/OurTown-Winter2011 by Our Town Magazine

GATOR BAND | BUY LOCAL MOVEMENT | FAN OF THE ARTS

Winter 2011

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BEHIND THE CURTAIN pg.48 A look behind the scenes at the Steven C. O’Connell Center

THE OVERSEAS WONDER pg.122 How one man transformed a chain of islands into a tourist’s paradise

NEED FOR SPEED pg.154 New York natives revive the speedway in Bronson

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CONTENTS WINTER 2011 • VOL. 02 ISSUE 04 >> RAISE THE ROOF

48 Behind the Scenes at the

O’Dome BY ALBERT ISAAC

hile attending the University of Florida, Lynda Reinhart began her career as an O’Connell Center Student Staff member in the summer of 1994. Now she runs the show, or shows, to be more precise. As the director of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, also known as the O’Dome, Reinhart is responsible for the day-to-day operations within this massive multipurpose building. Her ofﬁce is the nerve center for the 296,000-square-foot facility. Within its concrete walls, fans attend UF basketball, swimming, gymnastics and volleyball games. Local clubs meet regularly at the sprawling complex. There is a martial arts room — which is used for many other things including catering and wardrobe — a weight

room, and dance and gymnastic studios. Each year, high school and college graduates gather for commencement. And noted celebrities ranging from G. Gordon Liddy and Timothy Leary to Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks, have graced the stage. “Most people are often surprised

at how much goes on here,” Reinhart said, taking a break from her hectic schedule to talk about the center. On this particular day, Cirque du Soleil — Dralion was setting up for a three-night show. Jeff Chenery, director of production, came into Reinhart’s ofﬁce, armed with his

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

ABOVE: Some of the people who make it all happen pose in front the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Left - right: Director of Production Jeff Chenery, Associate Director Renee Musson, Director Lynda Reinhart and Director of Operations Jeremy Cynkar. PHOTO COURTESY OF UF COMMUNICATIONS

48 | Winter 2011

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Winter 2011 | 49

By Albert Isaac

Behind the Curtain Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at the Steven C. O’Connell Center? This multipurpose facility, finished in 1980, is home to a variety of Gator sporting events, rock concerts, comedians and all manner of live performances. In this article we give you an idea of what it takes to make it all come together.

>> FLAGER’S DREAM LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION WASHINGTON, D.C.

The Overseas Wonder

Construction of Seven Mile Bridge, Linking Florida Keys, Knight Key, Monroe, FL. Southern view, showing upper chords, lateral and sway bracing.

How One Man Transformed a Chain of Islands into a Tourist’s Paradise BY CINDY LONG

“Flung out over the Florida Keys, across miles of open sea, a masterpiece of engineering takes you 170 miles from Miami to Key West,” — DESCRIPTION FROM AN OLD MAP

122 | Winter 2011

he story behind that masterpiece involves a crossroads of engineering, labor, materials and the gildedage fortune of one man. Henry Morrison Flagler built the Florida East Railway (FEC), Key West Extension, to link the mainland with Key West. What is now known as the Overseas Highway, US 1 to Key West, got its start as a railway. In the 1920s, a traveler could catch

journey down the east coast to Key West, board a steamer and head for Cuba. A portion of this journey through the keys was a slow glide over the water, for passengers could not see the track below when creeping across the bridges at 15 MPH. Flagler’s interest in Key West was its natural harbor and proximity to the soon-to-be-completed Panama Canal. It was a thriving city of 20,000, whose citizens labored at cigar factories, ﬁshing, sponge

the Havana Special in New York,

diving, ship building and wreck

Winter 2011 | 123

122

By Cindy Long

The Florida Keys Take a journey through time with this story of how a railway was built from the tip of Florida’s mainland all the way out to Key West. It was a century ago this January that Henry Flagler’s train chugged across the great expanse arriving to a throng of people that had gathered to greet him.

>> SHAKE AND BAKE

154

Need for Speed

Bronson Speedway

New York Natives Revive a Local Landmark BY MOLLY LARMIE PHOTOGRAPHY BY SUZETTE COOK

s a tangerine sunset sinks below the scrub brush, a

home in Long Island, N.Y. In the Young household, racing

line of vehicles-mostly trucks-winds its way down State Road 24. Just off the highway, amid

is a way of life. Young worked as a NASCAR scorer for more than 15 years. Her husband Chris races

and no one wants it to be. Twelve

a clearing in the trees, a red and white speedway opens its gates for Saturday night racing. Fans buy their tickets, $2 hot

in the NASCAR Modiﬁed division. They had never owned a track, but the idea grew. Both in their mid-50s, Ann and

dollars gets visitors in the grandstands. The cars are powerful but humble, with scratches in the paint and obvious traces of home repair.

dogs and ice-cold Budweisers, then ﬁnd their friends in the grand-

Chris are not ready to retire. Chris manages a ﬂeet of diesel trucks.

In the pit, Randy Anderson leans against his racecar, No. 86. It is

stands. LeAnn Rimes croons “The Star-Spangled Banner” over the speakers. The green ﬂag falls, and cars roar to life on the asphalt.

Ann is a nursing administrative supervisor. Their jobs and their children — 17-year-old Christopher and 6-year-old Leah — tether them

an Open Wheel Modiﬁed design, painted white with blue stripes and a pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness month.

At Bronson Speedway, racing is back, revived from unlikely

to New York. Their ﬁrst attempt as speedway owners would have to be

Anderson, a 17-year-old high school senior from Wildwood, has

circumstances. A year ago, the racetrack lay dormant, enshrined in leaves and overgrown grass. The septic system

long-distance. They closed on the property in Bronson in February and held the ﬁrst races at the end of July. They

been racing for eight years. After school, he works on cars at a shop behind his house. His dad, NASCAR driver Wayne

had malfunctioned. The scoreboard, speakers and lights needed

manage the track from 1,000 miles away, racking up sky miles on

Anderson, won his ﬁrst race at Bronson. Since he made the switch

replacing. A dead track. That’s what Ann Young found when she typed “race tracks for sale” into Google at her

frequent weekend trips. On a mild October night in Bronson, nearly 200 people ﬁle into the grandstands. It’s not NASCAR,

to the Open Wheel Modified division this year, Anderson has raced all over the state. His record: two wins and five second-place finishes

154 | Winter 2011

14 | Winter 2011

By Molly Larmie

The roar of engines can again be heard at the Bronson Speedway, which recently reopened under new ownership. New York couple Ann and Chris Young bought the track in February and racing began again in July of 2011. For 2012, the Bronson Speedway will open for a full season of racing — February through November.

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

ON THE COVER

>> FEATURES 26

Pride of the Sunshine The Sound of The Gator Nation BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

Blazing A New Trail The Florida Trail Association BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

History of the O’Dome

In this edition, we caught up with UF’s Women’s Basketball Coach Amanda Butler, who took time out of her busy schedule to meet with our writer and photographer. As head coach, Butler has brought more wins to Florida than any previous coach in the program. Go Gators!

A Photo History of Some of the Amazing Performances Held at the O’Dome

Amanda Butler

COLUMNISTS

Gator Women’s Basketball Coach Guides Her Players with Drive and Passion

44 Crystal Henry NAKED SALSA 66 Albert Isaac DIFFERENT NOTE 118 Brian “Krash” Kruger GATE CRASHING 174 Amanda Williamson ADVENTURES IN APPETITE – THE TOP

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

Art You Can Sit In From School Chairs to Fine Art BY ELLIS AMBURN

Helping Hands The Buy Local Movement BY CAROLYN TILLO

Our Food Connection Blue Oven Kitchens

INFORMATION

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

A Cottage Industry Food Entrepreneur Stefanie Samara Hamblen BY CAROLINE LEWIS

98 Community Calendar 112 Taste of the Town 184 Advertiser Index

The articles printed in Our Town Magazine™ 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. © 2011 Tower Publications, Inc.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Winter 2011 | 15

Published quarterly by Tower Publications, Inc. www.towerpublications.com

PUBLISHER Charlie Delatorre charlie@towerpublications.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Albert Isaac editor@towerpublications.com fax: 1-800-967-7382 OFFICE MANAGER Bonita Delatorre bonita@towerpublications.com ART DIRECTOR Hank McAfee hank@towerpublications.com SENIOR DESIGNER Tom Reno tom@towerpublications.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTINE HALE

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ellis Amburn Desiree Farnum Janice Kaplan Brian “Krash” Kruger Mary Kypreos Molly Larmie Caroline Lewis Cindy Long Carolyn Tillo Amanda Williamson

Gardeners help to give City Hall a makeover on Memorial Day 2011.

INTERN Desiree Farnum Jennifer Riek

>> FEATURES

ADVERTISING SALES 352-215-2833 Nancy Short nancy@towerpublications.com

132 Building on Faith The Gainesville Interfaith Forum and Habitat for Humanity BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

140 Dynamic Duo Richy Stano & Shane Moore BY MARY KYPREOS

148 Book Lover’s Survival Guide An Abridged Look at Local Used Bookstores BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

164 Amazing Acres

Helen Stalnaker 352-416-0209 helen@towerpublications.com Jenni Bennett 352-416-0210 jenni@towerpublications.com Larkin Kieffer 352-416-0212 larkin@towerpublications.com Pam Sapp 352-416-0213 pam@towerpublications.com Annie Waite 352-416-0204 annie@towerpublications.com

A Farm of Therapy For Children DESIREE FARNUM

180 Interview: Tom Miller By Albert Isaac 16 | Winter 2011

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SPECIAL >> DANCE MARATHON

The 2012 Dance Marathon at UF will begin on March 31st. To learn more, visit ﬂoridadm.kintera.org.

Tripping the Light Fantastic… ...for 26 Hours! Each year, more than 800 students stay awake, dance and otherwise stay on their feet to raise money and awareness for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Dance Marathon at the University of Florida is an annual 26.2-hour event benefiting the patients of Shands Hospital for Children at the University of Florida. Last year, students at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center danced their way into Shands Kids’ hearts to the tune of $713,053.68, according to shandsgiving.org. This is a new record for this event by more than $195,000. In the 17 years of Dance Marathon at UF, more than $4.5 million has been donated making this the most successful student-run philanthropy in the Southeastern United States. Proceeds are used to purchase life-saving medical equipment, fund pediatric research and purchase diversionary activities such as computers, games and toys.

18 | Winter 2011

“The 26.2-hour event represents the actual distance participants run in a marathon and symbolizes the struggle so many of our children patients face every day at Shands Children’s Hospital at UF,” states the Shands website. “Dancers were inspired to keep standing by listening to stories of Shands Children’s Hospital Ambassador families.” Last year, 34 miracle kids came to visit the event. Dance Marathon, a campus-wide event, is a yearlong commitment from more than 1,500 students to raise money and awareness for Shands Hospital for Children. During the marathon, musicians, celebrities, athletes, dance groups and other student and community organizations entertain the dancers to provide motivation and support, according to floridam.kintera.org. Students “dancing” in Dance Marathon learn a line dance. It is usually around five minutes long and is set to a compilation of current and classic popular songs.

A special team of students, called the Morale Team, is assigned to help keep up the spirits of the dancers by creating different theme hours for Dance Marathon that feature costumes, games and activities. Meals and snacks donated by local restaurants are served every few hours throughout the event and keep the dancers energized while they stay on their feet. The highlight of the event is when the Miracle Families come to visit and share their stories. Miracle families, who have survived remarkable odds to overcome their illness or injury with the help of Shands Hospital for Children, share their stories during the event and inspire each student dancer. Their stories of success keep the dancers motivated and remind everyone that they are making a difference in a child’s life. Beginning March 31 through April 1, 2012, students will again take to the floor of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center to dance the night (and day) away. s

Pizza Partner of the Florida Gators

MESSAGE >> FROM THE EDITOR

’ve recently returned from my high school reunion in Miami and it was quite a trip down memory lane. Growing up in Miami, my family and I were very familiar with the Florida Keys. We visited frequently and even owned property on Big Pine Key for a while. I remember the dazzling blue water, stretching out as far as the eye can see. And I remember what it was like driving across those narrow bridges, both as a child in my parent’s car and then later as a young man driving myself, with buses and trucks whipping by. That seems a lifetime ago. But more than a century ago, before there was an overseas highway, work began on an ambitious railroad project to join the islands. January marks the 100th anniversary of the completion of this impressive feat of human endeavor and ingenuity, and in this edition we offer a story of this oft-called Eighth Wonder of the World, the Florida Overseas Railroad. Additionally, during my time at the University of Florida I was a member of the Fightin’ Gator Marching Band. So, it is with great pleasure we offer you a story about the “Pride of the Sunshine.” Brings back great memories of a time when I was part of musical magic. During those years I made lifelong friends and learned a lot about myself. When I came to UF, the Stephen C. O’Connell Center was taking shape, with its innovative air-supported Teflon roof. After its completion, some students would climb up and jump on the roof. They called it “O’Connelling.” I thought they were crazy. (Which they were.) And, no, I didn’t participate. Recently, I had the opportunity to get a glimpse behind the scenes of the O’Dome, in this case, as the main arena was transformed from a volleyball court to Cirque du Soleil in a matter of days. I was impressed by how much goes on at the center. In this edition, we also bring you a story about UF’s Women’s Basketball Coach Amanda Butler. As a UF student, Butler played in the early 1990s, and returned to her alma mater as head coach in 2007. These and other great stories are waiting to be discovered within these pages. I’ve certainly enjoyed working on this edition and I think you’ll enjoy it too. s

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STAFF >> CONTRIBUTORS Ellis Amburn

Janice Kaplan

is a resident of High Springs as well as the author of biographies of Roy Orbison, Elizabeth Taylor and others. He is an occasional guest-lecturer at the University of Florida on narrative journalism.

has been a freelance writer since 2005. In her spare time Janice loves cooking, Gator sports, Jimmy Buffett anything and spending time with her husband and kids. kaplan_ janice@yahoo.com

ellis.amburn@gmail.com.

Amanda Williamson

Caroline Lewis

is a student in UF’s College of Journalism and Communications. She has been writing for as long as she can remember. She enjoys spending time with her friends, family and animals.

loves food, traveling and writing. A senior in UF’s College of Journalism and Communications, she hopes to one day work in public interest communications. She also loves photography, chocolate, and spending time with family.

awilliamson@ufl.edu

carolinelydia.lewis@gmail.com

22 | Winter 2011

Desiree Farnum

Carolyn Tillo

is an intern at Tower Publications, a senior in UF’s College of Journalism and a freelance writer. Born in Trinidad and raised in Queens, NY, she enjoys spontaneous road trips and visits from outof-town friends.

wanted to go to law school until she realized she hated arguing. A UF graduate, she is pursuing her master’s in public relations at Boston University and hopes to eventually work as a communications coordinator for a nonprofit.

desireefarnum@ufl.edu

carolyntillo@gmail.com

Molly Larmie

Mary Kypreos

was born and raised just north of Daytona Beach. She misses the sand and the sound of the waves but has fallen in love with the Gainesville community. There are always at least three books resting on her nightstand.

is a freelance writer and editor who enjoys discovering tidbits of knowledge about Florida from those who know it best. She is a proud Gator alumna and is currently working toward a Master’s in English language and literature.

molarmie@gmail.com

kypreos.mary@gmail.com

Cindy Long

Crystal Henry

is a freelance writer. She also creates and updates websites. Her family life is filled with a great husband, Jim and four little dogs. Her passion for contra dance threatens to take over her life.

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.

cindy@isyourwebsiteuptodate.com

ces03k@gmail.com

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Winter 2011 | 23

>> GO GATORS

Pride of the Sunshine The Sound of the Gator Nation BY JANICE C. KAPLAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY TJ MORRISSEY

“Music is the soundtrack of our lives.” — DICK CLARK or many people, life’s biggest defining moments are tied to music: That first kiss, that senior year high school dance, a long-ago lazy summer romance... It is hard to imagine those memories without a particular song cueing the laughter, tears or wistful pangs of puppy love. Now try to imagine a Gator touchdown without the strains of “Orange and Blue.” Or the two-note refrain of “Jaws” as 90,000 pairs of arms mimic the mouth of a gator. Or the end of the third quarter without

26 | Winter 2011

crowds swaying arm in arm to “We are the Boys from Old Florida.” Of course you can’t. It is the unifying sound for all Gator fans, the leader of one of the most formidable 12th men in all of college football. And its arrival is made known on game day with the stadium announcer’s call: “It’s the Priiiiiiide of the Sunshine! The University of Florida Fightin’ Gator Marching Band!” At more than 300 members including the Florida Visual Ensemble (flags/auxiliary) and Gatorettes (baton twirlers), the Pride of the Sunshine is the largest student organization on the UF campus. The band performs at all home football games as well as at select away games, the annual

Homecoming Parade, Gator Growl and other functions as they arise. “The Gator Band provides the soundtrack for the Gator Nation,” said Pride of the Sunshine band Director John “Jay” Watkins. “It’s also the most visible performing group on campus. In that role it has to serve as the ambassador for the flagship university of the state. What they’re doing represents not just the band and the university — we’re representing the people of Florida.” To say band members are dedicated would be a grave understatement. They come from all majors and backgrounds and practice together for eight to ten hours a week, with game day responsibilities taking as many

as six hours — all in addition to carrying a full course schedule. “People talk about how great the graduates are at the University of Florida,” said Dr. David Waybright, director of Bands at UF. “But I think without question that the kind of selfless person that commits himself to the university and to the band where there isn’t a lot of personal financial or political gain — that kind of student is probably the best student in the university.” Preparation for a typical game week begins on Monday evening when the band gets the music for Saturday’s show. Musicians practice in sections and then together to work out the kinks and mark the music as to when they will be

moving into formation or standing. The band also looks at video from the previous weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pregame and halftime performances to correct any ongoing issues. Tuesday, Thursday and (on game week) Friday are dedicated to outdoor rehearsal for two hours each day. The band learns the formations and puts them to music the first two days, with Friday dedicated to review and polishing. Early Saturday morning the band gathers again to run through the pregame and halftime shows. Members then stand in concert formation on the field and play through all the music to be performed in the stands to ensure it all sounds current and fresh. The bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game day

performance is not confined to the stadium walls. The changing room is open at least two hours before kickoff, and a 75-piece pep band performs at the football team’s Gator Walk before heading back up to University Auditorium to congregate around the gator statue. The band then marches down Stadium Road, periodically performing the fight song as it continues into the stadium and on to the field for pregame. No time for tailgating for those who are part of this Pride. But it is a small price to pay for the end result — the roar of the crowd as the band takes the field. Members attest that it is a feeling like no other to step onto the gridiron of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, to hear the fans spelling

out “G-A-T-O-R-S” as each letter is formed on the field, and to bring the crowd to a fever pitch during a crucial defensive stand. Even the head Gator himself takes notice. “We enjoy the post-game celebration with the band as the team and coaching staff head to the north end of the stadium to sing our fight song after a victory at The Swamp,” said Head Football Coach Will Muschamp. “It is a special moment and we certainly appreciate the support of the band.” And sometimes the payoff is just the right combination of musicality and pop culture, resulting in a halftime moment for the ages. Gary Langford served as Gator band director in the 1980s and

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1990s. During his tenure the band employed a number of musical styles, but in 1990 he decided to experiment with a short dance routine — for the entire band — inserted into a rendition of MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This.” While many members were unsure of this unique number heading into game day, the casual applause of the crowd steadily grew into a deafening roar as people watched the band “get down.” It was said to be one of the best audience reactions in the group’s history. “We’re always trying to find a balance of tunes that are musically satisfying to the band, and adaptable to marching band instrumentation and drill,” Langford said. “Sometimes you think you

Winter 2011 | 29

Try to imagine a the end of the third quarter without crowds swaying arm in arm to “We are the Boys from Old Florida.” really have a hot show, and the response is lukewarm. Or you think a show is okay, but the student response is incredible and you really strike it rich.” That jackpot comes from humble beginnings. According to “The Biggest Boom in Dixie: The Story of Music at the University of Florida” by former Gator Band director Colonel Harold Bachman, the band was founded in 1914 by UF student George DuRell “Pug” Hamilton. Dubbed the Cadet Band,

30 | Winter 2011

it was a military-style, 16-piece ensemble that performed guard mount and dress parades, among other functions. Although their motto was “We play anything, anywhere, anytime,” the band’s early years were marked by a limited budget and facilities. In lieu of a professional band director, Hamilton and fellow student Lucien Dyrenforth led the group and held regular practices in a classroom, much to the chagrin of professors teaching nearby. There were no separate band uniforms; members wore the same cadet uniform as other university students. Some instruments had to be acquired from pawnshops. But the members demonstrated a spirit that quickly rubbed off on the student body, and within a few years the band was making trips throughout the state to play engagements, including Governor Hardee’s inaugural processional. In 1920 the Cadets had their first official band director, R. DeWitt Brown, who would go on to lead for 28 years. By the early 1930s

the band was performing halftime shows at football games. Uniforms changed often and included pieces such as sweaters, sports jackets, white trousers and sailor caps as well as full dress military uniforms. Gator Band began a new era in the late 1940s when the university went co-educational and Sophy Mae Mitchell became the first of many women to march with the group. In 1948, Colonel Bachman took directorship and brought with him a wide collection of music to expand the band’s repertoire. Membership swelled to 70 student musicians, and the first official band uniforms arrived in time for the homecoming game that year against Miami. In the following decades the band saw the addition of batontwirling majorettes and a color guard. Popular music joined the traditional pieces, and the band’s current official name — The Pride of the Sunshine — was coined. As the size and purpose of the band have evolved, so have their accommodations. The Steinbrenner

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Sink Your Teeth into Some History... The Gator Chomp was started by members of the band. At an away game at Mississippi State in the early 1980s, Gator trombone player Adren Hance heard the MSU band playing the familiar two-note “Jaws” theme. “We said, ‘That’s silly, they’re bulldogs,” Hance said. “We should be doing it — we’re Gators!” Hance and fellow bandmate Monty Musgrave wrote an arrangement, taught it to their fellow band members and played it at the next home game. They used up-and-down chomping movements with their instruments to cue the band as to when each note should be played. The students, according to Hance, began to copy those movements with their arms — and the Gator Chomp was born.

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Band Hall was completed in 2008 and provides plentiful rehearsal and storage space for all the bands in the school’s music program. And, after bouncing from one temporary location to another, the band should finally have its own dedicated practice field next year at Mowry Road and Gale Lemerand Drive. For all the changes over the years, however, one thing remains the same: pride. It resonates in everything a band member does, from perfecting music and memorizing drill charts to caring for instruments, equipment and uniforms. “We work really hard all week long,” said Ethan Tripp, one of the band’s three drum majors, “and it all pays off on game day when we’re leading over 90,000 people in cheers, plus everyone watching on TV. That’s something most people will never get to experience in life. You have to take a sense of pride in that.” One unique tradition to remind the members of such pride is the jacket ceremony.

“The fact that you’re giving up some of your individual identity to be a representative of the Gator Nation means something,” Watkins said, “and it’s not something to be taken lightly.” Conducted before the first home game of the year, the band follows a specific routine before they don their uniforms for the first time. The band directors put the uniform coats on the drum majors, who then put the coats on the section leaders. The process is then repeated for new members and for everyone else in the band. A specific phrase is recited each time a jacket is put on, reminding the student that wearing the uniform is a privilege. Pride goes beyond what members do in uniform, too. While they have plenty of opportunity for fun and travel, band members also take their roles as ambassadors seriously when it comes to charity and service. The Pride of the Sunshine regularly provides pep bands for

events benefiting organizations such as the March of Dimes, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the American Cancer Society. Last year the band did a “pink show” to support breast cancer research, complete with pink flags and rollout banners and a formation of the famed ribbon logo. During the show a website was announced where donations could be made, and as a result the band raised over $10,000 for the Susan B. Komen Foundation. The group has its own chapters of Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi, national band service organizations. Chapter members assist with functions such as uniform checkout and music library maintenance. They also serve Gatorade to band members after the halftime show, including the visiting team’s band, and perform other tasks as needed by the band department. Watkins and his staff also provide ways for the students to network with their academic peers.

During preseason camp some lunch breaks are taken with students grouped by area of study instead of by section, giving the opportunity to network and establish contacts. And the demands of marching band — the details of rehearsals, performance, musicianship and a 24-page course syllabus — are enough to teach even the most scatterbrained student the art of organization.

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“It’s not about teaching and marching,” explained Watkins. “We talk about individual responsibility, how to be a good citizen, be a good person, how to work with people and communicate with people.” Through these and other experiences, the band provides a home away from home. Finding one’s way in a school with 50,000 students can be intimidating. But when that number is broken down to a microcosm of a few hundred people, getting used to campus life

seems a little less daunting. “UF is a huge campus, but Gator Band has made me more than just a number,” said Myrrhanda Jones, captain of the Gatorettes. “That’s my family. I know that if I’m having a hard day, there’s always somebody from band [to talk to]. I can walk around campus and see someone and say, ‘Oh I know him, he’s in Gator Band.’ It’s really cool to have 300 people you automatically know, so you don’t feel like a number.” Pride sticks with members long

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after they leave the university’s noble gothic walls and vine-clad Halls. The annual Gator Band Alumni Weekend draws hundreds of alumni members and their families back to Gainesville to march once again on Florida Field at halftime. David Fritz returned last year to perform for the first time since his college years in the 1970s. “After meeting everyone again on Facebook I wanted to go back and see them again,” said Fritz, now a band director himself at an Ocala middle school. “Marching across the field again, with 90,000 people cheering, that was a real rush.” It is that rush that brings band members into the program, but it is the camaraderie that keeps them there. “It’s a tremendous family, and there are a lot of friendships and even marriages that came out of Gator Band,” Langford said. “It’s a super group of kids who do a tremendous amount for the university, come hell or high water.” s

PHOTO COURTESY OF GATOR BAND

The Biggest Boom in Dixie Former Gator Band Director Richard Bowles with the Gator Band’s giant bass drum. Seen during the Homecoming parade and on Band Alumni Day, the drum was made speciﬁcally for the band in 1953 and was played during halftime shows for many years. The original hide is still on the drum today and, while its use is now strictly ornamental, its alumni caretakers regularly allow young Gator fans to take a (careful!) whack at it.

