Born on Florida’s east coast, Jessica Bryant went to Florida Institute of Technology and earned her Bachelor of Science degree. From there she built a career managing restaurants and was the General Manager for years at a corporate restaurant. As she grew increasingly disheartened with the industry, Bryant wanted a change. A friend from roller derby, a firefighter/ paramedic for Hillsborough County, asked Bryant if she’d ever thought of being in the fire service – she hadn’t. She thought teaching was her next calling until an EMR course piqued her interest. Building momentum from that class, Bryant took an EMT course and loved it. Next, she pursued her fire standards. At 34 years old, Jessica Bryant decided to become a firefighter and Lakeland Fire Department was her first choice. She’s been doing a job that challenges and fulfills her for two and a half years now. Bryant even joined a combat fire team, Team Lang to compete in the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge. Bryant has always wanted to be the best firefighter she could be. Her mentality is that at work, she is a firefighter above all else. “No matter woman or man, as a new firefighter you have to prove to your crew that you have their back no matter what, which can be stressful, and as a woman, you may have to figure different techniques to get the job done. But once you do and show that you never give up, this is the best career in the world, and the rewards outweigh any bad day,” she said. Donning earrings and glitter nail polish, Bryant made it clear that her femininity has not been sacrificed for her career. “You don’t have to lose being a woman to be a firefighter,” she said. Bryant’s experience in the fire service has been a positive one. “Our department wants you to do a good job and they want you to be happy while you’re doing it,” she said. Of her male comrades, Bryant said, “It’s like having a bunch of big brothers.” Women within the fire service can empower each other through passing on knowledge and being collective says Bryant. “I think if we work together as women, we’re going to get a lot more done,” she said. She shared advice given to her by retired career Lakeland firefighter Maggie Colson, “Demand what is yours, fight for what is yours, but be ready to back it up.” IGNITING CHANGE: WOMEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE In efforts to diversify the department, LFD began a campaign called “Igniting Change.” The program is to encourage more girls and women to consider the fire service as a career option. The fire department speaks at schools and groups like PACE Center for Girls and Girls Inc. to share this message. A video was produced by the department detailing the perspective of a female firefighter, encouraging other women who are interested in the fire service. The department also provides Polk County high schools with materials from bookmarks and videos to career planning materials for guidance counselors to give to students. Fire Chief Riley expressed that the fire department should be a reflection of the community they serve. The department would like to make it an attractive career option for people who might not have considered it as such. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, nationwide, only about 4% of firefighters are female. That number is unacceptable to the Fire Chief. “Young girls never think about becoming firefighters. Why? Because nobody ever has that conversation with them,” he said. He thinks middle school or younger is where the seed needs to be planted that firefighting is a viable, realistic career choice for women as well as men. Jessica Bryant is involved with the Igniting Change campaign, and speaks to young girls. “I went through school and went to college and no one said ‘Have you ever thought about being a firefighter?’” She thinks it’s extremely positive to spread their message to girls. “Women in the fire service can be a great help when dealing with female patients. Female firefighters help to just add another perspective or view in serving our communities,” she added. Public Relations and Information Manager for LFD, Janel Vasallo spoke about the impact the campaign has had, saying, “Before the campaign, we went some years without getting any applications from women. After the campaign came out, we got a lot of local news attention [...] The following hiring period, we got eight applications.” EXPECTING ALI Bryant brings another interesting perspective to being a female in the fire service. At the time of our interview in September, Bryant was 34 weeks pregnant and still actively working. Her daughter, Ali Fortunato Bryant Gittings will be Bryant’s first child. With a due date of October 20, the expecting mother shared what it was like having the normal thoughts and worries of pregnancy combined with her dangerous line of work. She went through the usual considerations of how she would get time off and finding a babysitter to things she’s never thought about before like preparing a will. Taking off much of the stress, her fellow firefighters have been supportive of Bryant, even offering to cover her shift when she needs time off. “The department has been very helpful,” she said. They’ve given Bryant the option to come off-line and work in administration whenever she feels she needs to. When we spoke, she planned to continue working as normal until around 37 weeks. Her family of firefighters has embraced Bryant and her baby girl. They even threw her a baby shower and Bryant remarked she constantly receives baby clothes and gifts for Ali. Asked what lessons she has learned as a firefighter that will carry over into motherhood, Bryant laughed, saying she has bought safety kits for the whole house. “I’ve become a little neurotic on safety, that’s for sure.” Bryant reflected on what it was like to be in her 30’s, midcareer, and change everything despite what others would think. She hopes Ali will have that drive to do what makes her happy, to be educated, strong, and voice her opinion. Bryant said, “I want her to know that the possibilities are endless. Whatever she wants to do, she can do it. As long as she has a commitment and a drive – she’ll have the support there.”

Let’s get to the root of it and talk about trees. I’m going to go out on a limb and say we’ve all walked down a tree-lined street at one time or another. If you’re lucky, the trees were mature and have formed a canopy over the street creating a dreamy environment to pass through. Let’s not leaf out the the gorgeous orange groves around us, and the beautiful smell of orange blossoms in the breeze. Trees provide oxygen, shade on a sunny day, a sturdy branch for a child’s swing and you can’t have a super cool treehouse without the tree. I don’t want to bark at you, but I think we could always use more trees. According to Jeff Speck’s 2018 book, Walkable City Rules, 101 Steps to Making Better Places, there is no better use of public funds. He writes: STREET TREES PROTECT SIDEWALKS Like parked cars, mature street trees form a sturdy barrier between moving vehicles and pedestrians. STREET TREES REDUCE CRASHES A study along Orlando’s Colonial Drive compared a segment of roadway with street trees and other vertical objects along it to a segment without. It found that the segment with no trees experienced 45% more injurious crashes and many more fatal crashes: six vs zero. STREET TREES ABSORB STORMWATER A typical mature tree absorbs about the first half inch of each rainfall that hits it. STREET TREES ABSORB UV AND POLLUTANTS In addition to keeping ultraviolet rays from reaching the ground, street trees absorb a tremendous amount of airborne carbon dioxide - ten times more than trees located farther from the roadways. STREET TREES IMPROVE PROPERTY VALUE A study conducted by the Wharton School of Business found that street trees increase home prices by 9%. Such improved valuations translate directly into increased property tax revenue. The City of Portland found that, for this reason, its investment in tree planting and maintenance pays off at a ratio of twelve to one. STREET TREES IMPROVE RETAIL From Nantucket to Beverly Hills, the most desirable Main Street districts in North America are, with few exceptions, characterized by consistently planted street trees. One study found that shops on streets with good tree cover earn 12% more income. Visibility-seeking merchants who fight for tree removal forget that much main-street shopping is experienced-based. With cheaper prices and better convenience on Amazon, providing a great environment is becoming central to retail viability. STREET TREES IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH Multiple studies have shown that regular exposure to trees prolongs life, aids mental health, reduces asthma, obesity, stress and heart disease, and basically just makes us happier. WHAT CAN WE DO? We can plant trees at home! Not only will they provide shade in this Florida heat, but if you’re lucky, they can also provide food. (I can’t seem to keep anything alive?) Polk County is in Plant Hardiness Zones 9 and 10. Some of the trees we will have the most luck growing are cedar, crapemyrtle, cypress, magnolia, live oak or pomegranate to name a few. The public can also donate to the Carl J Strang Jr. Urban Tree Canopy Fund. Main Street Winter Haven, Inc. created and manages this