“You are beautiful – but I’m sure that’s the least interesting thing about you.” -Sarah Powers For many, Top Buttons is a trendy designer thrift and boutique where you can browse the racks for a new-toyou outfit. For around 300 girls a year, Top Buttons is an interview outfit, a bra that fits properly, an ensemble that resonates confidence and pride – Top Buttons is an incubator for self-worth. Their mission is not only to teach girls and women how to dress but to let them express their style in a contextually modest way by providing them the resources to do so. This 501(c)(3) faith-based nonprofit was opened in 2012, by Sarah Powers. “We provide confidence-building education and proper fitting attire to young women in need,” said Powers. “We exist to build up girls inside and out through our program.” Top Buttons currently works with 18 organizations from around Polk County like PACE Center for Girls, Girls Inc., Heartland for Children, Sheriff’s Youth Villa, and the Department of Corrections First Steps program. Through their Boutique Program, Top Buttons Boutique and Designer Thrift Stores are open for public shopping. The income from the Boutique Program goes back into funding their full-time charitable efforts with the Wearing Confidence Program. This program is for young women between 11 and 25 years old that are nominated by a “civic or religious organization targeting young women in need,” according to the Top Buttons website. Throughout the program, the girls receive faith-based educational sessions on topics such as “On the Job Attire,” “Cultural Impact on Clothing Ethics,” “Understanding Contextual Modesty,” and “Positive Body Image.” Paired with these educational sessions are: personal styling services, at least one wardrobe makeover with up to $75 of quality, proper fitting attire, new undergarments, bonus vouchers to receive more clothing based on need, a Top Buttons t-shirt, skincare and makeup tutorial, free makeup carefully selected for their skin tone, photoshoot with images to keep, and ongoing mentorship. The Lakeland shop opens into a cozy, airy boutique featuring modern, modestly on-trend pieces. Passing through the boutique down a few steps is the well-stocked thrift shop with garments like shorts, athletic wear, shoes, bags, dresses, special occasion, tops, plus size, and accessories including jewelry, scarves, and belts. “We call it designer thrift because we curate all of the racks with our girls in mind,” said Powers. Top Buttons is picky about what they put out on their floor. You will only find quality items, sans holes or stains. The designer thrift store manages to be both high-end and unpretentious. This balance is reflective of Top Buttons’ demographic – everyone. Powers said, “We want women of all economic backgrounds in here shopping, all shapes and sizes, all colors. We want it to be a place where women feel comfortable and no matter what their economic background is, that they are being blessed and they are both giving to, and receiving from. It’s really, pretty beautiful.” You Are More Than Your Body Top Buttons founder and CEO, Sarah Powers has a deep-rooted passion for helping young people navigate their adolescent years. She acknowledges that as a teenager or young adult, there are so many things out of your control. Fluctuating weight, hormones, skin issues, home, and social lives, all the while on the precipice of adulthood, staring the rest of your life in the face is daunting. “Knowing my own personal struggle is one of the reasons why I’m so passionate about wanting to be an encouragement, a resource, and an educator for teenage girls specifically,” said Powers. Powers has a background in social work, with a degree in Human Services from Southeastern University. She is a writer, a teacher, a speaker, an empowerer of young women, and the mother of four. She’ll never forget the day she was standing in the checkout line of Sam’s Club, ultimately soul searching how she could best utilize her strength of connecting with young people, while not taking time away from her family. Her then 8-year-old daughter picked up a magazine with one of her favorite celebrities on the front. The celeb was dressed cute, but provocatively. A blurb on the cover mortified Powers. Explicit wording that Sarah paraphrased in a much tamer way as, “How to have your best first time.” She returned without her daughter and purchased the magazine. She still has it. It’s a reminder of the messages girls and women are bombarded with at every turn from the fashion and media industries that their bodies are the most important things they have to offer the world. “I feel like we’re doing damage to our girls by sending them these messages that to get attention they have to put themselves out there provocatively,” she said. “That’s part of the inspiration and it fuels my passion for the work that we’re doing.” She wanted to counter these harmful messages with the notion that girls and women deserve a healthy self-image and the understanding that they are more than just their body. This idea bloomed organically according to Powers. One thing after another “from the Sam’s Club incident to me praying and seeking the Lord for what he would have me do, to wanting opportunities for my daughters to incorporate a healthy principle in their life in a fun way,” confirmed to Sarah that fashion was going to be, “the tool that we would use to connect and inspire and equip and build up young women.” She started Top Buttons in 2012 as a nonprofit, “presenting our positive body image and modesty message at local civic and religious organizations along with creating content for our online resources.” This included a fashion blog. Fashion blogging was booming at the time, but Powers didn’t see anyone doing it in a way that she felt would both be a good example and appeal to young people. There were extremes like the impeccablystyled blogs with no boundaries or at least no emphasis on contextual modesty. Then there were extremely modest sites that were well put together, but Sarah didn’t feel would speak to the majority of the youth. For this first year, she blogged while traveling locally to talk to young women about expressing themselves within the boundaries of contextual modesty. Her blogs and fashion-focused content were well received – the Top Buttons message was spreading. In her local travels to speak, she had girls express to her that they would love to dress appropriately, but they didn’t have the money to buy the proper-fitting or modest attire. “I never want to be someone who is talking at someone, telling them what they should do, without providing them the opportunity to do it.” Powers knew she had to put clothing in their hands. She began bringing clothing with her when she would talk to the girls. Focusing On Local Though Top Buttons still has an online presence, Powers said, “Our hearts and our time and energy are all local now and being a resource locally for girls.” In 2015, Top Buttons had a fundraiser event to fund a brick and mortar store rather than taking clothes to the organizations. Having a store would eliminate the problem of lacking sufficient clothing to fit the sizing needs and style preferences of each girl. Top Buttons opened in Dixieland, they weren’t open to the public, just for the girls they served. Now, Top Buttons has two full boutique and designer thrift shops open to the public in downtown Lakeland and Bartow. Wearing Confidence Program Young women enrolled in the Wearing Confidence Program come to the store in large groups for private shopping sessions. Each girl is matched with a personal stylist who helps to style them in the clothes that the girls will then take at no cost. They receive hair and makeup and even a professional photoshoot. Powers said, “We can serve them for specific things like job interviews, prom, special occasions or for every day,” she said. The one on one attention the girls receive from their stylists is invaluable. More than stylists, they are mentors says Wearing Confidence Program Director, Emily Trivette. “They speak empowerment and encouragement into their lives,” she said. Often shy and timid when entering the shop, the girls leave with bountiful confidence, knowing that Top Buttons is a safe place for them. “We just want to love on them and support them in whatever it is they feel they’ve been created to do,” said Trivette. As for the educational piece of the program, Trivette explained that through close relationships with the organizations they serve, Top Buttons has been able to tailor a curriculum of sorts around the needs and struggles of the girls. Emily Trivette, whose daughter went to elementary school with Sarah’s daughter, watched Sarah go from carrying clothes out of the back of her car to now having several stores serving around 300 girls a year. Their daughters are now 15 with Trivette saying, “Having two teen girls ourselves and watching them be bombarded with messages that aren’t necessarily healthy, watching them struggle through their own temptations, is helpful to know what the girls could benefit from.” Powers touched on one of the main points they convey to the girls – contextual modesty. “Contextual modesty is what we talk to the girls about because we know modesty is subjective to everyone, but most agree there are certain things that are appropriate for certain settings,” said Powers. With a job interview, for example, they talk to the girls about researching their potential employer for what dress requirements they might have. They can then use that knowledge as a basis to choose an appropriate, stylish, and well-fitted outfit to make the right impression for the interview. “We’re trying to help them understand that there will be opportunities for you to express yourself and show who you are, artistically through your clothing, but some environments have boundaries and there are requirements as far as dress for a reason,” said Powers. “There will be places where they can show off their style in a greater way and other places where they have to tone it down a little bit.” The girls not only receive this education when they’re in a styling session but also on a broader scale. Top Buttons hosts “Building up Girls” educational events which are attended by 100-120 girls from the organizations they work with. “We talk to them about life skills, goal setting, effective communication, positive body image, how to dress on the job,” said Powers. One thing she always tells the girls is, “You have so much more to offer the world than your bodies.” Top Buttons is putting a contextually modest and stylish wardrobe in the hands of these girls. Powers explains, “If you want your employer or a young man, a future relationship, to value who you are in your mind, and your heart, your personality, your talents, your achievements, let’s not take away the attention from up here by focusing on your sexuality more than your achievements.” Top Buttons is constantly launching initiatives that could fill another need for their girls. A recent partnership with JOY FM fundraised money to provide new undergarments for the girls. Powers said that they have seen many girls and women come in with twisty ties used to tighten a poorly fitted bra, wearing their prison bra, or none at all. Something as simple as a brand new bra, camisole, or pair of underwear is an underappreciated necessity if you’ve always had it, but a luxury if you haven’t. For Girls Everywhere Big news for the east side of the county, Top Buttons is coming to Winter Haven! The nonprofit’s newest location will be opening at 226 W Central Avenue in downtown Winter Haven, with plans to open their doors by September. Even bigger news for Top Buttons and communities around the country, the nonprofit is ready to open affiliate locations. “From the beginning, it was a message for girls everywhere,” said Powers. In the past, they have met people and received requests from those interested in starting a Top Buttons in their community. Powers feels Top Buttons finally has the legal and financial framework to start affiliate locations. “As cities around the U.S. focus on serving their local community using our model and our systems of operation,” said Powers, “I think that they too can have a really unique impact on their community.” The first affiliate location is being opened by a couple in Tennessee – Top Buttons Nashville. Top Buttons, whether it’s in Polk County or Nashville, isn’t about Sarah Powers. It’s about the girls. It’s about the message. “There is a great team of women and men that care very much about young women knowing their value and having the tools and resources – not just teaching, but the physical resources – to reflect who they are as a whole person without compromising their value,” said Powers in thanks to their community of over 60 volunteers. “We’re really grateful for the support of the community. We couldn’t do what we do without volunteers. We have some incredible people that come alongside us,” said Emily Trivette. Powers knows what it’s like to need help – a reason she extends herself so much to others. As a single mom in her twenties, she needed people around, especially her mom, to encourage her, to let her know life is one day at a time, that she would get through it, and that someone was there to help her. “Had I not had her, I don’t know where I would be,” said the Top Buttons CEO. “I tell these girls that there is nothing wrong with needing help and accepting help. I’m thankful that I’m in a position where I can offer help because people have been a help to me.” www.topbuttons.org 236 N Kentucky Ave. Lakeland, Florida 33801 160A East Summerlin St. Bartow, FL, 33830 (863) 220-2464