You Got it Backwards A ﬁrst-year member of the marching band is called a ROTAG, which means “Rookie Out To Achieve Gatordom.” Each ROTAG is assigned a “Gator Aider,” an upperclassmen who essentially acts as a big brother or sister to get them acquainted with band’s schedule, rules and traditions.

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London or Bust! The Pride of the Sunshine has been invited to perform in London, England during the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Aside from the obvious excitement of traveling abroad, it is an opportunity for worldwide exposure for the marching band, the music department, the university and the state of Florida.

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Extensive fundraising is needed to help as many band members as possible make the trip. The band staff is currently researching travel companies that will put together the best packages and pricing for the students. But the cost is still bound to be a challenge for many. Those wanting to make a ﬁnancial contribution or otherwise help the band’s efforts to make this landmark trip, please contact Maria Gutierrez Martin,

at 352-846-1211 or mmartin@arts.uﬂ.edu.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Winter 2011 | 35

A Smile Is More Than Meets The Eye

s Dr. Paivi Samant mills about her ofﬁce, a message left by a client is printed for her from her answering service. She reads the text and pauses before erupting in laughter: “Woo-hoo!” the message states. “She loves you guys because everything is wonderful. She is eating pistachio nuts!” The message reﬂects what

Samant loves most about her job – her patients and the quality of life they enjoy when their teeth work as they should. “It’s not only about looks,” said Samant, prosthodontist and owner of Samant Dental Group in Gainesville. “When you get someone who has had very poor function as well as teeth that aren’t very good looking, their self-esteem is affected by that. When they can ﬁnally eat

what they want and look good too, people feel much better.” Samant Dental Group provides all types of restorative dental and prosthodontic care to its clients including crowns, veneers, implant supported restorations, dentures and full mouth rehabilitation. She also helps patients with sleep apnea by designing and creating appliances to be worn overnight.

Samant and her colleagues and staff achieve this by combining the many skills required for specialty care with the latest developments in the ﬁeld. “Prosthodontists are really architects,” said Samant. “We

“Samant Dental Group provides all types of restorative dental and prosthodontic care.” create the design and then pull the team members in, whether you need an orthodontist, periodontist or oral surgeon to build a foundation on which you do the work. There are so many different materials available now, and we can create lifelike dentistry that lasts longer.” Samant, who is from Finland, started as a speech therapist after earning her degree from the University of Helsinki. But when she moved with her husband to his home country of Canada, there was a slight issue with her chosen field. “I enjoyed the speech/ pathology field, but was disadvantaged with my accent!” she explained with a laugh. She became interested in dentistry and, when the couple moved to the United States, she enrolled in dental school at the University of Tennessee. It was during those years that she discovered a love for her field of continued on next page

Dr. Paivi Samant M.A., D.D.S. Prosthodontist

specialization and the technical, creative and interpersonal skills it requires. “Dentistry is artistry,” said Samant. “I’ve always liked working with my hands. Being able to do a little bit of the handiwork and having the patient contact was something that interested me. And you can get as technical as you want. It’s like making little buildings; you can make (the prosthodontics) very intricate. There’s a lot of physics involved, and even math in a way.” After graduating from her specialization, Samant went on to become a professor at University of Tennessee

before moving to Gainesville. These days in addition to her practice, she teaches ongoing educational programs and was recently named a board member of the Florida Prosthodontic Association. Encouraged by the increase she has seen in women practicing dentistry, she hopes to start a local chapter of the American Association of Women Dentists sometime early next year. But credentials and technology alone don’t ﬁx teeth. “Technology is an aid. It’s not something that replaces the operator,” said Samant. “No matter how fancy a machine is, it’s only as good as its user.

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You have to have staff that is a reflection of what you practice and believe.” What she believes is that the patients are the center of her practice. Her affection for them is made clear in everything from her quick smile and gentle wit to the inviting colors and artistic touches of her office décor. Every year she holds a patient appreciation party where clients enjoy food, wine and sometimes a demonstration of the latest technology in dentistry. And of course, you can hear how much she cares about them in her words. “I love to take time with patients,” she said. “Every person is interesting. It’s fantastic to hear people’s stories and relate to them. When the patient is in the chair I want them and their teeth to be the only focus at that very moment.” Samant and her staff consider their role a crucial part of their patients’ overall systemic health. “What we eat, that’s what we are. And when we cannot eat healthy we cannot be healthy,” said Samant. “We’re living in a time when we have the materials and the technology it takes to fix people’s dentitions and get them back to functioning more ideally. People want to look good, but looking good does not mean much if the teeth don’t work. It means nothing.”

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>> THE STATE YOU’RE IN

Blazing a New Trail The Florida Trail Association

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN ainesville sees its fair share of snowbirds every year. And not just the kind that take their time on the Interstate. At the onset of each winter, Paynes Prairie becomes home for thousands of sandhill and whooping cranes. With their broad wings spread they soar across the clear blue skies, their calls heard for miles throughout Gainesville. They settle in Paynes Prairie and along the La Chua Trail to feed, mate and otherwise congregate for a few months before heading off once again in February. It is one of the many breathtaking natural events that can

40 | Winter 2011

be witnessed in North Central Florida, and one that the Florida Trail Association hopes to use as a springboard for making the trails of Gainesville and Alachua County a cornerstone of ecotourism. “If you’re hiking the LaChua trail in Paynes Prairie, that’s one of the finest trails in the state,” said Dennis O. Miranda, Executive Director of the Florida Trail Association. “You see wonderful wildflowers, a diversity of butterflies, alligators, buffalo, wild horses, eagles and ospreys. You can’t just go to a neighboring county and expect to find all this. When you couple it with the height of the migration and all of these cranes, Gainesville is a great place to visit.” The Florida Trail Association was

established in 1966 when the first leg of Florida’s National Scenic Trail was blazed in the Ocala National Forest. It is contracted by the U.S. Forest Service as a partner to construct, maintain and manage the trail via 19 state chapters manned by over 5,000 volunteers. The Florida National Scenic Trail is one of eight such trails throughout the United States. It runs approximately 1,400 miles, from the Big Cypress National Preserve in the southern part of the state to Santa Rosa County in the west, passing around both sides of Lake Okeechobee and through such natural landmarks as the Ocala and Osceola National Forests and many state parks. Despite its original

Each winter during the migratory season, thousands of sandhill cranes descend upon the Prairie. Their calls can often be heard for miles. Like many trails in Alachua County, those at Paynes Prairie allow for quiet thinking, wildlife observation and time to connect with friends. It is a good idea to be cautious of poison ivy along Florida’s trails, as Dennis Miranda points out (top right).

purpose, however, the Florida Trail Association and its many volunteers are dedicated to the care of all trails. Miranda is not hesitant to give these tireless individuals their due credit. “Trails are the portal to viewing our natural heritage,” Miranda said. “Our volunteers have been selfless and dedicated; they are the heroes and heroines of our trails. We always take for granted when we hike a trail; it never occurs to us who maintains them. You don’t see a name imprinted on any kiosk or etched in stone. They’re an amazing selfless, generous, giving people who sacrifice greatly.” Miranda arrived in Gainesville in February 2011 after working in conservation in New Jersey

for 25 years, encouraging sound environmental practices through activism and government relations. He was instantly smitten with the trails and variety of wildlife that he saw in north central Florida, and he has made it the Florida Trail Association’s mission to share that treasure with others. He hopes to do this through nature festivals, such as the inaugural Florida Crane and Nature Festival scheduled for Saturday, January 14, 2012 at Paynes Prairie State Park. Participants will celebrate and observe not only cranes but also native wildlife such as American bald eagles, bison, wild horses and more. The festival will also feature a dinner with a keynote speaker, a silent auction and

www.VisitOurTowns.com

wildlife and birding presentations. Miranda is excited and hopeful about this new festival, explaining that in many other areas of the country one can find celebrations focused on what he calls the pageantry of crane migration. Indeed, states such as California, Texas, New Mexico, Michigan, Colorado and Alaska experience the seasonal arrival and departure of cranes, and boast communities that have created festivals around the event. Miranda hopes to establish the same kind of thing here. “I think my experience [in New Jersey] enabled me to view what Alachua County offers with a subjective view,” he said. “There is a great potential here for developing a destination for ecotourism. You

Winter 2011 | 41

“We have something special here, and it ought not to be a well-kept secret anymore.”

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knew it locally, but the rest of the country didn’t know it. Even in winter it’s an amazing place.” Miranda created some questions and talked to people at various levels of government and tourism, and by mid-May he was convinced that some kind of festival celebrating the cranes would be a fitting way to further ecotourism efforts. Miranda hopes to see the Florida Trail Association grow as a way to bring attention to the area and its outstanding natural resources, thriving biological communities and sound infrastructure for ecotourism. He credits the city and county for their efforts to help preserve natural spaces like greenways and the forest canopy, thereby creating an environment conducive to these efforts. “There will be others who discover this destination and enjoy the wildlife and scenic vistas that can be found, whether it’s the rising fog of a January morning over the prairie or the sun setting,” Miranda said. “There are people who come here and paint the setting sun. That’s not commonplace. “We have something special here, and it ought not to be a well-kept secret anymore.” s

2012 Florida Crane and Nature Festival The inaugural Florida Crane and Nature Festival is scheduled for Saturday, January 14, 2012. Sponsorships are available for businesses and

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42 | Winter 2011

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COLUMN >> CRYSTAL HENRY

Naked Salsa High School Sweetheart sure-fire sign of my elderly status has arrived in the form of an invitation to my 10-year high school reunion. It seems the Permian Panther class of 2002 will be reuniting in June to reconnect with one another through totally non-judgmental cocktails and conversation. I swore when I graduated that there was no way I’d go to my reunion. I figured it was just for losers who were still trying to cling to their glory days. I would be much too busy with my career to even bother with those cretins. But for whatever reason I’m a little intrigued now that it’s actually upon me. I really have no business going. Let’s put aside the fact that the reunion is scheduled a mere three months after I’ll have given birth to my second child, and therefore I will arrive as a flabby pile of stretch-marked wonderment. I will undoubtedly have to field questions about when the baby is due, for surely my uterus will betray me and not contract back down until weeks after the reunion, giving me the super sexy appearance of being 5 months with child. But there’s no sense in dwelling on that. I’ve heard from one source that we have at least 11 people from our graduating class who are also expecting within a month or two of me, so there’s to be one or two other fatties. But lay the cards out. Everyone knows that the 10-year reunion is the one you attend to measure your self-worth against people you vaguely remember and only occasionally Facebook stalk when you’re bored or

avoiding deadlines at 3 a.m. And I’m just not where I thought I’d be. I imagined that if I graced those urchins with my presence I’d be a mega successful journalist living in the big city. No friggin’ way I’d be tied down to a husband or needy little ankle biters. But as it stands, I’m a stay-at-home mom with one ankle biter on the outside and one planning its escape from the womb. I’m not even a hardcore single mom who had artificial insemination because my career was too timeconsuming for me to date. Nope. I have a stupid husband who I actually think is pretty awesome. We live in the burbs, I secretly envy those with minivans, and one source of great pride is our 15-year mortgage we just refinanced on our 1964 ranch-style home. Yippee. I know I technically have a job as a freelancer, and a responsibility to dazzle the five people who read my column and the super newsworthy articles I write on vacationing on a dime do get me an “employed” status. But there are idiots I graduated with who are working actual grown-up jobs where they fly out of town on business and wear pants when they work. What do I tell them when they ask in a honey-sweet voice of condescension, “So do you just stay home with the kids now?” as they text super important business things on their iPhones? I did graduate from quite the prestigious university (Go Gators!). So that does account for something. And

Everyone knows that the 10-year reunion is the one you attend to measure your self-worth against people you vaguely remember and only occasionally Facebook stalk when you’re bored or avoiding deadlines at 3 a.m.

44 | Winter 2011

a journalism degree from said university is nothing to sneeze at. And although many of my J-School peers are living out dreams of writing in the big city, I have to humbly admit that I’m satisfied with the path my life took. I had all the plans in the world of being Miss Independent Career Woman. It’s why I moved a thousand miles from Little Town, Texas all the way to Florida without knowing a soul in the state. I’d planned to just get my college on a bit and then head off to NYU to complete my journalism degree. But instead of whisking away to The Big Apple or D.C. to be some hard-hitting reporter, I fell in love. I fell in love with my husband; I fell in love with Florida; and I fell in love with magazine writing. I didn’t know it, but all my plans of who I thought I would be in 10 years went out the window the first time I saw that adorable young gentleman sitting on a grimy yellow sofa in a smoky Irish Pub. And my visions of a sharply dressed investigative reporter vanished the first time I opened the Our Town magazine and saw my travel feature and photos in print. As for those ankle biters, well I don’t even stand a chance with them. I am the totally dorky mom who broadcasts to the world the first time my child puts her pee pee in the potty as if she invented the entire concept of sitting on a toilet. And the one in-utero can make me beam just by pouncing on my bladder. I think making two humans may actually trump getting to intern for Comedy Central for a semester, Amanda Farmer. So come June, I might squeeze my chunky butt into some braggin’ pants and mosey on out to Texas after all. I’ve got plenty to be proud of and plenty that I’ve accomplished that my fellow classmates need to know about. Plus, I know from Facebook stalking that my high school arch nemesis and ultra-popular mean girl got pregnant out of wedlock and is really fat now. So at least I can give one condescending smile while I’m there. I’m going. s

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Winter 2011 | 45

Mode Salon… Bringing International Imagination and Beauty To Gainesville T

here are special places across the planet where beauty flourishes. You feel it; you become part of it. These are called Power Points. Mode Salon in Gainesville is just such a place, blending international craftsmanship and Mode’s celebrated attention to detail to a level of excellence and trustworthiness difficult to find elsewhere. When Mode opened in 2008, it was staffed with friends in the business; friendly and very capable people. But, as coowners Danny McKibbin and Loniee Carpenter expanded their salon into a second location, managed by Stephanie Carpenter. As they expanded, they felt the need for the salon to take on a bigger, more international flavor. Think Globally, Act locally… this comforting expression takes on new meaning in the world of hair care. The Mode Salon uses only the organic, enriching products of Davines (Mode East) and Aveda (Mode West) in their services. As Danny and Lonie got to know the companies behind these products, they also became aware of the opportunities being presented to make global connections with leaders in the industry who now not only

46 | Winter 2011

mentor salon team members, but also offer exceptional educational experiences. Lonie and team members have studied in Covent Garden, London at the Allilon Academy and attended training conferences in New York City and The Hamptons. From these classes, important contacts and friendships have been forged…. tying everyone at Mode Salon into a network of excellence and creating fruitful alliances. Danny and Lonie believe that to be successful you must have passion and commitment; humility and love; and, education. Every month, staff from East and West gets together for workshops with industry leaders. This ongoing investment in excellence is making Mode itself internationally known. Alyssa Inman just returned from South Africa, following up on an opportunity presented in London. “Make Your Heart Beat match The Beat of the Universe” is Lonie’s favorite expression and one that he feels encapsulates all the Salon is providing for its team members. Each salon staffer is being trained, and elevated to higher levels of craftsmanship daily. With the salon’s mission to inspire and be inspired by the world around it, clients are the living proof of the

well of beauty the Mode Salon has dipped into and now shares. To see some of the hands-on activity taking place at the Mode, sign on to Facebook at modesalongainesville and watch… every day something is going on… and the public is invited. Visit the website of Mode Salon East and Mode Salon West for more information on team members and learn more about the products and services being offered: amodesalon.com

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PHOTO COURTESY OF UF COMMUNICATIONS

48 | Winter 2011

>> RAISE THE ROOF

Behind the Scenes at the

O’Dome BY ALBERT ISAAC hile attending the University of Florida, Lynda Reinhart began her career as an O’Connell Center Student Staff member in the summer of 1994. Now she runs the show, or shows, to be more precise. As the director of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, also known as the O’Dome, Reinhart is responsible for the day-to-day operations within this massive multipurpose building. Her office is the nerve center for the 296,000-square-foot facility. Within its concrete walls, fans attend UF basketball, swimming, gymnastics and volleyball games. Local clubs meet regularly at the sprawling complex. There is a martial arts room — which is used for many other things including catering and wardrobe — a weight

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Winter 2011 | 49

Blackberry and a pair of radios. Like Reinhart, Chenery got his start as a student at UF, in 1994. His day began before the crack of dawn, orchestrating the 19 semi tractor-trailers that began rolling in at 6 a.m. “It’s our biggest show,” Chenery said. “I left last night...” A squawk from his radio interrupted him. He answered a question and then continued. “So, yeah, volleyball ended yesterday afternoon, I went to grab some dinner, a 5K run, got back here last night around 7 o’clock, left about 10, and just made sure the building was prepped. And for these guys [Cirque du Soleil], that meant getting absolutely everything out of the way. Nineteen trucks is the biggest show we’ve done in quite a long time. We had to tow vehicles out of there at 4 o’clock in torrential rain.” The Cirque du Soleil show requires a lot of advance work, Chenery explained, and had to be contracted two years in advance. The show’s setup is built in AutoCAD, in three dimensions, and requires very technical details. “We have to figure how we are going to hang their show from our ceiling,” he said. “So we took their model and inserted it into our building precisely. We had to get a consulting engineer to look at it because it is as big as it is.” It had been a long day for

50 | Winter 2011

PHOTOS BY ALBERT ISAAC

1) After the volleyball game, workers take up the ﬂoor like a giant puzzle and move the pieces into a room for storage until the next big game. 2) On this day, crews prepare the main arena for the Cirque du Soleil - Dralion performance, one of the largest shows to take the arena stage at the O’Connell Center. This grid, weighing in at 25,000 pounds, sits on the ﬂoor but will soon be suspended from the ceiling. 3) The stage and wall in place. The wall is 59 feet high and weighs 25,000 pounds, said Cirque du Soleil Publicist Julie Desmarais. “It is our largest arena show, other than Michael Jackson,” she said. 4) Desmarais said that Cirque de Soleil trucks in 400,000 pounds of equipment, including lights, sound, wardrobes, and washing machines and clothes dryers. 5) As workers prepare the arena, performers warm-up backstage for the evening show. 6) Behind the scenes, a drummer wearing a pair of headphones rehearses his part in a hallway. 7) A wide array of electronic equipment is used to ensure the show runs without a hitch. Video cameras are used keep the performers in sync with the live music.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Winter 2011 | 51

PHOTO BY ALBERT ISAAC

Performers from China do their warm-up routines on the afternoon before the show.

Chenery, and it was not over by a long shot. “We’re probably about halfway through and we just broke for lunch,” he said. It was nearly 5 p.m. “This should wrap up at 2 or 3 a.m., by the time the last people break out of here and we are done with loading,” Chenery continued. “So, I’m not leaving. I’m not going

anywhere for lunch.” “That’s why I feel almost guilty now,” Reinhart said, “because I get to go home knowing they are here. For a while I would stick around, but I realized I don’t do anything but get in their way. They know what they are doing and they don’t need me so I’ll just go home and feel guilty.” Guilty or not, Reinhart has paid her dues, having worked her way up

the ranks. And, no matter the time, she will be available to pick up the phone when things go wrong. Chenery’s radio squawked again and he headed out. Reinhart continued to describe the work that lay ahead. “I’ll be here through the show Wednesday night, and Thursday night,” she said. “When you’re dealing with the traveling shows, you have to settle out the bill before they leave. So I’ll probably be here until at least midnight.” Associate Director Renee Musson stepped into Reinhart’s office to give an update. “She’s one of the people that will be here real late with me,” Reinhart said. “Renee is our associate director and business manager and box

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office manager and marketing person and...” “Whatever she needs me to be at the time,” Musson said with a laugh. Outside of Reinhart’s office, there was a flurry of activity as student employees and other staff worked diligently prepping the main arena for Dralion. Riggers worked on the grid 72 feet above the floor. Students pushed heavy carts of equipment while other workers assembled a gigantic wall to be used by the performers. Today it is hard to imagine this space is home to Gator Basketball, Volleyball and Track — among many other things. The court floor detaches and the pieces are stored until the next big game. Volleyball was yesterday and the floor was picked up immediately after the game. “It’s a big jigsaw puzzle we put down,” Reinhart said. “And it’s a very heavy jigsaw puzzle.” And contrary to urban legend, there is no swimming pool beneath the floor.

“It is interesting how many times I’ll hear someone coming into the arena and saying, ‘Yeah, there’s a pool underneath that floor.’ No, it’s actually around the corner,” she said. Reinhart is quick to point out that it takes a lot of personnel to keep things running smoothly. “People don’t realize there’s a building staff of 14 fulltime employees and about 400 students,” she said. “And a lot of our work happens in the middle of the night. I think it’s a great student job because they can schedule around their classes.” Like Reinhart, many of the fulltime employees began their careers as students at the center. And she is proud of their student-training program. “The staff is nearly all former students that have worked their way up,” she said. “I think it’s pretty indicative of how strong our program is.” The industry is well aware of the high quality of students who come

www.VisitOurTowns.com

out of the program, she said. Strolling through the complex she pointed out the gymnastics studio, the swimming pool and the plants that grow within the facility to help purify the air. She explained that it is harder to regulate the temperature since the O’Connell Center was originally built with an air-supported Teflon roof. In 1998, when the Teflon had reached the end of its life, it was replaced with a steel roof. Heating and cooling aside, the steel roof is an improvement. “It allows a little more flexibility in what we can do,” Reinhart said. “When we had the air-supported roof we couldn’t have done a show like Cirque du Soleil.” From graduation ceremonies to rock concerts, from Sesame Street Live to The Harlem Globetrotters, there is practically something for everyone at the O’Connell Center. Lynda Reinhart and the rest of the crew do their level best to see to it that the show must go on. s

Winter 2011 | 53

Rockin’ the O’Dome

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE O’CONNELL CENTER

or more than three decades, the Stephen C. O’Connell Center has played host to a variety of shows, ranging from concerts to commencements, from comedians to politicians, from sporting events to business exhibits. The building is named for the sixth president of the university, Stephen C. O’Connell, who served from 1967 to 1973. Located on the University of Florida Campus, this 12,000-seat multi-purpose facility was built at a cost of $14 million. Here is just a small sampling of some of the acts that have graced the main arena since its opening.

Cirque du Soleil 2009, 2011

Rascal Flatts 2005

Sesame Street Live 54 | Winter 2011

Tom Petty 1981, 1983, 1991, 1993, 2006

Local hero and Gainesville High School grad Tom Petty got his start playing the local clubs in the early 1970s. His band Mudcrutch, formed in 1970, was the house band at Dub’s Lounge for several years. Although Petty was not a University of Florida student, he did work on campus, brieﬂy. As part of the grounds crew he planted an Ogeechee lime tree that is now known as the Tom Petty Tree.

PHOTO BY MUSICISENTROPY

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Winter 2011 | 55

Elton John

1999, 2008

Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, Sir Elton Hercules John has sold more than 250 million records over a career spanning four decades. He started playing piano at the age of 3, and after performing at parties and family gatherings he began formal piano lessons at the age of 7. By 15 he was playing weekend gigs at a local pub. He later joined up with lyricist Bernie Taupin, and in 1967 they recorded their ďŹ rst Elton John/Bernie Taupin song, forming a partnership that continues to this day.

56 | Winter 2011

Kanye West 2005

Bill Clinton 2003

Toby Keith 2007

Celtic Woman 2008

Boston Pops 2001

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Winter 2011 | 57

25 Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Dome Favorites From the Past 25 Years

Snoop Dogg 2001, 2005

1986 Jimmy Buffett 1987 Eddie Murphy 1988 Bob Dylan 1989 Harlem Globetrotters 1990 George Carlin 1991 Garth Brooks 1992 Paul Rogriguez 1993 INXS 1994 Rod Stewart 1995 Allman Brothers 1996 The Cure 1997 Wallflowers 1998 Indigo Girls 1999 Elton John

Sister Hazel / Hootie & the Blowfish 2006

2000 Harry Connick Jr. 2001 Sting 2002 Busta Rhymes / Ludacris 2003 Moscow State Circus 2004 Cher 2005 Rascal Flats 2006 Gretchen Wilson 2007 Dave Matthews 2008 Blue Man Group 2009 Daughtry 2010 Lipizanner Stallions 2011 Cirque Du Soleil

58 | Winter 2011

Black Eyed Peas 2006

The Wiggles 2008

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A D V E RTI S E M E N T

Part of the Family

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TJ MORRISEY

hen you walk into the waiting room at North Florida Woman Care, the first thing you notice is the homelike décor. The soft lights, comfortable seating and subtle color palette provide a sense of calm for patients. But perhaps the most telling aspect is a small table near the check in window, upon which sits a sign:

If you have waited for longer than 15 minutes, kindly let the front desk know. This small detail is a testament to the commitment that practice owner Dr. Michael Cotter, his colleagues and his staff have to their patients’ satisfaction and well being. “We want them to feel like this is their practice,” said Dr. Cotter. “This is their OB/GYN home where they come for care. We want to center the practice around them, around what they want and what they need.”

North Florida Woman Care operates on the principle that every woman is unique and special, and the practice offers a private relaxed atmosphere to make patients more comfortable. Even clinical testing rooms reflect these efforts with plush chairs, potted plants, table lamps and plenty of reading material. The intent is to make the often anxiety-inducing tests given during pregnancy as relaxing as possible. Dr. Cotter is a second generation OB/GYN (his father, Julian, practiced in Gainesville for 30 years) who has been working in the field for almost two decades. But it’s the past two years that have seen the greatest amount of change in his practice. During that time he added a certified nurse midwife, Cyndi Vista, and Dr. Carmen Peden as a new partner, and he just welcomed a new physician – Dr. Heather Stevens, a graduate of the medical school at continued on next page the University of

Arizona who just completed her residency at Shands.

to care dovetails with the practice’s dedication to patients.

