December 2014

DECEMBER 2014 seniortimesmagazine.com

REVISITING SANIBELA delightful destination in Old Florida

VOLUNTEER FROM HOMEWays to lend a helping hand

INSIDE

Ana VarelaBridging Art and Function Through Ceramics

GGGRRIIEEF MAANNNNAGGGEEMMMMMEEEENT | CCCOOMMMMMMMMMMMUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNIIITTTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY CCCCCCCCCCAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR ||||||||| CCCCCCCCCCCCRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSWWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRDDDDDD PPPUUUZZZZZZLLEE

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2 December 2014 seniortimesmagazine.com

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December 2011 national edition. Isn’t this the type of dentistry you deserve?

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December 2014 3

Where do you find the value of our research in heart care?Right here.

UF HEALTH HEART AND VASCULAR CARE

Our breakthroughs may happen in labs, but it’s at home where you see their results. At UF Health Heart and Vascular Care, every advance is looked at not for what it can do, but for who it can help. And how it can get them back home, sharing life with the people they care about. From managing blood pressure to treating heart attacks to performing aortic surgery, we’re moving medicine forward with every patient we serve.

To make an appointment, call 352.265.0820 or visit UFHealth.org/heart.

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columns21 Healthy Edge

by Kendra Siler-Marsiglio

28 Tinseltown Talksby Nick Thomas

38 Enjoying Act Threeby Ellis Amburn

50 Reading CornerReview by Terri Schlichenmeyer

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34

302228

CONTENTS ON THE COVER – Artist Ana Varela

poses inside of her art studio in Micanopy

where she creates one-of-a-kind ceramic

pieces. Learn about the intense process

by which each piece of art is made and

where she fi nds her inspiration.

DECEMBER 2014 • VOL. 14 ISSUE 12

WINNER!Congratulations to the winner from our

NOVEMBER 2014 issue…

Carol Schonemanfrom Gainesville, Florida

PHOTO BY ERICKA WINTERROWD

features

departments

14 TravelRevisiting Sanibel IslandBY CLIFF TERRY

22 The Importance

of GrievingTips To Get You

Through The HolidaysBY WANDA CURTIS

30 Ana VarelaThe Cat’s MeowBY ERICKA WINTERROWD

34 VolunteeringHow to Help Without

Leaving HomeBY DARLA KINNEY SCOLES

8 Tapas12 Community Page20 Charity of the Month

40 Calendar of Events46 Theatre Listings49 Crossword Puzzle

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December 2014 5

Nationally certified by The Joint Commission, the American Stroke Association and the American Heart Association.

We recently received comprehensive certification from The Joint Commission, which demonstrates our commitment to offering a wider range of treatments,

providing better care for you and always aiming for the best possible outcomes.

To learn more about stroke and the UF Health difference, visit stroke.UFHealth.org.

UF HEALTH SHANDS COMPREHENSIVE STROKE CENTER

World-class stroke care right here at home.

Highest level of stroke care in North Central Florida.

5


Happy Holidays!

“Somehow not only for Christmas, but all the long year through, the joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you.”

— JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER

I do believe this is a quote by John Greenleaf Whittier — but I could be wrong, as I’ve also seen it attributed to E. B. White. If any of you know for sure, please feel free to send me a note! So, I know I say this every year, but I’m going to have to ask again: “Where did the year go?” 2015 is knocking on the door and I haven’t even started my Christmas shopping. But I’ll get to it. I always do. Nothing like last-minute shopping to get your adrenaline fl owing. We kick off this issue with a travel

piece about Sanibel Island. Our writer visited in February so although it may be cold in some parts of the country, in Florida it’s beach weather for a good part of the year. Gotta love our mild winters. We also offer some info and advice for dealing with grief in general — especially during the holidays. If you or a loved one are feeling down please take some time to read our story about the importance of recognizing — and experiencing — grief. In November, Darla wrapped up her series describing her on-site volunteer-ing experiences, but in conclusion she brings you one fi nal story of how you can help others from the comfort of your home. Helping others benefi ts not only those in need but also those offering their services. Also in this issue we recently visited with Ana Varela and therefore offer you a story about the artist and her art, as well as information about her upcoming holiday celebration. It’s been a good (if not fast!) year for Tower Publications. We have enjoyed bringing you the wide variety of stories and profi les, ranging from musicians and athletes to real American Heroes. And now, for 2015, we are all looking forward to continuing to provide you with great stories about the interesting people, resources, and things to do in our community. From our Tower Family to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! s

FROM THE EDITOR œ ALBERT ISAAC

PUBLISHER

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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: : C o r r e c t i o n N o t i c e : :We’d like to thank the observant reader who caught our error in the TAPAS

section of the November Senior Times. Billie Jean King was not born in October. She was born November 22, 1943 and just turned 71 years old.

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December 2014 7

STAFF œ CONTRIBUTORS

DARLA KINNEY SCOLES

remembers taking a high school journalism class and falling in love with the process. Oodles of years, one husband, three daughters and multitudinous stories later, she’s still in love with it all. That, and dark chocolate. [email protected]

CLIFF TERRY

is a Chicago-based freelancer and former movie critic, TV critic, feature writer and associate Sunday Magazine editor for the Chicago Tribune. He was also awarded a Nieman Fellowship in journalism at Harvard University. [email protected]

ERICKA WINTERROWD

received her master’s in multimedia journalism from UF, where she also earned her BFA in theatre performance. When she isn’t scribbling down her thoughts she enjoys gardening and fawning over a Malti-Pom named [email protected]

WANDA CURTIS

is a Master’s-prepared nurse and journalist who specializes in health and family-related articles. She’s married and has four children. Her favorite place to visit is the ocean. [email protected]

clockwise from top left

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TAPAS œ DECEMBER

All the gifts in the Twelve Days of Christmas would equal 364 gifts.

Norwegian scientists

have hypothesized

that Rudolph’s red

nose is probably the

result of a parasitic

infection of his

respiratory system.

A Yule log is an enormous log

that is typically burned during

the Twelve Days of Christmas

(December 25-January 6).

Some scholars suggest

that the word yule means

“revolution” or “wheel,”

which symbolizes the cyclical

return of the sun. A burning

log or its charred remains is

said to off er health, fertility,

and luck as well as the ability

to ward off evil spirits.

Christmas

8

All the gifChristma

Santa Claus is

based on a real

person, St. Nikolas

of Myra (also known as

v, Bishop Saint Nicholas

of Smyrna, and Nikolaos

of Bari), who lived during

the fourth century. Born

in Patara (in modern-day

Turkey), he is the world’s

most popular non-Biblical

saint, and artists have

portrayed him more often

than any other saint

except Mary. He is the

Patron Saint of banking,

pawnbroking, pirating,

butchery, sailing, thiev-

ery, orphans, royalty, and

New York City.

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December 2014 9

A m p

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Benefiting the

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9


Ben Kingsley

DECEMBER 31, 1943Ben Kingsley is a British actor who has won an Academy Award, Grammy,

BAFTA, two Golden Globes and Screen Actors awards. His career spans

more than 40 years and he is most known for his role as Mohandas

‘Mahatma’ Gandhi in the 1982 fi lm “Gandhi,” for which he won an Oscar for

Best Actor. He is also known for his performances in the fi lms “Schindler’s

List,” “Hugo,” “Shutter Island,” and “Iron Man 3,” to name a few. Kingsley

was born Krishna Pandit Bhanji in Snainton, North Riding of Yorkshire

in Great Britain to his mother Anna Lyna Mary, an actress and model and

father Harji Bhanji, a medical doctor. He studied at the University of Salford

and at Pendleton College. Kingsley made his London West End theatre debut

at the Aldwych Theatre in 1967 and eventually joined the Royal Shakespeare

Company, where he would make his Broadway debut in 1971. He transitioned to

fi lm roles after devoting himself almost exclusively to the stage for 15 years and

is set to voice Bagheera in Disney’s reboot of “The Jungle Book.” Kingsley was

named Commander of the order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2000 and was

made a Knight Bachelor in the 2002 New Years Honours. He has been married

four times and has four children. He and wife Daniela lavender, a Brazilian

actress tied the knot on September 3rd, 2007.

B

f

71Years Old

Born December 27, 1943, Cokie Roberts is an American journalist

and author, a regular roundtable analyst for the current “This Week

With George Stephanopoulos” and a contributing senior analyst for

National Public radio. Roberts also works as a political commentator

for ABC News, where she serves as an on-air analyst for the network.

She was born Mary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborne Roberts in New

Orleans, Louisiana. Her mother is the late ambassador and long-tine

Democratic Congressman from Louisiana Lindy Boggs and her father is

the late Hale Boggs, also a Democratic Congressman from Louisiana.

She received her nickname “Cokie” from her brother Tommy, who

could not pronounce “Corinne.” Roberts attended the Academy of

the Sacred Heart and graduated from Wellesley College, receiving

her BA in Political Science. She currently resides in Bethesda,

Maryland with her husband Steven V. Roberts, a professor and

fellow journalist. The two have been married since 1966 and have

two two children and six grandchildren together.

A FEW OTHER NOTABLE

Birthdays this Month

71Years Old

TAPAS œ DECEMBER

“As long as algebra is taught in school, there will be prayerin school.” –COKIE ROBERTS

Woody AllenDecember 1, 1935 (79)

Jim MessinaDecember 5, 1947 (67)

Ellen BurstynDecember 7, 1932 (82)

Emerson FittipaldiDecember 12, 1946 (68)

Christopher PlummerDecember 13, 1929 (85)

Hal WilliamsDecember 14, 1938 (76)

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December 2014 11

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Most of us know where we’ll be sleeping this holiday season — and that there will be food on the table. But there are many less fortunate. Read about ways you can help those less fortunate in Gainesville and Ocala.

GAINESVILLE WOMAN’S CLUB WARM CLOTHING DRIVE

The Gainesville Woman’s Club and partner Belk at the Oaks Mall are collecting as much warm clothing for children as possible and then making the clothing available to area Alachua County Schools for distribution to those in need. The Club will have a collection box at the north entrance (facing Newberry Road) of Belk, at the Oaks Mall, 6323 Newberry Road. You may bring new or gently used coats and sweaters to the collection box at the north entrance (facing Newberry Road) of Belk in the Oaks Mall from now until December 23rd during store hours. For more information, please call the Gainesville Woman’s Club at 352-376-3901 or e-mail [email protected].

DONATE CANNED GOODSAND HELP

Countywide effort to culminate with December 12 Holiday Food Drive on

the Square

Marion County is encouraging citizens and businesses to help those in greater need this holiday season by participating in the third installment

of the “Bring the Harvest Home” campaign. The month-long effort to collect canned food and toiletry donations will culminate on Friday, Dec. 12, with a Holiday Food Drive from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Square in downtown Ocala. Donated goods will help fi ll area pantries, such as Brother’s Keeper, Interfaith and the Salvation Army. Citizens and businesses may assist the efforts by collecting and donating items as follows:

• Dry foods and complementary goods (rice, pasta, pasta sauce, cereal, crackers, peanut butter and jelly).

• Canned meats (corned beef, corned beef hash, ham and tuna).

• Canned vegetables and fruit.

• Baby items (baby cereal, diapers and lotion).

• Toiletries (soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste and toilet paper).

Donations may be dropped off at the Square on Dec. 12 or at several other locations throughout the campaign. For a full list of drop-off locations (including public libraries and Marion County Fire Rescue career fi re stations) or more information, visit www.bringtheharvesthome.com or “like” www.facebook.com/MarionCountyFlorida on Facebook. s

LOCAL GROUPS PROVIDING FOOD

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Season for Giving

COMMUNITY œ HELPING OTHERS

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December 2014 13

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13


REVISITING

A while back, in a seashell cleaning hut at a Sanibel Island motel on the Gulf of Mexico, a man was heard telling a woman, “It’s all about the shells, isn’t it? That’s why we come here.”