Lakeland’s Benjamin Vickers thought he’d go to college for English Lit and become a “bookish academic” type. His hobby for home baking for his friends and family slowly took center stage. He called his parents one day and said, “I’m going to New York for culinary school, guys.” He was accepted into the Culinary Institute of America in upstate New York for a slot opening three weeks later. “It was a whirlwind starting out, but I haven’t looked back since,” said Vickers. Benjamin did his externship at Manhattan bakery, Dominique Ansel. He was even part of the team that brought into being the popular croissant, donut hybrid – the cronut. After graduation, he was invited to work at a high-end catering service in Ithaca, New York. The business catered many of the galas and banquets for nearby Cornell University. The company didn’t have a pastry or dessert program at the time Vickers joined them. Fresh out of culinary school he stepped up to help them build one from the ground up. He catered many weddings and banquets at first. With an understanding that dessert and cake were the most in-demand pastry jobs, he knew he wanted to be a bread baker. He said, “The rest of my journey was kind of carving out that career.” He thought, “How can I make bread relevant and monetize it so that it’s worth something to somebody?” The next stop in his bread baking journey lay in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains at world-renowned Blackberry Farm in Maryville, TN. There, he was able to foray from desserts into bread. Benjamin remembered fondly, “We would bake bread all night and then we had these little golf carts and would go down these twisting paths through the farmlands to deliver to all the houses and restaurants. You’d see the sun rising over the mountains and all the sheep as you’re driving your little bread cart.” Down to visit his parents and attend his brother-in law’s birthday party – Vickers got his next pastry gig by happenstance while out to dinner at Nineteen61. Chef Marcos needed a pastry chef, and there was Vickers. He became the pastry chef for Chef Marcos and worked about 2 and a half years. He started his cottage food business making bread, Honeycomb in February of 2018, though Honeycomb’s official birthday is October of that year. He joined Catapult and began selling at the Lakeland Downtown Farmers Curb Market a month later. The baker is glad to be back home. He’s seen Lakeland transform since his high school years into something special. He said, “There are so many interesting people that are really pushing, ‘how can we improve our town and how can reinvest in our city?’” He also couldn’t fathom living away from his parents who he loves dearly. He lives 10 minutes away from them. If he’s struggling with something he knows that he can say, “Mom, let’s go watch Jeopardy together,” he smiled. “I could talk forever and ever about my parents,” he said. “Their philosophy of parenting is ‘You stand on my shoulders so that you can reach higher than I can reach.’” No doubt that’s part of the reason for Vickers’ soaring baking career. That also means he’s only ten minutes away from his sweet Millie, a 15-year-old Border Collie/ Spaniel mix. She might be the most popular member of Team Honeycomb according to Benjamin. In his weekly newsletter detailing his farmers market menu, he includes staff picks – things that are interesting to them that week. Millie always gets a staff pick right along with them. “Our first day was one loaf of bread to Concord,” he remembers. Word spread, and Vickers began to realize just how much of a need there was for quality bread from an honest source. “That’s one of the things that I’m trying to cultivate – a brand on one hand that is really accessible because bread should humble, it shouldn’t be too expensive or unattainable. It should be easy to find and delicious and nutritious and fill your belly,” said Vickers. Bread should also come from a brand you trust and believe in. “When people see the little gold bee, it should have a resonance or a meaning.” Even before he truly knew he wanted to be a baker, as a kid Benjamin Vickers envisioned a bakery called Honeycomb. “I’ve always had this kind of affinity with bees as a symbology, […] they kind of represent a place where the natural, wild world meets the more rigorous and architectural world which as an aesthetic, I’ve always really liked,” he said. “With our bread, for example, I love the kind of wild and rustic – it is what it is, but also, we do a lot to make it have a beautiful ear and a nice golden crust and it’s a certain shape and everything is precisely measured. When those two things meet, I think that’s a nice sense of beauty,” he said. “Also, Honeycomb in bakery parlance, when you slice a loaf of bread and you see that kind of whirl pattern of air bubbles – bakers call that the honeycomb. Whenever it’s properly fermented it should be a nice open honeycomb.” It was important to Vickers to pay homage to the tradition of bread baking. The version of bread that Honeycomb produces is only slightly modernized from the ancient Greeks according to Benjamin. “What I love about us being one tiny piece of that long timeline is that it’s not necessarily about reinventing the wheel,” he said. He isn’t looking for a gimmick, he simply wants to do his part to make the simple staples incrementally better over time – a blip in bread’s evolution. Honeycomb’s most popular items are their Country Sourdough, followed by their Wild Maine Blueberry Muffin. Among the many things that make his muffins stand out are the small Maine wild blueberries he uses. He said they grow wild in bushes on the sides of the road there. They are notably smaller than Florida’s plump blueberries that tend to hold more water. These berries offer a sweet, tart, “punch of flavor” says the baker. “We have to bend over backwards to get these berries, but it is so worth it.” All of Lakeland is a-buzz about Honeycomb’s partnership with Jenna O’Brien, owner of Twenty Seven Creative. Vickers and O’Brien though with vastly different ventures seem to have found the perfect retail marriage. The two businesses will share a brick and mortar space at 213 E. Bay Street in Lakeland on the corner of Kentucky and Bay. A former stain glass window shop according to Vickers, the window elements are stunning, complemented by historic exposed brick wall. A beautiful second-floor mezzanine overlooking the downstairs will feature bistro seating for guests to enjoy a pick-me-up. With renovations underway, Vickers and O’Brien also plan for a garden/ patio area outside in the ally. Though not set in stone, the two hope to stagger their openings in August. O’Brien says she has always dreamt of a brick and mortar store. “I think there is such great value in meeting customers face to face. It’s wild that it’s happening. I thought it would be years down the road - but instead, it’s happening now!” She’s most excited to be there every day. “I am thrilled to be a fulltime art spot, meet my customers, and take care of the store every day!” Vickers said he and O’Brien came to the same career crossroads at the same time. “It was this kind of nice, serendipitous thing,” he said. O’Brien remarked, “Benjamin said “yes” to me when we didn’t know each other very well, didn’t have much of a plan, and weren’t even sure we could get the space. He’s a big dreamer and I am too. When I took him to see the building, I watched the same hope appear in his eyes that I felt too. Now we’ve developed a friendship and I’m so excited to be working with him on the daily. We think my paper goods and his spectacular menu were just a perfect match for Lakeland.” With the opening of the downtown storefront, Honeycomb will simultaneously be opening a second location purely dedicated to wholesale production. A side of the business that is spreading like wildfire, with clients from Concord, Hillcrest, Red Door, Cob & Pen, to Nutwood, and Mr. Fish, Benjamin needs to space to serve everyone in demand of his delicious goods. Though he will be a busy bee running two locations, Vickers plans to continue selling at the farmers market saying, “Every one of our guests I have this sense of duty towards them I guess. They really rely on us to provide them their weekly bread. I don’t want to let them down.” To start, Honeycomb will offer hot and cold coffees and teas including a full-service option for both. Vickers says he is leaning more into the tea. His mother’s family is from England and across Europe, so he’s selecting tea brands that he grew up with like Harney & Sons and Twinings. Also on the menu are all of his usual suspects and a substantial breakfast offering including the likes of quiche and gluten-free granola with Greek yogurt, local honey, and fresh fruit. Vickers plans to ease this largely continent breakfast menu into more brunch and lunch options later. On the horizon, upon growing with this space, Vickers one day envisions a larger wholesale bakery and eventually a standalone flagship store serving European style bistro cuisine utilizing his breads. Above all, Benjamin said, “My dream is to serve people, and fill their bellies, and make good bread.” Honeycomb Bread Bakers www.honeycombbread.com FB @honeycombbread IG @honeycombbread

Lakeland’s live entertainment is bursting at the seams and they have a new stage on which to belt a note or tell a joke. Dan Signor, a noteworthy musician himself, conceptualized Dixieland’s Union Hall as a premier event space for the community and a stepping stone for local up and comers. Signor moved to Lakeland from the Hudson Valley area of upstate New York fifteen years ago. He started playing at many of the local clubs and even some of the restaurants that at that time didn’t offer live entertainment. Over those 15 years, Signor saw the demand for live music grow. Moving on from local gigs, he began to take his act on the road. He traveled to play his music – even on cruise ships. Union Hall is Born As a husband and a father to three, Signor found himself with the desire to exchange his travels for a more locally rooted music career. Signor and wife Raena most recently welcomed six-month-old son Hudson into the world. The pair also have two daughters, Aaralyn 9 and Doña 14. Their oldest attends Harrison School for the arts and has made quite a reputation for herself as a local singer according to her dad. The father and daughter have performed together at LKLD Live. The duo now has a new stage to share – Union Hall. “With a growing thirst for it and a growing need for it, there’s not really a platform for it here in Lakeland,” said Signor about Lakeland’s live music scene. He applauded LKLD Live’s contribution to the local live entertainment, adding that he wanted a bit of a different vibe. He envisioned a bar and lounge space with live music four to five nights a week. “I wanted to build the venue that wasn’t here when I was playing a lot. I wanted to build the venue that I never had basically,” he said. From the initial concept to opening the doors took roughly 18 months. The space was previously a Truly Nolen Pest Control building. “We started with a shell and built it all out. When we pulled down the sheetrock and saw this exposed brick, we thought it would be perfect for that urban sort of environment,” said Signor. The exposed terracotta bricks were significant for more than the raw character and radiating warmth they add to the room. The bricks were built for a New York college in the 1920s, Cooper Union. The name Union Hall was only fitting. The venue’s grand opening party was held on May 24th, earlier this year. The 3000 square foot entertainment space can host 125-150 people seated or 249 people standing. The patio area, displaying their signature mural by Carroll Design Co., brilliant greenery, and picnic tables built around trees can hold an additional 80. Signor plans to further utilize their outdoor space which already has a PA system, by adding screens. Food trucks are on-site every day they are open so guests need not leave the party to grab a bite. Though the pulse of Union Hall is music, it is also an appealing option to rent out for your next event. “It’s a great space,” said Signor. “It lends itself well to any sort of reception, private function, business meeting, or whatever you want to do.” The entire venue can be reserved or space can be sectioned off by curtains, and certain areas including the patio can be rented individually. Union Hall has a full liquor license and a preferred vendors list. “We can be a one-stop-shop for planning your whole party from the florist to a twelve-piece band,” said Signor. Music at the Forefront It was important to Signor not only to spotlight the established talent but to also give a platform to those coming up. “I want to help catapult them to a point that took me a long time [to reach],” he said. It took him a while to make a living from playing music. “If I can take the new artists and get them to that point quicker, time will be on their side,” he said. “I like to see people fly – spread their wings and go.” Discussing Lakeland’s current music scene, the Union Hall founder mentioned Sheldon Benjamin, Anisette Mayer, and Sumner Curtis, saying, “It’s very soulful, folky, singer/ songwriter stuff that’s really quality. It needs to be brought to a different platform rather than in the corner of a bar somewhere where everyone’s talking and not listening to the music.” Walking through the doors of Union Hall, the room shotguns directly to the stage, drawing your attention and holding it on the talent. Only time will tell what budding musicians came from “the corner of a bar somewhere” to have their metamorphosis on that stage. Along with the emergence of this soulful folk music, the owner said that blues, funk, and rock have seemed to work well in their space. Every Wednesday, Signor hosts their Open Mic Night. “Right now it’s a lot of fun. It’s a jam night – people come up, they play, we collaborate,” he said. Signor described it as having become somewhat of a music mecca where people come to meet other musicians and even form bands. He said, “My vision for that is for it to become more of an artist spotlight than a regular open mic.” Signor would love to see it evolve into an organized spotlight, designating half-hour sets to artists who return week after week and resonate with the community. Thursday’s are a bit of a mixed bag with events from Boozy Bingo, solo artists, game show night, or karaoke. The first Friday of every month has become their comedy series with bigger shows happening on the weekends. Not even a year old yet, Signor said he had no clue Union Hall was going to gain favor in Lakeland as quickly as it did. “I’m fortunate to have the supporters and followers that I’ve had just from playing who are also supporting me in this endeavor. It has taken off exponentially better than I thought it would,” he said. “We’re still the shiny penny, the new kid on the block, but I think if I continue to bring more quality entertainment here, it will build and snowball into something and hopefully put Lakeland on the map for live entertainment.” Union Hall Unionhallevents.com bookunionhall@gmail.com (863) 999-1013 FB @unionhallevents IG @unionhallevents Photo by Amy Sexson

