by Debbie Gaylord A few years ago two of the top St. Johns Real Estate Agents, George L. Ballou II and Lisa Menton had an idea that would change the trajectory of their careers forever. Each of them were leading agents at Watson Realty in St. Johns and their plan centered on joining forces, leveraging their combined forty plus years of experience and individual success to create a full-service real estate team. Together they would harness the area’s growth and mentor other realtors on a level they never imaged. Their ultimate goal was to provide clients with unprecedented market exposure, and access to the problem-solving skills of the best in the business. George and Lisa began by developing a team of independent, strong agents and dedicated themselves to nurturing their success. They said that one important aspect as they grew was to find Realtors who did not specialize as buyer’s or seller’s agents but were able to work with both. When a team-member is faced with a challenge, the team is there to assist. Therefore when you hire the Menton Ballou Group you are getting a full service real estate experience. They also have a people who work behind the scenes on administrative tasks to help keep things organized and allow the agents to focus on building relationships and serving clients directly, without distraction. The success of the Menton Ballou Group is their ability to give listed customers unprecedented exposure through marketing combined with access to the entire team when it comes to problem-solving.They have had remarkable success with this formula and continue to be the top producing team at Watson with nearly $40 million in sales this year alone and this is projected to continue to increase in the future. Lisa MentonLisa Menton is a resident of St. Johns Golf and Country Club where she lives with her husband and daughter. She became a Real Estate Agent not long after moving to St. Johns over a decade ago. In the early years, she specialized in helping people relocate to the area. “I built upon that success with my personal experience of relocating to North East Florida. I know the challenges and stress that comes with moving your family. Real Estate allows me to help others with this transition to find not a new house, but a new home. I can't imagine doing anything else.” Her success in real estate is the direct result of the knowledge she gained in the business world. Prior to becoming a Realtor ten years ago, she spent 17 years with Merrill Lynch and financial brokerage firms in Canada. This was crucial during the recession. “I understand the corporate world, I understand systems and their importance in streamlining business. That is the approach I take to my real estate transactions. That leaves time for what is truly important, getting people/families settled in their new communities, and putting down roots.” Lisa is an expert at studying the market and navigating it for her clients. “The ever evolving real estate market is a challenge for people in the best of times.” George L. Ballou II Real estate has always figured heavily in George's life. He was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio where he attended Cincinnati Country Day School and the University of Cincinnati while majoring in accounting. He later raised his family on a farm near Batesville, Indiana for over ten years along with our horses, goats and Mastiff dogs. He says it was a great life but when he transitioned from the world of banking to Real estate a series of opportunities lead him from Ohio to Vermont and Maine before relocating with his wife to the St. Augustine/Ponte Vedra area. He currently is a resident of Nocatee in Del Webb Ponte Vedra, a community he loves. George attributes his success to his understanding of the market and the relationships he builds with clients. “My skills start with being a good listener and finish with being a tireless advocate of my customer’s and client’s desired real estate goals through the closing and beyond.” He says his key inspirations are his granddaughters, the little girls in his life who call him GaGa! It also helps that his wife Jamie Ballou is a team member. His "twenty-four/seven" work schedule reflects the fact that he loves what he does. The Menton Ballou team consists of Alexis McDaniel, Jamie Ballou, Lisa Menton, George L Ballou, II, Jody Steele, Stella Alexander, John McClure, Dave Kenyon, Melissa Naldzin, David Carter. For information about the team or to work with them visit www.mentonandballougroup.com
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by Debbie Gaylord This Spring a community favorite, Yofrodipity Café on CR 210 is celebrating four years in business! In looking toward the future, owner Lynn Hutzel has decided to reinvent her concept from self-serve yogurt establishment into Yofrodipity Café, offering much more than just frozen yogurt. Grilled cheese sandwiches, espresso drinks, crepes and other desserts will expand the menu while a new décor with nautical blues, anchors and nets conjures up Long Island.
You will often see Lynn working behind the counter at Yofrodipity Café. She is the one with a friendly smile and strong Long Island accent who takes your order and wishes you a good day. As the owner, she understands customer service that goes beyond average. Lynn and her husband Edward moved to St. Johns from Huntington, New York on Long Island twelve years ago. It was where they grew up, spending summers going to the beach, clamming and enjoying life. Over time Long Island became crowded and expensive and after hearing about St. Johns from a friend who had moved, the couple decided to sell their home and move to Florida. It was a big change but they have loved living here and bringing up their children, who at the time were only 13 and 9. In 2013 Lynn came up with the idea of Yofrodipity, a place where families could come to make their own yogurt sundaes. The name Yofrodipity was inspired by Lynn’s favorite film, Serendipity with Kate Beckensale and John Cusak. It’s a love story about two people whose paths cross at a chance encounter and then years later reunite in a serendipitous moment. In a kind of serendipity, it felt like owning her own restaurant was the perfect next step for Lynn who worked as the Food Service Manager at both Bartram Trail High and Cunningham Creek Elementary over the years (she is still at Cunningham today). She always dreamed of opening her own place in the community and now that her kids were older she had the time to focus on it. For the past four years Yofrodipity has happily been serving frozen yogurt but more recently Lynn began to expand the menu, introducing crepes and coffee. Now another big change is in the works. While they will still serve frozen yogurt, they will add a variety of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, similar to paninis with fun names based on nostalgic places from Long Island. Why Long Island? After hearing their thick Long Island accent, people are always asking her and Edward, “Where are you from?” So, Lynn decided to bring something of her roots into play in their new menu and the nautical décor and color scheme is also part of this shift. by Debbie Gaylord Photo by Mindy Kerry of Nature's Child Photography It must be nice to be able to bring your pets to work. That is a luxury enjoyed by Dr. Kathleen Deckard at Pet’s R Family. In between seeing patients for exams or conducting surgeries the Doctor is greeted by her sweet menagerie of pets, including her own Shih tzus Fitzie (Fitzgerald) and Izzy (isabelle) who come to the office most days to hang out. Pet’s R Family on CR 210 is a Veterinary hospital and pet day care center that is quickly becoming one of the most popular in town. Veterinarian and Owner, Dr. Kathleen Deckard has a warm personality and her genuine love and caring of her animal patients and their owners shines through. She greets patients with a kiss and their owners with a hug reflecting her motto to treat each animal as if it were her own and each person as if they were family. She says that her love of animals was always part of her life and began with her Grandmother. “My real love was passed down from my grandmother who lived in the Pocono mountains in PA. She fed all of the creatures in the woods including bears, deer, & squirrels in addition to her menagerie of dogs and cats. It was an early dream of mine to make the care of people and their pets my lifelong career and ambition”. After receiving a degree in Veterinary Medicine at UF and working as a Vet at a local animal hospital for sixteen years while her children were younger, she decided to fulfill a lifelong dream of opening her own animal hospital. Her dream became reality in June 2015 after she and her husband Brad Deckard (Her greatest cheerleader) transformed the office suites behind Hurricanes off CR 210. The couple designed the office with patient’s needs in mind. Care was taken in the finest details, with spotless examining and surgical rooms, an orderly outdoor running area, large sunny windows with views, a private cat condo, and even a beautiful and comfortable room for saying goodbye to pets.
by Jennifer Yarbrough Tis’ the Seaon for parties galore! There are cocktail parties and sit-down dinners, potlucks and breakroom treats, but my favorite is the Cookie Swap! The Cookie Swap has become a highly anticipated event among my friends and family, every year a week or so before Christmas we gather to enjoy each others’ homemade creations and to swap cookies! Everyone goes home with a variety of goodies to share at their Holiday parties and dinner.
