipient,” said Robert Hart, SunState’s Vice 64 |
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NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE CHARITY AS THE CHARITY OF THE MONTH AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO WIN $1000 FROM SUNSTATE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION! Visit the SSFCU Facebook page for more information.
President of Marketing. “The Charity of the Month program is also a way to spread the word about the number of amazing nonprofits directly impacting our entire community for the better.” SunState’s 10forTeacher$ program provides another way to recognize educators who are making a difference in the lives of children in yourcommunity. Every time a member takes out a loan, SunState gives them a $10 certificate that can be given to a teacher or school. Vouchers can be redeemed for cash at the credit union. Together, the program is one way we can directly benefit teachers and schools making a difference in educating students. “We know teachers use some of their own resources to enhance learning experiences in their classrooms. The 10forTeacher$ program is a way to help out, even if just a little each time,” Hart said. “In addition to getting monetary contributions, teachers are also recognized directly by a student or thankful parent. It is a way to provide added recognition for their efforts while encouraging them at the same time.” Through the Charity of the Month and 10forTeacher$ programs, SunState has awarded over $130,000 to charities and educators impacting our communities now for the future. As a locally-based community credit union, SunState Federal Credit Union and its charitable foundation have always been dedicated to making donations to worthwhile causes in North Central Florida. The Charity of the Month and 10forTeacher$ programs are just a small example of SunState’s commitment to investing in the local community. Together, we are making a lasting difference in advancing the work of non-profits and enhancing education. For more information, go to www.sunstatefcu.org. To enter your charity in the Charity of the Month program, go to facebook.com/SunStateFCUand click on the Charity of the Month tab.
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COLUMN
DONNA BONNELL’S
Embracing Life REASSESS, REACT, REBOOT
DONNA BONNELL BECAME THE AUTHOR OF HER COLUMN, EMBRACING LIFE, MORE THAN A DECADE AGO. SHE SHARES HER PERSONAL CHALLENGES AND VICTORIES WITH THE GOAL OF INSPIRING HER READERS TO ANALYZE WHY THINGS HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. bonneldj@gmail.com
WHEN DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDED LAST FALL, I WENT THROUGH THE RITUAL OF RESETTING THE TIME ON MY MANUAL CLOCKS.
T
he following week, I had my car’s oil changed. The mechanic returned the percentage of oil life back to 100%. Poof! Just like magic – I gained an hour of time and life was reinstated to my vehicle. I began to ponder the possibilities of having the ability to reboot my brain. It was a surreal thought. Rather than fight the blissful idea, I embraced it. Who knows? Perhaps, we can reset our lives. My quest began by googling, “hit the reset button.” “Hit the reset button” is a phrase typically used for electrical devices. Magically (maybe) that query led me to a statement involving human beings. CNN Chief Political Analyst, Gloria Borger said, “Sources familiar with Michael Cohen’s (President Trump’s former personal attorney) thinking say he has hit the reset button and is continuing his commitment to speak the real truth.” Technically speaking, Cohen did not reset his brain. When mechanical apparatuses are reset, their software systems are erased. Cohen’s memory was not expunged. He was perceived by some, however, as reviewing his ethical posture. Hence, theoretically, reassessing his goals and vowing to make meaningful modifications to his life. We are beginning a new year, a time when routine resolutions are a tradition. Rarely are they made or taken seriously. They differ drastically from sincere declarations. When forced to face changes (such as in Cohen’s case) or making a significant transformation becomes a deep desire, we must be ready to take bold actions. Writing words to describe what we should do to re-tune our current undesired situation seemed easy. Yet, I was stuck on explaining “how to” accomplish those daunting deeds? So, I decided to hit the pause button to contemplate the possibilities. After soul searching and analyzing what has and has not worked for me, I came to the following personal conclusions. It boiled down to three (not-so-easy) steps – reassess, react, reboot.
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1. Reassessing our goals and defining personal success: First, coming to terms with our emotional internal turmoil and/or physical limitations is vital. Once we accept those perceived imperfections as part of our life’s purpose, we no longer give the impression of being unworthy or unsuccessful. Each of us are unique and perfect. For decades I struggled to overcome this hurdle. Second, it is imperative to establish benchmarks, using our own terms. It is wise to listen to others, but ultimately the choice is ours. This concept was difficult for me, as I spent a lifetime trying to please others and make them proud. Outlining steps to success should encompass many things, not just reaching the summit. If we invest every bit of energy climbing to the peak, nothing is left to enjoy our journey along the way. Moreover, what happens after we achieve that ultimate goal? Or, what if life leads us on a completely different path? One thing is certain, we all evolve. I have learned to celebrate small landmarks of achievement and continually reassess. 2. It is time to react: How you respond depends on your specific needs. Do you want to finish school, get out of an unhealthy relationship or manage money better? Where do you start? Use a method that works for you. Some folks find To Do lists effective. Years ago, I adopted the Swiss cheese method. The theory is to chip away at overwhelming undertakings. The holes in Swiss cheese reflect pieces of accomplishments, aimed at fulfilling the overall mission. Eventually, there will be more holes than cheese and the task is nearly complete. 3. Ready, Set – Reboot: Before rebooting, make personal adjustments to maintain your newly reacquired energy. Keep working towards eliminating bad habits. They can be lifelong obstacles that hinder achievement of long-term goals. Let go! Take that leap of faith! Do not get discouraged if you stumble. It does not mean failure. Just as machines malfunction, need tune-ups or upgrades — our bodies, minds and souls need periodic reassessment and realignment. Rather than declaring defeat, take a break. Then repeat the process.
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From checkups to comprehensive care, UF Health Family Medicine has expanded its locations to better serve the needs of our community. UF Health’s board-certified physicians are equipped to provide top-quality care with convenient access to the latest technologies and research advances, including specialty care as needed. Extended hours at some of our locations are also available to meet the needs of you and your family’s schedule. Make an appointment at one of our newest locations today.
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TRENDS >> ONLINE DATING
FINDING YOUR MATCH
HOW TO STAND OUT IN THE VAST VIRTUAL SEA OF ONLINE DATING
Love At First Swipe W R ITTEN BY CA MERON COBB
Left, right, left, right. No, this isn’t a day at the courts for your typical tennis match – it’s dating in the 21st century. The internet has once again made the chance to form budding relationships as convenient as simply swiping right. According to datingadvice.com, almost 50 million people give online dating a go and more than half of that number cite it as a great way to meet others. Considering the millions of profiles around the world, the options are virtually unlimited. But with the relatively new concept comes a slew of rules for 68 |
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online dating etiquette, so it can be overwhelming trying to stand out amidst the cornucopia of connections. Here are a few tips to help guide you in the pursuit of finding your match.
YOUR PERFECT PLATFORM With over 7,500 online dating platforms, it’s easy to narrow down what’s best for you – simply do a web search for online dating to find which is best for you. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone by exploring options not specifically related to your interests. From sophisticated career-centered dating sites to smartphone apps promoting more casual vibes, there’s something for everyone.
FOLLOWED BY YOUR PERFECT PROFILE After sifting through the thousands of online options and finding which is right for you, the next step is to create a profile. Think of your profile as your brand, only with a more romantic, conversational tone. Be careful not to make it overly wordy – no one wants to feel like they’re committing to a novel just by reading your bio. A brief sentence or two should do the trick – after all, you’ll want potential suitors to find out the rest for themselves. One thing you might want to include beyond the standard fill-in-the-blanks are what you’re looking for in a partner (such
as a serious relationship or just someone to go out with – be upfront and unafraid to state what you want! Personalize your profile by listing your hobbies and interests, but steer clear from getting political or mentioning touchy subjects (unless what you’re looking for happens to be a good argument). To help break the ice and make you stand out, consider asking a question (one that requires more than a “yes” or “no” response) or a lighthearted joke. If they don’t find it funny, at least you’ve successfully avoided a few bad dates, right?
Unless you plan on showing up wearing dog or kitty ears, leave the filters for Snapchat. If you want to offer a more in-depth look at who you are, include a link or handle for your social media platforms (just be careful with the information you share on the social media sites you decide to feature – no one likes creepy “Hey I found your phone number on Facebook” messages from strangers… it’s like the “sales-call-during-dinner” of online dating). Providing a way for others to scope you out on social media humanizes you by making you seem real beyond your dating profile. Many online dating sites require that you create a profile by using your social media for verification. However, if you’re not big with social media, there’s nothing wrong with keeping it mysterious! A picture’s worth a thousand words (and potentially a thousand dates, though that just sounds exhausting). Your online dating album should give a peek at your personality, and most importantly show what makes you, well, you. So unless you plan on showing up wearing dog or kitty ears, leave the filters for Snapchat. Trade the overly edited and decade-old photo album for something more authentic. When choosing photos, a few guidelines from Cosmopolitan suggests including “a clear body shot, a picture of your face, and an action shot of you in your element,” such as posing with your pet or a candid of you enjoying your favorite sport.
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TRENDS >> ONLINE DATING
BEHIND-THE-SCREENS OF CONVERSATION Don’t be afraid to make the first move – no matter your gender. While once upon a time the man may have been expected to take the reins, with this new age of online dating comes new traditions – and abandoning outdated habits. Reversing the responsibility can also be very empowering for women, according to one online dating platform, Zoosk. Zoosk offers the advice of pacing yourself when getting started – engage in casual yet meaningful small talk, i.e. avoid expected topics that’ll lead to standard answers, like opening up with “How are you?” or “Come here often?” (the world could really use some fresh pickup lines). For inspiration, check out the profile of the person you’re interested in and pick out a specific detail they mention, such as something about their hometown or one of their photos. Lead the conversation with 70 |
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that detail to get the dialogue started. This not only exudes confidence, but it provides a great ice breaker while showing the other person you’re taking an interest in their interests. And with the worst thing that can happen being no response, it’s much easier to face rejection from behind a screen!
FROM VIRTUAL TO REALITY According to the dating platform eHarmony, most people meet up within six weeks of getting to know one another online, but the specific time frame is relative. The beauty with online dating is having flexibility so don’t be afraid to take it slower or meet sooner if you’re both feeling comfortable. For the first official meeting, plan for a public setting so as to eliminate the chances of being completely alone and risking your comfort (though of course with first-date jitters a little awkwardness is expected). Avoid atmospheres where
you wouldn’t be able to get to know one another better (such as movie theaters, concerts or any urges to visit the local library). But if a cup of coffee sounds too routine, try to spruce up the venue. Do a little digging to see if any events are happening in the area. Make reservations at a restaurant that has a new cuisine you’ve both been wanting to try, or something more hands-on (what better way to show off your arts-and-crafts skills than with a painting class?). Going with a bolder option for the first date highlights your adventurous side and gives you both more of a chance to really get to know each other by being outside of your element. Just like with traditional dating, jumping into the world of online dating can also seem daunting and nerve-recking at first. However, all you need is a little confidence to get those digital sparks flying! It’s 2019, afterall. Now’s the time to get back out there.
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FIRST CHRISTIAN ACADEMY ADMITS STUDENTS OF ANY RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL AND ETHNIC ORIGIN TO ALL THE RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, PROGRAMS, AND ACTIVITIES GENERALLY ACCORDED OR MADE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL. IT DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL AND ETHNIC ORIGIN IN ADMINISTRATION OF ITS EDUCATIONAL POLICIES, ADMISSIONS POLICIES, SCHOLARSHIP AND LOAN PROGRAMS, AND ATHLETIC AND OTHER SCHOOL-ADMINISTERED PROGRAMS.
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COLUMN
FARM TALES
From Mother Hen A BOLD MOVE – LEAVING THE FARM
MOTHER HEN IS PROUD TO BE A “BABY BOOMER” RAISED ON A FARM POPULATED BY DOGS, CATS, CHICKENS, DUCKS, GEESE, HORSES AND COWS. THE WISDOM SHE GAINED WHILE GROWING UP IN THE COUNTRY CAN’T BE FOUND IN BOOKS. YOU CAN CONTACT MOTHER HEN AT motherhenfarmtales@gmail.com.
MY LIFE GROWING UP IN THE COUNTRY WAS ALMOST UTOPIA.
I
loved everything about it. My parents, my pets, my childhood playmates and the sheltered life I enjoyed provided a comfortable garden for my roots to grow. But somehow, I always felt there was “more” out there to experience. Throughout high school I was encouraged by my teachers and a guidance counselor to pursue a college education. My class ranking was very high and I was told I could have been accepted at one of our state universities. However, I didn’t know what I would choose for a career, because in those days girls generally went to college to become nurses, teachers, or to get their “MRS” degree. Although I respected those careers, I couldn’t see myself happy pursuing that path. The only career I could see myself in was art. Drawing and painting always called to me, but at that time there was not really a demand for graduates with an art degree. I knew how hard my father worked out in the fields every year to earn our family’s annual income. I couldn’t see using a big portion of that income towards my education unless I was sure of putting it to good use. Therefore, I focused on secretarial positions. During high school I took typing, office practice and shorthand. After graduation I found a position for a lawyer in our nearby town and I became his personal secretary. The salary wasn’t very much, but I lived at home with my parents so it wasn’t bad for my first job. My mother said that it at least
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paid for my pantyhose, and she wasn’t really exaggerating. I didn’t realize how alone and lonely I would feel staying behind while my classmates all left for school or employment in other cities. After a year I decided to strike out and do something about it. I decided that I could be a secretary anywhere, so why not go to a university and apply for a job there? I made plans with my closest friend who had just left a job she took in Washington D.C. after graduation. We decided to apply for positions at a university about 50 miles away. I took the secretarial exams which included a typing test for word-per-minute count and waited to hear back. When I received word that I had passed, everything seemed set! Except—at the last minute my friend changed her mind and said she wanted to stay in our little hometown. (I think there may have been a boy involved.) What was I to do? Keep in mind this was 1969. Young ladies from small towns in the country didn’t move off on their own to a college town, unless they were enrolled in school and living in a dorm. But I came so close to stretching my wings that I could almost see myself flying. So I did it. I made my bold move. I started with “baby steps” and rented a room in an elderly lady’s home. Soon after that I made friends and moved to a rooming house with three other girls. During the first year I leased a studio apartment with a girl who worked in the same office as me. We later upgraded to a full size apartment. What an exciting time of growth. I made so many memories and lasting friendships. It was the turbulent ‘60s, but I thankfully managed to steer clear of unwise decision-making.
After over two years of stretching my wings, I got the wanderlust again. I didn’t know what I was looking for, but something was missing. By this time I knew that whatever I needed, I wasn’t going to find it in that college town. I returned home to the comfort of my family, rather disappointed but hopeful that I would find my destiny somehow.
