Our Town 2015 MAR-APR (Newberry & Jonesville)

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VOL. 13ISSUE 01|MARCH/APRIL 2015

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Hot rods, exotics and classics taketo the streets for car shows this spring

Shooting StarMeet Anniston Baluyot, junior

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Karting for a CauseJoe Hancock donates all of his go-kart

race proceeds to childrens charities

Pioneer DaysHigh Springs historic celebration

is more than just a shoot-out

Surrogate SagaCrystal Henrys award-winning

column follows her journey

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CONTENTSM A R C H/A P R I L 2 0 1 5

FEATURE STORIES

G R E AT E R A L AC H U A C O U N T Y | V O L . 1 3 | N O. 0 1

20 THE LIONS SHAREAfter nearly a century, the Lions Club humanitarian mission is unwavering. Learn more about their annual Cattlemens Banquet and their sponsorship of the Alachua County Youth Fair & Livestock Show.

28 PIONEER DAYS CELEBRATIONAnnual celebration of the rich history of High Springs. The festival, which began in 1977, strives to bring families and the community together by showcasing the towns storied past from the turn of the twentieth century its fun for the entire family!

32 RISE AND SHINEThe Kiwanis Clubs annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser pulls us in with the aroma of pancakes, maple syrup and hot coffee.

70 ANTIQUE TRACTOR & CAR SHOWOn the third Saturday in March, Dudley Farms will come to life with historic demonstrations.

76 PACKING WITH A PURPOSEThanks to the Food 4 Kids program, Alachua county school kids dont have to worry about going hungry.

ON THE COVER >> START YOUR ENGINES! CAR ENTHUSIAST DAVE FERRO TAKES A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE EVERY TIME HE CRUISES IN HIS 67 STANG. MARCH AND APRIL ARE SPECKLED WITH CAR SHOWS FEATURING CLASSICS, ANTIQUES, EXOTICS AND MORE!C O V E R P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y E R I C K A W I N T E R R O W D.

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CONTENTSM A R C H/A P R I L 2 0 1 538 DANIELLE HAGAN: KARATE KIDIf you dont think a 79-pound 6th grader could kick your butt, you might want to think again.

44 SHOOTING STARMeet AP and Honors student, Anniston Baluyot who is also a skilled marksman and anNRA-certifi ed Pistol Instructor apprentice.

52 GOOD SPORTGet involved in a variety of youth athletics programs and competitive teams at local facilities.

60 RADIO RACEWAYNewberrys RC track embodies the spirit of friendly competition and do-it-yourself ingenuity.

82 TAKIN IT TO THE STREETEnthusiasts hit the streets for shows in Tioga and Haile with classic, antique and exotic cars.

90 KARTING FOR LOGANJoe Hancock races for children in need by donating all their go-kart racing proceeds to charity.

124 PEOPLE WHO PEDALA clever photo series of Gainesville bicycle commuters by artist Corey Riehle.

132 A BROAD ABROADOur intrepid photojournalist, Jordan Albright, recounts her adventures after traveling the world visiting fi ve countries in 78 days.

144 PECULIAR PASTIMESUnderwater hockey, slacklining, unicycle-riding jugglers, and zip lining round out some of the unusual hobbies these University of Florida students share with each other.

COLUMNS

REVIEWS

INFORMATION

36 NAKED SALSAby Crystal Henry

66 DIFFERENT NOTEby Albert Isaac

128 HEALTHY EDGEby Kendra Siler-Marsiglio

140 EMBRACING LIFEby Donna Bonnell

98 READING CORNERby Terri Schlichenmeyer

122 GATE CRASHINGby Brian Krash Kruger

152 ADVENTURESIN APPETITEby Ken Peng

100 Taste of the Town106 Community Calendar120 Charity Winners

The articles printed in Our Town do not necessarily

re ect the opinions of Tower Publications, Inc. or

their editorial staff. Our Town Magazine endeavors

to accept reliable advertising; however, we can not

be held responsible by the public for advertising

claims. Our Town Magazine reserves the right

to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. All

rights reserved. 2015 Tower Publications, Inc.

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OUR TOWN MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY TOWER PUBLICATIONS, INC. REPRODUCTION BY ANY MEANS OF THE WHOLE OR PART OF OUR TOWN WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER IS PROHIBITED. VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE EDITORIAL PAGES DO NOT IMPLY OUR ENDORSEMENT. WE WELCOME YOUR PRODUCT NEWS. INCLUDE PRICES, PHOTOS AND DIGITAL FILES WITH YOUR PRESS RELEASE. PLEASE FORWARD PRODUCT SAMPLES AND MEDIA KITS TO REVIEWS EDITOR, OUR TOWN MAGAZINE, 4400 NW 36TH AVENUE, GAINESVILLE, FL 32606. WE CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR UNSOLICITED PRODUCT SAMPLES.

A Publication of Tower Publications, Inc.4400 NW 36th Ave., Gainesville, Florida 32606phone: 352-372-5468 fax: 352-373-9178

PUBLISHERCharlie Delatorre

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERHank McAfee

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFAlbert Isaac

MANAGING EDITOREricka Winterrowd

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSJordan Albright, Ellis Amburn, Larry Behnke,

Kelley Bennett, Gabrielle Calise,Alexia Fernandez, Crystal Henry,

Kathy Pierre, Marisa Ross, Brock Seng

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERSTom Morrisey, Kristin Kozelsky

CREATIVE DIRECTION + DESIGNHank McAfee, Neil McKinney

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVESJenni Bennett [email protected] Mincey [email protected]

Melissa Morris [email protected] Short [email protected]

INTERNGabrielle Calise

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONSIf you would like us to publicize an event in the greater Gainesville area, send information by the 1st day of the month prior to the next issue. For example, submissions for the March/April issue are due by February 1. All submissions will be reviewed and every effort will be made to run qualifi ed submissions if page space is available.

LETTERS TO THE EDITORWe want to hear from you. Send your letters to the attention of the editor at 4400 NW 36th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32606 or [email protected]. Letters must be signed and include a phone number in the event we need to contact you. (Your phone number will not be published.)

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Greetings Faithful Readers!

If you think this issue of Our Town magazine seems a little different, well, theres good reason

Its been completely revamped. From its size on the outside to its style on the inside, Our Town has an entirely new look for 2015 and a greater frequency. Starting with this issue, youll be seeing Our Town six times a year instead of quarterly, as it will be hitting the streets every two months. Our production team has certainly outdone themselves this time, having put their col-lective noses to the grindstone in the redesign of this magazine as well as with all of the other things they do. A shout-out also goes to our

oft-unsung heroes in sales, without whom I would certainly not have this sweet gig and you wouldnt have this ne magazine. And of course, it goes without saying that Tower Publications wouldnt exist without Charlie and Bonita Delatorre. Go Team Tower! For this issue we get physical, with pro les on young athletes, muscle cars, and peculiar pastimes that can be found on UFs campus. For instance, did you know that UF has an underwater hockey team? Yes. Underwater. Hockey. Little sticks. You can also read about a pair of young women that excel in sports typically reserved for males namely martial arts and competitive shooting. Additionally, we take a brief look at a few local sporting facilities that offer everything from tumbling to swimming, from rock climbing to gymnastics. Also found within these pages is our feature on a pair of upcoming car shows, each held for a good cause. Both the Tioga Car Show and the Hot Rodding For Heroes Classic Auto Show are coming up in April one in Haile Plantation Village Center and the other in Jonesvilles Town of Tioga. Speaking of cars, did you know that you can race in Newberry? Radio controlled cars, that is. Learn all about the Newberry RC Park. And, as always, thanks for reading and have a great spring!