fund. I talked with Executive Director Anita Strang about when and why this all began. “Main Street Winter Haven announced the Carl J Strang Jr. Urban Tree Canopy Fund in September of 2018. This fund was created in response to recognizing the benefits of increasing our urban forest. It will be a sustainable amenity that delivers shade, environmental and economic benefits, for generations to come while creating an inviting atmosphere. We plan to work alongside and complement the work the City of Winter Haven is already doing. MSWH believes that there is strength in partnerships when a common goal is in place. Contributions to support this effort are greatly appreciated.” Contributions will support their efforts, and at the same time you can acknowledge a loved one, to commemorate a special event or leaving a lasting gift to the community. Call (863) 295-9422 or go online to www.mainstreetwh.com and search Carl J Strang Jr. Urban Canopy Fund to donate. DID YOU KNOW? While not the tallest tree or the widest or even the oldest, General Sherman is thought to be the largest single stem tree by sheer volume. This giant sequoia in California is believed to be between 2,300 and 2,700 years old, it’s 275-feet tall and has a trunk diameter of 25-feet. Its total volume is estimated at an incredible 1487 meters squared. General Sherman’s largest branches are wider in diameter than most regular tree trunks. The largest of these branches fell down in a winter storm in 2006, and it was recorded as being over 7-feet in diameter and more than 98-feet long. Apollo 14 launched on January 31, 1971. Five days later Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell walked on the Moon while Stuart Roosa, a former U.S. Forest Service smoke jumper, orbited above in the command module. Packed in small containers in Roosa’s personal kit were hundreds of tree seeds, part of a joint NASA/USFS project. Upon return to Earth, the seeds were germinated by the Forest Service. Known as the “Moon Trees,” the resulting seedlings were planted throughout the United States (often as part of the nation’s bicentennial in 1976) and the world. They stand as a tribute to astronaut Roosa and the Apollo program.

“I started collecting art when I met Linda,” explained Dr. Alan Rich, whose wife, Linda, then disputed that proclamation, asserting that his collection began much earlier. Dr. Alan and Linda Rich have been admiring and collecting art since they were young. Alan, who more commonly goes by Rico, began his passion for collecting by acquiring maps and sorting through his father’s National Geographic collection. Meanwhile, Linda’s love for collecting began with stamps and coins. She also regularly visited the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, which further developed her love for art. Once the two met, their shared appreciation for art and collecting grew and was facilitated by their time as medical volunteers in various African countries. Rico worked as an ophthalmologist, while Linda assisted with her training as an occupational therapist. The two aided underserved communities in need of eye care, offering varying and necessary surgeries to the local people. These medical volunteer trips brought the couple in contact with a world of art very different —both visually and conceptually — from the one we are familiar with in the West. “The art shows an appreciation for the interconnection of life,” said Rico, pointing out the importance that many of these cultures put on unity among all creatures. On their trips, the Riches were fortunate enough to begin collecting this type of work from local artists. All of the pieces in their collection are one-of-a-kind and either came from local markets or were gifts from patients. Each piece is displayed proudly in the Riches’ home, giving any visitor the sense that they have walked into a very personal museum. The natural next step — it would seem — would be for this work to be displayed in an actual museum. Rico and Linda have been involved with the Polk Museum of Art for nearly 30 years. Through their involvement, the couple met Dr. Alex Rich (no relation), the executive director and chief curator at the Museum. When he admired the Riches’ collection firsthand during a social visit with the couple at their home, he broached what he thought was the far-fetched idea of exhibiting their collection at the Polk Museum. To Dr. Rich’s surprise, Linda and Rico were receptive to the idea, despite their modesty about their collection. This was two years ago, and hard work has gone into organizing and curating a show based on their three-decade-built collection since. The resulting exhibition, Spirits: Ritual and Ceremonial African and Oceanic Art from the Dr. Alan and Linda Rich Collection opens this month at the Polk Museum. The Riches’ collection is large, so deciding which pieces should be included in the show was no small task. “I’m not sure exactly how many pieces we have in total,” said Linda. In the end, 110 pieces were chosen to be displayed at the Museum, each coming from one of eight countries, including Papua New Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and Mozambique. A show like this hasn’t been done at the Polk Museum of Art before. This is why Dr. Alan and Linda Rich and Dr. Alex Rich believe it’s so important to do. “African art has influenced so much Western art and all that has followed,” Linda said, citing many well-known artists from the early 20th century, including Picasso, Braque, and Brancusi. The Riches hope that having their collection on display will encourage others to learn more about non-Western art and the influence it has had on Western culture. They believe that by gaining a better understanding of these cultures, individuals can appreciate and enjoy them more. Spirits: Ritual and Ceremonial African and Oceanic Art from the Dr. Alan and Linda Rich Collection will be on display at the Polk Museum of Art from October 26 through January 26. 800 E Palmetto St, Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 688-7743 Polkmuseumofart.org Museum is closed on Mondays

Like many good ideas, the concept for the Adler’s Burgers food truck started over “an open flame and open beverages” at a backyard barbeque. Husband and wife Wade and Jacki Walston and friend Jeremiah Waters teamed up to perfect the American classic. “We were literally having a backyard barbeque talking about how we wanted to do a food truck. We threw it out into the universe, talked about it and it happened,” said Wade. The food truck’s namesake came almost as easily as the idea to start it – Wade and Jacki have a son, Sheriff Adler Walston. The Adler’s name and dino nuggets on the menu were for him. Jeremiah Waters, who hails from Upstate New York, became their first employee and within a week, their first business partner. The trio started the truck 3 years ago and took any gig they could get. Wade said, “If you had a house party with six people we would be there in the off chance that one of those six people were in charge of the swap meet at their church or the company picnic.” Waters and the Walston’s hustled with the food truck for about eight months when they were presented with the opportunity to open a brick and mortar. In fact, it all started in the alley next to their Davenport burger joint. They became the smash burger fix for the late-night crowd of the adjacent Paddy Wagon Irish Pub which Wade, Jacki, and Jeremiah worked at for a time. To be respectful to the other local businesses, Adler’s wouldn’t set up their truck until after 10 pm. Their success didn’t go unnoticed by other eateries in the plaza and the owners were ordered to cease and desist. The owners of the pub saw the advantage of having Adler’s available to their customers and threw out an offer for the space across the alley. “If it wasn’t for us getting kicked out, we probably wouldn’t be sitting at this table currently,” said Wade. Well if it weren’t for that, and their stellar food and customer service of course. HEY, NICE BUNS Ask Wade Walston, a California native where to find the best burger on the west coast and without skipping a beat he’ll tell you In-N-Out Burger. The trio’s goal for Adler’s was to be the same kind of indisputable burger rep in Florida. “We weren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, we were just looking for a missing spoke. Currently, there’s not any one place in Florida known for having the best burger,” he said. “Florida has a lot of fantastic burger franchises and local mom and pops, but no definitive good one. We’re trying to fill that void.” It all starts with the bun. The three owners spent plenty of time, in the beginning, trying different buns out to find their perfect vessel for their burgers. They found an artisan bakery out of Coconut Creek, Florida called Cusano’s Bakery. Cusano’s has been family owned and operated since 1966 with over 100 years of bread baking tradition passed down through the generations. Wade described their bread as “wildly old school, a fantastic product.” Sitting inside this magnificent bun is their uncomplicated all beef, no B.S. smash burger. The burger is comprised of nothing but quality, Midwest, high-fat content ground beef. “There’s no filler in it, there’s no craziness, there’s no Ribeye steak in there,” said Wade. “We like our steaks an inch and a half thick, and