“Well, actually,” the woman replied, somewhat sheepishly, “we came here to get away from the kids.” Whatever the motive, Sanibel and its adjacent barrier island Captiva have long been delightful destinations for tired-of-shoveling Northerners, as well as Floridians who love the sun, surf and laid-back pace of life. My wife, Pat, and I fi rst visited Sanibel/Captiva when our two boys were quite young, then returned with them in their teen years and came back again as empty-nesters a while back.

Part of the appeal is that a decades-long struggle to maintain these islands as the “old Florida” — as opposed to the “new” Marco Island-like condos — has been largely been successful. Even the islands’ scattered “starter mansions” are shielded by native foliage. Plus, the beaches and shells are as lovely as ever. “If you’re looking for high-rises and fast-paced Miami Beach vacations or

“Leave nothing on beach but footprints.”

by Cliff Terry

TRAVEL

SaPHOTO BY PAT TERRY

Sanibel lodging runs the gamut in price and amenities, from “old Sanibel” housekeeping

cottages like Tropical Winds and Periwinkle Cottages at the far end of the island near Ding

Darling Wildlife Refuge to the charmingly refurbished, upscale Casa Ybel with gourmet

restaurant and pool. This photo overlooks a vast stretch of beach outside Tropical Winds.

14

December 2014 15

anibel

15


Disney, this is not the place,” said Judith Ann Zimomra, Sani-bel’s city manager. “But if you want world-class beaches, with great shelling, it is.” Sanibel — 145 miles south of Tampa and connected by a three-mile-long causeway to the mainland’s Ft. Myers — is roughly 12 miles long and fi ve miles across. Captiva, connected by bridge across a thin slice of water known as Blind Pass, is less than fi ve miles long and half a mile wide. With the islands situ-ated in the Gulf on a geographical slant, they become an ideal catching grounds for all kinds of fantastic shells. The islands boast 15 miles of beaches; six public ones are on Sanibel, which shares Turner Beach at Blind Pass with Cap-tiva, home to Captiva Beach at its far end. The showcase on Sanibel is Bowman’s Beach, a wide stretch beautifully kept up and, in places, not all that crowded. Bow-man’s has classy restrooms, and even the spacious parking lot is landscaped with native vegetation. Like the other beaches, there are no shacks selling junk food or tacky souvenirs. At the entrance are large displays describing dune vegetation (sea oats,

passion vine, bay cedar) and, of course, the lineup of seashells. More than 400 species of multi-colored shells, from the commonplace lightning whelk and Florida fi ghting conch to the rare junonia, can be found along the coast. The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, 3075 Sanibel-Captiva (San-Cap) Road, is reportedly the only North American mu-seum devoted exclusively to seashells. It features an intro-ductory video on mollusks, answering such questions as how they reproduce (very slowly), along with displays of shells from around the world, a children’s learning lab, and answers to other such questions as, “Do giant clams eat man?” (No, they’re vegetarian.) On a clear-sky February morning, a woman speaking Ger-man was clacking along the substantial boardwalk in her high heels; other women were conversing in French on the beach while an American guy was doing business over his cell phone. At Tarpon Bay Beach, midway on Sanibel, a sign read “Leave nothing on beach but footprints.” Not many ventured into the water (the air temperature was in the low 70s) and

PHOTOS BY PAT TERRY

Positioned on a slant in the

Gulf of Mexico, Sanibel Island is

known for the beaches and shell-

ing created by its unusual geog-

raphy. And that unusual posture

marking the shelling enthusiast,

who’s constantly checking the

ground, is aff ectionately dubbed

the “Sanibel Stoop.”

16

December 2014 17

a man was sitting in a beach chair, quietly practicing guitar. Down the way, at Gulfside City Park beach, “quiet” is probably not the operative word, as its shallow waters attract families with young children. Farther east is Sanibel Lighthouse Beach, known for its treasure of “miniatures” — microscopic ver-sions of shells. And at the island’s west end at smallish Turner Beach, surf fi shermen standing on rock pilings try their luck. West-facing Captiva attracts late-afternoon visitors hop-ing to catch the moment when, as novelist Richard Ford has written, “the sun turns the sea to sequined fi res.” A dutiful attendant from the tony South Seas Plantation resort provided umbrellas and beach chairs for the resort’s guests in a roped-off area. The beach is composed of fi nely crushed shells, unlike the more sandy composition on Sanibel. Brown pelicans were fl oating out on the water, while a heron was standing in the shallows, seemingly oblivious to the nearby human activity. Undoubtedly, the crown jewel of the islands is Sanibel’s J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and named after a pioneer conservationist who was also, of all things, a Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist. Over 800,000 people visit it annually, many never getting out of their cars as they traverse the fi ve-mile Wildlife Drive. More than 220 bird species have been spotted there, and we saw pied-billed grebes, ibis, white and brown pelicans, anhingas, ospreys in their nests, willets, a variety of herons, brilliant roseate spoonbills and the dancing reddish egrets. Another way to see the wildlife is to bike around or take the refuge’s excellent 90-minute guided tram tour. Or you might want to sign on with the “Canoe Adventures” headed by outspo-ken, iconoclastic Mark “Bird” Westall, a former Sanibel mayor. Other activities include biking the 27 miles of paths on Sani-bel alone — and it’s all fl at! — and visiting C.R.O.W (Clinic for the

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17


Rehabilitation of Wildlife, 3883 San-Cap Road) and the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s Nature Center, 3333 San-Cap Road, or taking a dolphin-spotting cruise on San Carlos Bay. Sanibel incorporated as a city in 1974, while Captiva is unincorporated in Lee County. In 1976, a report on land use laid out concerns with such issues as wetlands and mangrove protection, beach-erosion control and wildlife conservation. It was the fi rst U.S. city to base its land-development code on the preservation of natural resources. With few exceptions, the city’s buildings are restricted to a height of three stories, and on both islands, from May through October — the nesting season for sea turtles — residents must keep lights near the beaches off or shielded. About 72 percent of Sanibel land is on conservation status, which means it can’t be developed, through acquisi-tions by the city, the nonprofit Conservation Foundation and the “Ding” Darling wildlife preserve. The Foundation, incorporated in 1967, has fought such development pro-posals as a huge trailer park and golf and tennis club, thus preserving 300-plus acres of wetlands, and campaigned for measures ranging from protection for alligators to eliminat-ing junked cars.

Captiva has considerably fewer curbs on development, and there’s a lot more of it there. Islanders, it appears, have been longtime battlers. One elderly Sanibel couple in the ‘60s fought putting a road through their property, standing off a bulldozer with a crossbow. Not everything, of course, is blue skies and roseate spoon-bills. There is the numbing bumper-to-bumper traffi c, which is why some vacationers shun these islands. The traffi c jam is usually between 3 and 6 p.m., when workers and day-tripping tourists head back to the mainland along Periwinkle Way, Sanibel’s main thoroughfare. Zimomra said the two biggest challenges are water quality, which is affected by water pathways from areas north of the islands (“If someone pours a can of oil into a sewer basin at Disney World, it eventually will go down the Kissimmee River into Lake Okeechobee, down the Caloosahatchee River and then on to Sanibel”), and pressures from off-island growth. “We’re protecting OUR areas, but if [nearby] Cape Coral goes from a town of 10,000 to 100,000, and they have no beaches of their own, and every time their cousin comes down from Pitts-burgh and they want to take him to the beach, that’s 10 times as many people trying to get to our beaches every day.” s

PHOTO BY PAT TERRY

Kayaking, for novices and the experienced alike, is one of a multitude of outdoor activities available on Sanibel Island. A good spot to start out is

Tween Waters, a charming resort lying between Sanibel and Captiva islands. Like Tarpon Bay, Tween Waters off ers solo kayak rentals or guided

tours, for a close-up look at the birds, small crabs and fi sh.

18

December 2014 19

Although Sanibel often is thought

of as a haven for big spenders,

there are more aff ordable lodg-

ing and dining choices, which treats our

budget a lot more kindly. We’ve also

included our favorite “splurges.”

Island SleepingLooking for no-nonsense,

“old island” lodging, we went

on the Web, Googled “Sanibel Cap-

tiva Chamber of Commerce,” hit “Where to Stay,” then “Small

Inns, Cottages and Motels” and came up with the charmingly

quaint Periwinkle Cottages of Sanibel (1959 vintage) at 1431

Jamaica Drive, advertising “aff ordable island charm and Old

Florida comfort.”

Some of the other “oldie” Sanibel places that caught our at-

tention included Shalimar Cottages and Motel, 2823 West Gulf

Drive; Blue Dolphin Cottages, 4227 West Gulf; and the 50-year-

old Tropical Winds Beachfront Motel and Cottages, 4819 Trade

Winds Drive, prime sunset-watching territory. On Captiva,

Jensen’s On the Gulf, 15300 Captiva Drive, looked intriguing.

Other, but pricier vintage places include the renovated

‘Tween Waters Inn Island Resort, 15951 Captiva Drive, Captiva;

The Castaways at Blind Pass, 6460 Sanibel-Captiva Road,

Sanibel; the oldest of them all (born 1895), the charming Island

Inn, 3111 West Gulf Drive, Sanibel, complete with, yes, a shuffl e-

board court; the charming West Wind Inn, 3345 West Gulf

Drive; and the fancy-schmancy Casa Ybel Resort (est. 1915),

2255 West Gulf Drive, Sanibel.

Island EatingTHE MUCKY DUCK - 11546 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva Island

A favorite with locals and tourists alike, the Duck has wonder-

ful views of the Gulf, and if you ask for a “window table,” a

waitress brings over a window mounted on rollers — always

good for a laugh. Selections range from boiled shrimp and fi sh

cakes to black bean burgers, and specials include the exqui-

site tilapia.

SANIBEL BEAN - 2240 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Island

Known as simply “The Bean,” this always-humming place

serves up straightforward good coff ee (with the expected

variations), bagels, fruit platters, salads and hot grilled Italian

panini and deli sandwiches.

OVER EASY CAFÉ - 630-1 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel Island

A pleasant, airy place that’s highly popular with the breakfast

crowd. Some outdoor seating. Try the French toast with won-

derful fresh strawberries or the pedestrian but tasty “Ho Hum”

(eggs and bacon or sausage).

GEORGE AND WENDY’S SEAFOOD GRILLE - 2499 Periwin-

kle Way, Sanibel Island

Founded by George and Wendy Schnapp — he’s been in the

restaurants business for over 30 years, she is also part owner

and manager of Tarpon Bay Explorers — this is a great place

for lunch, off erings of which range from a grouper reuben

sandwich and classic Caesar salad to the wonderful Aunt

Kathy’s New England Clam Chowdah (OK). The (not cheap) din-

ner menu includes a wide array of imaginative seafood dishes,

from sweet bourbon marinated salmon to pina colada snapper

and Togarashi tuna.

te splurges.

t

el Cap-

6 Andy Rosse Lane, Captiva Island

19


The Newberry High School Band of Pride is wrapping up marching season, preparing for their holiday concert, and looking toward the spring concert that will be here before they know it.

A nd in the midst of all that, band members are working hard to raise more than $20,000 for a trip to Washington D.C.