What is a Cookie Swap and how does it work? A cookie swap is a party where guests bring a specified amount of one type of cookie that they bake themselves. The amount depends on how many you want your guests to take home. Some Cookie Swaps send each guest home with a dozen of each cookies and suggest you invite ten guests, so your guests would need to bring 11 dozen cookies, one dozen for each guest and one for tasting and sharing at the party. I don’t require my guests to bring that many cookies, usually only 3-4 dozen. One dozen for sharing at the party (I limit my party to 12 guests or less), and the rest for taking home. Who do you invite? I invite friends and family that love to bake. Since this party requires bringing homemade goodies, I don’t want to put pressure on anyone who might not enjoy baking. What do eat and drink at the party? Just cookies? To balance all of the sugar at the party, I serve a meat and cheese tray and veggie platter. Any nibbly, appetizers are good, too! For drinks, I set out a Coffee and Hot Chocolate station with a few flavored coffee creamers, marshmallows and candy canes for stirring. How do you box up the Cookies that your guests will take home? Some hosts box up the treats themselves while guests are mingling, but I take a relaxed approach. I set out Christmas-themed Shirt boxes pre-lined with tissue paper that guests grab and fill up with treats before they go. What kinds of cookies should guests bring? Any kinds you want! I let guests choose what they will bake and bring, but you can pick a theme if you like. Don’t limit yourself or your guests to cookies, though! Bourbon and Rum balls are delicious, so are Blondies and other Cookie “Bars!” 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/ La Esencia de la Flor 2 YEAR: 2016 DIMENSIONS: 40 x 30 MATERIAL: Oil on Linen It has been an exciting year already for Stacie Hernandez, local artist and business owner of Palencia Fine Arts Academy, located in Palencia's Village Square. Stacie participated in a group show this past January in New York City and will be showing her new works Unbound Perspectives at Agora Gallery located in New York’s Chelsea art district from August 26 – September 15. An artist’s reception will be held September 1.
Unbound Perspectives is a series of luminous and highly expressionistic oil paintings that are as rich in color as they are dynamic in movement and energy. Heavily influenced by the Modern Arts movement, Abstract Expressionism, Stacie continues to experiment with new ways of processing ideas and concepts, using innovative approaches to technique and the rendering of materials. Stacie received her Master of Fine Art degree from Pratt Art Institute in Brooklyn and met her husband Ron while living in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill neighborhood. After graduating, Stacie worked as co- director for the premier fine art preservation and restoration firm Lowy Restoration and Conservation in the upper East Side of Manhattan. Stacie and Ron moved with their two daughters Christiana and Alicia to Bergen County New Jersey where Stacie opened The School for the Visual Arts, providing art instruction classes, private lessons, and presenting exhibitions of student works. In 1996, Stacie and family relocated to Jacksonville and in 2006 they moved to St. Augustine where she continues in her pursuit to educate, exhibit and promote fine arts. As resident artist and instructor at Palencia Fine Arts Academy, Stacie is proud of the extraordinary development of many aspiring artists including those that have gone on to further pursue their art education and talent. The Academy provides quality art instruction for committed students of varied ages while also being an active studio space and gallery. Stacie uses her professional knowledge and experience to push her students to explore all mediums, techniques and ideas in group, semi -private and private class projects. Each year culminates with an impressive exhibition of students’ best works. PFAA is already looking to start the Fall session and its 5th year of promoting fine art in St. John’s county and beyond. Stacie can be reached at 904.819.1584 or shernandez@palenciafineartsacademy.com or info@staciehernandez.com. You can also visit the home page at www.palenciafineartsacademy.com or www.staciehernandez.com . Who are you and what do you do? I am the owner of Nature’s Child Photography, and I “catch” all those special moments you just don’t want to lose with the passing of time. Why do you do what you do? I’m a firm believer in memories. But, we’re human. Our minds play with us. We forget, until there’s a trigger that’s pulled. A smell, a taste, a simple photograph found in an old attic box, or hopefully, an album. Sitting on the couch with your kids, your parents, your loved ones, pouring over the images, telling stories of way back when…THAT’S why. Family connections rule. How do you work? I’m pretty goofy, and I know it. I can be serious when the moment has to happen, and I’m always professional when it boils down, but the best smiles come from real laughter…and if I have to stand on my head to get that, I will! What’s your background? I come from a pretty artsy family. Mom and dad were hands on artists with wood, glass, fabrics, you name it, they created it. It seems like I’ve always had a camera in my hands from the day I could afford one. I took a few classes back in college (film days, so I’m totally dating myself!), and have just been on a “roll” ever since…lol, pun intended. You’re welcome. (oh, photographer humor). What has been a seminal experience? I decided to make this a business after my mom passed. I suppose the “wake up” moment (where I made a push to have others in front of the camera, AND myself) was going through my mom’s picture box…and there were barely any of her. She never let herself be on camera. You know the drill...”when I’m less heavy”, “when I’m wearing something nice”, “when my hair is done”. Here’s a secret from someone who’s lost someone…those left behind don’t care if you’re having a “fat” day, or if there’s a hair out of place. Take that photograph and embrace it for who you are. You’re you, and you’re beautiful. Explain what you do in 100 words: I guess, in essence, I TRY to (and hopefully succeed) capture who you are, what you’re about, and the memory behind the image taken to the best of my ability. I want you to be on that couch, 40 years from now, laughing about the time Uncle Jimmy passed gas during the wedding party photo, or even tearing up about the last birthday party had for Aunt Marge. Memories matter, and I want to capture them for you. How has your practice changed over time: Photography is an evolution as all art is. I started with shooting EVERYTHING, and well…I still shoot everything, don’t I? But I’m better than when I started. :D What work do you most enjoying doing? I LOVE birth photography. LOVE IT. To see the emotions flying during the eons of waiting in the hospital room from mom, dad, nurses, doctors…and then the moment of birth. BEAUTIFUL, and to be there DURING a new life entering the world? Chokes me up every time. When mom gets to hold that baby the first time? When dad cuts the cord? THOSE are priceless times you NEVER want to forget. What’s your strongest memory of your childhood? I grew up on a farm with 5 brothers and sisters, so SO MANY MEMORIES! My mom having bread rise on the wood stove, helping daddy by taking off those durn potato bugs in the garden, swimming in the creek, summers at my grandma’s farm…good stuff. What’s your scariest experience? I would say it was while I was shooting at a beautiful swampy pond. I heard an alligator hiss, so I stepped back…right onto a limb going across the path. I rolled my ankle and CRACKED MY CAMERA LENS (yes, that was worse than the ankle roll). What jobs have you done other than being an artist? I taught preschool for umpteen years, directed and managed a preschool summer camp for same amount of years, and was in the Air Force as well. What memorable responses have you had to your work? I watched a photo video I had made of a birth story with the parents. We all held hands, cried, and hugged it out. It was a beautiful, wonderful, real moment that I will hold FOREVER. What food/song/drink inspire you? COFFEE. ALL OF THE COFFEE. What do you like about your work? Pretty much EVERYTHING. I love meeting new people, making the new friends that actually winds up happening, the locations I get to go, the events and celebrations taking place, the memories you see happening right in front of you, and knowing you get to be the one helping them remember it for the rest of their lives. Yup, I kind of have the perfect job. www.natureschildphotography.com/ Love of nature is evident in Robert Stebleton’s artwork. His paintings have been described as using the brilliance of acrylics with the eloquence of watercolors to achieve a unique view of the artist’s world.