“Norm, let’s start from the beginning,” I said. Norman Small, Founding Producing Director for Theatre Winter Haven pulled out a black and white photograph and slid it across the table. Beneath the group of shaggy-haired ’70s youngsters read, “First Play Reading Committee 1970.” “There’s a guy there with a lot more weight and a lot more hair at the time,” he laughed pointing to his 25-year-old self. Theatre Winter Haven got its start by two of the people in that photo. “They were a couple of clowns in town,” said Small. “And I mean literally clowns, they made a living out of that.” The couple had gotten together with the Department of Recreation to found a community theatre. They asked Norman if he would join. A professor at then Polk Junior College at the time, he obliged. The clowns left town–money and all, after the first show, “Don’t Drink the Water” by Woody Allen. “As a professor of theatre at the college and a local little theatre beginning, let’s do it or die,” Small remembered thinking. “So, I did it.” Making a whopping $6K a year teaching, Small was able to volunteer his time to continue the theatre. Season One would show only two productions, the second, “Barefoot in the Park” by Neil Simon. But Small persisted. Asked if he had any funny stories to share about the first season, Small quipped, “Why don’t I say that the first season was the funny story.” Funny or not, they climbed to 150 subscriptions in their first year. For the first five or so years, the performances were held at the Tourist Club Auditorium on Lake Silver. The small, flat stage auditorium could seat 150 and had a 15-foot-wide stage. Sandwiched between the shuffleboard courts and bingo and bridge hall, Norm joked, “We never knew when we performed whether it was going to be B-16 or I-41.” Between 1947 and 1955, there was another community theatre (that had since dissolved) in Winter Haven according to Small. They would use the Women’s Club auditorium to perform. Small asked the Women’s Club if they could use the space and they agreed. They were at the Women’s Club from 1975 to 1976 while their current theatre was in construction. Asked to leave the Women’s Club auditorium, TWH went back to the small tourist auditorium until 1977 when the current theatre was completed. Small remembered their time at the Women’s Club, “We had to bring all of our lights in. We put one down backstage, forgetting that it was still on. It started to smoke,” he burst with laughter. “That’s one of the reasons they asked us to leave!” The theatre’s infancy was held together by a shoestring budget. For years, everyone, including Norman worked as a volunteer. There were a few vital volunteers that particularly stood out to the founding producing director. First, box office chairman, Virginia Myers who volunteered for thirteen years until her passing. Two other instrumental players were actors from Lakeland, Barbara Smith and Mike O’Steen. The two performed for Lakeland Little Theatre and would go on to play many leads for Theatre Winter Haven. “Barbara and Mike were really our stalwarts in surviving,” said Small crediting the actors. A year for the record books for Theatre Winter Haven was 1977. That year, the theatre hired its first employee, technical director, David Seavey. In 1980, Norman Small became the second employee, finally drawing a paycheck following ten years of volunteering. Measurable Impact “When you are in the arts, you have a passion,” said Small. This passion is inflamed by both the process and the product. “If the product turns out and you adore what you’ve done and hopefully the audience does too – you want it to continue.” “I went to a national conference in 1979 in New York City. One of the showcases of the American Community Theatre Association was the last time’s national winner – it was called “The Good Doctor” from Topeka Kansas,” recalled Small. He watched it and thought, “We can do that.” He decided to enter the theatre in the competition which started at the state level, moving up to regional and national. Busy at the theatre, Norm was unable to attend the competition. “I remember getting the phone call backstage,” he said. It was a Friday night, the production they had entered was “The Shadow Box.” His excitement still almost as palpable as the day it happened, Small said, “We won!” “Went to nationals, didn’t win. Who cares? We were [among] the ten best in the country,” he said. The win energized him artistically. “It validated what we were doing by those who are in the same world as we are.” Between 1980 and 2017, Theatre Winter Haven has been nominated for and won numerous awards regionally, nationally, and internationally – donning the crown of most honored community theatre. “How does it impact the community? The community knows they’ve got something here,” said Small, speaking to the cultural draw of the theatre. Current Producing Director, Dan Chesnicka added, “The economic impact right now for Theatre Winter Haven is about 8.5 million dollars to this community.” That is 8.5 million dollars in food, lodging, gas, amenities, etc. that have been measured to directly result from the work of Theatre Winter Haven. “We bill ourselves as Florida’s most honored community theatre because of the number of awards that have been bestowed upon us in a number of arenas,” said Chesnicka. Widely regarded as one of the best community theatres in the nation, the shows they produce impact the culture and economy of the surrounding areas. “Our county measures the success of an organization by how many visitors we bring from outside our local area. Our audience represents 35% from outside of Polk County that travel here to see these shows which is a fantastic measure of our success,” said Chesnicka. More important still is the safe place the theatre provides. This is true especially of kids that participate in their academy. Chesnicka said, “They always have a safe place to come. We have classes that go throughout the year, we have two academy shows that we do each year. These kids are in a safe environment where they are valued and they are trusted and they are given all the tools that will give them accumulated advantages that they will take on through life.” For Chesnicka, it’s the “off the balance sheets” effects that theatre has on people which impact him most. “It’s the kid who comes in whose struggling in their life in one way or another and finds a home and finds a friend and is able to finally find that one place where they feel like they belong,” he said. The volunteers get something from the theatre as well. There must be a reason they sacrifice their time and talent for the theatre’s sake. “They do it because it feeds them in a way that is meaningful and it’s admirable that we have the institution in our community,” said Chesnicka. “I’m so proud to be affiliated with it and with the people who donate their time and their energy and their talent for the only purpose of creating happiness for others.” Support from the City Without the relationship between Theatre Winter Haven and The City of Winter Haven which Small noted as “important and significant,” the theatre would never have happened at all. “We had to have a place, they provided that at a very low cost. This theatre that was built was specifically built for us, with input by me,” he said. “Their continued relationship with us is a symbiotic relationship that without them, what we have provided since, wouldn’t have continued.” That tradition of local government support continues according to Chesnicka. Motioning to the construction on the Field House, Chesnicka acknowledged what it will do for the athletic community, adding, “It should be noted that there’s also going to be a second theatre that is built here so that we can double up on the amount of entertainment we provide for the people of this community.” More rehearsal and multi-use space will allow the theatre to expand their children’s programs from simply theatre to that of a broader visual and performing arts center – including dance and voice programs, chamber music and instruments. “If the mainstage is the beating heart of our theatre, our academy is its soul,” said Chesnicka. “We’re wildly proud of everything that we do on our mainstage, but rarely do I feel more connected to our mission than when we’re doing our academy shows.” Theatre Winter Haven has been home and host to many successful actors, actresses, and technicians. Actress Karen Olivo who came through the academy won a Tony Award for her role as Anita in West Side Story, the same role she played here. TV host, personality and Hamilton star, Wayne Brady has even graced the Winter Haven stage. If the theatre ever put together a wall of fame, Chesnicka said it would be wildly impressive – a nod to their reputation as the best community theatre around. A tinge of pride in his voice, Small smiled, “How many theatres can say their little theatre produced a Tony winner?” Of the city’s investment in Theatre Winter Haven, Chesnicka said, “I would say from Mayor Dantzler to the commissioners, to City Commissioner Herr, to Assistant City Commissioner T. Michael Stavres – there is a unanimous sense of commitment to having arts be if not the central part of our community, certainly a central part of our community.” Looking Back, Moving Forward For 45 seasons, Norman Small was at Theatre Winter Haven’s helm. It isn’t just the building that holds memories for him, it’s the people and the art they made together. Small thought for a moment before listing out monumental times in his theatre career. First, was moving into the building in ’77. “Before that point, I never really considered that what I was doing was show business, I was just doing shows,” he said. “When the very first rehearsal happened under lights, when they went on for the first time – I’ve never had an experience like that except when my first child was born. When they came out and showed me the baby, something happened. And that happened whenever the lights went on and the curtain came up for the first rehearsal here in this building.” Next was when they were finally able to afford to hire their technical director David Seavey as a paid employee. Seavey left his job at what was then Circus World, taking a pay cut to do so. Norm asked him why. Small’s eyes began to water, “He said, ‘I was a Vietnam war vet. I’ve never seen people work harder to create a product and make it all happen since I was in the military than in the theatre.’” He went on to say that the coalescence of people working together to create something meaningful and significant was why he joined TWH. Small paused, “What an incredible, holy thing to say.” This powerful sentiment was followed up by the memory of entering and winning the first competition, hiring production manager, Thom Altman who Norm one time gifted a gallon of white glue because he held them all together. Volunteers Virginia Myers and Dave Burger were given high praise, and Small mentioned his first paycheck from the theatre and reaching 4,000 members during their 45th season. These spotlights were brief for the sake of the interview, but Small could have gone on telling sidesplitting stories and thanking the people who have made Theatre Winter Haven successful. Season 50 – Shows and Celebration The Season 50 lineup of shows is promising. To kick off this milestone season is, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” a production that too is turning 50 this year. Following that production will be “Coming Back Like a Song,” “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” and “Kinky Boots.” The latter is significant as Theatre Winter Haven will be the first community theatre in Florida to debut “Kinky Boots.” “We’re going to be doing that before you’ll be able to see it anywhere. That happens quite regularly based on our reputation and our number of years of service,” said Chesnicka. Rounding out the season will be “Calendar Girls” and “The Wedding Singer.” To celebrate the big 5-0, the theatre is planning a gala to take place in March. We don’t yet have many details to offer, other than, “It’s going to be big,” according to the Producing Director. Final Thoughts A nationally recognized community theatre, the most honored in Florida – Theatre Winter Haven has grown that initial 150 subscriber base to nearly 5,000. Here from day one, Norm still catches every show he can when he’s in town. He’ll tell you that his favorite production throughout the years will always be, “The next one.” The torch has been passed to Chesnicka and the next fifty or so years will be his to nurture. “My goal is to honor our city commissioners’ and our city manager’s wish to make Winter Haven a great place to live, work, and play,” he said. “I found this place as a volunteer. My kids grew up in this place. The reason I’m in this job is because I want to preserve what Norm has created and if possible cast a wider net – to continue the growth that Norm talks about that has happened through the first 50 years. And, to make sure that 50 years from now, there’s someone from Haven Magazine sitting down with whoever the next director is, to talk about what a milestone it is that Theatre Winter Haven is turning 100.” “Norm, any final thoughts on the theatre’s 50th season?” I asked. The Theatre Winter Haven luminary answered, “I never expected this to happen when I was 25 years old, but I’m so glad it has.”