The band, which is comprised of about 30 to 35 mem-bers, was nominated by U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho to be in the 2015 Memorial Day Parade in the nation’s capital. They submitted an application, and Band Director James DeRemer got news that they’d been selected to march in the prestigious parade to honor fallen military heroes. DeRemer said they will drive, and the plan is to leave the Saturday before Memorial Day and do some sightseeing and historical tours before their performance on Memorial Day. They should then return home Tuesday or Wednesday after their performance. DeRemer said they’ve raised about a third of the funds they need to make the trip, including the money they got from win-ning the SunState Federal Credit Union’s Charity of the Month contest in October. Ginny McKoy, one of the people work-ing to raise funds, nominated the band through the SunState Facebook contest, and the band was presented with the check

at the last football game of the season. Other fundraising ef-forts included a yard sale and a textiles fundraiser to help raise funds. And all the proceeds from the Newberry Watermelon Festival were donated to the band. They also plan to make a banner for the parade, and as an additional fundraiser people can donate money and have the name of a war veteran put on the banner to be proudly dis-played as they march through Washington. DeRemer said they’re still picking songs for the band to play during the parade, but he’s thinking about an Armed Forces medley that includes songs from all the branches of the military. Each branch of the military will have a small excerpt of their song played followed by a drum cadence that segues into the next branch’s song. The parade is three hours long, and it passes the National Mall on Constitution Avenue. It will feature patriotic fl oats, balloons, veteran units as well as outstanding marching bands from around the country. It will be streamed live online at www.military.com starting at 2 p.m. s

CHARITY OF THE MONTH

Newberry High School Band of PrideOCTOBER 2014 WINNER – 1976 VOTES

TO NOMINATE A CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE OR TO

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE NOMINEES, VISIT:

www.facebook.com/SunStateFCUand click on “Charity of the Month”.


20

December 2014 21

T he holidays are upon us again. Every way we turn, we’ll be faced

with sweets. Here’s how you can cut your sugar over the holidays — and every day thereafter. Sugar is a double-edged sword; it tastes great, but unfortunately science is showing that it can damage our bodies. Earlier this year, researchers from Harvard and the CDC found that added sugar increases your risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease. Accord-ing to this study, the risk of death from heart disease more than doubles for the one in 10 of Americans who receive 25 percent of their daily calories from added sugar. (On average, added sugars typically make up about 15 percent of Americans’ daily caloric intake.) Another Harvard-led analysis of 11 studies showed that added sugar in beverages is associated with increased type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. According to the NIH, metabolic syndrome may overtake smoking as the leading risk factor for heart disease. A person is believed to have “meta-bolic syndrome” when his or her healthcare professional fi nds three or more of the following fi ve metabolic risk factors:

1. Large waistline (aka abdominal obesity). Excess fat in the abdomen increases your risk for heart disease (excess fat in the hips of other body

parts don’t increase that risk as much).

2. High triglyceride levels (or on medi-cines to control high triglycerides). Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood.

3. Low HDL cholesterol level (or on medicines to control HDL cholester-ol). Low HDL cholesterol levels raise your heart disease risk.

4. High blood pressure (or on medicines to control high blood pressure). If your blood pressure stays high over time, it can damage your heart and lead to plaque buildup in arteries.

5. High fasting blood sugar (or on medicine to treat high blood sugar). Mildly high blood sugar may be an early sign of diabetes.

Experts used to recommend that no more than 10 percent of your calories come from added sugar. However, this year, the World Health Organization announced that it now recommends that, at most, 5 percent of your daily calories come from added sugar (about 100 calories —or six teaspoons — for the average person). The following fi ve tips from Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD (Health’s contributing nutrition editor), are great ways to help you reduce your sugar intake, keep your healthy edge, and slim down:

1. Skip the sugary drinks. About 40

precent of the added sugar in the American diet comes from using beverages as a “sugar vehicle.” Just one 12-ounce can of regular soda contains about nine teaspoons of sugar. Serve guests and yourself water infused with interesting and elegant add-ins like lime, fresh mint, cucumber, or sliced fruit. For some ideas, check out the less sugary beverages on this webpage: www.buzzfeed.com/melissaharrison/fruit-infused-waters.

2. Steer clear of foods with hidden sugar sources. Added sugar is in all sorts of deceptively healthy-looking foods. Unfortunately, you can’t tell which foods have added sugars from the Nutrition Facts label because it doesn’t differentiate between added sugar versus naturally occurring sug-ar. To fi nd hidden sugars, check out the ingredients list. Look for words like “brown sugar,” “corn syrup,” “maltose,” “fructose,” “dextrose,” “molasses,” “agave,” “brown rice syrup,” “cane sugar,” “cane syrup,” and “evaporated cane juice.”

3. Buy plain foods and sweeten them yourself. You can now fi nd “unsweet-ened” goods on the grocery shelf. If you need a little sweetness, add it to your liking.

4. Trade sweetened foods for natu-rally sweet fruit. Replace foods with added sugar with real fruit. For example, in place of strawberry jam on PB&Js, Cynthia uses warmed up frozen strawberries.

5. Limit sugary treats to once or twice a week. Pick a day or two a week to en-joy some sweets. Just knowing that you have a pre-planned treat to look forward to can help you avoid giving into temptation. s

Kendra Siler-Marsiglio, Ph.D. is the

Director of Rural Health Partnership at

WellFlorida Council.

HealthyEdge

Cut Your Sugar, Sugar!

COLUMN œ KENDRA SILER-MARSIGLIO

21


M ost people are aware of the devastating effects that cancer and heart disease have on individuals and families today. There’s another major con-

tributor to illness and death, however, that’s often ignored. A former chaplain at the University of Southern California Medical Center Phil Manly has estimated that 1 in 4 patients at any given hospital is there because of unresolved grief. Manly described “grief” as “the emotion or collection of emo-tions we experience whenever we lose anyone or anything we care about deeply.” Loss of a loved one through death or divorce, loss of health, loss of a body part, loss of reputation, loss of material posses-sions loss of a pet, and loss of a job are just a few of the losses that can precipitate grieving. Unfortunately, many people today have the false impression that grieving is harmful. Researchers have discovered that just the opposite is true. Studies have demonstrated that persons who don’t work through their grief properly will suffer both physically and emotionally. Unresolved grief has often been identifi ed as a contributing factor in divorce, suicide, accidents, mental illness and juve-nile delinquency. It’s been linked to physical illness such as hypertension, asthma, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and/or duodenal ulcers. It may also exacerbate pre-existing illnesses and may affect the immune system. Former Harvard professor Dr. Erich Lindemann was one of the fi rst ones to document the necessity of “grief work.” In 1944, he studied 101 individuals that had lost a loved one. He

found they had a need to work through their grief step by step. Lindemann found that the length of time a person grieved was dependent upon how successfully they completed their “grief work.” One of the biggest obstacles was the person’s avoidance of the intense distress associated with grieving. Many of the subjects wanted to avoid the expression of emo-tion so necessary for the completion of grief work.

>> Factors That Infl uence the Grieving Process

Researchers today report it can take from one to three years to complete the grieving process. They’ve identifi ed additional factors that can infl uence the length of time a person grieves and how successfully they complete the grieving process. Those include the signifi cance of the loss, the physical and emotional health of the grieving individual, the amount of time they had to prepare for the loss, the depth of their reli-gious faith, and the number of supportive relationships avail-able to them. One factor that hinders grief work is the reluctance of others to allow a person to grieve. Permission to grieve is an important factor in a grieving individual’s recovery.

The Importance of GrievingTips To Get You Through The Holidays

Although grief work isn’t easy and it can’t be completed overnight, the essential thing is that it is completed.

by Wanda Curtis

GOOD GRIEF

22

December 2014 23

23


>> How to Work Through the Grieving Process

Although grief work isn’t easy and it can’t be completed overnight, the essential thing is that it is completed. If you’ve recently experienced the loss of a loved one, or another type of loss, the following suggestions may assist you in working through your grief.

• Realize not everyone will understand and accept your feel-ings, especially if they’ve never experienced a similar loss. Seek out a few close friends, an organized support group, a counselor, or someone else whom you trust. Reach out to them when you need to talk.

• Acknowledge your feelings to them and to your-self. Don’t try to be strong for everyone else. Admit when you feel sad, angry, lonely, or depressed.

• Amy Hillyard Jensen, author of “Healing Grief,” suggests that a person should “deliber-ately take time to grieve.” She recommends listen-ing to nostalgic music, looking at old photos, and reviewing memen-tos. If you’re afraid of being over-whelmed by your feelings, invite someone over who will support you through the grieving process.

• Fill your time with purposeful activities but don’t stay busy all the time. (Many people stay busy to avoid facing their grief.) Maintain a schedule or routine that’s as close to normal as possible.

• If you’re having diffi culty working through your grief or if you’re suicidal, seek the assistance of a counselor or another professional trained to assist persons through the grieving process. If you don’t know where to go for help, contact your physician or ask someone you trust to assist you in fi nding help.

• Realize not everyone in your family will work through their grief at the same rate or in the same manner. Grief affects everyone differently. Be patient.

• Cry when you feel the need. Crying is an important form of release for everyone. It has a relaxing effect on the body.

• If possible, postpone major decisions (such as changing jobs or selling a house) for at least a year. Many grieving indi-viduals make hasty decisions that they later regret.

• Deal with guilt when it arises. Often you may think “if only.” Learn to forgive yourself and to accept God’s forgiveness.

• Try to eat a balanced diet, even though you may not feel like eating. (It’s not uncommon for grieving persons to experi-ence a poor appetite.) Your body has sustained a shock. Eat-ing a balanced diet will aid the healing process.

• Try to maintain a normal fl uid intake. Glen Davidson, au-thor of “Understanding Mourning: A Guide for Those Who Grieve,” reports the thirst drive is suppressed during grief. He encourages grieving individuals to limit caffeine drinks that can be dehydrating; keeping your body adequately hy-drated is another way to aid the healing process.

• Exercise daily if possible. Lack of exercise causes metabolic wastes to build up.

Exercise sometimes helps de-pression. If your activity has

been restricted for medi-cal reasons, consult your

physician before making changes.• Get at least 8 hours

of sleep each night and/or rest during the day when pos-sible. Many grieving individuals have dif-fi culty sleeping.

• Use medication only under physician supervision. Exces-sive use of drugs and alcohol can delay the grieving process.

• Write your thoughts and feelings in a journal. Don’t worry about punctua-tion and spelling. Just write what you feel.

• Many people fi nd that their grief is intensifi ed during the holiday season. It may help to prepare for that ahead of time. Some people fi nd that a diversion such as taking a trip instead of participating in the traditional holiday activities helps. Others fi nd comfort in keeping everything as much the same as possible.

If you fi nd your grief intensifi es this holiday season, reach out to a friend, support group, or counselor for help. Don’t bear your grief alone when there are others who are willing to help. s

Wanda Curtis is a Master’s prepared nurse and freelance writer.

24

December 2014 25

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It’s a Wonderful Life is just an old

Frank Capra classic to most people,

but to the people of SunState

Federal Credit Union, it’s more than

just a movie. For these volunteers

and employees, the Bailey Building

and Loan represents a way of doing

business that SunState works hard

to emulate every single day. Robert

Hart, SunState’s Vice President of

Marketing likes to think that it’s not

just how they serve their members or

the products and services they provide,

but it’s more about where their heart is

that really sets them apart.

“When people ask me about the

credit union, I always talk about

George Bailey in the scene from It’s

a Wonderful Life where he says your

money is under your neighbor’s

roof and his money is in the walls

of a neighbor’s house and so on,”

explains Hart. “It’s a simple way to

explain how a cooperative like a credit

union works. When George sums

it up for the crowd with, ‘We don’t

need the Mr. Potters of the world, we

have each other,’ it really hits home.

That’s what SunState is all about.

Our credit union is about thousands

of neighbors pooling their resources

to help each other without having a

Mr. Potter step in and take a cut off

the top. Our members know that, as

an institution, we care and they know

that our employees as individuals care.

If George Bailey really existed and he

lived in Gainesville, I think he would

consider our employees to have very

rich lives, even if they don’t live in the

biggest houses in town.”