EDITOR S LET TERM A R C H/A P R I L 2 0 1 5

Albert Isaac, Editor-In-Chief

Our esteemed Editor-in-Chief, Albert Isaac taking a moment out of his more-busy-than-usual schedule while prepping the launch of our fi rst ever bi-monthly issue for his birthday which also happens to be on Valentines Day. Talk about muti-tasking! Good thing he knows how to fi nd his inner calm.

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Its about the Journey

Im hoping some of you can agree that time has a funny way of passing us by. It seems the older I get, the faster it seems to slip through my ngers.

For me, it started around the time my children were born. Suddenly, all of my free time was spent on late-night feed-ings, diaper changes and struggling to nd a way to stay awake during the day. Time seemed to y by as one day bled into another and the weeks fused together to make months seem like days. Time passed and diaper changes

turned to soccer practices and late night feedings became early Saturday morning basketball games, but the tick, tick, ticking of father times watch never stopped. All the while, I heeded the advice of my father and tried to enjoy every moment I could. I bought all sorts of cameras and computers to record, photograph and digitally store every signi cant moment we had. From birthdays to anniversaries, from tee-ball to dance recitals, my wife and I tried to savor every moment. John Lennon warned me that life happens while were busy making other plans and I was committed to enjoy all the moments that made life special. This philosophy of savoring all the moments we share with the people we love is also the cornerstone of everything we try to do with this magazine. We focus on writing about the things that make life great! We turn our attention to the nuances of our community in hopes of capturing the moments that make up the essence of where we call home. We write about things that are fun and unique, in hopes of holding on to those eeting moments that slip by so quickly. We may change its size, its format, its frequency, even its look and feel, but we will never change its fundamental purpose: Our Town is about telling stories your stories. So, years later, the tick, tick, ticking continues and time keeps on slipping into the future, like Steve Millers song told us it would. Life has a funny way of changing everything, while somehow keeping it the same. Within the next 30 days, Ill have gone to a funeral, been the Best Man in a wedding, experienced a part of a milestone birthday, witnessed my parents 54th wedding anniversary, played music with new friends and shared memories with old ones. Ralph Waldo Emerson reminded us that life is more about the journey than the destination, and I for one, am still doing all I can to savor every moment.

PUBLISHER S LET TERM A R C H/A P R I L 2 0 1 5

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CONTRIBUTOR SM A R C H/A P R I L 2 0 1 5BROCK SENGis a freelance writer and recent gradu-ate of UFs College of Journalism and Communications. When he isnt writing, hes usually playing with his cats, listening to music or thinking about what to write [email protected]

KATHY PIERREis a senior journalism major at UF. She aspires to be a social activism writer. When shes not writing or thinking about things she wants to write, she is trying out differ-ent fl avors of Talenti and binge-watching shows on Netfl [email protected]

KELLEY BENNETTwas born in Gainesville and studied pho-tography at the San Francisco Art Institute, where she earned a degree shell be paying off for the rest of her life. She enjoys read-ing, Mexican food, and spending time with her dog, [email protected]

MARISA ROSSis a UF journalism and Spanish senior. She is a self-proclaimed foodie, photo junkie and travel enthusiast. When she isnt cooking exotic cuisines or planning her next adventure, you can fi nd her playing volleyball or acoustic guitar.mross92@ufl .edu

LARRY BEHNKEis an artist, writer, photographer and a graduate of the University of Michigan in cinematography and painting. He has used solar electricity since 1984 and lives in a dome [email protected]

GABRIELLE CALISEis a freshman journalismmajor at UF who is interning for the first time at Tower Publications. In her spare time sheenjoys collecting vinyl records, taking photo-graphsand watching movies.gcalise@ufl .edu

CRYSTAL HENRYis a freelance writer and columnist born and raised in West Texas. She received her B.S. in Journalism in 2006 from the University ofFlorida. She is in love with the Florida [email protected]

ELLIS AMBURNis in the Hall of Excellence at TCUs Schieffer School of Journalism. Involved daily in volunteer community service, the High Springs resident is the author of biographies of Roy Orbison, Elizabeth Taylor and [email protected]

ALEXIA FERNANDEZis a UF journalism junior with big dreams. With a deep love of movies and writing, she hopes to one day write books, scripts and create a successful career for herself in [email protected]

JORDAN ALBRIGHTloves to learn and explore. She is a fi fth-year senior at UF pursuing two majors: dance and photojournalism; and three minors: business administration, entre-preneurship and theatre. Her passion is learning about your [email protected]

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WHAT ITS WORTH

After Nearly a Century, the Lions Club Humanitarian Mission is Unwavering

The Lions Share

I t all began 98 years ago when a successful businessman, Melvin Jones, told a group of ambitious friends, You cant get very far until you start doing something for somebody else. They got cracking and formed the rst Lions Club, devoting themselves to public service. That was in 1917. Today there are 1.36 million members in 46,000 clubs. Among them are the Lions of Alachua, wholl be raising money for the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) and other worthy causes at their annual Lions Club Cattlemens Banquet on March 26 at the Santa Fe River Ranch near Alachua. The Lions also support the Alachua County Youth Fair and Livestock Show, which runs March 5-10 at

the Alachua County Fairgrounds in Gainesville. With regard to the Cattlemens Banquet, Tommie Harris, chairman, said in a telephone interview, We began doing this in 1940. We honor the Cattleperson of the Year by presenting the Cattlemens Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Cattle Industry in the State of Florida. SFDB is one of the entities supported by the Lions Club on a regular basis, he added. Its a school that receives state support, but they need donations. Sight conservation is one of the main purposes of Lions throughout the world. We have a big eyeglasses reclamation project to restore used glasses. Doctors take them on foreign missions to match with people who need sight improvement. The Hon. Gib Coerper, mayor of Alachua, said in a telephone interview, Alachua has been blessed

W R I T T E N B Y E L L I S A M B U R N

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with very good people. I am proud to be a member of [our] Lions Club. Tommie Harris said that tickets to the forth-coming banquet are $50 each. Everyone is invited to join us, he said. Anyone interested can contact me at 386-462-1324. Attractions at the banquet include entertainment from the choral and dance group of FSDB. Gainesville attorney Rod Smith will conduct a live auction, with proceeds going to such recip-ients as FSDB, Alachua recreation programs, Alachua Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts, a college scholarship pro-gram for a Santa Fe High School student, and tutor-ing of students at Alachua Elementary School. Auction prizes, donated by local individuals and busi-nesses, include a side of beef, a weekend stay at the retreat at Santa Fe River Ranch, hotel accommodations at Disney World, monthly memberships at local fitness centers, and a big-screen TV. In addition, the Alachua Womans Club will hold a silent auction of over 50 items. The emcee for the banquet is Bud Riviere. Harris said the keynote speaker has not yet been decided. Past speakers have included President Jimmy Carter (a former Governor for Lions), Florida Governors Bob Graham, Buddy MacKay and Lawton Childs, US Senator George Smathers, Congressmen Cliff Stearns and Ted Yoho, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam, and former International Lions presidents Jim Ervin and Sid Scruggs. After years of being held at the Alachua Womans Club, the banquet last year met for the rst time at the Santa Fe River Ranch assembly hall and will be returning to the same venue on March 26. We outgrew the Womans Club, Harris said. We anticipate 425 guests lots of politicians, business leaders and agricultural people from the area and even out of state. Its a full steak dinner with trimmings. In an email, Coerper offered an insight into the inception of the Cattlemens Banquet. [It] began when the club members decided to help the Alachua High School FFA students get more for their steer when they took them to market, Coerper wrote. A group . . . went to the auction and began the bidding. Much to their surprise they had the highest bid and came home with the steer. Now,

what to do with [it]? In the end they served it up at the rst banquet to celebrate a Cattleman of the Year. Subsequently, the steaks were purchased through Hitchcocks Foodway and continue to be until this day, wrote the mayor. At this years banquet, the 76th, festivities begin at 6 p.m. at the Santa Fe River Ranch with a social hour followed by the banquet at 7. The ranch is located at 29220 NW 122nd St., nine miles north of Alachua on the Santa Fe River. The ranch is owned by one of our members, Alan