By this time I was nearly 21 and, ridiculous as it seems now, I felt as though I had let life pass me by. Most of my friends were married. Some had already started their families. I was back at the starting gate, not sure where life would lead me. Not long after coming back to my hometown, I happened to run into a young man who had gone to the same high school as me and was home on college break. He was two years older, and although we never dated back in school, we were good friends. It turns out that this was the person I was meant to be with, and after dating for two years we made the decision to get married. My mother was so happy because after those years I spent away from the farm, I ended up back home and marrying the “boy-next-door.” She was sure her only “chick” would live nearby and she could watch her future grandchildren grow. Life had a different plan for us, however. After just a few months of marriage, my new husband got a job offer in the South. It was too good an opportunity to pass up, and once again I found myself making a bold move to leave the farmland community I grew up in. Before I knew it, my husband and I were headed out on the highway with all our worldly possessions packed tightly in his Chevy Vega, even my favorite potted plant nestled between us. After tearfully saying our goodbyes to the parents we were leaving behind, we bravely drove away but couldn’t look at each other for several hours. Driving in silence we kept looking straight ahead, focusing on the future waiting for us out the Vega’s front windshield. We knew that if we saw the ache in each other’s eyes we would want to turn the car around. That day was one of the hardest I’ve ever experienced. It was probably also the most significant bold step I have ever taken towards the life I am living today. There is much more to my story, of course, but I will leave that for another Farm Tale. The takeaway from this today is that sometimes you have to follow your heart. Listen to your inner voice and take that bold step. It may not be easy, but the rewards can be great. Be brave. Stretch your wings—fly!
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COMMUNITY LEADER PROFILE >> ASA WALKER
FEARLESS IN FAITH
Handle with Care Asa Walker is Living Boldly with EB W RIT TE N BY S TE PH A NIE RICH A R DS
“Be you, be real, and embrace life...” — ASA WALKER
W
hether visible or hidden, we all wear bandages. For 31-year-old Asa Walker, his life is spent wearing visible, sterile, white bandages to protect the delicate skin on his hands, arms and legs from tearing, bacteria and infection. The bandages don’t define who he is; they are just a tangible reminder of the rare disorder that afflicts him. When you meet Walker, one of the first things you notice is his infectious smile and outgoing personality. There is a confidence about him, but also a compassionate tenderness. A common phrase he has heard throughout his life is, “I don’t see the bandages anymore.” It is a phrase he never gets tired of hearing. “It is a gift for me to hear… that people realize there is more to me than what is literally visible right in front of them,” he said. The Gainesville resident was just six months old when he was diagnosed with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). It is “a rare genetic disease characterized by the presence of extremely fragile skin and recurrent blister formation, resulting from minor mechanical friction or trauma. This condition is not contagious,” according to Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research of America (DEBRA). The non-profit organization estimates that in the U.S., one out of every 20,000 live births are affected with some type of EB. Although signs of the disease didn’t show until he was six months old, Walker said he was born with it. His parents took him to two dermatologists, one a researcher, and his EB was confirmed. There is no 74 |
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Gainesville resident Asa Walker speaks to and works with middle and high school students in his role as Westside Baptist’s Next Generations Pastor. Walker was born with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare genetic disease that affects the skin. He wears gloves over his hands, arms and legs to protect the delicate layers from tearing, bacteria and infection.
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COMMUNITY LEADER PROFILE >> ASA WALKER
Asa Walker is the Next Generations Pastor at Westside Baptist. He says living boldly means to be you, be real, embrace life. Never be a victim. Robert and Vicky Walker with their son, Asa (above). Walker loves spending time with his nephews, Lachlan and Emilio. Asa Walker as a toddler (right) getting his feet checked by his mother, Vicky.
cure for the disease, but Walker’s pediatrician offered hope for treatment and prevention techniques early on. “Dr. Charles Carter was a man of faith who always prayed with me before I left the exam room. He was the picture of Mr. Rogers as a doctor,” said Walker, an Orlando native who is the Next Generations Pastor at Westside Baptist Church in Gainesville. “Ironically, he was the one who told my parents about bandaging as a way to protect the skin on my arms and legs.” Walker’s parents, Vicky and Robert, were overwhelmed by their son’s health issues but quickly learned to focus on him and draw upon their faith. “I think Asa was about 18 months old when we really started focusing on our baby boy and not seeing a son with EB. He was a boy with so much pain, but a smile and personality [even at that young age] that could light up the darkest room,” his mother said. “We immediately reached out to any church that would accept a prayer letter and began a huge prayer chain. The letters and cards we received from those congregations were a great encouragement.” 76 |
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Building Confidence and Courage Growing up, Walker said his parents raised him the same as his older sister, Kirsten. “I have wonderful parents. They treated me the same and because of that, I was filled with confidence that I could do things. Years later, we have had honest conversations about how much it pressed their marriage — their faith — to have a child with health struggles,” he said. “But growing up, they never allowed me to see it. It was their faith, prayers and support of their church community that kept them going.” Walker’s parents ignored the dim prognosis of some medical professionals. “I think the Lord gave me the parents He did because they refused to give up on me,” he said. “One doctor said I had a life expectancy of four to five years. He told them to be realistic and even went as far to say that God couldn’t help me. It was the last time we saw that doctor.” Many with EB are wheelchair bound, experience problems with their teeth and eyes, or lose large sections of hair, Walker said. It can also impact internal organs. Walker applies
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COMMUNITY LEADER PROFILE >> ASA WALKER
an antibiotic ointment to his arms, hands and legs daily, covering them with white sterile gauze. He said his physical limitations and pain are the same today as when he was first diagnosed. If there is any trauma to his skin, the top layer tears and he is in severe pain for a few hours. “There has been a lot I have not had to deal with,” he said. “I have many close friends with the disorder and have watched them deal with more symptoms than me. One of my friends, Angel, died last August.” When it came time to start school, Walker was enrolled at Lake Silver Elementary, a school for physically impaired kids. He attended there for two years, which built a foundation of strength and courage in him. “It was an incredible introduction to public life. My close friends and teachers filled me with courage,” he said. “There were kids with all kinds of physical deformities and while each one of us was unique in that sense, we all shared in common that we had physical needs.” He transitioned to a traditional public school, Ocoee Elementary, for second grade. There were a small percentage of kids who were unkind, but Walker said the impact was minimal. “I was treated well and respected by most students. Although some were unkind to me, I had friends and teachers who stood up for me, so I never had to defend myself,” he said. “Instead of seeing the ugliness of the situation, I saw the good. I never felt like the victim… only the victor all along the way.”
A Time for Questioning and Conviction But there was still a time when Walker questioned why he had EB and struggled with being different. “I reached a point where I examined myself and thought about how my life experience was going to be different than the way it was supposed to be. I was 12 years old and thought, ‘Why me?’” he said. “Then, I went to a DEBRA conference and saw many others who had EB and were in wheelchairs or couldn’t use their hands or arms to eat. At that moment, I knew I was incredibly blessed.” He spent the next year solidifying that realization. “At one point, I had a faith moment where I came to grips that if God is in control, He knew I am better this way than any other way He could have created me. I refused to look at myself as ‘different,’” said Walker, who holds a Master of Divinity from Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary. “It was truly liberating for everyone in a room to see what is literally on my sleeve and not care about it.” His secondary education was spent at West Orange High School in Orlando. He knew he couldn’t play sports, but that didn’t stop him from being involved in other extracurricular activities. “My freshman year, I wanted to join marching band. My parents thought it might be too physical for me, but I convinced them otherwise,” said Walker, who played baritone and was drum major his senior year. “The first day of band camp, the director came over to me and supported me, but recognized I might have some limitations. That had a tremendous impact on me.” Walker said the transformation that took place between his freshman and senior year of high school has been beneficial in working with youth. “My first year, I was the odd kid with only a few close friends that I let into my life because of my EB. I was known as the kid who wore gloves,” he said. “By my senior year, I became the popular kid who got along with everyone and peers saw me for who I was, not what I wore. My experience allows me to connect with youth in the struggles they face.” 78 |
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Walker shares a story with student leaders and staff prior to Wednesday night Collective at Westside Baptist.
Living Boldly with Influence When it came time to go to college, Walker started out at Valencia Community College and then moved away to continue undergraduate studies at the University of Florida. “The only fear I had was managing my daily bandaging routine without assistance. I had to wrap my arms and legs with gauze each day and it was about a twohour process. Before I left for college, they developed reusable, custom-fit bandages that I could slide on and be done in about 15 minutes. It made the process much easier and reduced my fear,” said Walker, who graduated from UF in 2009 with a degree in telecommunications. “I also had a great roommate who understood my disorder and was willing to help on the rare occasion that I needed an extra set of hands.” Asa’s mom said she never wanted to stand in her son’s way of pursuing his dreams. “I have known parents of children with disabilities to be overprotective; not wanting to let go. Some, in their best interest and attempt to take special care of the child, go to the extreme of allowing the disease or disorder to control their children and define their lives. I cried a lot during Asa’s life, but not once did he see me cry when he was younger. I never wanted Asa to have ‘self-pity,’” the Orlando resident said. “He learned at an early age that there are many PHOTOGRAPHY: STEPHANIE RICHARDS
forms of disabilities and differences. He once told me that his wearing bandages was no different than someone with eyeglasses. Deep down in my soul, I always knew God was in control of Asa’s life and I needed to step aside, let go and let God take care of him. When he told us about a calling to go into ministry, that was validation.” In addition to his work with youth at Westside, Walker is a substitute teacher for middle and high school students in Alachua County Schools. “At the start of each class, I have an openness and address my EB. It creates a tone and allows me to connect with students in a different way right from the beginning. Real people are rare in this culture… it signals transparency right from the start,” said Walker, who has been a substitute for nine years. “I spent part of my early life trying to hide my EB. However, I realized that people don’t connect with you in your strength, they connect with you in your weakness.” Walker offers this advice to others about living boldly no matter your limitations or circumstances. “It is enough to worry with your own thoughts. You can’t carry the weight of imagining the thoughts of others and living through their lens,” he said. “Be you, be real, and embrace life – never be a victim. Play the hand you’re dealt.” To find out more about EB, visit: debra.org.
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LIFESTYLE TECH >> FITNESS APPS
A HEALTHY NEW YEAR
THE BEST APPS FOR FITNESS
Exercise Centered W R I T T E N B Y H AY L I Z U CCO L A | P H O T OG R A P H Y B Y A L E X A N DE R M I L S
Following in the tradition of ringing in the New Year, people tend to make a pact with themselves to exercise, lose weight and get healthy until ultimately breaking that goal a few weeks later. Luckily, there are multiple apps that make keeping a workout routine a bit easier and allow people the ability and convenience to ditch the gym and exercise from anywhere.
SWORKIT APP Although Sworkit offers a premium version of their app, they also have a free version filled with tons of exercises! Hello abs, goodbye flab. 80 |
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Sworkit offers exercises relating to cardio, strength training, stretching or yoga and the app allows you to build your own workout routine or follow one of their suggested guides. Sworkit also gives added flexibility by allowing you to choose how long you want each workout to last. Not familiar with some of the exercises listed? Don’t worry, the app plays videos of each workout to guide you along the way.
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GOOGLE FIT APP Want to track your steps but don’t want to shell out the cash for an expensive activity tracker? Google Fit is the app for you! Available for free for Android users, activating your location tracker within your phone allows the app to track your steps as well as other activities like running or biking. It may not be the most accurate depending on how you store your phone (in your back pocket or a bag), but it gives a great estimate of your daily activity.
DAILY YOGA APP Want to skip the crunches and pushups to focus on yoga and meditation? Well, grab a mat and download Daily Yoga: the app that will make you skip the Netflix binge and say “Namaste exercising.” When signing up for Daily Yoga, which is available for Apple and Android users, the app asks what your goals are: to lose weight, improve your yoga skills, stay healthy or start as a beginner. You’re then offered suggested guided workouts – some for free and some specifically for pro members. Each session virtually transports you to a live “yoga class for one” with guided videos, calming background music and a narrator
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who walks you through each exercise and reminds you to focus on your breathing. Each session can leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day.
WORKOUT TRAINER BY SKIMBLE APP Workout Trainer by Skimble, which is available through Google Play and the App Store, is similar in setup to Sworkit and offers both free and premium guided workouts. However, despite their similarities, Workout Trainer takes the platform a step further by allowing you access to dozens of online trainers. While most of their videos are free, Workout Trainer’s option to choose a personal trainer unfortunately isn’t. This option is available for people who may need a little more motivation but still enjoy working out far away from the gym. Of course, if you don’t need that added boost, you can stick with the many free videos available right at your fingertips.
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aybe you already have a favorite exercise app or a go-to workout routine but still find yourself in need of more inspiration. If that’s the case, try listening to some of these podcasts, which may help lead you in the right direction.
Designed with your family in mind. Home + Life DAILY BOOST PODCAST The Daily Boost podcast consists of audio clips that are all under 15 minutes and have the goal of providing “motivation to help you clarify your purpose.” Working out is hard to maintain without mental motivation, a healthy attitude and overall peace and clarity. Daily Boost helps clear your mental clutter to help give you the ability to achieve your goals through videos like “Turning an Obstacle Upside down,” “Essential Life Goals,” and “Daily Rules of Happiness.”
20-MINUTE FITNESS PODCAST The 20-Minute Fitness podcast is exactly what it sounds like: 20-minute audio clips discussing various themes relating to health and fitness. Some of their videos include “Weight Loss Tips for On-the- Go and Traveling,” “How to Set Effective Fitness Goals,” “A Look at the Future of Fitness Technology” and so many more.
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Let 2019 be the kick-off to good health! PHOTOGRAPHY: ALEXANDER REDL
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Podrunner is like Pandora for working out and allows you to choose various music mixes that are designed based off specific BPMs or beats per minute. If you don’t want a mix that’s so specific, you can choose a playlist that offers a varied tempo. This podcast is a great addition to any exercise routine because let’s face it, who wants to work out in the quiet when you can add a little energy into the mix?
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INTERVIEW >> DANTE MUCHERINO
EXTR AORDINARY
Dante Mucherino Dante Mucherino insists that he is ordinary... This is – in part – what makes the story of this 29-year-old former American Ninja Warrior competitor, Gator alumnus and avid adventure seeker so unique. In mid-February of 2018, Dante and his wife Allison left for an expedition to climb the Appalachian Trail in order to cross off one more item from their exciting and lengthy bucket list. The following interview took place in February of 2018, prior to their departure for their expedition. INTERV IE W BY S TE PH S TRICKL A N D
What made you decide to pursue being a contestant on American Ninja Warrior? DM: Before I ever moved to Gainesville I came up here and lived for a summer and lived with my uncle. We had started watching the show together when I was here that summer and he was really into it, not necessarily trying to do it though. When I came back to Gainesville for college a couple years later, I ended up joining a parkour group on campus. A couple of those guys had tried out, so it had reoccurred enough times in my life to where I said “Okay, I am going to try this.” It seemed like a lot of fun and that was the main thing for me. 84 |
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How do you prepare for an event like that? DM: For me, it was a lot of parkour. In parkour, we train precision jumping and a lot of upper body work. We’re climbing a lot and doing wall runs. Doing stuff like that really helps with Ninja Warrior because there is a lot of upper body stuff on the course. There is a lot of direct relationship between parkour and the course. I’ve never been super into a routine workout or go to the gym to do segmented movements and try to get an exact result. I would much rather go outside or go to a playground and just play and have fun. It wasn’t about winning, it was about having fun.
Did you know? American Ninja Warrior first aired in December of 2009 and the show remains one of the few that doesn’t have casting calls. Instead, they allow individuals to send in video clips of themselves in order to prove they can handle the intensity of the obstacle course. Close to home… There are still multiple parkour groups in Gainesville and some offer lessons and instruction based on skill level.
