4 ounces vodka 4 ounces green juice* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Crushed ice In a cocktail shaker, add vodka, green juice, lime juice, and crushed ice. Shake to combine. Pour into glasses, dividing evenly. Serves 2, please drink responsibly. If you have too many of these, you might start seeing things that aren’t really there... 2I+ *We used Naked Juice Green Machine

There is magic on the pages and in the minds of Hocus Pocus creators Dwight and Rebecca MacPherson. The Lakeland couple met and fell in love through a comic book – now they make their own. Creative Roots “I love literature; I’m a literature nerd first,” said Dwight MacPherson. “I love the way you can create a movie in a book.” Influenced by the work of Alan Moore and Chris Claremont, Dwight has been interested in comics since childhood. He remembers reading Moore’s “Swamp Thing Annual #1” and wanting to grow up to make comics. He used to draw as a child but soon turned to words. “I couldn’t draw fast enough to get what was on my mind on the paper, and it frustrated me,” he said. Dwight began writing in a stream of consciousness, growing discipline as he got older until he could plot out and complete stories. In the tenth grade, he and a group of friends created and published a comic. They Xeroxed the pages and sold it at a local comic shop called Geppi’s Comic World in Clearwater. They printed one hundred copies and sold them all. “Steve Geppi is such a nice guy – he probably bought the one hundred copies,” Dwight said, grinning. Dwight was born in Michigan and moved to Lakeland at age nine, attending Dixieland Elementary. His family moved around Florida, with Dwight leaving the state for the military. He spent 14 years in the Army before being injured during active duty. He then moved with his sons to Tennessee to be near his parents. The Army sergeant would create the story that would later catch Rebecca’s eye while stationed in South Korea. He used his time to study historical records and research pirates like Captain Kidd, Bartholomew Roberts, and Blackbeard. “I wanted to create a timeline where I could put all three of these pirates together,” he said. Dwight wrote the comic book “Dead Men Tell No Tales” about the three pirates searching for the lost relics of Christ. Rebecca MacPherson, originally from New York, was raised in Los Angeles. She has always had a deep appreciation for music, literature, film, and plays. “My earliest memories have always been of family and music playing in the background. My mom always had the radio on,” she said. Rebecca heard everything from The Beatles and Broadway tunes, to instrumentals and Led Zeppelin. “I had a really eclectic upbringing, and I knew I wanted to do either music, or I wanted to be on stage.” Her mom used to tell her that she would run around the house, acting things out, and writing plays. It wasn’t only the Top Ten radio tunes that influenced Rebecca. Her grandmother had all the classics in her library – Rebecca read them all. “The Wind in the Willows” and other classic literature were influential to her and continue to be. Clive Barker’s “Weaveworld” stoked her imagination to write, she said. With a background as an independent producer of TV, film, and theatre production for 20th Century Fox Studios and Tribune Studios, Rebecca has done everything from work in wardrobe at the Apollo Theatre and many impressive gigs during her seven years as a freelancer in LA. She worked on theatre productions, in PR, and as a personal assistant for Overbrook Entertainment to A-list actors, as well as an Assistant Director. “That was an amazing creative time for me,” she said. “That’s what I always wanted to do from a child, I wanted to be in the entertainment business, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that world that created the magic that I grew up seeing. […] I loved it; it just fed my imagination so much.” Love at First Comic While working at Meltdown Comics on Sunset Boulevard, Rebecca noticed a striking pirate display, with one eyecatching book entitled “Dead Men Tell No Tales.” She bought the book and enjoyed it so much she reached out to its publisher to try and get in touch with the author, Dwight L. MacPherson. The two began corresponding online and over the phone, as Rebecca wished to option the rights to the comic. Bonding over shared interests, the two discussed “The Twilight Zone,” “Star Trek,” literature, poetry, writing, and art. “I had to keep pinching myself,” Dwight said. “Over the course of a year, we knew we were meant for each other,” said Rebecca. They decided to meet at a comic book convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, called HeroesCon. They eventually got married, and Rebecca moved from LA to Tennessee with Dwight and his sons. After a few years, the family decided to move back to Lakeland. “That’s how we met – through a book,” said Rebecca with a smile. Fueled by Imagination In January of 2017, the MacPhersons launched a new venture – Hocus Pocus Comics. “We decided to do our own thing and tell our stories that we wanted to tell,” said Rebecca. When deciding on a moniker to be the essence of their creative brand, Dwight thought back to J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings,” specifically, how Tolkien imagined the character Gandalf. “Gandalf doesn’t do magic – magic is part of his nature,” he said. “I’ve always been fascinated with magic in fantasy. Where does it come from? Where does the power come from? To me, imagination is powerful – that’s the source of magic, and so that is the way that I approach magic in my books. Imagination is what creates the magic.” After trying on a few names like Alakazam and Open Sesame, they landed on Hocus Pocus Comics. Their eclectic catalog of books includes “The Imaginary Voyages of Edgar Allan Poe,” “Elevator,” “Houdini’s Silver Dollar Misfits,” “Terra Somnium,” “Vampire Squid Boy,” and an upcoming graphic novel, “The Key.” From the minds of the MacPhersons, you’ll find stories both timely and timeless. Dwight described them as “an amalgamation,” and indeed, they are. Many reference historical characters or take a page from a literary classic. In their debut comic, “The Imaginary Voyages of Edgar Allan Poe,” the MacPhersons explore the celebrated storyteller through a tale set in a fictionalized dream world complete with mythological gods and monsters, “created by his genius… and his madness!” “What’s really cool about ‘The Imaginary Voyages of Edgar Allan Poe’ is I can also incorporate my love of mythology and epic stories,” said Dwight. For his part, Dwight is the President, Publisher, and Creator of Hocus Pocus Comics with Rebecca working as Vice President, Administration, and Managing Editor. The pair work together, joining their genius to create lively stories that anyone can enjoy – whether a comic book fan or not. “This is a marriage of art and literature. It’s a comic book, but it has themes that you can relate to as well,” said Rebecca. From Mind to Page “We do it the way we want to do it,” said Dwight. “We’re involved in the whole process from character sketches to penciled pages, to colors, lettering, production, and design of the book itself.” Rebecca added, “We get to take our time with it. […] We’re willing to do one book a year, maybe two, to really tell the story like we want to tell it, and have it look beautiful.” When Dwight tells her an idea, Rebecca imagines it as a movie, “That’s how I see things, cinematically,” she said. Dwight and Rebecca use the magic that is their imaginations to develop the skeleton for a compelling story. The comic book creators say the storytelling sweet spot lies between not assuming your reader knows your ideas while also not spoon-feeding them information. The next step is to write it out as a screenplay with detailed direction, which isn’t too tough for the cinematically-minded Rebecca. “Writers are always looking, and we’re always thinking about people’s quirks,” she said. She noted a writer must convey the smallest details and mannerisms of a character, so the reader can imagine just how they might move their hair from their face or scratch their head. With a graphic novel, these details and directions are equally crucial for the artist. “The artist does not share your imagination,” Dwight said. “He can’t see the screens inside my head, so the more description I can give, the better.” The MacPhersons work with the artist, approving character sketches and panels of sequential art, then have it inked and colored before working with their production manager to send files to the printer. They publish Hocus Pocus Comics through Amazon. Inspiration Through Education Education has been a big piece of the MacPhersons’ focus. “I learned that reluctant readers are far more likely to read comics,” said Dwight. The MacPhersons have a son with autism who was reluctant to read. So, they gave him comic books. “He devoured them and went on to read the classics,” he said. Dwight admits he didn’t think about the union of comics and education until a book signing at Barnes and Noble. About 25 teachers came to have him sign their books – books they had been using in their classrooms. Feedback from the teachers lit a fire within the comic book writer. “I want to inspire the next generation,” he said. MacPherson had the opportunity to speak with Special Education majors at Texas Tech University, who were enchanted with his book, “Houdini and the Silver Dollar Misfits.” “All the stars have disabilities, which you would think would be a disability but ends up being a strength,” he said of the book. “I’ve heard it called ‘Scooby-Doo meets the X-Men.’” They now use the graphic novel in their curriculum. “Comics are being used on the collegiate level so much now and in classrooms as well. That’s where I wanted to infiltrate because the mainstream comic industry wants to make movies and TV shows – that’s their focus. My focus is on education. I want to get my books into classrooms so that they can inspire young readers,” Dwight said. Many Hocus Pocus Comics are based on historical fiction or literature. “Elevator,” for example, incorporates a modernized reimagining of Dante’s “Inferno.” The MacPhersons hope these books inspire children to become more involved in the subject. Dwight added, “Hopefully, it will inspire them to create on their own.” To aid in their educational efforts, Hocus