Hitchcock, Coerper noted. The same grocery-chain magnate who supplies the Lions with banquet steaks converted the barn on his 1,700-acre spread for use at weddings and other sizable get-togethers. Alan is a very giving guy, Coerper said. So was Lions Club Internationals founder Melvin Jones, who was born in Fort Thomas, Arizona, in 1879. By 38 he headed his own rm and was an of cer in the Business Circle of Chicago, whose sole purpose was to help its members get rich, according to Lions web site. One day it occurred to Jones that the Lions could also help others. His energy and enthusiasm attracted so many civic-minded citizens that soon he had to give up his insurance business in order to devote full time to the Lions headquarters in Chicago. The name Lions Club sprang from Joness con-viction that the lion stood for strength, courage, delity, and vital action. When there was a move-ment at the Lions 1919 convention to change the name, Denver attorney Halsted Ritter shot it down, saying L-I-O-N-S heralds to the country the true meaning of citizenship: liberty, intelligence, our nations safety. The legendary Helen Keller, the rst deaf/blind person to receive a B.A. degree and from Harvards sister school Radcliffe, no less persuaded the Lions to become knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness, sparking the clubs initiative to help the blind and visually impaired.

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We outgrew the Womans Club, Harris said. We anticipate 425 guests lots of politicians, business leaders and agricultural people from the area and even out of state. Its a full steak dinner with trimmings.

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Chartered in 1931 with 21 members, the Alachua Lions Club supports Southeast Leaders Dog, International Hearing Dog, North Florida Hearing Aid Bank, youth basketball and baseball leagues, Food 4 Kids Alachua Backpack, Rodeheaver Boys Ranch, Christmas for Needy Families, diabetes screening, and Florida Conklin Center. For natural disaster relief, according to its web site, Lions Club International has awarded over $700 million to pro-vide food, water, clothing medical supplies, and long-term reconstruction. In 1945, the humanitarian-minded United Nations asked the Lions to assist in drafting the UN charter. Melvin Jones went to San Francisco as a UN consultant. The Lions Leo program, giving young people an opportunity to grow through volunteer work, was born in 1957. Today there are 144,000 Leos in 5,700 clubs in 140 countries. FirstSight was launched in 1990 to address blindness on a global scale. In the clubs war against cataract, trachoma, river blindness, childhood blindness, diabetic retinopathy, and glau-coma, Lions Club International invested $415 million, according to its website, and played a signi cant role in reducing the prevalence of visual impairment from 311 million in 2004 to 285 million in 2012. FSDB, one of Alachua Lions signature bene ciaries, was

established in St. Augustine, Florida, in 1885 by Thomas Hines Coleman, who enlisted the help of Gov. William Bloxham to raise $20,000

to build a boarding school for the hearing- and visually challenged.

Though he was deaf, Colemans efforts resulted in the largest school for the deaf and blind

in the US, with 47 buildings on 72 acres and an annual budget of $30 million. According to its website, FSDB embraces pre-school through the 12th grade, plus a post-secondary pro-gram. Tuition-free, it serves 600 students on campus and 400 Florida infants and toddlers at home. Alumni include Ray Charles, Marcus Roberts and Ashley Fiolek. Blind since the age of seven as a result of glaucoma, Ray Charles attended FSDB from 1937 to 1945, learning to read music with braille and developing into a classically trained pianist. Jazz and blues he learned while listening to the radio. Later, his recordings of such songs as Georgia on My Mind and Unchain My Heart would spur Rolling Stone to rank him No. 10 among the worlds 100 greatest musical talents. Another FSDB student, jazz pianist Marcus Roberts, a victim of glaucoma and cataracts, would go on to perform with such virtuosi as Wynton Marsalis, Bela Fleck, and Seiji Ozawa and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. In January 2015 he appeared on Tavis Smileys TV show.

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Racing driver Ashley Fiolek, diagnosed as profoundly deaf, studied ballet, ran track, and played basketball at FSDB. Now 24, shes been racing since the age of seven, and won the Womens Motocross Championship in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012. The Lions Clubs are very proud of the job FSDB is doing with visually and hearing impaired kids, Tommy Harris said. And one of the reasons its possible is because almost a century ago Melvin Jones had a vision, thinking, What if these men who are successful because of their drive, intelligence, and ambition were to put their talents to work on improving their community? The education and welfare of youth have always been a major concern of the Lions. The Lions Club is one of many sponsors of the Alachua County Youth Fair and Livestock Show, said Cindy Sanders, Alachua County Extension director, University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agriculture Extension, Livestock Agent III, in a telephone interview. The show is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 5-10, at the Alachua County Fairgrounds, 3100 NE 39th Avenue. Since 1980, 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FAA) . . . from Alachua County have been exhibiting livestock or

non-livestock projects at this annual fair, Sanders said. Traditionally this has been an agricultural based project, but it has been expanded to include non-livestock projects that give city kids an opportunity to participate. In the livestock category, Sanders continued, we have beef cattle, dairy cattle, market steers, market hogs, market goats, breeding goats, rabbits, and chickens. Non-livestock exhibits include posters, public speaking, leadership activities, hay decorating contests, stamp collections, and baking contest for cookies and cakes. Sanders said 350 youth participate in the fair, school-age children eight to 16 years old enrolled in Alachua County 4-H or FFA through the schools. Its free and a good family-oriented fun event where you can milk a cow and pet the animals, she said. The fair is organized and run by the Youth Fair Board, a nonpro t organization composed of 30 volunteers. Activities go on every day and conclude on March 10 with the animal sale, Sanders said. The kids who have steers, hogs or goats will be able to auction them off at that time. People from the community and businesses from Gainesville and throughout

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Malerie Whitehurst with Miss Gainesville, Keiko Osumi, at a show in 2014. Malerie poses with her mother Mae,who had conducted a goat-exhibitor meeting at the UF Horse Training Unit.

PHOTOGRAPHY: RAY CARSON

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Alachua County can come out to support the youth. The auction draws 1,500 people, and proceeds go to the kids. Total attendance from March 5-10 is 4,000 to 5,000. During the six months before the fair, the young participants have fed their animals and learned all their responsibilities regarding nutrition and health. At the University of Florida Horse Teaching Unit on SW 63rd Ave. in Gainesville, Sanders briefed them on record keeping, public speaking, and marketing. They need to know how to market their animals how to contact buyers by writing letters or talking to them, she said. Eighteen-year-old Malerie Whitehurst is hoping to sell a market goat and a breeding goat. Youre supposed to nd buyers for your market animal, she said in a telephone interview. I go out and promote my livestock to local buyers. Malerie grew up on a small farm near Archer, with horses, dogs, cats, and other animals, she said. I helped work cattle. Agriculture has always been a part of my family, and growing up in 4-H head, heart, health, and hands helped me stay in agri as well learning non-livestock activities like sewing, Malerie said. Apart from the goats Maleries exhibiting at the fairgrounds, she also has horses and takes them to shows elsewhere. Its all about how 4-H-ers care for the animals vaccinations,

medical care, appropriate feeding, she explained. It teaches a lot of responsibility at a young age.