we like our burgers with a lot of fat and smashed.” The fast-casual eatery offers $12 combos including a burger, hand-cut fries, and a craft soda. “I think part of our success is that we don’t have an overcomplicated menu,” said Waters. THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS “Hamburgers are an American classic,” said Wade. “We do our best to not overcomplicate it.” Their opus (and number one bestseller by far) is a reflection of that mantra. The Adler’s Classic Burger is dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onion, mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup and a slice of American cheese. Though the partners all contributed to their minimal, flavorpacked menu, Jacki Walston – who studied culinary arts at Le Cordon Bleu – is the creative genius behind their weekly specials. The pun-laden, campy names are reason enough to make you want to skip your usual and try something new. “I think the beauty of a burger is you can put just about anything on it and it’s always great. Think little black dress of the food world,” said Jacki. “I love getting people out of their comfort zone with flavors, and the burger is a great vessel to do so with. For example, we did a burger called the LamBURGhini, it had baba ganoush on it. So many people had never tried baba ganoush before and discovered how much they actually love it. I’ve found the quirkier the name, the more willing people are to try out of the box burger toppings.” Regulars flock in for treats like the Ernest Hamingway that Jacki created with in-house made spicy mustard, mushrooms, swiss cheese, and thinly sliced ham. I’ll give you a moment to brace yourself for a description of the Jalapeno Business. Ready? Jacki makes a jalapeno, cilantro, lime ranch and adds with it a jalapeno firecracker (a fire-roasted jalapeno stuffed with pepper jack cheese, rolled in an egg roll and deep-fried), a smash burger with pineapple chutney, cheddar cheese, onion, tomato, lettuce, and fresh jalapeno. COMING TO AN ALLEY NEAR YOU The food truck and restaurant have been so well received that Adler’s will be opening a new location in downtown Winter Haven. Your new go-to burger spot will be tucked between Jessie’s and Jenson’s under the covered walkway. Adler’s Alley, as it will be called, will have a walk-up window for patrons to order and take away or sit in the bars’ patio seating during the day. After Jessie’s and Jenson’s open in the evening, you can enjoy your dreamy burger at either a smoking or non-smoking bar. If you’re in the downtown area, you can enjoy your burger without leaving the office or Grove Roots or Union Tap Room, as they’ll be offering a delivery service to a section of downtown Winter Haven. Adler’s Alley is slated to open later this month. Humbly, the owners said they couldn’t have done it without the stellar performance and service of their employees. “If it weren’t for our employees, we would have sunk a year and a half ago,” said Wade. “Our employees are above and beyond.” With a dream team of people, killer food, and service, Adler’s is poised for expansion. One day, they would like to have six brick and mortar locations and beyond that – the sky’s the limit. One spot they have an eye on is Orlando International Airport. Wade Walston envisions their tasty burgers complemented by a full bar at the airport. “I believe with our product and our customer service – if we could bring this to Orlando International, we’d be a good addition,” he said. Jacki Walson beautifully summed up the best part about growing the burger brand. “It’s easy, I love feeding people, it’s such a rewarding thing to see families enjoying food together,” she said. “It’s brought us closer to our community and I look forward to becoming part of more communities in the future!” Adler’s Davenport Location: 113 Ambersweet Way Davenport, FL — 33837 (863) 438-4324 Winter Haven Location: 278 Avenue A SW, Winter Haven www.adlersburgers.com FB @Adlers.TBC IG @adlerstcb Photo by Amy Sexson

“There are no other Everglades in the world. They are, they have always been, one of the unique regions of the earth; remote, never wholly known. Nothing anywhere else is like them.” These words from iconic conservationist Marjory Stoneman Douglas, speak to a truly magnificent and unique place, The Everglades of Florida. Most people when they envision the River of Grass, think of South Florida and a National Park. However, the Everglades ecosystem is so much more than the Southern tip of our state. The Everglades Headwaters begin in Orange and Lake County flowing through a network of lakes, rivers, prairies and cattle ranches to Lake Okeechobee. Historically, a drop of water could fall on Disney World and make its way to Florida bay. Just as Douglas stated, there is nothing anywhere else like the Everglades Headwaters, and it’s right in our backyard. Marion Creek by Adam Bass The Headwaters, commonly referred to as the Kissimmee River Basin, begins in the swamps behind Magic Kingdom, flowing south to the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes as Reedy Creek. Lakes famous to central Florida such as Kissimmee, Tohopekaliga, and Hatchineha along with more than two dozen others make up the Kissimmee Chain before the flow heads south to Okeechobee via the Kissimmee River and its at times 3-milewide floodplain. Obviously, a critical component of any river system is its headwaters and, The River of Grass’ is no less important. Outside of historically being the source of water for the entire ecosystem, the area provides critical habitat to many species of Flora and Fauna. Panthers, Black Bears, and a host of other amazing creatures call the Kissimmee River Basin home and utilize its corridors. Waterfowl migrating from as far as the Arctic Circle winter on its lakes which provide countless other bird species with year-round abode. Endemic plant species can be found on the sandy ridges and the low-lying wetlands throughout the headwaters. Cypress knees, as tall as a man, grow along creek edges providing a setting akin to a sanctuary. The Kissimmee River Basin is a natural wonder no less amazing then places like the Amazon and Nile Rivers. One of the greatest benefits to the public of the Everglades Headwaters is the access to nature provided through public lands and waters. Lake Kissimmee State Park and Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve are two state parks encompassing over 13,000 acres and 32 miles of trails. Camping, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing can all be enjoyed at these parks sharing the “The Real Florida.” Wildlife management areas and water management lands provide sportsman and enthusiasts access to tens of thousands of acres spanning the entire Kissimmee River Basin. Osceola Turkeys, hogs, and Whitetail Deer abound in the public lands surrounding the waterways of the Basin. Along with land-based activities the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes offers recreational opportunities on its more than 80,000 acres of waters. The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes has long been a world-famous destination for fisherman targeting Largemouth Bass and Speckled Perch. Grape Hammock, Guy Harvey’s Camp Mack, and Port Hatchineha all provide access to anglers, waterfowlers, and boaters. The ability to interact and surround oneself with overwhelming and amazing nature is minutes away. Access to these wild and unique areas is significant. The wild lands of the Everglades Headwaters, should be enjoyed, respected, and protected. The Everglades Headwaters, is a place unique in its splendors, and is unlike anywhere else in this world. Such a place that provides habitat for endangered species, access for public enjoyment, and is the historic life source for the entire Everglades community, should not face the threat of its very existence. However, that is exactly what is at stake today. Poorly planned and managed population growth threatens the very majesty of this wonder. Development occurs on its shores daily and contributes to habitat loss and degradation of its water quality. According to several studies on the Florida Greenways Network, the cities at the headwaters are the largest contributors of pollutants to the watershed. Not only does this sprawl contribute to pollution but in its very essence destroys the natural settings where it occurs and limits water management practices. At this very moment there are approvals in place for several thousand homes in Osceola County on the shores of Lake Tohopekaliga and Alligator Lake. Growth is inevitable in the surrounding areas of the Headwaters. Smart growth, with the understanding that we don’t get wild lands back once a subdivision is in its place, should be followed. Conservation of the Everglades Headwaters must be the priority. We are a blessed community to have a true environmental wonder in our backyard, The Everglades Headwaters. Whether hiking a day at a state park, pursuing waterfowl on its lakes, or simply enjoying an afternoon on the water for a cruise; the Everglades Headwaters offer many opportunities to experience wild Florida. That gift comes with the responsibility to ensure its conservation. We owe it to the next generation of Floridians that the Everglades and its headwaters flourish and don’t become “A Land Remembered,” but rather a land conserved.

