The 863 Magazine - September 2013

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www.The863Magazine.com

Letter from the Editor

10 Serve: The Hub

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6 Apropos of NothingYouTube bites back: A musician before social media existed, Jamie Beckett is forced to face the music of his past.By Jamie Beckett

They might be wearing eyeshadow, nail polish and lacy nylons, but the Rockabilly Rebels are all business.By Meredith Jean Morris

Your Polk County Hub offers resources and space to Polk’s growing non-profits that need cost-effective help.

12 Savor: Cover StoryCraft beer — it’s more than just alcohol. Locals are bonding over their beers and the hobby of homebrewing.

5 Thrive: Coconut OilThe oil from a coconut has many uses and is incredibly healthy. Learn all about this exotic edible.

Discover: Roller Derby

By Andrea Cruz

16 Treasure: Polk’s SignsThe signs 863’ers love and consider to be landmarks—they are familiar and truly exclusive to Polk County.

18 Non-Profit SpotlightThe Winter Haven Council of Garden Clubs.

By Donna Kelly

I nnovative people are plentiful in the 863. It never ceases to amaze me the fun

hobbies and interesting ways people occupy their free time, or for that matter, make their hobby their living. The word “bored” is not in their vocabulary and I completely understand this. Now, the word “procrastinate” on the other hand, that’s another thing entirely…

Cooking is a common hobby, but cooking — or brewing — one’s own craft beer takes it to a new level. Read about locals who love to practice this ancient art of concocting their own homebrews, infusing them with unusual ingredients, and then sharing their recipes with others also passionate about craft beer. Getting pushed around isn’t a typical hobby, but these girls give it right back. Lakeland’s Rockabilly Rebels are the local queens of roller derby. To give back to the community, they often skate for a cause, too. Speaking of causes, Polk’s non-profits are plentiful and now they have The HUB, a one-stop location for space, resources, assistance, and community engagement, if needed. The non-profits and small businesses are what, we believe, make communities go ‘round. The signs of those small businesses are reminders of our local culture and oftentimes, the local past. We’ve thrown in a few of the more “famous” signs of East Polk and look forward to featuring other beloved landmarks in future issues.

-Andrea [email protected]

September 2013 From the Editor

Publisher | SERGIO CRUZ

Editor | ANDREA CRUZ

DEBORAH COKER

Contributing Writers | JAMIE BECKETTANDREA CRUZDONNA KELLYMEREDITH JEAN MORRIS

Head Photographer | JODI L. FOSTER

Ad Sales Reps | SERGIO CRUZ

Cover photo: An ice cold craft beer is a great way to cool off and bond with other craft beer lovers. Story on page 12. Photo credit: www.Fosters-Photography.

The 863 Magazine is independently owned and produced in Winter Haven, Florida. For more info: www.The863Magazine.com.

Cover Designer |

4 September 2013


Thrive :: A Superfood Shout-Out

Health Benefits of Coconut oilCoconuts in general are very nutritional,

and the oil itself has many health-related uses. Here are a few.

Look for the organic (or raw), virgin, and cold-pressed coconut oil in your local health food store or grocery section. Refined, hydrogenated oil should be avoided.

Healthy Fats

Coconut oil is loaded with saturated fats, which is typically not a good thing. However,

a coconut’s fats are a special type called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) – fatty acids that are a medium-

chain length and are metabolized differently. The long-chain fatty acids are

the unhealthy kind. The medium chains are turned into energy pretty quickly by the liver

and are reported to be beneficial in some brain disorders.

Lasting EnergyThe MCTs from coconut oil have been found to extend the energy expenditure, compared to an equal amount of fats derived from foods containing long-chain fats. The type of calories consumed, therefore, matters greatly. Fats from coconut oil increase energy, which can help one burn more calories. In the long term, this can help with fighting obesity.Reduces hungerAgain – the MCTs of coconut oil metabolize and turn into ketones, the consumption of which have shown in studies to reduce the appetite. Promotes weight lossReducing appetite and burning more calories is what generally leads to losing weight. And no one needs a study to prove that. Three cheers for MCTs!Cardiovascular benefitsLike some of the other superfoods, the healthy fats of coconut oil have been shown to raise the healthy cholesterol and lower the bad, which may lower the chances of various heart-related conditions.Topical benefitsCoconut oil contains Lauric acid. The 12-carbon acid can attack harmful pathogens, killing some fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Whether consumed or used as a topical ointment on maladies such as rashes, the oil can be very useful in fighting infections. As well, it can also be a great moisturizer and low-level sunscreen (roughly SPF 4).High smoke pointA great alternative in cooking, many use coconut oil because the smoke point is higher than other oils, and well, because it’s so healthy. Contrary to what you might think, it does not make food taste coconut-y. Don’t like the dairy component of butter? Substitute coconut oil.