One such responsibility is record keeping. You need to keep up with all purchases and

expenses with your animal, Malerie said. You want to be sure you make a pro t at auction and break

even. The pro t from the animal goes into my college fund. Currently on a dual-enrollment program, Malerie attends both P.K. Yonge High School, where shes a senior, and Santa Fe Community College. You learn time management, she said, like how I can take care of my animals and school work. At Santa Fe shes taking algebra and English composition. She plans to attend Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia, and major in diversi ed agri [agriculture], concentrating on agri business, she said. Baldwins just two hours from home, which is a plus. I went up there when my sister Megan was looking at Baldwin. She decided to stay at Santa Fe, majoring in ag. Malerie said shed be at the Youth Fair and Livestock Show every day, looking after her goats and monitoring their sale at auction. My mom will be doing a goat exhibitor meeting, she wrote in an email. Looks like ag runs in the family.

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Youth Fair & Livestock Show

March 5-10Alachua County Fairgrounds

3100 NE 39th AvenueGainesville, FL

LEFT: Malerie Whitehurst performs a sliding stop in a reined cow horse competition.

ABOVE: Malerie poses with Alachua County Extension Director Cindy Sanders. Below: Even County Commissioner Lee Pinkoson got involved, showing a pig at a previous youth fair event.

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COMMUNITY HERITAGE

Much More Than Just a Shoot-Out

Pioneer Days

T wo cowboys in a shootout are not what one normally expects to nd in the sunny downtown area of High Springs. It is, however, a tra-dition the locals have come to expect from the annual High Springs Pioneer Days Celebration. The classic tale of good versus evil takes place every year and locals observe the two characters from long ago face off in a reenactment detailing the early history of a town proud of its early beginnings. This is what makes Pioneer Days so special, Scott Thomason said. As president of the High Springs Chamber of Commerce, he and a team of board members spend an entire year planning the ins and outs of the festival.

Its a celebration of the history of the town, he said. It reminds everyone that attends the festival that we have a very rich history. The town has gone through so many transitions and it celebrates the turn of the century. Held in the last week of April, the High Springs Chamber of Commerce hosts the celebration, which has aimed to bring families together every year since the celebrations inception in 1977. Along with a reenactment, music, food and ven-dors are present at the free event that used to see a large turnout. Back in the heyday, Thomason said, youd get 10,000 to 15,000 [people] a day. It has dropped off a lot but weve been weathering pretty well. In 2014, about 2,000 to 3,000 people came every day of the celebration. Thomason hopes the

W R I T T E N B Y A L E X I A F E R N A N D E ZP H OTO S CO U R T E S Y O F H I G H S P R I N G S C H A M B E R O F CO M M E R C E

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MARCH/APRIL 2015 OUR TOWN MAGAZINE | 29MARCMARCMARCMARCMARCMMARCARMARCARCMAA CMARCMARCARMAMAMARCMAMARRMARARCMARMARCMMAMARCMARCMARCMARCCCCARCARCMAARCRCARRRMARCCMARCCMMAMAMMARCARCARCRCARCMARCCMARCMAARCAMARCRARCMARMARCMARCH/APH/APH/APH/APH/AP//APH/APH/APPH/APPP/APHH/APAH/AP/APH/APAPAAPH/APH/APH/APH/AH/AP/AAAAPPH/APH/AH/APH/AHHH/A/AH/APH/AH/H/H/H/A/AAH/AP/AP/APH/APAAH/AH/AP/AP// RILRILRRILRIRILRILRILIIRRRILRIRILRR LRILRRILRIRILRRRILILLLLLRRRILRILRRRILRILLRILRRRRIILIL 2202022020010000011515551515515200010152200001115202000001511115555555520000150155522000015111552220000001115155555222000000111555551555222220201002011515515515522202202012020015555501522002000200201155555 OUOOUOUOOOOOUOUUUROUURRRUROUOURURURUUROURROOUROOUURRURROUROOOOURURRROUROOOUUURRROUROOOOOUUUUUUURRRRRROUROUROOOOUROUROUROUOUROUR URRRUROOOOOOUROUR UUR RUROOOURUUUU TOWNTOWTOWTOTOWNOOWNTOWNTOWNWTOWNWNWWNWWNWNNNWNWNTOTOWNTOWTOOWNWNNNTTOWNTOWTOWNTOWTOWTOWNWNTOWTOWTOWTOWNOOOTOOWWWWWNTTOWNTOWNTOWTOWWWWWWWNTOWNNNTOWNTTOWNTOOOOOWTOWWWOWTOWNNNNNNNNNTOWNTOWNOTOWNWWWWWWWWWNNNTOWNTOWNTOWTOWNTOWTOWTOWTOWOWNOOWOOOWOWNWWWOWWNNNNTOWNNNTTOWNTOWNTOTTOWOWWWNTTTTOWNT WWWNNN MMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAMAMAGAGAGMAGMAGMAGMAGMAGMMMMAAAAAAMAAGGMAGMAGGGMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAGGMAGGGGGMMMMMMMMAAAAAGAGGGGGGMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAGGAGGGMMMMMMMAAAAGAGGGAGAGAGAGMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAGGMMMMMMMMMMAAAAGGGGGMMMAAAAMMMMMAA AAAAAZAAZAAAZINAZZAZAZINIAZINAZINAZINAZINAZINAZINNNNAAAZZZIAZIAZIAZINAZINAZINAZINZINAAAAAZZZZZIAZINAZINAAZAZZINAZINININAAZINAZINZINNAAZZZZZINNNZZZZZINZININNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE |||||||||||||||||||||| 2222222229292929999992229299992999992292929992999292929292929299929299299922292299292222929292922229922299999999992222222222299999999992999999999999

Heres some of 2014s winners for a variety of contests held at Pioneer Days including: Craft vendor, Most Unusual vendor, Best Costume, Pie Eating and more!Below, Ben Rogers demonstrates his blacksmith technique.


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numbers will continue to grow back up to what guest turnouts used to be. In the meantime, the chamber will continue to focus on recruiting vendors and craftsmen to showcase and sell their work at the celebration. To boost their involvement in Pioneer Days the chamber is offering a vendor competition in different categories. Were really increased our advertising, he said. Weve tripled our ad budget. We want more people there. Its a great festival to be able to see what High Springs has to offer.

Dot Harvey, communications manager for the High Springs Chamber of Commerce, said the festival has amassed a historical collection that dates back to the very early days of the High Springs community. We have an area called Heritage Village, she said. Its a collection of different individuals show-ing aspects of pioneer life. There are also Native American sections were dance circles are set up to show the ceremonial dances. Apart from showing the cultural diversity within the town, the Pioneer Days Celebration also encour-ages participants to visit the High Springs Museum.