Pocus Comics Education Coordinator, Tim Smyth, a former teacher and current college professor, set them up with the United States Department of English and Language’s Virtual Exchange Program. The MacPhersons do Flipgrid presentations and workshops on their books, which the department then sends to schools worldwide. “This is our legacy; this is what I’m leaving behind. When I’m long gone, you’ll see my videos, you’ll hear my voice – but you’ll see our words, which is more important to me,” said Rebecca. Before the current health crisis, the MacPhersons were preparing to offer in-person classes. On the advisory board for George Jenkins High School, Dwight will mentor students in English and Rebecca in TV and Film Production when safely able to do so. Rebecca put it succinctly during a Department of Education Flipgrid presentation arranged by Smyth. “The future of education is through informative content combining pictures and art. Graphic novels are the embodiment of this concept, and we are excited to be on the forefront of this new wave of education!” Coming up... Currently, Volume 1 of “The Imaginary Voyages of Edgar Allan Poe” is on sale, with Volume 2 set to be released in December. In the Spring, HP Comics will release Volume 3 and put them together as an Educators Package complete with study guides. These will be available either as physical copies or printable PDFs. Their newest project, currently being written, a graphic novel called “The Key,” will be released in the Fall of 2021. Rebecca described the book, whose main characters will be Lucas Hart and Lena Johnson, as “a mystery which touches on interracial issues so prevalent in today’s climate.” Hpcomics.net info.hpcomics@gmail.com FB @hocuspocuscomics IG @hp.comics TW @hpcomics_ Photos by Tyler Williams Photography

This year the world has faced sickness, death, job loss, strained social environments, injustices, and tragedies – everyday life has become unusual for many. Most of us have struggled with our mental health or know someone who has. We spoke with Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Antionette Pollard to learn more about depression and anxiety, when to seek help, how to cope during COVID-19, and the importance of mental health care. Pieces to Peace Counseling Antionette Pollard is a Licensed Medical Health Counselor in Lakeland. She is married to her husband Jerry, with three children Jerry, 15, Aleecia, 13, and Alayna, 9. Pollard graduated from Kathleen High School before going to the University of South Florida for her undergraduate degree in Family Communication. She returned to Lakeland to earn her Master’s in Counseling from Webster University. Pollard originally planned to become an attorney. While pursuing her undergrad, she became pregnant with her son, Jerry. “That helped me shift focus for what I was going to school for,” she said. An academic advisor suggested a career in counseling. “Naturally I’ve always been that friend that everyone goes to, to confide in,” said Pollard. Her first Intro to Psychology class solidified this change of path. “It resonated with my soul,” she said. She started Pieces to Peace Counseling in 2016, seeing patients ages 13 and up, individual and couples counseling, and is an LGBTQ-friendly office. Pieces to Peace Counseling accepts cash, EAP (Employee Assistance Program), and insurance. Pollard is passionate about affordable, accessible mental health care. A concern she often heard from friends and family regarding mental health treatment was lack of affordability – either a provider didn’t take their insurance or they outright couldn’t afford to go to them. Though counseling through community agencies is valuable, Pollard says the long waitlist and high counselor turnover rate can be a deterrent to seeking or staying with treatment. “Somebody needs to do something about it,” she said. “I’m a very solution-focused person. We all know the problems, but what are we going to do to start to make some changes?” In 2018, she started Pieces to Peace Charities or P2P Counseling Charities. This nonprofit provides counseling for $5 to individuals making under $26K per year through master’s level intern counselor, Michelle Jones, MA who sees patients 8 years old and up. Due to COVID-19, Pieces to Peace Counseling and their Charities services are being conducted primarily via Telehealth. Also under the charities umbrella is Sista Yoga Self Care, a group focusing on Women of Color. “We focus on a mental health topic, we do a yoga session, and follow with journaling,” Pollard explained. The group is held about once a quarter with their most recent this past June. Yoga is one way Pollard cares for her mental health. She says the positive feedback from the Sista Yoga Self Care group inspired her to become a Registered Yoga Teacher. The counselor plans to incorporate yoga into her therapy, specifically with addiction support groups covering all addictions from drugs and alcohol to eating, sex, and shopping. “In order for someone to use a substance to aid in anything there are other conditions and other traumas that cause those responses,” she said. The session would first address a mental health or addiction topic followed by journaling and yoga. Pollard will incorporate yoga into a therapy session if requested by a client. Depression According to Pollard, “Depression is a persistent sadness or loss of interest in things you normally found to be interesting and enjoy doing.” Though depression is often equated with grief, she distinguished the two. “With grief, you still have your self-esteem. Depression brings on feelings of guilt and you kind of lose that self-esteem, self-confidence that you had.” It is recommended to seek out help for any depression symptoms lasting longer than two weeks. Though it is always a good time to talk with someone if you are feeling this way. If suicidal thoughts emerge, seek assistance immediately, you are not alone. Anxiety Anxiety is a panic disorder preventing those who suffer with it from doing certain things out of fear, according to Pollard. This could manifest in something like adding time to your commute to avoid the fastest route to work because it goes over a bridge that you’re scared of or even going to the grocery store. Acknowledgment is important, says Pollard. It is all about recognizing that a situation makes you anxious and finding practical solutions to cope. “We’re all different individuals which means we have to do what works best for us,” she said. For example, if you are a person who already suffers from anxiety and that has been amplified by COVID-19, and the grocery store is a trigger for that anxiety, explore other shopping options. Order online and have your food delivered or opt for curbside pick-up. When those feelings start to arise, Pollard says, “I recommend things that you find to be soothing and calming.” That could be favorite music or a guided meditation, “To help you with your self-talk and calming yourself down to prevent those panic attacks.” “With anxiety and depression, it’s really important that a therapist is aware of their clients that have diverse backgrounds because the way anxiety, for instance, presents in an African American, may not look the same in a Caucasian person,” noted Pollard. “For example, with anxiety, most people think of fears and panic attacks. For People of Color it may not be panic attacks, they may be irritable [which] is also a symptom of fear.” Mental Health Hacks First and foremost, don’t downplay or compare your life situation or mental health with others. “It’s not a comparison. If it’s important to you, then it’s worth getting help for, it’s worth getting counseling,” said Pollard. She also suggests limiting screen time for social media and the news. “I understand, we feel like we have to be connected, we don’t want to miss something important,” she said. “It’s okay if you even need to remove those things.” Another tip for someone experiencing depression or anxiety is to create a schedule at home. It needn’t be rigorous, but an establishment of basic tasks and activities. “Having some type of structure is helpful,” she said. Like getting up and having breakfast by 10 a.m. every morning, setting aside time to read, or cleaning up at a certain time. To quiet some of the mind chatter and racing thoughts, give journaling a try, it’s something Pollard uses frequently with her clients. “We have a lot of things floating up here in our minds that we try and hold onto. Journaling gives us the chance to release that and free up the mind.” A great way to care for your mind is to care for your body too. “Those emotions need to go somewhere, and most of the time we use work as an outlet. Getting out, getting in your car, at work you’re chatting with coworkers, whatever you normally do on your lunch break. Your body is having more movement throughout the day,” said Pollard. Now that many are working from home, that movement and routine have changed. Engaging your body is conducive to your mental health, says Pollard. “If you’re able to, walk the neighborhood. Pull up YouTube, do some yoga online. Different things like that can be very helpful and encouraging.” Helping A Friend As a community and as individuals, the best thing we can do for our friends and family struggling with their mental health is to be supportive. Listen to them and do not disregard their feelings. If you notice someone in your life struggling, reach out and ask how they’re doing. It’s normal to throw away the formalities of “Hi, how are you?” and move on with the conversation, but Pollard suggests asking pointed questions. When was the last time you ate? When was the last time you talked to a friend aside from me? How have you been sleeping? Factors like sleep and appetite, namely too much or too little, can be a sign that someone may need to reach out for help, according to the licensed mental health counselor. “We can also remind our family and friends if they are employed, most employers have something called an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) and they offer free counseling sessions,” she said. “Your EAP is not just for you, but for everyone in your household.” What to Expect from the First Visit “That first appointment is finding out support systems, what’s their goal for counseling,” said Pollard. Establishing a goal is crucial, she says. “It’s important that