Originating from the parlor “Bagatelle” tables based on European lawn games, pinball machines have evolved from their primitive prototype to all the bells and whistles of the modern-day. Through the years they moved from Electromechanical to Solid State, and now more modern fixtures with licensed-themes like pinball adaptations of “The Addams Family” and “Revenge From Mars.” Arcade culture was born and evolved along with these machines and have gone from a staple in any teen’s social life in the days of disco, perms and leg warmers, to make a nostalgic resurgence in popularity. Winter Haven native and pinball enthusiast Leah-Jean Jett certainly loves all the bells and chimes. In fact, she’s the Florida Chapter Director for Belles & Chimes, an international network of inclusive women’s pinball leagues run by women, for women. “I got hooked on pinball the first time I played,” Jett remembered. That was in 2010. She took to the game and began competing in tournaments and collecting machines, snagging one anytime she had the extra cash. When she ran out of space in her living room, it occurred to her to spread the happiness that pinball brought her. So, she set out to open an arcade. Also around the time she first took to pinball, Jett visited San Francisco where they had bar/ arcade concepts like Brewcade. The San Fran pinball scene inspired Jett to bring the revelry of pinball back to Polk County sans the booze. She started her blast from the past business, Artcade, in August of 2018. “I wanted to create a space that was kidfriendly,” she said, something for the whole family. The doors of the Bells Alley arcade open to a dimly lit, retroinspired space complete with neon signage adorning the walls. A line of shimmering silver steamers is the backdrop for a row of pinball machines spanning the decades. The clanging and flashing 1973 Hi-Lo Aces is the oldest machine at Artcade. You’ll also find movie and television themed machines like her 1977 “The Lost World” and a “Ghostbusters” pinball machine. “Leave your quarters at home,” Jett says. All of the games are set to free play with an hourly rate of $8 or unlimited play for $15. The pool table, 80s jams, and an assortment of other arcade games make Artcade feel like it was dropped into Winter Haven right out of a time machine. The selection of video games like XBOX 360, PS2, Nintendo 64, and Super Nintendo will bring you back to present day. As the name suggests, in addition to being a favorite hangout spot for retro game junkies, Artcade also showcases local art and hosts art events. Once a month they host an art show, as well as an art night where patrons can bring their own to work on or participate in a guided art night. Why was it important to the owner to marry these two concepts? “Because I’m an artist at heart,” said Jett. Before Artcade, Jett owned and operated The Piercing Boutique in town for seven years which she recently closed to focus on Artcade. As a body piercer, skin was her creative medium. The arcade offers snacks and beverages for donations and welcomes guests to order in or bring food (though it would be cool if you could slip them a few bucks as a donation to help keep the pinball lights on). A fan favorite at the arcade is their Artcade Monthly Meetup IFPA (International Flipper Pinball Association) Tournaments. “The first time I ever won money at a pinball tournament, I was like ‘Woah – you can win money at a pinball tournament,’” Jett smiled. “So, I wanted to start directing them.” These IFPA sanctioned events are much like a tournament in any other game or sport. Players compete year-round to win prize money, bragging rights, and a trophy. Folks flip out for these events (pun intended) driving from two and three hours away to compete in the monthly tournaments. Jett uses a program to generate a group of players to compete. From there they go round by round with a 3-strike rule until it gets down to a final winner. Cash payouts are awarded to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd (and sometimes 4th) place winners. In addition to the IFPA tournaments and art nights, Artcade is available for birthday parties and other events (with different party packages available), Dungeons and Dragons campaigns, as well as tournaments set up by guests. The age range you’ll find manning the flippers at Artcade is a mixed bag. From first dates to bro dates, to family game night it has proven to be a hangout space for everybody. Whether you’re into the art or the arcade, plan to bring your friends or make some new ones at Artcade. Who knows, you might just beat a pinball high score and get your name above a machine! Artcade 1149 1st St S, Winter Haven (863) 656-1715 FB @ARTCADEWinterHaven IG @artcade_winterhaven Photos by Amy Sexson

In honor of National Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 6 – Oct. 12), we sat down with the Lakeland Fire Department’s Fire Chief Douglas Riley and Assistant Fire Chief of Administration Rick Hartzog to talk about a few changes they’ve implemented within the department. These changes have addressed occupational cancer prevention, mental wellness, health and fitness, and firefighter safety. In a few short years, the entire culture of the Fire Service has evolved. Cultural evolution isn’t a new concept to the Lakeland Fire Department. They seem to be at the forefront regionally for employee morale, best practices, inclusion, and diversity – making them a destination department for many cadets and an example for other departments. Fire Chief Riley started with the Lakeland Fire Department in 1987 at 20-years-old. During his 32 years with the department, he worked his way up the ranks from firefighter to driver, lieutenant, battalion chief, and assistant chief in 2010. He was promoted to Fire Chief in December of 2017. Assistant Fire Chief Rick Hartzog, originally from Wisconsin, moved to Florida as a teenager. In 1991 at age 26, Hartzog was inspired by his best friend to join the Fire Service. He too moved up through the ranks, and entered his current position in 2010, at the same time as Riley. “Rick and I have a lot of the same thoughts and ideas and goals for what our vision for the Lakeland Fire Department was,” said Riley. Accompanying their vision, the two share a centered passion for the betterment of the department and its firefighters. According to Hartzog, it was three years ago that the Florida Fire Service began to take a much closer look at the areas of mental health, physical health, firefighter safety, and cancer prevention. The catalyst for this was the formation of the Florida Firefighters Health and Safety Collaborative in 2016. Over the past two years, LFD has worked with advocacy and research groups like the Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative, Firefighters Against Cancer Epidemic (F.A.C.E.), and Florida Fire Service to act towards preventing occupational cancer and ensuring the personal safety, mental wellness, and physical health of their firefighters. “We’ve been focused on that for 200 years in the Fire Service, but we’ve learned so much about what we’re not doing correctly,” said Hartzog. “We’re taking all of those initiatives and turning them upside down and taking a much deeper dive.” CANCER PREVENTION As Assistant Fire Chief, Hartzog is responsible for the budget, facilities, apparatuses, tools, gear, and supplying firefighters anything they need to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. As such, he has taken a vested interest in occupational cancer prevention, mental wellness, health and fitness, and safety on the job for firefighters. The Lakeland Fire Department has been aggressive with education on those four areas and has made remarkable strides to better care for their firefighters. In a YouTube video by Lakeland Fire, Hartzog stated that “Firefighters have a greater than one in three chance of getting cancer while employed or in retirement.” Their profession puts these men and women at a significantly greater risk of cancer than the general population. Lakeland Fire Department has taken steps to reduce or eliminate their firefighters’ exposure to carcinogens and harmful agents both on emergency scenes