The museum holds an extensive amount of displays, such as dioramas of the railroad that ran through the town as well as the historic quilt show. The celebration is mostly an opportunity to bring the community together, Harvey said. It is an opportunity to showcase the history but also to showcase the things people in town have to offer. Were trying to get churches and youth groups involved, she said, to cook and raise money for themselves. Its also another way to highlight them and get the community to notice. Residents of the High Springs area are not the only ones to take notice. Last year, a group traveling from California to Florida on bikes stopped to enjoy the festivities. They were just passing through this area but they stayed for quite a while, Harvey said. They really, really enjoyed it. One of them bicycled back after going off for a few miles to buy his wife a hand-made piece of jewelry for their anniversary. Handcrafted jewelry, pie-eating contests and costume contests are deeply ingrained as a part of the Pioneer Days Celebration. The chamber of commerce is also hoping to bring back things like old-fashioned kettle corn, an item that once was a mainstay but that had to be cut due to budgeting. A live broadcast of the celebration will be hap-pening with Cowboy Steve on 98.1 on Saturday and Big Red from K Country on Sunday. Thomason admits that promoting the celebration is a slow build up, but believes itll pay off in the end. Im excited, he said. Theres a lot of man-hours put into this but we enjoy it. When you see the kids come and have a smile on their face, its worth it.

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Barbara Salagi demonstrates her spinning and tatting skills used for making lace.

A live broadcast of the celebration will be happening with Cowboy Steve on 98.1 on Saturday and Big Red from K Country on Sunday.

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T H E G A I N E S V I L L E H A R L E Y - D A V I D S O N F A M I L Y I N 2 0 1 5

4 1 2 5 N O R T H W E S T 9 7 B O U L E V A R D , G A I N E S V I L L E , F L 3 2 6 0 6 W W W . G A I N E S V I L L E H A R L E Y . C O M 3 5 2 - 3 3 1 - 6 3 6 3

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But when its all being cooked to raise money to help area children? Well, now, that just makes it even better. That is precisely what Kiwanis Club of Gainesville is doing on March 14th with its 38th Annual Pancake Day hosted by Gainesville High School. For $5 per person (free for children under six years of age) diners can indulge in an all-you-can-eat pancake extravaganza, with all of the proceeds going to the many Kiwanis Club efforts to help area children. As with many of its events, the breakfast is run in cooperation with the Kiwanis Club of University City. Were celebrating the 100th anniversary of Kiwanis by

inviting families, hungry breakfast-lovers and children of all ages to join us for all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, orange juice and coffee, said Scottie Butler, president of the Kiwanis Club of University City. Remember, children under six years of age eat free, take-outs are available and 100 percent of the pro ts go to bene t children. Kiwanis is an international civic organization that is deeply involved in community service. Its mission is service to children. The association was founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1915 and is headquartered in Indianapolis. The six permanent values of Kiwanis International were

There is nothing like the aroma of pancakes, maple syrup and hot coffee on a cool morning, accompanied by the sizzling of bacon and sausage.

Rise and Shine!W R I T T E N B Y E R I C K A W I N T E R R O W D | P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y K R I S T I N K O Z E L S K Y

THE KIWANIS CLUBS ANNUAL PANCAKE BREAKFAST

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approved by Kiwanis club delegates during the 1924 International Convention. Through the decades, they have remained unchanged, To give primacy to the human and spiritual rather than to the material values of life. To encourage the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships. To promote the adoption and the application of higher social, business, and professional standards. To develop, by percept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive, and serviceable citizenship. To provide, through Kiwanis clubs, a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render altruistic service, and to build better communities. And to cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high ide-alism which make possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism, and goodwill. The two Gainesville clubs support programs and groups such as Girls Place, Alachua County 4-H, youth leadership programs, Bringing Up Grades (BUG) for elementary kids, and, with the Gainesville Fire Rescue, Safety City. The clubs also sponsor Builders Clubs for elementary students, high school Key Clubs, Circle K for university students and Kids Count, a tutoring program for elementary students. The Worlds Greatest Baby Shower is another program supported by the Gainesville Kiwanis Clubs. Sheila Crapo heads the committee planning for the event, a major project for the past 10 years. She has been a Kiwanis member for 14 years. The goal of the shower, Crapo said in a previous interview, is to reach young parents and help them get the information and assistance they need to be successful mothers and fathers and to have healthy, happy children. We help them navigate the avenues available to them and educate them on how to care for their young ones. Operating under the initiative of Young Children: Priority One, Kiwanis of Gainesville promotes the needs of area youth in many ways. The clubs Safety City facility in East Gainesville teaches children skills needed to safely navigate roads and to avoid unsafe situations. Members join forces with Concerned Christians for the Community to build handicapped ramps for children in mobile homes. In addition, the Kiwanis Club also helps maintain the Girl Scout property with a spring cleanup every year. As part of a global volunteer organization, Kiwanis International members stage nearly 150,000 service projects, devote more than six million hours to service and raise nearly $100 million every year for communities, families and programs worldwide. Yet, the overriding theme to all of this effort is focused on one child at a time. Through ticket sales and donations, the breakfast raises approx-imately $10,000 each year to fund service projects as if anyone needed another good reason to eat some pancakes. Both Gainesville Kiwanis clubs meet weekly to hear from guest speakers, share information, happenings and events. Newcomers and visitors are welcome. Meeting and event information can be found online or by calling 352-495-1742 or 352-377-4000.

The 2015 Pancake Breakfast will be held on Saturday, March 14th from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Gainesville High School Cafeteria, 1990 NW 13th Street. Cost: $5 all-you-can-eat (children under six years of age eat free).


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CRYSTAL HENRYS

Naked SalsaSURROGATE SAGA: THE TRANSFER

CRYSTAL HENRY IS A FREELANCE WRITER AND COLUMNIST BORN AND RAISED IN WEST TEXAS. SHE RECEIVED HER B.S. IN JOURNALISM IN 2006 FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. SHE IS IN LOVE WITH THE FLORIDA LANDSCAPE. [email protected]

WHEN LAST WE MET I WAS GETTING MY LADY STRAWS BLOWN OUT BY A MEDIEVAL WENCH I LOVINGLY REFERRED TO AS DR. RAMROD.

H er ndings had recently given our surrogate journey the green light to transfer town. So after waiting a few extra days for my cycle to get with the program I started the lovely med protocol leading up to T Day. I started with some run-of-the-mill birth control pills. Nothing to see here folks. I chased them with a few prenatal horse pills and it was business as usual. Then it was time for my rst at-home injection: Lupron. This little baby was designed to put my reproductive party in park. It was the teeniest of needles, but for someone who used to routinely pass out at a simple blood draw this was big news. I wasnt really nervous until Hubs said, Man, I dont know how youre going to just stab yourself. I couldnt. Pshaw, I thought. No big deal. Its for the cause. Tally ho. However, once I had the teeny needle locked, loaded and against my belly I got a wee bit nervous. Breaking the skin seemed downright impossible, so I trudged into the living room in defeat and enlisted the help of my gallant husband. He seemed a little too giddy to jam the safety pin sized needle in my gut. He did it quick and dirty and it was over before I even knew it began. I decided his glee was a little disturbing, so I took the rest of my injections on myself. Id researched the transfer drugs extensively so I could be prepared for any ill side effects. From what I could tell, Lupron was supposed to send me into a temporary menopause. Judging from what Ive seen from the women in my life who have faced the MenoMonster I prepared for the worst. I was ready to snap into crazy town, but the worst I got were some mild hot ashes. The real party started a week or so later with the granddaddy of all injections: Progesterone In Oil, a.k.a. PIO shots. Those mother lovers come in a vial of thick sesame oil that needs to

be heated under your armpit for a while so it goes in a bit easier. Its so thick that theres an 18 gauge needle to draw it out of the vial and a 22 gauge to shoot it into your body. Intimidation isnt even the right word for that thing. I iced my bum while I heated the oil under my arm. I was super nervous about this one. But honestly, if my end game is to shoot a person from my loins, this was childs play. Still though. Needle. I took a deep breath, turned my head and twisted the needle in my rump. Once it broke the skin it actually went in pretty smooth. What surprised me was how long it took to push that thick oil through the needle hole into my bum. It was pretty tough to get the magic ooze through, but I did it. And I did it for the next week until I found myself in Sunny

California for the big transfer. I ew in a few days early just to avoid any stress

with missed ights and whatnot. I got to explore the city, sleep in a ridiculously fluffy hotel room bed all by myself and eat all kinds of delicious foods without having to cut any-ones meat. I am eternally grateful for my two beautiful little darlings, but I cant say

I didnt enjoy sleeping without a tiny foot in my ribcage and only taking myself to the potty.