individuals know that I’m not here with my own agenda trying to work on whatever I want to work on, but what you want to work on.” A tool she gives her clients from the beginning is the app Daylio. The app is free or can be purchased for more features. She described it as a mood charting app with space for comments about why your mood went up or down, and even offers statistics to see your moods in graph format. Not only does the app put a bad day into perspective so that it doesn’t shadow the whole week, but it also gives individuals the comments section to look back on for things to discuss with their counselor. “It lets you know if counseling is working for you because you have some visual proof.” Find the Right One Counselors are as unique as the needs of their patients. “Counseling is like dating, you have to find a counselor who fits you,” said Pollard. Often someone will wait until they are in a crisis to contact a counselor and may not feel any better after their appointment. If you don’t feel a rapport or a sense that your counselor understands your personality and your needs and goals, continue your search for the right counselor. You wouldn’t swear off dating forever based on one incompatible first date. Don’t give up on taking care of your mental health after one session with an incompatible counselor. Mental Health is a Primary Concern Depending on life circumstances, grief, stress, trauma, “We all need help at different points in our lives,” said Pollard. “Just because an individual has a counselor doesn’t mean they use it every day or often, but the main reason for having an established counselor is so when you do have those crisis moments, you’re not trying to find someone in the middle of a crisis. You already have someone identified that you have a good rapport with so when things come up, you can make a phone call,” said Pollard. She even has a therapist of her own. “[Your mental health] should be taken just as seriously as your primary health.” If you have a designated primary doctor, or dentist, why wouldn’t you have an established counselor? Make time for your mental health, make it a priority. “A lot of times people will say, ‘Time heals all wounds.’ But that’s not the case, it’s actually what you do with the time that makes that process more healing.” Pieces to Peace Counseling piecestopeacecounseling.com 918 East Oleander St. Suite: 1, Lakeland (863) 651-7969 FB @piecestopeacecounseling P2P Counseling Charities p2pcharities.org 918 East Oleander St. Suite: 1, Lakeland (863) 651-7969 FB @charitiesP2P National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 Talk now at suicidepreventionlifeline.org Photo by Amy Sexson

A hot meal, a phone call, a resource, a friend, can all be found at The Mission of Winter Haven. The Mission has been feeding the community for over forty years. Kids out of school, jobs lost, and financial hardships as a result of the current pandemic have grown the Mission’s aim to provide the basics for those in need. It has been tough, but Executive Director David Berry says they haven’t missed a beat. Winter Haven has shown up in this time of need. A HISTORY The Mission of Winter Haven was started in 1974 by Tom Beauregard and incorporated as a nonprofit in 1977. He began working with young men aging out of foster care and eventually feeding the community. The group moved to serving their meals out of Rotary Park collecting the support of volunteers and churches along the way. The Mission moved to the old Hill Building on Third Street and continued to grow. In 2000, their current property on Central Avenue came up for sale. They relocated to that building, built in 1916, where they serve today. David and Arlene Berry moved to Polk County in 2004 for a youth ministry position. Looking for a place to bring the youth to serve that Thanksgiving, the Berry’s found The Mission of Winter Haven. David became more involved with The Mission, eventually joining the board and becoming the Executive Director, along with his wife Arlene who is the Executive Manager. THEIR MISSION The Mission opens at 9 a.m. with a continental breakfast followed by lunch at 11:45 a.m., serving around 200 hot meals each day. In addition to hot meals Monday through Friday, their food pantry is open for families and homeless with separate shop times for both. Twenty to 30 households use this service daily. They provide other basic needs like hygiene items, showers, clothing, and more. Before COVID-19 when people were allowed inside the building, they would have different activities throughout the week like Movies and Motivation on Monday, art therapy on Tuesday, small groups on Wednesday, a game day on Thursday, and fellowship on Friday. The biggest misconception Berry says is that The Mission is a homeless ministry. In tracking those who use their services, Berry said, “We were at 12% of those we serve being homeless. Now it’s up to 25% maybe even closer to 30%. But it’s still not the majority. The majority we see are low-income families and also our seniors.” Seniors are a group overlooked as being food insecure, but often their fixed incomes don’t leave room for adequate groceries. “A lot of them can’t afford other services or at the end of the month, there aren’t enough funds left over,” said Berry. The Mission can feed seniors and help them to navigate other concerns. “Sometimes they just need help making phone calls, making appointments,” he said. Once a week The Mission has an insurance professional come in to answer any insurance questions they might have. “We’re always looking at how we can do it better. Where is there a gap in service?” IMPACTS OF COVID-19 As the number of coronavirus cases went up, so too did the number of families in need of The Mission’s services. “We’ve had so many first-time families come into our food pantry that have never had to have help before,” said the executive director. “Some families were losing their homes and had to get into a motel or live in their vehicles because they couldn’t afford their mortgage or their rent.” Children being out of school was another concern for Berry. “Our concern was if the kids are home, they’re going to get bored and they’re going to eat more – that’s going to be more food demand for families. If families aren’t working, that’s going to cause a chain reaction.” Polk County Schools began doing pickup lunches to feed children who might live in food-insecure households. The nearest pickup site for The Mission’s immediate area was seven miles in each direction according to Berry. The nonprofit reached out to the school board who in turn designated them a pick-up spot, doing a hundred or more lunches when they come. They are still coming two days a week, Monday and Thursday, during summer break. Families don’t even have to leave their car to pick up meals for the children and Berry added that they can pick up a hot lunch from The Mission if they need food for themselves too. “Between using the food pantry, Polk County Schools coming, and also kidsPACK […] it has really helped with the increase in numbers,” he said. Families in need come in person to fill out an application and speak with a resource counselor. “We make it convenient for them and as least invasive as possible so they can feel comfortable,” Berry said. The Mission has someone in the pantry who can work with them to shop, allowing them to choose their groceries from cans and dry foods to cold and perishable items. “You have to swallow a lot of pride to ask for help. But, at the same time, what are you going to do?” “During this whole COVID experience, the community has been such a huge support system,” he said. The Mission’s concern at the onset of the pandemic was the increase of people in need. The Mission does not receive government funding and relies on the generosity of the community to fuel its services. Earlier in the pandemic, grocery stores limited quantities, and with folks out of work, those who would normally be able to donate goods or money may not be able to. Berry and his team put out the word that they could use hot dishes and casseroles to feed people. “Ten large pans of lasagna can feed 200 people,” he said. If one person could bake one and get 9 of their friends and family involved, 200 mouths could be fed that day. “That started a snowball effect. Now, there are 2-3 days a week that we get casseroles coming in.” Not only are the hungry being fed, but parents are also using this as a way to get creative with their children’s distanced learning. Like a mother who made strawberry muffins with her kids to bring to The Mission, using ingredient measurements as a creative math lesson along with lessons in kindness and service. The community has helped in other ways, from the police department serving at the Mission once a month, to restaurants in town preparing meals, and the city providing pop-up tents for when The Mission had to move its services outside. “The City has been a huge support to us during this time,” said Berry. “I’ve been here for fifteen years – I’ve never seen a food supply come in like it’s been during COVID,” said Berry. “Between the schools coming and the community – it’s been amazing.” If you would like to organize your friends and family to make casseroles for The Mission of Winter Haven, contact them to be put on the schedule. If you want to bring in one casserole or hot dish, they can supplement that into their daily meal. Through August, The Mission is receiving donation drop-offs on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. An ongoing need for The Mission of Winter Haven is food for their pantry and food they can cook to give out. It only takes about three cases of chicken to serve a meal to 200 people. Also, kid-friendly foods that are easy to open and eat, hygiene items, insect repellent this time of year, and financial support. A SPOKE IN THE NETWORK “When people ask us, what’s the main thing people need? What’s the biggest need? Money, food, volunteers – those are given. The greatest need that people have is a support system. That’s what The Mission is, we are a support system for folks,” said Berry. “There are resources all around us, and The Mission isn’t the biggest and the best, but we’re just proud to be one of them.” Berry says The Mission doesn’t want to duplicate services, but rather fill the gap where they can. “We work like the hub of a support system. We will do the basic needs, get them stabilized, find out what their needs are. If we can meet their needs here, great. If we can’t we’re going to get their needs met somehow through networking.” This pandemic has meant many things. It has meant lost lives, lost jobs, lost homes, lost food security. If we can find anything through these losses, may it be a reinforced sense of humanity. My editor told me after the interview that as she sat in The Mission she was overcome with sadness, fighting tears. “We are all a heartbeat away from needing this,” she said. It is important now more than ever to care for yourself and spread that care, and if you’re able to, spread your resources, spread your kindness. The Mission of Winter Haven is a good place to start. The Mission of Winter Haven 180 E Central Ave, Winter Haven P.O. Box 2586, Winter Haven, FL 33883 (863) 299-2348 themissionwh.org FB @MissionOfWinterHaven Photo by Amy Sexson