Born in Michigan, Stebleton’s early work reflected his Midwestern roots. In 1982, following a workshop on Monhegan Island, Robert moved to Maine. He was hired by the Maine Maritime Museum as Artist-In-Residence and for the next 19 years he studied and painted the coastline and its inhabitants. These paintings captured a rapidly disappearing world of wooden boats and the lifestyle of generations of families that had a connection to the sea. Since moving to Florida, Robert Stebleton’s palate has changed from subtle earth tones to nature’s vast array of color in a visceral sense of beauty and wonder. Whether it’s a lively montage of seashells, alligators sunning themselves on a cool Florida winter day, or an enchanting seascape that captures reflected light on water, his work presents sensitive scenes of Florida’s tropical splendor. Dividing his time between Florida and New England, Robert Stebleton’s appreciation for depicting natural and marine environments remains. In Northeast Florida, he is represented by Sea Spirits Gallery and Lost Art Gallery at 210 St. George Street, in historic downtown Saint Augustine. Rebecca Trimble is an accomplished fine artist, furniture artist and internationally recognized art teacher who has recently opened Urban Designs, a shop in Julington Creek. The shop is a wonderland for those looking for beautiful and interesting pieces as well as unique paintings, and other wall art for their homes. Rebecca along with other vendors whose work is available in the store use various painting techniques to re-imagine wood furniture, taking that boring old oak table and transforming it into a stylish art piece with gray legs and a refinished wooden top. There are many pieces already in the shop but Urban Designs will custom-make farm tables or reinvent pieces you have in your home. Rebecca is also the mother of four children and the wife of a Navy Officer. “We have recently moved here from the Pacific Northwest and I have to say I am in love with Florida, but especially this area of St. John’s. I am a huge fan of the weather (yes even in August!) and the people in this area are simply lovely." After their move, Rebecca, who has years of experience in all areas of painting and is the author of a series of art technique books and DVDs called Rebecca's Collections, continued painting furniture and murals, later deciding to open a store front to offer local customers a full spectrum of services. “We also paint kitchen and bathroom cabinets and, as a certified home stager, we offer home staging and design help”. Rebecca uses the artist’s eye when it comes to painting furniture and says her process involves viewing a piece and then imagining how she wants to recreate it with paint. As a well-known landscape artist who teaches painting classes across the US and Canada, Rebecca says she has always been an artist, never without a paint brush in her hand. Her recent passion is for Tuscan inspired landscapes with their vivid colors and beauty. She also enjoys Impressionism art for its color and movement. Her favorite piece is Edvard Munch, The Scream. Rebecca offers painting classes at Urban Design for the experienced and novice alike. For more information about Urban Designs and the art of Rebecca Trimble please visit the store in Julington Creek or find it on facebook. Up-cycled & Re-imagined furnitureby Lexi Rosenbaum Have you ever heard of Winter Guard? To me Winter Guard is both a sport and also an art. It combines different types of dance, flag spinning, rifle tossing, and sabre throwing. It is similar to color guard but instead of performing with a school band at a football game, Winter Guard teams compete interscholastically in the Spring.
I joined the Swiss Point Winter Guard team in 6th grade after my mother enrolled me in a camp at our school to try it out and see if I liked it. I am now going into 8th grade and it will be my 3rd year of Winter Guard – so I guess it is safe to say I loved it. What equipment is used? The equipment that the Winter Guard teams use show off the artistic effects and also the ability of the team. The flag is the most fundamental piece of equipment because it can show grace and elegance, but also can show strength and confidence. The rifle is my favorite because it is flowy, fun, energetic, and hardcore. Now the sabre, the sabre is the hardest in my opinion. You have to throw it high above your head and this requires a lot of patience and hard work, but it is really fun. What is it like to be on the team? So some qualities that you will need for Winter Guard are patience, hard work, positivity, a fun attitude, and to be yourself. To be on the Swiss Point Guard is awesome because our coaches always push us to be the best we can be. Also being on the team is like having a second best family to look forward to seeing. On the Swiss Point Winter Guard team we have great coaches, including Evan, Michael, Katie, Charis, as well as girls from the Bartram High team who sometimes help. The main coach is Coach Evan Black, he is a hardworking and intelligent coach who spends time preparing his teams for championships and other competitions. Also he is very fun to work with. We practice every week on Wednesday and Thursday from August through April 1st ,when we attend the final competition at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach. In 2015-16 our team, Swiss Point Middle School Winter Guard, won 2nd place at this regional championship and our score placed us 3rd overall in the state of Florida. I have learned a lot while being a member of the Swiss Point Winter Guard team. How to work hard to accomplish my goals, the value of supporting my teammates and having them support me, and that the worst thing you can do during a guard competition is to drop your smile. by Debbie Gaylord Here in Florida, our sunny days and mild winters allow us to enjoy twelve beautiful months of outdoor living. Finding the perfect furniture for your space that reflects your style is key to making the most of Florida’s outdoor life. That is where Coastal Casual comes into play. The spacious showroom, located in St. Augustine, offers high quality patio furniture, casual indoor furniture and accessories, as well as repair.
As any small business owner will tell you, five years in business is a big deal. When Danielle and Keith Shank opened their large patio furniture store five years ago, they began a journey that would change their lives. It was the perfect choice for the couple who had been in the industry for over twenty years and wanted to do it their own way. This meant creating a beautiful showroom where they could offer the best brands combined with the repair shop where people bring their furniture to extend the life of patio items and get more from their investment. Danielle and Keith work side by side running the family business on a daily basis. Danielle runs the marketing and both of them work with vendors. Keith also does repairs in his shop attached to the showroom. They are also parents of two sons. Danielle says that there are challenges and sometimes the business is like having another child and it can be very demanding. “It's not always easy juggling between the business and having young children,” she says. But owning their own business gives them a great sense of satisfaction. They work hard and put in a lot of hours but it feels good. Danielle has been able to enjoy the flexibility to volunteer many hours while the boys were in elementary school and she says she doesn’t think she missed a single field trip. “Sometimes we have our moments but for the most part it's great, we have a lot of fun. Our oldest son Dalton started working with us this summer too. We do our best to put our children first and keep things in perspective”. “Live Life Outdoors,” is their motto at Coastal Casual and the Shanks truly believe in this concept, as spending time together outside work on the water and outdoors is important to them. According to Danielle, “Keith and Dalton would be out fishing everyday if they could and Dylan is an explorer”. When they are not working or enjoying St. Augustine, the Shank family does a lot of traveling in their RV. They have visited all over Florida both camping and at different resorts. One of the most memorable experiences they had while traveling was in Key West. “We took our boat out and were snorkeling when a shark came into view. My niece was almost walking on water to get back to the boat yelling shark. We were all climbing in anywhere we could and the shark just calmly swam right under Keith since he was farthest from the boat. It was a nurse shark and she continued to just swim around the boat but we were done snorkeling for the day.” Perhaps after all, living life outdoors in Florida can have its downside. In August, Danielle and Keith will celebrate five years serving the First Coast with month-long sales and events. It’s their way to say thank you for your support to customers who over the years have become dear friends. Coastal Casual is located at 2630 US 1 South St. Augustine, FL 32086. For more information, visit http://www.coastalcasual.net/ For residents in St. Johns County, traffic congestion is a major concern as areas like Nocatee, Ponte Vedra, Julington Creek and Bartram Park grow above the national norm. With road construction, or even a fender bender during peak morning time, your 20 minute drive to work or school can quickly turn into a 40 minute traffic headache.