Much of the success Pati Mills has seen in her life can be attributed to knowing the right people at the right time – the same kind of associations she cultivates with her networking group the Greneteam Gals. Her life has been an interesting one. “I bought my house on the lake with a six-car garage with my art. How many artists do you know that can do that?” said Pati, smiling. “And, I never had a contract.” She has her seaplane license and her first public speaking engagement was alongside former first lady Barbara Bush. Pati spent three days and $50 to become a security guard to gain access to Cypress Gardens in an attempt to snap photos to help to save it. She even gained a one of a kind position with real estate tycoon David Seigel as his Corporate Facilities Artist for 28 of his Westgate Resorts – stories chronicling Mills’ meaningful life experiences go on. Here a few great ones. Executive Business Women’s Network Twenty-five years ago, Pati Mills founded the Executive Business Women’s Network. She wanted to meet smart people – leaders of the community. She didn’t want another social club. “I don’t talk about my kids or dogs or backaches,” she said. The network was the same in that regard. “Be specific, say who you are, what you’re working on, what your needs are, sit down and shut up,” she said. The group did become successful and certainly, many business connections were made, but Pati eventually phased the group out to pursue other ventures. Painting for Publix The artist is perhaps most well-known locally for her work as a Publix muralist. When she was first contacted by Publix, Mills owned a small craft shop off of Dundee Road called The Cinnamon Tree where she hand-made ceramic tiles. According to Mills, the supermarket chain had heard about her through someone in her network. They called Pati to inquire about having the façade of their store painted. She agreed and got to work. She lined the room of her shop with sheets of 4x8 plywood as her easel. Pati stacked the tiles, using a number and letter system. She and her children worked on the storefront piece. She said, “I gave them the first one and they said that they loved it and wanted to do it again.” The first murals depicted a cornucopia. One day she got a call from Publix that they weren’t doing murals on their buildings anymore. The city wanted to charge them a sign tax as the murals depicted items sold in the store. “So, I said, ‘Well isn’t the next one over by the park in Lakeland? Why don’t I do a park scene?’ They loved it!” remembered Pati. From then on, she’d find a distinguishing landmark or something symbolic of whatever town the mural was to go in. Mills went on to paint 200 murals for Publix Supermarkets. Pati’s Pottery Another opportunity opened up for her one day when a city employee stopped in her shop. He was looking for crafters for a craft village at Cypress Gardens. Pati remembered, “He said, ‘I’m looking for a potter.’ And I lied. I said, ‘You are? I’m a potter!’” It wasn’t too big of a fib. She had been pouring slip and making dishes but hadn’t forayed into the pottery wheel. How hard could it be? “The first thing I did was buy a book on how to be a potter because I’d told him I was a Master Potter, that was in the book. Then I bought a pottery wheel. In three months – just three months – I had five thousand pots. Now, they weren’t all beautiful, but I took a picture of them and put the bad side in the back.” Next thing you know, her name was in seven-foot letters at Cypress Gardens – ‘Pati’s Pottery.’ “My first year, I made $84,000,” she said. The Greneteam Gals Pati’s current women’s networking group, modeled after the Executive Business Women’s Network, started two years ago with twelve members attending the first meeting. The Greenlefe community, where Pati was living at the time, was their original meeting space. This is where their moniker, the Greneteam Gals, stems from. A petite woman, on the lower end of five feet tall, Pati Mills has no trouble commanding a room. Twenty women flowed into the meeting space at Bambu Café. Each put their cellphone into a basket where it would remain until the end of the meeting. This isn’t a social hour. For the Greneteam Gals, it’s time to get down to business. The business cards of real estate agents, former county commissioners, writers, bakers, and other female entrepreneurs are exchanged. Budding deals and business connections are formed. No chit chat, or Pati who has earned and finds amusement in the name they’ve affectionately given her, ‘The General’ will call you out for interrupting the speaker. “I’m real strict about them not chit-chatting when the speaker is speaking,” she would tell me later. To keep the group intimate and useful for the members, they meet twice monthly with the opportunity to attend one of two meetings on that day. “The point of the meeting is not to be chatty, but to really listen to who’s speaking and see if we can help them,” said Mills. Pati gives every one of the members a blank notebook so that as the ladies enjoy lunch and listen intently to the speaker, they can take notes. “The whole purpose of the meeting is that I want to be able to market you and support you,” said Pati. The meeting commenced with a prayer and a pledge followed by Pati’s instructions. “You’ll say who you are, what you’re working on, what your needs are,” she said. Each attendee has three minutes to give their elevator speech to the group. “It’s very important that you contact at least five people that were at the meeting that you had at least a little bit of a connection with,” said Pati to the group. If the person doesn’t answer, she encouraged them to leave a short message simply asking if there is anything they can help with. Pati wants the connections to be honest and organic. I even got a call or two in the weeks following the meeting. After the meeting, Mills spoke openly and fervently about the group. She asked me, “What if you met the best of the best – you met the leaders of the community?” The Greneteam Gals is her answer to that question. If you’re interested in attending the next meeting or becoming a member, find their group by searching ‘Greneteam Gals’ on Facebook.

Silvia Vega has recently become the new owner of Winter Haven Montessori. Silvia is married to Dr. Celestino Vega, who works for Lakeland Regional Hospital, at a clinic in Auburndale. Silvia was born in Cuba and her family came to the states when she was ten. Her father was a physician and her mother was a nurse. They both were licensed and practiced in Miami. Silvia went to school in Miami and then studied nursing and worked until the birth of her first child. They have two children, Catherine, a third year medical student and Mathew who is beginning his Pathology Residency Program in Chicago. With her children well on their way, Silvia has always dreamed of having her own school. She worked as a teacher at the school for 10 years. When the previous owner, Melissa Davis, decided to leave, an opportunity presented itself. Silvia decided it was time to make her own dream come true. When asked what her husband thought about this monumental undertaking, she said he thought she was crazy. Montessori is a method of education which allows a type of “discovery“ model where the child learns concepts by working with materials rather than direct instruction. An example of this was in their activity room where little bags were lined up with a letter on each bag. Silvia pulled out a bag and poured out a number of objects. There were items all beginning with the letter “W.” A tiny water bottle and other things could all be held and discussed while making the sound Woo. These real life experiences are integrated into learning.The classrooms tend to be organized by ability rather than strictly by age. Winter Haven Montessori is dedicated to providing a challenging educational environment in which each child is empowered to grow to his/her fullest potential academically, emotionally, physically and socially at each stage of development. “I truly believe in Montessori as it is a great environment to raise children in. It teaches discipline, responsibility and how to care for others,” Silvia said. The school can accommodate children from three-montholds to one-year-olds in the same class. The ratio is four children to one teacher at this age. The toddler class is for one and two-year-olds, and has one teacher for every six children. The two, three, and four-year-old class has one teacher for every 15 children. The ratio is the same for kindergarten. “When I took over this school it went up to Kindergarten. Now we will be opening classes to third grade. We already have students lined up for these grades.” Silvia said. “I have great teachers. They come to work with a smile on their faces and truly enjoy being with children. My teachers have all been trained in the Montessori Method and any helpers are expected to take courses for certification. I am pleased to pay for the training. We are like a family. I have an excellent Director, Courtney Brooks. She is in charge of all paperwork for DCF, ELC, and all the phone calls. She is like my right hand. She is amazing.” Silvia is excited to start the new school term in August and welcomes parents to come and visit. Developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori (1870–1952), Montessori education is practiced in an estimated 20,000 schools worldwide, serving children from birth to eighteen years old. Please visit online or call for 2019-20 tuition rates. www.winterhavenmontessori.com 305 Ave E SW Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 268-8208

The proprietor of Confection and self-described Candyman of Winter Haven Ivy Horn just opened what might be the coolest little candy shop anywhere across deep space. The sci-fi themed Confection Candy Shop, had its grand opening was July 17. A vision in silver, Ivy was surrounded by friends, family and excited community members, all there to celebrate this delicious addition to downtown. “I love candy as much as all kids do I think,” said Ivy. “In the last five or six years, it’s become my thing.” Candy became a part of her identity. During her travels, she was always on the lookout for something she hadn’t tried before – her next favorite treat. Ivy grew up in Winter Haven, leaving for a time to live in Orlando. She moved back and has been working as a Wand Assistant in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios teaching the ins and outs of magic and spells. She still works her magic one day a week at the park. The 27-year-old candy connoisseur has entertained a few studies of interest from Mandarin and women’s studies to film, writing children’s books to teaching. Among her studies, one of her favorite classes was a science fiction literature course at Polk State College. She described her professor, Mr. Junkins as an incredible teacher. The class’s exploration of pulp novels pushed her deeper into science fiction. This isn’t where her infatuation with the genre began though. “I started watching Star Trek because it was on in the morning before high school,” she remembers. She devoured the original series and fell in love with the franchise. Now, Ivy can’t get enough of old horror and sci-fi flicks with The Twilight Zone being one of her favorites. The Candy Concept Sitting around the dinner table with her parents, the conversation of what they would like to see in downtown Winter Haven came up. Chocolate! Her parents are very involved downtown, her mom, Anita, has had two shops downtown. When they asked if she would consider opening a candy store, the possibilities began to whirl around her mind. Her initial concept was a horror-themed shop called Confection Crypt. Searching for something a little more kid-friendly, she turned from the macabre to sci-fi. “I could do candy and science fiction together, merge both of those things and create a space that’s inspiring – something that you’ll always remember,” she thought. Ivy wanted a flying saucer fixture for the store, but her attention quickly turned to robots. Perusing the internet for famous robot replicas like Robbie the Robot and Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still, she found a man named Fred Barton in California who makes them. He sent over information about his work and there she found him, at the bottom of the sheet – Confection’s robot. The replica of a robot from the 1954 film, Target Earth, towers over 7-feet. She planned to integrate him into everything to do with the store, including the Confection logo. Her partner and mascot was soon on his way. When asked his name, Ivy quipped, “He’s going to reveal his name to me very soon. We’re spending time together.” She did tell us what his name was not going to be. Amongst the rejects – Ringo, Bobby, and Lollitron. The two have since gotten to know each other and Winter Haven’s sweetest robot has introduced himself to be Zondar. Beyond the “Nebulous Blue” store exterior, he is the first thing to catch your eye. Perhaps followed by the old science fiction movies Ivy projects on the wall or her offerings of tin robot toys. The