The night before the transfer, Baby Mama and Baby Daddy took me to the awesome taco shack where

they shared their rst date. We went on a little trip down memory lane, and I lined my uterus with their love story. It was extremely sweet, and the next morning just hours before they put their one and only embryo into my womb, we had breakfast on the seaside and drove past their rst house. The ride to the clinic was quiet as was the waiting room. But once we got in the room and I was wearing my sexy lap sheet I couldnt keep hilariously inappropriate things from spilling out of my mouth. I even cracked jokes as the doc transferred their one shot at a biological child into my womb. It all happened so fast I almost missed it. Wham, bam, thank you maam. But there it was on the ultrasound screen. The little beacon of hope dropped like a spec of dust into my womb. Now all we could do is wait.

COLU

MN

The real partystarted a week or so later

with the granddaddy of all injections:

Progesterone In Oil, a.k.a. PIO shots.

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If you dont think a 78-pound 6th grader could kick your butt,you might want to think again.

KarateKidS tanding at 4-foot-8 with deep blue eyes, porcelain skin and silky locks of bright blonde hair, Danielle Hagan may look delicate, but after only six years of practicing martial arts, shes proven shes no fragile

baby doll. In the past year alone, she has earned a black belt in Taekwondo, trophies that beat her height by more than a foot, World Championship gold medals and a spot on the United States Martial Arts Team with Team Alabama. And Danielles not stopping any time soon. What this 11-year-old Cross City native lacks in size, she makes up for in big dreams and dedication. For now, she attends local tournaments about every other week, but her ulti-mate objective is to compete in the Olympic Games. While she is currently too young to qualify for the Rio

2016 Olympics, she could be a high prospect for the next summer cycle in Tokyo. I caught on fast, she said about her natural air for the sport when she began Tang Soo Do at 5 years of age. And its kind of a goal Ive always set to be the best in the world at karateIve just been working at it and working at it. Mr. Gnad, the head instructor at Star Martial Arts and Danielles private mentor, said its hard to predict where Danielle will end up in the sport because shes still so young. To measure success, it all depends on goals whether a 60-year-old student aims to achieve a black belt or a younger student aims to lose some weight. The martial artist of nearly 40 years said Danielle has already accomplished a lot, but to achieve success in her long-term goals, it depends on how much work she is willing to put in going forward.

S T O R Y A N D P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y M A R I S A R O S S

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His cardinal rule is to never compare students, but he describes her current effort and dedication as above average, and he believes her talent, drive and ability could help her reach her full potential and make it to the top. But its not just martial arts she strives to excel in. While the sport may consume most of her time and thoughts, she and her parents insist school is always a rst priority. Thats why shes a straight-A student, an avid reader and a member of the basketball team at Ruth Rains Middle School. And if she isnt already occupied enough with lengthy biweekly training sessions, daily 35-minute workouts before breakfast, learning how to do ips from YouTube tutorials and playing basketball games throughout the week, Danielle said she also had a role in the school play, Big Bad, and is considering joining the softball team. However, when it comes down to it, for more than a sense of personal accom-plishment and the glory that comes along with about 100 medals and 100 trophies over owing in her house, doing martial arts is what really brings Danielle to what she calls her happy place, and she describes it with an unlikely metaphor. I just go to a place thats like...ice cream, she said. Its amazing, its relaxing, its cool, its fun to go to and its colorful. An hour of Taekwondo can burn up to about 700 calories, so although she generally sticks to a Team USA approved diet, its no wonder her mind occasionally escapes to her favorite indulgences of chicken nuggets and French fries. Her father, David, said she tends to get distracted often, especially by food like any other typical kid but her focus returns when her shoes come off and her black belt comes on.

Shes got this little switch, he said, but when shes in tourna-ment mode, she takes it to the next level. Those who have watched her perform or sat in on one of her private lessons or classes recently shes studying jiu-jitsu would understand what he means. After warm-ups of running suicides, jumping jacks and burpees, she still remains pretty relaxed. But once shes up against an opponent, theres a clear shift in her intense gaze: cheeks as ushed as her hot pink headband, knuckles clenched tight, swirls of silvery metallic polish on her toes ash by as her feet sweep across the mat. Injuries dont divert her attention, either, David said. After she suffered a broken right thumb, pulled a hamstring and broke her humerus (none of which were caused by martial arts), she didnt shed a tear, he said, but she got mad when she realized shed have to sit out of practice for some time. Shes not superhuman, but she does have a marvel super-lative. In addition to other nicknames like Little Ninja

YOUNG ATHLETES >> DANIELLE HAGAN

In a male-dominant sport, it doesnt bother her that shes one of the only girls at lessons. It makes her stronger, she said, and its fun to beat the boys.

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a n d B e a st , Te a m Alabama, of which she represents for Team USA, deemed her the Black Widow among their own superhero names. Why is hers different from the other popular gures in the sky? Because they said I could kick butt without superpowers, Danielle said.

Her peers at Star Martial Arts pick up on this. I bet you 10 bucks Danielle will win, some would say when they watch, and Do I really have to ght Danielle? others would sigh. One boy in the group said, What? Are you scared of a girl? In a male-dominant sport, it doesnt bother her that shes one of the only girls at lessons. It makes her stronger, she said, and its fun to beat the boys. In fact, being a girl was one of the reasons she was initially drawn to the sport. I liked the fact that not many girls did it, so I wanted to be different, she said. One day, she aspires to be like her idol, Ronda Rousey, a mixed martial artist who quali ed for the 2004 Olympics in Athens at 17 years of age. But unlike her Ronda, who began Judo at 11, Danielle got her rst chance at 5 years old when a karate demonstration came to her school and picked her tiny, outstretched arm from the

300-student crowd to try it out. Later that night, she went home and plead, Mom, Mom, Mom, Dad, Dad, Dad, you have to put me in karate. After months of what her parents called persistent pester-ing, they nally agreed to let her try a two-week program as a birthday gift, despite their worries about her size. They admit they didnt fully expect her to stick with it at the time, but now theyre her biggest supporters. Danielle and her parents commute an hour each way to Gainesville twice a week just to train with Mr. Gnad at Star Martial Arts by Yamatos and the Oaks Mall. Her dad helps her choreograph routines, her mom manages the social media and both are committed to helping her achieve her best effort. So now, after her recent win of four gold, one silver and one bronze at TAFISA World Martial Arts Games in Vancouver in September, which was the rst of its kind to be recognized by the Olympic Committee, whats next for the ambitious 11-year-old? Where will she be in 11 more years? Famous, she said. As an aspiring actress, martial arts instructor and owner of a community athletics center, the self-proclaimed elite athlete has several goals to tackle, but shes ready to crush any doubt of her future success, just like she did for her rst goal of getting started in the sport. I knew it would be hard, but thats kind of the reason I wanted to do it, she said. I wanted to prove I could do something that was hard.