Dante and his wife Allison pose for a photo along the Appalachian Trail. Dante said that getting closer to nature was one of the biggest goals of the trip, which they both feel they accomplished.
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Did you know? The Appalachian Trail stretches approximately 2,190 miles along nearly the entire East Coast of the continental United States, from Georgia to Maine.
Why did you decide to go on a trip across the Appalachian Trail? DM: In many ways, I consider myself to be an adrenaline junkie. I think that American Ninja Warrior and this trip may be related in that way. As far as the Appalachian Trail, that has always been something in the back of my mind on that mental bucket list. It was always something I wanted to do but wasn’t sure when. So as my wife and I began discussing things we realized it was something we both wanted. She basically called me out and said, ‘let’s do it sooner rather than later.’ We set a date and it’s been three years since then. We’ve been hiking and camping and backpacking a lot, so that’s basically three years of preparation.
What is the number one thing you’re hoping to achieve with this trip? DM: The bucket list is definitely part of it. There are a handful of things I want to do in my life and [the Appalachian Trail] is definitely one of them. But it is more than that too. I want to see that much of nature, for me that is such a big church. Let’s say nature is church, being out there is going to be pure bliss the entire time as far as I’m concerned because I know I will be in my element. I am going to love being out there. I don’t know what my calling is, but I know being outside is a passion. Since February when our initial interview took place, Dante set out on his adventure up the Appalachian Trail with his wife, Allison. Things changed along the way, but Dante took the experience to learn about the unpredictability of life and found new ways to enjoy what came his way. By the end of 2018 when the following interview took place, Dante knew his story had changed, but still approached the topic with excitement. 86 |
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Jewelry & gallery since 1981 What originally began as a plan to hike over 2,000 miles turned into months of road tripping, making friends and spending time with family. Instead of just focusing on the number of miles hiked, Dante and his wife focused on the nature, the views and the experiences they gained along the way. As you adapted to changes in your plan, did you feel a new sense of adventure? DM: Absolutely. We quickly realized things weren’t going to plan, and that was a huge challenge, after planning for this for years. We definitely felt like quitters and failures, though our friends and family were quick to reassure us we’re awesome for even attempting, and for pursuing what we wanted in the first place. Once the decision was made to take a road-trip instead of continuing the hike, things changed for the better. Life had already been emphasizing to us while hiking that everything is a puzzle - the trail, and everything in life. All you can do with the puzzle is try to take action with one piece at a time.
What did you learn from taking this trip and how did your trip help you grow as an individual?
DM: Definitely hiking another section of the Appalachian Trail. I’d really like to go skydiving. I’ve wanted to since I was a kid, and still haven’t made it happen just yet. I’m thinking about doing that for my birthday in 2019.
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What would you say to people hoping to live boldly and adventurously this year?
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DM: Do it now. ‘There’s no time like the present’ isn’t just some cliché. It’s real. Seize the day… there will always be some reason or set of reasons you feel like you can’t do that thing you want to do. Money, kids, pets, jobs, etc. There are a million reasons that feel totally valid. The trick is planning that thing you want… don’t put it off. Plan it now. Start saving money for it, or even put it on a credit card if you have to… get a baby/pet/house-sitter lined up. Talk to your employer about taking time off, ask coworkers if they can cover your shifts, even offer to help plan temporary processes with your boss and coworkers so your job still gets done in your absence. It really is all possible, even if it may seem difficult. There will always be those reasons not to do it right now. They may change, but they don’t go away. So, plan around them and do it now... There’s no time like the present. Today is all that’s guaranteed. So, make it happen. Or it might never happen.
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DM: As mentioned before, everything is a puzzle, and you can only focus on, or work on, one piece at a time, if you want to actually get anywhere. One task. One goal. One Step. That was a good lesson. It comes back around constantly, in nearly every aspect of my life. Mental and spiritual growth, jobs, relationships with spouses and friends, athletic goals, you name it. It applies to all of life. You can’t do it all at once, and you can’t get to the end goal right this second just because you wish you could. All you can do is take one single step at a time. So just take that next baby step. Then another. Then another.
What do you hope to check off of your bucket list in 2019?
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RESEARCH >> COPING WITH PAIN
STUDYING THE EFFECTS OF VIRTUAL REALITY ON PAIN PERCEPTION
Ph.D Pain W R ITTEN BY SOFI A A R R I AGA
During the Summer of 2018, customers entering Bodytech Tattooing and Piercing for tattoo consultations were asked all the familiar questions. Color or no color? How large would you like the design? But one question stood out: would you be willing to wear a virtual reality headset during the first hour of your tattoo? Daniel Pimentel, a researcher at the University of Florida Media Effects and Technology Lab, collaborated with tattoo artist Aubrey Brand to conduct research on the impacts of virtual reality (VR) on pain perception. Specifically, the voluntary pain of receiving a tattoo. “The whole purpose of the study is to find how VR can help people relieve pain or cope with pain,” the Ph.D. student in Mass Communications at UF said. Pimentel broke the experiment up into a 60-minute segment. For the first 10 minutes, the participant acclimates to the tattoo as the artist begins. At this stage, the artist and customer confirm that the individual won’t faint and should be able to go through the entire process. During this time, Pimentel asked the patient to rate their level of pain. Afterwards, the participant places the headset on and every 10 minutes he or she is asked to rate their pain during a 88 |
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Daniel Pimentel, a researcher at the UF Media Effects and Technology Lab.
40-minute stretch. Afterwards, Pimentel removes the headset and allows the participant to undergo 10 additional minutes of tattooing without VR. “The good thing about testing on people getting tattoos is that you’re essentially controlling the best of best degree that you can the severity of the pain and area of the body,” Pimentel said. “No other study has found resilience in this context of volitional, or voluntary, pain,” Pimentel said. Seven participants went through the VR condition and nine remained in the control group. The individuals in the control group used traditional forms of media for distractions such as phones or music. Those in the VR headset went through a simulation called “Ocean Rift” in which they essentially went scuba diving and interacted with marine life for 40 minutes. After the segment, the customer and artist take a break and Pimentel then asks the participant to rate his or her pain while noting the patients’ control mechanisms such as gripping hands or clenched jaws. In the control condition, Pimentel asks the same amount of questions at the same intervals, but no VR equipment is used. Pimentel’s research supported evidence showing that VR led to significantly less pain perception. Research found that both the control and VR group had similar pain ratings during the initial 10 minutes, but after the VR headset was implemented, that group saw a decline and eventual plateau in pain. After the headset was removed, the participants reported their pain increased once again. In addition to the results the study originally sought out, Pimentel said the experiment is also discovering long-term effects of pain tolerance. After participating in the study Pimentel said those who used the VR experience also felt more resilient and willing to come back for more tattoos. “There’s nothing but good findings coming out of VR and tattoo experiences. It’s more enjoyable,” Pimentel said. He explained that the study is also finding an interesting correlation between honor and pain distracted by VR. “A lot PHOTOGRAPHY: RYAN JONES
of people view a tattoo as a badge of honor or a rite of passage. And so, if pain is the rite of passage — or the fire you’re walking through to get to your goal — and tattoos’ pain is reduced by VR, then are we saying that VR is reducing the value of your tattoo? Or from the tattoo serving as a badge of honor?” he said. “Luckily, we’re not finding that. So you’re getting the benefit of reduced pain without its impact of how you view the tattoo and its symbolism.” The prerequisites Pimentel established for participants were: the individual must have received a tattoo at sometime prior so he or she had another experience to rate their pain off of; and tattoos had to be on a part of the body with “low” pain sensitivity, including biceps, shoulders, thighs or calves. “This gave them enough lenience with pain to understand and rate what they’re feeling without being in too high levels of discomfort,” Pimentel said. In anticipation for his own study, Pimentel researched other projects for which VR headsets attempted to distract participants during painful experiences. One study he pulled from involved burn victims undergoing skin grafts with VR headsets. Another studied the correlation between VR headsets and pain during blood transfusions. Both studies found that those who went through their procedure in a VR headset perceived less pain. “[Other researchers] attribute that phenomenon to the distraction from pain,” Pimentel said. However, Pimentel noticed that this previous research presents a few problems. First, pain can be subjective to the individual, so comparing individuals’ pain thresholds is difficult. In addition, this previous research studying burn victims didn’t take into consideration the different areas of the body burn victims were tested on. Some parts of the body are more sensitive, he explained, so the findings could be skewed. Researchers have also examined VR’s impact on both chronic back pain and cancer treatments. Pimentel said the idea of putting all types of pain under an umbrella didn’t sit well with him. “These are very abstract forms of pain that we can’t really JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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compare,” he said. “So all that is to say, as researchers, when you’re looking at how VR actually contributes to pain, if you can’t control the pain itself, or at least understand what level, what magnitude it is on the body then you’re not really testing what VR is doing.” Pimentel explained that the research on those with involuntary pain have certain limitations. There are more people getting tattoos than there are burn victims willing to participate. “The whole value of this [study] is to inspire other people to start looking at this group of people [getting tattoos] as a way to study pain,” he said. Pimentel explained that this kind of research is not being done enough, partly because researchers do not have enough access to hospitals and want to be sensitive to an involuntary pain patient’s road to recovery. “It’s hard to get people who are going through pain...” he said. “It’s a sensitive subject.” Pimental’s research studies pain in a controlled way, and he hopes others will join in this effort with the ultimate goal being to help those with involuntary pain too. Pimentel presented his findings at the CAI PLAY 2018 convention in October in Melbourne, Australia. He also plans on attending the IEEVR conference in Japan. Along with Pimentel, Dr. Sri Kalyanaraman, the director of the UF Media Effects & Technology Lab; Dr. Roger Fillingim, Professor & Director of UF Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence at the College of Dentistry; and Dr. Shiva Halan, VR Senior Human
Factors Researcher at the Key Lime Interactive aided in the composition of the research paper. Pimentel, an avid fan of the videogame “Final Fantasy,” has already inked his arms in “Final Fantasy 5” and “Final Fantasy 6” imagery. He plans on getting a “Final Fantasy 7” tattoo on his lower bicep while undergoing the VR simulation. “Although I can’t participate in the study because I can’t use my own data,” he said. “But I’m still excited to do it.” Aubrey Brand, the tattoo artist who tattooed the participants, said that each tattoo was different and required specialized equipment. “I have a variety of machines and needle groupings that I use, each tattoo is unique in its size and complexity and so that determines what materials I’ll need for the job,” she said. Brand said she lined and shaded the tattoos, with shading being the more painful process. “There are also many different techniques when shading,” she said. “Black and gray, packing color, stippling shading... etc. Each technique feels different.” Brand said she’s excited for the findings of the study. “I’ve been getting tattooed for almost a decade and I’ve learned that pain is absolutely mind over matter, especially when it comes to getting tattooed,” she said. “I’ve dealt with getting tattooed by doing breathing exercises, meditative practices and positive visualization. This is why I think virtual reality can be a great tool for people that are in pain. Getting through a tough tattoo is a victory, and you have that reminder of that victory on you for the rest of your life.”
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352-381-5200 www.SunStateFCU.org *ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE WITH APPROVED CREDIT. FLORIDA PROPERTIES ONLY. OFFER VALID ON NEW LAND LOANS ONLY. **MAXIMUM PURCHASE LTV (LOAN-TO-VALUE) LIMITED TO THE LESSER OF EITHER 85% APPRAISED VALUE OR PURCHASE PRICE. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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BOOK REVIEW
TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER’S
Reading Corner HIS ROYAL DOGNESS, GUY THE BEAGLE by Guy the Beagle with Michael Brumm and Camille March, illustrated by EG Keller C.2018, SIMON & SCHUSTER, $17.99 / $24.99 CANADA, 48 PAGES
TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER HAS BEEN READING SINCE SHE WAS 3 YEARS OLD AND SHE NEVER GOES ANYWHERE WITHOUT A BOOK. SHE LIVES WITH HER TWO DOGS AND 11,000 BOOKS. HER BOOK REVIEWS ARE PUBLISHED IN MORE THAN 200 NEWSPAPERS AND 50 MAGAZINES THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND CANADA. bookwormsez@yahoo.com
WOW, YOU’RE GETTING SO BIG!
Y
our hair is really growing out. You’re getting to be such a good artist. You’re so much like your Mama. Everything changes, including you, and in the new book “His Royal Dogness, Guy the Beagle” by Guy the Beagle, Michael Brumm and Camille March, illustrated by EG Keller, it may be a change fit for a prince! Not long ago, in the backwoods of Kentucky, Guy the Beagle was born. There, he spent his puppyhood exploring and sniffing at things until the day someone found him and took him to a shelter for animals, where he sat for days, even though he’s quite “a catch.” He was then sent to Toronto, Canada, which was where he met his “forever owner, Meghan Markle.” Oh, how Guy loved Meghan – but he wasn’t the only one. A human named Harry loved her, too, and he asked her to marry him. You might know Harry. He’s a prince, a real live handsome Prince. But when thinking about moving to Great Britain, Guy started to worry. What if the Royal Corgis were mean? What if he hated Kensington Palace? What if the Queen didn’t like him? He couldn’t worry for long; there was a lot to do and so much to learn in London, squirrels to find, and a whole new language to speak. Guy was happy to see that the Royal Corgis were nice, if not a little uppity. He enjoyed wedding preparations and he 92 |
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learned how to get out of taking blame for making messes. He was “determined to be the perfect royal dog” for everyone at Kensington Palace, but that was going to take a lot of change. Guy didn’t want to ruin the wedding, but being a good boy was hard. What was going to happen? Then, just before the ceremony, Queen Elizabeth came outside, fretting. Meghan needed a “sprig of myrtle” for her wedding bouquet. It was tradition, and the Queen couldn’t find any. But Guy the (Future) Royal Dog knew exactly what to do… Head to the bookstore or library and you’ll probably find this story in the children’s section, shelved in with the picture books. Start your search there, even though it also has plenty for adults, too. In a sea of books about the latest Royal Couple, “His Royal Dogness, Guy the Beagle” stands out as very different. Yes, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex appear in it, as does the Queen, but authors Michael Brumm and Camille March aren’t writing about them, specifically; instead, this story is reminiscent of Millie Bush’s book, and those about Socks the Cat. They were largely for children, however, this book has enough in it to keep an adult entertained. You might even LOL, because the illustrations by EG Keller are purely delightful. Your four-to-seven-year-old will like this book, and it’s perfect for Royal Watchers and all dog lovers. If your reader (of any age) is just like that, then “His Royal Dogness, Guy the Beagle” could be a big book.
