by Nikki-Lyn Holm

  ​So I married a widower. Oh, and I knew his first wife.  As scandalous as that sounds, he and I hadn't met until 9 months after she passed.
    You see, Mary Holm was my Jewelry Lady. She was an energetic mother of 3 little ones, who had decided to trade in her engineering hat for a license to sell sparkles and bling with Premier Designs. Honestly, I always thought Mary was such a beautiful and radiant soul. Although we lived very different lives, since I was a single working mom,     I truly admired her, and so we stayed connected via Facebook.
    It was March of 2013, when she told me, in a very calm and peaceful manner during our  phone conversation, that her cancer was back, and she was done fighting it. My heart physically ached as I thought about her young life, and her precious family. I hung up the phone and just wept.
Fast forward 9 months later, as fate would have it,  I met my husband, Mike,  because I "liked" a photo of hers. He shared a sweet and funny message on her Facebook wall. It was super cute, especially since their youngest (Aka: Baby) was crying hysterically on Santa's lap.
    'Tis the season of miracles, because two weeks after we connected via Facebook, we met face-to-face. Which actually took place two days before Christmas. After our funny first date...we both knew. Just thirteen days of dating later, and we signed a contract to build a new home. He proposed and we created our "story book" themed, fairy-tale wedding - In just 4 months. It's a good thing I was a wedding planner in a previous life!
    It really is a small world after all, isn't it?
    As the "earthly" mom of 3 younger children, plus my own miracle daughter, my hands and heart are very full. Along with managing the most important role of Mom first, I also sell real estate, blog, and earlier this year, I felt a calling to sell Premier Designs too. Initially, I thought I could never do Premier Designs because Mary sold jewelry. Now, however, I can't think of a better reason than to keep her legacy alive in our family, by sharing the product that initially connected us - in more ways than one. While we are two different people, we have much commonality. The same husband. The same 3 younger children. And a desire to help people...All derived from Love.
    Before I said yes to sharing Premier, it had been on my heart to bring Mary's foundation desires to fruition. Mary Holm's younger sister Debbie Williams, had died of the same BRAC-1 gene two years before she did. I hope to never be in a situation like this with our younger children, because this type of  cancer is hereditary.
   As many of us know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. With the help of close friends, we have revitalized her foundation vision, which honors both Mary Holm and Debbie Williams. We have named this foundation, "Sisterhood: A Legacy of Love."  Our mission is to help cancer patients feel beautiful through hope, faith, strength, and prayers. We aspire to shower women who are undergoing chemotherapy with encouraging pieces of sparkle and bling. We also plan to help families in need financially, as our foundation grows.
    Our first fundraiser is scheduled on October 18th, 2016 at "Painting With a Twist." The event begins at 6:30pm. Light snacks and beverages will be included. Thank you for your support.
For information about the event...  Nikki.Holm@RoundTableRealty.com

For more inspiration from Nikki-Lyn Holm visit... http://www.happilyeverreality.com/

by Jennifer Yarbrough

​Hidden at a slight bend in the road just passed Roberts Road on SR 13 in Fruit Cove is Lake Beluthahatchee.  A small, wooden sign marks the entrance to a pine and oak lined path that leads to the lake and two homes now owned and managed by the St. Johns County Recreation and Parks Department.  At the park, one can enjoy folk music in an intimate setting on “Second Sundays,” and can look out at the lake and enjoy the serenity of the natural setting, the cypress knees rising up from the water, the moss blowing in the breeze.  The setting is ideal and picturesque, inspirational and relaxing.  This place is “Beluthahatchee,” which, according to the well-known and celebrated author, Zora Neale Hurston, means “a Florida Shangri-La, where all unpleasantness is forgiven and forgotten.”  This “Florida Shangri-La” was home to Stetson Kennedy, a human rights activist, author, and folklorist who spent his life fighting for people and nature.  This place, no doubt, provided respite and inspiration for his writing and his cause. October 5th would be his 100th Birthday, so to honor this event, the Stetson Kennedy Foundation and other groups, are marking the occasion with various events at Beluthatchee and other venues.  This is a great time to come out to this beautiful park and to learn about a resident that preserved the stories of the Civil War Era as a worker for the WPA, was friends and colleagues with the likes of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Zora Neale Hurston, and Woody Guthrie, infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan, and much more!  The following events have been planned to celebrate the Stetson Kennedy Centennial.  Make it a point to come out, wander the property, listen to the birds, feel the breeze and learn more Kennedy, the history of our area and the history of our country, maybe you will be inspired to act, too!

Every Sunday in October
Beluthahatchee Park will be open to the public from 1pm-4pm.  Come view Stetson’s home, as well as another home on the property with educational materials about his life and work.  Beluthatchee is located at 1523 SR 13, Fruit Cove, 32259

October 5th
Stetson’s Centennial Birthday Bash at FSCJ Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts.  This event will include a Reader’s Theatre of, “Stetson Kennedy-Man in the Mirror.” Moonshine Punch and heavy hor d’oeuvres will be served and a Silent Auction will be held.  Tickets are available at www.stetsonkennedy.com

October 14th
An Intimate Evening with Billy Bragg and Sarah Guthrie presented by the Stetson Kennedy Foundation at Beluthahatchee.  Celebrate Stetson Kennedy and Woody Guthrie where they spent time together with Guthrie’s granddaughter, Sarah Guthrie and singer/songwriter, Billy Bragg performing.  Dinner will be prepared by D’Vine Cuisine.  For more information on this special event, please visit the Stetson Kennedy Foundation Facebook page, or purchase tickets through EventBrite. 100% of the proceeds benefit the foundation and the continuation of Kennedy’s work for human and environmental rights.

October 15th
The 20th Annual MagnoliaFest at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre will celebrate Stetson Kennedy’s Centennial.  This Americana and Folk music festival will include such acts as JJ Grey & Mofro, The Infamous Stringdusters, Zach Deputy, Billy Bragg, Sarah Lee Guthrie and This Frontier Needs Heroes.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Stetson Kennedy Foundation.  For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.staugustineamphitheatre.com
 
October 23rd
 The monthly “Second Sundays,” concert at Beluthahatchee presented by the North Florida Folk Network, will take place on October 23rd, due to the Stetson Kennedy Centennial celebrations earlier in the month.  (It will return to the Second Sunday of each month in Novmeber) Come out to this intimate concert and then tour Kennedy’s property and home on Lake Beluthahatchee. A reservation is required, call (904) 206-8304 and leave a voicemail to reserve your spot.  A $10 donation is also required.   Beluthatchee is located at 1523 SR 13, Fruit Cove, 32259
For more information visit: 
http://bartramscenichighway.com/experiences/recreational/parks/beluthahatchee-park/