As a pastor at Heartland Church, I have the opportunity to see hundreds (if not thousands) of people each week. People may think I never get lonely because of the amount of interactions I have, but that is not necessarily always true. As a pastor, but more so as a human being, I need to have personal and intimate interactions with people. Community is vital. Community might be messy. But that’s what living in a community is like, right? I tend to be an introvert (that may shock some of our church members!), and I can function at a high level being by myself. After the stay at home order was announced, I immediately felt the pressure or desire to simply be able to shake someone’s hand. Better yet, give someone a hug. I have a beautiful wife (that I love to hug and kiss by the way!) and two boys (4 & 2), but I still had this inclination to be able to not only receive a handshake or a hug from someone but to give a handshake or a hug. I typically did not think about “needing” people to surround myself with until I realized the importance of “needing” to be surrounded by people. Shouldn’t we take that initiative, though? Not just waiting for someone to be present with us, but us being intentionally present with someone else. You might say, “I am having such a difficult time right now and I simply do not have the capacity to do that.” I have been there. I know what that feels like. I did have the opportunity to do that when my mother-in-law, Connie, was diagnosed with stage four oral cancer. When we heard the news that she was given a maximum of four years to live with surgery, we immediately packed our bags and traveled six hours to Georgia (where my wife and I are from) to spend some time with her. She then told us as best as she could that she would likely never speak again because they would have to remove her tongue and she would be on a feeding tube for the duration of her life. Tough news to hear from one of the most caring and loving individuals I have ever met. She is the best mother-in-law I have ever had! She is the only one I have ever had, but still! She and I had a very personal conversation while just the two of us were watching my two boys and niece play in the yard. She asked me with tears in her eyes, “Do you think they (her grandchildren) will know that I love them even though I can’t tell them I love them?” I replied, “The times I have felt loved the most have been when people are intentionally present. The gift of presence can be way more powerful than words. We have one mouth and two ears. It’s usually better to listen before we speak and most people that “love,” do exactly that: they listen. I can honestly say that my most memorable moments in knowing I am loved by those closest to me are not necessarily their words, but their actions. The act of presence can be such a gift.” She cried. I cried (and I am not even a crier!). She had her surgery that lasted twelve hours recently and she ended up having 100% of her tongue and a portion of her vocal cord removed. She is also on a feeding tube and temporarily on a trach. Needless to say, her life and our life have changed quite a bit. She was able to go home after spending twelve days in the hospital. A few days later my oldest son, Scout, was turning four. He was so excited (birthdays are a big deal in our home!). The first person to FaceTime him on his birthday was my mother-in-law, who is his “CiCi.” She did not speak. She did not have great reception. It was honestly a little messy and it was honestly a little frustrating. But one thing I do know––Scout knew that he was loved. She may not have been there physically. She may not have been able to say anything. But she was “there.” As a younger pastor, I still have so much to learn about being compassionate and present, because quite honestly it does not come natural to me. But that is not an excuse to go about my business and not care for others. I am called to love my neighbor… even when I do not feel like loving very much. You may want someone to “be there” for you but have you “been there” for someone else? Love your neighbor today… and tomorrow… and the next day! It might be a FaceTime or Zoom meeting, but as long as you are “there,” you are helping and loving your neighbor. We cannot do this by ourselves. We need people. Even if you do not know what to say: Be There. Mitch Johnson is the Discipleship Pastor at Heartland Church in Winter Haven. You can reach him at: Email: mitch@heartchurch.org Facebook: Mitch Johnson Instagram: @mitchellrayjohn

When you think about your own mental health, self-care may not be the first thing that pops to mind – but it is definitely a major player in how you feel. The term “selfcare” might call to mind manicures, facials, massages, bubble baths, or a blowout. But, I’m here to talk about taking things a step farther. Let’s talk about a little cosmetic self-care. It’s no secret that when you feel good about yourself it instantly boosts your mood. Luckily for us, Jodi DeVries will help us do just that. Jodi is like your gorgeous girlfriend who just happens to have her Master’s of Science in Nurse Anesthesia and is an APRN, CRNA. Basically, she knows what she’s doing. And she can help you feel just as gorgeous, because Jodi is the owner-operator of Eternal Youth Aesthetics, LLC. She has been practicing in a clinical setting for many years and continues to do so – when she is not busy bringing her aesthetic skills directly to her clients. That’s right. Jodi can come to you. She has all the knowledge and skills and none of the intimidation of a formal clinical setting. By offering mobile services, she is able to consult and treat you from the comfort of your own home, or from your salon or office. It allows her to offer services to those who may not have the chance to experience them otherwise. Her philosophy is a minimalistic approach. She says you can always add more if you like, but she feels it’s best to create a natural look to feel younger, more refreshed, more confident, and the best version of you. With a mobile service, Jodi has more flexibility. It can be just the two of you for an appointment – Jodi and you as the client, or she offers an option for you to host an event with friends. After practicing nursing for eight years and then nurse anesthesia for a few years, Jodi attended cosmetic injectables training courses and fell in love with the art of facial aesthetics. She worked tenaciously to make cosmetic injectables more readily available to a wider audience. And thus her business was born. Eternal Youth offers a variety of treatments. Botox is a given. It is by far the most recognizably named treatment available these days. Botox is an anti-wrinkle injection that Jodi says is her most popular treatment for clients in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. And it’s not just women seeking these treatments, by the way, about 30% of her clients are men! Good for you guys– self-care is for everyone. Botox lasts 3-4 months and benefits a wide range of clients. Results can take a few days to show up, so Jodi likes to check in to make sure you are loving your results. Beyond Botox, hyaluronic acid dermal fillers are another popular choice. Jodi offers several options like Revanesse, Juvederm, Restylane, and Belotero fillers. They are popular among her clients, especially lip fillers like Restylane Kysse and Revanesse Versa among the younger 20 something clients. Fillers can make the most immediate difference for someone looking for an instant result. Another area that fillers make a noticeable difference is in the cheeks. She says we lose volume as we age, so by replacing that volume, our faces look 10 to 20 years younger. Other areas that are great for fillers include tear troughs (under the eyes), temples, nasolabial folds (smile lines), and marionette lines around the mouth, jawline, and even the hands. Other treatments Jodi offers include: Sculptra (a collagen stimulator) to help reverse the signs of aging by rebuilding lost collagen. Kybella (fat lipolysis) is FDA approved to decrease submental fullness. You know, like the double chin area or that stubborn bra bulge. AQUAGOLD Fine Touch Microchanneling treatments that include MicroBotox, hyaluronic acid, and a multivitamin complex to brighten, tighten, and increase luminosity to the face, neck, décolletage (chest), and backs of the hands. And PRP (which stands for platelet-rich plasma) injection facial treatments, also known as the “Vampire Facial.” The Vampire Facial uses your own blood spun down to separate the red and white blood cells from the plasma. The plasma, which is full of growth factors and peptides that stimulate collagen growth, is injected into the dermal layer of your skin. This process happens much deeper than a standard facial so the results take a week or two to show up, but last months to years. It is a natural alternative to injecting synthetics. You can think of it as your own personal “Fountain of Youth.” The goal of using cosmetic injectables is to age gracefully. It feels like the next step in your daily skincare routine. Honestly, it feels great to take care of yourself– and your skin is for life. Jodi truly practices what she preaches, she has experienced most of her procedures! She says the best compliment is when someone tells her patients that they look great, but they can’t put their finger on what is different. Subtle improvements. She also offers, and uses herself, iS Clinical cosmeceuticals. They are a botanical-based, anti-aging, anti-acne, skin-brightening pharmaceutical-grade line that Jodi can help her clients put together for a complete custom skincare routine. Do something for your current and future self. Jodi can be reached at (863) 412-2057 Email: FindYourEternalYouth@gmail.com FB & IG @eternalyouthaestheticsllc. Hours are by appointment only and flexible. Photo by Amy Sexson