When I was a young man – and by young man I mean an adult, living on my own,

making my own way in the world. When I was a young man I took a different path than most of my peers. While they studied at college, worked the late shift at fast-food restaurants, and sweated out the creation of their first resume – I was playing around. Literally. Maybe it’s Ed Sullivan’s fault. Every Sunday night he would bring a new, popular band into my living room where I was blessed to watch and listen and envy the glamorous lifestyle of a successful musician. Tommy James and the Shondells, Sly and the Family Stone, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Lovin’ Spoonful, Stevie Wonder, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Band, the Jackson 5, and so many more representations of permanent joy and contentment streamed into my life via the local CBS affiliate. It was heaven. It was mostly a myth, too. Like so many other young boys, and by young boys I mean those of us who had not yet reached puberty, I picked up a guitar and proceeded to make my family miserable with the twanging, clanging, and off-key caterwauling coming from the room I shared with

my older brother. The pain I inflicted was enough that I was eventually banished to my own bedroom. It wasn’t really a bedroom. It was the tool room at the back of the carport. Unheated as it was and isolated from the rest of the family, I suspect there was a hope that I would one day come to my senses and give up the six-stringed monster and move back indoors with civilized people. There are few who willingly live through a Connecticut winter without heat. I was one of the few. Such is the life of a wannabe musician. I mention all this because if you’re over a certain age, you knew someone just like me. Heck, you might even be one of my fellow outcasts. So many of us suffered from the same disease, yet so few made it to Ed Sullivan’s stage. I know I never did. But the dream persisted anyway. Here’s where the whole trip down memory lane gets weird. There were no computers in my musical youth. Not because we were poor and couldn’t afford them. They just hadn’t become mainstream items you could go buy at the store. Because there were no computers, there was no Internet. And because there was no Internet, there was no YouTube. If we were playing a club and hit a sour note, it died at the back of the room and the beat went on, unharmed. When the singer forgot the words we might grumble or we might laugh, but the incident was a fleeting one. It was quickly forgotten. Those were wonderful times. But times change. Uh-oh. Computers have become ubiquitous in the office and in the home. The Internet got so big it’s even streaming to our phones. And YouTube has come along to spoil

everything. No longer can old, bald men like me tell stories about the band we were in way-back-when. We can’t embellish the truth with tales of how good we were, how popular we became, or how many fans would flock to see us. YouTube has become the repository of all our worst nightmares. We who braved the stage long ago now find that clunker of a note did not die at the back of the room after all. It was captured on tape and now plays on demand on the Internet for anyone to see – worldwide. Our fondest memories have been rebutted by carefully recorded evidence that proves we were fallible, without full control of our fingertips or vocal chords. Worst of all, the sound of laughter that came from my parents and siblings has now been replaced by the chuckles and taunts of my children. I wonder if Duke Burr, Carl Chambers, and their fellow 863 musical brethren have suffered this same fate. Man, let me tell you. It can be tough to live a dream. Ed Sullivan didn’t prepare me for this. In the 1980s Jamie Beckett wrote, played, sang, recorded, and toured with The Broken Hearts. Their album, “Want One?” is available through iTunes, which didn’t even exist back in the day. Who’d a thunk it?

Jamie Beckett appears to be an average, everyday guy who just happens to hail from Arizona, Connecticut, New York City, and Central Florida. He wears many hats — pilot, mechanic, writer, politician, musician, stay-at-home dad — often an odd combination of all those things. Frankly, we don’t care. At The 863 Magazine we just keep him around because we think he’s funny. That’s that. www.JamieBeckett.com

6 September 2013

An Editorial by Jamie Beckettpropos of othingNA

Make that smart phone pay for itself.

Mention or check-in with The 863 Magazine’s “No-Cut Coupons” advertisers and save some quick cash!

See page 21for check-in opportunities.

IIt’s a typical evening for a group of Polk County athletes. They gather at their arena, put on their uniforms

and protective gear and get ready for some rough contact with the other team. However, these athletes don’t play a typical sport. Their uniforms include leopard-print hot pants and fishnet stockings, and the contact they are anticipating all happens while speeding around an oval rink on roller skates. This is roller derby, and the team is the Rockabilly Rebels, a part of the Lakeland Derby Dames. And, these ladies mean business.

The Lakeland Derby Dames is a skater-owned and skater-operated women’s flat track roller derby league founded in March 2010. The Dames’ goal is to provide amateur athletic entertainment and promote the advancement of athleticism and empowerment for women in a fun and inclusive atmosphere. Additionally, the Lakeland Derby Dames are committed to raising funds for charities to make the local community a better place. The women involved in this

league hold such titles as teachers, nurses, restaurant employees and business administrators; however, when they are skating they have names like Bo Deckher,

Shelbizzle Fo Shizzle, Cherry Cherry Garcia, Iva Grudge, Shy-Copath, Bullet Proof Chest, Candy Heartless, Vagabond Rouge, Yo! Adrienne and Hell Oh Kitty. These are names and personalities that help incite fear in the competition — or at least poke a little fun. The game is played by two teams roller skating in the same direction on an oval track. Each


Lakeland Derby Dames

The Rockabilly Rebels huddle at half-time to plan their strat-egy against the opponents.