George Bailey gave his life and

career to the Building and Loan. If

you ask employment experts today,

they will tell you how rare it is these

days for employees to stay with one

company for very long. It’s different

at SunState, where many employees

and volunteers have given more than

20, 30, even 40 years of service to the

community through their work at the

credit union. Of them all, one name

stands out, that of the late Marvis B.

Roberts, Sr.

As the story goes, in 1957, during

a visit to Washington, DC, Roberts

needed to cash a check and was

directed to a credit union. He was

impressed with the cooperative-style

atmosphere and knewthat it was this

innovative idea of people helping

people -- rather than souvenirs -- that

he would bring home. Upon his return

from Washington, Roberts organized

fellow employees to start Florida

USDA Federal Credit Union. With an

initial investment of $5 from each of

the original 10 charter members, the

credit union was up and running,

ADVERTISEMENT

the top. Our members know that, as

an institution, we care and they know

th t l i di id l

ADVERTISEMENT

‘It’s A Wonderful Life”

26

December 2014 27

VISIT SUNSTATE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION AT ANY ONE OF THEIR CONVENIENT LOCATIONS TO

FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM BECOMING A MEMBER. MEMBERSHIP RULES APPLY.

www.sunstatefcu.org

Serving residentsin the GreaterGainesville area formore than 55 years

352-381-5200

serving local employees of the USDA.

Roberts understood the importance

of providing a venue for people

to pool their money in order to

make loans to each other at the

best possible rates. He knew that

not only would a group operating

cooperatively treat its members better,

but also as a non-profi t organization

they could offer better rates than an

outside company or bank that needed

to pay out profi ts to stockholders.

Over the years, the credit union

expanded its member base from only

Florida USDA employees to anyone

who lives, works, worships or at-

tends school in Alachua, Columbia,

Dixie, Gilchrist or Levy counties. So,

in 1993, Florida USDA Federal Credit

Union changed its name to SunState

Federal Credit Union. Today, SunState

has grown from a modest organiza-

tion operating out of a desk drawer to

one that serves members from nine

locations as well as a robust online

presence. Marvis Roberts passed away

in 1999, but his legacy has resulted

in an organization that started with

initial assets of $50 that have grown

to almost $300 million, proving when

people work together to help them-

selves, great things can happen.

One might think that the cost

of such growth would be a loss in

personal service, but that’s not so.

SunState has one of the highest

employee-to-member ratios of

any credit union in the country,

because they are totally committed

to customer service. Hart goes back

to It’s a Wonderful Life and points

out that Jimmy Stewart’s character,

George Bailey, embodies the way

SunState strives to operate because,

“Who would you rather do business

with, someone like Jimmy Stewart’s

character George Bailey who cares

about you, or the greedy Mr. Potter

who cares only about your money and

is always looking for a foreclosure?”

While the hearts of staff and

management lean more to the ways

of the old-fashioned Bailey Building

and Loan, the fi nancial services

provided by SunState are advanced

even for the 21st century, because

making life easier for their members

is the goal of SunState -- and easier

means better.

“We provide so much for our

members and want more people to

know that they can take advantage

of what we have to offer too,”

Robert Hart explains. “We want our

members to consider SunState not

just as a credit union, but as their

one trusted fi nancial partner.”

Like George Bailey and his father

in It’s a Wonderful Life, Marvis B.

Roberts Sr., the founder of SunState,

his desire to serve people and better

the community lives on in everyone at

SunState Federal Credit Union. It’s not

about money, it’s about people. It’s

not about profi t, it’s about service.

27


F ood, family, and fun are usually part of Christmas Day celebrations

for many families. The festivity may also include watching old Christmas mov-ies, with the 1947 version of “Miracle on 34th Street” being a traditional favorite. In additional to its Christmas mes-sage, the fi lm is remembered for its cast,

including Edmund Gwenn who won the Oscar for his role as Kris Kringle, ador-able 9-year-old Natalie Wood as Susan, and feisty Maureen O’Hara who played her mother. Although she starred in other Holly-wood classics such as “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1939), “How Green Was

My Valley” (1941), and the original “The Parent Trap” (1961), O’Hara was never even nominated for a competitive Oscar. Last month, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences fi nally recog-nized Ms. O’Hara’s lifetime achievement in fi lm when the 94-year-old Irish actress was presented with an Honorary Oscar during the 6th Annual Governors Awards. “It was very exciting news and I’m so proud to be recognized by my peers,” said O’Hara, from Boise, Idaho, where she has lived with family since 2012. O’Hara remains one of the most be-loved classic fi lm actresses, often playing the lively companion to John Wayne in fi lms such as “McLintock!” (1963), and John Ford’s “Rio Grande” (1950), and “The Quiet Man” (1952). But her fi rst big role came in “Jamaica Inn,” a 1939 fi lm costarring Charles Laughton and directed by Alfred Hitch-cock, his last fi lm before leaving the UK for Hollywood. Though critics slammed it, audiences fl ocked to theaters. “It was a tremendous success in Can-ada, England and the US,” noted O’Hara. “Hitchcock was fabulous to work with. But he couldn’t help it. He had the gift of genius from the heavens and gave the world wonderful stories and movies.” Nor is it diffi cult to see why Laugh-ton, who “discovered” O’Hara in a screen test, insisted on casting her in the fi lm. She was the epitome of classic Hollywood beauty, yet not the typical helpless heroine or scream queen.

Tinseltown TalksAnd the Oscar Went to… Maureen O’Haraby Nick Thomas

28

December 2014 29

In fact, her role as a determined and fearless leading lady in “Jamaica Inn” set the stage for the strong female characters she would play throughout her career. “It would have been hard for me to be anything else because I am close in char-acter to the women I played,” O’Hara said. “While I love being sentimental, I am a hardheaded woman too!” Which probably explains why O’Hara was determined to perform many of her own stunts throughout her career. After being rescued from the gallows by

Charles Laughton in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” his stunt double lifts her high over his head atop the church tower. “It scared the hell out of me,” she recalled. “With no protective netting and I would have been killed if I’d fallen. But I’m pretty tough, and probably would have cracked the cement! It was rather silly risking permanent injury or death for the sake of a movie, but there was a thrill in it.” On November 8, however, Maureen O’Hara received one of her greatest thrills at the Los Angeles Hollywood & Highland

Center when she collected her Oscar, in what was a sentimental journey for all fans of the Golden Age of Hollywood. “Thank you…thank you,” she replied, when I concluded our conversation by congratulating her on the Oscar. Thank YOU, Ms. O’Hara. See you on Christmas Day! s

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University

at Montgomery, Ala., and has written fea-

tures, columns, and interviews for over 450

magazines and newspapers.

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Make the season bright with savingsLED holiday lights use at least 75 percent less energy while remaining much cooler than incandescent bulbs. Plus, they last 25 times longer.

For more energy-saving tips, visit gru.com.

29

30 December 2014

H er work is collected worldwide and has been exhibited in hundreds of shows, winning many awards throughout the southeast. She has also been featured in books such as “The Best of Pottery” and “The

Contemporary Potter” to name a few. Who knew that such a prolifi c ceramic artist resides on six acres in Micanopy, Florida — complete with her own magi-cal art studio? Her name is Ana Varela and she really is the cat’s meow. Born in a little town in Brazil called Ponte Nova, Varela, 61, would make her solo journey to America at the age of 17. “I came from a big Catholic family — very strict — with eight older brothers, and I was the youngest so I was tied to my mom’s skirt,” Varela said. “When I moved to South Florida I felt so free, like oh my God!” In 1982 Varela moved to Gainesville to attend the University of Florida. She graduated four years later with a B.A. in Ceramics. “I love UF,” she said. “For me the discipline was very hard. But I got through it and they taught me all kinds of great things and I’m thankful for them.” She is also thankful for her husband, Doug Dewey, who is a celebrated artist and potter. The two met in Gainesville and married in 1985. She described their relationship as very complimentary. “He’s such a wonderful potter, and he has a very good engineering mind,” Varela said. “He helps me a lot with the kilns … and the formulas. Every now and then something doesn’t work and he knows exactly what it is.” Varela said she and Dewey lived in separate houses for the majority of their marriage. “We couldn’t fi gure out where we were going to live,” Varela said. “So I said let’s keep separate houses. There’s nothing wrong with this. We have no kids. So four years ago we decided, well, we’re getting old, maybe it would be nice to live together, so my husband moved here. And it’s been nice. We said, it’s so

Ana VarelaThe Cat’s Meow

Story and Photography by Ericka Winterrowd

PURRFECT POTTERY

“I want to be doing this forever. I want to be like Beatrice Wood. She died at the age of 105 with pottery clay in her hands…she’s my hero.”

– ANA VARELA

30

December 2014 31

Ana Varela’s 18

th Annual

Holiday Celebration:

Saturday, December 13th

Micanopy – Follow signs to

508 SE Tuscawilla Road.

10:00am to 5:00pm

for more information:

[email protected]

31


much fun we should have done this a long time ago,” she said with a chuckle. Varela has always known she was an artist. “There are lots of artists in my family on both sides,” she said. “And I always watched my mother and her sister doing beautiful embroideries and things like that.” Varela has always found inspiration in natural surroundings — especially those in Micanopy, where she moved in 1997. “Everything about nature inspires me,” Varela said. “And I do a lot of cats because I have cats, but it could have been giraffes or turtles, as long as it’s nature related. I think nature heals and I expect that people will maybe take better care of nature and animals and ourselves.” She described her house as a little shack, but that’s why she

loves it. “I didn’t want to do too much work with it and have it lose its essence because I love the way it feels,” she said. “It’s got old wooden fl oors that are just wonderful.” Her studio was once a warehouse full of old mattresses without any walls. Varela has since renovated it into the per-fect art studio.

“Oh, it’s heaven. It’s heaven on earth, it really is,” she said. “I do a lot of shows out of town, and in the summer I travel or go see my family, and once I drive up this driveway coming home, it’s like, Ah — it’s incredibly beautiful.” Varela said she puts in 40 hours a week as a fulltime art-ist. This includes the time spent going to and from art shows where she sells her work. She also works at the Artisans Guild in Gainesville once a month. Since graduating with her art degree, Varela has never had to work another job besides being an artist. “I made it without having to work another job, so it’s pos-sible,” Varela said. “You can’t get rich doing it — not rich rich; I’m very economical. I save money and everything. When I bought my home I saved up so I wouldn’t have to get a mort-gage — everything’s paid for. There’s not much I really want, as far as things. Beauty and this place is what I want.” And it is this place — her studio and home — where Varela creates her one-of-a-kind pieces. The labor-intensive process involves slab construction and/or thrown pieces with a stone-ware clay body, followed by brush application of layered slips. These slips are wet and dry, blended on surface, sometimes including sgraffi to drawings. “It starts with a bag of clay and from there you decide what you want to do,” Varela said. “A slab roller is for the fl at pieces. The open platters and the wheel are for the round pieces. I

“I made it without having to work another job, so it’s possible”

32

December 2014 33

like slab work much better. It’s faster and you see results re-ally quickly. But throwing is kind of fun too, because certain things, like the mugs and the vases, you just have to use the wheel. So after that, you dry the piece and paint, fi re it in the kiln once to stabilize the colors and then you put a clear glaze over it and fi re it again to 2,400 degrees, which is pretty sturdy stoneware. It’s all food safe — microwave, dishwasher, that kind of thing.” Varela said her main intent is to design pieces that bridge art and function. She believes the world needs pottery made by artists in order to enrich the human experience. “Art matters enormously, especially when integrated in the everyday rhythms of running a home; it intensifi es our experi-ences, helps us be more open-minded to the ‘different,’ and fi ne-tunes the joy of living,” she said. “I imagine my work as having some real affect in the world, and slightly transforming it through its aesthetic, functionality and humor; spurring fun dinnertime conversations all over our fast-paced world.” She said the most fulfi lling aspect of her career is enriching people’s lives. “The creativity is wonderful because it reaches into all aspects of your life, into cooking and decorating your house, giving a gift to a friend. Creativity is a great, great reward,” she said. “But enriching people’s lives — even after I’m gone, these pieces are going to be here, you know? I think I did better by

not having children because the chil-dren, they’ll pass on, and these pieces, I feel like they’ll be here forever.” Micanopy resident Helen Suits has known Varela for 25 years. They met in Gainesville, where they were neighbors for 10 years. “She is my dear good friend and I look up to her,” Suits said in a telephone interview. “She has a certain honesty about her that I really admire and a straightforwardness that I really admire.”