and from contaminants that they may carry home with them afterward (despite a line of defense with safety gear and self-contained breathing apparatuses). One of the many ways they are addressing this issue is in redesigning their engines. Fire Station No. 5’s Engine 51 is the department’s first clean-cab fire engine. In this concept, they have moved the primary gear, tools, and equipment from storage in the cab of the truck to exterior compartments. Through post-fire decontamination of their gear, tools, and equipment, they can remove 85% of contaminants. Additionally, removing contaminated gear and tools from the cab virtually eliminates exposure to carcinogenic gases. The cab’s interior was outfitted in non-porous, easy to clean material to reduce cross-contamination. An air conditioning unit fitted with a HEPA filter was installed to keep emergency scene contaminants from circulating into the engine’s cab. A diesel filter system was also installed on the truck to eliminate contaminants while the engine is idling, cold starting at the fire station, and while low idling on-scene. Engine 51 was modeled after a concept from the Coral Springs Fire Department. LFD copied the concept, made improvements of their own, and have shared that with other departments in hopes they’ll follow suit. “We’re changing the face of the Fire Service here in the state and throughout the country, by what we learn and what we share,” said Hartzog. Lakeland Fire Department plans to do this with all of their engines eventually by replacing them at the end of their life cycle and retrofitting current apparatuses. Other cancer prevention initiatives include a thorough postfire gross decontamination, a second set of firefighting gear for firefighters to change into if called to a second emergency scene, washers and dryers installed at the fire stations to reduce transferring contaminants to their home, and a personal decontamination and cleaning process that includes showering within an hour of returning from an emergency scene. Explaining the importance of the personal decontamination, Hartzog said, “Your body, when you have an elevated temperature, absorbs the contaminants 400 times more than if your body is at a normal temperature. That’s why it’s important to shower, to lock your pores so you don’t continue to absorb.” According to Fire Chief Riley, LFD was also the first department in the state to adopt carcinogen barrier hoods in efforts to reduce thyroid cancer. These best practices are part of a nationwide collaborative effort to keep firefighters as safe and healthy as possible. CULTURAL CHANGE In years past, a certain level of bravado and honor was attached to coming back to the station with a helmet dirtier than your comrades’. With their combined over 60 years in the fire service, Riley and Hartzog are no strangers to this idea that the dirtier you are post-fire, the harder you must have worked. They’re happy to have initiated a change in that culture at LFD and see a similar shift in the Fire Service across the state. This shift is happening right now, but not everyone is on board said the Assistant Fire Chief. “That’s the challenge – we fight the culture. The culture is that we are superheroes, we don’t get hurt, we don’t show weakness, it’s macho to be dirty and nasty and have that stuff on you,” said Hartzog. “Now, clean is the new badge of honor.” Since joining the Florida Firefighters Health and Safety Collaborative, LFD has become a leader in cancer prevention, health, wellness, and safety in the state. Hartzog said, “We are a department that other departments look to about all of this.” Like any organizational change, it has to start at the top. Thankfully for the Lakeland Fire Department, their leadership was ready to push for change. Fire Chief Riley noted, “Our whole career, our number one priority was to take care of the citizens – and it still is. But, I have 156 firefighters out there that work every day, put on the uniform and give it 110% to take care of the citizens. Our job is to take care of them [the firefighters].” Hartzog agreed, adding, “You have to be willing to be openminded. You have to be willing to listen. When we started to look at the data and what it was telling us – it was eye-opening.” Riley expressed that change within the department was fairly easy. Once the firefighters were confident that leadership had their best interest at heart, they followed suit with the life-saving initiatives. MENTAL HEALTH For LFD, it was important to take care of their firefighters holistically. Mental health had to be at the forefront of this fight as well. Hartzog stated an alarming truth, “Firefighter suicide is outpacing firefighter line of duty death in the field.” “Firefighters are dying at almost twice the rate from suicide than from line of duty deaths and that’s just not acceptable,” said Riley. Many of these suicides can be attributed to PTSD. Every firefighter doesn’t have just one bad call in their career. They go on many calls that would shake most human beings to their core, that would alter them. These heroes, for the betterment and safety of the community, put themselves in a position to see countless tragedies. “We’ve never had a line of duty death or suicide here. We don’t ever want to have one,” said the Assistant Fire Chief. The first step towards keeping LFD firefighters in fit mental health was the notion that ‘It is okay not to be okay.’ This too has been a cultural change within the fire service, perhaps a more difficult one to overcome than the areas of cancer prevention and physical health and safety. Riley and Hartzog spoke openly about being young men in the fire service. If they ran a bad call, they kept their mouth shut and moved on with it for fear of ridicule, stigmatization, or even becoming unpromotable in their career. As seasoned veterans of the service, they will be the first to tell you, that isn’t the way to handle mental health and it certainly isn’t their approach as leaders now. The department has a peer support system and has made mental health resources readily available. The Fire Chief brought in formal training for their Peer Support Team which Hartzog detailed as, “A team of trusted firefighters that were identified by their fellow brother and sister firefighters that if somebody was not having a good day, if they were struggling with mental health – whether it’s one call or life is just not good – they can reach out to a peer supporter and know that it will be confidential [unless someone committed a crime or threatened to hurt themselves or someone else].” “Firefighters will trust that process – we use it here. It works,” he said. Riley added, “I think we’re doing well but not good enough. We’re going to continue to fight that fight.” The network of peer support extends beyond the walls of the Lakeland Fire Department. They have made their resources available to other departments in Polk County and across the region. With a desire to be an asset to other departments in the state, LFD has joined a collaborative effort to build a statewide support network to be deployed where needed. “There’s almost nothing greater that you can do than help somebody in their time of need,” said Hartzog. NOT SLOWING DOWN The idea is simple. “If we can’t take care of us, we can’t take care of you,” said Hartzog. This push to destigmatize mental health and incorporate other best practices in the fire service has been good for the department. “We’re having healthy conversations that we never had before,” he said. With an air of humility, Riley and Hartzog spoke fervently about the steps the department was taking to care for their firefighters. They want these initiatives in place not for any recognition, but the betterment of their firefighters and ultimately the citizenry of Lakeland – and they have no intentions of slowing down. Assistant Fire Chief Rick Hartzog said, “We have a lot to do. We will never move fast enough to accomplish the changes that need to be made and the things that need to be put into place to better take care of our firefighters – we’ll never move fast enough. We’re going as fast as time, effort, energy, and funding will allow us to go.”