“It’s fun and exciting to have partners you can talk to and share with and learn from. It’s been interesting,” said Dr. Cotter, who explained that the added practitioners also help to serve patients better as the practice grows. “Dr. Stevens is smart, very friendly and personable, relaxed and easygoing. We’re really excited to have her.”

“I will definitely do as much as I can for any patient’s problem. Once a patient comes in I feel they’ll have a very happy experience throughout their OB care.”

A relaxed, patient-centric approach to comfort continues to make North Florida Woman Care a popular choice...

Personnel additions aren’t the only news at North Florida Woman Care. The practice now offers several in-office procedures that previously would have required hospital stays. But thanks to emerging healthcare technology, many of them can be done more quickly and with less invasive methods. Patients undergoing NovaSure, a procedure to lighten or completely stop periods, can go home shortly after the procedure is done. Adiana, a minimally invasive sterilization technique, can be performed without having to give anesthesia.

After finishing her residency, Dr. Stevens decided to stay in Gainesville to take advantage of the warm weather and close community. Her passion for what she does is easy to see as she explains how she chose obstetrics and gynecology as her specialty.

Even a hysterectomy is made simpler. Robotics allows for the surgery to be done at the center before the patient is sent home the next day with a three to four day recovery time – a far cry from the six-week timeframe with a traditional hysterectomy.

“I loved deliveries and how happy the field was,” she said. “You could follow women from adolescence to menopause and build those relationships. The health of women in general has so much to do with their overall well being and attitude. They’re such a big part of the family unit that I think it’s really important that they’re well cared for.”

With all the technology available, however, it still comes back to the relaxed, patient-centric approach to comfort that makes North Florida Woman Care a popular choice among the women of north central Florida.

Dr. Cotter’s practice offered that feeling of family she was looking for, along with a highlyregarded professional presence. Her approach

“I think one of the most important things we do is to be there for our patients,” said Dr. Cotter. “Just be there when they need you, and do the right thing. It’s usually easy to figure out. Anytime you have to debate about whether something is the right thing… it’s not the right thing.”

— W E AC C E P T M O S T M A J O R H E A LT H I N S U R A N C E —

WE ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME

Heather Stevens

North Florida Woman Care Obstetrics and Gynecology

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COLUMN >> ALBERT ISAAC

Different Note It began with a memory. Triggered by old faded letters. Followed by a phone call. hich led to another phone call. And another. Before I was even aware of it, I had put into motion a reunion with some high school buddies and — and this is the important part — my high school band director, William “Uncle Willie” Ledue. Sure, my friends and I had talked before about getting together with our teacher. Maybe a year ago. Maybe five years ago. Time slips by so fast sometimes I can hardly believe that it’s been nearly — well, never mind how long it’s been since high school, but pretty long. Yet, in many ways it feels like yesterday. I had been searching for something in my newly “organized” home office. Every time I clean I am sure to lose something of great importance, which in turn leads to me again tearing the room apart in search of that highly elusive item. During my rummaging, I came across all manner of interesting items I haven’t seen in years. I pulled nearly everything out of my cluttered closet and had it strewn throughout the room. But I didn’t have the forethought to make a path through the clutter. To move across the room I had to balance like a ninja, high stepping between one teetering pile of debris to another. But that’s okay, because I was on a mission. I didn’t know it at the time, but the universe was directing me to gather my friends together, and soon. I found old letters written by my high school friends after they had left home for college. Talk about a trip down memory lane. These letters, penned by my rapscallion-like buddies — now upstanding pillars of society (and no, for once I’m not joking) — provided an uproarious glimpse into the past. Their crude, handscrawled missives, rife with insulting and derogatory terms of endearment, should never be repeated in

polite company. Which is why I posted them on the Internet. I am KIDDING. But I was tempted. I laughed as I read them, as their words pulled me back to a place in time that, while consisting only of a few years, seemed much longer. We sure packed a lot of living into those years. Also stashed away was a high school football program, complete with photos of the football team, the band, the flag girls, the majorettes and our band director, Uncle Willie. I hadn’t seen him since 1978. Oops, I wasn’t going to talk about how many years it has been. Try to forget that I ever mentioned 1978. However long, it was time to see him again. I called a friend who has stayed in touch with Uncle Willie through the years. We talked about a reunion. My buddy agreed it was a great idea. Of course, he thought it was a great idea the last time we’d talked about it, five or so years ago. We all thought it was a great idea. But sometimes not even great ideas are realized. This time would be different. I called another friend. And another. All were excited about the prospect. Somehow, with very little effort, I had arranged a reunion with some of my closest friends and the educator who had inspired so many of us. We gathered at a restaurant, talked of old times, shared stories. Our visit was much like a family reunion, long overdue. Uncle Willie remembered all of us by name, even remembered the instruments we played (a test most of us would surely fail). While the others at the table were raising a ruckus and reminiscing, my teacher leaned forward to tell me about a young band student with a chip on his shoulder. But Uncle Willie never gave up on this young man, and in time his attitude changed; the chip was gone.

Our visit was much like a family reunion, long overdue.

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The young man graduated. He went on to college and earned a degree in music. He then earned a Masters of Science degree in aeronautical engineering with avionics. He went further than the average student – in fact, he flew into orbit as an astronaut on the Space Shuttle. I asked Uncle Willie how he felt about being part of this man’s success story. “It’s what teachers do,” he said with a shrug. After dinner we caravanned back to his house, nine of us descending upon the home he shares with his wife. We listened to stories of his life: his time in World War II, his career as a musician and educator, and the path that led him to our particular high school in Miami. It was all news to me. That night, I thought a lot about the visit. I thought about the thousands of students Uncle Willie had influenced over the course of his career. I thought about the ripple effect we all have on those around us, throughout our lives. And I thought about how lucky I am to be part of those magical, musical days. Because of that first phone call, I was able to meet with our band director and so many old friends on more time. And it’s a good thing we did. Uncle Willie passed away in September, just shy of his 90th birthday. Had I not made that call, many of us would have never seen him again. s

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>> GATOR SPORTS

Amanda Butler Gator Women’s Basketball Coach Guides Her Players with Drive and Passion

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN tomp! The sound echoes across the O’Connell Center, easily heard over the deafening cheers of thousands of fans. STOMP! STOMP! The booming, hollow sound of heel-meets-glossywood-floor is familiar to any fan of women’s basketball at the University of Florida. It is the sound of passion, pride and tenacity, occasionally accompanied by a hearty embrace or perhaps a few choice words. Either way, that sound comes from the shoe of a woman who has those qualities in spades — head coach Amanda Butler. Entering her fifth season at the helm, Butler has made an indelible mark on Gator women’s basketball. She has already reached 78 wins at Florida, more than any previous coach in the program. All four of her teams have played in the postseason beyond the Southeastern Conference tournament — also an achievement unmatched by her predecessors. Butler’s success as coach is equal to her famously exciting on-court presence. Always impeccably dressed,

her crisply-ironed suits and polished shoes provide sharp contrast to her fiery demeanor as she stalks the sidelines, shouting instructions or praise at her players while stomping the floor or gesturing wildly to make her point. Her off-the-court persona gives yet another counterpoint; during interviews and when meeting fans, Butler is pleasant, gracious and engaging. The characteristics that make Butler a premier head coach were apparent long before her tenure. A four-year starting point guard for the Gators in the early 1990s, she was known as a fierce competitor and a leader on the court. She completed her collegiate career ranked second on the school’s all-time assists list with 401. She was also in the top three for career three-pointers made (77) and attempted (278). In her junior and senior seasons she was an instrumental part in the team’s first two NCAA appearances in program history, and she was named captain during her senior year. Yet Butler was known as much for her durability as she was for her basketball skills. When she was hit in

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the head during one game, she received stitches for the injury before returning to play a short time later. She was also the first woman in college hoops to wear a clear protective facemask to continue playing after she broke her nose in 1993. “Amanda is the toughest player I have ever coached,” said Carol Ross, Butler’s head coach at Florida. “She’s not just physically tough, but mentally strong and competitive.” After her playing days, Butler served as a student assistant for Ross as she completed her degree. Her plans were to enter physical therapy school after graduation, but a trial run at a career in that field gave her second thoughts. “After completing an internship in an outpatient clinic, I realized, ‘I just don’t wake up in the morning fired up about doing this,’” Butler said. Instead of continuing, she went to work for Ross as a third assistant coach for the next two years and had a life-changing revelation. “In those years I discovered that [coaching] is what I was supposed to be doing,” she said. “This is not only

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where I feel comfortable, it’s where I want to be.” Butler ultimately returned to her native Tennessee, where she accepted an assistant coaching position at Austin Peay State University. Hired by then-head coach Susie Gardner to take over recruiting efforts, Butler’s abilities and work ethic made an immediate impression. “Before Amanda joined the staff, we weren’t really winning,” Gardner said. “Amanda brought in the great players who helped us turn the corner and become a consistent NCAA Tournament team.” Gardner knew it would not be long before her protégé would move up the coaching ladder. “Even though she was a young assistant, watching the way she managed the game and the way she interacted with people, I knew that Amanda was special and that one day soon she would be a head coach,” she said. That day came in 2005, when Butler was tapped to lead the University of North Carolina at Charlotte after four years as an assistant and then associate head coach. In her first year as head coach the 49ers went 21-9, a record that brought a share of the Atlantic

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10 Conference regular season championship, a WNIT berth, and league coach of the year honors for Butler. Her second year was similarly successful, and the basketball world took notice. So did UF Athletic Director Jeremy Foley, who was searching for a new women’s coach at Florida. “We talked to a lot of people during this hiring process and the one name that continually surfaced was Amanda Butler’s,” Foley said. “The University of Florida has enjoyed a lot of success with young, talented coaches and those were the characteristics

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we were looking for in the person to lead our women’s basketball program.” On April 13, 2007, Butler was named Florida’s new coach. Leading the team at her alma mater was an idea that Butler had thought about but not really planned for.

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With an experienced corps of veterans and new players ready to contribute, Butler is fired up about the new season. “It’s always in the back of your mind, but you can’t account for timing when openings occur and if you’re in the right stage of your career that you’re qualified to be there,” she said. “I’m just blessed that everything worked out and I got the chance that I did.” In her first year she took a squad that had nine wins the previous season and guided them to a 19-14 record and a third-round finish in the WNIT tournament. Her winning continues as she recruits top-notch players like new arrival Carlie Needles, a Colorado product known for taking NBA forward Carmelo Anthony to the wire in a 3-point shooting contest at a summer basketball camp in 2010. She is also still tough as nails. A 2009 flag football injury resulted in a ruptured Achilles tendon for Butler. The next day she returned to practice; two days after surgery she was back on the sidelines for the next game, shouting to her players from a rolling stool as she wheeled up and down the court. Some have questioned the purpose of such toughness and intensity. In the spring of 2010 three of her athletes announced plans to transfer from Florida, with two of them — Tessah Holt and Trumae Lucas — citing Butler’s personality and demanding coaching style. But the university and her remaining players stood firmly behind her, including center Azania Stewart, who was one of Butler’s first recruits. “This is my place for the long run,” Stewart said at the time. “There are tough times, but I think that’s for the weak. You’ve got to put those aside.” With an experienced corps of veterans and new players ready to contribute, Butler is fired up about the new season. She anticipates a team that spreads the wealth with a balanced attack and a stingy defense that is loud and disruptive. But one can tell that her tenacious enthusiasm would be there regardless of the names on the roster or the style of play. “This is what I get up in the morning for and I’m excited about doing,” she said. “When you can find that in a career, then that’s what you do.” s

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QUICK SHOTS with Amanda Butler What do you like to do in Gainesville? I love going to Lake Alice and taking visitors there. It is so unique and such a cool feature that we have. I also enjoy going to the Hippodrome. Your Favorite restaurant in town? Probably Mildred’s Big City Food, but I also like Blue Gill. We have a lot of great restaurants, and many people don’t know that because we’re such a college town. Last book you read? “The Tipping Point” by Malcom Gladwell. It was recommended to me by [current team member] Lily Svete.

Last song on your iPod? It’s a Kenny Chesney song, but I don’t remember the name. Most memorable moment as a coach? Beating Tennessee a few years ago was a big deal because that’s such an accomplishment. And the NCAA tournament, there’s no replacement for how that feels. Mentor or athlete you admire most? Carol Ross. If I’m in a quandary, professional or otherwise, I’m going to call her to get a little clarity. Your favorite SEC town besides Gainesville? Nashville.

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Cutting Back …Revisited

ost Americans have greatly reduced their spending in the past few years, and justifiably so. In tough economic times, it is always wise to cut back on spending just to be safe. Unfortunately, time has kept marching on, and that granddaughter you dreamed of taking a special fishing trip with

isn’t 5 years old anymore, she’s 10. There comes a time when we all have to decide how much is enough. How much savings are enough, and how much missed life is enough. At SunState Federal Credit Union, we were cautious when most financial institutions were chasing every dollar they could. We didn’t jump into the sub-

prime loan business a few years ago, because we believed it was bad business for our members and bad business for the credit union. As a result, we recently received a Crystal Award from the Raddon Financial Group as one of the top 20 credit unions in the country from among over 500 they work with. The award

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>> ARTS EDUCATION

Art You Can Sit In From School Chairs to Fine Art

BY ELLIS AMBURN hen the Friends of Alachua County Public Schools Elementary Arts Programs recently asked 26 local artists to transform schoolroom chairs into works of art for an upcoming fundraiser, there were some surprising and spectacular results, especially from Joshua and Jacob Kubisz, a pair of Gainesville sculptors who are twin brothers. The Kubisz twins appear to have taken quite literally Susan Johnson’s challenge to “meld form and function. Anything goes!” When asked about the chair they were working on, the twins described something so elaborate and complex — with moving parts — that it all but breathes, and has

76 | Winter 2011

more bells and whistles than a fully loaded Mercedes. The particulars of this intriguing Rube Goldberg creation have to remain secret until its unveiling at the Musical Chairs Project silent auction on March 2 from 7-10 p.m.

than that,” said Johnson, a retired elementary art teacher and moving force in the community. Joshua Kubisz however would allow this much: “Our chair’s a visual metaphor, a positive message of what it takes

Budget cuts reduced the elementary-school art and music programs by 50 percent, spurring a group of concerned citizens to establish the elementary arts programs fund. at the Doris Bardon Community Cultural Center, 716 N. Main Street, with the proceeds marked for Alachua County public elementary school art and music programs. Bidding starts at $100 “but we hope to sell them for lots more

to succeed in school — working and engaging with this chair to move you into your future. I have a big appreciation for furniture and have done miniature pieces.” Both Joshua and his brother Jacob, who teach sculpture at

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUE JOHNSON

These are some of the chairs painted by local artists and auctioned off at the Fan of the Arts 2011 Musical Chairs Project.

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PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

Artists Joshua and Jacob Kubisz teach sculpture at the University of Florida. Here they pose with their families at the Harn Museum where the brothers currently have an exhibit. The Harn and elementary school art teachers work together to develop curriculum, connecting ﬁfth-grade art classes to Harn shows.

the University of Florida, and whose collaborative installation “Fear and Hope” recently figured in the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art’s contemporary-gallery exhibition, “Open Engagement: Strategies in Love, Art, and War,” are fathers of school-age kids; Joshua’s 14-year-old, Jordan, attends Westwood, and Jacob’s nine-year-old, Julian, is at Norton. Leslie Peebles and Ande Lister are also among the artists volunteering their time and talent to help the Friends raise money to support and enhance grade-school art and music education. Explaining the breadth of the Friends of Alachua County Public Schools Elementary Arts Programs, Johnson said, “The Harn Museum and elementary school art teachers work together to develop curriculum, connecting fifth-grade art classes to Harn shows.” Five thousand dollars from the Friends will fund docentled tours and transportation to and from the Harn Museum for

78 | Winter 2011

students. When the Harn’s Asian wing opens in 2012, “it will be a marvelous experience for fifthgrade students,” Johnson promised. “The connection between the Harn show and what they’ve learned in the classroom is a creative connection, the class plus the show demonstrating how the artist came to reflect his vision of the world.” The elementary arts programs fund also benefits musical education. “We gifted elementary music teachers with a $5,000 grant to assist in transporting kids to musical events — the Gainesville Chamber Music Orchestra; Alachua County Honors Band; and Alachua County Youth Orchestra,” Johnson explained. “Music teachers can select one of three performances.” Johnson said the program also provides “for older students to mentor grade-school students so they can visualize themselves playing in a band. It helps to see people in your age bracket or above playing

music.” Both the music and art programs are designed to carry arts education beyond the classroom. Debbie Gallagher, Alachua County School System K12’s curriculum specialist for elementary social studies, fine arts, foreign lan-

The battle to save art and music education in public schools is far from over. guage and diversity, works closely on the arts programs with Johnson and Cheryl Poe, a retired music teacher who spent many years at J.J. Finley Elementary. During the 2008-2009 school year, budget cuts reduced the elementary-school art and music programs by 50 percent, spurring a group of concerned citizens to establish, in June 2008, the

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“I spend a lot of time at the springs and they are a constant source of inspiration,” said Leslie Peebles, one of the artists represented in the Musical Chairs fundraiser at The Doris. “Symbolically they connect me to my own well-spring of creativity.”

elementary arts programs fund as a grass roots response to the needs of state and local public education. “Kids lost half a year in music and art,” Poe recalled. People who believed that the arts constitute a critical component in the total education of children raised approximately $90,000 in response to budget cuts. Public awareness of the problem was raised, and “the public rallied for full-year arts programs,” Poe said. “They were reinstated by public vote the following year.”

But the battle to save art and music education in public schools is far from over. “We never know what cuts may be coming around,” Poe warned, adding that education in the arts “helps the kids and the community at large by making them better citizens.” Rick Nesbitt, vice president of Alta Systems, Inc., agreed, stating, “As an employer who seeks to utilize local talent, I value creative workers with a sense of beauty, innovation, and collaboration — the very traits encouraged by early learning in art and music. Education in the arts gives people better communication skills as well as the ability to add the human perspective to science and technology challenges.” Johnson and Poe credit Debbie

Gallagher, who is a nonvoting member on the Friends board, with “keeping us connected with what’s going on in the schools, so we can help the music and art teachers more effectively, and the fund can better assist the art and music programs.” Inviting the public to the Musical Chairs auction at The Doris March 2, Johnson said, “Come enjoy the art, enjoy the interaction, and buy a chair.” Whether bidders are looking for hand-painted usable art, or an eminently collectible surrealist gem along the lines of PeeWee Herman’s Chairry, whose armrests occasionally rise to give Peewee a hug, the Friends’ fundraiser is designed to satisfy every esthetic taste and need. s

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>> SUSTAIN

Helping Hands The Buy Local Movement BY CAROLYN TILLO hey vary from former religion majors to health-conscious mothers, but these Gainesville game changers have one thing in common: they have shown that buying and growing their own food is healthy for the environment, and for the people who live in it. By developing their own farms, grocery stores, restaurants and garden networks, these community leaders have planted a seed of change, a seed that will help Gainesville grow into a more sustainable place to live.

SWALLOWTAIL FARM For husband and wife team Noah Shitama and Liz Nesbit, producing and selling locally grown food is a family affair. Shitama, who studied religion at Emory University, wanted a practical and physical job that allowed him to be outdoors. He thought about the alienation and disconnection that results when members of a culture do not know where their food comes from, so, after visiting farms around the country with Nesbit, he decided to start his own farm in Alachua. Swallowtail Farm, which uses no fertilizers or pesticides to grow its fruits and vegetables, is an example of community-supported agriculture. People sign up for a share of the harvest during the harvest season, which runs from November through June. Every Wednesday, they pick up their bag of produce at the Union Street Farmers Market.

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Shitama bolsters the sense of community created at the farmers market by keeping the farm’s patrons informed about the weekly happenings at Swallowtail. He writes a newsletter and provides recipe ideas and posts both on the Swallowtail Farm website. Knowing where food comes from is a healing process, he said. “If we want to feel good and create a super good life for ourselves, we need to have our lives based in community,” Shitama said. Managing and working on the farm has also been a learning experience for Shitama, who grew up in Gainesville and learned about gardening from his mother as well as mentors from his parents’ generation. He relies on interns and volunteers to help with the farm labor, and he works on land owned by his in-laws. In this way, he can provide affordable organic food to locals who may not want to dole out extra dollars on high-priced organic produce at the grocery store. Local restaurants also stand to benefit. In addition to delivering to the farmers market, Shitama sells produce to restaurants such as The Jones, Leonardo’s 706, The Top, Ivey’s Grille and Sisters in Haile Plantation. This summer, he began providing food to Citizens Co-Op, the food cooperative founded by his wife, Liz Nesbit, and her long-time friend Gretchen McIntyre. The co-op opened in mid-July.

ABOVE PHOTOS COURTESY OF MELISSA DESA

TOP LEFT: A summer harvest in Gainesville includes cucumbers, green beans, peppers, tomatoes and eggs from backyard chickens. TOP RIGHT: Julia Showalter shares seedlings with a fellow gardener at the UF Ethnoecology Society’s garden. CENTER: A produce display provides a wide variety of locally grown produce at the Citizen’s Co-op. United Natural Foods supplies the foods that Citizens Co-op cannot obtain locally. PHOTO ON LEFT COURTESY OF CHRISTINE HALE

Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe (in tie) joins (from left to right) Florida Organic Growers Executive Director Marty Mesh; Steve Phillips, the director of the City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs; and Ryan Brouillard of Abundant Edible Landscapes at an installation of a garden at Gainesville City Hall on Memorial Day.

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Winter 2011 | 85

PHOTO COURTESY OF CITIZEN’S CO-OP

About 300 people came to the Citizen’s Co-op for its grand opening celebration held July 15, 2011.

CITIZENS CO-OP Just as her husband dreamed up Swallowtail Farm during their trip exploring farms around the country, Nesbit came back to Gainesville with the dream of eventually opening a food cooperative, where locally grown, natural food and products could be sold to local customers. During their trip, Shitoma, Nesbit and their two young children restocked their cooler at co-ops along the way. Even in small towns, co-ops were meeting places, where local foods brought people together. “We just started noticing that [the food cooperative] was like a community center in all these places we were visiting,” Nesbit said. Nesbit had no immediate plans to open a cooperative in Gainesville. With a young baby at home, she did not have much spare time. Then, in summer 2007, she ran into her high school friend Gretchen McIntyre at Ward’s Supermarket. A short conversation revealed that Gretchen also wanted to start a food cooperative. For about a year, they talked about their idea and did some research. They wanted to make it easier for local consumers and producers to buy and sell quality local products, thus creating a local food system that celebrated their community. Around September 2008, they started fundraising, mostly through word of mouth and by hosting benefit concerts with local

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bands, McIntyre said. The concerts helped inform the public about Citizens Co-op and boost its Facebook following. By June 2011, the co-op had just fewer than 900 members, Nesbit said. Members are a key ingredient in the co-op’s recipe for success, although people do not have to be members to shop there, according to the Citizen Co-op website. The grand opening celebration for the co-op took place on July 15, with a soft opening geared toward members on July 12, McIntyre said. The turnout during the opening week was impressive, McIntyre said, with about 300 people showing up on the day of the grand opening celebration. While McIntyre felt relieved to see the doors of the co-op finally open after several years of work, she is also excited about features of the co-op that set it apart from other grocery stores. For example, the co-op has a bulk section with goods varying from olive oil to dish soap and coffee beans, where customers can bring their own containers and refill them with these items. The hard work that went into creating the co-op is not over yet. In addition to securing more members, Nesbit said she wants to continue to expand the number of area farmers that Citizens Co-op works with. For now,

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Like most parents, Maya Garner admits that her life changed forever when her first child was born. Garner was determined not to let anything impure or harmful near her daughter, or her daughter’s tummy. As she and her husband worked to be more conscious of the type of foods they consumed, they came up with the idea for The Jones, a restaurant that would serve organic and local foods to people who shared their desire to enjoy cuisine free of pesticides and preservatives. What started five years ago as a breakfast joint serving organic foods has grown into a new American bistro open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The Jones has a breakfast and lunch menu and a dinner menu, and Garner said about 50 to 70 percent of the ingredients used are grown or produced locally. Menu items change seasonally, depending on what food is fresh, and, although it may use local ingredients, The Jones offers everything from Asian-inspired to Latin Americaninspired cuisine. Garner and her husband prefer using local ingredients as opposed to nationally produced organic brands, which can sometimes resemble the mass-produced, non-organic products that they wanted to avoid. By partnering with local farms, the Garners can get to know the people growing their food, ensuring that their

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United Natural Foods, a national and independent distributor of natural and organic foods, will supply the foods that Citizens Co-op cannot obtain locally. Eventually, Nesbit said she hopes to identify products that are not available locally and work with a food entrepreneur to help produce those products. She also wants to start a Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) network in Gainesville, which would create a system of support among local businesses, fostering the same sense of community that Nesbit and McIntyre want to achieve with Citizens Co-op. Through this network, local businesses would be able to help each other with policy work and environmental projects.

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produce is grown sustainably and the farm animals are treated humanely. The Jones’ customers understand and appreciate the restaurant’s efforts to provide sustainable, locally grown foods, Garner said. “We don’t advertise,” Garner said. “We don’t market. We just let it speak for itself.”