To help address this concern, CBS47 and FOX30 have launched the areas only news chopper, SKY Action News Jax. Every morning, starting at 6:30, SKY Action News Jax takes off, hitting the skies to best inform you of where the traffic problems are. “The Jacksonville area is very spread out,” says Bob Longo, News Director for CBS47 and FOX30 Action News Jax. “Having the areas only news chopper allows us to be everywhere in a matter of minutes, and in turn, inform our TV viewers of where the traffic problems are before they head out the door.” Action News Jax launched their new chopper in May. “It wasn’t a coincidence that we began flying at the beginning of summer,” says Craig Davenport, CBS47 andFOX30 Creative Services Director. “We wanted time to paint the chopper and get some valuable flying time in before the start of school season, so we’d be ready to go when traffic really starts to pick up.” In addition to their chopper, Action News Jax This Morning also has the areas only Florida Department of Transportation trained traffic reporter, Derrick Odom. If there’s a way to get you around a traffic mess, he’s your guy. “I think Derrick knows every single back road or shortcut there is to know,” adds Action News Jax This Morning co-anchor Phil Amato. So, as you drive into work or drop off the kids at school, if you hear a chopper flying above you, chances are it’s SKY Action News Jax, keeping an eye on the roadways to give you the latest traffic updates throughout St. Johns County. Link The phrase, “Let me continue to serve you…” is written on the back of Bernard Anthony Diggs business card and it sums up his philosophy toward both life and business perfectly. Bernard is a Realtor leading the New Diggs Team with Florida Homes Realty & Mortgage. But what sets him apart is the fact that he is also a Soldier, having served in the United States Navy Active Duty from 2001-2006, and as an Active Reservist from 2007 through the present. “I joined the U.S. NAVY to make a difference for my country and to serve. I am proud of the people who served before me, those that have served alongside, and all who will serve after me.” Working as an Aircrew member flying P-3 airplanes Bernard traveled the world through deployments. It is a valuable asset to military personnel seeking to buy or sell their home to have someone who understands the unique situations they face. Having lived the life of a soldier he understands how challenging it is to move frequently. He understands what military families are going through and how hard they work for our country. Like Fathers & Mothers who sacrifice time with their families and parents who stay home alone with the children while one spouse is deployed. Bernard himself was not there when his own daughter was born because he was serving our country. As a Realtor, he has made it his mission to help families relocate seamlessly. He has a passion for helping families find new homes or sell existing homes in St. Johns & Jacksonville. Bernard has assisted countless military men and women in finding new homes. Sometimes this means working with military clients who are not even in the country and have only their spouses to rely It requires him to look out for them in ways that go beyond the typical real estate service. He often works directly with local builders to ensure a smooth transition for soldiers and their families moving into the community, often going the extra mile.
When asked about a story that really moved him he tells about a recent couple he worked with to find their dream home. After a ten-month long search, they finally found the perfect home and a surprise marriage proposal was planned on the final walk through. Of course, Bernard was thrilled for the couple and was there to help make it happen, and even video the moment for them. Another couple purchased a new construction home but the home had some major last minute issues that needed to be addressed prior to closing. Bernard arranged for the builder to cover the unexpected costs of a temporary place to live while the home was completed. Needless to say, the family was grateful. He also gives back to his fellow brothers and sisters in the military by providing educational workshops at both NAS Jax and Mayport basses where he provides valuable information about the home buying process. He is actively involved in the non-profit organization Hope for The Warrior, an organization that provides comprehensive support programs for service members, veterans, and military families that are focused on transition, health and wellness, peer engagement, and connections to community resources. Bernard’s Broker James Angelo of Florida Homes Realty and Mortgage is his mentor, providing invaluable life and business lessons. James has taught Bernard how to use past success and failures to shape him in the future. James has guided Bernard’s thinking to push beyond what is in front of him, and reach for limitless success. James has been a tremendous mentor, friend, and counselor aiding Bernard’s rapid accomplishments in real estate. Through his direction Bernard has become one of the top selling real estate agents at FHRM, which consists of over 500 realtors. Traveling around the world through deployments has allowed Bernard to build an understanding and respect for diverse populations and cultures which has proven beneficial to his real estate business. He is happily married to his wife Niegen who he says is his hero. “Watching her as a mother is a true inspiration of power, strength, and sacrifice that continues to encourage me”. Bernard enjoys his time off playing basketball at his community court, reading business and real estate best sellers, listening to Ted Talks, but mostly supporting the Jacksonville Jaguars by attending all season games! Although his house is located in St. Johns and his clientele consists of families from all surrounding communities, a piece of his heart and business drive remains for our service men and women who pay the ultimate sacrifice in serving our country. by Lori King-Kocsis The day begins for Marie Lund with her morning walk, a mile each day. She walks slowly around the block with friendly neighbors keeping an eye on her. Ever since her eyesight began to wane her walks have become shorter but walk she must, she’s been walking daily since she could stand. Starting somewhere around 99 years ago.
Born on March 27, 1916 as Marie Zalinsky, she was raised on a farm in Sagamore, PA, a small coal mining town. Unbeknownst to Marie at the time, she would live to see sixteen presidents sworn in, the Great Depression, WWI and WWII, airplanes advanced into commercial flights and the seemingly impossible became possible when man landed on the moon. Marie was a good student, practical and adept at math, she was advanced from 6th to 8th grade. Her Eastern European heritage (Poland) had a strong influence throughout her years. When she was 14 years old, just out of 8th grade Marie went to work in Philadelphia at the DuPont Mansion as a live-in maid. A self-taught seamstress, Marie became sought after for her work and sewed outfits for the clergy. After awhile, she tried to keep her seamstress abilities a secret so “people wouldn’t keep asking me to make things!” Her time at the DuPont’s ended after she married Charles Lund. She introduced Charles to the DuPonts’, he became their butler and they began a family. Her seamstress and cooking skills came in handy while she raised 7 children. Walking everywhere, she never had a license, never owned a car; there were days when Marie would walk for hours. “Home Smelled like a Bakery” Coming home from school the Lund children were greeted with the smell of fresh baked goods. Marie’s seven children each had their personal favorites. From chocolate chip cookies to orange chiffon cake, the list of goodies that she made throughout the years was long. When asked if there is a type of food Marie enjoys the most, a simple, “Food is food” was her answer with the added comment “some things are better than others.” Unsure what to expect on this year’s birthday celebration, it’s doubtful that 100 candles will be put on the cake. On her 95th birthday Marie wanted to see what 95 candles looked like on a cake, apparently it was impressive enough to set off the smoke detectors. Tai Chi for Marie Marie began taking Tai Chi a few years ago at The Players Senior Center in Ponte Verde. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese tradition that is practiced as a graceful form of exercise. It involves a series of movements performed in a slow, focused manner and accompanied by deep breathing. Tai Chi has helped Marie, “Stand firmly on my feet, it steadies you and does the trick.” Her teacher, Dennis Sheils, had many pleasant thoughts about Marie; her tenacity, her faith and strength. “Marie goes with the flow,” he says with a smile. Though her movements are slower due to her eyesight she is an inspiration to her classmates. Marie’s Advice on Living 100 years Diminutive in stature and brief with her words, Marie had a few things to say about life and if she has a magic pill or secret to living 100 years. “Be truthful about everything you say. Then you won’t have to worry about what you’ve said. It’s always the truth”. Even though her eyes are clouded from macular degeneration, you can still see the hazel they once were. She never spoke of her aches or her diminishing eyesight and continues to read daily on a machine for the blind. When asked how it feels to be 100 years old Marie said, you just “imagine each day at a time”. It also seems that walking, and now Tai Chi has played a big part in keeping Marie healthy and grounded. Is there a magic pill or secret? “No secret” is Marie’s succinct reply. A true “Salt of the Earth”, Marie has lived her life with a steady hand, a strong heart and feet that are planted firmly on the ground. by Debbie Gaylord with cover photo by Mindy Kerr of Nature's Child Photography Not long after Frank and Bonnie Dvoravic became the new owners of Rivertown Fine Wine and Spirits in May 2006 Bonnie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, a disease that is one of the nation’s deadliest cancers and has only an 