shop’s walls and shelves are confettied by a rainbow of candies. A neon red sign, reading, “The Future is Sweet” hangs behind the counter. Even the trash bin is ready for a galactic mission – a white rocket-shaped Spaceboy. The wide-eyed wonderment of a kid in a candy store – that’s what the Confection owner was most excited for prior to opening. “Just seeing them experience everything and asking me questions about things, “whatever they come up,” she smiled. Little Surprises Around Every Corner Confection stocks a blissful mix of import and nostalgia candy, as well as craft chocolate. Each section of the store offers something different. Much like in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, you’re sure to find, “Little surprises around every corner, but nothing dangerous.” “I love import candy,” said the Winter Haven Candyman. Her sweet treats dot the map from the UK, Eastern Europe, and the Nordic regions. She has a selection from Japan and France, two countries she hopes to get more stock from. As for the nostalgia side of things – lovers of Zotz, Zagnut Bars, and the like are in for a real treat, pun intended. Browsing the shelves with Confection’s adorable tiny red candy baskets in hand, you’ll also find fun sweets for the kids (or adults, we’re not judging) like 3D gummy monsters, gummy pizzas, and gummy take out. Then, there’s the bean-to-bar craft chocolate. Ivy held up a bar with the name Frazer Nordi on it, a Sea Buckthorn & Salty Caramel flavor. “This is a line of chocolate bars inspired by the Nordic wilderness,” she said. She saw them set up at a market and was inspired by their clever look, wilderness vests and all. Confection also boasts an exclusive selection from Castronovo, a chocolatier out of Stuart, Florida, considered to be a national leader in bean-to-bar craft chocolates. Other offerings come from the Nashville based Olive & Sinclair who produce duck fat caramels, smoked nib brittle, bourbon brittle, and craft flavors like salt and pepper chocolate. The shop’s Sour Laboratory is run by mad scientist, Doctor Sisko. It displays an assortment of tart, vibrantly colored candy. This area of the store is complete with bubbling vials, Formula Sours in test tubes and other brimming scientific equipment. Asked what her most coveted candies are, Ivy said at the top of her list was MozartKugel. “It’s a truffle and it has pistachio flavored marzipan and chocolate.” She’s hoping to get some for the holidays. “It has a picture of Motzart on it, it’s beautiful,” she said. Next was none other than the brightly colored, tart Formula Sours at her store. Halloween – The Most Sacred Candy Holiday Ivy’s favorite holiday? Halloween of course. “It’s like a candy harvest,” she said. In her spare time, she reimagines horror movie titles using candy lingo – Children of the Candy Corn, The Hills Have Buckeyes, The Texas Chick-O-Stick Massacre. Ivy wants Confection to not only be Winter Haven’s candy connection, but also a place of candy celebration. She’ll get the opportunity to play into her original “Confection Crypt” idea and maybe use a few of these titles to celebrate come October. She has been compiling a 1930s and 40s vintage horror playlist that is scary, but still kid-appropriate. Inspired by memories of laying out Halloween candy on the floor, meticulously dividing it up by category, and trading with her brother – Ivy has thought about hosting a candy trade at Confection for the kids. Operation Candy: Phase II The candy store proprietor has a few eccentric and exciting ideas up her sleeve. “The thing about a candy store – you can be as weird and eccentric as you want. That’s why people liked Willy Wonka and why they wanted his candy so badly,” she smiled. Once she’s settled in, her phase two plans involve cocktail and candy pairings. The Confection owner gave the community a taste of what that might be like at her grand opening, bringing in mixologist Justin Levaughn of The Courtesy Bar and also the Suffering Bastard Tiki Bar. She brought Levaughn candy for inspiration and asked him to create an accompanying menu. He did not disappoint. The first, “Howard’s Old Fashioned” was a duck fat washed bourbon with Guyanese Cacao honey and bitters that could be paired with Olive & Sinclair Duck Fat Caramels. The “Venus Attacks” was a gin, almond cordial, passionfruit, lemon, orange blossom, and bubble cocktail – suggested to be paired with Formula Sours from Confection’s Sour Laboratory. A perfect pairing to Geisha candy was “Manfish” a vodka, macadamia, toasted coconut, palm sugar, and pineapple concoction. Eventually, she’d also like a cotton candy machine to create custom blends. “Freshly spun cotton candy is just incredibly visual, everything about it,” she said. “You can get bell pepper cotton candy – or any flavor.” She hopes to introduce patrons to these types of wild flavors, while also offering the classics. It’s only fitting that Ivy Horn’s favorite candy movie is 1971’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. “The original [Willy Wonka] is everything I want this to feel like,” she said. “The sense of wonder and global panic over candy, like with the Wonka Bars – that’s what I really love.” Confection Candy Shop 254 West Central Ave. Suite B Winter Haven (863) 207-6007 Confectioncandyshop.com FB @confectionwh IG @confectionwh Photo by Amy Sexson

What does it mean to live loudly? Perhaps it’s using art to heal, or embracing the fact that you’ve “always been extra,” or using your film or photography to start a conversation. For husband and wife, Jamie and Natalya Clemens, living loudly meant starting an award-winning video production company to tell the stories of brands and people who are doing the same. The pair started Loud Life Productions in January of 2016. Jamie has been into video production since high school. “I remember thinking ‘This is a lot of fun – I can make things interesting and energetic and fun,’” he said. “It really engaged my mind. As soon as I got done shooting something, I just wanted to go and edit it.” A source of instant gratification, he liked creating something that others would enjoy. His first job in video production was filming projects on-staff at a West Palm Beach construction company. His work in the industry extends beyond borders. Clemens has completed projects in Costa Rica with Natalya, as well as in the Dominican Republic and Cuba. Jamie described Natalya has an avid reader and writer. A coowner of the company, she also plays the role of producer and director on many of their projects. “She’s actually more into story and storytelling than I am,” said Clemens, “When she grew up, all she wanted was a typewriter, so she could sit next to a window and write short stories.” The family moved from West Palm Beach to Lakeland four months after starting LLP at the suggestion of good friend and fellow entrepreneur/ video maker, Andy McEntire. McEntire, who owns Indie Atlantic Films and Concord Coffee, has been an encouraging force for Clemens. Indie Atlantic, NFocus Studios, and others in the industry locally have all been supportive. “That’s one thing about the video industry, especially in Lakeland is that everybody, for the most part, is super helpful,” He said. “While it is competitive, we’re all cheering each other on – it’s a great thing.” As soon as they moved, Jamie and Natalya joined Catapult and set out to become plugged into the city. “Luckily, it’s a shallow pool, you can touch the bottom pretty quickly, which is great. We needed a city like that where, if you wanted to have coffee with your mayor, you could set it up,” said Jamie. They have since plugged–in to Lakeland’s growing, tight-knit community – growing their business within it. Helping Brands Become ‘The Guide’ The technical side of video can be uncomfortable, costly, and generally not enjoyable for a business. Loud Life set out with a simple mission, “Let’s make this enjoyable for everybody.” Loud Life Productions has a portfolio boasting clients from CenterState Bank, Bank of Central Florida, Keller Williams, to Gate Arty, One More Child, and Catapult. They started out doing B2B projects for small business, now working more with agencies and marketing teams. Though agencies and marketing directors may be more comfortable with the technical aspects than most, Clemens said, “We still want them to feel like that experience with Loud Life Productions they felt very communicated to, very catered to, and felt confident where they’re spending their money.” An intentional focus of the production company currently is brand commercials. “What sparked my interest in brand commercials was a project we did last year for a realtor, Gate Arty,” said Jamie. Arty hired LLP to produce a brand commercial for his team. The video went on to earn the production company a Golden ADDY Award from the American Advertising Federation. (Loud Life won a Silver ADDY the same year for their video “Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) | Join The Movement”). “I realized taking someone whether they make coffee mugs or sell houses, you can still write a script and film them in such a way that doesn’t make them feel salesy and gimmicky,” said Clemens. “The best brands talk about their users – Subaru, Nike, Apple.” Citing author and business owner Donald Miller and his book, “Building a StoryBrand,” Clemens explained, “You have a character who has a problem, who meets a guide, the guide gives them a plan, then calls them to action, then there’s a climactic point, and it either ends in success or failure.” “That’s how a typical story arc goes and if you break that framework, oftentimes people don’t care to finish that story because that’s how you keep people intrigued.” Helping brands to establish themselves as that guide to their audience is both challenging and fun according to the producer. To that end, consulting with clients is a large portion of the work they do. To get to the bottom of what message needs to be conveyed and how to achieve it through a video begins with a lot of questions. Loud Life uses the information they learn from consulting with a client – who their audience is, when and why they’re watching that video, and what they would ideally do with that information – to ask questions and simplify the message to find the most easily digestible and compelling way to communicate it. Loud Life People Marketing and branding aren’t the sole focus of the production company. “We made the company Loud Life because we wanted to tell the stories of people who we felt live life loud,” said Jamie, discussing a series of artist spotlight videos they’ve produced. Through the series called “Loud Life People”, LLP has artfully and impactfully told the stories of a few fascinating people. They illuminated Josh ‘Bump’ Galletta’s story of turning to art after a traumatic accident and now using his creativity to make a living. Also featured was photographer Jordan Weiland and her show “Women in Beauty.” Her project was an extension of the conversation surrounding how beauty is defined, a reflection of beauty ideals and standards, and a call to all women to love themselves – flaws and all. Lindsay Johnson is a gypsyesque fire dancer, performer, artist, and all-around “extra” person. The Clemens’s knew Johnson from West Palm Beach. “We felt like, here’s a woman who feels empowered to be her best self and doesn’t want to fit into a single mold and is going to make a living being who she is,” said Jamie, adding, “We wanted to tell her story and show off something really fun and cinematic.” Another Loud Life People feature followed, Kevin and Teresa O’Brien. Kevin made the film joining the conversation between the church and the LGBTQ community titled “At the End of the Day.” Teresa, who worked with her husband on the film, has since become the newest member of the Loud Life Productions team as a producer. According to an LLP social media post, Teresa’s experience “specializes in coordinating large-scale events, producing digital streaming content and most recently a feature film.” The post went on to say that they couldn’t be more excited to have her join them. What’s Next What does the future have in store for Loud Life Productions? “We really value repeat clients. Mainly because the more you work with somebody, the more you understand them, their brand AND their audience. We also find that one video is rarely the key to their messaging; it needs constant attention,” said Clemens. “We want to work along clients long term as a part of their strategic planning in their overall marketing plan.” Clements also recognizes the need for brands to put out a “message void of their brand” and would love the opportunity to partner with a brand “who tells in-depth stories about their audience” in a mini-doc format. Loud Life Productions Loudlifeproductions.com IG @ loud.life.productions FB @loudlifeproductions Photos by Jordan Weiland Photography