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GROW GAINESVILLE AND FLORIDA ORGANIC GROWERS For some residents of Gainesville, buying locally grown food may be unnecessary. Instead, they can rely on the garden plots right in their backyards or pick fresh foods from their own community gardens. Many of Gainesville’s community gardens sprouted from a seed planted by Florida Organic Growers, a nonprofit that plants community gardens and educates farmers, businesses, consumers, and the general public about organic and sustainable agriculture. Florida Organic Growers started Gainesville Initiative for Tasty Gardens (GIFT Gardens) in 2008 as a sustainable way to address food insecurity for residents of Alachua County who may not have access to nutritious foods, said Christine Hale, director of education and outreach for Florida Organic Growers. With funding from the Alachua County Community Agency Partnership Program, City of Gainesville Community Development Block Grants and from area businesses, Florida Organic Growers installed free gardens for low-income residents and the organizations that serve them, she said. Since 2008, 242 GIFT Gardens have been installed, including 17 school gardens, Hale said. After being awarded a Community Food Planning Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture in 2009, Florida Organic Growers brought together community stakeholders to plan projects that would help lowincome Gainesville locals gain access to healthy foods. Meetings of these stakeholders resulted in the creation of Grow Gainesville. A Florida Organic Growers’ grant from the Alachua County Community Agency Partnership Program helped to launch Grow Gainesville, an urban garden network, in late 2010, Hale said. Grow Gainesville ensures that GIFT Gardeners, and all local gardeners, receive the support they need to maximize their food production, thus increasing their access to nutritious food, Hale said. It provides workshops, supplies, a tool lend program, a quarterly newsletter and advice for gardeners, while also keeping them informed about gardening events sponsored by other organizations, Hale said. DeSa said the group’s steering committee tries to meet once a month to discuss upcoming events. Over the summer, this grassroots network hosted gardening and composting workshops and took a perennial garden tour. In the fall, the group is considering doing a food swap, in which people can bring the food they

PHOTO BY DESIREE FARNUM

Swallowtail Farm hosted its second annual Swallowtail Farm Spring Festival in April 2011. Along with live music, games and a chance to meet local farmers, the festival offered an optional fundraiser dinner later in the day. The dinner featured ﬁne dining from Chefs Mark Newman of Leonardo’s 706, Amanda Bisson of Mildred’s and Mike Riska of The Jones, all served out on the ﬁeld. Plates were $50, sold in advance.

canned or picked and share it with fellow members. DeSa said Grow Gainesville ties into the buy local movements around town because it tries to support local gardening-related businesses people may not know about. For example, rather than going to a hardware store and buying a national brand of compost, local gardeners can pick it up from companies in town, DeSa said. The goods people can buy locally may vary from

fresh compost to fresh produce, but the mission of these locally owned businesses and the networks that assist them remains the same. While keeping dollars in local pockets, they also strive to rebuild the sense of community not found in strip malls and shopping centers. Seed by seed, plant by plant, business by business, they are harvesting change and bringing about a return to the reliance on community that, unfortunately, some people have forgotten. s

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>> FOODSHED

Our Food Connection Blue Oven Kitchens

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN any people have heard the word “watershed” and can vaguely define what it means. John Wesley Powell, scientist, geographer and explorer, described it as, “that area of land, a bounded hydrologic system, within which all living things are inextricably linked by their common water course and where, as humans settled, simple logic demanded that they become part of a community.” Ask those same people about the word “foodshed,” however, and... well, there might be a few blank stares. But as one might guess, the concept is generally the same. “The water you get out of your tap in your kitchen is more than

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that,” said Val Leitner, president of Blue Oven Kitchens. “There’s a whole system that’s connected to that water for its availability, for its cleanliness, for its relationship with trees and wetlands. When you talk about foodshed, it’s basically the same idea of, ‘What are our basic food needs, where does that come from and how do we keep it as local as possible?’” Blue Oven Kitchens is a not-forprofit kitchen incubator serving Alachua County as well as several surrounding counties. The group is on a mission to educate restaurants and consumers alike on the importance of local, sustainable food. It is a short definition for the wide variety of services and activities that Blue Oven Kitchens provides.

The organization facilitates and publicizes workshops on cooking, food processes and safety, and business marketing to help local food vendors grow. The Buy Local North Central Florida program is a joint venture with Slow Food Gainesville that promotes the local economy and supports businesses. A research project with University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (IFAS) and Alachua County aims to help the North Central Florida area better research local foods. “People treat food as a commodity, but it’s not as if it’s a stereo system you can live without,” Leitner said. “It’s funny to me that we are so lackadaisical about how we’ve outsourced

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food — something that is absolutely necessary for keeping us on this planet — to other people in other places. We’ve lost our connection with our food.” One major focus of Blue Oven Kitchens is its FarmTo-Restaurant initiative, another partnership with Slow Food Gainesville. The goal is to foster communication, education and understanding between farmers, distributors, restaurateurs and others in order to bring more locally produced food into area food service.

Jeri Baldwin, co-founder of Crones Cradle, has been in partnership with Blue Oven Kitchens for about a year and a half. “We’re working on getting a certified kitchen on our farm, and they’ve been very encouraging and helpful,” said Baldwin, whose foundation includes an organic farm, an active workshop schedule and a wildlife refuge center. “Val has been very generous with what little free time she has, coming out and helping us with little projects on the farm. She keeps up with the stuff that’s happening. It’s a great relationship in terms of exchanging professional information and other activities.” Blue Oven Kitchens’ efforts are not limited to restaurants and food distributors. Leitner and her colleagues aim to educate the general public on the many benefits of patronizing local farms and food producers. One of the main barriers she sees is a mismatch between consumer demand and items available by season. “Consumers don’t eat seasonally,” she explained. “They always want to be able to go have a salad. They expect consistency when it doesn’t really work that way.” Leitner encourages diners to visit local eateries

“What are our basic food needs, where does that come from and how do we keep it as local as possible?” A big part of the initiative is the Farm-To-Restaurant Workshop and Culinary Fair. An annual event held in cooperation with IFAS and the Buy Local North Florida campaign, it brings together farmers, restaurants and food distributors to foster partnerships in local food. This year’s gathering brought in a full capacity of 90 participants, with several more on a waiting list, and included sponsors such as Rainbow Produce, Rolls ‘n Bowls, Take Away Gourmet, Sugar Hill Farms and Crones Cradle Conserve Foundation.

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that have seasonal specials and knowledgeable servers who can explain not only what is in the dish, but also what farm or producer the ingredients came from. “The restaurants can entice the customers into changing their ideas and perspectives so that maybe they don’t order the salad; maybe they order the seasonal side instead. If the restaurants are getting the message from the consumer, that’s what drives the market demand and dictates what gets bought and sold.” People also cite the sometimes-higher cost of local or organic food as an obstacle. Smaller, familyowned farms do not have large-scale production that allows them to discount their prices the way large companies do. But local produce is more quickly transported from field to market and has less time to lose valuable nutrients. Leitner explained that this more nutritive food could make a person feel full more quickly than processed food, so overall less food is eaten — and, therefore, less money is spent. Some area residents have taken it upon themselves to save money by growing their own gardens and raising their own chickens for eggs or meat. “That’s the most optimal solution, because that puts the control over your food directly into your hands,” Leitner said. “How more fresh and nutritive are you going to get than going into your backyard and picking those peppers, and then coming in to make a stir-fry with them?” But even those without much of a green thumb, or with no desire to have one, can help sustain the local foodshed. By purchasing food from their local farmers they are supporting the farmers’ efforts to contribute to and protect the land, as well as putting money back into the local economy. Leitner said every dollar invested locally turns into $1.50 or more as it circulates. The next step for Blue Oven Kitchens is to open its own facility, which Leitner hopes to both use and rent to other groups in the name of sustainable foodshed. The group is currently trying to raise the roughly $50,000 needed for building, equipment, materials and operating funds. Alongside the efforts of Blue Oven Kitchens, it remains up to area residents and businesses to ensure that the North Central Florida foodshed remains robust and grows to further serve the population. Leitner refuses to lose faith about their chances. “I believe in the power of human ingenuity and innovation,” Leitner said. “If we really try, there is no reason that we can’t find a way to coexist better on this planet. We would have to make some habit changes, but if we put our minds to it, we can find ways to support ourselves.” s For more information about Blue Oven Kitchens, visit www.blueovenkitchens.org or contact Val Leitner at val@blueovenkitchens.org.

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>> ENTREPRENEUR

A Cottage Industry Stefanie Samara Hamblen

BY CAROLINE LEWIS here were jars everywhere, on the countertops, spilling onto the floor in the living room, on the kitchen table and piled in the closet. Jars filled with sweet and strange flavor combinations of jam, jelly, preserve, butter and marmalade; all products of the Illegal Jam Company. The woman behind the Illegal Jam Company presented by Hogtown HomeGrown is Stefanie Samara Hamblen, a foodieentrepreneur and locavore icon in Gainesville. She began making jams and jellies as a response to buying in bulk and as a way to preserve produce. Her habit-turned-obsession quickly amassed a surplus of jam.

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“It’s a little bit ridiculous,” said her husband, Jeffrey Hamblen. “It started as a joke,” Stefanie Hamblen said. “But then it became legal [to sell] and the name was too good to change.” In July, the Florida Legislature passed the Cottage Food Law, making it legal to sell certain homemade items that are considered not potentially hazardous, at farmers markets or out of the home. All products must be labeled: “Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Florida’s food safety regulations.” Examples of the items that can be sold are breads, cakes, cookies, candies, jams, jellies and fruit pies. Annual sales may not exceed $15,000. Orders online, by mail and to wholesalers are prohibited.

Before, Hamblen would give away her creations as gifts. Her husband’s favorite, fig jam, would be saved for him to eat over ice cream. By October she has sold about $400 of products such as prickly pear jam, mango butter and grapefruit brulée. But things were not always falling into place for her. “I was wallowing for eight months,” she said. “I wanted to know what I could do well.” In January of 2006, after being fired from her jobs working at a church and a bookstore, at the age of 49, Hamblen decided to turn her talents into professions. “I can cook and I can raise kids,” she said. She posted an ad as a nanny in

PHOTOS BY CAROLINE LEWIS

At the Citizen’s Co-op’s Sunday Tailgate Market, held in the courtyard behind the co-op every Sunday, Stefanie Hamblen demonstrates how to make an herbed eggplant pasta bake. Hamblen chops parsley in her home to prepare a taboulleh dinner, a traditional Middle-Eastern dish made with cracked wheat, tomatoes, parsley, green onions and olive oil.

The Independent Florida Alligator, sat down one October night and wrote the first issue of Hogtown HomeGrown. The newsletter hit its fifth year of circulation in November and has printed 60 issues, 329 tried-and-tasted recipes and has a distribution of 3,000 copies. Her strong focus on food started after writing that first issue. Each month includes a list of what is in season, ads for local businesses and restaurants, and food-related topics written like notes found in a cookbook passed among friends. Somewhere in-between using her degrees in Theater, English and Political Science, reading “Larousse Gastronomique,” watching “The Galloping Gourmet,” idealizing Alice

Waters, raising three sons, and maintaining a network with the old hippies of Gainesville, Hamblen became something more than just a writer to the North Florida region. “She’s created a bigger family of connections with food bodies in the community,” said Erika Henderson, a business associate and co-owner of Henderson and Daughter Plants and Produce. “She’s an exciting person to be around.” Henderson sells citrus at the Highway 441 farmers market and advertises in Hogtown HomeGrown. Hamblen’s father taught her how to write. Her mother and grandmother showed her how to cook. And she has seen “Julie and Julia” at least three times. “I nearly cried the whole way through the first time,” she said.

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“[Julia Child] discovered herself through food later in life, like me.” In the September issue of Hogtown HomeGrown, titled, “Can your children cook,” Hamblen gives examples of Liam and Leah, the 4and 2-year-old children for whom she is a nanny. They can help in the kitchen and love going to the farmers market. Liam was so proud of his cookie recipe that he passed out copies of the newsletter himself. “She kept the kids on a schedule,” Jeffrey Hamblen said. “She takes the time to explain things.” But writing the newsletter and being a nanny are not the only cookie jars she has her hands in. Hamblen also instructs sponsored cooking classes, writes for Gainesville Magazine, represented

Winter 2011 | 95

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Hamblen moved to Gainesville in 1979 when it was a town that she describes as “half hippie and half redneck.” She worked in Hogtown Granary Co-op, from which she drew the name for the newsletter.

the U.S. last fall at a conference in Italy for Slow Food International and is on the executive board of Blue Oven Kitchens, a kitchen incubator project. In view of her collective efforts to educate the community, Hamblen was nominated for the first annual Spirit of Gainesville Award for entrepreneurship, awarded by The Gainesville Sun in November. Since the start of Hogtown HomeGrown, her husband has noticed a change in her habits. “She’s much more politically

active in community,” he said. Hamblen believes in eating locally for its nutritional, community and environmental benefits. At the cooking classes and demonstrations, she provides weekly menu suggestions and guides people who are less informed or intimidated by eating locally and seasonally. There was seriousness in her eyes as she held an imaginary utensil in her hand. “You get to vote with your fork three times a day,” she said. “I don’t know why people don’t understand that power.” Hamblin is committed to food education and her fellow

www.VisitOurTowns.com

community members. “After an event she’s the one who remembers to bring the champagne,” said Val Leitner, president of Blue Oven Kitchens. “Not everyone would react to a forty pound bag of sour oranges the way Stefanie did,” Leitner said. Hamblen made quite a few batches of marmalade with the oranges, though the jars have been contained to just one tabletop in the corner of her living room. She does most of her writing on her porch, among scattered toys, a kitchen-utensil wind chime, surrounded by big trees. And outside her front door there are two signs. One that says “Locally Grown Produce” and another that says “Farmers Market: Open seven-days-a-week.” s

Winter 2011 | 97

CALENDAR If you would like to have an event considered for publication in this calendar, please submit information directly. post 4400 NW 36th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32606 | e-mail editor@towerpublications.com | fax 352-373-9178

CHICAGO November 15 - 20 Times vary UF CONSTANS THEATRE This vaudeville-style show satirizes the deceit within the criminal justice system and calls into question the corrupt favoritism toward celebrities guilty of crime. Bob Fosse’s well-known choreography and the famous musical numbers have comprised a legendary show that audiences throughout the world have fallen in love with over several decades.

GAINESVILLE CHRISTIAN WOMEN’S CONNECTION Thursday, Nov. 17 Noon - 1:30pm GVILLE COUNTRY CLUB - All ladies of the community are invited to a buffet luncheon, a special feature and an inspirational speaker. Cost is $16. Free nursery. Call Darlene for reservations: 352-372-7956.

TIMELY TIPS FOR RETIREES AND BOOMERS Thursday, Nov. 17 6:30pm - 8:00pm HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY Ed Brown will discuss the powerful effect that home modifications and sustainable living practices can have on the lives of retirees and boomers approaching retirement. He will discuss low-cost, big-impact home

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modifications, sustainable-living strategies, and food and energy expenses. 352-334-3934.

RUBIK’S CUBE COMPETITION Thursday, Nov. 17 6:30pm - 8:00pm TOWER ROAD BRANCH LIBRARY - Rubik’s Cube, the iconic toy of the 1980s, is back. And this time, you CAN solve the cube! Come join the fun as individuals compete against each other for the fastest time. There will also be a special competition for students using a solution guide. Come see the puzzle everyone’s obsessing about! 352-333-2840.

FLORIDA FRIENDLY LANDSCAPES Thursday, Nov. 17 7:00m - 8:00pm ALACHUA COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE - If parts of your lawn are not growing well, because of too much shade or other problems, maybe groundcovers would be a good alternative. Come learn which groundcover would work best in your yard. Pre-register: 352-337-6209.

43RD STREET UPTOWN ART HOP Friday, Nov. 18 6:00pm - 9:00pm MILLHOPPER AND THORNBROOK SHOPPING CENTERS - Participating

shops and galleries offering local and global arts, treats, music and a Treasure Hunt for a chance to win $25 gift certificate. Gainesville Rickshaws provides an easy gasfree means of getting from one to another location.

THE MILES DAVIS EXPERIENCE Friday, Nov. 18 7:30pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Miles Davis was a jazz legend. But what made him great? This multimedia collaboration explores his musical development against the background of post-war America. The Miles Davis Experience is not just for jazz aficionados, but for those who have an interest in exploring the rich and diverse history of the United States. 352-392-1900.

UNITED DOWNTOWN Fridays, Nov. 18, 25 5:30pm - 10:00pm GAINESVILLE - It is the place to be on Friday nights before a Gator Home Football Game. Food, friends and fun highlight this free, family oriented street festival. Visitors can sample food from local restaurants, talk to local merchants, enjoy the performances of local entertainers and hear music from local bands.

www.unitedwayncfl.org.

MEALS ON WHEELS GOLF TOURNAMENT Friday, Nov. 18 Noon HAILE PLANTATION - Polish up the clubs and hit the links for this 4th Annual Meals on Wheels Golf Tournament. Proceeds benefit the Alachua County Meals on Wheels program that provides more than 300 meals a day for senior citizens. Lunch prior to tee-off. Awards given at 5:30pm. 352-265-9040.

HOLY TRINITY HOLIDAY BAZAAR Friday, Nov. 18 7:00pm - 9:00pm HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 100 NE FIRST ST Opening Night is a Gala event! Decorations for Christmas and Thanksgiving are available. Music, hors d’oeuvre, goodies, wine, coffee and punch. Handmade gifts of all sorts and freshly baked pastries, jams and jellies. Additional shopping days: Saturday, Nov. 19, 9am - 4pm; Sunday, Nov. 20, Noon - 2pm. A $5 donation is requested on Friday evening. 352-377-7827.

TRASHFORM ATIONS: THE ART OF RECYCLING ART SHOW AND COMPETITION Friday, Nov. 18 5:30pm - 8:00pm FLORIDA MUSEUM OF

NATURAL HISTORY - Ever wonder how milk jugs morph into beautiful wading birds, or how gears and gadgets become gigantic bugs? See how middle school, high school and college students transform “waste” into creative works of art! The Florida Museum will display winning entries from the 13th annual Thrashformation through December 4. 352-374-5213.

FAMILY DAY

Munich Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, Nov. 19 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Thursday, November 17

HARN MUSEUM OF ART Visitors of all ages will delight in seeing the Harn’s newest exhibition, Soaring Voices: Contemporary Japanese Women Ceramic Artists. Visitors can create ceramic vessels together in the classrooms. Donations are welcome to cover the costs if you would like to have your creation fired in a kiln for permanence. 352-392-9826.

DRUMS AND DANCE: FALL PERFORMANCES Sunday, Nov. 20 1:30pm - 3:30pm FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - Listen to wild beats while learning about the biological origins of music. Join the Florida Museum for a series of musical performances. The performances will feature local groups and musicians such as The Scribe Tribe, Djembe fola and The Imposters, a Beatles tribute band. 352-273-2062.

CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Serving as the bastion of Germany’s performing arts, the Munich Symphony Orchestra is recognized for its excellence in music by audiences, critics and international media, alike. During the 2011-2012 season, the Munich Symphony will be performing Mozart’s Requiem with Gloriae Dei Cantores. 352-392-1900.

A Christmas Story Nov. 25 - Dec. 18 Times Vary GAINESVILLE COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE Explore the humorous side to family life in 1930s small town America. Young Ralphie Parker desperately dreams of only one thing for Christmas — a genuine Red Ryder BB gun! Can Ralphie achieve his dream or will his mother’s protests of “You’ll shoot your eye out!” prevail? You’ll want to bring the whole family to this stage adaption of the beloved film. Written by Philip Grecian. Directed by Thomas Muhn. 352-376-4949 www.gcplayhouse.org

the house? Stop by the Library Partnership to chat, network, share information and make new friends. Coffee and tea provided. 352-334-0165.

SHINE SEMINAR SENIOR SOCIAL Monday, Nov. 21 10:00am - 11:30am THE LIBRARY PARTNERSHIP, LARGE MEETING ROOM Tired of sitting around

7:30pm

Tuesday, Nov. 22 NOON - 1:00pm ELDER OPTIONS, 5700 SW 34TH ST., SUITE 222 - Turning 65? Or need help paying

for Medicare or prescription drug premiums? Free seminar. Bring your own lunch. Hot/cold drinks, dessert and take-home information provided. Located in the Florida Farm Bureau Building just south of I-75 at Williston. Free parking. 352-378-6649 or 1-800-963-5337.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

MY FAIR LADY Wednesday, Nov. 23 7:30pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Big League Productions Inc. presents a sparkling new production of the musical by which all others are measured. Based on Shaw’s play and Pascal’s movie Pygmalion, with book music and lyrics by Lerner and Loewe, My

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Gators March for Babies Sunday, Nov. 20 1:00pm TURLINGTON PLAZA - Join the UF community and be a Champion for Babies at Gators March for Babies. This 5k walk has raised over $200,000 in past support of the March of Dimes. Register, raise money and join us for Gators March for Babies! 352378-9522. www.marchofdimes.com

Fair Lady is triumphant. It is no wonder everyone — not just Henry Higgins — falls in love with Eliza Doolittle. 352-392-1900.

THIS WONDERFUL LIFE Nov. 25 - Dec. 21 Times Vary HIPPODROME STATE THEATRE - Back by popular demand! Visit Bedford Falls for a humorous and captivating staging of Frank Capra’s Hollywood classic. This tour de force production for one actor (Christopher Swan) playing 32 characters, from George Bailey to Zuzu, delivers a witty and moving story that is sure to capture your heart and captivate your spirit. 352-375-4477.

CHRISTMAS WITH AARON NEVILLE AND HIS QUINTET Friday, Nov. 25 7:30pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Join us for an intimate evening with Aaron Neville as he celebrates more than 50 years in the recording industry. Christmas with Aaron Neville features holiday favorites, and some of his biggest hits and tracks from

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his first post-Katrina gospel album, I Know I’ve Changed. 352-392-1900.

10K TURKEY TROT AND 2-MILE FUN RUN Friday, Nov. 25 8:30am TACACHALE CENTER, 1621 NE WALDO ROAD - This is a friendly off-road course that utilizes the entire perimeter of the Tacachale campus. The property offers beautiful running trails and a very safe, trafficfree venue. Though mostly trails, runners can choose between asphalt and grass in several areas. Register at www.active.com.

CANE BOIL Saturday, Nov. 26 10:00am MORNINGSIDE NATURE CENTER, 3540 E UNIV. AVE - A New Thanksgiving weekend tradition: The Longleaf Pine Youth Fiddle & Open String Band Contest at the Cane Boil. Experience life in North Central Florida during the year 1870 at Morningside Nature Center Living History Farm. Visitors can sample fresh cane syrup and homemade biscuits, experience live folk music, farm animals and more! 352-334-2170.

CHURCH - This annual service is sung by the Holy Trinity Choir, and features bagpipers and traditional Scottish dancing. Music of John Sanders, Roland E. Martin, Sidney Campbell and Peter Hallock. 352-372-4721.

RESTORATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS Thursday, Dec. 1 5:30pm - 6:45pm

A CHRISTMAS CAROL Nov. 26 - Dec. 17 Times Vary HIPPODROME STATE THEATER - A Gainesville tradition for the entire family. Join Scrooge, Marley, the Cratchits and a host of Christmas ghosts for this holiday favorite. Dazzling special effects, an original adaptation and a timeless message of goodwill have made A Christmas Carol one of the most popular Hippodrome productions of all time. 352-375-4477.

SPOTLIGHT TOUR Sunday, Nov. 27 2:00pm HARN MUSEUM OF ART Come to the Harn and enjoy an in-depth tour looking at themes in the museum’s permanent and traveling exhibitions. These topics help broaden your experience with art by looking at it in new and varied ways, as well as to entertain your senses. 352-392-9826.

THE LIBRARY PARTNERSHIP - Need your rights restored so that you can vote, participate as a juror or hold public office? Come out and receive oneon-one application assistance regarding Restoration of Rights! 352-273-0800.

INCOME TAX STRATEGIES Thursday, Dec. 1 3:00pm - 4:30pm ELDERCARE - JJ Luckey will present year-end income tax strategies and discuss the importance of record keeping and verifying information provided in your tax returns. 352-265-9040.

REINDEER RUN/ WALK 5K Friday, Dec. 2 6:00pm

Sunday, Nov. 27 5:00pm

HAILE PLANTATION - Lace up your shoes, pin on your bells, strap on your antlers and come have fun! Light the Village starts in the Haile Village center at 5pm with train rides, photos with Santa, bounce houses and more. On site registration and packet pick up for the Reindeer Run/ Walk will begin at 4:30pm and the race starts at 6pm. Registration closes November 30 at noon.

HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL

www.active.com.

ST. ANDREW’S DAY SERVICE

Putting Compassion Into Action... FOUND FOUNDED D IN 1975, WE NOW SERVE ANYONE IN NEED W WITHIN ALACHUA, BRADFORD, DIXIE, GILCHRIST, GILC C LEVY AND UNION COUNTIES. • • • •

Emergency Assistance Mobile Food Outreach Program Bridges to Prosperity Program Pregnancy and Adoption Assistance

Putting Compassion Into Action P www.catholiccharitiesgainesville.org www.catholiccharitiesgaine e

•

1701 NE 9th Street, Gainesville

www.VisitOurTowns.com

•

352-372-0294

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URBAN DARE GAINESVILLE

Rwandan Artwork

Saturday, Dec. 3 Noon

Sat., Dec. 3 3:00pm PRAIRIE CREEK LODGE - Rwanda Sustainable Families will hold its annual art exhibition and fundraising event. Come see how the children of two Rwandan primary schools in Rubavu District answered the question we posed: “How can you help change the world?” Wine and finger foods will be served. 352-373-1078.

CITY HALL - Take the Dare! This is a team race. You must be together throughout the race. You may walk, run or use public transport to get to checkpoints. Bring a cell phone and digital camera to show your pictures. Maps are handy and you should have someone to call to help with clues. $80 per team of two. 202-285-4510.

DUDLEY FARM CANE DAY AGBEDIDI Dec. 2 - Dec. 4 Times Vary UF CONSTANS THEATRE Since its first rousing performance at the Constans Theatre in 1995, Agbedidi has become Florida’s passport to excellence in West Africa dance and drumming. Experience this global celebration featuring live dance, live music and “long life” for African and other world cultures through the power of performance. 352-273-0526.

A CHRISTMAS FROM HECK Dec. 2 - Dec. 18 Times Vary ACROSSTOWN REPERTORY THEATRE - Typical of

every good middle class family in Austin, the Hecks gather for a Christmas with kept secrets, but we all know what happens after that setup falls apart. Can a typical dysfunctional Christmas force a typical Austin, Texas, dysfunctional suburban family to find a safe harbor in each other? 352-371-1234.