8% survival rate. The two experiences, fulfilling the dream of owning their own store and Bonnie’s life-threatening illness, have become forever merged in a strange way but with a happy ending. Bonnie beat the odds. She says it was a miracle of sorts when they found the cancer during a routine exam for a stomach ailment. She had surgery immediately and after nine years has recently received an all clear from her doctor. The couple have decided to do something positive to mark both occasions and give back to the community with a silent auction to benefit Pancan, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. The event will run throughout the month of May and will include amazing gift baskets, golf sets, and specialty items like a giant Crown Royal pillow perfect for a man cave as well as wine tastings and live music. The PANCAN organizational goal is to double the survival rate and raise $200 million by 2020. Funds will enhance existing programs and allow Pancan.org to invest in revolutionary new research efforts to help those battling pancreatic cancer. Frank and Bonnie moved to the Switzerland area from St. Petersburg in 1997. His work at the corporate level in the wholesale wine and liquor industry allowed them to travel around the world and visit some of the most amazing places including golfing at St. Andrews in Scotland and Pebble Beach in California. They loved traveling but one experience changed everything and made them rethink their lives. They were scheduled to take a business trip to London and the date was September 11, 2001. As they left Jacksonville, they recall being a little miffed that Air Force One caused a slight delay as it delivered President George Bush for an event at a local school. The flight finally took off and they arrived safely in England the next day, only to learn of the Twin Towers tragedy and that their daughter who was a student at NYU at the time, was stuck in New York City. Not long afterward, Frank realized after twenty-six years he wanted to leave the corporate world. He always dreamed of owning his own store. So he and Bonnie took the plunge and purchased Rivertown from an old friend. It was 2006 and life was good. The store’s original location was a bit closer to -1-95 in the Tropical Smoothie Café plaza but after ten months Frank decided to move to its current location in the Publix plaza. Two days after signing the contract for the new location, Frank and Bonnie learned she had pancreatic cancer and her surgery was scheduled. While Bonnie recovered from surgery Frank moved into the new location and has been there ever since. Even through an early rocky start with Bonnie’s illness and the national economic crisis not long afterward, Frank and Bonnie have enjoyed a success that is the result of a simple formula. Where ever he goes people seem to know and love Frank and many of his customers are on a first-name basis. Bonnie and Frank built Rivertown by developing close loyal customers. As Frank says, “We give old fashioned customer service”. Like the time Frank went out of his way to find a special Italian wine I was hoping to try. Or their 100% satisfaction guarantee – Frank recalls an experience when a customer was not pleased with an expensive bottle of scotch he purchased but Frank refunded the man his money. He wants everyone to be happy no matter the cost. Another aspect of their success is they are a great team. After forty-four years of marriage, Frank likes to say that Bonnie is the President of Rivertown and he is just the VP in charge of labor! Pancan is not the only organization that has benefited from the efforts of this local couple. Frank and Bonnie always have a donation bottle for a non-profit near the check-out. Their son is deaf and they understand the challenges involved for families. They have supported the Clarke School for the Deaf, where Frank was a board member for many years. The school, which is located here in Jacksonville, has done a great deal to forward research and work with children with cochlear implants to help them develop speech. In his spare time Frank enjoys tinkering with his old El Caminos (he has two). Bonnie spends time learning piano and doing things with her grandchildren who will be visiting this summer. Together they enjoy traveling and taking in sunsets on their stunning property overlooking the St. Johns River. Ah yes, life is good. This May celebrate a few milestones with Frank and Bonnie. Stop by Rivertown Fine Wine and Spirits in the Publix plaza, bid on an auction item and support Pancan.org. For more information about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network visit www.pancan.org Silent Auction to Benefit Pancan.orgNew large RYDER CUP Callaway Golf bag;
Jim Beam Barrel with U of G colors and logo on half with U of Fla colors and log on other half.; Large hanging or tabletop CROWN ROYAL PILLOW-3ft by 3ft: Titos Vodka Elgin cooler with vodka,mixers, napkins,Tervis Tumblers etc. inside: 1 bottle 30 year old ZAFRA RUM: 1 Picnic basket filled with wine and liquor: 1 cigar basket with lots of goodies: 1 bottle 17 year old WILD TURKEY: 1 Basket with over 100 bottles of 50 ml liquor items AND MORE! HOME FLIPPING IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY WITH MARK & KASIA KAPRELIANMark and Kasia (Team Kaprelian) are real estate professionals at Watson Realty Corp. with 35 years of combined experience. They specialize in new construction and marketing existing homes in St. Johns County. While helping buyers and sellers find their dream home is their main focus, Team Kaprelian also incorporates a dynamic background in land development and home flipping to complement their knowledge and serve their customers. A few months back REALTORS® Mark and Kasia (Team Kaprelian) transformed an abandoned foreclosed home in Mill Creek Landing into a beautiful like-new show piece. When they chose the project, they imagined a young family with children would one day live in the home which is located in a beautiful neighborhood in an A-rated School district in northern St. Johns. Mark says that when his triplets were born he always worried about paying the bills. “Going from two incomes and no kids to one income and 3 kids was a big shock with plenty of sleepless nights.” Helping families is at the heart of what is really important to Mark and Kasia, whether they are helping families buy or sell a home as REALTORS® or when they get involved in a flipping project as investors. “We can do our small part now by helping a few young families enjoy a beautiful home within their means,” says Mark. It is amazing to watch a home receive a makeover, transforming it from before to after. You may have seen home-flipping shows on television and been intrigued about how it’s really done. According to Mark and Kasia, flipping a home is complicated and requires more than simply slapping down new paint and carpets – it is a process that requires strategy, knowledge and integrity. First they must find the perfect property. “We typically buy a home significantly under market value, either through online auctions or through live auctions” They focus on Real Estate Owned by a lender (REO). “For us land is key. Anyone can remodel a home but in development communities your lot is your lot, so better start with a good one” says Kasia. With this in mind they like to find homes on preserve lots. Next they must view the property in person and evaluate the potential or lack of it. Mark and Kasia possess that rare ability to walk into an abused decrepit home and see what it could look like with improvements. Then comes the bidding process. According to Mark and Kasia this is not for the faint of heart and investors really need to have a strong knowledge of market value, market conditions and general construction. This allows them to accurately calculate how much it will cost to make renovations and resell the property. They also advise enlisting the help of other professionals. REALTORS® like themselves, inspectors, contractors, insurance and mortgage brokers, title companies and accountants may all be required at some point during the process. In the end the costs to consider would be buying/selling expenses, construction repair costs, legal fees and holding costs like property taxes, insurance and utilities. Then comes the fun part as transformation begins. Mark and Kasia typically gut the property, keeping the bones but making cosmetic changes like flooring, fixtures and upgrading kitchens and baths, if necessary. Finally, the home is ready for resale. “Many times we have multiple offers in the first few days of listing,” Mark says. As they had hoped, the home they renovated in Mill Creek Landing sold to a young family. They loved the house and the kids really loved the tree in the back yard. Thanks to Team Kaprelian, instead of a foreclosure eyesore on the street, the neighborhood now has a beautiful home with wonderful new residents. Mark and Kasia began investing in real estate in the 1990s and have never looked back even through some very tough markets. The experience they gained as investors led them to pursue real estate licenses. Kasia, who is originally from Poland moved to the United States in her twenties and became a naturalized citizen. She truly appreciates the importance of home ownership and its place as part of the American dream. Their background wearing different real estate hats has given them a thorough understanding of the industry as a whole and it is why they are effective agents as well as successful flippers. Today they make their home in northern St. Johns with their family and a rescue dog Shady where they continue their passion as REALTORS® helping home sellers and buyers with all of their real estate needs. For more information on Team Kaprelian: MarkKaprelian@watsonrealtycorp.com Kasia@watsonrealtycorp.com
Office (904) 436-1345 Cell (508) 333-1342 KasiaAndMark.com Dr. Rosann Faull’s great-grandmother had significant hearing loss and wore hearing aids. This was during the 60’s and 70’s and her experience with old technology was the catalyst for Dr. Faull to study Audiology in college. She wanted to help people hear better and maintain a high quality of life.