Continued on page 9

By Meredith Jean Morris | Photos by Andrea Cruz

8 September 2013

team has a “block” consisting of about four players, and each team has a “jammer,” who tries to break through the opposing team’s block. If and when the jammer successfully breaks through the block and skates past the opposing team, points are scored. The blockers simultaneously try to block the opposing team’s jammer, while also helping their own jammer pass by. The Lakeland Derby Dames currently have more than 20 skaters on the master roster as well as a group of regular approximately 10 volunteers.Chris Jemec, who is also known as Smack Brown, is the team’s bench coach. “I got involved because of my wife, Bo Deckher,” he said of his wife, who also is the team captain, league president and bout coordinator. “She heard about the team when it started in 2010, and wanted something to do. My first thought was, ‘Oh, anther sport,’ because she has also played softball and basketball. She’s an extreme athlete.” Bo Deckher, who works in the hospitality business when not wearing skates, stated that derby is the perfect outlet after a day at work. “I am in the hospitality business, so that means that I get the joy of dealing with the public all day,” she said. “So, by night I am ready to share all the joy of the day with my team. By the end of practices I reach inner peace knowing I have spread the joy of my day through hard hits and steady skating.” After his wife went out for the team, Smack Brown said he supported her as a spectator. “Then, I transitioned into a referee, and then to bench coach,” he said. “Bo Deckher does the coaching during the practices, but when she becomes Bo Deckher the skater, I fill in as the coach. I manage the bench, set the lineup, help the players keep their heads in the game.” As for coaching the sport, Smack Brown said he has basically learned on the job. “The game of roller derby changes,” he said. “I just watch what’s going on. I’ve taken strategies from other teams that seem to work. Keeping up the big hits and aggression seems to work, and people enjoy watching it.” The interest in the sport has grown during the last three years, particularly escalating during the current season, Smack Brown said. “At the beginning of this season, we averaged about 20 to 30 spectators, but now we have about 125 at each bout,” he said. “It’s really picked up. The sport is growing in popularity.” Stan “the Fan” Martin is one of the league’s dedicated spectators. “I grew up watching derby on television in the ’60s,” Stan the Fan said. “It was an entirely different sport back then — played on a banked, wooden


Lakeland Derby Dames, cont. from pg. 7

Top: Roller derby is played by blocking the

other teams jammer, while helping your own

to get through. Bottom: The jammer

laps around the track to start another round.

Continued on page 14

What does an enterprising businesswoman with a heart for the community do with an empty building? If you’re Chris Hazelwood you put it to work for non-profit organizations

needing space and visibility to help the people they serve. Hazelwood, a banker-turned-florist transformed her flower shop building into The HUB, a non-profit incubator offering various size work spaces for non-profits at 220 W. Central Ave. in Winter Haven. A non-profit incubator is an organization that cultivates the development of a new non-profit organization by providing resources – including office space, networking opportunities, and management assistance – and sometimes funding. “The location is prime – on Central Avenue with a parking lot next door and all of these restaurants around,” says Hazelwood. “It’s ideal for someone to get a non-profit out of their house. I foresee it getting filled up fast.” A private office, including use of a kitchen and parking

lot, is available for $499 while a desk with a phone can be rented by the month for $250 or by the week for $99. A community space and boardroom are also available for a donation.

Hazelwood designed the 3,300 square foot space to encourage growth with green hues, a wood-look floor, and a “giving tree” mural on the wall to honor those who donate to the effort. She visualizes organizations using it for a home base or event space, or both, if needed.

“My dream is to fill up the HUB, and every night have something going on i.e.; yoga, meetings, support, classes, etc. I want to have a countywide calendar of events for all non-profits,” she says. Bob Gernert, executive director of the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce, says an incubator gives a non-profit an increased chance for success. “The concept of sharing overhead costs in a centralized setting gives not-for-profit organizations a wonderful opportunity to get off on the right foot with less capital outlay and monthly overhead,” Gernert says. “This is crucial when dependent on grants and donors.” Within weeks of its July opening, The HUB already had several organizations using the space, including Arts Ensemble Education Foundation and Healing Arts Center and The United Way of Central Florida. Arts Ensemble, an arts incubator located in Eloise, uses the space for various healing arts workshops, including paint along sessions, poetry writing classes, and dramatic reading presentations. According to Executive Director Jane Waters Thomas, The HUB offers Arts Ensemble patrons convenience and atmosphere. “The location of The HUB is very beneficial because many of our clients cannot utilize public transportation to gain access to our main gallery/studio. The HUB is also easy to locate,”

Top left: The HUB founder, Chris Hazelwood, sits in front of a giving tree mural.Lower left: Desks line the wall at The HUB for use by non-profits.