For 24-year-old, Winter Haven native Jessica Spell, being a Firefighter/ Paramedic is more than a job – it’s her whole life. Her reasons for joining and even her activities outside of work all center around the people she helps on a daily basis. Aside from “mom-ing a lot” when she isn’t on shift at the fire station, Spell works at a hospital as a paramedic in the ER. She looks at her position in the hospital as a way to stay proficient in the medical aspect of her firefighting career. Her five-year-old son was born and raised into firefighting. Spell said, “He thinks it’s the coolest thing ever. His mom is a firefighter. He knows what I do, he understands why I’m gone for as often as I’m gone for. What I’ve always told him is, ‘Mom is always coming back.’” Her journey to join the fire service – to become a hero to her son and the community – began of all places, at the local Dunkin’ Donuts. From Fast Food to Firefighting Jessica Spell knew she wanted a career in the medical field. She knew she wanted to help others. “I was initially going to go to school for nursing. I felt confident in that decision, it was also a very safe decision for me.” That decision changed when she found out she was pregnant during her first semester of college. “After my son was born, I had to make a decision as to where I wanted to take my career,” said Spell. She was trying to establish herself not only as an adult but now as a new parent. Nursing school was going to take between two and four years to complete and becoming a firefighter combined her love of helping people, physical activity and the medical field, and would take three semesters to get started. She worked as a manager at Dunkin’ Donuts for about 4 years. Local firefighters were some of their regulars – stopping in for a morning coffee and some small talk. Another manager at her work was going to school to become a firefighter and would talk about the physical aspect of his training and the strenuous tasks they’d complete. “I was always athletic growing up. I always liked the challenge, I always liked to push myself,” said Jessica. The career prospect appealed to Spell. “What better career possible than a place where I could help people, I could become a medical professional, and I could still have the athletic, physical component? That’s my life, that’s what I get paid for. I get paid to feel good for helping people, on the inside, and feel good on the outside for having to be in shape,” she said. Prior to encountering the firefighters at Dunkin’ Donuts and her conversations with the other manager, she hadn’t had any exposure to the fire service. “Had I known more about it at a younger age, I probably would have spent my whole life gearing towards this, but I’m glad it came into play when it did,” she said. Spell eventually got in contact with Lieutenant Mike Waters. She told him she was going to go to school to become a firefighter and asked if she could take a ride on their truck. He told her to come to the station, fill out some paperwork and she could become an Explorer. She did and was an Explorer for about a year prior to starting her Fire Standards while going to school for EMT. She attended Polk State College for her EMR (Emergency Medical Responder) and then her EMT (Emergency Medical Technician). She attended Ridge Fire Academy to complete her Fire Standards. She was already volunteering at Davenport Fire Department and her volunteer position became a paid position upon completing her standards. She began paramedic school, which she described as one of the most difficult years of her life, during the 14 months she worked at DFD. She left DFD to work for Winter Haven Fire Department in January of 2017, the same month she began her second semester of paramedic school. During her time as an Explorer and throughout EMT school, Spell spent a lot of time with the firefighters on B shift at WHFD where she would do ride time hours on Engine 541. She said, “They became like family right off the jump. The moment that I walked into the station, how they treated me, how they made me feel, how they took the time to show me ‘hey, this is what we do,’ they made me a part of it from day one and that had me sold on Winter Haven Fire Department.” She made the decision not to apply to any other department – WHFD is where she wants to be. Female in the Fire Service Raised in a household by a single father with a military background and a younger brother, Spell said, “I had a very unique perspective on what it meant to live with guys for 24 hours at a time.” Her concern going into the service wasn’t for herself, but more so being aware of how different it was going to be for the men. “When you have a group of guys and they band together as the brotherhood, that’s very real to them,” she said. Adding a female into the mix, Spell said it can be funny to see the changes they make. “They sit differently, and they talk a little differently because they have respect for me. I felt as a female coming into a predominantly male department – they were respecting me so I was going to respect them.” She has always felt that mutual understanding and respect amongst her brothers saying that it was easy fitting into this male-dominated field. As for the physical aspect of being a female firefighter, Spell said, “I wish anyone – boy, girl, I don’t care who you are – would realize you are capable of whatever you set your mind to. Your brain is the strongest muscle in your body is how I like to put it.” Fire Standards were life-changing for Spell. She had confidence that she could do it but admitted there were challenges throughout her training. She described the first time she lifted someone, hoisted the ladder, or had to drag someone as breaking through a barrier in her own mind. Realizing she could do it, she said, “Once you realize that, the sky’s the limit.” Dragging or lifting someone three times her size is simply a matter of body mechanics and figuring out what works for you in the safest manner possible said Spell. “Some of these guys can go out here and bench press 200 pounds. I’m never going to be that, so I had to figure out my strengths and I had to face my weaknesses very head-on. I have to be aware of what I’m capable of, just as much as I have to be aware of what I max out at.” Beyond the Title Firefighting may be in their name, but it isn’t remotely close to the only thing they do on any given shift. “I think there’s just a lack of a thorough knowledge of what it is that we do exactly,” posited Spell. She estimates that between 80-85% of the calls they run are medical. Yes, firefighting is a critical part of the job she says, but so too are car accidents, cardiac arrest, strokes, and any variety of other emergencies. She discussed the motor accident portion of what they do, saying, “We have to be knowledgeable of each vehicle that’s out there on the road. You’ve got electric, you’ve got propane [...] and you have to know how to cut that car open, how to do it safely as to not further injure the person that’s in it or the people that you’re working with around you.” With medical being the broadest category of the calls they receive, Jessica said, “In one year, paramedics get a crash course in what it is to be a doctor and what it is to be a doctor in the most critical circumstances.” She added, “In that moment we have to know exactly what it is that we need to do to be able to help you and save you.” “I think that it’s developing, it’s new. The fire service used to be simply firefighters, but we are so much more than that now. I don’t think the general population is aware of just how diverse we have to be and how on top of things at any given moment we have to be at all times.” Firefighter and Foster Mom Spell estimated it to be on Halloween day when they got the call around 4:30 in the evening for a “non-responsive.” Arriving on the scene, they discovered a baby girl had ingested methadone, a substance that has the same effects as narcotics according to Spell. “Her heart was still beating but she was no longer breathing. We arrived on scene, got baseline vitals on her. The ambulance showed up, intubated, and then in the back of the ambulance when I went to hear her breath sounds, I heard her heart stop beating.” They began compressions on the little girl and transported her to Winter Haven Hospital where she was immediately transported to St. Joseph’s. There, her stomach was pumped, and they got pulses back. “Four days later,” Spell said, “I was babysitting her.” The baby, as it turned out, was the niece of one of Jessica’s personal friends. “She had called me and was really upset because her niece had just gotten transported away in an ambulance and I couldn’t tell her that I was one of the people in the ambulance with her,” said Spell. Due to the proximity from the aunt’s house to where the incident occurred, the aunt wasn’t able to maintain custody. “I said from day one – give me that baby,” said the firefighter. Spell had custody of her from January of 2018 to February of 2019. “I got to celebrate her first birthday with her, watch her take her first steps,” she said. “If it were not for her aunt and the support of WHFD union [...] I don’t know how I would have made raising two children possible,” noted Spell. Each member of the WHFD union donated $50 Publix gift cards to help her afford groceries and necessities for the baby. Her foster parenthood ended happily when the child was placed with a blood relative in Georgia. Not only did Spell aid in saving the little girl’s life, but she also played her part in giving her a happy one until she could return to her family. Be the Light The level of calamity, physical, and emotional trauma firefighters see every day can’t be understated. They aren’t only putting their lives on the line to save others, but potentially their own mental health. Spell explained how she copes with the difficult situations she encounters in the line of duty. “You can harbor things in whatever way works for you, but what works for me is that no matter the outcome, no matter what I’ve seen or the circumstances – I am helping someone to the absolute best of my ability.” “That’s why the training is important, that’s why I make sure I’m running outside of work and working out on shift and reading the protocols is because I can say every day that I show up to whatever your emergency is, that I have given it the absolute best of my ability,” she said. “I have not yet walked away with anything that has traumatized me, at least that I’m aware of, because of that – because I’m doing the best that I can.” The fervent dedication Spell expresses and displays for her work can be described as nothing other than heroic. This isn’t just a position she fills, a paycheck to be drawn – this is what Jessica Spell was meant to do. “You’re never going to get rich here at least not monetarily,” she said, “but you can definitely fill your heart up a little bit.” A firefighter’s relationship with the victims they interact with is a paramount part of what they do. Spell said the people they face are often having one of the worst days of their life. “You take the time to talk to them. You take the time to be the light in a really dark situation because that one moment, those five minutes, that can make a world of difference to them,” she said. “Because even in the middle of all this bad stuff that’s happening, there is still good. You have to look and you have to be that for other people sometimes. […] If you’ve ever been in a situation where you couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel and you couldn’t see the stars shining behind all the clouds – they’re there. Help other people find that. That’s what we do, that’s what we’re supposed to do. That is probably first and foremost the number one responsibility of this job – regardless of the title.” She admits she can’t speak for everyone in the fire service – there are others who have had different experiences than her, but she tries to face her own experiences head-on. “Is there a likelihood that this job will harden you? Most certainly. How do you see all of this bad stuff day in and day out and continue to move forward with a positive outlook? It’s hard, it’s a challenge, but you have to step up and face it because it will get you if you let it.” Here to Help Spell considers herself relatively new in the fire service with next January marking three years with WHFD. One day though, she would like to progress. Until then, she plans to continue her education for both medical and fire. She hopes to climb the ranks of the fire service in the future, not for the sake of saying that she is an engineer, a lieutenant, or chief, but, “As I progress and hopefully continue to be the best that I possibly can be, I want to be able to share my experiences with those who are just starting out and the best way to do so is to promote. To show these people who started out in the same position that I was in, ‘Hey, I know you don’t feel like you know what you’re doing, but you’re going to figure it out and I’m going to be here to help you.’” Photo by Amy Sexson