I knew it would be hard, but thats kind of the reason I wanted to do it.

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YOUNG GUN

Meet Junior Competitive Shooter Anniston Baluyot

Shooting Star

O ne Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. Two Always keep your nger off the trigger until ready to shoot. Three Always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use. Of cial NRA safety rules. Many have used the term like a girl as an insult, a way to communicate weakness or inferi-ority You throw like a girl, You run like a girl, You ght like a girl. In a society where men are associated with rough and tough sports, one 14-year-old Gainesvillian is showing the male-driven world of competitive shoot-ing that to shoot like a girl is pretty awesome too. Anniston Baluyot is not your average kid. In-between taking AP and Honors courses at

Buchholz High School and staying involved in her school clubs and churchs teen ministry, she also shoots competitively all the while earning a 4.50 GPA. Not bad, not bad at all. The beginning of this naturals story starts with the fact that she had no interest in guns at all. At rst I didnt want to shoot, she said. And my dad asked me to go to the range with him once, and I said sure. So I went out and shot a .22, which is the smallest [caliber]. And I liked it, so then we started doing private lessons and it just kind of escalated to where we are now. Anniston and her father, dentist Rondre Baluyot, owner of The Oaks Family Dentistry and courtesy clinical assistant professor at UFs dental school, are now certi ed NRA pistol instructors Anniston is an apprentice. This father-daughter shooting duo

W R I T T E N B Y E R I C K A W I N T E R R O W DP H OTO G R A P H Y B Y R O N D R E B A L U YOT

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Anniston works on accuracy drills with UF Practical Pistol Team co-captain Cortland Bailey. The belt setup she is wearing is specifi cally laid out for USPSA pistol competition. Her belt system allows her to quickly change with her 3-Gun setup.


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practice and compete together. And it seems Anniston is catching up to her dad rather quickly, often times scoring higher at certain stages during their matches. So shes beat one out of ve stages on the rst [match] we both competed in, and then this past one was two out of ve stages, Rondre said. So at this trend, the next match she should actually beat me at three out of ve stages. He said whenever he gets the chance to compete against his daughter he will, just to keep her on her toes; otherwise hes happy just being her caddy daddy or papa-razzi at competitions. We have this little thing that if she does beat me then she gets a shopping spree. So far, my ATM/debit card is

safe, but Im getting nervous, he said with a chuckle. Competitive pistol shooting is an internationally rec-ognized sport, and pretty much all the top shooters in the nation are involved with the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA). Anniston is part of Young Guns, the organizations junior program. After just starting to train competitively since last August, she has already received recognition as one of the up-and-coming athletes to look out for. Anniston said that shooters can use different kinds of guns for competitions and that there are several categories

one can be put into. For example, a three-gun competition is one of the most challenging because competitors must use a pistol, ri e and a shotgun. Im in production the most basic one and I shoot a Smith and Wesson 9mm [gun], she said. Rondre explained that what the production category means is that it is just a factory gun. Its pretty similar to a lot of different sports, like archery, he said, where you have basic levels and equip-ment and then they can go up to very fancy and expensive guns that are thousands of dollars. Practices and competitions consist of hitting paper or cardboard targets and even steel targets that can activate

paper targets during different stages. A shooter is then scored on two factors; hitting the target and the time it takes them to do so. The goal is to hit the target where youre supposed to hit it, where it counts the most points. Those are the A-zones or the Alphas, Rondre said. And then you do it as fast as you can. So thats how you get better and better because youre learning how to shoot under pressure and accurately with speed. Rondre also explained that there are different levels of shooters. First, one would start off as unclassi ed. Then, they

Anniston is one of the most motivated shooters I have ever seen. To progress in practical shooting, just like any other sport, you have to be dedicated.

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would become a D shooter, which is an entry-level shooter; pretty much everybody starts off at the D level. Then the shooter would make the jump to a C, B, and hopefully make it to the A-Class. Finally, the most prestigious levels are Master and Grand Master. Each of the local competitions is a chance for a shooter to move up in classi cation, which helps when competing at the major matches. The higher one is ranked, the big-ger the prizes will be. Rondre said that the winnings are usually cash prizes or expen-sive equipment. Sponsorships can also happen for shooters at a high classi cation. Anniston surprised everyone at her very rst match. She actually skipped a classi cation, Rondre said. Most people start at D and she shot well enough that she would have been a C-Class shooter, which a lot of people would take months to years to get to that [level]. Annistons coach, Steven Bottcher, the president of Gainesville Target Range, notes her dedication to the sport as a huge factor in how quickly her talent has risen. Anniston is one of the most motivated shooters I have ever seen. To progress in practical shooting, just like any other sport, you have to be dedicated, Bottcher said. Not very many people shoot a C-Class score on their first classifier, or beat out as many people in their rst match as she did. Im excited as her coach and as a fellow shooter to see Anniston climb the ranks in both USPSA and 3-Gun competitions. As Annistons shooting star rises, so does her effort to show other young girls that women are more than capable to compete in the sport. I think its so important for women to be a part of this, Anniston said. One, it shows that women can do whatever men can do. But it also shows that girls are strong too, and its also a form of self-defense, being able to take care of yourself. She said when she rst started competing in the sport she was intimidated because most of the male shooters were twice her size. But theyre all really nice and every-bodys there to help with each other and nobody looks down upon anyone. Annistons aspirations as a shooter are to progress to a national level. I want [my shooting career] to further

YOUNG ATHLETES >> ANNISTON BALUYOT

Anniston participates in the Revolutionary War Veterans Associations Appleseed Marksmanship Program. On her fi rst test, she scored at Sharpshooter level, outscoring all of the other participants with ages ranging from juniors to adults. Practice includes mock stages and using shot-timers to record her shooting speed.

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me because I want to work for the FBI one day, she said. Hopefully, as I continue to progress, it will help me get in to that eld. Working towards her dream of one day becoming a special agent, Anniston trains with the UF pistol team every Sunday where she continues to work on her speed and accuracy. The UF pistol team is part of the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation, Rondre said. So this is a national program for high school and college shooting. They compete locally and they also have nationals as well. So far, Anniston has been the top female shooter at every match she has competed in. She is also the only junior shooter that typically comes to the events. And she usually scores pretty well, Rondre said. Shell also beat a couple of guys too. Next on her to-do list is the Area 6 Championship in April, which is for the Southeastern region. About 430 competitors will be in attendance for the all-day event.

Its 12 stages, so its just like two local matches back-to-back, Rondre said. This will be the biggest competition that she will be a part of since she has started in the sport. For a girl who describes herself in one word determined, theres no doubt Anniston will give it her all. At the heart of her shooting career is the bond that Anniston and her father share. And they hope to inspire other father-daughter teams as well as young girls looking to get involved in the sport. I have spoken to the National USPSA Young Guns director and to the Gainesville Target Range about moving forward to more youth oriented courses in 2015, Rondre said. With Anniston and I being an NRA-certi ed Pistol Instructor and Instructor-apprentice, we look forward to helping senior instruc-tors in teaching other juniors about basic gun safety, respecting rearms, and competition. To stay updated on Annistons progress check out her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/annistonjrshooter

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Anniston shoots .223/5.56 caliber in rifl e, 12-gauge in shotgun, and 9mm in pistol. She is currently receiving sponsorship interests from a number of companies including an ammunition manufacturing company.