A Non-Profit IncubatorBy Donna Kelly | Photos by Andrea Cruz

The HUB:

says Waters Thomas. “Most importantly, the space and energy of this facility is as beautiful as the concept of providing resources for nonprofit organizations in this day and this time. The building itself lends way to healing just by walking in the doors.” In August, The United Way of Central Florida began using desk space at The HUB in addition to its Highland City and Avon Park offices.“A Winter Haven location strengthens our ability to serve all of East Polk County,” says Executive Director Terry Worthington. The HUB offers a less costly alternative to renting an entire office building. Like Waters Thomas, Worthington appreciates the safe and convenient location as well as the welcoming atmosphere. But he also sees advantages to the synergy created when non-profit organizations work from the same space. “Programs located together gain a clearer understanding and respect for services provided. This encourages collaborations that often lead to improved delivery of services,” Worthington says. Although United Way and Arts Ensemble are not fledgling organizations, Worthington and Waters Thomas agree that The HUB will strengthen their agencies while allowing others to develop. “Exposure and access to services through The HUB could enhance service delivery for a small, lesser known organization,” says Worthington. “Most non-profits lack marketing resources, so a visible location like The HUB would be an asset.” Waters Thomas believes this type of support for non-profits has been needed in Polk County for years. “A common ground and professional space that offers nonprofit groups, especially those that could never afford a meeting environment as nice as this, a place to conduct business or host workshops without the overhead associated is invaluable,” she says. According to Waters Thomas, business overhead is the primary reason nonprofit groups can’t grow or expand their services. “Your Polk County HUB takes the risk out of serving others,” she says. Hazelwood’s journey to The HUB has been filled with tribulations turned to triumphs.In a successful career change during 2000, Hazelwood purchased Lasater Flowers, a family business founded in 1958. She moved the business downtown and it quickly became the “go-to” florist for community leaders, resulting in recognition from the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce and the East Polk Committee of 100 in 2009.

Hazelwood’s life was thrown off kilter in February 2008 when she was diagnosed with cancer. By 2010, her son and daughter-in-law, Chad and Keira Lennox, had become an integral part of the shop. In 2012, they discontinued the gift items and moved Lasater Flowers over a block to 253 Ave A S.W. This left Hazelwood with an empty but highly visible, easily accessible building. Her volunteer work with Meals on Wheels and the American Cancer Society, including a large pampering event held each year for cancer patients, made her well aware of the challenges in running a non-profit. She funneled her knowledge, experience, and real estate into a viable community service. “I held a pampering event here and I thought, ‘Why just cancer?’ Our minds just kept working,” she says. She tossed the idea around with friends, family, and business leaders with mixed reactions. But her husband, Hap Hazelwood, the chief financial officer for Winter Haven’s 6/10 Corporation, signed on with gusto and serves as The HUBS’s secretary/treasurer.“I felt a bit like Noah building the Ark. Why am I doing this?” Chris Hazelwood says. “People were real skeptical but now they’re in and saying, ‘What a cool idea!’”With the idea catching on and drawing interest from organizations based in other areas of the county, many eyes will be watching to see how quickly The HUB fills to capacity. “The Hazelwoods have been very creative in their thought process. This innovative concept offers our area not-for-profits an alternative to the expense of creating a free-standing location,” says Gernert. “Opportunity is knocking ... it will be interesting to see who answers the door.” For more information about The HUB, contact Chris Hazelwood at 863-875-7911 or visit YourPolkCountyHub.org.


Deborah Boone of Arts Ensemble,

left, and Kim Rabon Alvarez

practice yoga at The HUB.

&They wear the badges of beer snob proudly, have finely tuned palates, and if they are brewers

themselves, hold back no proprietary secrets to what makes their fermented concoctions so special. Craft beer lovers are a growing subculture that wants to ferment the passions for better brew and celebrate the fact that they have the resources and the know-how to make the kinds of brew that they might not be able to find. The art of brewing beer has been around for centuries, and although the techniques have become more advanced and frankly more hygienic, the general process is relatively unchanged. Smaller, independent brewers make what’s known as “craft” beer. To legally be defined as a “craft brewer,” the company can only brew 6 million barrels or fewer a year. Oftentimes, a brew is even made in one’s home. Homebrewers cannot legally sell their liquid creations, but are free to drink it themselves or give it away. Because craft beers are brewed in smaller batches, brewers get creative, using different recipes with varied ingredients. As such, craft beer has grown in popularity largely because its flavor quality trumps that of larger, national brands. Local connoisseurs of craft beer, Chad Boggs and his wife Ioulia (pronounced “oo-lia”), say the hobby of appreciating craft beer is growing significantly across the

country and specifically in Florida. Boggs says his interest in trying different beers was born while

working at a bar in college, and later became a passion when he traveled for work as he sought out craft beers

Craft Beer: Brewing Savor :: Craft Beer

CamaraderieStory & photos by Andrea Cruz

President of the Lakeland

Brewers Guild, Nick Wozniak,

pours the barley in the a grinder,

while Chad Boggs spreads it out to

make sure it goes in evenly.