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INVENTOR PROFILE >> JARED ANDERSON
OUTSIDE-THE-BOX
WILDCARD AUDIO
Jared Anderson W R ITTEN BY SOFI A A R R I AGO
In the midst of a challenging decade for musical artists, a local business owner seems to have a plan to benefit everyone in the Gainesville music community. Jared Anderson, the 27-year-old owner of Wildcard Audio, has created a local music app to pay local bands fair wages. He has hosted annual field days for business startups to connect and also performs concerts through his alter-ego “Jay Rouge.” Anderson’s passion for audio engineering started when he joined UF’s Audio Engineering Society as a freshman. He quickly became president of the club and led students to record local bands and work with Swamp Records, a student-run record label. Anderson has owned Wildcard Audio since June of 2016. The business designs new and innovative audio equipment as well as provides acoustic and audio related services to the local business community. 94 |
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Anderson wears many hats. He directs the marketing and advertising campaigns, works as the accountant, edits promotional videos, designs the website and all the prototypes for projects, schedules manufacturing of the products and also fixes musical gear. “It’s amazing the amount of things you have to figure out [for the business],” Anderson said. “It’s all D.I.Y., so you kind of have to just learn as you go.” Wildcard manufactures musical equipment such as his recently launched RAUX Cord and distortion petal. The RAUX Cord is a new take on the AUX Cord that can connect a guitar to the speaker of a car. Therefore, musicians can play live for each
Musician Frank Kolosky demonstrates the RAUX Cord in action during the filming of a promotional video for the product. The RAUX Cord can connect a guitar to the speaker system of a vehicle — allowing musicians to play live for each other anywhere they go.
while they are on the road. Anderson built the prototype for the innovative RAUX Cord himself and launched its kickstarter during the two-year anniversary period of the store’s opening. The idea came to Anderson when he brought g four students from the audio engineering gineering society to the 145th Audio Engineering Society convention. ention. Each passenger eagerly shared new music and passed thee AUX Cord to one another. Anderson thought: why not pass thee cord to play live for each other? Anderson gives back to o the AES society by sponsoring memberships every year. ear. He has also become the go-to guy to help repairr complex musical equipment. “If it makes a sound, I try to mess with it,” he said. While most might cononsider his plate to be full, l, Anderson refuses to stop there. “The main thing is that there’s no distribution for local music,” he said. So, the avant-garde business owner is forgingg a new way for Gainesville music usic to permeate the community: nity: a locals-only radio streaming ng service. Anderson explained that hat the idea will start as a local streaming service service, such as an app like Spotify or Pandora. “Then we’ll search for investors to dual purpose the project as a commercial radio,” he said. The service is delivered through a smart phone app called Elby, which is planning a full launch this year.
The app essentially consists of four stations: “Hard” (punk), “Medium” (rock), “Soft” (acoustic) and “Discovery” (playlists). Anderson said it will feel like a radio station. He will act as the host duringg interviews with local bands, talking aabout new releases and upcoming sshows. The app will feanoon lunch show, which ture a n consists of interviews and cons segments such as “Slice in se the Street” (clips from strangers’ stories given in exchange for a slice of pizza). “We’re basically trying to archive all of Gainesville’s music,” Anderson said. He mu explained explain that the goal of the app is to pay the musical talent as much as possible. T They’ll create individual music contacts for each band, with royalties. Within the last few years Anderson has actively worked to familiarize himself with the local music scene, and he and his band, Jay Rouge and the Stoges, have performed at the Heartwood Soundstage. Soundstag Although Anderson business model to other citplans on expanding his radio busine ies, he doesn’t plan on abandoning Gainesville any time soon. “I’ve been to 45 states, so I can definitely say I’ve seen some scenes,” he said. “I love Gainesville, I love the atmosphere.” JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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RECIPE SERIES >> VALENTINE MINTS
MINT TO BE
Cynthia Wonders Winterrowd ’s
RECIPE WONDERS FOOD ST Y LING & PHOTOGR A PH Y BY ERICK A WINTER ROWD
VA LE N TI N E M I NT S
V
alentine’s Day is that special time of year when we go out of our way to say “I love you” to the special people in our life. What better way to do this than with homemade sweets for your sweeties? One of my favorite recipes in my mother’s handwritten cookbooks is an entry titled “Aunt Ruth’s Mints.” Aunt Ruth was my father’s older sister and also one of my mother’s best friends when they were growing up in rural Illinois. Aunt Ruth was as known for these mints, and at the age of 95 she was still making them em for wedding receptions, anniversary celebrations, holiday parties and her club (a ladies’ club that would meet each month to socialize ze and play card games). On a summer day in 2011 she shared with me a few of herr tips for making them, and it is one of my fondest memories of time spent ent in her home. She had quite an assortment of candy molds, ready for any holiday or occasion, and she really enjoyed making these for her friends nds and family. I truly believe that her faith in God and love for her family, her er crocheting and her mints are what kept her going strong all those years. ars. Aunt Ruth is gone now, but her love still remains with us — especially cially remembered with every bite of these delicious mints!
en th was ev u R t n u A My er mints! h n a h t r e sweet
CYNTHIA WONDERS WINTERROWD IS AN AWARD-WINNING WRITER WHO WAS RAISED IN ILLINOIS AND LIVES IN GAINESVILLE. SHE IS PROUD TO BE A “GATOR MOM” OF THREE DAUGHTERS, ALL UF GRADUATES. CYNTHIA LOVES SHARING FAMILY RECIPES THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN IN HER MOTHER’S HANDWRITTEN COOKBOOKS. recipewonders@gmail.com
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RECIPE SERIES >> VALENTINE MINTS
AUNT RUTH’S MINTS Wilton makes candy molds that you can purchase in kitchen or craft stores. INGREDIENTS:
2 oz. cream cheese, room temperature and cut into cubes 1/2 tsp. flavoring (usually mint or butter flavor) 1 2/3 cups powdered sugar METHOD:
Mix the cream cheese and flavoring. Add the food color before the powdered sugar. Start with about 3 drops of color, and then add more if you desire a deeper color. I use Wilton food colors, which are concentrated. Adjust amount gradually until desired shade is achieved. Now add the powdered sugar and knead it with clean hands until it is all blended together. It’s a sticky process, but worth it. After kneading the batter like bread dough and all ingredients are combined, roll into balls the size of a marble. Place one side into a small amount of granulated sugar. Then press the sugared side down into the mold. Unmold at once and lay the flat side down onto wax paper. If you find you need a firmer mixture you can add more powdered sugar to the batter. Let the mints set out on a cookie sheet for two or more days to dry and harden. They keep for a very long time in a plastic container or candy dish. No refrigeration needed.
Aunt Ruth’s hint: If you have trouble un-molding the mint, try sprinkling a little sugar into the mold before pressing the candy into it. Also, you can make a large batch by using an 8-ounce block of cream cheese and the largest size bag of powdered sugar (32 ounces). It will use the entire bag of powdered sugar for this amount of cream cheese. Mix in the flavoring to your taste preference, adding small amounts gradually. Remember, “less is more” in this case. You can always add more, but it is impossible to remove excess! Another way to help release the mint from your mold is to lightly dab cooking spray with a paper towel into the mold. Repeat as necessary.
So there you have it, something from your kitchen to say, “I love you!” 98 |
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We feel the best way to find and recognize local charities in our communities is by asking you! The SunState Community Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves the communities in and around North Central Florida by promoting and facilitating philanthropy. The Foundation was established to promote and provide charitable assistance that contributes towards the development, education and well-being of the communities, areas and residents of Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy Counties in Florida. The foundation’s initial goal is to administer and fully fund the award winning Facebook Charity-of-the-Month program. SunState Federal Credit Union started the program in 2013, but has turned over administration of the program to the foundation, with SunState Federal Credit Union acting only as a sponsor. This has been done in the belief that this path will ensure the program remains a strong and expanding community resource long into the future. The SunState Community Foundation, Inc., provides donors/members opportunities to participate in the furtherance of the foundation’s goals in multiple ways. First, and foremost, the donors/members are providing funds to support the foundation’s charitable initiatives. Donors/members can also nominate groups for the Charity of the Month program, and then vote for the group of their choice. Donors/members are encouraged to participate and vote in the Charity of the Month program. Ultimately, the voters choose where foundation donations go as part of the infrastructure of the program.
SunState Community Foundation, Inc.
SPONSORSHIP L EVEL S AVAIL ABL E $
1,000 CHARITY OF THE MONTH SPONSOR
$
•
Recognized on all 4 Entercom Communication stations, 30 times (120 total); KTK, SKY, WRUF and ESPN.
•
Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Our Town’s Facebook page.
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Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Our Town Magazine.
•
•
•
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500 RANDOM CHARITY SPONSOR Recognized on 2 of Entercom Communications stations, 30 times (60 total); WRUF and ESPN Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Our Town’s Facebook page. Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Our Town Magazine.
$
300 NOMINATOR SPONSOR
•
Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page, KTK’s Facebook page and Our Town’s Facebook page.
•
Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Our Town Magazine.
$
100 RANDOM VOTER SPONSOR
•
Recognized on the Charity of the Month Facebook Contest page.
•
Mentioned in the Charity of the Month page in Our Town Magazine
MOST RECENT WINNING ORGANIZATIONS TO NOMINATE A CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE OR TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE NOMINEES, VISIT:
www.facebook.com/SunStateFCU and click on “Charity of the Month”
OCTOBER WINNER
NOVEMBER WINNER
Basketball Cop Foundation
Project Makeover
The Basketball Cop Foundation is dedicated to improving the relationship between law enforcement and kids. The foundation was created after a video of Gainesville Police Officer Bobby White playing basketball with kids went viral. The charity promotes positive interactions with children by equipping law enforcement agencies nationwide with sports equipment so they can in turn donate it to children in their community. The nonprofit will receive $1,000 and Bobby White will win $300 for nominating it. The winner of the $500 random charity award is Night to Shine, a prom night event for special needs children, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The random voter winner is Leah Neilson, who will be awarded $100.
Project Makeover is a nonprofit enterprise run by UF students whose mission is to create a more dynamic learning environment for local school students. As a completely student-run organization, the group is devoted to bettering the low-income learning environment of Alachua county. Each year an elementary school in need is selected and with the help of over 1,000 volunteers they makeover the entire school in one weekend. Volunteers paint interactive murals, landscape, fulfill a Dream Project requested by the school, and participate in a variety of other activities to help better the facility. The nonprofit will receive $1,000 and Jack Link will win $300 for nominating it. The winner of the $500 random charity award is Kids Count in Alachua County.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS >> CHARITY OF THE MONTH
CH A RIT Y OF THE MONTH WINNER S
A project of the SunState Community Foundation, Inc. Presented by SunState Federal Credit Union, Our Town Family of Magazines and Entercom Communications
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SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL
352-372-5468
FOR RATES AND INFORMATION.
Cilantro Tacos Original location - 12921 SW 1st Road, Newberry NOW OPEN in Tioga Town Center - 25740 W. Newberry Road Monday - Saturday from 11:00am to 8:00pm
352-472-1300 cilantrotaco.com Authentic Mexican — A family-owned restaurant that was founded through a passion for great food and hosting dinner parties with friends. Originally from Southern California, their love for Mexican food moved to the wonderful community of Newberry in 2013. They take pride in the quality, freshness, and vibrant flavors of their food — with meats that are never frozen and everything prepared fresh and made-to-order. Enjoy the tastefully marinated meats and savor the mild, spicy, and mouthwatering salsas that are created from scratch. They feel their purpose is to spread happiness, make contributions to the community and create lasting memories of fun, laughter, and great times. They were chosen Best Mexican Restaurant by Ken Eats Gainesville!
Big Island Bowls 5402 NW 8th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32605 (Located in Greenery Square next to CYM coffee) Open 7 Days from 8:00am – 8:00pm
352-397-1358 bigislandbowls.com Hawaiian Barbecue — Inspired by the owner’s life in Hawaii and travels around the world, Big Island Bowls is a special space where all those tastes and experiences are shared with the Gainesville community. Big Island Bowls was born from their passion to make eating healthy: fast, easy and delicious! Using the finest ingredients and fresh local produce, there is so much exciting variety within the menu, including over 20 (NEW) dishes to dazzle your tastebuds — everything from Fresh Poke Bowls, Sushi Burritos, Acai Bowls, Organic Smoothies, Vegan Bowls, Hawaiian BBQ, Buddha Bowls and Sandwich Wraps. Serving the local community by creating food that nourishes both body and soul sustains a belief that Health & Happiness go hand in hand.
Gator’s Dockside 3842 W Newberry Rd #1A, Gainesville, FL 32607 Mon - Sun 11am - Midnight
352-338-4445 gatorsdockside.com Family-friendly — Gator’s Dockside is a sports-themed restaurant that offers a fun atmosphere for the entire family! We’re known for our big screen TVs, great food, and friendly service. Our signature wings are flavored with our tasty wing sauces that have made us famous, especially our award-winning Scooter sauce. We use only the freshest, highest quality ingredients in all our menu selections, including burgers, hearty sandwiches, made-from-scratch ribs, entree salads, and desserts. We also have some of the best meal deals in town, like all-you-can-eat wings on Mondays from 5:00-11:00pm and 2-for-1 on select house wine and liquors all day, everyday. We can’t wait to see you at Gator’s!
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Bangkok Square Two Gainesville Locations: 6500 SW Archer Road & 8181 NW 38th Lane Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:00am-3:00pm • Saturday-Sunday 12:00pm-3:00pm Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5:00pm-9:30pm • Friday-Saturday 5:00pm-10:00pm
352-375-4488 Archer 352-672-6969 39th Ave. bangkoksquarefl.com Authentic Thai Cuisine — Thai cuisine, blending the best elements of the freshest foods. Thai herbs; garlic, basil, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal root, chili and more, prepared with the finest blending of fish sauce, shrimp paste, and coconut milk. All of our meals are made to order and prepared on site. We specialize in vegetarian, vegan and gluten free orders. All of our foods can be prepared to your satisfaction with mild, medium, hot, or Thai hot, balanced to the four tastes: sweet, sour, salty, and slightly bitter. Meals can be prepared for take out and we cater to any event. We also have gift cards available. Save 10% off your next dining experience when a gift card is purchased.
Adam’s Rib Co. 2109 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, Florida 32609 1515 SW 13th Street Gainesville, Florida 32608 Monday-Saturday 7:00am – 9:00pm Closed Sunday
352-373-8882 NW 352-727-4005 SW AdamsRibCo.com BBQ — Celebrating our 10 year Anniversary. Looking for the best BBQ in Gainesville? Then look no further than Adam’s Rib Co. Adam’s is North Florida’s Premier Barbecue restaurant, serving North Florida’s finest bbq spare ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, slow smoked chicken and turkey. Choose from over 20 sauces – from honey sweet to habanero hot – and everything in between. Don’t forget dessert, like our scrumptious banana pudding and famous peach cobbler. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Adam’s can cater any event locally. Give Adam a call for your next tailgate party 352-514-8692!
Bev’s Burger Café 315 NE Santa Fe Blvd. • High Springs Monday - Saturday 7am-9pm
386-454-9434 Casual — If you’re looking for fresh, homemade food in High Springs, look no further than Bev’s Burger Cafe. Known for the best burgers in town and fast, friendly service you’re sure to leave satisfied. You may also want to try one of their BBQ dinner favorites such as sliced pork, smoked turkey, BBQ chicken, baby back ribs, and more. Stop on by with the kids on Monday nights for some magic & balloon animals with Magic Mike. Every Tuesday pork sandwiches are $3.00 all day. Also, on Wednesday nights starting at 5pm sodas and their famous tea are only $1.00, and bottled beer only $1.50. Don’t forget Bev’s is open for breakfast, also, served from 7am to 10:45am. Come check out our newly renovated kitchen & dining room, and our new menu items including fried chicken!