Looking for a place to go dancing and a way to impart their love of dance onto others, Finley and Carmen Walker stepped in to create a community for Salsa and Swing in Lakeland. In partnership with the City of Lakeland’s Parks & Rec., The Walkers teach group and private social dance lessons with their company, Lakeland Salsa & Swing. A high school Spanish teacher who would teach Fin and his classmates Salsa, and a Swing-dance-themed senior prom were Walker’s foray into dance. He enjoyed it so much that in college he connected with different groups and would go dancing every week. After about a year of social dancing – mainly Salsa and Swing – Walker was offered the opportunity to teach some basic classes. That grew into a weekly Friday night social in downtown Lynchburg, Virginia that attracted over 200 people each weekend. Fin participated in styles from Waltz and Tango to Foxtrot, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Merengue, and Bachata though his passion has remained Salsa and Swing. When Fin and Carmen met, naturally the two spent time on the dance floor. They would periodically go out dancing and do private lessons. The pair lived in Miami for a time and Durham, North Carolina. The pursuit of Fin’s doctorate in Organizational Leadership at Southeastern University and Lakeland’s “awesome community vibe” brought the couple here to stay. FINDING THE RHYTHM “We wanted to have something to go to in Lakeland. We were looking for a place to go dancing,” said Fin. Lakeland does have dance studios for formal lessons but seemed to be lacking what they were looking for – informal, lowpressure, social dancing that was fun and accessible to both novices and professionals alike. So, in March they created it themselves with Lakeland Salsa & Swing. Every Tuesday evening in the Lake Mirror Auditorium, for $5 per person, folks of all ages and skill levels, with and without partners gather to learn from the Walkers and socialize with fellow dancers. “Most of our students that come are beginners,” said Walker. For this reason, they’ve created lessons comfortable for everyone. Each week, they cover a basic step along with the foundational basics of moving to the music and dancing with a partner. They marry that with a combination, turn, or another maneuver. The Walkers switch it up each week to make the class accessible to newcomers and not repetitive for those who attend regularly. “What we’re looking to do now is build more of a culture and a community,” said Fin. He explained that bigger cities like Orlando or Tampa have these types of dance events regularly. Instead of having a studio, they rely on a different restaurant or business to host. This is the model he’d like to create here, partnering with Lakeland business owners. Both the accessibility and the ubiquity of the dances were the reason he wanted to bring Salsa and Swing to Lakeland. “It’s kind of like a gateway to the other partner dances. The steps are a little more accommodating to beginners,” he said. “They’re kind of these evolving dances because they’re more social dances and less of the traditional formal styles. They’re constantly evolving, changing, adapting with different music that’s coming out.” Periodically they change formats from their usual class and host Salsa social. The last one was at LKLD Live with another scheduled this month at Haus 820. The social is typically longer than a normal class and draws in more people. The Walkers are hoping to have upwards of 100 people at their upcoming Haus 820 social on October 11. TRY SOMETHING NEW, YOU MIGHT JUST FALL IN LOVE If you’re on the fence about stepping into your dancin’ shoes, Fin had a story that might change your mind about trying something new. In college, Walker would ask his roommate to go out dancing with him as a way to meet new people, unwind, and build confidence. “Dancing helped build my self-esteem,” Fin said. “It also taught me a lot about relationships.”For an entire semester, his roommate declined. Finally, at the end of that semester, he gave in and went dancing. Walker said, “He loved it after that first time. He was hooked!” His roommate went dancing every week from then on. He moved back to Los Angeles where he was from and began working with a professional dance group. Now, he competes professionally and teaches at a prestigious dance studio in L.A. The roommate even met his wife through dance. “Dance, it brings people together,” said Walker. “Everyone should give it a shot at least once and you never know, it might be your new favorite thing.” Walker says he and Carmen would love to add another day of the week to their dance schedule – one day for Salsa and another for Swing. At the moment, the family’s schedule won’t allow it as Carmen works full-time in the mental health field and Fin will soon start a position teaching 5th grade English. Oh, and they’re expecting a baby! They look to add that extra day in the future and potentially try out a “Dancing with the Stars” event with Polk County celebs. In the meantime, the duo will keep using dance as a conduit for community, confidence building, and fun. “I love teaching – with dancing or teaching English and Social Studies – I love seeing the lightbulb moments in people’s eyes when they get it,” said Fin Walker. “The moment when they self-discover what they’re capable of, that’s an awesome feeling. For me and my wife, that’s the reason we love to teach dance.” Lakeland Salsa and Swing www.lakelandsalsa.com FB @lakelandsalsa IG @lakelandsalsa Classes: When: Tuesday 6:30pm - 9pm Where: Lake Mirror Auditorium 121 South Lake Ave., Lakeland $5 per person Photo by Amy Sexson

For Meagan and Colin Wells, the thought of bringing people together and supporting downtown business was at the forefront when imagining Union Taproom. Union will be Polk County’s first self-pour taproom featuring 40 taps of rotating craft beer, cider, wine, cold brew coffee, and kombucha. Union Taproom has a motto – PYOB (Pour Your Own Beer). The PYOB process is simple. Guests present their ID and form of payment at the check-in counter to be scanned to verify age and start a tab. They are given an RFID bracelet that is linked to their tab, allowing them to pour as much or as little as they would like. After grabbing a glass, thirsty patrons can head over to the tap wall. Above each tap is a tablet displaying the price per ounce, location and history of the brew, ABV (Alcohol By Volume), and IBU (International Bitterness Units). Guests pour what they’d like using your bracelet to activate the tap, allowing craft beer adventurers to taste before committing to a whole glass of something they may not love. When you’re ready to leave, return the bracelet and close out the tab. The tap system has safeguards built in to avoid overserving. When you start a tab, the system will cut you off after 32 oz. From there, the guest can visit one of their staff who will do a visual check before allowing for more ounces. “Having 40 choices is really exciting,” said Colin. Union will focus on craft brews from around the country with a few domestics and Florida beers available. “It’s like an adult candy store,” said Meagan. The Taproom will feature a lounge area with warm leather seating and an assortment of funky furniture. The industrial concrete floors and mix-matched lighting fixtures are just the atmosphere Meagan envisioned for the space. “I just want a loft type of feel,” she said. A warm, comfy, casual environment that invites everyone to stop in for a drink. Along with the lounge there will be the main seating area with live acoustic music set up against the back wall on the weekends. They will have trivia every second Thursday of the month starting in October. To keep the good times rolling for you or the kids, Union will have an area with board and card games. A sectioned off, but not entirely partitioned