Community

12 September 2013

to try. He’s started brewing his own beer two years ago, and says that brewing beer is very satisfying. “To drink what you make is the ultimate experience,” Boggs says. It should be, too, because one has to be a bit of a scientist to make his or her own brew, following a precise recipe of specific ingredients, timing, and temperatures. A general knowledge of things like grains changing into sugars and fermenting yeasts is also helpful. Boggs, who usually makes 5 gallon batches – about 60 beers – says the most basic way to make homebrew is to first sanitize all the equipment, and boil water to a temperature of 150 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water reaches the correct temperature, begin steeping the grains. After the grains have steeped, bring the mixture (formerly water and now called “wort”) to a rolling boil and add malt extract, a syrupy mixture of malt and sugars. Continue a rolling boil while adding hops at specified times. Hops are a plant that gives beer its bitter flavors and balances the malt’s sugars. (Typically the hop schedule

is 60 minutes and begins once the malt extract has been added and the rolling boil is going good). After the hop schedule is complete, the wort is cooled as quickly as p o s s i b l e down to a “p i tchable” temperature (pitching is a brewing term meaning to add yeast). Then transfer the wort from the pot into a fermenter (a plastic bucket or glass carboy) and pitch the yeast. Make the container airtight with an airlock to allow CO2 to be released by the fermenting yeasts, and to not allow O2 to come in.

Top: Barley goes into a grinder and

is deposited in a bucket beneath.

Bottom left: Ground barley is one of four main ingredients in

beer making, the other three include

water, hops, and yeast.



Right: Brewski Me is a smartphone

application created by

Winter Haven residents Adam

Weeks and Brian Knowles. Users “check

in” to craft beers, rate them, and see ratings

from others.

track with a lot more physical contact — the object being to knock your opponent into the next county. I much prefer the new flat track version. [There’s] lots more strategy, tactics and emphasis on pure skating ability. For me, the experience is much more rewarding today than it was in the past.” He said he became hooked on the speed and excitement of the sport in late 2010, when he started attending both home and away bouts. During the time Stan the Fan has been following the Dames, he said the team has changed for the better. “The team has gelled and become much more competitive and successful since I attended my first bout,” he said. “The use of Hangar E at the Sun ’N’ Fun complex in Lakeland has been a real boost to the league. The skaters have matured together and the results have manifested themselves on the track.”

The people are one of the best aspects of roller derby, agreed Smack Brown and Stan the Fan.

“B o D e c k h e r came out for derby because she wanted to meet some new friends,” Smack Brown said. “And, this is a great group of people. It’s a sport that builds a lot of self confidence. There’s people on the

team who went from being a hermit to being wild and crazy. It’s a lot of fun.” Stan the Fan echoed the enthusiasm. “They are an absolutely incredible group of people that are open and accepting of folks from all walks of life,” he said. “The friends I’ve made will last me a lifetime. Do yourself a favor and come to a bout. You won’t regret it.” Practices and home bouts are held at Sun ’N’ Fun Hangar E, at 4175 Medulla Road in Lakeland. For details about upcoming bouts and charity events, visit LakelandRollerDerby.com.

14 September 2013

Lakeland Derby Dames, cont. from pg. 9

Top: The women rest briefly before another round starts.Middle: Even the referees get in on the fun monikers.Bottom: Lakeland’s Rockabilly Rebels faced the North River Rolling Renegades on July 14. Bouts are once a month.


Conserve :: Laundry Detergent

Detergent aisle: — 1 (4 lb. 12 oz.) Box of Borax — 1 (3 lb. 7 oz.) Box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda — 1 (3 lb.) Container of OxyClean — 2 bars of Fels Naptha or Zote Soap — 2 Bottles of Purex Crystals Fabric Enhancer (for aroma)Baking aisle: — Equivalent of 4 lb. Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

Instructions:— Grate bars of soap using cheese grater, mix all ingredients in a large bucket with a lid (5-gallon).

— Use 2 -4 tablespoons per load, depending on amount of clothing.

DIY:With a few store-bought items and a little elbow

grease, homemade laundry detergent can be thrown together. If you can grate a bar of soap

(it can be a bit of an arm workout), you can handle this.

Why DIY laundry detergent? Naturally, a detergent with fewer chemicals is better for the clothing, skin, and the environment. It also saves money in the long run. The ingredients cost roughly $30 (without coupons), and yield about 16 lb. of powdered detergent.

Thanks to 863 reader, Jen R., for the recipe!