Suits is also a huge fan of Varela’s work. “Oh, I love it,” she said. “She went to school for ceramics, but the art that she puts on her pottery is really self-taught and what is called naïve, which is another name for folk art. It’s called naïve art because it’s innocent and comes from the heart. Everything Ana creates has that beautiful feeling.” Seventeen years ago Varela began hosting an “Annual Holi-day Celebration” on her property for her fans. About fi ve to seven other artists also attend, selling their own pieces at the open house. “We have several artists this time. There’s even a massage booth for chair massages,” Varela said. “There will be pottery, beautiful glass pieces and weavings.” Gainesville resident JoLee Houlihan has attended Varela’s annual event in the past and said she marks it on her calendar every year. “Ana’s work is just fabulous. Her cat pieces are so whimsical and charming. The open house is a perfect opportunity to get that unique gift for a loved one right before the holidays. She also offers some great deals too.” Varela said there would also be food and drinks as well as a music jam. “So come one, come all — it’s the perfect time to buy some groovy gifts for the holidays,” Varela said. “Don’t you just love art?” s

Ana Varela with one of her many muses and

tools of the trade.

“A lot of the poses you see on my pottery I

drew from my cats,” Varela said. “When they’re

sleeping or I sneak up to them and I take a

picture. Afterwards I upload the photo to the

computer and draw from it. I think that process

makes the drawings on the platters more

dynamic and real.”

33


F or the past year, it has been my privilege to have gone out into the community and spent time serving with a variety of organizations as a new volunteer, so

that you — our readers — could fi nd a place and a cause that might inspire you to get involved as well. I hope that you have enjoyed this series of articles and that you have indeed found a good volunteer fi t for your life. Leaving home to serve one’s community is not always an option, however. Knowing this, I felt it appropriate to close this year of service with a variety of options for those who would like to volunteer from the comfort (and fl exibility) of home.

>> THE NEED: Many groups and organizations have needs that can easily be met by an off-site or at-home volunteer. A simple Internet search with the words “volunteer from home” will provide many links to causes that need workers who can help their efforts from afar. Two projects that have caught my attention in the past were the making of heart-shaped pillows for cardiac surgery patients and pillowcase-sewing groups that provide happy and personal welcomes to children battling life-threatening illnesses. These two examples still exist within many organi-zations and are added to by hundreds — if not thousands — of additional listings for virtual sewing and craft volunteers. Over the years our family has also participated in numerous bird and mosquito counts, letter-writing campaigns, online genea-logical programs and phone tree efforts. There are as many, if not more, opportunities to serve

with compassion in an online or at-home way than there are listings for those who can be involved on-site at a designated location or facility.

>> THE WORK: Duties that lend themselves to this type of arrangement include sewing projects (pillowcases for hospitalized youth, turbans for chemo patients, dresses for girls in developing countries, walker caddies for the elderly), genealogical index-ing and transcribing, wheelchair accessibility mapping, public and media relations promotions, bird and bee counts, grant writing, hotline staffi ng, reviewing, editing and writing, trans-lating, mentoring, crafting, greeting card and other correspon-dence, IT development and design. Many wish lists are also posted on non-profi t websites (or can be obtained by calling the organization) and are another opportunity to purchase goods needed by a cause to which one feels connected. Give Kids the World Village in Central Florida has a wish list that includes more than three dozen easy-to-mail items — from pipe cleaners to rain ponchos — which a volunteer could purchase online and have shipped to the worthy cause. With micro-volunteering — where off-site workers provide assistance in shorter segments of time — the variety of skills valuable in assisting are practically endless, as well, so fi nd-ing a good fi t is perhaps even easier than with in-person and in-community opportunities. If you have an interest, ability or just 10 minutes of time, you can fi nd a virtual place to use it. Even the United Nations has need of virtual volunteers!

How to HelpWithout Leaving Home

by Darla Kinney Scoles

HANDS ON

34

December 2014 35

“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.”

— WINSTON CHURCHILL

35


>> THE REWARDS: Since helping a cause online or from home is generally less time and energy intensive than traditional volunteering, it is easy to spread your efforts further and give to more causes, which can help us help the world in as many ways as possible. Those who help tend to want to help more — and this is one way they can. Often, tasks listed for remote volun-teers are those that tend to go undone in many organizations, which will have a negative effect on the running of that program. If you’ve ever been tasked with behind-the-scenes busy work yourself, you know how benefi cial it is to have other hands to help you accomplish the less-glamorous chores involved in run-ning any worthy cause. While doing research for this article, I came across a story that embodies the essence of “doing what you can do” – which is what helping from home is all about. On the Facebook page Pillow-cases for Patients I read this: “My name is Erin Kirby and I was in a car accident on July 28th, 2011, and I now have traumatic brain injury. I wasn’t able to go back to school or sports all year and I wanted to do something to

benefi t others that need a boost of joy! I know fi rst-hand that being in the hospital stinks and so I wanted to brighten up others’ day, and that is why I started Pil-lowcases for Patients!! I want to bring joy and smiles to kids in the hospital, and to encourage them, to never, ever give up. I pick out personalized fabric so each child can have a variety to choose from! If you know someone who is fi ghting in the hos-pital now, you can contact me by e-mail at [email protected].” In two years, Erin has handmade and sent over 2,800 pillowcases around the world. As with all service given, what is gained in return is much, much greater.

>> THE FIT: The term “behind the scenes” itself, is one of the reasons off-site volunteering can be a perfect fi t for certain individu-als. Besides those who cannot physically get out of the house to help there are others who are shy about doing so or uncomfortable stepping into new roles in a public way. Helping from home is a great fi t for the more introverted among us as well as those who are limited in transporta-tion, or physical ability. This type of

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December 2014 37

service is also great for the busiest of folks that might have a snippet of time to give here and there without the confi ne-ment of a volunteer commitment schedule. Many of the websites I visited also encouraged employ-ers to grant their employees an hour each week to do remote volunteer work from their desk or work station, utilizing the same talents they use at work for a different cause. Variety is defi nitely a plus in the world of virtual service too, with the roles virtually endless as well. If you don’t fi nd a tailor-made spot as an off-site volunteer, create one! Offer your skills and services to a group that hasn’t yet thought of the role you will fi ll.

>> HOW TO GET INVOLVED: It is really as easy for you as it was for me. Begin with an Internet search using the same keywords. Or go to the sites for charities or organizations you are interested in and see what virtual volunteer experiences are listed. For those not Internet connected, simply choose a local or-ganization you care about and call to see what you can do from home. Most will offer several off-site volunteer opportunities. Even getting involved monetarily is much more personal and varied than it once was. Websites such as DonorsChoose.org(One of my favorites!) allow philanthropists to research and choose a classroom project in a particular school to fund and stay connected to in the future. If making a donation is your favorite way to help, you will fi nd many new ideas online — microloans being one of the most rewarding. The point is to simply get started. Take that fi rst step and choose a cause. Then fi nd a place where you can make a differ-ence. You will soon fi nd the difference is made within you. s

Thanks to you! —Darla

A few resourceswww.helpfromhome.org

www.onlinevolunteering.orgwww.idealist.org/info/Volunteer/Online

www.unv.org/how-to-volunteer/online-volunteers.htmlwww.gktw.org

www.conkerrcancer.org/volunteer/sew-pillowcaseswww.donorschoose.org

www.uihealthcare.org/otherserviceswww.helpfromhome.org

(This UK website lists 25 Home Based ‘Do Good’ Actions That You Never Even Knew Existed - Some are only in the UK, but many are

world-wide efforts or have similar US counterparts).

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P roducers Julia and Michael Phillips invited me and my roommate Ron

Bernstein, a Paramount VP, to a party in their Manhattan apartment around 1970. Mingling in the crowd, I spotted actor Peter Boyle, who’d be in the Phillips’s fi rst fi lm, “Steelyard Blues.” A former monk who’d suffered a ner-vous breakdown in the Navy before scor-ing the starring role in the counterculture hit “Joe,” Peter was a radical activist who’d become friends with Jane Fonda and Don-ald Sutherland during anti-war protests. Fonda became the hottest actress in Hollywood after winning the best-actress Oscar for “Klute,” and when she agreed to star in “Steelyard,” her box-offi ce clout, together with Julia’s steamroller pitch to the studios, got the fi lm green-lighted. Peter struck me as soft-spoken and sensitive, a far cry from the politically incorrect Frank Barone he’d later por-tray in “Everybody Loves Raymond.” At one point that evening I asked Julia, “What exactly does a movie producer do?” “The biggest thing is holding the package together.” She and Michael were moving to Los Angeles, but “don’t worry,” she said. “Come out to LA and stay with us.” After settling in Trancas, just north of Malibu, Julia and Michael met Ron and me at LAX and drove us to Nicholas Beach Road in a blinding rainstorm. Upon our arrival at their house, a frantic man sprang from under the sun deck and cried, “Please help me. I’ve just

been stabbed.” He’d been hitchhiking on the Pacifi c Coast Highway, and the maniac who picked him up had rigged a dagger to spring from the passenger seat the mo-ment anyone sat down. He managed to escape, but his assailant was still pursu-ing him down the beach when he hid in the Phillips’s utility shed. Michael called the police, who shortly arrived with rifl es at port arms and carted the poor sucker off. Suddenly Julia glared at me and hissed, “See what your New York vibes have brought?” The pressure of wheeling and dealing had obviously turned this once-sweet girl, still in her 20s, into a volatile harridan. Reverting to her old self the next morning, she prepared a breakfast of huevos rancheros and said, “I’ve missed you guys and New York.” The following week turned into a round of parties and introductions. Beau-tiful, dark-haired Tony Bill, the Phillips’s producing partner, had acquired matinee-idol status after playing Frank Sinatra’s brother in 1963’s “Come Blow Your Horn.” A former English major like me, Tony collected fi rst editions and loved anything to do with books. We bonded for life. At Joan Didion’s Malibu home, her husband John Gregory Dunne was read-ing a passage from his new book when Julia interjected, “That would make a great fi rst line — ‘in the summer of my nervous breakdown.’”

Joan let a stack of dishes remain in the sink as she whispered verbal gems like “I don’t know what I think before I write it down.” Julia’s rambling Trancas house formed the nucleus of the New Hollywood. She became den mother to what she called her “gallery of nerds” — Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, Brian De Palma and Ste-ven Spielberg — the pioneering fi lmmak-ers who’d revolutionize the industry and hasten the decline of the studio system. The packages Julia was holding together at the dawn of the ‘70s include “The Sting,” “Taxi Driver,” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” but during my stay in Trancas, she, Michael, Tony, and David S. Ward focused on “Steelyard.” Unfortunately this criminally lame anti-establishment yarn would bring neither profi t nor praise to anyone involved. David would later write “The Sting” and win an Oscar. He was a cool, good-looking dude, elegantly macho in Western boots. His wife Chris expressed dismay when she learned I was carrying a pistol, something I’d started doing after being mugged in Mayor John Lindsay’s law-less New York. “Don’t be a jerk,” she said, kindly murmuring the words in a vain appeal to my nonexistent common sense. One day, after a meal Julia served, she barked at Ron and me, “These dishes aren’t going to wash themselves.” We pitched in, getting into the spirit of the impoverished New Hollywood. Julia had risked her life savings, $3,500, to option “Steelyard” and “Sting.” Infl a-tion adjusted, that’s $20,000. No wonder they’d soon be calling her the ballsiest broad in Hollywood. s

Ellis Amburn is in the Hall of Excellence at

TCU’s Schieffer School of Journalism. In-

volved daily in volunteer community service,

the High Springs resident is the author of

biographies of Roy Orbison, Elizabeth Taylor

and others. [email protected].