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SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL
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FOR RATES AND INFORMATION.
Dave’s New York Deli Two Locations - Open 7 Days Tioga Town Center 12921 SW 1st Road, Newberry, FL Haile Plantation Area – 5750 SW 75th Court, Gainesville, FL
352-333-0291 Tioga 352-363-6061 Pk Ln DavesNYDeli.com North East Flavors — Dave’s NY Deli has been delivering the flavors of New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia to the Gainesville area since 2009. Owner Dave Anders says “We are very excited about the addition of our new location in Park Lane Plaza near Haile Plantation. Now it’s even easier for you to enjoy our authentic Philly Cheesesteaks, NY Style Pastrami and Corned Beef, Nathan’s Hot Dogs, NY Kettle Boiled Bagels, Nova Salmon, Paninis, Wraps, Cubans, Hot & Cold Subs, Kids Menu and much more.” Come see us soon for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner at either of our two locations. Open 7 Days a week.
Gator BTW 1402 W University Ave. & 8181 NW 39th Ave. — New Location Open Now! UNIVERSITY AVE: Sunday-Thursday 11:00am-12:00am, Friday/Saturday 11:00am-3:00am 39 AVE: Sunday-Thursday 11:00am-10:00pm, Friday/Saturday 11:00am-12:00am TH
352-727-4222 Univ. Ave. 352-240-6564 39th Ave. gatorbtw.com Burgers, Tacos, Wings — Gator BTW is Gainesville’s hottest new fastcasual dining experience. Specializing in the best burgers, tacos, and wings in town, they also serve up mouthwatering tenders, fresh salads, and delicious milkshakes. And don’t forget our amazing specials, including $3 Burger Mondays, $3 Taco Tuesdays, and kids eat free all weekend long! BTW regulars are obsessed with our huge sauce bar, allowing you to fully customize your meal for that perfect explosion of flavor! Whether you’re just passing through and need a quick bite, or if you’re looking for a place to grab an ice cold beer and watch the big game, BTW is the spot for you. And now with a new location on 39th Ave, get ready to Fuel Your Flavor!
Copper Monkey West 14209 W Newberry Road, Jonesville, FL 32669 Across from the Steeplechase Publix Sunday-Thursday 11:00am - 11:00pm Friday-Saturday 11:00am - 12:00am
352-363-6338 mycoppermonkey.com Restaurant & Pub — Now serving Breakfast on Saturdays & Sundays 8:30am - 10:45am. We are located in the heart of Jonesville, this All-American dining is convenient to all neighborhoods in Gainesville, Alachua, Newberry, High Springs and beyond. Our family-friendly dining features great food at a great price. Whether you come in for the “best burger in town” or try any one of our freshly made salads, pastas or sandwiches, you will not leave disappointed. Our USDA choice steaks, served with 2 sides, offer a great alternative for the perfect celebratory meal. We also feature a full-service bar with signature drinks. Visit our NEW Gainesville Location in the Creekside Mall Plaza! 3501 SW 2nd Avenue, Gainesville.
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Brown’s Country Buffet 14423 NW US Hwy 441, Alachua, FL 32616 Monday-Friday 7:00am - 8:00pm Saturday 7:00am - 2:00pm Sunday 8:00am - 3:00pm
386-462-3000 brownscountrybuffet.net Casual — Country-style cooking at its finest, just like Grandma’s house! A buffet style restaurant, Brown’s Country Buffet is open seven days a week! Foods like fried chicken, grilled pork chops, real mashed potatoes, steamed cabbage, banana pudding and coconut pie, just to name a few, are served in a laid-back, relaxing environment. We offer AYCE fried shrimp on Friday nights from 4-8 along with whole catfish & ribs. In addition to their buffet, Brown’s also offers a full menu to choose from. Serving lunch and dinner daily and a breakfast buffet Friday-Sunday until 10:30am, you’re sure to leave satisfied, no matter when you go. So, when you’re in the mood for some good home cooking, Grandma’s style, visit Brown’s Country Buffet.
Crafty Bastards 4860 NW 39th Ave. ( Magnolia Parke, between Starbucks and TiresPlus) Open at 11am every day
352-872-5970 www.thecraftybastards.com Restaurant - Pub — Crafty Bastards Restaurant is located in NW Magnolia Parke. Open daily at 11am. We offer great lunch specials M-F 11am-4pm, including 1/2lb Angus grilled burgers and juicy chicken handhelds, fresh fries, salads, soups and more. Check out our Happy Hour M-F 11am-7pm. Looking for fun in the evenings? Check out Trivia Tuesdays, Karaoke Wednesdays and Live Entertainment on Thursday, Friday and Saturday! Crafty Bastards is also a great place to enjoy your sports on large screen TV’s. Private Party Room for office or birthday parties available. Come see why Crafty Bastards is NW Gainesville’s Best Kept Secret! Try our new weekend brunch & bloody mary bar from 11am - 3pm on Sat & Sun. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter!
El Toro 15202 NW 147 Drive, Suite 1100, Alachua (Rolling Oaks Plaza) Monday – Thursday 11:00am – 9:00pm Friday & Sat 11:00am – 10:00pm Sunday Noon – 8:00pm
386-418-1039 www.eltorogainesville.com Get Full At The Bull — Bienvenido! Welcome! We are a family owned and family friendly business. We have been serving our guests high quality fresh food for over 28 years. We welcome our guests with our Award Winning Salsa and warm homemade chips, add some fresh guacamole and our homemade white queso and you have a great start to a great meal! Try our Fish Tacos, Shrimp Tacos, Fajitas, Aaron’s Overstuffed Burrito, Nachos Supreme or one of our Daily Specials, we have something everyone will enjoy! We serve Lunch 7 days a week till 4 P.M. and our Kids Meals come with a drink and dessert. Check out our menu on our website. Our outdoor patio is perfect for “Para Cenar Afuera”. So, won’t you please come join us and Get Full At The Bull! See you there!
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SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL
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FOR RATES AND INFORMATION.
Napolatanos 606 NW 75th Street Gainesville, FL Tuesday - Thursday & Sunday 4:00pm-10:00pm Friday 4:00pm-1:00am • Saturday 4:00pm-11:00pm
352-332-6671 www.napolatanos.com ITALIAN — Napolatanos is the longest original owner operated restaurant in Gainesville. Nappys, the name the locals have given Napolatanos has the most extensive menu. Whether you choose pizza, calzones, salad, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, seafood, steak dinners or the best chicken wings in town, Nappy’s uses only the freshest ingredients. Visit on Tuesday for half price appetizers. Burgers & Brew Night on Wednesday and live music inside. Thursday is Pub night with Better than England’s Fish & Chips $7. Outside dining with live music, on the patio, on Sunday evenings. GRAB & GO family dinners feeds 4-6 adults, starting at $25.95. Choose from Ziti, Lasagna, Chicken Alfredo, Chicken Marsala and more!
The Social at Midtown 1728 W. University Avenue, Gainesville, FL Monday-Sunday 11:00am – 2:00am
352-373-7383 www.thesocialgnv.com Upscale restaurant and rooftop bar — Hidden among the college bars of the midtown area, The Social at Midtown provides an unique, upscale, and affordable dining and late-night experience for the diverse and ever evolving population of Gainesville. Whether you are in search of high end spirits and craft cocktails or one of the 37 beers on tap the Social at Midtown will undoubtedly bring you back for the next big game with its fantastic menu and over 60 Large LED TVs. Check out our web page to see our weekly specials and plan your next Happy Hour with $4 Local Craft Pints!
Great Southern Biscuit Co. 23352 US Hwy 27, #50 • High Springs, Florida Monday-Thursday 7:00am – 9:00pm, Friday 7:00am – 10:00pm Saturday 8:00am – 10:00pm, Sunday 8:00am – 3:00pm
386-454-7153 Gourmet Southern Comfort — After a successful five years in our Mayo location, we decided to spread the love to High Springs. We are a from-scratch kitchen with popular menu items including: Shrimp and Grits (fresh from the Gulf ), Biscuit French Toast, Fried Green Tomato BLT, and Fish and Chips (fresh mahi mahi). We are open seven days a week and serve breakfast all day with free mimosas on Sundays. Here at GSBC we are committed to the highest standards of quality, but mostly, we are dedicated to you.
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World of Beer 140 SW 128th Street Tioga Town Center, Jonesville 32669 Open at 11am Everyday
352-727-4714 worldofbeer.com TAVERN FARE — At World of Beer, we have 40 craft beers on tap, over 500 in the cooler and now we have added a tasty tavern fare that’s crafted to go perfectly with any beer. Our menu offers a wide variety of choices including a giant pretzel with beer cheese dip, artisan sausage boards, flat breads, innovative sandwiches and burgers, soups, salads and so much more! Visit our web site for a full menu and event schedule. Whether you’re a beer master or just beer curious, our insanely knowledgeable staff is here to guide you through every last pint, pour, and pairing. So c’mon. Let’s go. Because there’s no better place to go around the world, one sip at a time.
Mi Apá Latin Café Gainesville – 114 SW 34th Street (352-376-7020) Alachua – 15634 US Highway 441 (386-418-0838) Both locations open every day 7:00am - 10:00pm
MiApaLatinCafe.com Cuban — “When it comes to authentic Cuban cooking, you cannot go wrong with Mi Apá Latin Cafe,” said Trekbible in their article, Top 8: Best Restaurants in Gainesville, FL. Mi Apá was also selected Business of the Year in Alachua, yet another accolade. Featuring authentic ingredients and classic recipes, such as Pollo Asado, Vaca Frita, Medianoche sandwiches, and the local favorite, Cafe con Leche, we bring the tastes of Cuba to Gainesville and Alachua. Whether you’re dining in on our sunny patio or picking up your online order, your food will always be hot, fresh, and full of Latin flavor! And our Gainesville location even has a drive-thru! And don’t forget kids eat free every Wednesday from 4:00-9:00pm!
Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza (Archer Road) 5757 SW 75th St. — 352-371-8646 • (Millhopper Road) 5200 NW 43rd St. — 352-371-7437 (University) 1250 W University Ave. — 352-375-2337 • (Grand Oaks Plaza) 2575 SW 42nd St. Ocala — 352-351-6000
Mon-Thurs: 11am-10pm Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm Sun: 11am-10pm
www.piesanostogo.com Pizza, Pints & Pies — Piesanos is a locally owed and operated restaurant that is proud to use only the finest ingredients available, including Grande brand premium mozzarella. We are a full service dine in restaurant with an attached take out center and also offer catering. Our dough is made fresh daily and all of our pizzas are baked directly on the stone in our unique Granite Stone Fired Pizza Oven. We offer a great variety of Specialty pizzas, such as our Pizza Antico-(ultra thin crust- Fresh Mozzarella, mini cup & char pepperoni & fresh basil) Specialty Pastas, Calzones, Fresh soups and salads, classic italian entrees, and a great selection of craft beer. We also offer a gluten free menu. For full menu please visit PIESANOSTOGO.COM.
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COMMU NIT Y C A LENDA R
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9
Ira Glass: Seven Things I’ve Learned
Sat., Jan. 19 at 7:30pm In this singular performance, Glass shares the things he’s learned during his nearly four decades in broadcasting and storytelling.
SAVANTS OF SOUL
CAMELLIA SHOW
VERONICA SWIFT
Saturday, January 5 at 9pm High Dive, 210 SW 2nd Ave.
January 5 & 6 Kanapaha Botanical Gardens
Friday, January 11 at 7pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
GAINESVILLE - Gainesville’s own 10-piece soul band blends the sounds of 1960s and 1970s soul with influences as far-ranging as indie rock, ska, punk and jazz. This veritable soul orchestra is sure to keep you moving and grooving to their big, horn-driven sound. highdivegainesville.com
GAINESVILLE - This two day event features prize-winning camellias of all sizes, shapes, and colors. There will be judged exhibits of japonicas, reticulatas, hybrids, and species. This show is geared toward educating the public about the care, culture, and appreciation of camellias, both in the greenhouse and in the landscape. americancamellias.org
GAINESVILLE - Veronica Swift’s rapid emergence as one of jazz’s most exciting young singers seems like fate. As Variety puts it, “It’s not often you hear one so young interpret the sounds of a seasoned jazz performer and make everything she touches her own.” performingarts.ufl.edu
SWAN LAKE
Friday, January 11 from 8 - 11pm Heartwood Soundstage, 619 South Main St.
THE WINTERLINGS! Saturday, January 5 from 8 - 11pm Heartwood Soundstage, 619 South Main St.
GAINESVILLE - Featuring acoustic and electric guitars, banjitar, violin and foot drums, The Winterlings have played the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, CMJ Music festival in Manhattan and Seattle’s iconic EMP (Experience Music Project) Museum for the 20th Anniversary of the release of Nirvana’s In Utero Album. They’ve sold out shows on both coasts and shared stages with Blue Oyster Cult, Frazey Ford, The Maldives, Danny Schmidt and Cataldo. heartwoodsoundstage.com
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Wednesday, January 9 at 7:30pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
GAINESVILLE - This full-scale production, set to the music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky and based on Russian folklore and German legend, follows a heroic young prince as he works to free the beautiful swan maiden from an evil spell. Their first visit to the USA, the legendary National Ballet Theatre of Odessa with 55 talented and brightest ballet stars bring this romantic tale of true love to glorious life. performingarts.ufl.edu
MARK MANDEVILLE & RAIANNE RICHARDS! GAINESVILLE - Mark Mandeville and Raianne Richards are clearly inheritors of a timeless legacy, creating music that is both original and evocative of a rich tradition. Blending distinctive voices and a wide range of accompaniment (guitar, harmonica, ukulele, clarinet, penny whistle, electric bass), their songs have been well-received by audiences around the eastern United States and Canada since 2010. heartwoodsoundstage.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: STUART MULLENBERG
FLORIDA VINTAGE MARKET Saturday, January 12 from 1 - 5:30pm High Dive, 210 SW 2nd Ave.
GAINESVILLE - A unique shopping experience in the heart of Downtown Gainesville located at the Legendary High Dive Venue, where you will enjoy a variety of vendors curating some of the best in vintage garments, jewelry, and handmade goods! Free and open to the public. highdivegainesville.com
FLORIDA MUSEUM 40TH COLLECTORS DAY Saturday, January 12 from 10am - 3pm Florida Museum, 3215 Hull Rd.
El Ten Eleven
GAINESVILLE - This free event attracts collectors from across the region. Enjoy a variety of personal collections and learn the history and context of these treasures. Discover how collecting isn’t just for scientists! floridamuseum. ufl.edu or 352-273-2061.
Tuesday, January 22 at 8pm
RANDY FROM TRAILER PARK BOYS PRESENTS: A CHEESEBURGER PICNIC Tuesday, January 15 at 9pm High Dive, 210 SW 2nd Ave.