Born in Mexico, Sergio Lopez-Sanchez came to the States when he was three years old. He grew up in Polk County, spending most of that time in Winter Haven. The now 28-year-old remembers the moment he knew he wanted to be a firefighter, saying, “Back when I was in high school, in the area that I live there happened to be a structure fire – a house burning – and I saw the crews coming in and fighting the fire and I thought that was something I would want to consider when I grow up.” After high school, he went to Polk State College to earn his EMT certificate, followed by the Ridge Fire Academy to become a firefighter. He was hired on with the Winter Haven Fire Department in December of 2017. A dangerous job, working 24-hour shifts at a time, LopezSanchez takes pride in what he does. “To me, it’s a rewarding career,” he said. “It’s a way that I can give back to the community, to serve them in a way.” With a year and a half under his belt, Lopez-Sanchez considers his fellow WHFD firefights to be a second family – a feeling that was almost immediate. “It was quick,” said Sergio. “They were quite accepting of me, they helped me get adjusted into the fire department, into this new role in my life.” Though these heroes are constantly on the alert, it doesn’t mean they don’t have a little fun with each other. How could they live for 24-hours with each other and not have a few laughs? One thing they do to rookies when they’re returned from their first major fire is to shave their head – Sergio was no exception. Getting Prepared Lopez-Sanchez walked us through what’s going whenever the tone drops. “Whenever we get a call, we try to be mentally prepared and think about what our plan of attack is going to be – whether it’s a medical or a fire call, we try to figure out a plan ahead of time so that everything can be coordinated smoothly on scene,” he said. “As soon as we get in the truck, we start communicating with our crew.” He explained that they use a computer in the truck called a CAD (Computer-Assisted Dispatch), which he said, “gives us a little summary of what’s going through dispatch. We read through that and it gives us an idea of what we’re going into.” Knowing a little bit about what they’re going into allows them to formulate the best way to control the situation when they arrive on the scene. Family Man When Lopez-Sanchez isn’t working, he’s spending time with his family. In their family of six, Sergio is the oldest of four siblings. “Our family is really close,” he said. The tight-knit family makes time for each other whenever they can, often doing activities on the weekends together like going to a theme park or out to dinner. The firefighter’s family is proud of the career he’s making. When he first set his sights on being a firefighter/ EMT, they were worried about how dangerous it would be. But Sergio knew exactly what he was getting into and that it would be fulfilling. And it has been. He loves his job. “Well, it’s not really a job if you enjoy what you’re doing, and this is one of those. I’m happy to come in here every third shift,” he said. Making a Difference The crew continues to remain professional and prepared for any situation that may arise throughout the shift. According to Sergio, “If there’s downtime throughout the day, we try to complete our daily functions like our chores, reports – every shift we have daily activities we have to do or some type of training.” Being this mentally alert can be exhausting, so Sanchez-Lopez uses his days off to recoup and take a little time for himself, to have a calm, relaxing day. “There are times we run doubledigit calls on a shift or we get calls at night that keep us from sleeping, but it’s okay. I love what I do, and I know that’s part of the career,” he said. He wouldn’t trade this career for anything. He always looks forward to coming into C shift. It is an interesting job in which anything can happen at any time. Knowing that he can make a difference in the community whenever he comes into work means a lot to the firefighter. Photo by Amy Sexson

First, a big ‘thank you’ to the men and women of the Winter Haven Fire Department not only for their service but also for being so gracious with their time and giving us a glimpse into their world. Over the past several weeks, they gave us a tour of the station, took our editor up about 9 stories on their truck’s ladder, and let us ride along on a call. Talking with the first responders who put their lives at risk, spend 24-hours at a time away from their families, and work rain or shine to keep the community safe, they opened our eyes to just what goes into being a firefighter. Not Just Punching the Clock Safety and Training Captain Casey Dasher gave us a tour of the station and a detailed rundown of an average (if there is such a thing in this profession) shift. The station pup, a rescue Weimaraner/ Great Dane, Wesley also accompanied us on the tour. As most of us are stopping for a coffee or rolling into work a few minutes late on any given weekday, the firefighters of the Winter Haven Fire Department have already begun their 24- hour, 8 am to 8 am shift. They are on call for the entirety of their shift. Whether in training, eating lunch, taking a shower, or sleeping – when a call comes in, they drop everything to respond. They must arrive early for their shift to go upstairs to their bunks to change into their uniforms and be ready to take a call at 8:00 on the dot. The firefighters then head downstairs for their morning briefing. Utilizing a video conference between Station 1 on U.S. 17, Station 2 on Lucerne Park Road, and Station 3 on Cypress Gardens Blvd., the Battalion Chief who is the commander of that shift, conducts the meeting. He will go over truck assignments, clean up duties, any training or public education events, goals or requirements of the day and any other news or happenings within the department. The morning meeting is also a time to review streets, policy, and protocol. Everyone on shift is assigned a station duty to keep the station, which is essentially their home away from home, clean and tidy. One of the most critical parts of their shift other than responding to calls is the truck check. Every piece of equipment, medication, and device is checked to be up to date and in working order. WHFD Firefighter/ Paramedic Jessica Spell explained, “You make sure, even if you did it two days prior, that everything is exactly how you need it to be for whatever you may encounter in the next 24-hours.” Captain Dasher explained that they have set detail days for the trucks on which the people on shift will do a deep cleaning of the engine’s cab and wash and wax the exterior. One misconception we heard brought up repeatedly was that firefighters have a lot of free time on their hands when they aren’t responding to a call. This isn’t the case. Downtime between calls does not equate to free time for the firefighters. The time between 8 am and 5 pm is treated as normal business hours, with every firefighter doing something productive with their time. The first thing you see when you walk into the station is a room of plush recliners facing a big screen tv which at first glance may propel this misconception. However, each time we visited the station for an interview or photos, not once did we see someone lounging. There were men and women training, writing reports, cleaning, detailing trucks, among other station duties. When Duty Calls To someone not familiar with the fire service, the thought of having to drop everything you’re doing, hurriedly jump on a truck to rush to someone’s aid might be anxiety-inducing. For these men and women, it is routine, down to a matter of focus and preparedness. First alerted by a loud tone over an intercom system and on pagers they carry with them, Spell relayed, “You stop whatever it is that you’re doing. It doesn’t matter if you’re eating or if you’re in the middle of a shower – which has definitely happened to all of us at least once.” “You get a general idea and whatever information you’re getting is based on a conversation that’s being had with someone over the phone and someone who is having the worst day of their life. Sometimes things get misconstrued, and sometimes things get downplayed or they’ll get blown out of proportion,” said Spell. “You take it with a grain of salt because no matter how good the dispatcher is, you never know exactly what you’re walking into.” They take a small window of time, less than two minutes according to Captain Dasher, to get ready and on route to the emergency. Spell admitted that when you first start off in the career, “You definitely get the jitters that come with it every time that the tone drops. It rewires your brain, it truly does. There’s a different psychology that comes with being a firefighter and being ready for anything at any given moment.” Time on the job eases that adrenaline rush says Spell, adding that whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned vet, there is a systematic approach to how they handle a call. “Part of being able to do that is being knowledgeable of whatever protocols, whatever the general guidelines are of medical care because you might have a set-in-stone way of doing things in the hospital,” said Spell. “But for here, we’re not showing up to an emergency room. We’re showing up to someone’s house or the side of the road or an ally.” The Ride Along A call came for Engine 541. I climbed aboard the truck with Lieutenant Jason Ward, Firefighter/ Paramedic Wilder Rodriguez and firefighter Ronald Wright behind the wheel. Out of respect for the patient’s privacy, I won’t reveal the exact details of the call other than it was a “psychological” medical call. On route, I slid an oversized pair of headphones with a speaker over my ears – this is how everyone in the truck communicates. Lieutenant Ward read the CAD (computerassisted dispatch) and gave a few more details about the situation and instructions to the others on board as to how to proceed on scene. When we arrived Lieutenant Ward, while assessing the situation, began to build a rapport with the patient. This, he says, is a huge aspect of their job. An ambulance and a few police officers also arrived on the scene. Lieutenant Ward stepped away from the scene and said, “You notice I stepped out because there were a lot of people in there. It starts getting to the point that it’s overwhelming for the patient because everywhere he looks there’s another uniform. When you’re already in a sensitive state like they are, it’s really overwhelming.” Consulting with the other first responders, the team kept the patient calm and determined what the best course of action would be. Once the scene was under control and their job was done, we headed back to the station where each firefighter on the truck would fill out a report detailing what happened. Obviously out of the norm for me, the call was exciting, but witnessing someone else’s emergency was a bit frightening and sad at the same time. As for the firefighters, they had a job to do – one they handled with compassion and care for everyone involved. Each man on the truck displayed professionalism and level-headedness that seems singular to their line of duty. A New Perspective First responders are indisputably heroes. But, if you don’t know one personally or have never been in the situation to need them, maybe you don’t know the extent of what they do. Firefighters fight fires, right? I knew that for every car accident I saw, there was a fire truck. I knew that if someone left the stove on and caught their house on fire, they would be there to put it out. Television taught me that they slide down poles and eat a lot of chili. What I didn’t know was that the people aboard that truck are medically trained (EMTs and Paramedics) to the same extent as the ambulance taking the victims to the hospital. I didn’t know that the majority of the calls they respond to are medical. I didn’t know they assist on every emergency from cardiac arrest to stroke to fire to a car accident to things we don’t even think about. I didn’t know that it was more than just a job for them. Each person we met from Captain Dasher and his thorough knowledge of the station and everything in it, to Jessica Spell who strives to be the light of someone’s darkest day, to each firefighter I talked to who cared so deeply about their profession, their brotherhood and the community they serve, gave me a whole new perspective on what it means to be a firefighter – a greater appreciation. At the end of the day they can’t rest their head for a job well done because at the end of the day, they are still assisting, rescuing, serving the citizens of Winter Haven. The men and women I met are those I would want there for me in my time of need. Winter Haven firefighters, we thank you. Photos by Amy Sexson