MUSIKGARTEN Saturday, Dec. 3 11:00am - Noon HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY Learn how to nurture your child’s music aptitude through active music making. This class will provide an opportunity for you to play musically with your child through bouncing and rocking

Swim America OF GAINESVILLE

songs, wiggle and peek-a-boo games, dancing, moving, and singing. 352-334-3941.

HOGTOWN 10K AND FAMILY FUN RUN Saturday, Dec. 3 9:00am GAINESVILLE RACEWAY - The course is completely flat with long straight runs, perfect for setting personal records. All proceeds benefit Florida Camps for Children and Youth with Diabetes. Day of race registration will end promptly at 8:30am The 10K starts at 9:00am followed by the fun run at 9:15am. Register at www.active.com.

COMPETITIVE SWIM TEAM • ADULT MASTERS TEAM

Kathleen Troy

Jill Wilby

Owner/Director

352.380.9191

352.335.0518

www.gatorswimclub.com

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DUDLEY FARM HISTORIC STATE PARK - Watch the traditional method of making cane syrup, including our mule-driven cane mill, and double kettle syrup complex. Other activities include traditional craft demonstrations, blacksmithing, woodworking, crosscut saw demonstrations, children’s games, a quilt drawing, music and more. 352-472-1142.

HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR Dec. 3 - Dec. 4 10:00am - 5:00pm O’CONNELL CENTER The Craft Festival is an annual event

“GIVE YOUR CHILD A LESSON FOR LIFE.” Passion and Excellence One Stroke at a Time.

YEAR-ROUND: BEGINNER THRU ADVANCED SWIM LESSONS

INFORMATION AT:

Saturday, Dec. 3 9:00am - 3:00pm

that showcases handmade crafts by talented artisans and craftsmen. The Festival provides an excellent opportunity to shop for unique merchandise and gifts; it features over 300 different vendors. Admission - $4; students with a valid student I.D. - $1. 352-392-5500.

HOMESTEAD HOLIDAYS Sunday, Dec. 4 Noon - 4:00pm HISTORIC HAILE HOMESTEAD - 8500 SW Archer Road. Stroll through the 1856 plantation home decked out in an array of traditional greenery and Victorian finery. Docents in Victorian costume. See the Homestead’s famous “Talking Walls.” Enjoy live holiday music. Sip some hot cider as you browse a selection of home-baked goodies, and special holiday ornaments. Come see the new Allen and Ethel Graham Visitors’ Center too. FREE Admission. 352-336-9096.

wide variety of books! Supplies are limited. 352-955-5423.

THE IMMIGRANT LIFE AND MAURICE SENDAK Wednesday, Dec. 7 6:30pm - 7:30pm HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY - Join us for the closing reception of our traveling exhibit featuring the life of Maurice Sendak. Dr. Ruth Lowery, a professor in the College of Education and expert on immigrant literature will discuss the experience of immigrants and how it is reflected in literary works for children. 352-334-3947.

HARMONY FOR THE HOLIDAYS Thursday, Dec. 8 7:00pm HISTORIC THOMAS CENTER - Holiday Chamber Concert featuring the Gainesville Brass Quintet. More details to come. 352-336-5448.

www.hailehomestead.org.

CANDLELIGHT VISITS

BOOK GIVEAWAY

Friday, Dec. 9 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Wednesday, Dec. 7 11:00am - 4:00pm THE LIBRARY PARTNERSHIP - Free book Give-Away. Come pick from a

HISTORIC HAILE HOMESTEAD - 8500 SW Archer Road. A rare opportunity to see the homestead at night. $10 per person, under

12 free. $7 if purchased at the Homestead Holidays! Fundraiser for the Visitors’ Center. 352-336-9096.

www.hailehomestead.org.

THE SOUNDS OF THE SEASON Sunday, Dec. 4 7:00pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - The Gainesville Civic Chorus Master Chorale (GCC) joins the UF Concert Choir and Orchestra in their annual Sounds of the Season concert, under the direction of Dr. Will Kesling. Admission is free but a ticket is required for admission. 352-372-2691 janetcor@bellsouth.net.

SEASON OF HOPE RUN Saturday, Dec. 10 8:30am HAWTHORNE TRAIL - Join Tyler’s Hope and The UF Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration for the 2nd Annual Season of Hope Run on the Gainesville Hawthorne Trail. Certification of the 15K has been approved by the USATF (FL11088EBM). Shirts are available for first 400 participants and prizes for the top 3 M/F 5k and 15K runners.

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION Sunday, Dec. 11 4:00pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Join STOP! Children’s Cancer, Inc. for a heartwarming, family friendly event to celebrate the holiday season. The concert features area high school choral groups performing with the Alachua County Youth Orchestra and the Gainesville Youth Chorus. 352-377-2622.

www.StopChildrensCancer.org.

A VISIT WITH SANTA Tuesday, Dec. 13 6:30pm - 7:00pm MILLHOPPER BRANCH LIBRARY, 3145 NW 43RD ST. - Come see Santa and whisper your wish in his ear. 352-318-8653.

MOMMY AND ME ONSTAGE Wednesday, Dec. 14 5:00pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Join the dancers onstage during their final dress rehearsal of the Nutcracker. Sitting up close and personal gives your child a special experience never to be forgotten. $100 for Mommy and one child. $50 for each additional child. 352-371-2986.

KIDS 8 & UNDER RECEIVE A FREE BABY BUBBA MEAL WITH EACH PAYING ADULT.

Visit www.BubbaQuesBBQ .com

to see the menu

COMING SOON: NEW LOCATION IN MAGNOLIA PARK.(39TH AVE NEXT TO HUNGY HOWIE’S)

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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friend list, they decide to rekindle their passion with a romantic cruise to the mythical Greek Isles. All goes well until Sam leaps overboard after falling under the spell of a Siren’s song. 352-375-4477.

RESTORE HEARTS Friday, Jan. 13 7:00pm - 10:00pm

The Nutcracker December 16-18

Times Vary

CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Dance Alive National Ballet presents The Nutcracker on December 16 at 7:30pm, Dec. 17 at 2:00pm and December 18 at 2:00pm; Sugar Plum Tea on December 17 and 18 at 4:00pm; Chocolate and Champagne Gala on December 17 at 8:00pm. 352-392-1900.

HOLIDAZE IN HICKSVILLE Friday, Dec. 16 7:30pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Spend the “holidaze” with Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks. Since the 1960s, Hicks has blended elements of folk, swing, country music and jazz to create a uniquely American sound that is sometimes called “folk jazz.” Now Hicks and his Hot Licks put their touch on holiday favorites in a show that is sure to be a rollickin’ good time! 352-392-1900.

OPERATION SANTA DELIVERY Saturday, Dec. 17 10:00am - 1:00pm SANTA FE COLLEGE LifeSouth’s 9th annual Operation Santa Delivery, featuring a bounce house, hay rides, face painting, Santa’s workshop, crafts and games

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Bring your list to Santa and have your picture taken with him. 352-334-1000.

MESSIAH SING ALONG Saturday, Dec. 17 7:30pm HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 100 NE 1ST ST. The Christmas Season is a time for traditions and it has become a tradition in Gainesville for the Gainesville Civic Chorus Master Chorale (GCC) to present a Messiah Sing Along. This is not a concert but an invitation to everyone to come join the members of the GCC in singing selections from the wonderful music of Handel’s Messiah under the direction of Dr. Will Kesling. Non-singers are welcome to come and listen. Admission is free; however, a $5 donation would be appreciated. Janet Cornelius: 352-372-2691 janetcor@bellsouth.net.

DOWNTOWN COUNTDOWN Saturday, Dec. 31 9:00pm - 12:30am BO DIDLEY COMMUNITY PLAZA - New Year’s Eve celebration concert hosted by the City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. Headlining the concert is the Beatles tribute band, The Impostors, a six-piece group comprised of some of the area’s most popular musicians. 352-393-8746.

SIRENS Jan. 11 - Feb. 5 Times Vary THE HIPPODROME THEATER - Sirens is a clever comedy about finding one’s muse. Sam and Rose have been married for 25 years, living off the royalties of a hit song that Sam wrote in the early days of their courtship. After Rose discovers Sam’s all-female Facebook

UF MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM - An evening of expression, depicting the tragedy of the sex industry through dance, poetry, music and art hosted by FIGHT and Gators for Free the Slaves. The objective is to provide the audience with a better understanding of the life of those sold into sex trafficking and the causes that cultivate this growing illegal market in the United States. Seating is limited and participants are encouraged to register online before January 1. www.

FightSexTrafficking.org

BEIJING GUITAR DUO Friday, Jan. 13 7:30pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Spend an evening with the Beijing Guitar Duo, as Meng Su and Yameng Wang share their exceptional musicality. Concert will include works by Bach/ Busoni, CastelnuovoTedesco, Sergio Assad and Radames Gnattali. 352-392-1900.

GALILEO OF GAINESVILLE Jan. 13 - Jan. 29 Times Vary ACROSSTOWN REPERTORY THEATRE - A modern-day drama centering around an astronomy professor, cosmology, spirituality and homelessness. This

University of Florida Performing Arts Munich Symphony Orchestra Philippe Entremont, Conductor Gloriae Dei Cantores, Choir Thursday, November 17, 7:30 p.m.

Christmas with Aaron Neville and his Quintet Featuring Charles Neville Friday, November 25, 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by Limerock Road

The Manhattan Transfer Thursday, January 19, 7:30 p.m. American Airlines: Sponsor of the 2011-2012 Wonder Series

Joshua Bell, Violin Sam Haywood, Piano Saturday, February 4, 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, S.F.I. and Shands HealthCare

The Official Blues Brothers Revue Featuring Wayne Catania and Kieron Lafferty as Jake & Elwood Friday, February 10, 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by 92.5/95.5/107.9 WIND-FM THE CLASSIC ROCK STATION, Best Western Gateway Grand and the Dharma Endowment Foundation

Arlo Guthrie â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Boys Night Out Thursday, February 23, 7:30 p.m.

Ronald K. Brown, Artistic Director Evidence, A Dance Company Saturday, February 25, 7:30 p.m.

The Pink Floyd Experience Wednesday, February 29, 7:30 p.m. Sponsored by 92.5/95.5/107.9 WIND-FM THE CLASSIC ROCK STATION and Gainesville Today

All performances are at the Phillips Center. A University of Florida Performing Arts 20th Anniversary performance.

For information about student ticket discounts visit http://bit.ly/ufpastudenttickets or scan

Sponsor of UFPA Friday Night Sights Series UFPA is sponsored in part by University of Florida Student Government.

Evidence, A Dance Company

(352) 392-2787

www.performingarts.ufl.edu

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Find us on Facebook!

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THE RITZ CHAMBER PLAYERS Sunday, Jan. 15 2:00pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM - Founded in 2002 by clarinetist and Artistic Director Terrance Patterson, the Ritz Chamber Players are devoted to combining exceptional artistry on stage with engaging educational programs in schools and throughout the community. Boasting some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier talents, the Ritz Chamber Players bring a fresh perspective to the classical music genre. 352-392-2346.

Hoggetowne Medival Faire January 28-29 & February 3-5

A VISIT TO ANTARCTICA Wednesday, Jan. 18 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Times Vary ary

ALACHUA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS - Join the crowd and cheer for your favorite contender as mounted knights joust in full-plate armor on the tournament field. Applaud plaud street performers who dance, juggle and jest for yourr amusement. Listen to minstrels playing period music and enjoy njoy continuous live entertainment. Browse through the bustling g medieval marketplace for that perfect gift or trinket. 352-334-ARTS. 2-334-ARTS. www.gvlculturalaffairs.org.

is an original script written by a Gainesville resident. 352-371-1234.

RUN TOWARD JUSTICE Saturday, Jan. 14 7:00am - 10:00am UFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SOUTHWEST RECREATIONAL CENTER Students and general public are welcome. Early registration is $20 per participant and can be done online. Online registration, payment and a signed waiver will provide each runner/walker with a race t-shirt and a drawstring backpack.

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Early registration ends on January 1. Late registration fee is $25 and does not include a race t-shirt (participants can also register the day of the event but must arrive no later than 7:30 AM). Race begins at 8:00am. Arrive one hour prior to the start of the race to receive running packet. Route encircles Lake Alice and returns to the starting line.

www.FightSexTrafficking.org

FREE TO DANCE Sunday, Jan. 15 6:00pm - 10:00pm

CREEKSIDE COMMUNITY CHURCH - Swing dance social hosted by FIGHT and Gators for Free the Slaves. An hour of swing dancing lessons followed by an evening full of dancing, music, and lots of good fun. Informational booth will educate the participants about human trafficking and the ways they can get involved to help eradicate this injustice. Open to general public. Tickets $10 at the door. Festive attire encouraged.

www.FightSexTrafficking.org

MILLHOPPER BRANCH LIBRARY - Erika Simons participated in a recent trip to Antarctica arranged by the Florida Museum of Natural History. She will share video and photography, with an emphasis on wildlife, of that exciting trip. 352-372-0754.

THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER Thursday, Jan. 19 7:30pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Grammy award-winning vocalists Manhattan Transfer are known for their genredefying sound. More than 40 years after they began singing in New York clubs, the Manhattan Transfer continues to defy musical pigeonholing, remaining a staple of both jazz and mainstream audiences. 352-392-1900.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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MUSIC FROM THE NEW WORLD Friday, Jan. 20 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM - The Gainesville Chamber Orchestra. 352-392-2346.

WOMEN FULLY CLOTHED Jan. 21 - Jan. 22 Times Vary CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - A theatrical evening of comedy. These four “fully clothed” gals — Robin Duke, Jayne Eastwood, Kathryn Greenwood and Teresa Pavlinck — are bringing their humor to Gainesville. Based on their lives as moms, sisters, daughters and comediennes, this sketch comedy show will give your funny bone a workout. 352-392-1900.

CAREER SHOWCASE Jan. 24 - Jan. 26 Times Vary O’CONNELL CENTER Two-day fair hosted each fall and spring. Representatives from technical and nontechnical industries seek talented candidates of all majors and classifications for internships, cooperative education or full-time positions. NonTechnical Day, Jan. 24; Technical Day, Jan. 25; Interview Day, Jan. 26. 352-392-5500.

GENE LUEN YANG Thursday, Jan. 26 6:30pm - 7:30pm HEADQUARTER LIBRARY Author and illustrator, Gene Luen Yang, won the Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature for his graphic novel “American Born Chinese.” This celebrated author

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discusses “How to Make Comics.” He will go through the creative process step-by-step. There will be an optional comics-related exercise for the audience. 352-334-3941.

KARLA BONOFF Friday, Jan. 27 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM - Singer/songwriter Karla Bonoff has been praised throughout her four-decade career for her writing, albums and performances. Among the most well-known songs she has written is All My Life, which People magazine ranked as one of the top five most popular wedding songs. 352-392-2346.

ROBERTO ZUCCO Jan. 27 - Feb. 12 Times Vary NADINE MCGUIRE BLACK BOX THEATER - This psychological thriller based on a true story revolves around a serial killer who is guilty of murdering his parents. After escaping jail, the anti-hero encounters a variety of characters who help to shape his criminal adventures, all the while changing his identity several times in an unexpected journey. 352-392-1653.

A MIDWINTER NIGHT’S DREAM Saturday, Jan. 28 6:00pm - 11:00pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Join the UFPA Annual Gala for an evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, gourmet buffet dinner, beverage ice luges, a unique silent auction, dancing and more. This year’s fundraising event will bring a silvery winter wonderland to life. 352-273-2480.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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THE GAINESVILLE CHILDREN’S CHORAL FESTIVAL Sunday, Jan. 29 4:00pm FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - Guest conductor Averill Summer directs the area’s younger singers, as they present music learned in their Saturday workshop. 352-378-1527.

CRUISIN’ THE FOSSIL FREEWAY Saturday, Feb. 4 10:00am - 5:00pm FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Presented by the Toomey Foundation for the Natural Sciences. This exhibit combines some of the museum’s paleontology specimens and the fossil-inspired artwork of celebrated artist Ray Troll to explore questions about evolution, extinction and early life on Earth. Troll’s whimsical illustrations of imagined scenes from prehistoric times help bring to life real fossils. 352-846-2000.

SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR Friday, Feb. 3 7:30pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - The joy of faith through music defines the Soweto Gospel Choir, whose soulful performances are characterized by exuberant song, lively dancing and vibrant costuming. Blending tribal, traditional and popular African and Western gospel music, the choir has earthy rhythms, rich harmonies, cappella vocals and charismatic

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stage presence. 352-392-1900.

UF AUTHOR SERIES-CARLA FEHR

DALA

LOVE LETTERS

Wednesday, Feb. 8 7:00pm - 8:00pm

CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Amanda Walther and Shelia Carabine are an acoustic pop duo from Canada who will remind you of singer/ songwriters of an earlier era. From Horses to Girls from the North Country and Everyone is Someone, their songs will continue to haunt you long after the concert is over. 352-392-1900.

Feb. 3 - Feb. 19 Times Vary ACROSSTOWN REPERTORY THEATRE - The play centers on just two characters, Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepease Ladd III. Using the epistolary form sometimes found in novels, they sit side by side at tables and read the notes, letters and cards - of nearly 50 years - from their meeting in the second grade until one of them dies. 352-371-1234.

PLOW DAYS Feb. 3 - Feb. 4 10:00am - 2:00pm DUDLEY FARM HISTORIC STATE PARK - View farming as it was a century ago, as draft horses and mule teams plow the Dudley Farm crop fields. A fun and educational experience for the entire family with ‘old time’ music, demonstrations and more. $5.00 per vehicle up to 8 occupants. 352-472-1142. www.

friendsofdudleyfarm.org.

JOSHUA BELL AND SAM HARDWOOD Saturday, Feb. 4 7:30pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - This engagement, which includes works by Brahms, Schubert and Grieg, is part of Bell’s (violin) 21-city tour with Haywood, a British pianist whose career is rapidly on the rise. 352-392-1900.

MILLHOPPER BRANCH LIBRARY - “What Evolution Can’t Tell Us about Women’s Sex and Work.” Carla Fehr, a professor of philosophy, science, and technology, will use her research on feminism and evolutionary theory to debunk commonly held popular and scientific accounts of sex and work. 352-392-0796.

AHN TRIO WITH THE NAI-NI CHEN DANCE COMPANY Thursday, Feb. 9 7:30pm CURTIS M. PHILIPS CENTER Known for dissolving the barriers between art forms, the Ahn Trio’s three sisters are leading proponents of contemporary classical music. Meanwhile, the dances of Nai-Ni Chen fuse the freedom of American modern dance with the grace of Asian art. 352-392-1900.

BLUES BROTHERS REVUE Friday, Feb. 10 7:30pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - The Blues Brothers are what can only be described as a musical, comedic and cinematic legend. The official Blues Brothers Revue and their tenpiece intercontinental rhythm and blues revue bad, pay homage to the humor, music and mayhem of the Blues Brothers, as well as the rich history of blues, gospel and soul music. 352-392-1900.

Saturday, Feb. 11 2:00pm and 7:30pm

WROCLAW PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Sunday, Feb. 12 7:30pm CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER - Founded in 1954, the Wroclaw Philharmonic has evolved into an exceptional provincial orchestra with a varied repertoire and more than 100 programs presented annually. These players are not only professional musicians but also passionate aficionados of music, representing several generations who form a truly authentic ensemble. 352-392-1900.

JOHN LOWE ORGAN CONCERT Sunday, Feb. 12 3:00pm HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH - Hear Holy Trinty Church’s own John T. Lowe, Jr. in concert at the VisserRowland organ. Music of J.S. Bach, Herbert Howells, Jehan Alain, Seth Bingham and more. 352-372-4721. s

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Taste of the Town

SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL 352.372-5468 FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION.

Adam’s Rib Co. 211 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, Florida 32609 Monday - Saturday: 7am to 9pm Sunday: 9am to 9pm 2nd Location coming soon on SW 13th Street! Visit website for full info.

352-373-8882

www.AdamsRibCo.com

BARBECUE — Looking for the best BBQ in Gainesville? Then look no further than Adam’s Rib Company. Adam’s Rib is North Florida’s Premier Barbecue restaurant, serving North Florida’s finest beef brisket, pulled pork, bbq spare ribs and 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 their scrumptious “Banana Pudding” and their 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!

Bagel Bakery 4113 NW 16th Blvd., Gainesville (In the Millhoper Plaza) Mon-Fri: 6:30am to 5pm • Saturday 7:30am to 4pm Sunday: 8am to 4pm

352-384-9110 BAKERY & EATERY — From freshly made bagels to scrumptious breakfast and lunch sandwiches, the friendly staff is always eager to help in any way. Menu options include bagels, bagel sandwiches, salads, melts, flavored cream cheeses, fair trade coffee roasted onsite and coffee drinks, smoothies, fruit bowls/cups, danish, huge muffins, cookies, brownies and more! A popular choice for either breakfast or lunch, why not have them cater your next office or staff meeting? Locally owned and operated, the Bagel Bakery is perfect way to start your day!

Ballyhoo Grill 3700 Newberry Road, Gainesville Mon-Thu: 10am to 10pm • Fri & Sat: 10am to 11pm Sun 10am to 10pm

352-373-0059 Looking for the freshest seafood? — The Ballyhoo Grill is the place for you! With fresh seafood arriving daily, Try the amazing North Atlantic Cedar Plank Salmon, grilled on a cedar plank for a rich, smoky flavor. Other great eats include fresh sushi and hand-cut choice steaks. We’re serving up everything from salads and pastas to delicious burgers and sandwiches. make sure you try the incredible Bananas Fosters. Dine in or outdoors on their patio. Happy hour is 2-7pm daily with extended happy hour until 10pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Joe’s Place 5109 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville, Fl 32606 Monday to Saturday 11:00am - 2:00pm Sunday 1:00pm to 11:00pm

352-377-7665

www.panamajoesplace.com

BAR & GRILL — Founded in 2004 on the principles of quality food, exceptional value and family fun, Joe’s Place operates in Timberwood Village on the Northwest side of Gainesville. Joe’s draws people of all ages and lifestyles with its signature bar and grill menu items and family-friendly atmosphere. Since 2004, we have built a local following of salad bar lovers with our award-winning, homemade soups and salad bar. Meat eaters will enjoy our steaks and famous burgers, while vegetarians will love our locally produced tempeh options. Kids eat free every Wednesday with any adult meal of $8.99 or more – featuring healthy options and entertainment by “The Magic Man”.

Flying Biscuit Café 4150 NW 16th Blvd., Gainesville, FL 32605 Located in the Fresh Market Center Mon - Thurs: 7am - 3pm • Fri - Sun: 7am - 4pm

352-373-9500

www.ﬂyingbiscuit.com

BREAKFAST — The Flying Biscuit is out to reinvent breakfast in Gainesville! Maybe you’ve tried their soon-to-be-famous creamy, dreamy grits or their “moon dusted” breakfast potatoes, but did you know you can have them at anytime? With a unique open menu, all the items that appear are available throughout the day. With a variety of healthy and hearty dishes, The Flying Biscuit caters to a variety of tastes. With options ranging from the Smoked Salmon Scramble, the Bacon Cheddar Chicken Sandwich or the Tofu and Tater Salad, there’s something for everyone.

Gator Q 222 NE First Avenue, High Springs, FL 32643 Monday — Saturday: 11:30am - 8:00pm

386-454-9823

www.GatorQ.com

BARBECUE — Gator Q is a neighborhood BBQ joint using local black jack oak soaked in apple cider for smoking pork, turkey, St. Louis ribs, split chickens, and chicken wings, with the occasional beef brisket thrown in for good measure. Brette and Bob ‘Yogi’ Liebler serve made from scratch collards with attitude, bold BBQ beans, gourmet Mac-n-cheese, and a dill and ranch potato salad that will get in your craw and leave you craving more. They’re open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Check them out online at www.gatorq.com or follow them on Facebook. Ask your friends — the food really is that good!

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Taste of the Town

SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL 352.372-5468 FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION.

Mark’s Prime Steakhouse & Seafood 201 SE 2nd Avenue, Gainesville, FL (Historic Downtown) Monday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm • Tues-Sat: 5:00pm to 10:00pm Happy Hour: 5:00pm - 7:00pm

352-336-0077

marksprimesteakhouse.com

STEAK & SEAFOOD — Mark’s Prime Steakhouse and Seafood has a goal to create a unique dining experience that will please the palate and soothe the soul. We serve the finest beef, the freshest seafood, and naturally fresh vegetables. Recipient of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence 2004-2011. Join us for Primetime Happy Hour featuring drink and appetizer specials Monday thru Saturday 5-7 pm. We are pleased to feature our full service, private dining facilities. It would be our pleasure to help plan your next reception, banquet, business meeting, or social gathering. Complimentary valet service.

Mad Hatter’s Café 25 NE 1st Avenue, High Springs, FL 32643 Open 7 Days! 9am - 4pm Continental Breakfast served all day. Down Home Breakfast Sat. & Sun. 9am - 12:30pm

386-454-5700

www.madhatters-cafe.com

CAFÉ — Mad Hatter’s is a funky little cafe in the heart of High Springs. Owned and operated by five women who share a love of food and art. Now open 7 days 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. A continental breakfast is served all day, everyday. Come out for our full “Down Home” breakfast served on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Omelets, Biscuits & Gravy, Waffles, Fruit & Muffin Bar plus... world famous Mad Hatter Monkey Bread! The lunch menu offers something for everyone — from burgers, quesadillas, soups, sandwiches, quiche, salads and wraps (don’t forget to save room for dessert)! Rent out the Mad Hatter for your next private party or event. Catering is also available.

O!O Tapas & Tinis 2725 SW 91st St., #100, Gainesville, FL (Haile Village) Monday to Wednesday 5:00 - 10:00pm Thurs. to Sat. 5:00 - 12:00pm Sunday Noon - 9:00pm

352-331-6620

www.ootinis.com

TAPAS — O!O Tapas & Tinis is serving up a New Menu from Executive Chef Ryan Long, which includes a Porterhouse Pork Chop, Certified Angus Beef, Orange and Cranberry Duck Breast, Fresh Seafood and many, many other selections. Looking for great drink specials? Come see us Tuesdays and Thursdays for $5 Martinis and Live Music. Join us for Happy Hour from 5-7pm every night and all day Sunday. Let us take care of your holiday cooking—book your holiday party or caterings for your office or family with us. Located in the Haile Village Publix Shopping Plaza.