Enjoying

Act ThreeSteelyard Blues

COLUMN œ ELLIS AMBURN

Beating the Holiday Blues

38

December 2014 39

Everyone feels blue sometimes.

The holiday season affects

people in a variety of ways.

For some it brings about hope and

joy, for others it stirs up feelings of

loneliness and despair. If you fi nd

yourself in the second category,

try some of these tips and tricks

to beat the holiday blues.

TIPS & TRICKS TO BEAT THE BLUES:Be Realistic – Don’t compare your

situation to anyone else. Be kind to

yourself and seek support when you

need it.

Create New Traditions – Life is ever

changing. Don’t hold on to the past

so tightly that you can’t make your

present enjoyable.

Help Others – You are never too

young, too old, or too fi nancially

strapped to help others. A kind word,

a genuine smile, or a helping hand can

go a long way to change someone’s

day – including your own!

Grieve – Remember with joy

those who are no longer here

to celebrate this holiday season

with you. Allow yourself time to

enjoy, remember, and heal.

Forgive – Offering forgiveness to others

is a wonderful holiday gift. You will

more than likely fi nd that the gift is

one that also benefi ts you.

Love – Love everything! From the silly

songs to the twinkling lights, fi nd a

way to love this holiday season…and

most importantly love yourself!

For many seniors the ideas above

will work. However, when the feelings

of sadness and “the blues” don’t go

away he or she may be clinically de-

pressed. Identifying depression in older

adults is not always easy. Many older

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depression was not understood as a

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labeled as “diffi cult” or “weak” when

they cannot overcome these feelings.

Is your loved one having a hard

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in the morning? Has his or her appetite

diminished? Do they appear to have

lost the will to live? Are the things

that they once looked forward to no

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SAVVY CAREGIVER TRAINING

Various DatesTimes Vary

ALACHUA & MARION COUNTY - If you are a

caregiver for a family member or friend with a

form of progressive dementia this six session

training will provide you with helpful information

about the disease and new skills to lessen your

stress and improve caregiving. The course is

free, but limited to 15 in each series. Call Tom

at 352-378-6649, ext. 126. Offered in Alachua

County on Thursdays from 1:00 – 3:00 pm at

the Alachua County Health Department and in

Marion County at Top of The World on Tuesdays,

2:00 – 4:00 pm. The series is offered in many

other regional locations as well; you can find

them all at www.agingresources.org (follow

the program link to Savvy Caregiver Training).

ARTWALK GAINESVILLE

Last Friday7:00pm - 10:00pm

GAINESVILLE - 104 SE 1st Ave. Free monthly

self-guided tour that combines visual

art, live performance and events. Held

the last Friday of each month with many

local galleries, eateries and businesses

participating, Artwalk is an exciting, fun way

to experience the amazing wealth of creativity

the Gainesville community has to offer.

TIOGA MONDAY MARKET

Mondays4:00pm - 7:00pm

JONESVILLE - Tioga Center, 13005 W. Newberry

Rd. Market features a selection of vegetables,

crafts, organic food, fruits and local specialties.

LADY GAMERS

Fridays1:00pm

HIGH SPRINGS - New Century Woman’s Club,

40 NW 1st Ave. The Lady Gamers meet for

fun, friendship and food. Everyone is invited.

Meet old friends and make some new ones.

PRIMETIME INSTITUTE CLASS

Tuesday, December 22:30pm - 4:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Senior Recreation Center, 5701 NW

34th Blvd. Adding a New Look to Your Home...

for the Holidays and All Year Long Bring your

home up to date with ideas for revitalization from

an experienced interior designer. Ruth Mansell

is well known in Gainesville for more than 35

years of teaching design. This presentation is

just in time for the holidays or for planning any

other changes you have in mind. 352-332-6917.

MEDICARE MADE EASY SEMINAR

Wednesday, December 310:00am – Noon

HAWTHORNE - Branch Library. Join Doug Wheat

for an educational seminar designed to help

those eligible or about to become eligible for

Medicare understand their choices and options.

The discussion will consist of Definitions, Costs,

Options and all questions will be answered. NOT

sponsored by any insurance carrier.

Visit the Seminar Website: www.

floridamedicareseminar.com.

THE MARION CIVIC CHORALE

Thursday, December 45:00pm

OCALA - The Appleton Museum of Art, 4333 E.

Silver Springs Blvd. The Marion Civic Chorale

will perform holiday favorites while guests enjoy

refreshments from Mojo Grill. Admission is free

for members and $10 for nonmembers. Doors

open at 5 p.m. and music begins at 5:30 p.m.

S.H.I.N.E. ON MEDICARE

Thursday, December 412:00pm – 2:00pm

HAWTHORNE - Branch Library. The Florida

Department of Elder Affairs offers counseling that

is unbiased, confidential and no cost, by trained

SHINE Volunteer counselors. The discussion

will consist of definitions, costs, options and

all questions answered. Please bring with you:

Medicare Card and Social Security Card; A print-

out of medications from pharmacy or bottles;

Proof of annual household income to determine

whether you qualify for extra help; MUST HAVE

driver’s license or photo I.D.; Any letters from

Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid which you

may have received. Call the Elder Helpline for

sites that require appointments: 1-800-963-5337.

QACDG’S MEETING

Thursday, December 49:30am – Noon

GAINESVILLE - Senior Recreation Center, 5701 N.

W. 34th Blvd. Holiday celebration and end-of-year

festivities for Quilters of Alachua County Day

Guild with pot-luck luncheon, a big holiday quilt

and holiday project sew-and-tell, and quilters’

poem reading, plus lots of fun and camaraderie

for the quilters and their friends. Guests are

welcome. So bring your covered dish for the

pot luck and get in on the good times. Beverley

Hilton: 352-373-7791, or www.qacdg.org.

HAWTHORNE BOOK CLUB

Thursday, December 45:30pm – 6:45pm

HAWTHORNE - Branch Library. Enjoy discussing

fiction books with other readers. All are welcome!

For more information visit “Hawthorne Bookclub

Activities” at www.aclib.us/Hawthorne.

FESTIVAL OF TREES

Thursday, December 47:00pm

JONESVILLE - Tioga Town Center, 105 SW 128

St. Festival of Trees is open to the public to view

and bid on beautifully decorated Christmas trees.

All proceeds benefit Children’s Miracle Network

at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. During

the VIP party on Thursday evening, guests will

get first peek at the trees and have the option to

‘buy it now.’ For more information contact Sarah

Franz at [email protected]. Admission is $5.

CHRISTMAS TREE VILLAGE

December 4 - 2310:00am

EARLETON - Greathouse Butterfly Farm,

20329 NE State Road 26. Visit the farm’s

annual Christmas Tree Village for a magical

holiday experience your family will love!

Fun for all ages with bounce house, train

rides, and visits with Santa. Purchase your

6-9 foot Fresh cut, premium Fraser Fir.

CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING AND SANTA VISIT

Friday, December 56:00pm – 8:00pm

ALACHUA - City of Alachua Municipal

Complex, 15100 NW 142nd Terr. & Main Street.

Santa and his helpers will be visiting and

welcoming children for pictures. Free to all.

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK

Friday, December 55:00pm

OCALA - Downtown Square, SE Watula Ave.

Various artists will be setting up easels/

stations and work on arts/crafts throughout the

Central Business District with a performance

on the Downtown Square. For details, please

contact Melissa Townsend at 352-629-8447.

GOLF INVITATIONAL

Friday, December 5Time TBA

OCALA - Juliette Falls. Helping Hands is holding

its 3rd annual Golf Invitational at Juliette Falls. In

addition to a 4-man scramble format, a special

CALENDARUPCOMING EVENTS IN ALACHUA & MARION

40

December 2014 41

feature this year is The Steve Albright and

Berger Warner “Top 10” Shoot Outs. The event

proceeds will be used to help innocent women

and children overcome abuse, abandonment, and

severe hardships … and to build a better life. Info:

352-732-4464 or www.helpinghandsocala.org.

FAMILY DAY

Saturday, December 610:00am to 5:00pm

OCALA - The Appleton Museum of Art, E. Silver

Springs Blvd. Guests will enjoy “A Dickens

Christmas: The Urban Family Holiday Collection”

and create paper ornaments in the ARTSpace.

CHRISTMAS CANDLELIGHT TOUR

Saturday, December 65:00pm – 9:00pm

OCALA - Historic Fort King Street. Historic Ocala

Preservation Society (HOPS) is pleased to present

the 2014 Christmas Candlelight Tour. This year’s

event will be homes and businesses on Historic

Fort King Street, along with the First Presbyterian

Church and Grace Episcopal Church. There will be

seasonal music, tasty refreshments and visit with

Santa Claus. Tickets are $12 in advance and will

be sold at each of the homes on the night of the

event for $15. 352-351-1861 or historicocala.org.

TREE LIGHTING AND PARADE


JONESVILLE - Town of Tioga. Celebrate the

holiday season with Santa, live music, a holiday

parade and the Tioga Town Center tree lighting.

Admission to this event is free, but limited.

Pick up your free admission pass at the Tioga

Town Center office between 9am and 6pm.

RUN ON THE PRAIRIE

Saturday, December 68:00am

MICANOPY - 100 Savannah Blvd. Join Alachua

County 4-H in its second annual 5k run. The Little

Run on the Prairie is a great way to enjoy the

outdoor beauty of Paynes Prairie State Park while

supporting youth in Alachua County. Proceeds

from the run will impact youth through 4-H Clubs,

school enrichment programs, and summer camps.

Awards, t-shirt, door prizes, and park admission is

all included in your registration fee. Contact Matt

Benge at the UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County

Office at 352-955-2402 for registration form.

YOUTH CHORUS HOLIDAY CONCERT

Saturday, December 65:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Holy Trinity Episcopal Church,

100 NE 1st St. The Gainesville Youth Chorus,

Inc. (GYC) presents its Annual Holiday

Concert. Celebrating 20 years of success,

Holiday Tree Lighting CelebrationSaturday, December 6 6:00pm

GAINESVILLE - The Historic Thomas Center, 302 NE 6th Ave. The City of Gainesville

Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs is hosting its annual Holiday

Tree Lighting Celebration at the Historic Thomas Center. The free program will run

from 6-8 p.m. and will feature caroling and holiday music. Santa will be present and

refreshments will be served.

41


GYC will be presenting a musical program

to delight the heart of every family member.

The concert is free and open to the public.

MARION CIVIC CHORALE


OCALA - First United Methodist Church.

Sanctuary,1126 E. Silver Springs Blvd. Christmas

Concert, Joshua Head, Conductor.

THE DITCHFIELD FAMILY SINGERS


OCALA - Circle Square Cultural Center and

Commons, 8405 SW 80th St. The Ditchfield

Family Singers, one of America’s most versatile

family ensembles acclaimed for their close

harmony, warmth and wide variety of musical

styles, presents a phenomenal selection of

Christmas favorites. Tickets range $8-11.

DUDLEY FARM CANE DAY

Saturday, December 69:00am – 3:00pm

NEWBERRY - Dudley Farm Historic State

Park. Celebrate the region’s pioneering past

by watching some of the areas rural life

style. The Park Service commemorates Ms.

Myrtle Dudley’s birthday by grinding sugar

cane and boiling cane syrup. Farm tours,

domestic crafts, children’s activities, music and

vendors are featured on this living history day.