Dr. Faull started her career by working with Ear, Nose and Throat physicians and was Director of Audiology at University of Missouri Medical School Hospital. She specialized in diagnostic evaluation of hearing loss, balance evaluation and hearing aid evaluations for children and adults, and provided audiology training to medical residents. In 1983 she began her private practice in Melbourne, Florida. While there, in addition to her regular hearing-loss patients, she established newborn and infant hearing screening programs at two hospitals. In 2009 she and her husband Art Faull moved to the First Coast and started a private practice in the Mandarin area of Jacksonville. “For me, the most rewarding part of audiology is helping people get the most from their hearing with advanced hearing technologies. I provide diagnostic hearing evaluations, hearing aid evaluations, prescribing and fitting hearing aids, and tinnitus evaluations and tinnitus relief. I work with many manufactures to assure the best solution for my patient’s hearing health.” Dr. Leslie Newmeyer recenly joined the practice.Both Dr. Faull and Dr. Newmeyer are Doctors of Audiology with 35 + years of experience. Dr. Faull and Dr. Newmeyer strive to help patients improve their hearing so they remain engaged in life. According to Dr. Faull, “Recent research has proven that improving your hearing through advanced hearing instruments preserves and decreases cognitive decline. Unfortunately, the most common hearing loss in adults – sensori-neural or nerve hearing loss cannot be corrected with surgery or medicine, only appropriately prescribed and fitted hearing instruments can help”. When Dr. Faull is not at her Mandarin office helping patients, she enjoys traveling. She and her husband are avid bicyclists and their vacations often are weeks-long excursions on bicycle trails nationwide. In recent years they rode from Washington, D.C. to Pittsburgh PA and the Virginia Creeper Trail. They have also traveled to Machu Picchu, Peru and spent 3 years living on their sailboat from 1999 -2001. To learn more about Dr. Faull and how she can help you hear better visit her website www.drfaull.com by Judith Fox-Goldstein Crystal Spencer Room by Room Interiors Owner, designer and creative spirit behind ROOM by ROOM Interiors, Crystal Spencer is a “Woman for all Seasons!” Multi-talented, creative and committed, Crystal began her interior design company in 2006 after a dual, 20-year career in health management and the Air Force. “I wanted to reinvent myself and follow my passion!” Gifted with a flair for decorating and an appreciation for art, Crystal was determined to invest in herself and follow her heart. Her keen decorating eye and dynamic personality were a perfect match for her new endeavor. Working closely with her clients, Crystal creates warm, inviting and practical design solutions that resonate unique personality and taste preferences. With access to design-trade resources, (fabrics, flooring and furnishings), Crystal expands unique design options for clients and says that no job is too big or too small! Stressed out about finding the perfect paintcolor, covering your bare windows, or an entire makeover of your family room, Room by Room Interiors can take the guesswork out and give you a “pulled-together look” room by room! Contact Crystal and begin to “Reimagine, Redecorate and Refresh” your home. Email design@rbinteriors.com or 904.800.9546, website: http://www.rbrinteriors.com Bjorn Huysmans FlyDriveRent Bjorn Huysmans, owner/operator of FlyDriveRent provides a very special driving service for our local community, Jacksonville and St. Augustine. Serving all airports, hotels and destinations in North Florida, Bjorn’s fleet of cars is modern, comfortable, classy and available 24/7. “Driven by Commitment”, Bjorn’s desire is to meet the needs of his clients by providing a full-service driving company. Whether you are going to the airport in Orlando or want a tour of the city, Bjorn will match his driving services to your specific needs. Enjoy riding in a chauffeur-driven SUV or full-service, elegant car - FLYDRIVERENT has the car for you! More than a driver, Bjorn becomes your Personal Assistant! Professional, uniformed, baggage handler, airport greeter, flight monitor and tour guide, Bjorn’s luxury car awaits curb side for you with relaxing, refreshing, cold bottles of water. He cares about his clients, is warm, courteous and very knowledgeable about the geography. “Driven by Satisfaction”, FlyDriveRent provides quality service for shopping tours, galas, special events and all your travel needs. Contact Bjorn at 904-466-5387 or email info@flydriverent.com Mindy Kerr
Nature’s Child Photography Armed with her lens, photography equipment and great walking shoes, photographer Mindy Kerr is ready to capture the images, memories and emotions of the faces and families of St. Johns. With a preference for focusing in on those magical moments in natural light, Mindy prefers working outdoors amidst nature and the beautiful landscapes of Northern Florida. “People are more natural outdoors, more candid and not restricted by glaring lights or the four walls of a studio. This is where the magic happens! It’s my job to recognize the emotions of love, laughter, sorrow and joy that reflect the most precious moments in life. Whether we’re rolling in the grass or on top of a mountain, my lens becomes part of preserving that moment and that story forever.” As a retired preschool teacher of 17 years, Mindy has an infinite amount of love, patience, and creativity for those unpredictable and delightful moments of candor. Photo sessions are available for children, seniors, family members, reunions, special occasions, parties, graduations, weddings, pets, maternity shoots and business events. “Photographs let memories withstand the test of time.” Contact Mindy Kerr at 407 850-8358. http://www.natureschildphotography.com/ Each month St. Johns Magazine will feature a few of the members of the Durbin Community Connections Networking group which meets weekly to share ideas and help each other grow their businesses. Danielle Rodriguez of One Touch OrganizingDanielle Rodriguez of One Touch Organizing is ready to organize your life! Danielle is a wife and mother and says that for as long as she can remember she has been obsessed with organizing. With 20+ years of experience in problem-solving organizational challenges in the workplace and in homes, she will transform the environment to help you live more efficiently and stress-free. She works with each client to help them identify the "cause of the their chaos" and help them find solutions they can maintain. Her goal is for you to be organized on a daily basis whether it's creating a more efficient office or home space or just helping you create good time management skills. She can help you clear the clutter, not only in your space but in your mind as well giving you the ability to think clearly. You will be amazed at the freedom it gives you and the amount of stress it takes away!! "I have opened new offices and organized their layouts, filing systems and supplies as well as working with small business owners on time management and creating a more efficient work space. I have helped organize the homes of family and friends helping create a more stress-free environment and I am now very excited to share my passion with you!" By using Danielle's special "one touch" method you can achieve organization and maintain a stress free environment, saving you time and money! For more information about Danielle's personal and professional organizing services visit www.facebook.com/onetouchorganizing Heather Strazinsky - Realtor with RE/MAXHeather Strazinsky is a Realtor with RE/MAX Specialists serving Jacksonville, St. Johns and the surrounding areas. She specializes in helping people buy and sell homes in our community, always going the extra mile for her clients. She has been married for 17 years and has two children. Heather’s personal experiences of moving her family numerous times gives her a deeper understanding of the needs of others. “I know what home is to family and I know how important it is, whether you are buying or selling, to have a pro on your side. A real estate transaction is often a very emotional experience. It is a major financial step and one not to be taken in haste. Having moved many times in my life I know how arduous the transition can be and I truly understand what you are going through in making a move. From relocating, to downsizing, upsizing or finding that perfect second home for getaways or investment…I can help!” Heather believes in giving you her full attention and carefully listening to your needs and wants. For more information please visit rejaxhomes.com or email heather@rejaxhomes.com Karen Ghannam - Aponos Cleaning Karen Ghannam is the owner of Aponos Cleaning, a premier local