backroom will have a long table seating around 14 for larger parties that want a bit of privacy. That space leads to their back patio which will have a pergola and outdoor seating. Their back entrance conveniently leads to the parking garage. Union Taproom is family-friendly and pet-friendly. Though they will not serve food, some downtown eateries have agreed to deliver, and patrons are invited to bring in their own food. Kids will be able to cheers’ as well with Union’s cooler of bottled craft sodas. “One of the things that we wanted to do was be part of Destination Downtown. There’s a lot of great business downtown. While we have people here, we want to introduce them to the other businesses,” said Colin. With so many fantastic dining options, he added, “The more we can push people to those business helps everybody downtown – it helps us, it helps them.” Meagan was born in Miami but has spent all of her life here. Colin moved here 15 years ago from Pittsburg. He and Meagan have been married for ten years and have two daughters, aged four and ten. Meagan, a hairstylist for seven years, most recently at Posh Salon Suites, explained that Colin’s family lives in Aiken, South Carolina. There is a similar self-pour taproom there, The Alley Downtown Taproom. When they visited a few years ago, they fell in love with the concept. Meagan said, “My first thought was ‘Oh my gosh, Winter Haven has to have this.’” The wheels began to turn on the concept and more and more they had conversations about it. There was no one moment where they committed to opening it, but the momentum of incremental progress sealed the deal. The pair thought over a million different names. Meagan said, “We want to bring everyone in Winter Haven together and Union kind of fit that.” Colin added that in other settings where you might only interact amongst your friends, the self-pour element forces you to mutual ground to grab a beer. They hope to see people interact, recommend beers to each other, and ultimately form new friendships. “Winter Haven is experiencing so much growth now. People are investing in the community, we want to be a part of that,” said Colin. The Wells are excited to bring this new concept to Winter Haven and Polk. They expect to draw people from surrounding communities inside and out of the county. “While we have them here, we can introduce them to this beautiful city – this vibrant growing downtown area,” he said. There is no official grand opening date yet set, but they are fairly confident it will be in August. The Wells extend an invite to you and yours, “Come have a beer!” Union Taproom 245 West Central Avenue, Suite 102, Winter Haven (863) 268-4921 info@uniontaproomwh.com Uniontaproomwh.com FB @uniontaproom IG @uniontaproom Photos by Amy Sexson

Black Skimmer by Adam Strang Bass A Florida Wildman in spirit (and Instagram handle), Adam Strang Bass captures timeless shots of old Florida in the name of preservation. His images are striking. Photographs that are in and of themselves an argument for protecting our wild state. Bass has a knack for capturing moments seldom seen or at least seldom appreciated by modern man – the speckled golden gaze of an alligator contrasted by it’s dark scaled armor, a black and white shot of sand, freshly slickened by a receding wave being watched over by a cascade of clouds bursting with sunlight, a pelican flying low, its reflection mirrored in the unbroken glassy ocean surface. Bass was born and raised in Winter Haven. He, wife Kim and two children, six-year-old Max and three-and-half-year-old (going on fifteen, he joked) Haddie moved out to Lake Pierce about six months ago – an idyllic homestead for the hunter, fisher, nature photographer. “It’s awesome because now I’m right there where I want to be – I can walk out back and take pictures of wood ducks anytime I want,” he said. His time not shooting wild Florida is spent helping farmers with crop insurance as an agent for Carden & Associates Insurance Agency in Winter Haven. A true outdoorsman, Adam enjoys boating, fishing, and duck hunting. “Usually I’ve got my sidekicks by my side. I enjoy taking my kids out and showing them the woods, showing them the water,” he said. One of his little sidekicks, son Max, has picked up his dad’s affinity for photography. “I gave him one of my old cameras,” said Bass. “My son, I think just wants to be with Daddy all the time which I’m thrilled about.” Adam even started an Instagram for Max’s photography, @maxbass863. An Outlet “I’ve always been into art. My mom got me into art when I was a kid – she’s very artistic,” said Bass. Growing up, Adam would draw and paint. He loved it so much he almost attended art school. His career trajectory turned following 9/11 when he decided to join the Marine Corps. Bass served in the Marine Corps from 2004 to 2012. His time in the service included two tours in Iraq, in the Al Anbar Province. “It was a good experience,” he said. “I made some great brothers over there and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” His first exposure to photography was the stark black and white landscapes of beaches, everglades, ancient cypress trees and Florida wilderness shot by Clyde Butcher. He had Butcher’s prints hanging up in his room growing up. Bass, influenced by Butcher’s work, said, “Clyde Butcher, in my opinion, is one of the best photographers of all time.” Three or four years ago, Bass felt he needed an outlet – he wanted to get back into art. He discovered Paul Marcellini, another Florida wildscape photographer, who has since become one of his favorites. Seeing Marcellini’s work gave Bass the nudge he needed to pick up the camera. “It’s an addiction for me now, I enjoy it – trying to capture that perfect shot,” he smiled. When he began his photography, Bass said, “I kind of went out and [shot] whatever I saw. Now, I’ve gotten much more methodical about it.” He went from “spray and pray” to finding that perfect image. He scouts places to photograph and sets up, waiting for the right lighting or for an animal to come along and complete the scene. Spending so much time off the beaten path, he’s been witness to scenes akin to a religious experience. One such spot, which he described as “overwhelming nature” is Lake Marion Creek. “It’s like a Cypress cathedral there. It’s like a holy place – just beautiful,” he said. “Cypress trees that are twenty, thirty feet around and Cypress knees that are taller than me, it’s a cool spot.” His absolute favorite place to shoot his photography is right here in Polk County where he grew up, where he’s raising his family – where his heart is. He quotes Clyde Butcher, “I have always felt that your best photographs are taken in surroundings near to your heart.” Lake Pierce, the Kissimmee River Valley, Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek, and Lake Hatchineha are also frequently visited areas for the photographer. The palm trees and salt marshes of Crystal River in Homosassa call to him as well. His more recent affinity for the sea turtle has him heading south for Jupiter and Fort Pierce. “Right now, I’m kind of fascinated with sea turtles,” he said. “I’m trying to get long exposure night shots of them while they’re laying their eggs.” “Keep Florida Wild” In September, the public will have the opportunity to admire and purchase Bass’s work at his nature photography exhibit at the Lake Wales Arts Center. This will be his first showing at a formal gallery. In June he had a successful pop-up exhibit at Grove Roots Brewing Co. The exhibit, titled “Keep Florida Wild” will commence Lake Wales Arts Council’s 2019-2020 Exhibit Series. Executive Director of the Lake Wales Arts Council Andrew Allen was introduced to Bass’s photography through artist and, Blair Updike. “Needless to say, I was BLOWN AWAY by his work. He’s a master photographer and I knew that his art