Tropical Smoothie Café 3345 SW 34th Street • Gainesville Open 24 hours Order online: www.2dollardelivery.com

352-379-9988 Tropical Smoothie Café satisfies customers’ cravings with a healthy menu of real fruit smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, and salads. Brandy Heinlein, owner of the restaurant, located conveniently on SW 34th Street, said our customers get a boost since we use natural ingredients, and the smoothies offer three to five servings of fruit. Seasonal items compliment the menu now with a NEW Chicken Parm Flatbread and Cranberry Craze Smoothie. OPEN 24 HRS, Tropical Smoothie Café is a popular study spot during exams. “If you have something late at night, it might as well be healthy,” says Manager Mark Simonelli.

Saboré 13005 SW 1st Road, Tioga, FL 32669 (Tioga Town Center) DINNER Tue-Thu, Sunday 5pm to 10pm, Fri & Sat: 5pm to 11pm LUNCH Tue – Fri: 11am - 3pm BRUNCH - Sat & Sun: 11am - 5pm

352-332-2727

www.saborerestaurant.com

FUSION — Saboré [sa-bohr-ay] is a world-fusion restaurant featuring a variety of European, South American, Mediterranean and Asianinspired tastes. Saboré’s namesake is from the word “sabor,” meaning “flavor.” Executive Chef and Co-Owner William “Willy” Hernandez’s menu features mouth-watering dishes that takes guests on a trip around the world, highlighting exotic flavors and ingredients from countries such as Argentina, Japan, Greece and Italy. Be sure to try their custom plates, desserts and signature cocktails you won’t find anywhere else in Gainesville. Chef Willy has been heralded for his innovative culinary skills at famed establishments such as Caramelo Restaurant, Giacosa, Casa Rolandi and Café Vialetto.

Tasty Buddha 25 NW 16th Ave., Gainesville 32601 Second location now open! 2410 NW 43rd St. Mon-Sat: 11am to 10pm • Sunday 12noon to 8pm

377-0287 16th Ave. • 872-5755 43rd St.

www.TastyBuddha.com

FUSION — Enlighten Your Belly. This is our motto and we are serious about it. We want to change the way you think about food. Food is not something you shove in your mouth to keep your stomach from growling. Food is a gift from the Earth; It is community; It is life. Tasty Buddha, formerly known as the Buddha Belly, is about real, tasty, affordable food. Our newest location is tucked behind Garden Gate Nursery off NW 43rd Street! With flavors from around the world, we have a variety for everyone. From fresh, delicious burgers, curries, and fried rice, to a huge selection of beer and wine and the occasional indulgence. Come in, and let us enlighten you!

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LIVING INDEPENDENTLY WITH

Diabetes CARETENDERS TEACHES PATIENTS TO TAKE CHARGE

re you newly diagnosed with diabetes? Has your medicine been changed? Do you or your caregiver need training on how to deal with your disease process? If so, Caretenders could be the answer for you. “We provide care for a lot of Seniors with diabetes, especially Type 2 diabetes,” said Angela Jackson, RN and patient care liaison with Caretenders. “It is one of the main diagnoses that we treat.” Jackson explains that the primary weapon in the fight against diabetes is education, both for the patient and for the caregiver. “We address the patient as a whole,” she said. “We identify what they need to know and what they already know about the disease process, and we teach them how to take care of themselves.” Clients and their caregivers are taught many aspects of diabetic care including blood glucose monitoring; insulin preparation, injection and storage; medication interactions and side effects; proper diet, and warning signs of trouble or complications from the disease. Jackson believes one of the toughest adjustments for Seniors to make is how to maintain a diabetic diet, explaining that longstanding habits and lack of portion control 116 | Winter 2011

can be obstacles in proper care. “They don’t really understand just how big a half cup of carbohydrates is.” To assist with meals, Caretenders can provide plates that are proportioned to help Seniors easily figure out how much of each food group they should have without the inconvenience of measuring. The plate is divided into sections labeled for each food group, allowing the client to see a “border” around each food portion that can’t be exceeded. Jackson also encourages her clients and caregivers to exercise regularly, noting that getting up and moving around can not only reduce blood sugar but also helps maintain overall good health. Occupational and physical therapists can also be brought in for Seniors with neuropathy who have lost sensation in their fingers and feet. Diabetes puts Seniors at greater risk of kidney damage, heart disease, stroke and other ailments, which in turn puts in jeopardy their ability to live independent lives. Through comprehensive education and thoughtful attention Caretenders is committed to helping Seniors avoid those risks and live their lives with greater joy!

“I wondered if my family could manage all the care I needed after leaving the hospital.”

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COLUMN >> BRIAN “KRASH” KRUGER

Gate Crashing On Deck: Squeaky, PopCanon DATE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 VENUE: DOUBLE DOWN LIVE reetings, live music aficionados! This issue finds us at one of Gainesville’s newest, and oldest, live music venues. Double Down Live, in the downtown “entertainment district,” has only opened well past midway through 2011, but has a long history, including its incarnations as the Covered Dish and the recently shuttered Common Grounds. Although under new management, the gauntlet has been picked up by a couple of Gainesville’s long-haulers, booker Pat Lavery of Glory Days Presents, and Moe Rodriguez. Moe is a former radio DJ who had a local music radio show, and the music promoter behind the Prairie Creek Jams and the Gainesville Summer Music (and later also Film) Festivals, better known as “Moefests.” So the venue is certainly in experienced hands. With the exception of some decorating touches, the only really noticeable change is the repeal of the no-smoking policy. Openers Squeaky had gone through a period of some dormancy, but this show was their debut as a five-piece with a new member. Squeaky is made up of five guys who switch instruments frequently during the space of one set. And

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lots of instruments! Just cataloguing the backline and guitars (basses included, of course) is enough to induce a fit of Gear Acquisition Syndrome. For this show, the amps consisted of an Ampeg bass 8x10 “fridge” cab with some sort of rackmount amp head, a Fender head (Bassman, I’m guessing) into a Marshall 4x12 cab, a Fender silverface Twin Reverb, and a ‘70s Sunn (a defunct company best known for making the first really loud production-run amps in the US during the ‘60s) Beta Lead head into a Hiwatt (an English company whose products are seldom seen here, but with a long and respected history) 4x12 cab. The guitars consisted of a Rickenbacker bass and a Fender Jazz bass, a Rickenbacker 360, Lotus and Fender(2) Strats, a Gibson SG (with a disabled Bigsby tremolo), a Fender Musicmaster, a Schecter Telecaster, and a white Peavey T-60. For those of you keeping score at home, that’s 2.5 guitars per guitarist. And they all got used during one set! The array of guitars was not merely for show, however. Many of the guitars are in “alternate tunings” that differ from “standard tuning,” making changing guitars for different songs a necessity. Many indie rock and experimental music bands use multiple

instruments like this, with Sonic Youth probably being the most famous exponent of the approach. Squeaky engaged the crowd in playful banter, such as asking who was “rocking a babysitter tonight,” then responding to the show of hands with “Yeah, that’s our demographic.” The friendly crowd gave as good as it got, with one request for “that song with the alternate tuning!” In addition to all the guitars being played, and members switching instruments, the drummer played some keyboards, and one of the guitarists played some keyboards and additional percussion. Oh, and at one point someone played while completely supine. Rock! After a switchover and a short film about the closers, sextet PopCanon took the stage for the first time in almost a decade (there was a 2002 reunion), playing a good two dozen songs from their almost-seven-year history, going all the way back to when they were called the Semantics. The lineup is the standard rock band quartet of two guitars (one often acoustic), bass and drums, plus a two person horn section (most often being baritone sax and trombone, with the latter occasionally switched out for trumpet). The two guitarists are the principal vocalists, with each of the

PHOTOS BY BRIAN KRUGER

TOP - PopCanon (L-R) is Michael Murphy, M. David Hornbuckle, Alyson Carrel and Ned Davis, performing at Double Down Live. RIGHT - Squeaky (L-R) is Karl Bullock, Danny Welsh, Steven Bottom, Harry Monkhorst and Steve Eakin.

horn players taking a turn at lead vocals in addition to doing backing vox when not playing horns. The horn players are also known to run out into the audience and dance on songs or portions of songs they don’t play. After traveling back to Gainesville from various and sundry states, the members of PopCanon had only a few days to get together and practice up their set for this show. PopCanon are one of those bands that could easily be mistaken for being overly pedantic if you don’t experience their live show, what with references to Richard

Rorty, playing in 5/4 time signature, and a song (“Arthole”) devoted to the potentially fractious relationship between artist and audience. In real life though, the set is fun and wacky, and anyone that covers the Buzzcocks’ “Ever Fallen In Love” is A-OK in my book. And in addition to putting on a heck of a show using borrowed gear (a possible

exception being a little Ampeg Jet combo amp), they even put up youtube videos showing the chords to their songs! A classic night with two of Gainesville’s finest, including PopCanon asking Squeaky onstage for one of the later songs in the closing set. Now, go see some bands. s

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Construction of Seven Mile Bridge, Linking Florida Keys, Knight Key, Monroe, FL. Southern view, showing upper chords, lateral and sway bracing.

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>> FLAGER’S DREAM

The Overseas Wonder How One Man Transformed a Chain of Islands into a Tourist’s Paradise BY CINDY LONG

“Flung out over the Florida Keys, across miles of open sea, a masterpiece of engineering takes you 170 miles from Miami to Key West,” — DESCRIPTION FROM AN OLD MAP he story behind that masterpiece involves a crossroads of engineering, labor, materials and the gildedage fortune of one man. Henry Morrison Flagler built the Florida East Railway (FEC), Key West Extension, to link the mainland with Key West. What is now known as the Overseas Highway, US 1 to Key West, got its start as a railway. In the 1920s, a traveler could catch the Havana Special in New York,

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Knight’s Key Bridge, view of driving pilings in cofferdam.

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salvage. He saw a future for Key coral rock, but also reshaping the the men to do it. In fact, they had West to be the stepping off point islands and possibly diverting the been building roadbed for 20 years. for shipping traffic through the new tidal flow. These days, a roadway They needed an engineer with Panama Canal route and for robust involving this type of disruption to master bridge building experience, trade with Cuba. the natural surroundings would not so they tapped Joseph C. Meredith, The journey from Flagler’s Folly be permitted in the U.S. the head engineer in charge of a (as detractors called it) to the Eighth When Flagler was questioned $3.5 million, half-mile long pier in Wonder of the World (dubbed after it about how his Key West Extension Tampico, Mexico. was a success) was arduous. The rail would be built his reply was, “It’s According to Les Standiford’s line would cross three major bodies perfectly simple. All you have to do is book, “Last Train to Paradise,” durof water, one a seven-mile stretch, to build one concrete arch, and then ing Meredith’s interview for the job another 30 feet deep, and the nearly another, and pretty soon you will Flagler asked him, “When can you three miles from Long Key to Conch find yourself in Key West.” A simple start?” Meredith is reported to have Key. It may be difficult to grasp just statement but a complex reality. replied, “I’m ready this afternoon, how extraordinary the project was in Joseph R. Parrott, president and but I’d like a few days to go home to 1905: electricity was just beginning general manager of the FEC, was Kansas City, to pack some things, in common use, the Wright and see my family. I’ll have Brother’s first flight had to be on this job for several happened only two years years.” before and the Empire State Meredith did not reveal Building was 26 years away. in his interview that he was Engineers studied diabetic. The heat, sun and options for constructing the stress of the job took its toll, Extension. William J. Krome and after four very intense and his team explored a years of working, he fell westward route at the tip of into a diabetic coma and the peninsula. They picked died in April 1909. Flagler their way through the grieved the loss of his valued swampy Everglades filled engineer, stopping all rail with sawgrass and mosquitraffic and work in his honor toes to reach Cape Sable. for five minutes during the From there a bridge would funeral. be built to the lower Keys. William Krome, having The second option, which been on the project since was chosen for the project, ect, its ts inception working as was to cross the swampy py Meredith’s Me assistant, became muck south of Homestead ead ad project pro manager to “launch a to Jewfish Creek, build a railroad r l rai straight at the blank LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS bridge to Key Largo and d then then n horizon ho o r of the Atlantic,” DIVISION WASHINGTON, D.C. island hop down the length ng gth according acc c to “Last Train to Pigeon Key Bridge, construction details of method for of the Keys. This route had ha ad Paradise.” Par He was 32 years adapting bridge into highway. Oct. 5-6, 1937 previously been surveyed ed d old but described by Flagler in 1866 by J.C. Bailey forr as “a “ very efficient man.” the International Ocean n Flagler Fla wrote that he “had Telegraph Company forr a line lin ine e from from Flagler’s close consultant on the no anxieties anxiet ieti about him being able Miami to Cuba. project. An exchange often quoted to prosecute the work successfully.” Roadbeds had been built, but it between the two was, “Joe, are you The third key engineer, Clarence was quite a different task to build sure this railroad can be built?” S. Coe, received a phone call at his a road across a swamp. Not water Parrott’s reply, “Yes, I am.” home in Iowa late one autumn and not land, a man could sink “Very well, then, go to Key West.” evening in 1905. Coe’s daughter, hip-deep in muck. Bridges had Priscilla Coe Pyfrom, recounts hearalso been built, but this endeavor The Men To Do The Job ing his end of the conversation in required a bridge nearly three miles Flagler and Parrott decided her book, “The Bridges Stand Tall.” long and another seven miles long, the FEC could build the overseas “Yes, I am the engineer who and moving not only 17 million railway because they had the designed and built the Boone Bridge. cubic yards of marl, sand, and experience, the equipment and No, I am not working at the present.

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I am generally off for the winter. Would I be interested in a job in Florida? What part of Florida?” Coe accepted, moving down immediately and bringing his family 11 months later. Since Coe would be the main engineer for the Seven Mile Bridge, he, his wife and three children moved onto a houseboat named Miriam, anchoring off of Pigeon Key, the island in the middle of the bridge, from 1908 to 1913. During hurricane season the family traveled back to Iowa to stay out of harm’s way. By the end of the project, Coe was responsible for fifteen major bridges on the extension.

The Heavy Lifters Flagler wanted to employ as many men as possible. Initially, 400 men were brought on but a few months into the project the crew had dwindled to less than 150. But one source reports that during the course of construction 50,000 men were employed on the railway, but never more than 5,000 at a time. Conditions were miserable,

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because of clouds of mosquitoes, intense heat and humidity in the summer, with the only respite of a summer storm to bring a breeze and cooling rains. While slogging and building through the Everglades, the laborers had to be persuaded not to run away which would mean certain death. The swamp was full of alligators — often found lounging on the equipment in the mornings — poisonous snakes, brackish water and torment. Because work conditions were so extreme Flagler told his managers to provide the best living conditions possible. They built dormitories on barges called quarter-boats, and set up field kitchens with fresh food brought in every three days. Water and ice were readily available. The men were an amalgamation of ethnicities. In 1906 there were 1,000 black workers, many from Florida, and 700 white, predominantly Greeks, Italians and Germans. Over the years the work force comprised Grand Cayman islanders, Spaniards, north-easterners from New York and Pennsylvania, and

Native Americans. The pay in the early years was $1.50 per day plus room, board and transportation to the job, which had to be reimbursed to the FEC. Tools were fabricated specifically for the job such as vessels for transportation and construction as well as quarter-boats for the workers, cement mixers, excavators and forms for the concrete piers and arches. Initially, the railway would be built by floating machines, but water transportation routes needed to be as minimal as possible because of the cost. Comparatively, rail was inexpensive; the sooner rail bed or temporary trestles were built the easier and less costly getting materials to a site would be. “In 1906, the Extension operation listed three tugs, eight stern-wheel steamers, 27 gasoline launches, 14 houseboats, eight work boats with derricks and cement mixers, three pile drivers, one floating machine shop, and 72 barges,” writes Dan Gallagher in his book, “Florida’s Great Ocean Railway: Building the Key West Extension.”

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION WASHINGTON, D.C.

LEFT: H.M. Flagler’s Special, ﬁrst train crossing Long Key Viaduct, 2.7 miles long, Long Key, FL BELOW: Moser Channel Draw, pivot pier under construction w/steel reinforcing

During the six years of the main construction two hurricanes tore through the Keys. On October 17 1906, a makeshift barometer, a tube with water in it and a piece of weed, alerted the workers that bad weather was coming. There was no way out of the Keys. By midnight the winds were strong enough to shut down work and send the men to their quarter-boat. But that proved to be deadly for many. The quarter-boat was lashed, whipped and driven into the Gulf Stream where it was ripped apart. Various accounts estimate the loss of life from 125 to 200 men. Not only did the loss of life cause the team to rethink worker housing but also the construction of the roadbed. Changes to housing included land-based camps and dredged canals to harbor quarterboats. Later, the quarter-boats were abandoned altogether. Krome urged Flagler to run telegraph wires down to the work crews so they could receive timely weather bulletins. The 1909 hurricane wiped out 40 miles of roadbed and track. They

learned that a bridge holds up better in a storm than fill — even fill buttressed by riprap, which is rubble and rock used to armor shorelines from washouts. A great example of this still exists. The Long Key Viaduct originally called for 180 arches with fill on the approaches. After the 1909 hurricane, the engineers added 35 arches. A wing-wall from the original construction appears out of place but marks the addition of the added arches. The Long Key Viaduct still stands next to its successor.

Onto Key West By 1908, the railway was half finished and the town of Marathon became a central player in the construction of the Seven Mile and Bahia Honda Bridges, as well as the rest of the stretch to completion. The island earned its name when a worker reportedly said, “Building this railroad has become a regular marathon.” Between 1908 and 1912 there were as many as 1,500 working men and their families living on Marathon. It was a close-knit

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community with a “bold spirit of camaraderie” living side by side with one goal in mind: completion of the railway to Key West. The Seven Mile Bridge, as it came to be called in the 1930s, has two styles because of the difference in water depths, ranging from two feet to more than 20 feet. It was originally planned as four different bridges: Knight’s Key Bridge, Pigeon Key Bridge, Moser Channel Bridge and Pacet Channel Viaduct. The concrete spandrel arches in the shallows are 53 feet apart. In the deeper water, 80-foot long steel pedestal plates weighing 19 tons each were placed directly on the concrete piers. It also had the 253-foot Moser Channel Draw that swung away for tall ship traffic. Working off of floating equipment barges powered by coal and fresh water were dredges and cementmixing vessels that “ran day and night; two crews for double shifts and were equipped with electric dynamos to run lights after dark.” The raw materials came from a variety of locations. The cement

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Henry M. Flagler and party leaving ﬁrst train to arrive at Key West, Fla. Oversea Florida East Coast R. R.

for ab above ove the the waterline w wate aterli rline ne came came from from New York; k below b l the h waterline li the cement came from Alsace, France. Steel and track were from Pittsburgh. The pine lumber came from Georgia and Florida while the hardwood came from the Midwest. Crews dug quarries for rock, sand and marl — a lime-rich mud — on several of the Keys, most notably Key Largo and Windley’s Island. Today, people can visit Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park at mile marker 84.9 and see where some of the stone came from. Work was also progressing on the other signature bridge, the Bahia Honda. The channel, appropriately named by the conquistadors meaning “deep channel,” was more than 30 feet in the center. The rule of thumb used by the engineers was one foot up for every foot of water below, which meant very tall piers needed to be built at this particular passage. According to “Florida’s Great Ocean Railway,” “Engineers had to use steel cofferdams for the seal; wooden forms could not withstand water pressure at that depth.” A cofferdam is a temporary watertight enclosure that is pumped dry to expose the bottom of a body of water for the construction of piers. And “in order to decrease the number of piers, the engineers decided to make the spans longer, a feat they could do only by building

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a truss trusss bridge,” trus bridge brid ge,” like like the the Moser Mose Moserr Channel h l truss. The trusses to span the piers were built in place using falsework, a wooden bridge used as a temporary support until each truss was completed. It was the strongest bridge built on the line and when it was converted to a roadway, the trusses were left in place and the road was built on top of them. With the most difficult waters now bridged the goal of Key West was in sight. In his book, “The Railroad That Died At Sea,” Pat Parks tells this story: Flagler was a frail 81 year old when Krome received a call from Parrott asking, “Can you finish the road down to Key West so we can put Mr. Flagler there in his private car over his own rails out of Jacksonville on this next birthday, January 2nd?” Krome, inspired by and dedicated to Flagler, cut a year off of the schedule by running crews day and night. On a perfect Chamber of Commerce Day, January 22, 1912, Flagler rode into Key West on his car, the Rambler, over sparkling aqua water under the clearest of blue Florida Keys skies. Emerging from a cloudy Knight’s Key the historic crossing was heralded by the never-before-heard sound of a train whistle on this island 90 miles from Cuba. Old Glory and Cuban flags,

military military, milita ry, ragtime ragti ra gtim me and marimba bands b d greeted d the h old ld man and d his hi train with a crowd estimated to be more than 10,000 people, half of the population of Key West at that time. Dignitaries, including congressmen, senators and Florida Governor Albert Gilchrist, were in attendance. A frail and nearly blind Flagler stepped out of his private car at 10:30 a.m. to a throng of cheers and speeches. Several accounts tell the story of Flagler leaning on J.R. Parrott, saying, “I can hear the children, but I cannot see them.” When Flagler stepped up to the podium to speak he said, “We have been trying to anchor Key West to the mainland, and anchor it we have done.” The following year Flagler died at the age of 83. His vision transformed Florida and the Keys, and endeared him to the people of the state. Edward N. Akin, a biographer of Flagler, states Flagler built the Key West Extension as “his enduring monument.” The old bridges were replaced in the 1970s and ‘80s, but many remain as fishing piers and can sometimes be seen in motion pictures. “True Lies” was shot in the Keys and the Seven Mile Bridge had a starring role. As stated in a 1949 map: The Overseas Highway is a masterpiece and still a wonder.” The statement still rings true to this day. s

100th Anniversary of the Overseas Railway Events: KEY LARGO Railway Memorabilia Display Through January 31, 2012 See historic items and memorabilia on loan from historian Seth H. Bramson and the Gold Coast Railroad Museum, on display at the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, located at MM 106. See an original, official souvenir program from Flagler’s trip to Key West on Jan. 22, 1912, a Florida East Coast Railway steam whistle and several other railroad artifacts, circa 1900-1935. Call 800-822-1088 or visit www.keylargochamber.org.

BAHIA HONDA STATE PARK Historical Reenactment January 20, 2012 11:00 am to 1:00 pm Step back in time to the early 1900s as Mr. Henry Flagler and other travelers share their unique experiences on the railroad. Meet at the railway car “stage” inside the park, just past the Sand & Sea Center. Show begins at 11:00am. Bring chairs and/or beach blankets for comfort.

HISTORIC PIGEON KEY Free Family Fun Day January 14, 2012 10:00am - 4:00pm This five-acre property served as a home base for railroad workers erecting and later operating the final installment of the FEC Railway: the Old Seven-Mile Bridge. Ferry ride and entrance FREE. Historical reenactment activities with period games and demonstrations for children of all ages.

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KEY WEST Flagler’s 100th Anniversary Gala Costume Ball January 21, 2012 6:00PM - 10:00pm Enjoy a night of period costumes, dinner, dancing and celebrating 100 years of the Flagler era at the historic Casa Marina - A Waldorf Astoria Resort, 1500 Reynolds Street, Key West. 180 guest maximum. Cost: $100. Includes one hour of open bar cocktails, dinner, beverages, fireworks as well as a silent auction to benefit Friends of Old Seven, a nonprofit organization formed as a community effort to save, enhance and maintain the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon, a significant piece of railroad history. www.flaglerkeys100.com. Flagler Centennial Parade January 22, 2012 1:00pm - 2:00pm The modern day Rambler, the railcar that Henry Flagler traveled in, is expected to make an appearance at the 2012 parade. Free and open to the public. Parade route is expected to begin at Higgs Beach, continue along Duval Street and conclude at the Customs House steps, from where Henry Flagler is to address the spectators, visitors and residents of the Florida Keys and Key West.

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wanted: Veterans Seeking

Benefits For Retirement Living!

How often does a veteran, one to whom this country owes so much, see that headline?!

f you or someone you know is a veteran and in need of up to $2,000 a month in living assistance, then there are two men and one amazing facility you should get to know in our Northeast Florida community. The men, two committed volunteers, are Tom Hanson, a former Navy man, and Gary Marriage. The facility is The Atrium of Gainesville, with Prem Paul Murrhee as the Director of Sales & Marketing. Together

they are making it possible for veterans in our area to live their retirement years in a care-free, all-inclusive environment such as the beautiful Atrium where daily living is taken care of under the conscientious care of dedicated staﬀ.

How Did This Service Come About! The Aid & Attendance beneﬁt was part of a veteran beneﬁt enhancement in 2001, but it wasn’t until Prem Paul Mur-

rhee’s dad, retired from the Veterans Administration, introduced him to the beneﬁt. Often times deserving veterans were turned away, but with help, they were able to navigate the political waters and receive the beneﬁt they are not only legally entitled to, but also earned! For the past 3 years Prem Paul Murrhee was a one-man show and the application process could be quite cumbersome; however, when Gary and Tom came aboard, as volunteers,

the entire process became much more streamlined. They now conduct a monthly beneﬁt talk at the Atrium on the fourth Thursday of each month at 12 noon. (Except for November and December, when it is the third Thursday.)

Why Are These Men Dedicated To Helping Veterans? Tom has been a dedicated volunteer helping deserving seniors for years. As a former Navy man, he takes great pleasure in conducting the monthly benefit talk at the Atrium and helping with the actual application process. Gary, while trying to help his grandfather secure financial assistance for his years of military service, discovered the remarkable “Aid and Attendance Benefit” after plodding through a VA handbook. He’d been assured by a VA employee that no further assistance existed, but Gary felt certain there had to be. Gary was right. With the “Aid and Attendance Benefit” he was able to move his grandfather out of the very expensive nursing home that was draining every nickel of his grandfather’s savings and benefits. And, he was able to make sure that his grandmother would not be left penniless and unprovided for if left on her own. He and Tom are well aware of the unnecessary sorrow and hardships our veterans face and enjoy doing their part to help those who are eligible get as-

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sisted living dollars. They also know how frustrating the entire process can be. As General Patton said, “When you’re going through hell, keep going.”