In this first Summer Series, we’d like to demystify some of the latest, scientific findings on coffee! And hopefully, do our part to clarify and counteract all the misinformation that’s so easily found in our online feeds these days! Below, an amazing scientific review by our own medical expert – Jolian Rios, MD, ABIM Board Certified. MYTH #1: ALL STUDIES ARE SCIENTIFICALLY VALID Coffee has been widely studied – there have been hundreds of studies published about it over the years. Yet, the first thing to keep in mind is that not all studies are created equal - as they can go from very strict, scientifically valid Cohort, Case-Control, and Randomized Controlled Trials where data drives the findings, to an Opinion Paper, which is simply someone sharing their thoughts – of course, their findings do not carry the same weight! To make matters worse, these Opinion Papers are many times “interpreted” and reported by the media in ways that favor their ratings. So every time you read something, go to the source, and please don’t share it if it is not a scientific source! – advice that seems especially relevant right now! MYTH #2: COFFEE = CAFFEINE When we think of coffee, we immediately think about caffeine; yet we should keep in mind coffee contains many other compounds with potential health benefits. These include polyphenols such as caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, diterpenoids, and other antioxidants, as well as potassium, magnesium, niacin, and lignans. In fact, concentrations of these phenolic antioxidants are much higher in brewed coffee than in brewed tea – which is often touted as an antioxidant powerhouse! MYTH #3: CAFFEINE IS UNHEALTHY Caffeine is quickly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, and it gets metabolized by the liver. It antagonizes adenosine receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems – and in this way, it can have a variety of effects. Some of the main effects found so far: Caffeine is a proven analgesic, property that has been used for the treatment of headaches, specifically tension and migraine headaches. Multiple cohort studies with over 600,000 individuals found it may reduce stroke risk. Two case-controlled studies and two cohort studies have shown a small protective effect of coffee consumption advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, animal models have shown long-term caffeine consumption may delay or reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Randomized Controlled Trials of healthy individuals have found caffeine improves cognition, mood, vigilance, and reaction time – regardless of age and gender. A study with sleep-deprived Navy SEAL trainees showed improvement of cognitive function, learning, memory, and mood despite continuous exposure to stressors with an optimal dose of 200 mg of caffeine (about two cups of coffee!). MYTH #4: COFFEE IS UNHEALTHY Numerous studies on coffee have actually shown the opposite – there are several health benefits from long-term coffee consumption. Some examples: A matched case-control of almost 1700 women with BRCA gene mutation found that coffee intake was associated with 10% - 69% lower risk of breast cancer, this was a dose-dependent effect, with the lowest effect being seen on women who drank 1-3 cups of coffee and the largest effect seen on those who drank more than 6 cups of coffee per day. A case-control study of 1900 women found that coffee intake was associated with a 40% lower risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women who drank 4 or more cups of coffee per day. A meta-analysis of cohort and case-control studies showed a decreased risk of endometrial cancer in coffee drinkers. A large prospective analysis of over 47,000 men found a strong dose-dependent reduction in the risk of prostate cancer. Several studies, including randomized trials, and cohort studies, have shown that coffee consumption, including decaf, decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes, by improving insulin sensitivity as well as insulin secretion. Another study showed caffeine in coffee to be a potent stimulator of smooth muscles that prevent constipation. A meta-analysis of 14 different studies shows that coffee drinkers had 39% less probability of developing cirrhosis. Thus, coffee has been shown to have positive effects on multiple systems and may even lower the risk of multiple chronic diseases in the long term. I’ve listed the studies used for reference, in case you’d like to read in a lot more detail on your own (it pairs perfectly with a great cup of Ethos to keep you awake!). So, let’s keep enjoying coffee, and let’s continue to make a difference, to Brew Greatness in the world! References available online at havenmagazines.com Ethos Coffee Roasters Ethosroasters.com (863) 940-0060 FB & IG @ethosroasters

1-ounce vodka Club soda Any combo of citrus, cucumber or mint Ice Fill your glass with ice, fruit, vodka and top with club soda. Make it without vodka and drink all day for relaxation. Citrus fruits—including lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, pomelos, tangerines, and kumquats—are excellent sources of antioxidants, vitamins, and nutrients, including vitamin C, fiber, folate and potassium. The aroma of citrus has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. If using vodka, please drink responsibly, ages 21+.

It isn’t complicated, says kidsPACK Executive Director, Patty Strickland, there’s an issue that needs to be solved. Unfortunately, it’s a problem invisible to many, even in a community as giving as Polk County. It all begins with community awareness and $25 a month. Executive Director Patty Strickland retired twice from the medical field. She started volunteering with kidsPACK before being asked by the board to step in and help. Five years later, she’s still here. “I do not see this as a job. This is a mission,” said Strickland. “I am very firmly convinced that this is where the Lord said, ‘You need to be because I’m not finished with you yet.’” Committing to a nonprofit is a world different from medical corporate, says Strickland. “You’ve got to come in with a heart and a passion for what you’re doing. The heart and passion of kidsPACK and one of the reasons I am firmly committed to kidsPACK is because there’s only one mission, and that is to feed hungry children.” Working alongside Strickland is kidsPACK Program Manager, Amy Royal who retired from Lockheed Martin and the Givewell Community Foundation. A friend on the kidsPACK board asked if she would come to speak with them. “I didn’t know it was an interview until I got here,” she smiled. The conversation she had with kidsPACK founder Randy Browning and Patty Strickland emboldened Royal for the cause. As a mother, she was always a proponent of public schools, all children receiving the same education and a fair chance. A discrepancy in the thousands, or at least lack of awareness thereof, of homeless, specifically homeless children was staggering to Royal. She joined the mission – that was almost two years ago. WHAT IS KIDSPACK? KidsPACK is a nonprofit organization that started in 2011 by Randy Browning with the sole mission of feeding hungry children. By working directly with teacher liaisons in schools throughout Polk and Hillsborough Counties, kidsPACK fills the gap for disadvantaged children by providing discrete backpacks with enough food for three meals a day over the weekends. The food in each pack is child-centric as well as easy to open and prepare as many of the kids they serve do not have access to running water or a microwave. “They go to school and get breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday. Then what happens on Friday when they leave? There’s nothing for these children to eat. That’s why kidsPACK is important,” said Strickland. The program is strengthened by the ability to work directly through the school system. “We know that our mission is being met because they’re with the children, day in, usually a lot more than the families are,” said Strickland, explaining that the children they serve are homeless – living in cars, tents, in homeless camps, even under bridges. “There’s no guarantee that I can find a sponsor because when you’re starting out with about 4,000 children plus that are registered in the school system as being homeless and we only service about 1,800 – that’s a big gap,” said the executive director. It was about two and a half years ago that Strickland was at a Polk County School Board meeting and heard the statistic that there were 800 unaccompanied youth living on the street within the county. Their status of being “unaccompanied” also designated them as homeless. “I raised my hand and said, ‘We will help.’ Even though that’s not part of our program. We get no funding for that, absolutely nothing. It’s volunteer-based, donations only,” Strickland said. “The Lord told me to raise my hand, I raised my hand […] We have never, not met that need.” In addition to kidsPACKs, they can assist with familyPACKs when needed. If a teacher, who knows the needs of a certain student, tells the nonprofit that a child has a mom, dad, and sibling at home, kidsPACK will provide a familyPACK. These are comprised of donated food that can feed a family of four for five days with nonperishable items. “We get a large shipment from Publix to help with that,” Strickland noted. A few years ago, area coaches contacted kidsPACK with a need. Homeless kids and teenagers would eat lunch at school at 10:30 in the morning and would practice for a sport for one or two hours and go home hungry. KidsPACK started their P&J Project in which Publix provides them with peanut butter, Walmart donates items like Gatorade and chips, and the public schools, as well as Butter Krust, give day-old bread. They asked the coaches to approach local churches about starting a jelly drive to make the PB&Js. KidsPACK takes the discretion of the children they feed seriously. Every year, they receive the number of how many homeless students are enrolled in each school. They do not get the names, just the number of students. This crisis isn’t designated to a few schools. “There are homeless children in every school, in every zip code, in every neighborhood,” said Strickland. If you’re a parent, your child goes to school, even in private school, with a food-insecure child. THE FACE OF HOMELESSNESS At the onset of the pandemic, Strickland said the greatest fear for kidsPACK was the children – many of them living in cars without access to electricity, a refrigerator, a classroom. “They don’t even have the option of going into a kitchen and sitting at the kitchen table – they’re doing all of this out of the backseat of a car or on the ground of a tent,” she said. It is Strickland’s mission to change the view our community has of the face of homelessness. “The average age of a homeless person in Polk County is nine,” said Royal. Not to say that adult homelessness and hunger are not important – they most certainly need to be addressed. Strickland’s focus is simply different. “My concern is that we change the vision of the gentleman standing on the street to a family of four living in a car or living in a friend’s backyard. [...] We hear stories from the schools that will break your heart.” One such situation involved a mother living in a house with her three children. There was nothing in the house – no furniture, no food. The family had been surviving off nothing but water for three days. Strickland continued, “Or you have a gentleman living in an orange grove with a special needs child. The reason he’s living there is because he’s afraid the state will take his child away from him because he lost his housing because he lost his job.” Homelessness is also the face of a high school student whose mother was Baker Acted. With no place to go but her car, she was allowed to live in it until her mother was released. “She was 15 and celebrated her 16th birthday in that car,” said Strickland. “It’s a lovely story and a lovely mission, but it is so hidden in this community. We sit in Lakeland, Florida. Polk County is the third largest philanthropic area in Florida and we have the fifthhighest child homeless population,” said Royal. COMING TOGETHER DURING COVID The virus has put a halt to many things, child hunger has not been one. KidsPACK has not stopped for a moment. With their network of schools, churches, organizations like Parker Street Ministries and the Mission of Winter Haven, volunteers, and corporate sponsors, they have been able to continue feeding children – though they have had to shift their execution. When churches initially closed months ago, kidsPACK lost 17 pack and deliver sites. They opened their facility in Lakeland, adhering to CDC guidelines to groups of ten in the morning and ten in the afternoon on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to pack. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, volunteers would sort food. “Then, on Wednesday morning this whole parking lot was full of wrapped meals going to different organizations, and we had volunteers who loaded their cars up and delivered. We may be facing that in the upcoming season,” said Strickland. KidsPACK contacted the schools that were doing lunch pick-ups as well as Parker Street Ministries and The Mission of Winter Haven. “In Polk County, a lot of our kids, over half of them are bussed to schools. They don’t go to their neighborhood school anymore,” said Royal. Many of the children who live around Parker Street Ministries go there after school for tutoring, summer programs, and the like. KidsPACK was able to deliver meals there and to the schools doing meal pick-ups to get food in the hands of the children they serve. “Teachers that did not have a hot meal program in their schools, a lot of them still got meals and hand-delivered them to our kids,” said Strickland. “That’s how committed the teachers are within the school system.” “It was a network of people making certain that these children continued to be fed,” said Strickland. The nonprofit continued to feed between 1,100 and 1,200 children a week despite the obstacles. School may be out for summer break, but kidsPACK continues to meet needs. Churches and other organizations, even teachers and principals pick up kidsPACKs and deliver them to children during the summer – sometimes as many as 100 students per school. Their biggest issue wasn’t the loss of 17 packing facilities, it was the suspension of buying power. The nonprofit would typically buy in bulk but no longer could. They started scouring Publix, Walmart, Sam’s Club – anywhere they could find bulk items. “Instead of a child’s lunch being $6, it went to being $9.20,” said Strickland. They reached out to the community for financial and purchasing help, requesting folks pick up ten cans of Chef Boyardee, or Pop-Tarts, or applesauce when they were grocery shopping. “Our community stepped up,” she said. The buying power is still not there and may not fully open up anytime soon as coronavirus cases continue to rise. Depending on whether or not schools reopen, Strickland says, “It’s going to be a different arena, but I can tell you our commitment and our mission and with the networking of the individuals that we have and with community awareness, we will meet the needs of every child.” HOW YOU CAN HELP “I think with community awareness, with our school system, and with kidsPACK, we can meet the needs of the children that need to be fed – but we also need to do more for them, like find them a home,” said Strickland. To its executive director, the importance and urgency of kidsPACK lie in speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves. “If someone does not lift these children up, does not allow them to be a part of society – because they are going to be our future leaders – then we’ve lost a generation that we should be ashamed of ourselves that we’ve lost,” she said. “We are part of the torch that brings light into the darkness of children that are going without food.” According to Royal, their fundraiser, Pack the Park in which they partner with the ballpark has been canceled. This and other fundraisers are a sizable piece of how they sustain their mission. “We’re not getting any relief between that $6 that we used to pay to the $9.20 that we’re paying now, and until we get our buying power back, we have to bridge that gap with money,” she said. You can bridge that gap by sponsoring a child. Monetary and food donations are always welcome and helpful, but for only $300 a year or $25 per month, you can sponsor a child. You can specify what school you want your sponsorship to go to and your money will only go to that one child, feeding them for 50 weeks. What is $25 a month to you? What could it be for a hungry student? Pull together funds with your family, friends, or church – $1,500 could mean feeding five children for an entire year. You can also volunteer. Sign up on their website and Amy Royal will send out an email when they need help with the day, time, any other requirements to help, and a link to sign up through Sign Up Genius. “I think each one of us has a duty to take care of children. They are the most vulnerable portion of our society. They didn’t ask to be in that situation and they really have no way of getting out of that situation unless they get an education,” said Strickland. “That is why I’m committed to kidsPACK because we work with the school system. If I can fuel their tummy, they can educate their mind – they have a way out of poverty.” kidsPACK www.kidspack.org FB @KidsPACKinc IG @kidspackinc Photo by Amy Sexson

We have been isolated from one another for months now. Every routine has been interrupted and all of our usual social gatherings have either been canceled or extremely limited. The challenge with this is that we are social beings. We are created for community. Even the most introverted person cannot thrive in complete isolation. I have been a full-time professor of Psychology and Human Services for more than a decade and one of my favorite lectures deals with the psychology of personality. Every person responds differently to various situations based upon their personality type. Whether it is the Enneagram, DISC, Myers Briggs, or another personality assessment, it is evident we all view the world through the lens of our own personality. Each one of us is born with inherent personality traits and throughout our lifetime certain aspects of this are nurtured and impacted by our environment. However, regardless of your personality type, we all need people. From the time we are born, we desperately require human connection. It isn’t enough to simply be around people, we need to feel connected to those people. If we do not possess these connections, the result is loneliness. Loneliness is the feeling of distress or discomfort when there is a gap between one’s desires for social connection and the actual experience of that connection. This can be real or perceived. If we perceive a lack of connection, then the result is the feeling of loneliness. Loneliness not only impacts our mental health, but has also been proven to impact our physical health. We all need people and people need us. In this season of social distancing, we have had to forfeit many of our usual means of social connection. While this benefits our physical health in reducing the likelihood of getting COVID-19, our mental health can suffer in the process. This means we have to get creative in continuing to forge human connections when physical proximity is not permitted. I have been a Pastor for the past 15 years. My husband and I Pastor Grace City Church and prior to Pastoring, I was a therapist. Throughout my years of helping people, the main thing I have observed is the need for real human connection. Not perceived connection, but actual connection. I am an introvert and I enjoy time alone. I find time alone actually refuels me to go back out and have to exert the energy of engaging with people. As a Pastor, Professor, and Speaker, everything I do involves people. It can be exhausting, but I have learned the art of how to refuel. The first couple of weeks of quarantine I found myself thrilled to be catching up on so many things that I had neglected and I was enjoying the time to myself. However, shortly thereafter, I found myself feeling distant from people I had always felt close to. I found myself craving community. I was beginning to get lonely. Keep in mind, I have an amazing husband, delightful kids, and incredible family and friends, but I was still getting lonely. I was not engaging with my community. I was neglecting it. How do we reap the benefits of community when we are not allowed to be around it? Here are 5 practical encouragements for navigating this season in no particular order: 1. FACETIME OR ZOOM: FaceTime and Zoom allows for us to view each other’s facial expressions, see into one another’s eyes, and engage with each other more than just hearing one another’s words when speaking by phone. After a couple of weeks of loneliness, I began meeting in a Zoom group weekly. Our church has been hosting weekly Zoom groups and I have gathered with a group of ladies each week for the past few months. This has been a highlight of my week! I get to see their faces, learn how they are doing, share how I am doing, and engage in community. We aren’t physically present with one another, but we can still support each other. Make this time a priority and schedule it, just like you would a coffee date with a friend. 