WHAT’S YOUR DIY?Are You Fabulously Frugal? Share Your Cents-able

Savings Tips with The 863! [email protected]

The laundry list of ingredients:

Cents-able Savings

F

16 September 2013

Signage of the 863Few things signify that

one is home like the

signs of local businesses,

especially those that

have endured overtime.

They are landmarks of the

community and

often are taken for granted

by passersby. The 863

Magazine honors those signs,

whether original, rebuilt, or

replica, and the small businesses that

they represent. Here are just a

few we love on the East side...

Photography by Sergio Cruz

Andy’s Drive In Restaurant703 3rd St. SWWinter Haven863-293-0019

Webb’s Candy Factory38217 Highway 27Davenport863-422-1051WebbsCandyShop.com

Chalet Suzanne3800 Chalet Suzanne Dr.

Lake Wales863-433-6011

ChaletSuzanne.com


Treasure :: Signs of The 863

“Signage of The 863” to be continued...

Ritz Theatre263 W. Central Ave.Winter Haven863-295-9500RitzOnCentral.com

Gary’s Oyster Bar and Seafood House660 E Alfred St. Lake Alfred863-956-5055GarysOysterBar.com

Andy Thornal336 Magnolia Ave.

Winter Haven863-299-9999

AndyThornal.com

The Winter Haven Garden Center, located at 715 3rd St. NW in Winter Haven (across from Lake

Silver and next to the new Trailhead Park) is run by the Winter Haven Council of Garden Clubs. The beautiful Gene Leedy-designed building has just been refurbished, and has been the site for many weddings, private parties, civic meetings, and garden club activities for more than 40 years.

The Council of Garden Clubs is comprised of three local garden clubs that serve the Winter Haven community and beyond. All three clubs are members of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs. Each club has its own board and chooses the outreach it wishes to do each year.

The Council will sponsor its inaugural Winter Haven Garden Center Vintage Market on Saturday, Sept. 28. This free, non-profit event

will feature more than 30 vendors from the local area. Antiques, cottage glam, vintage fashions and garden décor are just a few of the many items that will be available for sale. There will be fun activities for all ages. Proceeds will benefit the Garden Beautification Project.

Plants will also be available and the council will have beautiful, hardy mums grown in Naples, Florida, for sale. A café will be provided by Sweet Magnolias Tea Bistro and speakers will present talks on herb gardening, container gardening, and how to “live the vintage lifestyle.”

In addition to council activities, member clubs may choose to do their own fundraisers.

Bouquet Garden Club has a fundraiser fashion show and silent auction each October. This year’s theme will be “Fly Me to the Moon” and will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The event will feature two shows (noon and 6 p.m.), include lunch and dinner respectively. Tickets are $25 and go on sale Sept. 1. For tickets call 863-293-7638.

The Gardenia Garden Club

hosts “Pilgrimage,” a house and garden tour offered every other year. The club features beautiful private homes and gardens in the Winter Haven area and provides all the floral décor. Gardenia also provides the floral décor for the annual Winter Haven Hospital gala.

Camellia Garden Club, the third member club of the council, also provides the Winter Haven community with garden- related outreach.

With the funds raised, the three clubs support such varied interests as Snively Elementary School’s First Start program, Keep Polk County Beautiful, Keep Winter Haven Beautiful, Wekiva Youth Camp, Avon Park Correctional Facilities Garden Therapy program, the Humane Society, FFGC’s Penny Pines Project, and many others.

The Winter Haven Council of Garden Clubs members believe the Winter Haven Garden Center is a jewel in the 863 area. The center is available for rental. Call Penny Green, the Office Manager, for more details at 863-293-7638.

The public is invited to the Winter Haven Garden Center Vintage Market on September 28. For more information visit www.WHGC.Synthasite.com.com.

18 September 2013

Non-Profit Spotlight

The Winter Haven Garden Center is run by the Winter Haven Council of Garden Clubs.

About a Non-ProfitTell Us

[email protected]


Craft Beer, cont. from pg. 13

Get Social with The863Magazine!Look for us on these social media websites:

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are often deemed “crafty” beers and many craft beer connoisseurs will not drink them. But craft versus crafty beers is splitting hairs, Jarvis says. DeAngelis has brewed a red pale ale specifically for the Red Door Wine Market with Shipyard, a major brewer located in Portland, Maine. DeAngelis says, if necessary, he’ll tweak the recipe so that the color is a vivid red without doing anything but toasting the malt, to result in a crisp, pale ale that’s creamy and not very hoppy. He adds that if all goes well, his brand could be marketed and sold on a national level. Given the better quality of the ingredients and smaller production scale of craft brewing, it usually comes at a higher cost. However, the

The ingredients for Boggs’ and Wozniak’s Christmas brew includes various seeds, spices, buds, orange flower water, liqueurs, and other items. They call this their “magical elixir.”