Only 10% Of The Eligible Veterans Are Receiving This Benefit! Henry Hugh Shelton, General, United States Army [Ret.], the 14th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, having served under Presidents Bush and Clinton has partnered with Holiday Retirement and the Atrium on behalf of qualifying veterans to help get the word out. He urges veterans, and their surviving spouses, to seek out benefits that they are legally entitled to . There are an estimated 2 million eligible veterans and surviving spouses nationwide and only about 200,000 are currently receiving benefits. Locally, Gary, Tom and the Atrium are taking General Shelton’s lead and reaching out to the area veterans.

Tell Me About The Atrium, A Holiday Retirement Facility Holiday Retirement is the oldest and largest retirement company in the United States with 313 locations, more than 35,000 residents, and growing every day. The Atrium has more than 200 apartments ranging from 400 to 1600 square feet, all fully equipped including dishwasher, stove, oven, fridge and freezer. The Atrium provides three

delicious chef-prepared meals served daily; weekly housekeeping; utilities; transportation,; 24/7 emergency service; and, free room and board at other Holiday Retirement Communities across the United States and Canada. Also available are rehabilitation and health care services as needed, the Atrium beauty salon, and Wise’s Drugstore. The Atrium oﬀers this innovative and extensive Senior care on a month-to-month basis with no buy-in fees. General Hugh Shelton said it best; when you choose Holiday “you’ll be living the retirement you’ve earned as a defender of freedom”

Get In Touch With Prem Paul Murrhee At The Atrium The Atrium is located at 2431 NW 41st Street across from Thornebrooke Shopping Village. Veterans and their surviving spouses who are curious about their eligibility can attend monthly beneﬁt talks at the Atrium on the fourth Thursday of every month at 12 Noon. (Except for November and December, when it is the third Thursday) by contacting Prem Paul Murrhee at 352-378-0773. Gary Marriage, Tom Hanson and Prem Paul Murrhee are three community-minded people serving the Gainesville area and beyond….because our veterans deserve the best this country has to oﬀer.

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>> UNITY

Building on Faith The Gainesville Interfaith Forum and Habitat for Humanity

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN eptember 11, 2010, could have been a day of conflict, judgment and hatred for Gainesville. For years, local pastor Terry Jones and his followers at the Dove World Outreach Center professed their disdain for Islam through signs and t-shirts connecting the religion to Satan. But last year, they were poised to burn copies of the Quran, the Muslim holy book. National news outlets descended upon the city and camped out near the church’s property. The president warned about retaliation while Muslims around the world condemned Dove’s plans and vowed revenge should the burning

take place. These events could have led to disaster. Instead, insight and hope were born. “When the sign went up, and the t-shirts were worn, I preached a sermon on loving Jesus and my Muslim friends,” said Dr. Dan Johnson, the senior pastor at Trinity United Methodist Church. “And I realized that, well, I didn’t have any.” Johnson was soon introduced to Humeraa and Asaad Qamar, two area residents who are Muslim. The trio forged a friendship and decided to start meeting with others who had a similar interest in bridging religious gaps. Their meetings became the start of the Gainesville Interfaith Forum. “You feel helpless in the face

PHOTO BY DEBBIE HERRING

People from many faiths worked side by side to raise the walls of the new house.

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of such rhetoric that can affect the next generation, our kids,” Humeraa Qamar said. “We didn’t want to counter hate with hate in any way. So if we did something positive and constructive in lieu of such senseless rhetoric, it would hopefully neutralize [instead of causing] an adversarial situation. We all agreed upon that.” The group and the Gainesville community came together in the days leading up to Dove’s planned Quran burning, with members of Gainesville’s faith community holding a press conference on the steps of city hall to publicly proclaim their unity. Then on Sept. 10, 2010, the Gainesville Interfaith Forum staged a Gathering for Peace,

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PHOTOS BY DEBBIE HERRING

RIGHT: Many religious leaders who volunteered spoke at the dedication, including (l to r) Andy Bachman, from the United Church of Gainesville; Imam Abdul Malik, from the Islamic Community Center; Rabbi Michael Joseph, from Temple Shir Shalom; and Pastor Greg Magruder with Parkview Baptist Church

Understanding and Hope at Johnson’s church. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and other faiths congregated and chatted amongst themselves and from the pulpit. Some recited scripture; some talked about loved ones who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but all found a common goal — to show the world that Gainesville was about tolerance and cooperation, not fear and divisiveness. Still, members of the faith community felt that more could be done. Andy Bachmann, associate minister at the United Church of Gainesville, was at the city hall press conference. “I leaned over to a fellow I had just met and

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we both said, ‘This is wonderful! Wouldn’t it be great if we could do something together to enhance our solidarity?’” That fellow was Sartaj Baban of the Islamic Community Center of Gainesville. He and Bachmann quickly struck up a friendship and, along with Rabbi Michael Joseph of Temple Shir Shalom, began to brainstorm ideas of how they could further the interfaith message. Bachmann recalled that Scott Winzeler, the then-new executive director for Alachua Habitat for Humanity, had just visited area houses of worship to promote Habitat projects. The four men met to discuss how people from

different congregations could cooperate in giving back to the community. “It occurred to us that a great response to the issue was to put some sort of concrete, committed action into place,” Winzeler said. “And what better action than to build a Habitat for Humanity house?” Bachmann, Baban and Joseph wrote a letter to faith-based organizations in the area, asking for donations and cooperation. The response was overwhelming; they raised $65,000 for the build and work began in April of 2011. Dozens of volunteers from the participating congregations

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showed up every week to build the house. They also made meals to share with everyone at the site and learned more about each other and their faiths in the process. It was a scene nothing short of inspiring. “On that very first day, over 50 people showed up from 17 organizations. Within a day we had walls up,” Bachmann said. “I was giddy, grinning from ear to ear, thrilled to see a Christian working alongside a Muslim working alongside a Jew, hammering nails, cutting wood, carrying boards, and saying ‘Who are you? Tell me about your family.’ I saw friendships and connections being made in a venue where we might never have had that opportunity.” Winzeler credits the volunteers’ enthusiasm with the speed and efficiency of the project; the house was completed in about three months. “We had so many people on site that this was one of the quickest built houses we’ve ever done,” he said, “and we’ve done 107 homes over our 25-year history.” The home completed Habitat’s 30-house Celebration Oaks development in southeast Gainesville, and at the dedication ceremony the new homeowners were presented with a copy of each religion’s holy book for use in their family library. The Interfaith Habitat house is a physical shelter, but it represents so much more. It is a physical manifestation of humankind’s ability to

overcome fear and ignorance to see the common denominators shared by all. While one family received a home, the volunteers received valuable lessons and lifelong friends. “Sartaj is having a big celebration for his daughter finishing her reading of the Quran,” Bachmann said. “I never would have known that had I not made these connections with him. And Michael Joseph has invited me to the High Holy Days at Temple Shir Shalom. I never had those opportunities before.” It is through actions such as the Habitat build and more that the Gainesville Interfaith Forum plans to continue its mission of hope and understanding. Its ranks have grown to more than 100 members since its inception two years ago, with membership open to everybody (one does not need to be clergy; in fact, the majority of members are not). The group meets every few months to share a meal, discuss community topics and learn about each other’s traditions. “When we met last November, we arranged for ethnic Pakistani food,” Qamar said. “Another meeting was on the UF campus. They had international students from different religions and cultures come in and speak. Different faiths sponsored different foods.” Future plans for the Gainesville Interfaith Forum include working with Sunshine State Interfaith Power and Light, a religious response to climate change. It is the Florida branch of a national group

Office: 352-375-1021

that promotes energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. The forum will also continue to hold its yearly remembrance of the 9/11 attacks, discussing what can be done to stop the hatred that caused them, and the events in its aftermath. With extremism on the rise and events such as this past year’s congressional “hearings on Islam,” Johnson fears for Muslims who could get caught up in paranoia. “I think it is my Christian responsibility to raise a voice of support for them,” he explained. “If we know more about them, we move from ‘them’ — which you can say bad things about — to a person you know and have a relationship with.” Members of the Gainesville Interfaith Forum seek to remind people of the positive message that all religions share. “We are all human beings, first and foremost,” said Qamar, an area pediatrician. “When I treat a patient, it doesn’t matter what belief they belong to. I treat them all with the same respect and dignity. We need to love and respect our differences and achieve understanding. If you understand, we develop mutual respect for each other. “I want my kids’ generation to grow up knowing that everyone is equal in this world.” s For more information or to join the Gainesville Interfaith Forum, e-mail Humeraa Qamar at ehsanadil@aol.com.

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>> MUSIC MEN

Dynamic Duo BY MARY KYPREOS ithin the renovated parking garage that is now Tall Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brew House, suits and college students mingle in the wide-open venue cheering around games tables, sitting in booths featuring wooden and metallic elements and ordering drinks from Tall Paul and his significantly shorter bartenders. An old-fashioned bright red London telephone booth sits in one corner, directly below a giant stuffed alligator. On one particular Wednesday night, two musicians set up across from the alligator and the telephone booth, fitting perfectly into the scene, almost as if for that one night, they belong nowhere else.

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Richy Stano takes up his guitar, an instrument he has played so long that it is now firmly entwined with his identity. Dressed in a short sleeve button down, khaki shorts, loafers and sporting curly golden hair others take hours to emulate, Stano exudes a laid-back, roll-with-the-punchesbut-seize-the-day personality. Perched on a barstool next to Stano, with an African hand drum called the djembe situated between his legs, a microphone in front of him and a shaker in his right hand, Shane Moore sets the rhythm. With dark hair, a goatee and dressed in a black, long-sleeve button down and jeans, Moore presents the opposite picture of Stano, and yet, like the patrons and atmosphere at Tall Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, it just works.

FROM DUOS TO MORE Around two and a half years ago, Stano and Moore were introduced at Family Church and began their journey together. At the time, Stano was playing around town with Mark Gaignard, former frontman for the Gainesville group Big Sky, but Gaignard started spending summers in Alabama. Fortunately for Stano and Moore, just because Gaignard was not always around did not mean interest died. As Stano and Moore began singing duos together, and Stano still received calls from people interested in hiring him and Gaignard, an idea formed. Around a year and a half ago, Stano and Moore began picking up gigs and their burgeoning professional relationship took

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

Richy Stano & Shane Moore

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PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

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off from there. “I really like the way [Moore] sings,” Stano said. “He has a great voice and a really cool way of interrupting songs and making them his own.” For Moore, he enjoys being able to play with someone as accomplished as Stano and learns from him. “It is fun for me to watch the way he plays,” Moore said. “He is a ridiculous guitar player.” Stano and Moore play in a variety of venues around Alachua County and sometimes in Cedar Key. They have about 150 to 200 songs on their list and even take suggestions and learn them, Stano said. “Each of the different places we play has a slightly different demographic,” he said. Therefore, some songs that may be appropriate for the Great Outdoors Restaurant in High Springs would not be fitting for Tall Paul’s Brew House in Downtown Gainesville. Because they cover so many artists, such as Led Zeppelin, John Mayer, Steely Dan and Jimi Hendrix,

to accommodate their various venues, Stano and Moore also try to make the songs their own, while keeping the respective artist’s style. Take “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, for example, Moore said. Stano takes the lead part and changes it up so that the original feel of the song remains, but in the “dirty south,” grittier, in-your-face style of Stano and Moore. Furthermore, whereas “Sweet Home Alabama” is a full-band song, Stano and Moore play acoustic, Stano said. “It is difficult to sing in the different genres of music we do,” Moore said. “But as a musician, that is one of the challenges, to learn all the different styles.” Both Stano, who has toured the country, and Moore, a native of Gainesville, enjoy playing in Alachua County for the good-fun atmosphere and people. “I like the different venues and the different people who show up,” Stano said. “The diversity is fun.”

STANO: HOOKED FOR LIFE Stano was only four years old when he watched the Beatles on television, and even though he was too young for PG-rated movies, that moment led him to a life-long love of music and the guitar. Born into a musical family, his parents did not object to Stano learning guitar; however, to ensure he was serious, they first required him to take piano lessons. When he was six years old and had completed what he calls his “penance,” he received his first guitar at Christmas. Stano quickly progressed into playing professional gigs with his older cousins at age 11 and continued to play gigs throughout high school and college. Although Stano had a deep love for music growing up, and his parents recognized his talent, he said they still tried to protect him from what is inevitably a very difficult career path. So instead of pursuing a music

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degree in college, he received an undergraduate degree in management and went â&#x20AC;&#x153;corporate.â&#x20AC;? After marrying and spending some time in the corporate world, Stano looked at his life. He had no children, no major responsibilities and a job he hated. If there was a time to give music a shot, it had come. With a five-year game plan ready in hand, Stano moved to Los Angeles to attend music school. After graduating, Stano began teaching at the same school where he earned his degree. Although playing guitar and teaching guitar can hardly be compared, since, as Stano said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are just different,â&#x20AC;? his five-year plan became a moot point, as he become a successful musician and teacher. Now as a professor at Santa Fe College, Stano has â&#x20AC;&#x153;free reign to teach,â&#x20AC;? and he loves his time there. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I enjoy helping people get where they want as musicians and become what they can be,â&#x20AC;? Stano said, adding that he does not want

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is difficult to sing in the different genres of music we do, but as a musician, that is one of the challenges, to learn all the different styles.â&#x20AC;? to turn his students into him. Professionally, his band Mindwalk (with their first album recorded in Gainesville) opened for artists such as BB King, Joan Osbourne and Sister Hazel, and performed at Gator Growl in UFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. In his work with Artist Amy Dalley, he has opened for Toby Keith, Jewel, Clint Black and others. At other points in his career, Stano has performed with Bo Diddley, Jimi Tunnel, Bob Welch, and more. When asked about his time touring with big names, Stano simply replied: â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are people, too. They do the same thing that normal people do, they are just more successful at it.â&#x20AC;? Finally, Stano credits his three

children, his wife, Jen, and even his parents for their support. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My children and my wife like the fact that Dad does something for a living that he really, really loves,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So they support it.â&#x20AC;? MOORE: RECAPTURING DREAMS Like Stano and many musicians, Moore caught the music fever early in life and never wavered from what he loved. Although, he never took lessons, Moore grew up singing in church. As a child, his neighbors introduced him to and taught him to play the djembe. To this day, Moore cannot choose a favorite because he enjoys percussion and singing for different reasons, and together they are

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challenging for him as a musician. “To keep the rhythm solid and make the words fluid is interesting,” he said. A native of Gainesville, Moore stuck with percussion and played in the bands and drum lines of his middle school, Gainesville High School and the University of Florida. However, because of the heavy demands of the school band and drum line, Moore had little time to play in a band of his own, and consequently dedicated all of his time to learning new shows for school. “You were basically learning a new show and drill with the music every week to perform that weekend,” Moore said. When choosing between colleges, Moore debated between UF’s music program, which focused on the educational side of music, and Florida State University’s music program that focused on performance. After finally deciding job prospects would be more viable with an education focus, Moore attended UF

and joined the drum line (as a snare drummer) and the Wind Symphony. During his time at UF, Moore learned to teach every instrument, and in doing so, had to learn every instrument. “You do not become good at [the instruments], but you get good enough to teach someone,” Moore said. Even while learning other instruments — the hardest being the oboe and tuba — he never found one he enjoyed more than percussion, he said. After graduation, Moore was unable to find a job in music and ended up entering the sans-music professional world while playing music in his spare time. “A lot of what I do in my leisure time is music,” Moore said. At the highest level of his career thus far, Moore is performing regularly and writing music with Stano and friend, Larry Carpenter, to pitch in Nashville, he said. Although it is very demanding and Moore has the

highest learning curve since he is not a professional musician, Stano and Carpenter are still very supportive. If their hard work and solidarity should pay off in Nashville, Moore would not hesitate at the opportunity: “If I have a chance to make a living doing music? Yes, definitely, I would make a living doing it,” he said. Whether chatting with Stano and Moore or watching them do what they do best, one thing is clear: For decades, music has had a positive influence on both men, and they love it. Both cite how music can help children develop their minds and learn faster. Moore mentions his 8-year-old daughter, who not only plays the violin and piano but is also learning percussion. Finally, music does not discriminate based on gender, race or even age. “Music is one of those things that can bring you joy the rest of your life,” Stano said “It is one of those things you can do rest of your life.” s

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>> BIBLIOPHILES

Gainesville Book Lover’s

Survival Guide BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON ith the recession taking its toll on Americans, the country is not without its recessionistas and extreme coupon clippers. But what about avid readers looking to save money? High-priced bookstores do not give the impression of saving money, especially when glossy new book covers scream $24.99. Now may be the time to shop at used bookstores, and Gainesville has a few hidden gems.

The Book Rack The Book Rack opened in August with several thousand books, and has continued to broaden its selections, offering a variety of general fiction, romance, mysteries and westerns. Owner Tony Kalishman has two other successful businesses

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with his wife, Sherri. “But they’re not my cup of tea,” he said. “I love to read.” And despite the rise of e-books and Internet shopping, Kalishman braved the market to open his store. Now, stacks of books are waiting to find a new home. Kalishman thought the romance section would keep the operation in business, but has since found that mysteries are the bestsellers. Since opening, the nonfiction section has grown from one shelf to eight. Kalishman accepts paperback trade-ins, and customers get half of the sale price. “I’m still learning what people want,” Kalishman said. Kalishman enjoys talking with his customers. “They talk about books they’ve read, authors they’ve read, and how they have two of a series and need the third,”

he said. “I think that we’re just sharing similar experiences.” He said he has gotten more recommendations from them than he has given. Kalishman wants to support local schools by setting up a program for customers to donate 3 percent of every purchase to a school of their choice. The plan is still in the works, but is an option; customers just have to mention it when they are at the cash register.

Book Gallery West “We aren’t your usual musty, crusty bookstore,” said Jan Fronk, owner of Book Gallery West. From coffee mugs to bath products, the bookstore offers a variety of specialty items, as well as a space for local clubs to meet. “This is a very different bookstore,” Fronk said. “A third of our business is

PHOTOS BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

gifts — cute, unique gifts.” The bookstore stocks about 6,000 new books and 20,000 used books at any given time. Customers can bring books for trade, receiving either cash or credit. The bookstore can also be found online at Amazon.ww “We had books that we felt needed a broader audience,” Fronk said. Book Gallery West has been in business since 1983. In the early 2000s, the community almost lost the bookstore. But Fronk, who said the store was her favorite in town, purchased it. “I think it is always the time to be in the used book business,” she said. “There will always be books that you can’t find online or in an e-book.” But to some people, the choice is whether to read a real book or a computer screen. “Some people enjoy their books,” Fronk said. “I know I do. I keep books that mean something to me. Now and again, I will go to my bookshelf, pull down a book and read what I’ve underlined.”

Visitors can also enjoy the Bestsellers Café, which offers espresso, cheesecakes, muffins, coffee and tea.

Wild Iris Books Owners Cheryl Krauth and Erica Merrell have continued to uphold the ideas of the original “Womanstore Bookstore,” the beginning of Gainesville feminist bookselling in 1974. “It’s a safe community space,” Erica Merrell said. “I meet all kinds of people in here. I hear about all kinds of experiences and that, to me, is what makes it so special.” Customers can find books on women’s spirituality, feminist science fiction and diversity titles. The store also offers natural products, scented soaps, aromatherapy products, as well as a wide selection of crystals and stones. With the Recycled Reads Program, customers can buy a book, read it and bring it back to receive 50 percent of the book’s cost in credit towards the purchase of a new book.

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1. Jan Fronk sits at a table in her café inside Book Gallery West, where customers can order coffee, tea and various snacks. “I think we just offer something different than most stores,” she said. The store, she said, has a very family friendly atmosphere. 2. Book Rack owner Tony Kalishman, surrounded by the books in his store. He said, “When someone comes in looking for a book and you have it, it’s a great feeling.” 3. Anne and Phil Haisley have been in the book business for three decades. It is time, they said, to retire. The bookstore offers what most downtown stores do not — parking that wraps all around the building. Students frequent the space for the low-priced food and coffee, free Wi-FI, and books, Anne said. 4. Cheryl Krauth and Erica Merrell work hard to keep Wild Iris Books open. They feel the space celebrates the diversity in Gainesville society. Both work full-time jobs outside of the bookstore. “I teach computer science at Santa Fe,” Krauth said. “This is just a passion of mine.”

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“Our roots are in feminist bookselling,” Krauth said. “But we also carry all of the Indie Bestsellers.” Wild Iris Books also has an online fullservice bookstore, offering 4.3 million titles. “Readers are changing, people are changing,” Krauth said. “But people also still want to feel like they are supporting their local economy.” One of the problems Wild Iris faced with its online bookstore was getting people to realize they were still buying local. Above the front entrance to Wild Iris, there is a sign that boasts, “We’re your local alternative to Amazon.com.” And not only does Wild Iris provide a space for groups to meet, such as the LGBT (Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgendered) group, but it also has Cafe Colette offering fresh, locally purchased food, wine and beer.

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Books Inc. and The Book Lover’s Cafe have been with the community since 1989, but come January 2012, they will be closing their doors. Owners Anne and Phil Haisley — in the book business for more than 30 years — are ready to retire. After living with the snow up in Phil’s hometown of Marion, Ind., the Haisleys wanted to move to warmer climes. After looking all over Florida, from the Panhandle to the Keys, they wound up in Gainesville. “Gainesville won easily, I think,” Anne said. Phil agreed, saying, “Gainesville’s the cultural part of the state.” Books Inc. was the first local used bookstore to have a restaurant inside its premises. When they first started the business, Anne said they would scour yard sales and the local Friends of the Library Book Sale to build their inventory. After a while, they had built enough of a consumer base that people would bring in books to stock the shelves. Books Inc. was also one of the first 13 bookstores in the United States to provide online retail, Anne said. Until they close, Books Inc. can be found online at biblio.com and abebooks.com. With the closing of Books Inc., customers will be losing a community center, not just a bookstore. “We have customers that learn to read sitting on the couch out there,” Anne said. “We have customers that were customers before they were born because their mom would come in to eat while she was pregnant. We call those our babies.” The store has been home to various clubs, and even groups that deal with abuse, in addition to a place for local artists to display their work. The last art exhibit will be in January. While the Haisleys are closing the doors of Books Inc., they will continue to do appraisals and sell books on consignment. s

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>> SHAKE AND BAKE

Need for Speed New York Natives Revive a Local Landmark BY MOLLY LARMIE PHOTOGRAPHY BY SUZETTE COOK s a tangerine sunset sinks below the scrub brush, a line of vehicles-mostly trucks-winds its way down State Road 24. Just off the highway, amid a clearing in the trees, a red and white speedway opens its gates for Saturday night racing. Fans buy their tickets, $2 hot dogs and ice-cold Budweisers, then find their friends in the grandstands. LeAnn Rimes croons “The Star-Spangled Banner” over the speakers. The green flag falls, and cars roar to life on the asphalt. At Bronson Speedway, racing is back, revived from unlikely circumstances. A year ago, the racetrack lay dormant, enshrined in leaves and overgrown grass. The septic system had malfunctioned. The scoreboard, speakers and lights needed replacing. A dead track. That’s what Ann Young found when she typed “race tracks for sale” into Google at her

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home in Long Island, N.Y. In the Young household, racing is a way of life. Young worked as a NASCAR scorer for more than 15 years. Her husband Chris races in the NASCAR Modified division. They had never owned a track, but the idea grew. Both in their mid-50s, Ann and Chris are not ready to retire. Chris manages a fleet of diesel trucks. Ann is a nursing administrative supervisor. Their jobs and their children — 17-year-old Christopher and 6-year-old Leah — tether them to New York. Their fi rst attempt as speedway owners would have to be long-distance. They closed on the property in Bronson in February and held the first races at the end of July. They manage the track from 1,000 miles away, racking up sky miles on frequent weekend trips. On a mild October night in Bronson, nearly 200 people file into the grandstands. It’s not NASCAR,

and no one wants it to be. Twelve dollars gets visitors in the grandstands. The cars are powerful but humble, with scratches in the paint and obvious traces of home repair. In the pit, Randy Anderson leans against his racecar, No. 86. It is an Open Wheel Modified design, painted white with blue stripes and a pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness month. Anderson, a 17-year-old high school senior from Wildwood, has been racing for eight years. After school, he works on cars at a shop behind his house. His dad, NASCAR driver Wayne Anderson, won his first race at Bronson. Since he made the switch to the Open Wheel Modified division this year, Anderson has raced all over the state. His record: two wins and five second-place finishes

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in seven starts. He said he is “tipping the apple cart a little bit” by racing drivers sometimes double his age. It is strange to line up next to the people he grew up watching. “I’ve known them all my life,” he said. Such familiarity is commonplace in Bronson, population 1,113. “Chris and I are the only outsiders,” Ann Young said. And the New Yorkers run things a little differently. Traditionally, drivers run heats to qualify for feature races. For the casual fan, the process can be

156 | Winter 2011

tedious, kind of like watching a baseball game where the score does not count until the fifth inning. At Bronson, drivers run the feature races first. The format keeps sponsors happy (their drivers are guaranteed to make the feature) and fans get to see the exciting races right away, Young said. Later in the evening, the track holds heat races to determine poll positions for the next week’s race. “It’s not the way I’m used to seeing it,” said Alisha Smith, a 29-year-old from Bronson who

sells concessions at the track. But as a mom, she cannot complain. She brings her 1-year-old son Charlie, who likes to watch the flags, and daughter Chloe, 6, who embarrasses her mom by hoping for a crash. The good races end before bedtime. Around 9:30 p.m., the green flag drops on the last feature of the night. Drivers from the Open Wheel Modified division tear around the 3/8-mile oval. After several laps, two cars separate from the field, leaving a distant

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competition for third. Anderson runs mere inches behind the leader, local legend Gary Southard. On lap nine, Southard takes the turn a little wide. Anderson pounces, passing low for the lead. He crosses the finish line with a quarter-track cushion. Race director Jimmy Durden hands him the checkered flag for a victory lap. Durden, a big guy with a warm southern drawl, has been coming to the speedway since he was 8. His grandfather used to sell peanuts at the track entrance. He has worked as the chief starter and now as race director, organizing pre-race meetings and officiating post-race arguments. In between features, he climbs into the stands to catch up with friends. “Go slap Jimmy Durden’s hand,” a woman says as she nudges her young son forward. Durden knows all the kids and their mommas, as well as the racers. He asks about flag football signups and softball games. He waves to 10-year-old Ronald “Rocky” Greene, who brandishes his own flags in the bleachers behind the starter. If anyone could take issue with the speedway’s out-of-town ownership, it is Durden, the ultimate insider. But he only has kind words for the Youngs.