cleaning service with affordable prices and outstanding quality. APONOS provides a solution for families with busy lives by offering quality full house cleaning services based on a schedule that fits your life. They also specialize in top-to-bottom home cleaning for people getting ready to put their home on the market and for those who are moving-in and move-out. Aponos started providing cleaning services for homes in the St. Johns area in 2012. According to Karen, "I wanted to fill a need in the community for a full service, reliable, conscientious cleaning service”. Karen says Aponos is not just another cleaning company. “We are excellent about listening to our customers and sometimes just listening helps us understand what is causing the mess in their homes and allows us to develop a cleaning plan that works for them”. Karen is dedicated to developing relationships with her clients based on communication, consistency and trust. "It’s all about relationships! I like helping people feel relaxed and stress free in their home. We are able to provide a healthier living climate where they can relax because they are leaving all the cleaning & maintenance to us. I am very grateful to have met so many wonderful people and I consider them part of my own extended family. We treat their homes – just like our home and that’s a promise I like keeping!" If you would like a cleaning service like no other you have ever had, contact Karen Ghannam at Aponos at 248-895-3784 or aponoscleaningservice@gmail.com For more information about how you can become a member of Durbin Community Connections please visit their website at www.durbincommunityconnections.org/Sometimes life brings us full circle & allows us to give back in powerful ways. Cole Slate’s experiences with Best Buddies in high school channeled his passion into helping people with disabilities for years to come. You may have heard about the teens with Down Syndrome who became the Queen and King of their prom, or the young man with Autism who helps the basketball team at his school. But what does it take to break down the social barriers that exist for young people with special needs?
Enter Best Buddies, a non-profit organization that pairs people with special needs with typical peers, fostering friendship, socialization, job coaching and leadership for participants. Kids with disabilities benefit through acceptance and inclusion, and their typical peers benefit by exposure to exceptionalities. Best Buddies is an international program offered in middle schools, high schools, and colleges. (See www.BestBuddies.org for all programs) Local business leader Cole Slate, a REALTOR® with EXIT Real Estate Gallery, is passionate about the organization and puts a lot of energy into engaging the local community. Cole has been involved with Best Buddies ever since he was a high school student at Bartram Trail, where he was President of the local chapter. During college he continued working with people with special needs and was an intern at the Arc of Alachua County. When he returned to St. Johns he was a paraprofessional for ESE students at Liberty Pines Elementary. Once again, his life brought him full circle, and today Cole continues to support Best Buddies through fundraising and awareness efforts as the Best Buddies Jacksonville Advisory Board Chairman. As Best Buddies Executive Director Erika Hatch says, “Cole’s individual efforts as the chairman of the Advisory Board have contributed to the making of hundreds of friendships for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. His heart is as big as his truck!” (A reference to Cole’s monster truck you may have seen around town). Cole says he has always loved spending time with people with special needs, and treats them exactly like he treats others so they do not feel excluded. “To be quite honest, I can’t remember far back enough to when I had a different perspective on people with special needs. I have been working, and volunteering with people with special needs since I was in second grade.” He attributes his attitude to a twist of fate that has affected him subconsciously. His mother, who was an elementary teacher, was told during her pregnancy that her baby was going to have such severe Down Syndrome that he wasn’t supposed to survive. But she decided to proceed with the pregnancy and ultimately Cole was fine. Knowing that he could be in their shoes has made all the difference in how Cole perceives the world. “Best Buddies provides intangible benefits. Just seeing first-hand the happiness, smiles, and excitement on a buddy’s faces during an activity is worth every minute.” Cole’s involvement with Best Buddies has not only created lifelong friendships with former buddies like Trey and Christian whom he sometimes sees at Best Buddies events now, but has also inspired him to give back to education by funding a scholarship at his alma mater, the University of Florida, and participating in fundraisers for the program locally. “Trey was my buddy in high school. Unfortunately, we lost touch for a bit because he moved and I went to college; BUT coincidentally enough, he called me the other day!! Apparently he is living back in St. Augustine. Christian is another “buddy” of mine, from my BTHS years. We were not paired-up, but he was in the program. He actually went with me to the Best Buddies bowling event a couple weeks ago.” With an ever increasing number of people with special needs in the world, Best Buddies and the successful young locals like Cole Slate, who support these programs, are an inspiration that make our communities a better place to live. If you would like to get involved, there is a chapter of the Best Buddies program at Creekside High School and coming soon there is a possibility that there will be an Ambassador chapter at Bartram Trail. Two fundraisers are held locally each year, in October – Bet on Friendship: Casino Night and in May The Friendship Walk. www.bestbuddiesflorida.org by Jennifer YarbroughWe live in a beautiful area. The sandy shores of our local beaches provide sunsets that seem painted across the sky with beautiful pinks, oranges, and blues. The murky depths of the St. Johns River with its flora and fauna beckon us to pause and look and listen and view the beauty of nature. With all of this natural beauty, it is no surprise that local artists are inspired to create! The two artists profiled below took different paths to find themselves here in Northeast Florida, they use different mediums to express their creativity, but they both have a passion for looking around them, capturing what they see and sharing it with others. Josh Phares, Valen Artwork, PainterJosh Phares was born in Orange Park and moved to Jacksonville Beach at six years old, and that was when his love of the ocean, the sea, the beach began. He recalls fondly spending time at the beach as a kid and how his mom bought a boogie board for him and his brother and told them that if they learned how to stand on it and ride it, then they would get a real surfboard---the goal of every beach kid! Well, those days at the beach and the painting of Van Gogh’s, “Starry, Starry Night,” hanging on the wall at home, provided inspiration for the pieces of art that he creates today. He is an artist that is constantly challenging himself and experimenting with new techniques, what he calls “Happy Accidents,” referring to American Painting legend, Bob Ross. His older works show “stenciled” images of fish and sea turtles on realistic backgrounds, his newer ones, are “non-objective,” a mix of abstract and realistic that “allow your eye to move around the canvas,” a goal of his. His paintings of surfers and the pier and sea life painted in this style hearken back to VanGogh and the Impressionists. He looks to Rick Piper, Paul Jenkins and Jackson Pollock as inspirations, even joking that he sometimes refers to himself as “Jacksonville Pollock.” And one can see the style, colors and subject matter of all three of those artists in Phares work. He currently offers his work through Facebook, “Valen Artwork” and Instagram, valen_art and occasionally offers giveaways. He also takes clients photos and turns them into one-of-a-kind pieces of art. Josh Phares is a creative local artist that paints interesting, unique works of art, reflecting the beauty of our area. Shannon Dunham, ArtistShannon Dunham was born and raised in Wisconsin and visited the seashore in Florida for the first time in the 3rd Grade. As they say, once you get the Florida sand in your shoes, you can’t shake it out. and it’s inevitable that you will one day return. She took trips over the years back to Florida with her own daughters and husband, making more memories and falling more in love. After a particularly brutal winter in Wisconsin three years ago, her family decided to make the Sunshine State their permanent home, settling down in Durbin Creek.