GAINESVILLE - Based on the character from the hit program, Trailer Park Boys, Randy’s Cheeseburger Picnic brings non-stop laughter and audience interaction. A bit of stand-up, a bit of silly contests, some classic Randy punch lines and oh, it also involves a lot of Cheeseburgers… highdivegainesville.com
High Dive, 210 SW 2nd Ave. GAINESVILLE - Armed with merely a double-neck bass/guitar, drums and a dizzying array of foot pedals, El Ten Eleven creates complex, deeply felt music from scratch onstage - with no help from laptops or additional musicians. Made up of Kristian Dunn (bass, guitar) and Tim Fogarty (drums), they utilize multiple looping pedals to create songs that sound as though they are being played by at least six people. Most first-timers to an El Ten Eleven show are stunned that the band is a duo. It’s a refreshing sight in this age of letting the computers do all the work. highdivegainesville.com
Flying cows, killer rabbits, taunting Frenchmen, and show-stopping musical numbers are just a few of the reasons audiences worldwide are eating up SPAMALOT! performingarts.ufl.edu
BUMPER JACKSONS
SPECIAL EFX, FEATURING CHIELI MINUCCI
Wednesday, January 16 at 7 and 9pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
Friday, January 18 at 7:30pm Santa Fe Fine Arts Hall, 3000 NW 83rd St.
GAINESVILLE - Creating new sounds from forgotten recordings, these American roots revivalists elegantly balance paying homage to tradition while fashioning their own unique and playful style. Bumper Jacksons have grown into a brassy seven-piece honoring the musical traditions of old America with a bit of trouble mixed in. performingarts.ufl.edu
GAINESVILLE - Special guest, Santa Fe Guitar Ensemble and Professor Richy Stano! The music of Special EFX has been described as “accessible yet slightly experimental music that combined… smooth jazz, rock, and various African and Latin rhythms.” sfcollege.edu/finearts
SPAMALOT
Saturday, January 19 at 7:30pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
Friday, January 18 at 7:30pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
GAINESVILLE - The Tony Award-winning Best Musical, Monty Python’s Spamalot, continues its search for the Holy Grail. This outrageous musical comedy features music and lyrics by the Grammy Award-winning team of Eric Idle and John Du Prez, Spamalot tells the tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they embark on their quest for the Holy Grail.
IRA GLASS: SEVEN THINGS I’VE LEARNED GAINESVILLE - Ira Glass takes you on an audio-visual journey. In this singular performance, Glass shares the things he’s learned during his nearly four decades in broadcasting and storytelling. With subject matter that is pulled from his personal motivations, passions, failures and successes, Glass’ performance dives into what it takes and what it means to be a storyteller. performingarts.ufl.edu
SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS Sunday, January 20 at 7pm High Dive, 210 SW 2nd Ave.
GAINESVILLE - Southern Culture On The Skids has been consistently recording and touring around the world since its inception in 1983, when Rick Miller was a grad student at UNC-Chapel Hill. The current lineup (Dave Hartman - drums; Mary Huff - bass and vocals; Rick Miller - guitar and vocals) has been playing together for over 30 years. Their music has been featured in movies and TV, and used to sell everything from diamonds to pork sausage, and their legendary live shows are a testament to the therapeutic powers of foot-stomping, butt-shaking rock and roll. highdivegainesville.com
POWER!! Friday, January 25 from 7:30pm - 9:45pm Santa Fe College, 3000 NW 83rd St.
GAINESVILLE - The Gainesville Orchestra with conductor Evans Haile celebrates powerful Women from Rimsky Korsakov’s beloved and exotic “Scheherazade” to American composer Joan Tower’s towering “Sequoia”. Bring family and friends and celebrate! sfcollege.edu/finearts
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COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET: STAR DUST Thursday, January 31 at 7:30pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
Changeville Music & Arts Festival February 7 - 8 GAINESVILLE - Changeville is a two-day social change festival, in partnership with UF College of Journalism & Communications’ annual frank conference in downtown Gainesville, that brings together students, professionals and artists across a variety of platforms. The festival includes music, comedy, award-winning films, tech, poetry and discussion panels/workshops. Performances by Japanese Breakfast, AJJ, Big Freedia, Ted Leo (solo), Laura Stevenson and more. changeville.us
JOE CROOKSTON
UFPA GALA 2019
Friday, January 25 from 8 - 11pm Heartwood Soundstage, 619 South Main St.
Saturday, January 26 at 7pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
GAINESVILLE - Songwriter, guitarist, painter, fiddler, slide player, eco-village member and believer in all things possible. Named 2016 Folk Alliance International Artist-in- Resident, he’s played with Suzanne Vega, Dar Williams, David Francey, John McCutcheon, John Gorka, Judy Collins and 100’s more. heartwoodsoundstage.com
GAINESVILLE - It’s called the “Roaring Twenties” for a reason. For our 2019 Gala, we will be taking you in through the backdoor as we transform the Phillips Center into a Prohibition-Era juice joint, where all bootleggers, flappers, and even teetotalers are welcome. Come join us for a speakeasy-themed evening full of music, dancing, and fun. A cocktail reception will be followed by a gourmet dinner, with a special surprise live performance thrown in! performingarts.ufl.edu
WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL January 26 from 5 - 10pm Swamp Head Brewery, 3650 SW 42nd Ave.
GAINESVILLE - The Florida Trail Association (FTA) is proud to present the 2nd Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival (WSFF). Enjoy an outdoor screening with a unique program of environmental and adventure films that illustrate the Earth’s beauty. Climb the highest peaks and trek across the globe with adventure films from around the world. All proceeds go to support the Florida Trail Association, a nonprofit organization partnered with the US Forest Service. wsff2019fta.eventbrite.com
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GROWING BLACKBERRIES Monday, January 28 at 7pm HS Public Library, 23779 US Hwy 27
HIGH SPRINGS - The local seed savers group is hosting a free, open to the public talk on Growing Blackberries at the High Springs Public Library. Everyone interested in gardening is welcome to attend. Contact Ann Hudson at froggieann@gmail.com or 352-3317947 for more information.
GAINESVILLE - Combining technical precision, power, and passion, Complexions Contemporary Ballet transcends tradition in a groundbreaking mix of styles ranging from ballet to hip-hop. Founded by former members of Alvin Ailey, Desmond Richardson, and Dwight Rhoden, the company has been featured several times on the hit show So You Think You Can Dance; this season the company brings an exhilarating program set to music from Bach to Bowie to the Phillips Center. Rhoden’s new hot and raw finale tribute, Star Dust, is a love letter to David Bowie. It takes an array of Bowie’s hits and lays a visual imprint to create a rock-inspired ballet in his honor. performingarts.ufl.edu
MARBIN Saturday, February 2 from 8 - 11pm Heartwood Soundstage, 619 South Main St.
GAINESVILLE - MARBIN is a progressive jazzrock band based in Chicago, IL, with a unique story that stands out in today’s music world. With a do-it-yourself approach, Marbin started touring extensively in 2011, bringing their original instrumental music to every part of the United States. Through word of mouth, Marbin has gained the attention of thousands of devoted fans all over the world, and has sold tens of thousands of albums. Marbin regularly plays in clubs all over the US and in jam and jazz festivals around the world. heartwoodsoundstage.com
HOGGETOWNE MEDIEVAL FAIRE January 26 - February 3 Alachua County Fairgrounds, 3100 NE 39th Ave.
GAINESVILLE - Immerse yourself in a bustling medieval marketplace for the Annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire on January 26-27 & February 1-3, 2019. Step back in time and cheer on jousting knights, wander through the medieval marketplace where hundreds of artisans sell their wares, witness a battle on the living chess board, partake in olde world games and rides and feast on food fit for a king. Enjoy nine stages of entertainment where the forgotten skills of full-flight falconry, gripping aerial acrobatics and old-world magic come to life. Jugglers, knife throwers and gypsy dancers add to the excitement as they fill the streets of Hoggetowne. hoggetownefaire.com
PHOTOGRAPHY: MINDY TUCKER
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MISSY RAINES Saturday, February 9 from 8 - 11pm Heartwood Soundstage, 619 South Main St.
GAINESVILLE - From her tenure playing with The Claire Lynch Band, to her 7 International Bluegrass Music Association Bass Player of the Year awards, Missy Raines has proven herself without doubt as an iconic bluegrass instrumentalist. But with her newest release, Royal Traveller, Raines has stepped into the spotlight as a songwriter for the first time. Featuring an array of incredible musicians including some previous and current members of her live band, and cameos from other bluegrass greats such as Stuart Duncan and Tim O’Brien, the album is a gorgeous look into the perspective, history, and musical influences of one of Nashville’s most beloved musicians, Missy Raines. heartwoodsoundstage.com
Ghost-Note & Electric Kif
ALEXI KENNEY, VIOLIN
Friday, February 15 from 8 - 11pm
Sunday, February 10 at 7:30pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
Heartwood Soundstage, 619 South Main St. GAINESVILLE - Headed by Snarky Puppy’s multi-Grammy–winning percussion duo of Robert “Sput” Searight and Nate Werth, Ghost-Note is an explosion of sound. With an expansive roster of next-level musicians—representing members of Prince, Snoop Dogg, Erykah Badu, Herbie Hancock, Kendrick Lamar, Marcus Miller, Toto, Justin Timberlake, and more—the band is pushing funk music into the future, building on the uplifting, pioneering foundations laid out by the likes of James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone and infusing their fresh take with tastes of afrobeat, hip-hop, psychedelia, world folklore, and more. heartwoodsoundstage.com
TANGO MUCHO MADNESS! Saturday, February 2 at 7:30pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
GAINESVILLE - Dark, exciting, and filled with passion! Tango rhythms are made to be danced to and the DANB dancers do it right. From deep secretive feelings to wild emotion, you will be carried along on a wave of searing beauty. It’s hot!!! performingarts.ufl.edu
THE BAND OF HEATHENS Thursday, February 7 at 7pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
GAINESVILLE - Led by Texas songwriters Colin Brooks, Gordy Quist, and Ed Jurdi, this band fuses Lone Star blues, rock, and soul sounds. The term “Americana” could have been invented to describe The Band of Heathens’ approach, which has mutated almost as much as the genre. Their arsenal of songs is filled with Southern rock, stoned soul, heartland country, and all points between. performingarts.ufl.edu
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AN EPOCH NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
GAINESVILLE - His win at the 2013 Concert Artists Guild Competition at the age of 19 led to a critically acclaimed Carnegie Hall debut at Weill Recital Hall. Since then, Alexi Kenney has been making quite a name for himself. performingarts.ufl.edu
VALENTINE’S SWING DANCE Thursday, February 14 at 7:30pm Santa Fe Fine Arts Hall, 3000 NW 83rd St.
GAINESVILLE - A Valentine’s tradition. Swing classes at 6:30 and then swing dancing to the Santa Fe Big band under the director of Dr. Steve Bingham. sfcollege.edu/finearts
Saturday, February 9 from 7:30 - 11pm Florida Museum, 3215 Hull Rd.
RUSSIAN NATIONAL ORCHESTRA
GAINESVILLE - Experience the exhibits like never before! Enjoy Cambrian cocktails with curators! Party in the Permian! Dance the night away to Geohistorical Jamzzz! All guests will enjoy dinner, dancing and a truly Epoch Night At The Museum! Funds raised will provide critical support for Museum educational initiatives and public programs, with an emphasis on outreach to underserved communities. floridamuseum. ufl.edu
Friday, February 15 at 7:30pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
NEON LIGER 11 YEAR ANNIVERSARY & REUNION Saturday, February 9 at 9pm The Wooly, 20 N. Main St.
GAINESVILLE - One night only with three unique areas of lights, atmosphere and music. thewoolygainesville.com
GAINESVILLE - RNO appears throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas. It is a frequent visitor to major festivals such as Edinburgh, Shanghai, and the BBC Proms. With UF Performing Arts’ favorite conductor, Kirill Karabits, at the helm, RNO will be joined by brilliant piano virtuoso George Li. Li gave his first public performance at the age of ten and, in 2011, performed for President Obama at the White House. He is also the winner of the 2010 Young Concert Artists International Auditions First Prize, a Silver Medal at the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition, and a 2016 Avery Fisher Career Grant. This mix of veteran players and Li’s youthful exuberance will make for a performance we’ll remember for quite some time. performingarts.ufl.edu
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GAINESVILLE’S 3 RD ANNUAL VEGFEST
“ONE OF THE YEAR’S TOP TEN BEST SHOWS!” TIME
Saturday, February 16 from 10am - 5pm Depot Park, 874 SE 4th St.
GAINESVILLE - Gainesville VegFest is a celebration of a healthy, sustainable and compassionate way of life in the Gainesville community. This all-invited, free admission and family-friendly event includes speakers, food, music, cooking demos, yoga, vendors, kids’ zone and more! Presented by North Florida Veg Events, Inc. For more info and to apply, visit gainesvillevegfest.org
VHS COLLECTION Saturday, February 16 at 9pm High Dive, 210 SW 2nd Ave.
Finding Neverland Friday, Feb. 22 at 7:30pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd. GAINESVILLE - Finding Neverland tells the incredible story behind Peter Pan. Playwright J.M. Barrie struggles to find inspiration until he meets four young brothers and their beautiful widowed mother. Spellbound by the boys’ enchanting make-believe adventures, he sets out to write a play that will astound London theatergoers. With a little bit of pixie dust and a lot of faith, Barrie takes this monumental leap, leaving his old world behind for Neverland, where nothing is impossible and the wonder of childhood lasts forever. performingarts.ufl.edu
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GAINESVILLE - VHS Collection is a New York based electronic rock band formed by three longtime friends: Conor Cook, James Bohannon, Nils Vanderlip. Known for powerful songwriting and high-energy live performances, the band has released two EP’s to date and 5 singles. Their music has been streamed over 40 million times on Spotify and three singles have charted on the US and Global Viral Charts. They have performed at major festivals including Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits and have sold out headline shows across the country. highdivegainesville.com
CHRISTIAN SANDS TRIO Saturday, February 16 at 7 and 9pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
GAINESVILLE - From a very early age, Christian possessed an insatiable appetite for music. He was enrolled in music classes at age four and wrote his first composition at five. To call him a jazz pianist doesn’t really do justice to his style or influences. Sure, he’s got the swing and bebop chops, but Afro-Cuban and Latin flourishes sparkle through his hands as they dance across the keys. His lightning-fast fingers create complex textures and rhythms all while holding down the groove and weaving intricate melodies… and he makes it look easy. performingarts.ufl.edu
PARKER QUARTET Saturday, February 23 at 7:30pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
GAINESVILLE - Renowned for its dynamic interpretations and inspiring performances, the Grammy Award-winning Parker Quartet has rapidly distinguished itself as one of the preeminent ensembles of its generation. performingarts.ufl.edu
HEARTWOOD MUSIC FEST Saturday, February 23 from Noon - 11pm Heartwood Soundstage, 619 S. Main St.
GAINESVILLE - Enjoy a celebration of the incredibly diverse talent in our community. Featuring two stages of music, food trucks, craft beer and fun activities for all ages. heartwoodsoundstage.com
AN EVENING WITH KATHY MATTEA Sunday, February 24 at 7:30pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
GAINESVILLE - One of the most respected country stars of her era brings a distinct blend of folk, bluegrass, gospel, and singer-songwriter intimacy to the Phillips Center stage. performingarts.ufl.edu
TRACTOR & CAR SHOW March 1 & 2 Dudley Farm, 18730 W Newberry Rd.