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“They’re good people,” he said. “It’s hard to run a track from New York.” Young concedes that her “retirement project” began a little early. She and her husband will continue to split time between Florida and New York. They already have a condo in Daytona Beach. For 2012, Bronson will open for a full season of racing — February through November — with at least four divisions: Hornet, Pure Stock, Sportsmen and Open Wheel Modified. The staff is also working

to develop an INEX Legends car division, usually geared toward younger drivers. There is nothing better than watching a second- or third-generation racer take laps, Young said. And if the speedway is a bridge — between age, between distance — it is also a barometer of the community. In September, tragedy struck Bronson. A 2-yearold boy was accidentally shot and killed while he and his 11-year-old brother were playing with a gun

in their parents’ bedroom. At the track the following weekend, drivers went into the stands to collect donations for the family. They returned with $1,000 in their helmets. Three drivers gave their own winnings. “That’s the way all racing families are,” Young said, “even if we talk a little different.” s Bronson Speedway is located about twenty miles southwest of Gainesville on State Road 24. For more informations, visit www.bronsonspdwy.com

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>> ENRICHMENT

Amazing Acres A Farm of Therapy for Children

BY DESIREE FARNUM ut on a 5-and-a-half acre property in Lake Butler, Fla., animals have a greater purpose than just eating and sunbathing. Goats, chickens, a pony, horses and a rooster named Bo, wait to be touched and played with by children. Kristie Ward uses her home, and her animals, to help children with special needs. Against traditional forms of therapy, she uses her horses — Rain, Birdie, Lacie and Corita — to play the biggest role in leading children to improvement. Stacking rings on a pole is sometimes used to develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Children might be reluctant to do

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things in a conventional setting, but “put them on a horse and they want to do it,” Ward said. “Would you rather reach up and groom a mane on a horse,” Ward asked, “or reach up and put a ring on a pole in a cold room with a florescent light and a blue wall?” On an average day, children who visit Amazing Acres, a non-profit founded by Ward, mount trained horses and are led around the pasture by volunteers, parents and Ward herself. “Don’t look at your horse’s head, look at where you’re going,” Ward says, leading one of the horses with a child on top. “Walk on,” the children say together, and the adults take the horses forward. They learn that

what they say has an effect on the animal’s movements. “Ho,” they say, and the horse stops. Ward insists that they keep smiling because the horses like it. “You’ve got a beautiful smile,” she says to one rider. If one child does not understand the instructions, Ward will find a different way to teach it. “Look at the back of my head,” she says, and walks in front of the horse demonstrating how to hold the reigns with her hands above her head, where the rider can see. At Amazing Acres, Ward has had children with various forms of autism, physical disabilities and communication disorders. One girl who had a stroke in the past was non-verbal. Her parents cried when

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY AMAZING ACRES

Children on horses play catch, passing a red ball to each other while counting. Kristie Ward and her volunteers join in on the game from the ground. Kristie Ward partners with Julie Mandy and her trained dogs (pictured) to provide an animal-safety training program called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stop Ask Listen Touch.â&#x20AC;?

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PHOTOS PROVIDED BY AMAZING ACRES

Children at Amazing Acres enjoy leaving their colorful handprints on Lacie, an American Paint horse. Amazing Acres hosts open house events every other month on the property, which often include this fun activity. At Amazing Acres, children mount trained horses and are led around the pasture by volunteers, parents and Kristie Ward.

they heard her say, “walk on,” said Tina Mann, the wife of the Amazing Acres president, Sammie Mann. After walking around and practicing their “walk on”s and their “ho”s it was time to exercise. The children followed Ward as she told them to balance on the horses with their hands up, circle their arms forward and backward and stretch to touch the horses’ ears, all while counting. Ward founded Amazing Acres

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in September 2010. She lives in a house with a big porch on site with her husband, and the couple has eight children combined from their previous marriages. Ward is a licensed practical nurse and now works part-time, spending most of her time working for Amazing Acres. The pasture and the arena,

with poles donated by Clay Electric, make up Amazing Acres but soon the property will be expanded to 7.5 acres total with the addition of the couple’s trailer that sits on adjacent land. The idea came to her after much volunteering. She had been a nurse for years but searched

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For children with special needs, the ability to interact with a horse, dog or cat can have a very positive impact upon their quality of life. for opportunities to help autistic children in her spare time. She worked with one boy with autism for a year in his home. After his mom agreed to take him to Ward’s place, he started interacting with the animals. Ward said he became more attentive. She moved on to volunteer at Horses Helping People, a non-profit offering equine-assisted therapy to people with special needs. She was later trained with North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. “It’s like an addiction,” she said. “It’s the smiles.” A bucket of toys sits near the fence to the pasture with lots of colorful things including windmills, squishy balls and Mardi Gras beads. Ward plays “Simon Says” with the children still mounted on horses. Then comes a game of ring toss, catch and a challenge to maneuver around barrels. She encourages parents to be involved too. “They can learn patience,” she said. “Give [the children] time and they’ll feel like they have a choice.” If a child does not want to cooperate, Ward recommends that parents approach the child again at a later time.

Ward hopes to have a variety of programs for a summer camp in the future, including music, hydro and craft therapy. She has a miniature cow on her wish list, and a grooming station for each horse because “autistic children like to have routines.” “We need to stop this traditional [therapy] and go to what works,” Ward said. “You’re meeting all of your sensory needs out here.” Children without disabilities are also welcome to visit Amazing Acres. Children do not always accept those with disabilities, Ward said, and she wants to create the opportunity for all children to play together. It is $120 for four rides, and she would do it for free but in the past no one would come for free rides, she said. People can work in return or buy something for the horses if they cannot afford it. “I don’t want to turn anyone away,” she said. Checks made payable to Amazing Acres are tax deductible through “Parents Helping Parents of Florida.” Ward also partners with Julie Mandy and her trained dogs, “Dymin” and “Cara” to provide an animal-safety training program

called “Stop Ask Listen Touch.” “For children with special needs, the ability to interact with a dog, cat, or other furry friend can have a very positive impact upon their quality of life,” states the Amazing Acres brochure. Kelly, a young man with Asberger’s syndrome who visits Amazing Acres said it is very fun. “Lacie chose me,” he said of the horse he rides during each visit. “Horses can bring out a good side of people,” Ward said, and children especially are sensitive to horse behavior. The non-profit went mobile when Union County High School asked Ward to bring the program to school. From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and then from noon to 2 p.m., children in the program would play with the animals in a field near the school. Amazing Acres will host an open house every other month on the property. Previous open houses included the chance for children to leave a colorful handprint on Lacie, an American Paint Horse. “Once you put that paint on [their hands] they just forget that fear,” Tina Mann said. Some volunteers wear sunglasses, Ward said, because they cry after seeing the improvement of the children. “I don’t care how much of a man you are,” Sammie said, when those children smile for the first time, “your eyes are going to get moist.” s For more information visit www.facebook. com/AmazingAcresInc

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AVERTISEMENT

Celebrating 50 Years S

app’s Pawn, Gun and Archery is a family owned and operated tradition. Since 1962, the Sapp family has been serving the Gainesville and North Central Florida community with one of the most unique shopping experiences in the area. From the two Roman soldiers standing guard to the 10 cent Coke machine, and from the cammo carpet to the indoor bow range, Sapp’s is a must see experience. As one of the area’s finest pawn shops, Sapp’s loans cash on quality used merchandise such as tools, electronics, construction equipment, yard equipment, cars, boats, motorcycles and trailers. Sapp’s will work with you on determining the value of your item, agree on a loan amount and negotiate the terms and conditions

of a repayment schedule. It’s that simple. With gold at an all time high, Sapp’s is looking to buy your unwanted gold. Paying top dollar and as one of the largest buyers of gold in Gainesville, you’re sure to receive the best price available for your unwanted gold items. Sapp’s also offers a complete selection of rifles, handguns, bows, archery supplies, ammo, gun cases and accessories. Now, a Matthew’s Bow licensed dealer, Sapp’s carries the finest in archery supplies. Sapp’s has everything you need for any hunter; from novice to expert. As this upcoming hunting season is the first time any hunter can use a crossbow, now is the perfect time to let the experienced staff at Sapp’s introduce you to world of bow hunting. Thinking of getting your concealed www.VisitOurTowns.com

weapons permit? Sapp’s offers a Florida’s Concealed Weapons Permit class the 4th Saturday of each month. Call ahead to learn more about class availability and how you can register. If fishing is your passion, Sapp’s has you covered. Their new fishing department is a full service fishing center featuring new and used equipment, supplies, cleaning and repair on most reels with line spooling. Stop by today and check out this “one of a kind” experience.

PAWN • GUN • ARCHERY 111 NW 6th Street • Gainesville, FL 32601

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COLUMN >> AMANDA WILLIAMSON

Adventures in Appetite Anyone who knows me can tell you that I am a picky eater. don’t mean that I only eat macaroni and cheese or pasta; I mean that I’ve recently given up pork, chicken and beef. After becoming pescatarian, I realized that the old places I used to go might not provide the variety I was looking for. I began to look around for restaurants in town that might cater to my new lifestyle choice. I found The Top. Over the years, I had heard my friends talk about the restaurant, but I had never been. After exploring the online menu, I knew it was finally time to leave my bubble of restaurants on the northwest side of Gainesville and head downtown. The Top, located 30 North Main Street, is easy to drive past. There are no large signs declaring its presence. Despite that, it was pretty packed for a Sunday night, with a crowd of people gathered outside. “Do you know what you’re getting?” I heard whispered excitedly as I walked by the group. I’m sure the other person — probably a return visitor — was already imagining what they would order. After all, The Top boasts a menu that truly has something for everyone. They have an assortment of pastas — ranging from the southwestern (onions, peppers, tomatoes, chipotle sauce) to the Pasta Mediterranean (artichokes, red peppers, black olives, basil and feta cheese). Each pasta can have a meat or meat substitute placed on top. You can chose from tuna, salmon, scallops, chicken, tempeh and tofu. I have to say that I haven’t seen that option anywhere else in town. So, after getting past the menu and the chalkboard

declaring the desserts for the night — vegan chocolate cake, yum! — I finally made it to our table. Or what the hostess thought was going to be our table. I can definitely say that The Top has an eccentric, vintage design. It has beautiful decorations, from wooden deer heads to old velvet paintings. But I would not — despite the nice atmosphere, the cozy lighting and the relief from the cold outside air — sit at a table where I felt like I was joining the group next to me. Not all the tables in the restaurant were positioned this close. But the one given to us was literally inches from the booth next to it. We chose to sit outside instead. Best decision ever. Outside was cool, not too chilly, but it didn’t matter because it felt like our table had its own personal heater. Plus, in the back corner, a fire roared inside the unique fire pit. IKEA lanterns dangled from the trees in blue, red and white. Candles flickered on each table. And at my table, where I was having a nice family Sunday dinner, we shared a laugh that instead of football or the news, the TV stayed on HGTV, my mom’s favorite channel. “This is definitely the place for you,” I said. When the waitress arrived, we ordered our appetizers and our first round of drinks. I got the mint-infused watermelon martini, my mom got The Mule, and my stepdad, Scott, got a regular martini. While I didn’t really try the other drinks, I can say that my mintinfused watermelon martini really complimented my meal. It was fresh, cool and slightly sweet. Every time I took a sip, I could smell the aroma of mint. For an appetizer, they tried a roasted garlic and goat cheese spread, which had red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and basil. It was served with toasted ciabatta bread. Now, I’m not a fan of goat cheese, but I did try it. It was good. I loved the flavor of the peppers and the tomatoes. However, to me, the goat cheese is so overpowering. My mom, Lori, loved it. Between the two of them, they cleaned the entire plate.

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PHOTOS BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

The ﬁsh, nut-encrusted with lemon juice, was cooked to perfection.

PHOTOS BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

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I got the corn nuggets with the creamy garlic dip. The menu says they are famous in Gainesville. They were good. I loved the gooey center and the crispy, fried outside. But after dinner, I wondered if they were made there or pre-packaged. And in hindsight, I should have been a little more adventurous when selecting an appetizer. Corn nuggets, I realized, were a safe choice. Dinner choices overwhelmed me. I wanted something amazing, something different, something I can’t get anywhere else. I bounced between the salmon risotto, grilled salmon and the trout. The waitress suggested the trout, so I ordered it. My mom got the blackened tuna with black bean cakes and grilled asparagus. Scott selected the Southwestern pasta dish with shrimp and scallops. When my plate arrived, I knew I hadn’t made a mistake. The fi let of fish was as big as my plate. Hidden underneath, peeking out on the edges, was a side of seasonal vegetables. The vegetables tasted so fresh that I asked the waitress if they purchased local food. She said they bought local when they could. But some items had to be ordered. She did surprise me by saying The Top had a chef who made his own sausage, and he would be experimenting with some new menu items. And the fish, nut-encrusted with lemon juice, was cooked to perfection. It was a huge piece of fish, way more than I would have expected for the price, and I ate my entire plate. My mom’s tuna was also cooked perfectly. Sometimes in Gainesville, it’s hard to order fish because cooks don’t know how to tell when it is finished. Most people overcook it. But her blackened tuna was still pink in the middle, and had the perfect flavor. “That was the best meal I’ve had in Gainesville in a long time,” she said after finishing. And I would agree. I ordered the vegan chocolate cake to go. Having never had vegan food, I didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t disappointed. It was even better than most regular cakes I have eaten. The night was a success. I’ll definitely be back. s The Top restaurant is located downtown at 30 North Main Street and is open Tuesday through Sunday. Hours vary.

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INTERVIEW

Tom Miller

BY ALBERT ISAAC PHOTOGRAPHY BY TJ MORRISSEY

Artist. Musician. Performance artist. Student. And one-time candidate for City Commission. This versatile, local celeb has played in a variety of bands, hosted the Tom Miller Show — and more recently the Tom Miller Summer Unspectacular held at The Lab — filmed documentaries, and hosted some events that are best not mentioned in polite company. I recently visited with Tom (who I’ve known for many years) at a downtown Gainesville drinking establishment to talk about his life and his philosophy.

AGE: 46

What brought you to Gainesville?

HOMETOWN: HIALEAH, FL

All of my friends were going to school and so I sort of followed my friends, along with the same idea, to go to college. I did briefly dabble in it and then never ended up doing that until recently, 20 years later. I’m a theater major at Santa Fe College.

MOVED TO GAINESVILLE: 1984

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my peers in school some information as well. I think an older person actually gets more out of the college experience than somebody who’s got their face stuck in their iPhone and they don’t want to be there. And I see a lot of that. People sleeping through their major class and when they wake up they’re texting.

What were your interests in high school?

What’s it like being a non-traditional (older) student?

What is your occupation?

It continues to be extremely enriching. And I believe that works both ways, because I bring some life experience and it’s as if we are trading information. I’m getting the academic side of things and I’m also able to impart upon

I’ve always said I’ve wanted my epitaph on my stone, my marker, to say, “Here lies the body of an artist. What he did we do not know.” So it’s an ongoing investigation, to determine exactly what it is I do.

Would you describe yourself as a performance artist?

Music, performance, art, theater and writing. Nothing’s really changed. It’s just which form takes the predominant place in my life and that just varies from month to month, from day to day. I’ve just been doing what I’ve always done.

That’s the best term that seems to encapsulate all the things I do. Even though performance artists get a kind of a bad shake: “Oh, this guy’s gonna eat a banana covered in chocolate sauce and jump

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around the stage naked.” I mean, I’ve certainly done that, but I don’t want to hold myself to just doing that kind of a thing. It deserves more respect, the label of performance artist.

Can you tell us about some of your performances? We hooked up an organized reading of Ulysses [novel by James Joyce], a three-day non-stop reading in which we had got various notable people around town to accept reading a chapter. I stayed awake the whole time. It was a beautiful thing to do.

even tired. It was really kind of a comfortable, fun experience.

How long have you been meditating? It’s kind of my own personal secret but for at least two decades.

The secret’s out! Yeah, the secret’s out now. But it allows me to open my mind to the ideas that pop out from the infinite wellspring of potential. You feel calmer. You can handle things. Knowledge seems easier to grasp. You seem more comfortable with other members of our

“Most recently I wanted to draw attention to transcendental meditation and David Lynch is a major proponent of that. I watched 30 hours of Twin Peaks from start to finish.” That got me interested in duration events. I read “In Cold Blood” to a live audience, dressed as Truman Capote and in his voice. And that was 16 hours. Most recently I wanted to draw attention to transcendental meditation and David Lynch is a major proponent of that. I watched 30 hours of “Twin Peaks” from start to finish. And I drank only coffee and I ate only cherry pie, which are two of the foods that were popularized in the series.

How did you feel after these performances? You know, I meditated before I did it and I wasn’t

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species. It’s a good thing, to meditate. But getting back to my performance art, I feel like some of them are just for me and some of them bring awareness to issues and do more than just entertain. I thought the Naked Press Conference was a fascinating experience. It is a very practical demonstration of the idea that media presents things through its own peculiar lens. A friend of mine and I wanted to open an art school and we wanted to announce it. We invited the media and nobody showed up. Nothing happened. And so we had this seminar and we had wine

and all these businesses were there and we were saying, “You need to have an angle, you need to do something unique and interesting, and now if you all will sit back in a few minutes all of the press will walk in here and we are going to show you exactly how this works in real time.” And that’s when we had scheduled our Naked Press Conference. So we immediately started taking off our clothes and then every single media that you could imagine from as far away as Ocala came. They didn’t care about the art school; they just cared about the fact that we were going to announce it naked. And it demonstrated how easily the press could be manipulated on such trite issues when there are so many more things to talk about. Believe me, me naked is nothing important, and certainly not a big story — no pun intended.

What do you want to be when you grow up? I don’t know. I don’t really want to grow up. I like that I go to school as an older person and people should look at that and be inspired. I’ve been in theater or theatrical performing all of my life. I’ve decided to stop that and go to school. This is the longest performance art I’ve ever done. It’s a sevenyear performance art piece called “Professor Miller.” As soon as I graduate and become a professor of theater, I intend to quit academia and return to what I was doing before, which is theater. s

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Strive to follow these tips for a Zero Waste holiday. • Fold, ﬂatten and store gift boxes and gift bags to reuse. • Use reusable shopping bags now and throughout the year. • Use edible or compostable items such as popcorn and cranberry strings to decorate trees. • Recycle your packing peanuts and bubble wrap at the nearest Mailbox-type store. • Make a homemade gift such as baked cookies, photographs, etc. • After the holidays, recycle your holiday tree (place on the curb). Don’t forget to remove tinsel, ornaments, etc.

www.StriveFor75.org (352) 338-3233

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ADVERTISER INDEX 4400 NW 36th Avenue • Gainesville, FL 32606 352-372-5468 352-373-9178 fax AUTOMOTIVE AAA ............................................................. 119 Ernie’s Southern Offroad.................... 153 Maaco Collision Repair .........................157 Park Place Car Wash & Detail ............ 151 Santa Fe Ford ......................................... 187 Terry’s Automotive & Qwik Lube ....... 159

REAL ESTATE Atrium ........................................................130 Coldwell Banker/MM Parrish ............. 145 Innovative Home Builders ...................... 4 Prudential, Carolyn McPherson ....... 136 Showcase Homes .................................. 162 The Village ................................................... 6

FINANCIAL / INSURANCE Campus USA Credit Union .................. 10 Easy Tax & Accounting .......................108 State Farm - Tish Olesky .................... 163 Sunshine State Insurance ..................... 111 SunState Federal Credit Union ............... 32, 74, Back Page

FITNESS and BEAUTY Big Ron’s Yoga College .........................47 Charisma for Hair .................................. 168 Charlene Willamson .............................. 151 Cloud 9 Spa Salon ..................................59 Creations by Glenda............................. 179 Dawn Marie ................................................ 72 LAE Beauty................................................93 Mode Salon ...........................................3, 46 Salon 5402..................................................31 Spa Royale ................................................... 8 Sun Station Tanning ..............................177 Swim America of Gainesville ............ 102 Tina Harper ............................................... 151 Zoetic Designs, LLC ................................13

PETS and VETS Bed & Biscuit Inn ................................... 120 Bob’s Compassionate Pet Sitting ....... 170 Dream Dogz ..............................................47 Eager Pup ................................................ 170 Earth Pets...................................................79 Earth Pets Feed & Garden ................. 186 House Call Vet ........................................ 170 Invisible Fence ..........................................87 Vacation Station Pet Resort.............. 170 Wild Birds Unlimited ...............................81

EDUCATION & CHILD CARE American Academy ............................... 171 Gainesville Country Day School ........52 Queen of Peace Academy ................. 135 St. Francis High School ....................... 135 St. Patrick Interparish School ........... 135

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MEDICAL / HEALTH 1st Choice Immediate Care ................ 146 Affordable Dentures ............................. 161 Altschuler Periodontic ........................ 143 Angel Reyes, M.D......................................61 Archer Family Health Care ................160 Caretenders .............................................. 116 Center for Medical Weight Loss ...... 146 Community Cancer Center ................ 142 Douglas M. Adel, DDS............................ 111 Gainesville Opticians...............................12 Hibiscus House Rehab...........................34 Jenny Craig................................................96 North Florida Woman Care .................62 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery .......... 20 Palms Medical Group .............................89 Reliant Family Practice, PA ...............150 Samant Dental Group ............................36 Solantic Walk-In Urgent Care ............ 121 Vishnu Reddy, M.D. ................................... 7 West Family Chiropractic....................... 2

RETAIL / RECREATION Alachua Pawn & Jewelry ..................... 161 Alternatives Global Marketplace ........81 Beacher’s Lodge...................................... 72 Bennett’s True Value ............................ 152 Blue Springs ..............................................79 City of Gainesville .................................108 Coin & Jewelry Gallery .................73, 120 Colleen’s Kloset...................................... 176 Cootie Coo Creations .......................... 152 Dance Alive..............................................109 Dirty Bar ....................................................177 Especially for Women ...........................47 Gainesville Civic Chorus ....................... 111 Harn Museum of Art .............................. 101 Hugs & Kisses Consignment ............. 153 Indulge! .......................................................88 Jeannie’s Attic ........................................ 178 Klaus Fine Jewelry ....................................11 Lentz House of Time ..............................47 Lifestyle Cruise & Travel .......................87 Malgorzata’s ............................................ 179 Meadowbrook Golf Club ......................43 Miracles Maternity ................................. 178 New Smyrna Beach .............................. 107 Paddywhack..............................................79 Pawn Pro ...........................................138, 161 Renaissance Jewelers ............................87 Sapps Pawn, Gun and Archery .........173 Thornebrook Village Market ..............177 UF Performing Arts ..............................105 Valerie’s Loft Consignment ............... 129 Wood You Furniture.............................. 80

MISCELLANEOUS American Diversiﬁed ...........................144 Cash for Cars ........................................... 171 Holy Trinity Episcopal Church ............42

SERVICE Action ChemDry ......................................65 Affordable Residential Design .........108 Alachua County EPD ...........................144 Alma Mater Screen Printing ................ 72 AllState Mechanical, Inc........................96 BBI Construction Management..........87 Big Blue.......................................................35 Bounds Heating & Air ............................82 Catholic Charities .............................71, 101 COX Business............................................45 COX Communications ...........................23 Creekside Outdoor ................................172 DirecTV ..................................................... 138 Festival Sign Service ............................ 147 Florizona Fireplace & Gas ....................82 Gainesville Regional Airport ............. 120 Jack’s Small Engine Repair................ 169 Kristen Kozelsky Photographer .........45 Kurt Johnsen Energy Systems ............81 Lotus Studios Photography ................24 Mini Maid ....................................................39 Pasteuria Bioscience ................................ 9 Pro Lawn Grounds Maint. ................... 159 Rosenboom Construction ...................157 Sears Carpet Cleaning...........................83 Waste Watchers..................................... 183

HOME IMPROVEMENT Affordable Aluminum Gates ...............92 Carson’s Cabinetry & Design ............ 139 Fences & Gates by IMI ......................... 159 Heckard Door .......................................... 60 Overhead Door ...................................... 167 Sherer Studio ............................................67 United Rent-All.........................................67 Whitﬁeld Window & Door.....................17

RESTAURANT Adams Rib Company ............................ 112 Ballyhoo Grill............................................ 112 Bagel Bakery ............................................ 112 Bubba Que’s ............................................ 103 Domino’s Pizza ....................................19, 21 El Toro........................................................ 135 Flying Biscuit Café ................................. 113 Gator Q ...................................................... 113 Great Outdoors ........................................97 Heavenly Ham .........................................137 Hungry Howies Pizza ............................... 5 Joe’s Place ................................................ 113 Mad Hatters Café ...........................114, 153 Mark’s Prime Steak & Seafood .......... 114 Northwest Grille ..................................... 186 O!O Tapas & Tinis ................................... 114 Pepperoni’s Pizza .................................. 152 Saboré ........................................................ 115 Tasty Buddha ........................................... 115 Tropical Smoothie Café ....................... 115

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