2. TALK ON THE PHONE: While seeing others faces is ideal, speaking on the phone is the next best thing. I have been having phone dates with family and friends. This has been critical to remaining in touch and staying connected. Give yourself a goal of a phone call a day or a few calls a week. 3. EXERCISE: Go for a lengthy walk outside. We need Vitamin D and we need the exercise. Even if you only get your heart rate up a few times a week, this is critical to your mental and physical health. 4. ATTEND A CHURCH SERVICE: Engaging in this kind of community will lift your spirit and remind you that you are not alone. If you’re medically and physically able to attend safely in person, then this is wonderful, but online still fosters an environment for you to engage with others. 5. FEED YOUR THOUGHTS: I really believe in the value of talking to myself. I spend more time talking to myself than listening to myself. Attending church services, reading my bible, and sharing my thoughts with my friends and family challenges my incorrect ways of thinking. Every thought we feed grows. Am I feeding thoughts that build me up or tear me down? Encourage yourself. You should be your best friend and you need to be kind to you. Take time to affirm yourself on a daily basis. You should be able to quickly list at least 10 things you appreciate about yourself and if you can’t, take advantage of this season to get to know yourself better. I make it a goal to encourage myself daily and to encourage others daily. Take the time to text 2-3 people every day to let them know what you appreciate about them. Encouraging others, encourages you. In this season, we have to fight for hope. Hope for health, hope for safety, hope for whatever you are hoping for. It is important to know that hope doesn’t just happen. Hope is grown. I was born and raised in Alaska and I grew up with a huge garden. Each year we planted, tended to the plants, and then harvested them. Planting the seeds was just the beginning of the process. We had to water them and protect them from weeds, the birds, and especially the moose! You don’t plant, walk away, and then never again visit the plant and expect it to be fully grown and healthy. You encourage its growth. The same is true with hope. I have to think hope-filled thoughts on a daily basis. I choose to see the positive in the world around me and I choose to see the good in each person. I plant hope, I water hope, and I protect hope. There are those who will serve as weeds in our lives and try to rob you of your hope. We have to protect our hope. Negativity and pessimism is the path of least resistance. It is easy to get there. Don’t slide down this slope when there is so much to be hoped for! A way to foster hope for humanity is to engage in empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and share in the feelings of others. Empathy in this season is more necessary than ever. Empathy asks us to care for those around us. I had COVID-19. One of the most encouraging parts of receiving this diagnosis was how much it revealed my community. I remember receiving an Uber Eats gift card from a friend, while it was unnecessary, it was so appreciated. It made me feel cared for. They were empathizing with my situation. We had multiple people reach out about providing meals, asking if they could help us with our kids, or if there was anything they could do for us. Empathy causes us to have compassion toward others and causes us to respond with what we have that can help meet a need. Perhaps people around you don’t have COVID-19, but I assure you they do have other needs. How different would our community look if we each chose empathy, walked in compassion, and responded to the needs of others? We all have something to give, let’s give it. Christina and her husband, Andrew, pastor Grace City Church. Grace City is a Hillsong Family Church with two campuses in Lakeland and also hosts online services every week at GraceCity.com . Christina is also a full-time Professor and the proud mom of twins, Justice and Adriana. @ChristinaGard

As the Director of Behavioral Health for Lakeland Regional Health, Alice Nuttall oversees the team of physicians, nurses, and qualified mental health professionals for both the inpatient behavioral health service and the outpatient behavioral health clinic. She is an involved member of the Polk County community, serving as the co-chair for the Polk Vision Exploratory Board. Nuttall, a Registered Nurse, has a degree in business as well as neuroscience psychology. Born in Lakeland, she left for college and lived in Nashville, Tennessee for over two decades. She has worked as a nurse and behavioral health professional across many areas including substance abuse, addiction, residential, and more. She was thrilled to be recruited back to her hometown just under two years ago. “This is my life’s passion and greatest joy to be able to do this kind of work and work with the fine individuals I do every day,” said Nuttall. “We always find that there are a lot of mental health opportunities and concerns, but with COVID-19, it has increased the importance, I feel, of the work that we do every single day.” Nuttall can vividly remember the course material of her Health Psychology class as a freshman in college at Vanderbilt University. “It was about the intersection of the human body, our physiological health, with our emotional health, and our mental wellness.” Throughout all of the work she’s done from being a critical care nurse working in the Neuro ICU working with head trauma patients at Vanderbilt, inpatient work, outpatient, with children and adults, she said, “In all of these different roles, the same themes continued to come up. I have a passion and calling for helping people in crisis, and advocating for them when they can’t advocate for themselves. Also, I find myself having a voice on whatever team that I’m on, to make sure we always care for and treat the whole person.” We talked to Alice Nuttall about how nutrition and exercise habits affect the way we feel and applicable ways to make changes for our overall health, mind and body. FOOD = MOOD Can what you eat affect your mental health? “Absolutely,” said Nuttall. “I like to think of it as food is related to your mood. [...] Your brain is working and operating and is a very fine-tuned piece of equipment and it operates 24/7, 365, all the time for your entire life. We need to make sure that we’re thinking about quality, well-balanced nutrition, to help us feel the best that we possibly can.” First, let’s talk about the neurotransmitter, serotonin. According to Nuttall, serotonin regulates mood, happiness, anxiety, and sleep. “Ninety percent of the serotonin that is produced in your body is produced in your GI tract,” she explained. From your mood, feelings, inhibitions, and sleep, “All these things that intertwine to help us feel balanced, are coming from your belly,” said Nuttall. “There is certainly a link.” Eating in a way that promotes good gut health will produce higher levels of serotonin. Adversely, Nuttall says there are hormones that you do not want as much of, like cortisol. “Stress causes cortisol release. Cortisol increases appetite and can cause someone to overeat. High cortisol also increases food cravings for sugary or fatty foods. Stress, therefore, increases cravings for unhealthy foods,” said Nuttall. ALL THINGS IN MODERATION Nuttall doesn’t promote one specific diet or exercise regiment over another. “I think the thing that is most important is balance,” she said. “All things in moderation can be okay. One of the things detrimental to people’s mental health is any extreme.” Bodies are different. “Our needs are different, our ages are different and we all need carbs and healthy sugars to live and to have a good metabolism, but I think you want to have a good balance.” A good rule of thumb is to stick to the outside perimeter of the grocery store as much as possible and keep the refined and processed food in moderation. “By limiting things completely, you start to mess with your mind and you may even crave it more.” During COVID-19, people have started cooking at home now more than ever. Nuttall suggested, “For every recipe you try that may be on the upper end of the pyramid – if you’re trying a new cookie recipe, a cake, or something in that goody category – make sure that two of your other recipes or items that you’re preparing that day are on the healthier spectrum.” For example, during a recent dinner with close friends, Nuttall and her family grilled chicken and opted for a cauliflower option of potato salad and coleslaw with homemade dressing. “I was really impressed with how delicious the meal turned out. It felt like we were eating barbeque chicken with potato salad and coleslaw, but it was so much better because we used good, wholesome ingredients.” DO A MIND FLIP Take a moment and give yourself a score between one and ten for how healthy and nutritious you feel like your diet is – one being extremely unhealthy and ten being perfect balance, getting everything your body needs every day. Now, give yourself a score from one to ten based on exercise. Is your face getting hot with embarrassment or apprehension to score yourself? Are you already maligning