In the past two years, the beaches, the nautical history and the old world charm of St. Augustine have provided the inspiration for her jewelry, photographs, painting and crafts. Her jewelry is made from seaglass that she finds on our beaches, wraps with silver and sometimes gold wire and turns into wearable art. Her paintings are inspired by the sea; her painting, “Dark to Day,” is a beautiful representation of dawn over the ocean with soft muted grays and blues and white. She photographs a wide variety of subjects—the sea, birds, historic places in St. Augustine. She looks for the details when taking photos and enjoys shooting with her daughters because she says they tend to stop and see things that adults might miss. An example of this is a beautiful photograph of water droplets on grass that she took, the droplets glisten and gleam and seem like glass up close. All of her various styles and works of art are limited in production and displayed exclusively at Salty Restorations in Mandarin, ensuring you a unique piece created locally by an artist with a love and passion for our area. All of my coffee filters were up cycled or re-purposed after serving their original purpose of filtering coffee first. As a wife / mother & homemaker I’ve always been interested in recycling, composting & keeping my input into landfills to a minimum. Fashions are our metaphorical armor we select each day to go out & face the world. Carol Ann Rice Rafferty, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1956, combines her love of art, history and sewing. As a young girl she enjoyed spending hours listening intently to her mother and grandmothers as they shared childhood memories, sang songs they learned as children, cooked favorite family recipes together, and learned to embroider and construct garments. Her mother had a career in fashion which strongly influenced Carol's interest in design and fashion. Carol sewed and knitted her entire wardrobe during her high school years. Her passion is creating trauqil environments, sewing, cooking, and gardening as an outlet for her artistic energy. She earned her degree in Design from Buffalo State College. She remained at Buffalo State teaching in the Fiber Program as an Adjunct Instructor continuing to build the program, assisting with workshops and introducing new techniques into the fiber program. Carol's art has recently been published in the book 500 Paper Objects. Her work has been accepted into Fiberarts International 2007, Craftforms 2006 as well as numerous juried shows in Buffalo and Pittsburgh. Carol left her teaching position after two years to study in the graduate Fibers Program at Savannah College of Art and Design. She offers college level classes in fiber reactive dyes, painting, papermaking, shibori, weaving and other fiber techniques at her home studio in Clarence, NY. "My art is on the bridge between fine art and craft. Thinking of ways to improve designs, experimentation to repurpose materials are my passions. Creating beauty from ashes, designing functional, aesthetically pleasing environments is imperative to me. My art is an extension of myself.”
by Jennifer Yarbrough
The story of St. Augustine Beach-based MERA Surfboards is one of courage, resilience and family. Owner, David “Ben” Tiller’s love of surfing began when he was fifteen years old, but had little opportunity to actually get in the water. As the years went on, he found himself in the US Army, then back home as a husband, father and police officer. Not having the chance to hit the water, he kept up with all things “surfing” through magazines and the internet. During his time as a police officer, he also worked undercover for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. On April 28, 2011, during one of these operations, he found himself in a precarious situation, he and his fellow agents exchanged gunfire with the two criminals and Ben’s femur was shattered. The shooting, surgery, recuperation and post-traumatic stress counseling all pointed Ben in one direction: the ocean, surfing, and more specifically, surfboard “shaping.” Ironically, it was internet “surfing” while homebound that allowed him to learn more about the time-honored art of surfboard shaping. It was there that he bought a “Build Your Own Surfboard Kit,” and hobbled to the garage on his cane to work on it. This time in the garage was his solace, his escape and his chance to reflect. Thoughts of his family and the water were most important to him and he decided that he would make them a priority. He returned to work as a police officer for a time, shaping as a hobby. Eventually the desire to create boards and share that with others won out and he created MERA Surfboards, with each letter in the name standing for one of his children: Madison, Ethan, Riley and Abigail. It was the thought of his children and the water that helped him through and it is now that sense of family and surfing that he wants to share with the community. He currently crafts boards out of his garage on St. Augustine Beach, but has plans to open a surf shop, The Shapers Sanctuary, where people can, with the help of himself and Master Shapers, create their own boards. He speaks with passion of being able to paddle out into the sea, at one with mother nature, on a board that you shaped with your own hands. If you would like more information, please visit www.merasurfboards.com, check out “MERA Surfboards” on Facebook or, if you would like to contribute to the “Shapers Sanctuary,” visit www.gofundme.com/merasurfboards. by Jennifer Yarbrough
You may already know that Bartram Trail High School has a new bear at the helm, as former Assistant Chris Phelps was appointed Principal in April. But did you know that a few days after receiving the news he had knee replacement surgery? And now, a few months later, he is back cycling the 25-miles to work? That could pretty much sum up Mr. Phelps’ personality, work ethic and leadership. As Assistant Principal at Bartram Trail since it’s opening in 2000, he has lead in a way that has inspired students and teachers to be their best and strive for excellence, no matter what. His advice for parents of high schooolers is to support their students, but then put them on that bike and let them go…let them pedal as fast or slow as they need to and let them steer themselves in the direction they will go, always staying a safe distance to pull them back on the trail when need be. To students, he quotes former Bartram student, Andrew Dill, who, when addressing Freshmen his Senior year told them that it is exciting being in High School and having more freedoms, but “increased freedom, means increased responsibility.” And Mr. Phelps says to “grab it,” encouraging students to meet and know every adult on campus, a skill that will help them throughout life. He also speaks of the importance of learning communication and writing skills in class and outside of class, because these skills will lay the foundation for many aspects of their life after high school. A new, proactive program that Mr. Phelps and teachers are excited about is, “Link Crew,” which matches Freshmen with Upperclassmen in a leadership/mentorship setting. Upperclassmen receive training in leadership skills and Freshmen find mentors that can help them navigate the world of high school. Many teachers, past and present, parents and students have expressed their enthusiasm for Mr. Phelps’ appointment, Carole Prior, who worked for five years when Phelps was AP says, “He has the HEART of a LION, the ZEAL of a CHAMPION and the LEADERSHIP SKILLS that the CAPTAIN of the STARSHIP must have!” Current teacher, Mrs. Jane Jens who has worked with him most of her career states, “I have complete confidence that he's the leader we need at BTHS. His calm competence, kindness, and steel backbone assure me that he'll do the right thing. Great choice for us!" Having spent fourteen years at Nease High School and now fifteen years at Bartram Trail High School, Mr. Phelps is a great choice for the school and this area. He talks with pride of working with “the same folks, the same families,” over the years and of building relationships and trust with them, he feel like he wants to give back to the community that “has given him so much.” Alright Bears, get on your cycles and start pedaling, you’ve got an amazing Principal leading the way! |
AuthorSt. Johns Magazine Archives
February 2024
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