20 September 2013

Craft Beer, cont. from pg. 19

proponents of better brew will argue the old adage any day that you get what you pay for. Jarvis says that the innovation, quality and taste are definitely worth a few more dollars a glass, and compares it to the wine movement. “You get the same complexities, depths of labor, and variety that you do with craft beer, but it doesn’t have the image that wine has,” Jarvis says. “And in the end, craft beer is usually still cheaper than a glass of wine.”

Lower left: Craft beer

homebrewer Nick Wozniak

pumps hot water into a

container. Right: Ground barley

is mixed into hot water, this

process is called “working the

mash tun” and creates “wort.”

Local Craft Beer SitesDrinkupLakeland.com

LakelandLovesBeer.comLakelandBrewersGuild.org

Follow on Facebook & Twitter, too!


Elmo & Linda’s 371 3rd Street NW, WH(New location, same

building, different suite!)Fresh brewed ice tea w/ purchase of an entrée

Save money at these businesses by either mentioning you saw them in The 863’s No-Cut Coupon page or use your smart phone to check in to the location on a social media website like Facebook or Foursquare. Restrictions may apply. No-Cut Coupons from this issue expire September 30, 2013.

Four Purls Yarn Shop331 3rd Street NW,


Free Knitting Class

Pizza and Pasta3615 S. Florida Ave,

Lakeland863-607-6030

Free Cannoli w/ 2 entrees

Tsunami Sushi317 West Central Ave, &

5937 Cypress Gardens Blvd.,Both in Winter Haven10% Off Dine In Only

Thai Haven309 W. Central Ave., Winter Haven

863-291-8085Free appetizer sampler

w/ purchase of an entree

Foster’s Photography525 Ave B NWWinter Haven863-206-2983

10% off Senior Pix: Class 2014

Bambu Body Bar158 2nd St. SWWinter Haven863-299-7080

Ask for 863 Special

Tell ‘Em The 863 Sent You and Support Local Business!

Vayda Mechanical Repair366 Recker Hwy.

Auburndale 863-967-1931

Ask for 863 Special

Mention or Check-In!

Performance Tire304 Avenue E SW,


Call for 863 Special

Groomingdeals, Inc.1622 6th St SE,Winter Haven863-294-7877

$5 off first time full groom

The Piercing Boutique1140 1st Street S.

Winter Haven(863) 288-3056

Buy 1, Get 1 Free Piercing Free

Sugar Bakery104 W Central Ave


Biscuits & Gravy 2/$5

22 September 2013

*Discounts vary by states. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company; State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL

See why State Farm® insures more drivers than GEICO and Progressive combined. Great service, plus discounts of up to 40 percent.*Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® CALL FOR QUOTE 24/7.

Talk to your neighbors,then talk to me.

1001174.1

Cheryl Beckert ChFC, Agent631 E Central AvenueWinter Haven, FL 33880Bus: [email protected]

Explore :: September’s Happenings in the 863

All SeptemberF Tibor Pataky: Into Abstraction - Polk Museum of Art: Gallery II. An obscure but notable Hungarian-American artist who lived and worked in central Florida during the middle of the 20th century. In 1936, he became the instructor of life drawing at Florida Southern College. PMoA contact info below.

F Polk County Collects - Polk Museum of Art: Dorothy Jenkins Gallery. Some of the private collections of fellow Polk County residents. PMoA contact info below.

F A Silver Lining - Polk Museum of Art: Perkins Gallery. This exhibition will showcase PMoA’s collection of Georgian silver, which refers to the period of the consecutive reigns of four English kings. PMoA contact info below

PMoA contact info: Museum summer hours: Tue. – Sat., 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 863-688-5423 or PolkMuseumofArt.org.

Send Your Community Event to [email protected].

Ending in September

FTerra Incognita: Photographs of America’s Third Coast - Polk Museum of Art: A photographic project of 15 years’ duration (1991-2006) by nationally recognized photographer and author Richard Sexton. Ends Sept. 13. 863-688-5423 or PolkMuseumofArt.org.

FSept. 5: First Thursday: Date Night Downtown Winter Haven: wine tasting, appetizers, photo booth, music, dessert, dancing. 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Info: 863-295-9422. FSept. 7, 14, & 21: Good Health Fresh Goods & Crafts Market - Vendors, including produce, artists, live music. Good Health Pharmacy parking lot: 1501 1st St S, in Winter Haven. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Info: 863-258-3561.FSept. 7: Antiques, Arts & Oddities Downtown Lake Wales, in Market Square between Park and Stuart Avenues. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Info: 863-412-6960.FSept. 7: Servapalooza Polk - An interactive volunteer festival, where businesses, non-profit, faith-based and government organizations throughout Polk will showcase their community outreach projects and local volunteer opportunities. At the Sun ‘n Fun Fairgrounds, 4175 Medulla Road in Lakeland. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Info: 863-534-5580.