your score? Don’t worry, you’re not being diet and exercise shamed – Nuttall uses this method to teach an important mind flip. Our immediate tendency is to think of our score and ask ourselves why it isn’t closer to a ten. “You need to flip your mind and think about it as, why am I not a zero? What am I doing right today, currently, in the moment that has made me a little bit closer to my goal?” Think of everything you do regularly that leads to that score, and make it a goal to do a little bit more of that every week. Trying to force a new habit can be counterintuitive, said the Director of Behavioral Health. “I need to set my goals of doing that one additional day this week. If I have it be incremental and small, that will help me.” This is a form of positive psychology that will set you up for success in reaching your goals. “If you do this mind flip and you perceive your current behavior and current status as the glass half full versus glass half empty – you are already more successful, and you are going to be more successful in those next little incremental goals that you’ve set for yourself,” said Nuttall. If you stretch or do yoga twice a week, try to add an extra day next week. If you walk your neighborhood for 30 minutes each evening, try doing it for 40 minutes next time. “When we talk about goals and making a change, start with something small that you can keep and don’t do too much right away.” Nuttall explained why the approach of incremental changes in favor of a complete habit overhaul tends to work better for people. “If I were to decide, I am going to go extreme and cut out all carbs, all processed food, all caffeine, I’m not going to drink any alcohol, I’m only going to drink water and I’m going to start tomorrow at 8 a.m. I’m going to be more likely to fail because those goals are extreme. Even if I do stick to it for a couple of days, there will be a sense of almost white-knuckling it.” TRACK THE CHANGE, BE MINDFUL Nuttall recommends keeping track of how you feel after what you eat or a small change you’re making, using mindfulness and journaling. This could mean clicking out your thoughts on the notes app of your phone or jotting it down on a legal pad. Between days 14 and 21 is when a habit sets in according to Nuttall. “Habit is when your behavior through routine and repetition becomes incorporated into your daily living. It may be sooner than when the habit is as strong as it could be, you’ll probably start seeing benefits and you may not have changed anything else about your diet.” Maybe your goal is to pack your lunch instead of grabbing fast food, or to consume less soda, drink more water, or to remove sugar from your morning coffee. Do that for a week to ten days and take note of how you feel, she encouraged. “Typically, what we find is if you track that and start to see trends and connections and you use that mindfulness to make connections, that will fuel your next positive change.” SELF-CARE IS SIMPLE Nuttall’s approach to healthcare is holistic. Remember, there is an intersection between mind and body. If Nuttall is trying to help a patient through a stressful time, she will discuss reinforcing healthy habits including balanced nutrition, sleep (not only the hours, but restful, quality sleep), and some form of activity every day. With all that is going on in the world and our lives, it might not be the right time to train for a marathon, but Nuttall said, “If you get out and walk back and forth around your block one time today – those small goals – with that amount of physical activity you start to see health benefits.” Try these same kinds of changes within your nutrition too. Practice mindfulness and deep breathing. You may think meditation and deep breathing aren’t for you or maybe you don’t have time. Small changes. When Nuttall wakes up in the morning and hears her alarm go off, she likes to hit the snooze button. For those ten minutes, before the alarm goes off again, she doesn’t pick up her phone and tries to keep her mind clear of worries and to-do lists. “I try to take ten cleansing deep breaths and focus on something positive, focus on something good. Imagine a happy place – somewhere that brings you joy and peace. What are you looking forward to that day, or what from the day prior was a bright spot – even if it’s very small like a one- or two-word interaction with someone you care about?” Like with the other small habits you’re adopting, track that for a couple of weeks. “It will improve your heart rate, your blood pressure, and your stress hormones. Therefore, it impacts all the other things in a healthy way. You’ll crave less bad foods, you’ll crave good things, and you’ll make better decisions because you’ll be more centered.” GIVE YOURSELF GRACE Maybe you skipped out on exercise yesterday or ate one too many powdered donuts or binged the entire season of Unsolved Mysteries on Netflix. Nuttall says to acknowledge that you didn’t make an ideal choice and work to not repeat it in the future. “You don’t want to villainize or beat yourself. This has been one of the hardest things to process and figure out than we’ve ever had before, all at one time,” said Nuttall. “The human body and the human spirit feel more confident and comfortable when we know what to predict when things are more certain around us.” “Especially during COVID times, we all need to give ourselves a little bit of grace,” she said. Give yourself that grace, take a balanced approach moving forward, do a mind flip, make and track incremental changes, and be mindful. Photos by Amy Sexson

Ninety-three-year-old Maria Anaya has much to show for her near-century on Earth. She has eleven children, 39 grandchildren, and thousands of pieces of hand-crocheted artwork. We sat around a table with Maria, her daughters Connie and Alice Anaya, and her granddaughter, 21-year-old Kimberly Padilla surrounded by colorful crochets that were once only spools of yarn until Maria set her hands and mind to them. The family pulled out a small book with aging photographs telling Maria’s life story flipping through images – Maria and her father some 70 years ago, her mother, mother-in-law, and photos of her and her own small children, around 1950, she estimated. Born in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1927, Maria had two brothers and two sisters. Her earlier years were marked by violent ripples following the Cristero War. She remembers hiding with her family in a cave for some three months to escape violence in her town. She remembers fear at the sound of horses galloping near their rocky hideaway, with smaller siblings unaware of the importance of their silence. “They had a little flashlight for when they needed to change diapers or give food to the little ones,” said Connie, relaying her mother’s memories of the rough conditions. Another memory relayed is Maria, age 13. She began watching her cousins crochet and taught herself the craft. “She used to look at things that her cousins would make and try to copy what they were doing because she liked how theirs would turn out,” Kimberly said. “She thought the crochet work was pretty so she wanted to make stuff herself.” First, the border for a skirt, progressing to more detailed pieces like tablecloths, doilies, blankets, and tiny dresses to hang as wall decorations. What products of her labor she didn’t keep, she would give away as gifts to friends and relatives. She would sew her children’s clothes growing up and make them stuffed animals and flowers from a patchwork of fabric. Her many children and grandchildren have baby blankets, sweaters, and stuffed animals from Maria. As she grew up and had a family of her own, Maria spent time raising her children and doing agricultural labor. She picked cotton and worked for a company making bricks. She would travel to Texas and eventually Florida for seasonal jobs before settling with her grown children in Florida in the 1980s, obtaining her citizenship three years ago. She has continued crochet as a hobby throughout her years. Connie and Alice learned from their mother how to crochet, though admittedly not to the same gifted standards. Asked if she has passed this craft down to anyone else, Kimberly answered with a small laugh, “She tried to teach me once, but I didn’t grasp it.” Some pieces are monocolored, spare with an ornate pattern. Others are brilliant and vivid with embroidery, depicting crosses, cats, rabbits, donkeys, birds, or flowers. Her favorite material to use is a yarn with shimmery flecks throughout it. Amid the baby blankets and sweaters, Maria passed down other things. Though Kimberly didn’t grasp the crochet craft, she has learned to cook from her grandmother. Daughter Connie said, “I think one of the best things we learned from her is work, to respect everybody, and to keep going.” Whether she’s working on something small that may take her two days to complete or a more elaborate project like the grand white tablecloth used for her grandson’s wedding, taking her six months to finish – her process is the same. No pattern, no written plan, just counting. Crocheting has become such second nature to her that she can hold conversations as she counts. Kimberly explained, “To make her pattern – it’s kind of like the math is in her head – she knows just how many spaces to count and when she has to make certain stitches for her patterns to come out the right way.” Lynn Oakley has known the Anaya family for 18 years. “She had some health problems and we all agreed we didn’t want to leave her at home alone,” said Oakley of Maria. “So, she came here.” Every day for two years save for the weekends, Maria sits moving her crochet hook with well-practiced hands. “I don’t know how she does it without direction,” said Oakley. “I got to really studying this over the years – how magnificent this is.” Oakley said she is always amazed to see her do such intricate pieces without a plan or guideline. “This is too important for you not to be noticed,” said Oakley. “… because no one does this anymore.” It is important. Whether Maria is aware of just how remarkable the magic she makes is, it is unclear, but that’s okay. It is a quiet skill, a solitary happiness. She has the kind of humble creativity that needs not announce itself or boast. It’s presence and product say all that needs to be said – Here is artwork from the beautiful mind of Maria Anaya. Photo by Amy Sexson