GAINESVILLE - The antique tractors are a display of farming equipment and a way of life circa 1930’s and 1940’s, a reflection of rural American history. Learn about different types of field plows and antique tractors. Antique cars will also be on display. fb.com/DudleyFarm
LAND OF LA CHUA 150 YEARS! Friday, March 1 from 7:30 - 9:30pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
GAINESVILLE - Dance Alive National Ballet celebrates Gainesville’s 150th Anniversary! Indian life, the beautiful springs, our town through the ages. It’s all there, with contributions from the Matheson Museum, artist Margaret Tolbert, poet Lola Haskins, composer Stella Sung, Will McLean’s ‘Black Hat Troubadour’ songs, spokesman Weaver Gaines, and much more. dancealive.org
PRECISION! Friday, February 22 from 7:30pm - 9:45pm Santa Fe College, 3000 NW 83rd St.
GAINESVILLE - Gainesville Orchestra with conductor Evans Haile presents: PRECISION!!! Including George Gershwin’s “Rhapasdy in Rivets” featuring Evans Haile and Prokofiev’s exciting and energetic 5th Symphony. sfcollege.edu/finearts
BALSAM RANGE Saturday, March 2 at 7 and 9pm Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.
GAINESVILLE - Lovingly named after a majestic range of mountains that surround their home county of Haywood, North Carolina, Balsam Range is a paragon in the world of bluegrass, and for good reason. performingarts.ufl.edu
19 0 -2 18 0 2 R A L U C A T C E SP CELEBRATE AN INTERNATIONAL ARTS EXPERIENCE AT
HOME!
SEASON
LAND OF LA CHUA March 1
THE R NUTCRACKER
Celebrate Gainesville’s Birthday! Indian life, the beautiful springs, our town through the ages. It’s all there, with contributions from the Matheson Museum, artist Margaret Tolbert, poet Lola Haskins, composer Stella Sung, Will McLean’s ‘Black Hat Troubadour’ songs, and much more.
Photography by: Johnston Photography, Monica Sue Nielsen, Ani Collier
December 12-16
WONDERMENT Oct. 24 &25 Set to Mozart’s ‘Requiem Mass’ and Bernstein’s ‘Mass for the Common Man’, WONDERMENT explores belief and skepticism with beauty and grace.
Celebrate the Holiday Season with ‘The Nutcracker’. The all-time family favorite with beautiful dancing, sets and costumes. Sheer magic!
TANGO MUCHO MADNESS! February 2 Dark, exciting, and filled with passion! Tango rhythms are made to be danced to and the DANB dancers do it right. You will be carried along on a wave of searing beauty. It’s hot!!!!!
All performances at Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Tickets: 352-392-ARTS www.performingarts.ufl.edu For information: 352-371-2986 dalive@bellsouth.net JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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CHAMPAGNE GALA Saturday, March 2 from 6:30 - 10:30pm Reitz Union Grand Ballroom
GAINESVILLE - Dance Alive National Ballet presents a birthday bash to end all birthday bashes! The outrageously successful ‘Gainesville Dancing with the Stars,’ dancing to music by Gosia and Ali, dinner by Classic Faire, silent auction, hosted by TV 20’s Dave Snyder. Sponsored by Parris Dance. Tickets available at www.dancealive.org; dalive@bellsouth.net; 352-371-2986.
Mondays from 4pm – 7pm Tioga Town Center (under the trees)
GAINESVILLE - At this market you will find a variety of produce (Fruits & Vegetables) from several local organic, hydroponic and conventional farms. Fruits and vegetables offered are seasonal and change throughout the year. Also available are artisan food vendors; jams & jellies, baked goods, confections and more. facebook. com/TiogaMondayMarket
THIRD THURSDAY ON MAIN Third Thursdays from 5 – 9pm Downtown Main Street
ALACHUA - This is the perfect event to get your “pre-weekend” on! Alachua’s Downtown area comes alive with the sound of music, unique dining, shopping, craft vendors, and so much more! This event is sponsored by the City of Alachua Community Redevelopment Agency. cityofalachua.com
HIGH SPRINGS FARMERS MARKET
FASHION SHOW AND GARDEN PARTY
ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCE
Thursday, March 7 from 10:30am - 1pm 1350 NW 75th St.
Mondays 6:45 – 9pm 1624 NW 5th Avenue
GAINESVILLE - Presented by the Gainesville Garden Club. Enter and enjoy a hat competition plus fashions provided by Dillards. For more information contact Mary at GGCFashionShow@ yahoo.com or visit fb.com/gvillegardenclub.
GAINESVILLE - This is the kind of dancing which began in the 16th century and is still being written and danced today around the world. All dances are taught, walked through and called. No partner, experience, or special dress required. If you are new please come to the beginner lesson each evening at 6:45. Dance to jigs, reels, and beautiful waltz music by Hoggetowne Fancy. Everyone is welcome. Visit our Facebook page to see videos. bit.ly/EnglishCountry
HIGH SPRINGS - Florida grown fruit, vegetables, dairy & meats as well as honey, handmade treats and more. And… don’t forget your spices, cilantro, dill, parsley and more. The Farmers Market is produced by The City of High Springs. farmersmarket.highsprings.com
FUN WITH FLOWERS
GAINESVILLE - PrimeTime Institute (PTI) provides a wide variety of educational programs and social activities for people age 50+ that foster wellness, encourage personal and intellectual growth, and that provide an environment for developing new interests, making new friends, and becoming involved as volunteers. Schedule at www.primetimeinstitute.org
RECURRING EVENTS CONTRA DANCE First Sundays & Third Saturdays Thelma A. Boltin Center, 516 NE 2nd Ave
Thursdays from 12 noon – 4pm First Saturday each month from 9am – 1pm 115 NE Railroad Avenue
PRIMETIME EDUCATION SERIES Thursdays from 2:30 - 4pm Senior Recreation Center, 5701 NW 34th Blvd.
GAINESVILLE - Contra dancing is energetic, social dancing that’s fun for everyone (all ages are welcome) and no partner is necessary. The music is live. Dances are taught, walked through, and called. No experience or special dress is required. Wear casual attire and comfortable shoes. godsdance.org
GAINESVILLE - Hands-on floral design program includes lecture, demonstration and materials. Coffee social at 9:30 am. RSVP requested rsvp. ggcfl@gmail.com or www.ggcfl.org
HIGH SPRINGS MUSIC IN THE PARK & CONCERT SERIES
UNION STREET FARMERS MARKET
DOWNTOWN DRAG
Third Sundays from 2pm - 4pm James Paul Park, Downtown High Springs
Wednesdays from 4pm – 7pm Bo Diddley Plaza
First & Third Fridays from 11pm - 1am Maude’s Cafe, Downtown
HIGH SPRINGS - Bringing exceptional artists to the Downtown High Springs! Events are free and open to the public. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, etc. Dogs permitted on a leash. Artist details and more information at highspringsmusicinthepark.com
GAINESVILLE - Bring a bag and pick up some locally-grown and produced vegetables, meat and dairy to take home for your kitchen. Browse local vendors offering a variety of hand-crafted items from jewelry to kombucha. There’s also food trucks and live entertainment — all in a family-friendly atmosphere. Enjoy downtown and support local producers, musicians and artisans while sharing some quality time with your neighbors. unionstreetfarmersmkt.com
GAINESVILLE - Drag and burlesque unite to enchant and amaze!!! Downtown Drag is hosted at Maude’s SideCar Bar next to the Hippodrome in downtown Gainesville. Bring your friends, your dollar bills, and your cellphones to come insta our queens and show the world what a great time you had!!! Get there early, grab a cocktail, and get the best seat! All proceeds go to performers! fb.com/DowntownDrag
TAI CHI & GENTLE MOTION
HIGH SPRINGS FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT
GAINESVILLE MUSIC ASSOCIATION PUBLIC SYMPOSIUM & WORKSHOP First Mondays from 6:30 – 7:30pm Aurora Downtown, 109 SE 4th Ave
GAINESVILLE - Join your music community for a workshop on a carefully developed aspect of different areas of the music business. These events begin with a presentation and workshop on a thoughtfully researched topic that our organization thinks will genuinely help our music community. gainesvillemusicassociation.com
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Third Tuesdays at 10am Gainesville Garden Club, 1350 NW 75th St
Thursdays at 9:30am 2205 NW 40th Terrace
GAINESVILLE - Tai Chi and Gentle Motions classes for seniors on Thursdays at 9:30 am (Tai Chi) and 10:30 am (Gentle Motions) at Crown Pointe Senior Healthcare Center in Gainesville. Contact Paul Gebhart at 352-379-6124 for info.
First Fridays from 5pm - 8pm Downtown
HIGH SPRINGS - Join the fun in lovely downtown High Springs. Local merchants will offer special sales, a raffle and more. Family fun for all ages. facebook.com/HighSpringsDowntownMerchants
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ARTWALK GAINESVILLE GAINESVILLE - Artwalk Gainesville is a free self-guided tour that combines exciting visual art, live performance, and events in downtown Gainesville with many local galleries, eateries and businesses participating. Artwalk is an exciting, fun way to experience the amazing wealth of creativity the Gainesville community has to offer. Free and open to the public. artwalkgainesville.com
GFAA GALLERY ART EXHIBIT Last Fridays from 7pm - 10pm GFAA Gallery, 1314 S. Main St.
GAINESVILLE - The GFAA Gallery presents members original art work for home, apartment or office. Monthly themes, such as Home (1/222/23) and Large Works (2/26-3/23) with opening exhibits at Artwalk and displayed throughout the month. Support your community artists and bring pleasure to your surroundings. Gallery open Tuesday-Saturday from 11am-6pm. gainesvillefinearts.org.
ALACHUA COUNTY FARMERS MARKET Saturdays from 8:30am – 12pm 5920 NW 13th Street
GAINESVILLE - Don’t forget to bring shopping bags, your grocery list, and plenty of small bills. The market prides itself on being a grower’s only market – meaning the vendors selling produce, plants, and other products must have grown the items themselves. The event space is located in an open air pavilion with additional outdoor booths protected by shade cloth. 441market.com
HAILE FARMERS MARKET Saturdays from 8:30am – 12pm Haile Plantation Village
GAINESVILLE - Take a stroll down the tree-lined streets of the Haile Village Center to browse for groceries, prepared food, and handmade gifts, then continue on for more shopping or brunching at the Village Center’s locally-owned shops and restaurants. hailefarmersmarket.com
SEND CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS TO: 4 4 00 N W 3 6 T H A V E ., G A I N E S V I L L E , F L 32 6 0 6 or E V E N T S @ T O W E R P U B L I C A T I O N S . C O M Submissions will be published based on space available in the magazine. Recurring monthly/bi-monthly events must be free & open to the public. Paid events must be open to the public. Unique events that occur regularly such as classes, seminars and networking events will be published at our discretion. Religious organizations may post events only if the event promotes the arts, or is a fundraiser where 100% of the proceeds go to another, non-religious, non-profit organization. Events that are political in nature may not be approved.
PHOTOS BY TANYA CONSAUL
Last Fridays from 7pm - 10pm Downtown
START OF THE 2017 RACE. THERE WERE OVER 300 REGISTRATIONS AND A GREAT TURNOUT.
Run The Good Race RACE AIMS TO HELP HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS
H
supplies for the refugees on the Syrian/ undreds of spirited runners will Iraqi border. “Last year we changed our head over to the NFRMC Cancer focus to human trafficking,” says Dr. PeCenter on Saturday morning, April 27th ter Sarantos, host of Run the Good Race. for the 4th Annual “Run the Good Race”. The 5K/10K walk/run hosted by local “Kathy was in Thailand with World Help in surgeon, Dr. Peter Sarantos and his wife, 2016 visiting a home for women trying Pediatrician, Dr. Kathy Sarantos, is a fun, to escape from this bondage and the exfamily-friendly event. Teamed up with perience opened her eyes to the magniWorld Help, a humanitarian aid organiza- tude of the problem.” tion as well as Created Gainesville, a local “As before,” Dr. Peter Sarantos outreach program for women, the event brings awareness and fundraises for aid continued, “Kathy and I cover all of the race expenses. We to the victims of Human Trafficking. Alison Ungaro, Founder of the Gaines- believe that this is a worthy ville chapter of Created, voiced, “We are cause and want to assure excited to be a part of “Run the Good that every dollar raised goes Race” again this year with the Sarantos family, bringing awareness to this cause, directly to the cause.” “Before the race, a making sure women localspeaker from World Help ly and around the world explains their mission get the opportunity for and how the funds are dihealing and restoration.” rectly applied to the peoThe race course runs ple in need. Created Diaround the campus of rector, Alison Ungaro will NFRMC and the neighboralso speak about their lohoods behind the hospital. cal organization. It really “It’s a good course, with a helps the participants of few hills,” reports Allegra the race to understand Shoulders, who has run how important and apthe event the last two preciated their support is,” years and has registered Dr. Kathy Sarantos (right) with says Carol Ellis, the race to participate again this one of the top finishers. organizer. “I also think it’s year. “It’s great if you want to come out and run on a nice spring great to see how many kids participate in the run, many of which know Dr. Samorning for an important cause.” The first two years, the event fund- rantos as just ‘Dr. Kathy’, who makes raised for World Help’s Refugee Aid them feel better when they’re sick. It program, raising over $80,000 towards makes for a special day.”