Demonstrators will be showcasing Florida’s

traditions of yesteryear. 352-472-1142.

FAMILY BIRDING SERIES

Saturday Dec 69:00am

MICANOPY - Paynes Prairie. 100 Savannah Blvd.

Family Birding for all ages. Enjoy birding fun

on the 1st Saturday of every month November

through April. Topic and meeting location varies

for each session. Children are encouraged

to attend but must be accompanied by an

adult. Program is free, but Park Admission

fees apply. Pre-registration is required and

space is limited. Register and learn more about

each session at www.prairiefriends.org.

POLAR EXPRESS TRAIN SHOW

December 6 & 7Times Vary

GAINESVILLE *Matheson Museum, 513 E

University Ave. See the Museum transformed

into a winter wonderland on Saturday from 10:00

am to 4:00 pm and Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00

pm. The Polar Express along with many other

holiday trains will be on display. Learn about

the time when railroads were the lifeblood of

North Florida. Experience the meticulous artwork

and skillful engineering of these elaborate

train sets. There will also be an opportunity

to buy Christmas train sets and accessories

at the show. This event is sponsored-in-part

by the Ocala Model Railroaders Club, which

serves to preserve railroad history of Ocala and

Marion County. Tickets are $4.00 for an adult

and $1.00 for children 12 and under. 352-378-

2280 or email [email protected].

HOMESTEAD HOLIDAYS

Sunday, December 712:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Historic Haile Homestead,

8500 SW Archer Rd. Stroll through the 1856

plantation home decked out in an array of

traditional greenery and Victorian finery

with a railroad theme. Docents in Victorian

costume! See the Homestead’s famous “Talking

Walls.” Enjoy live holiday music performed

by young violin students! Sip some hot cider

as you browse a selection of home-baked

goodies, and special holiday ornaments.

HOGTOWN HEELERS CLOGGING

Tuesday, December 96:30pm

GAINESVILLE - Westside Park Recreation

Building, 1001 NW 34th St. Clogging for fun

and exercise. Tuesdays, 6:30pm – 9:00pm.

All ages, skill levels. Beginners welcome

first session free, $5 afterwards.

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Wednesday, December 1011:00am - 1:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Wesley United Methodist Church,

Chocolate & Champagne & Dancing with StarsSaturday, December 20 8:00pm

GAINESVILLE - UF Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd. Dance Alive National Ballet presents

the event of the season. Dine and dance in high holiday spirits, and have fun voting for

your favorite Gainesville celebrity dancer at the spectacular ‘Dancing With the Stars’

competition. Purchase your Holiday gifts at the unique silent auction. TV 20’s Dave

Snyder hosts the event, catered by Sweetwater Branch Inn, and featuring Gainesville’s

favorite band, Gosia and Ali. Tickets start at $150; $750 for a table of 8.

42

December 2014 43

NW 23rd Ave. Gainesville Chapter of the

Daughters of the American Revolution meet on

the second Wednesday of each month, October

through May. [email protected].


Thursday, December 11

2:30pm - 4:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Senior Recreation Center, 5701

NW 34th Blvd. Long-Term Care Insurance.

Long-term care covers a broad spectrum of

needs, from nursing home care for those

with complex needs, to adult day health

care, assisted living facilities, and home care.

Clarence Terry, Financial Advisor and Regional

Vice-President with Primerica, will share his

knowledge of the pros and cons of insurance

available to cover these needs. 352-332-6917.

ALACHUA ACOUSTIC AND ARTS

FESTIVAL

Friday, December 12

6:00pm – 9:00pm

ALACHUA - Downtown Alachua, Alan Hitchcock

Park. Live Music and art sponsored by Alachua’s

Music Junction and The Garden Gallery.

ALACHUA ACOUSTIC & ART

Friday, December 12

6:00pm – 9:00pm

ALACHUA - Downtown Historic Alachua, NW

141 St. A lovely way to spend a Friday evening

strolling along to acoustic music and watching

artists at work. Have some dinner, maybe a

cocktail, listen to some music, then perhaps

a bit of dessert and stop to win a prize.

GOOD FORM RUNNING CLINIC

Saturday, December 13

9:00am

GAINESVILLE - Lloyd Clarke Sports, 1504 NW 13th

St. Good Form Running is about helping people

make running a stress-free, more enjoyable, part

of their lives. At this clinic, Good Form Running

certified staff will work with you on your gait to

keep you on the road, running longer, faster, and

more comfortably than ever before. This clinic

has a small class size to provide more personal

interaction and before/after analysis of your gait.

MESSIAH SING ALONG

Saturday, December 13

7:30pm

GAINESVILLE - Westminster Presbyterian

Church, 1521 NW 34th St. The Gainesville

Civic Chorus and Philharmonic Orchestra

present the Messiah Sing Along where you

are the choir with soloists and an orchestra.

Bring your own music or borrow a copy.

DUDLEY KIDS DAY

Saturday, December 1310:00am – 2:00pm

NEWBERRY - Dudley Farm Historic State Park.

Mind Your Manners. Come out to the farm

on the second Saturday of the month for our

Dudley Kids Day. Children and adults alike,

ages 5 to 65, can join in the fun! There are

hands on demonstrations, crafts, old-fashioned

games and even some education. Learn

about history, and a farming way of life.

CHRISTMAS PARADE


ALACHUA - Downtown. Bring the family to

Main Street to enjoy Christmas activities and

get in the Christmas spirit. Free to all.

CHRISTMAS PARADE


HIGH SPRINGS - Downtown.

Twilight Christmas Parade.

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION


GAINESVILLE - Phillips Center, 3201 Hull Rd.

Stop Children’s Cancer Presents Holiday

Traditions: A Musical Celebration. General

Admission: $12; Children 12 and under: $6.

LESSONS & CAROLS SERVICE

Sunday, December 1411:00am & 7:00pm

GAINESVILLE - United Church of Gainesville.

Spend some time reveling in the beauty of

traditional and non-traditional Christmas music

offered by instrumentalists and adult, youth and

children’s choirs interspersed with the heart-

warming story of Jesus’ birth. 352-378-3500.

HOLIDAY CONCERT


GAINESVILLE - The Thomas Center, 302 NE

6th Ave. Musica Vera is a fifteen-member early

music ensemble specializing in performing

medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music. They

perform in costume on historical reproductions

of the instruments of the times, and include

informal comments to explain music that

is so old that it is new to most people.

WINTER HOLIDAY CONCERT

Tuesday, December 167:00pm - 8:00pm

JONESVILLE - Town of Tioga. Free annual

Winter Holiday Concert featuring the Chorus

ensembles of two local elementary schools:

Meadowbrook & Kimball Wiles Elementary.

MOMMY & ME

Wednesday, December 175:00pm

GAINESVILLE - UF Phillips Center, 3201 Hull

Rd. Dance Alive National Ballet presents one

of the most special experiences a child can

have — being onstage with the dancers right

in the middle of a Nutcracker rehearsal. Feel

the rush of emotions - the excitement, the

joy and the happiness of this very unique

moment. Good for children who need to

wiggle, find it hard to focus or just need that

special added attention. Tickets are $50.

GAWN

Wednesday, December 1711:30am – 1:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Sweetwater Branch Inn, 625 E

University Ave. The Gainesville Area Women’s

Network luncheon — third Wednesday

each month. Attend for great networking

and a hot lunch. Register: GAWN.org.

GAINESVILLE NETWORKING CHALLENGE

Wednesday, December 175:30pm – 7:00pm

JONESVILLE - Sabore Restaurant, 13005 SW 1st

Rd. Come network with business professionals

in a casual setting on the third Wednesday

of each month. Invite your friends! Enjoy

complimentary delicious hors d’oeuvres.

GALLERY TOURS

Thursday, December 18Times Vary

OCALA - The Appleton Museum of Art, 4333

E. Silver Springs Blvd. Join a themed, docent-

led tour of the galleries. The December

tour highlights work by artists who are

also in the permanent collections of world-

renowned museums such as the Louvre,

The Getty and the National Gallery of Art.


Thursday, December 182:30pm - 4:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Senior Recreation Center,

5701 NW 34th Blvd. The Science of Washing

Dishes to Burn Off that Breakfast Donut.

Todd Manini, Ph.D., UF Assistant Professor,

will present this month’s research topic from

the Institute on Aging. 352-332-6917.

THE NUTCRACKER

December 19-212:00pm

GAINESVILLE - UF Phillips Center, 3201 Hull

Rd. Dance Alive National Ballet presents the

all-time family favorite. NUTCRACKER returns

with more beauty, more joy, and more thrills than

ever before. The classic tale has been a holiday

tradition for over 49 years in Gainesville. Don’t

miss this holiday treat! Tickets range $15-40.

43


SUGAR PLUM TEA

December 20 – 214:00pm

GAINESVILLE - Phillips Center, Fackler Foyer

East. Dance Alive National Ballet Presents Sugar

Plum Tea. Join the Sugar Plum Fairy and her

court in a very special experience following the

performance of ‘The Nutcracker’. The perfect

ending to the perfect day. Meet the Sugar Plum

Fairy and her Court; touch a snowflake, tease

a mouse. Enjoy a tea that only a Sugar Plum

Fairy could present. Have your holiday photos

taken by Johnston Photography at a special

“Sugar Plum Tea” rate. General Admission $15.

HIGH SPRINGS MUSIC IN THE PARK SERIES


HIGH SPRINGS - James Paul Park, 200 N.

Main St. Music in the Park Series happens

every third Sunday of the month from 2pm-

4pm at James Paul Park located behind City

Hall. Featuring local musicians/talent! BYO

blankets, lawn chairs and refreshments. Enjoy

our beautiful downtown area with your family

and friends and “Enjoy Our Good Nature.”

SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS


GAINESVILE - UF Phillips Center, 3201 Hull

Rd. Shen Yun takes you on an extraordinary

journey to the lost land of the ancient Middle

Kingdom. Discover classical Chinese dance,

one of the most rigorous and athletic, yet

exquisitely beautiful art forms in the world. Feel

the joy as ethnic and folk dances fill the stage

with color and energy. Experience the new

sound of an orchestra that combines East and

West like no other. Tickets range $54-154.

NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION

December 319:00pm - 12:30am

GAINESVILLE - Bo Diddley Community Plaza.

“Downtown Countdown” New Year’s Eve

Celebration. Come ring in the near year

beginning with a free concert at 9:30pm,

hosted by the City of Gainesville Department

of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs.

FIRST DAY HIKE

Wednesday, January 19:00am – 11:30am

FORT WHITE - Ichetucknee Springs State Park,

8294 Elim Church Rd. Ring in the New Year with

a refreshing journey of renewal: an invigorating

winter hike along the Ichetucknee River. Hike

begins at the Ichetucknee Head Spring and

follows its course adjacent the Trestle Point

Trail. This two-mile hike promises a wonderful

variety of wildlife through a cross-section of

the park’s major plant communities. Sturdy

hiking shoes and winter-appropriate clothing

are highly recommended for this moderately

easy hike in a nature trail setting. Pets are

allowed on the trails on six-foot, hand-held

leashes only. This ranger-led hike is open for

all ages. Entrance fee is $6 per vehicle.

GAINESVILLE HARMONY SHOW CHORUS

Thursday, January 17:00pm – 9:30pm

GAINESVILLE - Grace Presbyterian Church,

3146 NW 13th St. Interested in learning and

singing Women’s A Cappella Barbershop

Harmony Music? Gainesville Harmony Show

Chorus, of Sweet Adelines International,

holds rehearsals Thursdays. For more

information, call Beckie: 352-318-1281.

ICHE NIPPY DIP DAY

Saturday, January 39:30am – 11:00am

FORT WHITE - Ichetucknee Springs State Park,

North Entrance, 8294 SW Elim Church Rd.

Become and Iche Nippy Dipper! Start your

New Year with a “dip” in the Head Spring.

Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. with the dip at

10 a.m. Follow an old tradition or start a new

one with special guest Bellamy Beaver. After

dipping, participate in the bathrobe contest then

warm up with coffee, hot chocolate, and light

refreshments. Event is free with regular park

admission ($6 per vehicle). 386-497-4690.

CAMELLIA SHOW

January 3-4Times Vary

GAINESVILLE - Kanapaha Botanical Gardens,

4700 SW 58th Dr. This two-day event features

prize-winning camellias of all sizes, shapes,

and colors. There will be judged exhibits of

japonicas, reticulatas, hybrids and species. In

addition to their outstanding winter beauty,

some of the varieties are fragrant. This show

is geared toward educating the public about

the care, culture and appreciation of camellias,

both in the greenhouse and in the landscape.

Regular admission price for non-members;

members are admitted free of charge.

If you would like us to

publicize an event in

Alachua or Marion counties,

send information by the 13th

day of the month prior.

All submissions will be reviewed and

every effort will be made to run qualified

submissions if page space is available.

352-416-0175 (fax) or email:

[email protected]

Advertise Herefor as little as $479 per month!

www.seniortimesmagazine.com

To request more information and a copy of the rate card, please contact us through our website or call 352-372-5468.

44

December 2014 45

CURTIS M. PHILLIPS CENTER

Dance Alive National Ballet -

The Nutcracker

December 19 - 21

Become entranced by the beauty of the

Sugar Plum Fairy and her dazzling Court,

enchanted by the swirling snowfl akes and

breathtaking snow, and cheer for the tiny

toy soldiers and their leader, the hand-

some Nutcracker Prince. A sparkling pro-

duction with beautiful costumes and sets,

this is truly ‘the all-time family favorite’.

SUGAR PLUM TEA

December 20 - 21

Join the Sugar Plum Fairy and her court

in a very special experience following the

performance of ‘The Nutcracker’. Enjoy

a tea that only a Sugar Plum Fairy could

present! Have your holiday photos taken

by Johnston Photography at a special

“Sugar Plum Tea” rate.

Shen Yun

December 30 at 7:30 pm

Shen Yun takes you on an extraordinary

journey to the lost land of the ancient

Middle Kingdom. Discover classical Chi-

nese dance – one of the most rigorous

and athletic, yet exquisitely beautiful art

forms in the world. Feel the joy as ethnic

and folk dances fi ll the stage with color

and energy. Experience the new sound

of an orchestra that combines East and

West like no other. Stunning animated

backdrops and exquisite costumes trans-

port you to another world.

HIPPODROME STATE THEATRE

Winter Wonderettes

November 28 - December 21

The holidays are meant for music and

singing, and this year the Hipp has

brought back The Marvelous Wonder-

ettes for a toe-tapping, heartwarming

holiday celebration! Featuring beloved

holiday classics including “Santa Claus Is

Comin’ to Town,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Run,

Rudolph, Run,” and “Winter Wonderland,”

this production will be, of course, marvel-

ous! An energetic and glittering holiday

package is guaranteed to delight audi-

ences of all ages.

A Christmas Carol


Enjoy a new adaptation of this holiday

classic! Infused with popular Christmas

carols and a subtle twist of contemporary

humor, the famous Ebenezer Scrooge is

once again alive with holiday spirit.

ACTOR’S WAREHOUSE

Black Nativity

December 11 - 21

This gospel “song play” is a joyful retell-

ing of story of the birth of Christ in dia-

logue, narrative, pantomime, gospel song

and folk spirituals. The fi rst half retells the

Nativity story in the down-home verse

of the black poet Langston Hughes, in

familiar carols like “Joy to the World,” in

beloved black spirituals like “Go Tell It on

the Mountain,” and through interpretive

modern dance.

GAINESVILLE COMMUNITY

PLAYHOUSE

GI Holiday Jukebox

November 28 – December 21

Set during WWII, reminiscent of the

days of the USO show, as an audience

member you will be turned into one of

“the boys at the front.” Let the Hollywood

stars entertain you with a string of 1940s

hits and Christmas music fi lled with great

standards, holiday music, and comedy.

The cast sings some of the best music

of the 20th century, including tributes to

The Andrews Sisters, Bing Crosby, Spike

Jones, and many more. Bring the whole

family to this one, a great way to spend a

night during the Holiday season.

ACROSSTOWN REPERTORY

THEATRE

Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol


Back for its second year! Welcome to the

real story behind Dickens’ A Christmas

Carol — Marley’s heroic behind-the-

scenes eff orts to save old Scrooge’s soul,

while in the process, saving his own. Mar-

ley is not alone, however; he is aided by

the Bogle, an irreverent little sprite with

an agenda all his own. In this fast-paced,

hilarious and deeply moving soon-to-

be Christmas classic, four actors bring

dozens of Dickens’s characters to life and

take you on a fantastic journey certain to

put you in the Christmas spirit.

HIGH SPRINGS PLAYHOUSE

The Best Little Christmas

Pageant Ever

December 5 – 21

In this hilarious Christmas classic, a

couple struggling to put on a church

Christmas pageant is faced with casting

the Herdman kids — probably the most

inventively awful kids in history. You won’t

believe the fun and mayhem when the

Herdmans collide with the Christmas

story head on! This delightful comedy

with Christmas carols has become a holi-

day staple across the U.S.

OCALA CIVIC THEATRE

The Nutcracker

December 12 -14, 18 -21

Marion Ballet Theatre invites you to

celebrate the 34th annual time-honored

Ocala Christmas tradition for the entire

family! This season debuts dazzling new

sets and costumes presenting the most

magical version of “The Nutcracker” yet!

See it again for the fi rst time, as you won’t

believe your eyes.

THEATREAcrosstown Repertory Theatre .....................619 S. Main Street, Gainesville 352-371-1234

Curtis M. Phillips Center ...........................................315 Hull Road, Gainesville 352-392-ARTS

Fine Arts Hall Theatre - SFC ...........................3000 NW 83rd St., Gainesville 352-395-4181

Gainesville Community Playhouse .......4039 N.W. 16th Blvd., Gainesville 352-376-4949

Hippodrome State Theatre .................................25 SE 2nd Place, Gainesville 352-375-4477

UF Constans Theatre .................................................Museum Road, Gainesville 352-273-0526

Nadine McGuire Blackbox Theatre ...................Museum Road, Gainesville 352-392-1653

Actors’ Warehouse .............................................. 608 N. Main Street, Gainesville 352-222-3699

Ocala Civic Theatre ..................................4337 East Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala 352-236-2274

High Springs Community Theater ..........130 NE 1st Avenue, High Springs 386-454-3525

45


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NATIONAL MARKETPLACECOMPILED ADS FROM FLORIDA PRESS SERVICE, CPF, NANI, SAPA, CADNET & AMERICAN CLASSIFIEDS

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December 2014 47

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S M O K I E S A B S O L U T E AUCTION Nov. 22, 2014 10:30AM. 12+ac Commercial Pigeon Forge, TN Motel Leasehold Income McCarter Auction, Inc. 1-877-282-8467 Auction Lic #335 www.mccarterauction.com

SUPPORT our service mem-bers, veterans and their fami-lies in their time of need. For more information visit the Fisher House website at www.fisherhouse.org

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NC Mtns near Asheville. Owner must sell new log cab in on 1 .5ac . Huge porches, vau l ted ce i l -ing, 1200sf ready to finish. $74,900, add’l acreage avail. 828-286-2981

NC Mountains. Custom built cabin on 2+ acres, $79,900. Huge loft, lg deck, views, paved access, needs inside work. 828-286-1666

NC Mtns near Lake Lure. New cabin on 1.5 acres, huge porches, vaulted ceil-ing, 1,200sf, ready to finish. $74,900 Call 828-286-1666

P r e v i o u s B A N K FORECLOSURE, 5 Acres, up to 30 Acres, FROM 14,900 NEW Community, Mountain Views 40,000 Acre Lake Minutes away, Trout Streams, Creeks Adjoins State Lands, Excellent Financing Call 877-520-6719 or Remax 423-756-5700

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READER ADVISORY: National Trade Associations we belong to have purchased the classifieds on these pages. Determining the value

of their service or product is advised. In order to avoid misunderstandings, some advertisers do not offer employment but rather supply

the readers with manuals, directories and other materials designed to help their clients establish mail order selling and other businesses

at home. Under NO circumstance should you send any money in advance or give the anyone your checking, license ID, or credit card

numbers. Also beware of ads that claim to guarantee loans regardless of credit and note that if a credit repair company does business

only over the phone it is illegal to request any money before delivering its service. Toll free numbers may or may not reach Canada.

47


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48

December 2014 49

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49


F or much of your employed life, you dreamed about not having to work.

Retirement would be great. It would stretch out for years, a horizon with no

alarm clock and no deadlines. What will you do with it? Chances are, says author Chris Far-rell, believe it or not, you’ll go to work. And in his new book “Unretirement,” he says you’ll do it because you want to, not because you have to. It’s a statistic that has some politicians very worried: within the next 15 years, say demographers, the 65-plus population of America will be nearly equivalent to the current population of New York, Califor-nia, and Texas combined. That’s a lot of retirees, and a fortune paid out in benefi ts. For quite some time, though, econo-mists and pessimists have expressed doubts that Social Security will even be around then. Others bemoan the amount of retirement savings that many Baby Boomers (the age group retired or soon retiring) don’t have. According to Far-rell, however, these fears ignore the fact that most Boomers are re-thinking the way retirement will work for them. He says that Boomers’ “last third of life is being reimagined and reinvented into ‘unretirement.’” They are, for instance, looking at Social Security as a supplement, rather than a sole income — and even then, they’re putting off collecting it. That’s the way it should be, says Farrell: Social Security is sound — it only needs “some tweaks to shore up its fi nances for the long haul” — but because

of longer lifespans and better health, re-tirees should be encouraged to fi le later, unless they absolutely can’t wait. And those late fi lers? They’re seeing work in a whole different way: the rate of senior entrepreneurship is up, and so is gradual retirement. They’re staying on the job longer, are fi nding second (or even third) careers, or are volunteering. And despite that age discrimination can be a real issue, many workplaces have fi nally recognized the experience and reliability of older workers who are, in many cases, perfectly happy with part-time jobs. In short, Boomers have been “behind many changes in the workplace over the past four decades,” and they’re defi nitely not done. Your IRA is fat and you like it that way. But how, when the time comes, will you use it? Read “Unretirement,” and you might have a different answer to that question. With intriguing statistics and a thoughtful tone, author Chris Farrell pooh-poohs pundits who decry the viabil-ity of Social Security and avow the belief that retirement-resistant Seniors take jobs from younger workers by showing that doom-and-gloom prophesies and myths aren’t warranted or true. Along the way, he examines healthcare and the ACA, aging, home ownership, mentorship with (and from) younger workers, the history of retirement itself, and how other coun-tries perceive their “gray revolution.” While I’d say that this book is abso-lutely for Boomers, it’s also, surprisingly, something that Gen X’ers should check out, too. If you’ve already retired, are about to, or have worked all your life so you don’t have to work someday, “Unre-tirement” is unmissable. s

BOOK REVIEW BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

Unretirement: How Baby Boomers Are Changing the Way We Think about Work, Comminity, and the Good Life

BY CHRIS FARRELL

c.2014, Bloomsbury

$26.00 / $30.00 Canada; 256 pages

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Uh, Oh.

Sometimes, even the Gingerbread Man gets caught by holiday emergencies. We hope your holidays are filled with family, friends, great food and fun.

But if a health emergency happens to you or your loved ones this season, our ER staff are ready 24/7. As always, we are committed to quality care and getting you

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From all of us at North Florida Regional Healthcare, enjoy this holiday season.

www.NFRMC.com/ER

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December 2014

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