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With SunState Federal Credit Unions free online bill pay, taking care of your monthly bills has never been easier. With easy-to-use features and convenient access to your account, you can send one time or recurring payments to companies or individuals as easy as click, click, click!

SunState is committed to the fi nancial well-being of our members; that, and state-of-the-art electronic account access, is the SunState difference. Dedicated to you, in everything we do,

even one click at a time.

Its as easy asclick... click... click!

www.sunstatefcu.org

Proudly servingour members andour communitysince 1957

352-381-5200

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His portfolio of landscape and wildlife photography ranges from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, and for al-most 30 years John Moran has been giv-

ing us pictures that take our breath away. SunState Federal Credit Union is proud to feature in several of their branches Journal of Light, a major traveling exhibit of the Florida Museum of Natural History. Displayed throughout SunStates Main offi ce and Jonesville branch, these pictures give a unique per-spective to the natural and varied beauty that our state has to offer. Journal of Light was an exhibit that we put to-gether with John in 2005 and enjoyed here at the

Museum for nearly eight months, said Darcie Mac-Mahon, exhibits director for the Museum of Natural History. It then traveled to six venues around Flori-da, including the Museum of Florida History in Talla-hassee, the South Florida Museum in Bradenton, the Collier County Museum in Naples, the Beaches Mu-seum and History Center in Jacksonville Beach, Mu-seum of Florida Art and Culture in Avon Park and Hillsborough Community College in Tampa. Since the conclusion of the statewide tour, Sun-State Federal Credit Union stepped in to give the exhibit a permanent home in our community. Were very excited to have this unique oppor-tunity, said Robert Hart, vice president of market-

S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G F E A T U R E

Journal of LightJohn Morans Florida Wildlife Photographyon exhibit at SunState Federal Credit Union

The entire collection has a permanent home at SunState Federal Credit Union.

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ing with SunState. Johns collection offers a rare insight to the beauty and majesty of our natural surroundings, and were proud to be able to house such an impressive collec-tion. We invite anyone interested in these photographs to stop by for a visit. As a University of Florida graduate, Moran enjoyed a 23-year career as a photographer, writer and editor for The Gainesville Sun. Moran left the world of daily journalism in 2003 to concentrate fulltime on photographing the best of Floridas varied natural beauty. Since that time, Morans pho-tography has appeared in numerous books and magazines including National Geographic, Life, Time, Newsweek, Smith-sonian, The New York Times Magazine and the National Audu-bon Society Field Guide to Florida. I am delighted that the exhibit will have continued life as a long-term installation in our own community, MacMahon said. Johns work is such a beautiful celebration of natural Florida. My hope for the exhibit is that it inspires people from all walks of life to appreciate and help conserve our natural wonders. For more than 50 years, SunState has always believed in running a business that focuses on its members, and the addi-tion of this exhibit provides our community a permanent home from one of Floridas most widely recognized photographers. SunState believes that delivering the highest level of cus-tomer satisfaction is more than just a clich, more than some-thing you print on a business card. Its a dedication and a com-mitment that is the heart and soul of their institution. As a member-focused credit union, SunState strives to deliver on its promise to be more than just a great fi nancial institution, but a collection of individuals that care. SunState continues to build and offer innovative products and new technologies to meet the ever-changing needs of its membership. An example is the Nickel Back promotion. The fi rst in our area to offer this unique opportunity, SunState will pay you a nickel for every signature debit card transaction you make. Deposited nightly, directly into your SunState Fed-eral Credit Union checking account, there is no need to accu-mulate points, fi ll out forms or hassle with customer service. Just use your debit card and earn free money! Since its incep-tion, this program has given back almost 14 million nickels.

If you havent already made the switch to SunState, why not join a team that will help build your personal fi nancial future? Membership is open to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist and Levy Counties. Built for times like these, built for you!

www.sunstatefcu.org

Proudly serving our membersand our community since 1957

352-381-5200

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SWITNESS THE FITNESS

Get Involved in Youth Athletics Programs at Local Facilities

Good Sport

Florida TeamCheer Allstars Florida TeamCheer offers tumbling and cheer fundamentals classes as well as quali ed and experienced coaches for competitive all-star teams at different age levels. As the rst team in North Central Florida to compete at Worlds in 2007 and make 14th place, TeamCheer prides itself on being a relatively small facility with signi cantly fewer members than other national rivals that still manages to get big results.

W R I T T E N B Y M A R I S A R O S S

S pring is upon us, yet that fun-in-the-sun weather isnt here quite yet. The weather may not exactly be ideal for a dip in the pool or a game of beach volleyball, but that doesnt mean you and your family have to hit the couch instead. Luckily, the North Central Florida area has some of the best tness facilities to keep the kids in shape and the adults active too. Here are a few of our local favorites to get involved. Read on to learn about a multi-faceted, all-encompassing athletic center the whole family can enjoy, a highly competitive cheerleading training gym for adolescents, a nationally recognized Trampoline & Tumbling team and a dominant youth volleyball club in the area. The FTC Senior

Blue team placed second in the 2014 Summit

(cheerleadings Super Bowl) against the top 10 percent

of teams in America.

The FTC Senior Blue team in January at Daytona Beach where they placed second in the State Competition.

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Recently, all seven of the current teams have been placing at statewide competitions, including a recent 2nd place win at Varsity All Stars Cheerleading Championship, The Summit, where nearly 500 teams competed. Not only is FTC competitive for regional and national levels, but all experience levels are welcome to develop cheer, tumbling and stunting skills.

How to get involved: Age categories exist for placement to Tiny, Mini, Youth, Junior

and Senior teams, ranging from ages 3 to 18 with beginning and advanced levels. The season begins in December, but try-outs will start the rst week in May; check back on ftcgators.com for an update.

Monthly tuition for classes is $55 (Tiny), $75 (Mini) and $100 (Senior/Junior/Youth) for two-hour sessions twice a week. Individual tumbling sessions are $10, and drop-in open skills sessions are $5 each. The monthly fee for one-hour sessions of tumbling and stunts classes once a week is $55. Prices subject to change; call for nal dates and fees.

For more information, visit ftcgators.com.

Sun Country Sports Center For nearly 30 years, Sun Country Sports Center has coined itself the center of it all for active families and individuals of all ages. It was initially inspired by a need for more youth gymnastics programs, but today, the diverse facility offers much more and currently operates out of two locations. Whether youre seeking a competitive afterschool activity for your child, a recreational class or an occasional visit for a special event, Sun Country is bound to have what youre looking for. While popularity tends to grow in the summer months and cater to kids and families, the facility provides fun tness opportunities year-round for everyone.

How to get involved: Become a member for exclusive deals on class rates and

community events. Non-members can also join the fun during open facility hours.

Classes/programs offered Gymnastics Programs for toddlers focus on interactive

With after school programs, summer camps, and birthday parties, the mission of Sun Country Sports is to provide a safe and inspiring environment offering fi tness and fun for everyone.

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MARCH/APRIL 2015 OUR TOWN MAGAZINE | 55O B S T E T R I C S M I D W I F E R Y G Y N E C O L O G Y

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Documents

Our Town 2015 MAR-APR (Newberry & Jonesville)