FSept. 12: Thursday Squared Food Truck Rally - Around Munn Park, downtown Lakeland, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Info: 863-510-9723 or DowntownLakelandFL.com.FSept. 14: Antiques Fair in Bartow Display of various antique, collector’s items. 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Info: 863-533-7125 or BartowChamber.com. FSept. 14 & 28: Lake Wales Downtown Farmer’s Market - In Market Square between Park and Stuart Avenues, downtown Lake Wales. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Info: 863-412-6960.FSept. 14: Food Truck Wars in Downtown Winter Haven - Family friendly event with food choices sure to please everyone from professional foodies to the pickiest eaters. Food costs run on average between $6 and $8. 2 – 8 p.m. Info: www.FoodTruckWars.com. FSept. 20: Main Street Friday Fest Tow Jam - Food and vendors down Main Street, Bartow. 6:00 - 10:30 p.m. Info: 863-533-7125 or BartowChamber.com.FOpens Sept. 20: Nursing is Natural… Naturally Beautiful - A photography exhibit by Lakeland photographer Christine Santos at {tay’-cho}, an art gallery in Bartow. For more info: Psalm139Studios.com.FSept. 21: Family Day at Polk Museum of Art - All free, all day. PMoA’s annual open house and art carnival for the entire family. Explore art through activities, projects, entertainment, and more. For more info: 863-688-5423 or PolkMuseumofArt.org.FSept. 21: Cypress Gardens Water Ski show - The Cypress Gardens Water Ski Team perform a 40-minute show reminiscent of shows held at Cypress Gardens. MLK Jr. Park on Lake Silver, Winter Haven, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Info: 863-224-9350 or MyWinterHaven.com.FSept. 28: Free Admission for National Museum Day at Polk Museum of Art Polk Museum of Art will admit all visitors for free on Saturday, September 28, in celebration of National Museum Day. For more info: 863-688-5423 or

FTsukioka Yoshitoshi: Master of Ukiyo-e - Polk Museum of Art: Ledger and Murray Galleries. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839 – 1892) is widely regarded as the last great master of the ukiyo-e tradition in Japanese printmaking. Ends Sept. 8. 863-688-5423 or PolkMuseumofArt.org.

FPat Gooden: Altered Images Digital photography at Bok Tower Gardens. 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales. Ends Sept. 28. 863-676-1408 or BokTowerGardens.org.

PolkMuseumofArt.org.FSept. 28: Free Time Jazz Quartet Concert at Bok Tower, tickets required. For more info: 863-676-1408 or BokTowerGardens.org. FSept. 28: Downtown Winter Haven Market - Vendors, including antiques, produce, artists, live music. Downtown park blocks, across from Winter Haven City Library. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Info: 863-258-3561.FSept. 28: Winter Haven Garden Center Vintage Market - Free, non-profit event with more than 30 local vendors, including antiques, cottage glam, vintage fashions and garden décor. Proceeds will benefit the Garden Beautification Project. More info: 863-293-7638.

Your Stuff :: 863 Readers’ Art

Auburndale resident Theresa Kowalski has written a children’s book to highlight the importance of friendship and pollination. Bee’s Birthday Surprise explains how the

work of butterflies and bees is beneficial to sustaining every living thing, from small gardens to large crops. The book’s message is that people enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of the pollinators’ labor, and without them, the harmonious balance is interrupted. The main characters discuss how a garden full of pollinating butterflies and bees is a beautiful thing as it promotes life, as well as the human connection to a living garden. This is Kowalski’s second book. Her first, Butterfly’s Dream, is about Butterfly sleeping in her chrysalis and dreaming of her possibilities. Her friends Willow, Tree, and Mockingbird are waiting for her to feel safe enough to leave her chrysalis and fulfill her potential. “I was inspired to write the book some time after reading The Forgotten Pollinators by Stephen Buchmann. Also, from butterfly gardening with others and sharing the beauty and wonders that await in the garden.

Got art? Send your poetry

or images or other art to Andrea@

The863Magazine.com

Theresa Kowalski and Sigman Earthscape in Lake Alfred are hosting a poetry contest to honor the pollinators and create awareness about their importance to the ecosystem. To enter, write an original poem

about bees and/or butterflies. The winner will receive a honey basket full of treats.

Poetry submissions may be emailed to [email protected], or drop it off to Sigman Earthscape, located at 148A West Haines Blvd., Lake Alfred. Submission deadline is September 30, 2013.

“Our Pollinators”

Local Author Promotes Pollinators


Bee’s Birthday Surprise is available for purchase locally at Sigman Earthscape store

in Lake Alfred. It is also available as an ebook through BarnesandNoble.com. Butterfly’s

Dream can be downloaded on Kindle via Amazon.com. For more information visit

www.BeesBirthdaySurprise.com. Poetry Contest:

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The 863 Magazine - September 2013

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