When we’re in the drive-through of a coffee chain muttering under our breath about how long the person in front of us is taking to order, or spilling it on our favorite shirt, or guzzling it down for an extra boost of energy, it’s easy to forget how special a cup of coffee can be. A cup of coffee can be the first date of many to come or a much-needed conversation with a friend – it’s a connection. In Winter Haven, three sisters inspired and fueled by their mother’s love, run a coffee truck offering that connection along with a cup of joe. Sisters Angie Baeten, Patrice Williams, and V’Asiah Joseph moved to Winter Haven ten years ago. The two older sisters, Angie and Patrice, were born in the Bahamas. The family came to south Florida when Angie and Patrice were 5 and 4 respectively. From there, they moved to Orlando where V’Asiah, the baby of six siblings was born, and have been in central Florida since. Both of the older sisters’ husbands are from Polk County. Looking for a place to settle down, Winter Haven seemed to be the best fit. The story of their mobile coffee shop begins during a devastating time in their lives. In October of 2017, their mother passed away from ovarian cancer. She left money to each of the six siblings. “We decided that we would use some of the money to open up a business together. We didn’t know what, but we wanted to do more with it and do it in honor of her,” said Patrice. The siblings found ways to stay cohesive after their mother passed. They would make time to go thrifting together and every Thursday night all six and their spouses would meet up at Grove Roots. One night at Grove Roots, one of them spotted a little white vacant building across the street. “It was so tiny, and we thought that would be the cutest little coffee shop,” said Patrice. They could envision the whole thing from serving coffee and treats to hosting open mic nights. They even came up with a name for this dream coffee shop – Amonie Jo’s, in honor of their mother, Amonie Joseph. The sisters called to find out how much it would be to rent the space and it wasn’t feasible for them at the time. But their coffee shop dream wasn’t finished with them yet. “We were at a thrift store on 42nd Street and saw the bus out back,” said Angie. Patrice excitedly pitched it to her sisters. “This is Amonie Jo’s!” she said. The bus was already gutted, and she could picture an adorable coffee shop with a seating area for their guests. Patrice asked the owner if the bus was for sale. It was, and it worked! It took between six and seven months of hard work and the help of family and friends to finish the interior. They picked out cabinets, repaired leaks, and filled out paperwork to get their coffee shop off the ground. “We were very adamant about being a Winter Haven business,” said Patrice. The sisters believed so strongly in the love and family of the Winter Haven community, they wanted to do their part to add to the social scene of the eclectic, ever-growing city. After the bus was completed, it took another six months to complete all the paperwork and requirements to open for business. Their relatively unique concept of a food truck that patrons could come into, made the red tape a bit stickier. They stayed diligent, one of the many characteristics they learned from their mom, and Amonie Jo’s International Coffee & Delights was born. Nescafe for the Neighbors Speaking barely any English, their grandmother, whom they called Mami, moved from Haiti to the Bahamas. Even with a divide in dialect, she connected with many on the island. “She would invite neighbors, strangers, whomever to give them a cup of coffee,” remembered Patrice. “It was instant, by the way,” Angie said about the coffee, and all the girls smiled. Their grandmother became one of the most popular people in Nassau. “Everyone knew my grandmother and it was because she would offer them a cup of coffee,” said Patrice. The women explained that their Mami wasn’t rich, her house was small. But, every morning she would open all of her doors, make Nescafe instant coffee, sit down, and wait. Like clockwork the community poured in, to be poured a cup of coffee. They would fill up their cup for work and head out, some would stay and visit or watch movies with her. She didn’t need to speak the same language, she knew what she was giving them and they knew what they were receiving from her – a cup of coffee, friendship, a listening ear, a connection. Patrice said, “We saw how a cup of coffee could be transferred over to love – something as simple as that.” “And they really did love that lady,” said Angie. I’m Proud of You The three sisters felt that same island community and love here in Winter Haven. Even before their business, the family felt embraced immediately by locals. Patrice who loves going to downtown events like Beer Crawl and Wine Walk says she loves seeing all the same people there. “I just know that these people like each other and they’re all really close,” she said. Angie added, “Coming from the Bahamas, it’s so small. That’s what Winter Haven reminds me of. […] It has that same feel of family where people know each other from childhood.” Though their business is still in its infancy, opening on January 7th of this year, Angie said, “We’ve already crossed paths with so many people that we genuinely feel like they like us, we like them, and we feel like a part of that family.” The bright spirits of the women have attracted swaths of support. Other mothers who stop in for a cup of coffee or see the trio around town will tell them, “I’m proud of you.” Angie says she sees that as a reminder from God that if their mother were here, she would be so proud of them. “I feel like the women circle around us,” said Angie. “They want to see us succeed – they’re telling us different ways to do things, they’re giving us ideas, they’re feeding us, they’re not holding anything back from us.” Help Along the Way The women of Amonie Jo’s have worked hard, but are hasty to express, “We did not do this on our own, we are not here by ourselves.” There are a few special people that have helped them along the way. The first person that prepared them for life, womanhood, and entrepreneurship was their Mummy as they called her, Amonie. Amonie always worked in the hospitality business, taking up side businesses in home interior design, Avon, and Mary Kay. In each role she played, Amonie showed her children the shining example of customer service, presentation of yourself, your house, and your business, the quality of your product and using it yourself, professionalism, hard work, and cleanliness. They learned from their mother that there are no excuses, you can always find a way. When they lived in Miami and they didn’t have a car, Amonie would catch the city bus to make it to Mary Kay meetings. “Even though she passed away before she could see any of this,” said Patrice of her mother, “I feel like she gave us the biggest push.” The women looked to their mother’s memory when they had a hard time finding a permanent place to park the bus for business. Patrice and V’Asiah traveled up and down Cypress Gardens Blvd., First Street, and US 17 asking businesses if they could park outside. Serendipitously, Ann McCollough from Party Rentals Unlimited, just a block outside of downtown where they wanted to be all along, invited them to park at her store. McCollough, isn’t afraid to ask the sisters questions and hold them accountable. She says what she means, exactly how their mother would and that gives them the motivation to be the best they can be. The sisters expressed gratitude to Christy Hemenway for always being there for them. “She came on from day one and just expressed how proud she was,” said Angie. She gives them advice both in business and in life. She and her family saw Patrice and her husband Shane through the impossibly tough time of losing their daughter. “You would think that we really were her daughters,” said Patrice. Lisbeth Pacheco from Ethos Roasters was also on their list of special people. They were new to the coffee business and Lisbeth helped them with the basics like which grinder to buy, what grinder to use with which coffee, oxidation of the beans, and why it’s important to have a fresh roaster. Their faith has been instrumental in pushing them forward as well. The sisters said, “We believe that our business or success would not be possible if it wasn’t for our faith our loving Father Jehovah who continues to provide for us in good times and bad. We truly believe in the words found at Matthew 6:33, “Keep on, then, seeking first the Kingdom and his righteousness, and all other things will be added to you.” Organic and International In 2015, their mother was diagnosed with and beat cancer within months. She was on an all organic, raw food diet and was seeing a natural doctor. “We saw her go through the process, we saw her body get clean, we saw her get better all off an organic, raw diet,” said Patrice. This inspired them to only serve organic drinks in their shop. Ethos Roasters in Lakeland was recommended to them to supply organic coffee. The three say meeting and working with Lisbeth has been amazing and taught them a lot. “The fact that you can come onto the bus and have something from a different country was important to us,” said Patrice. The pastries at Amonie Jo’s are from a Mexican bakery in Haines City that makes them fresh. The Sisters From the outside, owning a business with siblings might seem tough, but the Amonie Jo’s girls make it work. Each of their personalities lends itself to the business. All major decisions are made together and they all wear many hats, but each sister has their niche within the coffee shop. You’ll likely find Angie taking orders and chatting it up with the customers. An open book, Angie describes herself as a free-spirit with a little bit of complex and crazy. “My core is love, family, [and] positivity,” she said. She has this uninhibited confidence. She spoke about herself, her family and their business freely. Angie is wonderfully and unapologetically, Angie. Cooking and manning their social media is Patrice. Patrice is only a year younger than Angie, saying, “We don’t know life without each other.” Though they’ll both tell you they are polar opposites. She is the family organizer, always hosting gatherings for family functions. “I love feeding people – I like to make them feel very at home and comfortable,” she said. More of a shy and reserved person, Patrice is the calm, cool, and collected one of the bunch. She is the advice giver – though they don’t always listen to her. “She’s thoughtful too,” added one of the sisters. Thoughtful, determined, and genuine were all words thrown out to describe the middle sister. The youngest and quietest of the three, V’Asiah, is Amonie Jo’s main barista. The twenty-year-old sat quietly, but attentively as her sisters talked about the business. Don’t let her quiet manner fool you, this woman has a good head on her shoulders and could be described as an old soul who’s young at heart. She finished EMT school last year and wants to go back to school to be a Paramedic. “My mom always called me her nurse,” she said. “I want her to know that I finished it because she always told me to go to school and finish school.” Her sisters said that she keeps a level head in any situation, with Angie saying, “She’s a perfectionist just like my mom. She gets things done.” She graduated high school with her associate degree and a 4.3 GPA all while caring for her mother at night. She is described as strong, determined, and smart for taking the advice she’s given. Patrice called her a smart decision maker, saying, “Everything she does, you would think that it was on some five-year plan.” Mummy’s House One day, Winter Haven may see a brick and mortar Amonie Jo’s Coffee House. The words, “Mummy’s House” will grace the entrance with six separate dining spaces each representing one of the siblings. Patrice said, “The whole thing would still be a coffee shop though, we’re not going to open up some big restaurant. Same breakfast, pastries, coffees, teas, and lemonades but it would be Amonie Jo’s Coffee House. It’ll feel like how we grew up in our Mummy’s house with all the siblings being there.” The sisters are confident they can execute this and see it as a five-year goal. A Blessing Through these community connections, Amonie Jo’s has booked corporate events at State Farm, Legoland, and CenterState Bank. “Our business has thrived off community and people wanting to see us win,” said Angie. “Even if it’s just a ‘We’re so proud of you,’ or buying a cup of coffee or telling their friends about us – the sense of community and people, [...] it’s just been beautiful, it’s been amazing, it’s been fun...it’s blown our minds,” said Patrice. Everyone from the mayor to Dan Chesnika from Theatre Winter Haven and his family have been in their corner. “We move forward with people. We’re not here because of us,” said Angie. The sisters bought the bus only a month after their mother passed away and worked nonstop for the next year to get it going – something they consider to be a blessing. “Besides the community helping us out businesswise they’ve helped us in life and they’ve helped us heal. We did it all very soon, we didn’t give ourselves time to heal,” said Patrice. “We’ve cried, we have grieved and gone through that process and we still are, but we’re doing it with a community – that’s a gift.” Amonie Jo’s International Coffee & Delights Look for them at Party Rentals Unlimited again in the Fall and follow their social media to see where they will be. 118 Ave A SE, Winter Haven, FL 33880 FB: Amonie Jo’s Coffee IG: @amoniejos Photos by Amy Sexson