The race is open for registrations online or on race day, beginning at 6:30am at the NFRMC Cancer Center. Both the 5K and 10K begin at 8AM on Saturday, April 27th.
www.rungoodrace.com JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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BAND B BA ND REVIEW
BRIAN “KRASH” KRUGER’S
Gate Crashing ON DECK: INDEPENDANCE STUDIO, VOICES RISING COMMUNITY CHORUS, DANSCOMPANY OF GAINESVILLE BRIAN KRUGER IS A WRITER, MUSICIAN AND A GRADUATE OF THE UF COLLEGE OF LAW. HE HAS PLAYED IN SOME 17 OR SO LOCAL BANDS, PLAYING MOST EVERY GAINESVILLE VENUE FRIENDLY TO ORIGINAL MUSIC (AND SOME NOT SO FRIENDLY). bkrashpad@yahoo.com
DATE: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2018 VENUE: TIOGA TOWN CENTER
G
reetings, live music aficionados! This installment finds us out west of Gainesville, down Newberry Road a piece, at the Tioga Town Center. If you’re unfamiliar with the western fringe of Gainesville, the Tioga Town Center is located across the street from the West End Golf Course, a few blocks east of the Jonesville Publix. Tioga isn’t so much an actual “town” in a municipal sense, but rather a large residential subdivision with an integrated small area of restaurants and shops. It is an example of the city planning movement called “New Urbanism,” which focuses on integrating business and residential areas together, and being bicycle and pedestrian friendly. If you’re a regular reader (and we hope you are!) of this column, you know that your humble author is pretty much a rock and roll guy, so a free family event not far from home (I live in southwest Gainesville) featuring dance and choral music was a welcome opportunity to broaden my stylistic palette (more than) a bit. This event was called “Light up Tioga - A Holiday Celebration,” and as you might guess, centered around lighting the large 2-story (artificial) Christmas Tree at the heart of the Center near the town bandstand/outdoor stage. Other Christmas decorations along the block-long main street were already up and lit, adding to the festive atmosphere. Upon my arrival, I drove into the east entrance of the Town Center to park, but was directed that I would have to leave and come in the west entrance instead. While not a terribly big deal, this was an unnecessary hassle that could have easily been avoided by event planners. There was no temporary signage indicating that the east entrance was closed to parking, nor did
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the event’s facebook page mention this. As a result, the bulk of the arrivals from Gainesville (versus those coming from west of Tioga, which is more sparsely populated) made the turn into the complex at the east entrance — only to have to immediately go back out, which required crossing two lanes of westbound traffic on Newberry Road (plus those turning in) at an intersection with no traffic signal. Needless to say, the process did not necessarily put one in a holiday mood. At any rate, this small snafu added a few minutes of driving and parking and additional walking to my evening, but at my age I could probably use the exercise from the latter anyhow. So there’s that. The evening’s first presentation was by IndepenDANCE Studio of Gainesville. As the name suggests, IndepenDANCE is a dance studio teaching dance to kids and adults, and according to its website the company has two studio rooms and a dancewear store that’s open to the public. When I arrived a little after the planned start of 4:30, some teens were doing a jazz/ contemporary number followed by some toddlers with “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Next up were some older elementary or middle schoolers with a duet to “The Story of Tonight” and a big number with at least a couple dozen dancers to “We Go Together” from Grease. After another duet, the presentation closed with a jazz class of younger elementary kids dancing to NSYNC’s “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.” The sole musical presentation of the evening came next, a performance by Voices Rising Community Chorus. Voices Rising was founded about five years ago, and is intergenerational (ages 10 and up), with a repertoire ranging from classical to folk to show tunes. First, let me say how impressed I was with their tech crew. They quickly brought out a mobile podium on wheels for artistic director and conductor Ruth Lewis, set up vocal monitors for
IndepenDANCE Studio
Voices Rising Community Chorus
BE FIRE SAFE! Get your chimney & dryer vent clean Danscompany of Gainesville
the singers, got the accompanist’s electric piano connected to the PA system, and set up a monitor for the keyboards so the pianist would be able to hear himself all in a matter of minutes. The chorus entertained the growing crowd with: a couple noel songs (the first being “Now Sing We Now Noel,” but not sure about the second), “The Peace Carol,” “The Lights of December,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and closed with “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” Danscompany of Gainesville, under Artistic Director Nina Kessler Cameron, were up next. This is the group that puts
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on the annual holiday performance of Cinderella, and has since 1993. The dancers were older teens and adults, and their snippets of Cinderella selections, including by this year’s lead Emma Anderson, were beautiful. The dances were mostly classical ballet pieces, complete with ornate tutus, although not performed on pointe for safety reasons. After a long-ish break. S a n t a a n d M r s. C l a u s appeared, and lit the gigantic Christmas tree, to the delight of the hundreds of kids in the large crowd. A nice touch for a family event. Now, go see some bands.
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LIFESTYLE >> NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
YOU CAN DO IT!
Keep it Simple to Reign in 2019
“3, 2, 1 – Happy New Year!”
T
his simple phrase can symbolize a lot. The new year holds the potential to spark change and inspire people around the world. However, it’s the New Year’s resolution tied to the holiday that has earned a bad reputation in recent years, as some advertisers continue to generate false promises to consumers and leave many people starting their year off on the wrong foot. By the first week in February, the glamour of the new year fades away and nearly 80 percent of resolutions are left behind, according to U.S. News. However, this high rate of failure may be attributed, in part, to the types of goals being set. A study conducted by YouGov in December of 2017 cited eating healthier, getting more exercise and saving money as the top three resolutions. These types of goals are problematic for two reasons: they lack specificity and a concrete plan for obtaining these goals. This is where advertisers come in.
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Marketers for gyms, diet programs and other self-proclaimed tools for personal improvement, fill in the gaps for most Americans. They provide the quick fix to these resolutions by providing the specificity and plan that most people seek. Some of these programs can be helpful, but they still require research and commitment on the part of the consumer, which is why these resolutions see high rates of failure within a few weeks of enactment. Twenty-one days is the generally agreed upon time it takes for establishing a new habit, and not having a concrete plan or achievable goal can make habits unattainable. The most successful resolutions have a regimen and can be done daily, so over time these actions don’t even require thought. Instead of focusing on macro issues and trying to make life-altering resolutions, 2019 can be the year of small changes that, in turn, reap major benefits. Tackling smaller goals is a more effective way of improving day-to-day life that also sees a much higher success rate compared to attempting dramatic change in the new year.
1. Making Your Bed Each Morning
2. Walk and Stretch Throughout the Day
This one may sound like something parents say all too often, but Mom and Dad may be on to something. In his acclaimed novel ‘The Power of Habit,’ Charles Duhigg called making your bed each morning a “keystone habit.” Meaning, this small habit, if performed regularly, holds the power to improve other areas of life. Navy Seal William H. McCraven, who served as commander to the group tasked with eliminating Osama Bin Laden, said making your bed each morning creates a sense of accomplishment which often leads to more success throughout the day. McCraven became an internet sensation after his words at the 2014 University of Texas commencement circulated, telling graduates that small things can lead to greatness. “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. Making your bed will [reinforce] the fact that the little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right,” he said.
Humans are innately mobile creatures. Thousands of years ago, humans moved alongside food sources and worked throughout the day to ensure survival; however, as we have progressed into modern civilizations, just surviving is no longer the primary goal. As we continue to grow and connect with others, especially with the growth of digital technology, people actually move less. This lack of movement is taking a toll on Americans, as nearly 86 percent sit the majority of the day at their jobs. According to the Institute of Medicine and Public Health, Americans spend 56 hours a week sitting, which can lead to adverse health effects. People who sit so much throughout the day are at a higher risk of weight gain, poor blood circulation, heart disease and body pain. The string of issues created by this habit can be alleviated by taking time throughout the day to walk or stretch, even just a few minutes every hour can make a big difference in pain levels and comfort. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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Taking time to stretch, do yoga or meditate each day can be a great way to incorporate more movement into your life, outside of just working out each day. Unlike more intense exercise, this habit can be incorporated into a daily routine without taking up too much time or energy.
3. Read Five Pages of a Book Each Day Bill Gates, a child prodigy, technological innovator and arguably one of the most successful individuals in the world, reads approximately 50 books per year, which breaks down to about one book per week. 122 |
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By continuously reading, even in marginal amounts of various genres, you exercise your brain in a similar way that exercising would benefit the body. In the same mode that working out starts small, beginning with five pages a day is a doable goal that can turn into a routine. Taking this simple step to read a small amount each day can decrease mental decline, increase short-term and long-term memory and reduce stress and symptoms of anxiety, according to research compiled by Business Insider. Reading can be a great way to unwind in the evenings or detach from computer and phone screens.
SOURCE: HEALTH.USNEWS.COM, STATISTA.COM NBCNEWS.COM, HOVRPRO.COM BUSINESSINSIDER.COM, CBSNEWS.COM, BUSTLE.COM
4. Drink More Water There are a lot of figures regarding the average amount of water that should be consumed, but many averages equate to approximately 4 to 5, 16.9oz bottles. Drinking water is an essential step of living a healthy lifestyle; however, many Americans aren’t getting enough water or they’re obtaining their water from the wrong places. According to research compiled by CBS News, only about 30 percent of the water sources obtained by men and women come from pure water. Other sources include fruit juices and other beverages which often include added sugars and other additives.
Drinking more water can improve skin, digestive system, blood pressure and flush the body of toxins. Instead of drinking your calories in the form of carbonated soda and fruit juices, choosing to drink water can reap many more health benefits than other beverage options. For example, drinking more water can improve skin, digestive system, blood pressure and flush the body of toxins, according to Medical News Today. There are several iPhone and Android applications which allow users to track their water intake throughout the day, and some of these also include food and exercise trackers. The most well-known of these apps is “Plant Nanny,” where users must drink water to feed their plant daily to help it grow. Other apps include “Aqualert,” “Water Time,” and “My Fitness Pal.” Choosing one or a combination of these resolutions will allow you to start 2019 off right — making small changes in your life that will slowly grow into long-term healthy habits. From exercising the mind to giving your body what it needs, these resolutions are sure to promote a positive personal life and overall well-being.
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COMMUNITY >> OUR TOWNIES
MY PEEPS
Erin McLoughlin
EVERYBODY’S GOT A STORY TO TELL
Our Townies WRITTEN BY STEPH STRICKLA ND
In December of 2018 University of Florida students were asked what their New Year’s resolutions were for the upcoming year. This is what they had to say. Erin McLoughlin, a 19-year-old telecommunications and criminology sophomore, shared that she often feels like she has succumbed to the stereotypical college diet. Indulging in Uber Eats and Starbucks on a few too many occasions has led McLoughlin to her resolution to eat better and learn to cook in 2019, and also reap the physical and financial benefits associated with it. “By making my own meals, I can eat healthier and feel better and stronger,” she said. 124 |
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Everyone has a list of must-do and must-see things buried somewhere in the back of their mind. Jennifer Vale, a 24-year-old student, shared that it is her intention to bring this list to the top of her mind. “My New Year’s resolution is to actually get through my bucket list,” she said, because in many years past she also had fallen victim to allowing work and circumstance to keep her from chasing after the things she has always wanted to do.
Jennifer Vale
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Mariana Monforte
Brittany Amede
Mariana Monforte, a 19-year-old applied physiology and kinesiology major, has big plans for 2019. Since starting at UF in 2018 she has been very involved with schoolwork and extracurriculars, but is hoping to improve some habits this year with the goal to “make better grades and eat healthier and workout more,” she said. Monforte said she will try to complete these resolutions by working harder and putting her time toward more effective and productive endeavors. 126 |
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Brittany Amede has a similar goal to Mariana in 2019. The fourth year psychology and sociology major said that she would like to see herself learn better time management skills and find better uses for her time this year. In order to turn this desire into reality, Amede said she will be using a planner a lot more and holding herself accountable. Now what’s your 2019 resolution?
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SPOTLIGHT
RESCUE ANIMAL ADOPTIONS
Furever Friends CHLOE & THE WESLEYS
FUREVER FRIENDS IS A RECURRING PROFILE THAT FEATURES A LOCAL RESCUE ANIMAL AND THEIR OWNER, WRITTEN FROM THE ADOPTED PET’S “POINT OF VIEW.” NOMINATE YOURSELF OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW FOR OUR NEXT RESCUED PET PROFILE! CONTACT: EDITOR@TOWERPUBLICATIONS.COM.
Oh, hi there, my name is Chloe. Back in June, I became the latest resident of the Alachua County Humane Society – a place I’d call home for the next several months. When October finally rolled around, I was busy planning on how to get ahold of a bag of candy corn when everyone started panicking over someone named Michael coming to visit. To prepare for his upcoming arrival, the shelter began looking for people to help foster us. I guess Michael didn’t like pets. Eventually my foster mom Nadia Wesley came to pick me up and bring me home. The Wesley household was already pretty full, providing space for my “dog-pelganger” (doppleganger) Benny, a ginger cat named Freckles, a two-year-old named Isabelle and a 10-year-old named James. Because of this, Nadia’s husband thought it would be best if I only stayed until I found my forever home. To help me find my future family, the Wesley’s brought me to the adoption weekend at PetSmart – a magical place filled with unlimited snacks and toys! Though some people were interested in me, I decided I should stay in my cage. I know they meant well, but I already found my forever home, even if the Wesleys didn’t realize it yet. After some deliberation, and the realization that I’d be difficult to adopt because I’m shy and nervous around new people, the Wesleys decided to make me a permanent member of the family because as my new mom once said, “there’s always room for one more.” Since my official adoption, I’ve really come out of my shell. Even though my mom says I’m still skittish, I don’t belie– Ahh! What was that? Sorry, I heard a noise and thought it was the dish washer going off again or that pesky UPS driver who keeps trying to leave mysterious boxes by the front of the door. Let’s 128 |
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see, where was I? Oh yeah. Skittish! Me? No way! I’m just on high alert that’s all. Plus I get confused by all these odd things around the house so I bark at them or chew on them until I’ve established that they’re safe. For example, the other day I was chewing on something crunchy my mom called an acorn and then last week I saw the craziest thing being removed from our windows. They were some sort of black mesh torture devices so I barked at them repeatedly so they knew I meant business. Even though I’m around five years old, my mom says I’m lacking in the manners department. I’m not house-trained yet
and I tend to chew on things that I guess aren’t “edible” per se, but they sure taste delicious! My mom calls me a four-legged two-year-old, but I am trying to learn. And despite my age I look at my adoption as a do-over, a way for me to erase the scars from my past life and start over. Now I spend my days squished on the couch among the blankets and pillows, snuggling with my gator stuffed animal, or playing in the backyard with Benny. Freckles and I still keep a safe distance from each other. I just hope that one day other shelter animals are as lucky as me and find their forever home too. If you’re interested in adopting a pet, visit the Humane Society of North Central Florida website at humanesocietyncfl.org.
Together, we’re saving more lives. On November 8th 2018, Gainesville Pet Rescue, Helping Hands Pet Rescue and Alachua County Humane Society became:
VOLUNTEER
ADOPT
FOSTER
SPAY/NEUTER
Visit humanesocietyncfl.org to learn more. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
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H LIDAY!
We offer an extensive selection of champagne, wine, scotch, bourbons, beer & more.
Everything you need to make your holiday party the best one yet! t the he he Gator Spirits Liquor L iquor & W Wine ine Shoppe aatt JJonesville onesville Shoppe & Fine Wines NEW
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352-335-3994 3 52-335-3994
LIKE LI L IKE BO BOTH OTH LO L LOCATIONS CATIO CA ONS ON ON FA FACEBOOK ACE EB BOO O K FO FOR OR UP UPDA UPDATES DATE DA TES ON TE NW WINE INE IN E TA TASTINGS AST TING GS AN GS AND ND O OTHER THER R EVE EVENTS! VE ENT NTS S! 130 |
OUR TOWN MAGAZINE
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
Discover why over 17 million homeowners trust State Farm. ®
With your new home comes new responsibilities — like protecting your new investment with the right amount of homeowners insurance. That’s where I can help. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. CALL ME TODAY. ®
Ryan M Larmann, Agent 15560 NW Us Highway 441 Alachua, FL 32615 Bus: 386-418-0160 ryan@alachuainsurance.com Mon-Fri 9am-5pm After Hours by Appt
0907507FL
State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, State Farm General Insurance Company, Bloomington, IL State JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 Farm Florida Insurance Company, Winter Haven, FL
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CLEAN, SAFE COST-EFFECTIVE
Call GRU Natural Gas at 352-393-1400 or visit gru.com/naturalgas for details.
You may be eligible to receive a
$44 CREDIT
on your first month’s bill when you mention Our Town!*
Take advantage of up to
$1,600 in Natural Gas appliance rebates!
* Some restrictions apply. Offer limited to eligible single-family homeowners who replace their LP gas, oil or electric appliances with natural gas models. New GRU natural gas customers only.
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OUR TOWN MAGAZINE
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019