would resonate with our community. Adam’s a natural fit for the Lake Wales Arts Council’s exhibit series,” said Allen. He described Adam’s photography as “visually stunning,” adding, “He has been able to capture the natural beauty of our local wildlife.” The exhibit is themed around the conservation of Florida’s wild spaces. Bass said, “One thing I’m very passionate about is preserving our wild spaces here because they’re rapidly disappearing.” He humbly hopes that by showing off the grandeur of primordial Florida through his photography, people will be more inclined to protect it. “Not too many people have been that close to a wood stork,” he said, pointing to a large print on his office wall. “They might have seen them on a golf course, but they haven’t seen them out in a swamp in the Everglades Headwaters.” “My work, I like to think maybe it’s going to help. I don’t know if that’s true or not,” he said, “but maybe [it will] just paint a picture for people that this is what’s out there and this is what’s worth protecting.” A reception for the exhibit will be held on September 19, 2019, from 5:30 – 7pm in the Michael Crews Gallery with an open bar and food available. Admission is free to the public. The exhibit will be on display from September 20 through November 8, 2019. Conservation Adam doesn’t take photos to make money, but he is happy to sell his prints. To him, photography has become an intrinsic passion, an addiction. “It helps center me,” he said. His work will be available for sale at his LWAC exhibit as well as on his website. Conservation of the untamed beauty of the sunshine state is so important to the photographer that he donates 15% of the proceeds from each sale to The Florida Wildlife Corridor, a non-profit organization founded by another photographer he admires, Carlton Ward. According to the organization’s website, “The Florida Wildlife Corridor organization champions the public and partner support needed to permanently connect, protect and restore the Florida Wildlife Corridor – a statewide network of lands and waters that supports wildlife and people. Using a sciencebased approach, on-the-ground knowledge of the Corridor, and the support of thousands of followers throughout the state and nation, the Florida Wildlife Corridor now embarks on its most important journey – to accelerate the rate of conservation in Florida by 10% annually in order to protect 300,000 acres within the Corridor by the end of 2020.” They approach this goal in a number of ways says Bass, “Working with land acquisitions, with conservation easements with ranchers, farmers. I think they understand the complexities of Florida and I like their process and their goals.” The photographer is assisting with another project, the “Share Your Heritage” campaign by the Florida Cattlemen’s Association this year. The initiative of Cattlemen’s President, Matt Pearce, Bass explained the campaign’s purpose is to, “help bring awareness to the lifestyle and stewardship of wildlands in Florida that cattle families have.” In a July 2019 monthly message regarding the campaign, Pearce wrote, “I encourage each and every member to promote their story by using the #showyourpassion hashtag to tell your family’s ranching heritage. The Florida ranching heritage is the longest in the United States starting 500 years ago when Ponce de Leon brought the first cattle to Florida.” Bass hopes to continue shooting unique landscapes and wildlife photos that breathe life into old Florida. He also plans to continue doing his part to take care of wild Florida and hopes others will follow suit. “If we want to keep Florida, Florida, we have to grow smart,” he said. “It’s great to have population growth and the positive economic climate that comes from that, but there’s also a responsibility with that. Everybody’s moving here because Florida’s amazing, but it won’t be amazing if we don’t do a better job of taking care of it.” Adam S. Bass Adamstrangbass.com adam@adamstrangbass.com IG @afloridawildman Lakewalesartscouncil.org floridawildlifecorridor.org

He’s probably served you a beer at Grove Roots Brewing sometime in the past year, but don’t let his laidback vibe fool you. This past April, the indie filmmaker premiered his latest film, Something Else at the Tribeca Film Festival. In July he was invited to the The Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival in Switzerland. NIFFF is a Swiss film festival renowned internationally as one of the foremost film festivals in the world for genre cinema. He will be attending two more festivals around the world by the end of this year, and has had to say no to several more. He’s kind of a big deal... Gardner was born and raised in Kissimmee. That’s where he met his best friend, Christian Stella and together they’ve been making movies since high school, “with just whatever we could,” Gardner said with a smile. When Gardner was 23, he moved to Connecticut with Stella and his family because Stella’s dad had a new show on the Food Network. With the close proximity to NYC, Gardner used this opportunity to audition and focus more on his acting. His friend Stella slowly became a very good photographer, shooting all of the photos for his dad’s cookbooks. Not loving the emotional drain of the audition process, he realized he did love everything that went on behind the scenes. He thought, why not do it himself? Gardner explained, “So I wrote a script about two people on the road during an apocalypse.” It’s called The Battery. “I convinced my buddy Christian to help shoot it. He was already taking photos, so I asked him, can you use that camera to shoot a movie?” Needing funds, he made a plan. At the time, he was working at a bar and asked ten of his coworkers for $600 in exchange for a 5% stake in their movie. “We went with six grand and five people out into the woods. It was a surreal trip because we didn’t know a soul in the industry,” he laughed. They made a few rookie decisions and ended up signing with the first distributor that took their digital and world-wide rights. “But we didn’t know it was a bad thing at the time.” When writing the screenplay for The Battery, Jeremy explained that since they didn’t know anybody in the business, they didn’t care about how others did it. “So The Battery is more of a tone poem. It’s like an elegiac, flowing, long moments without dialogue, big wide shots to just kind of show nature creeping back in after humanity. And what happens when two people are forced to live together, when they really don’t like each other that much but they have to rely on each other. And it’s a zombie movie.” The Battery premiered at the Telluride Horror Festival in 2012. After that, they didn’t get into another festival for another 4 or 5 months. Gardner said, “We figured we tried, we did our best. And then we got into the Imagine Film Festival in Amsterdam. Because we got into that festival, it’s part of a network of genre festivals around the world, we started being asked by other festivals.” Before they knew it, they were getting letters from festivals all over the world saying they would waive the submission fee. “After awhile, we were invited to go without even submitting anything,” he explained. Having never been to a festival before, they stayed at Imagine for the entire week. “We hobnobbed with everybody and then at the end of the week we had won the audience award. It made me realize that it’s all politics. If I hadn’t stayed for 6 days and shook hands and talked to everyone, we wouldn’t have won. There’s no way we would’ve beaten filmmakers like Danny Boyle or Wong Kar-wai,” Gardner said. A week later they went to Scotland for the Dead by Dawn horror film festival, did the same thing and won the audience award again. It snowballed. Gardner said, “We ended up getting a DVD distribution deal in the states, got our worldwide rights back, and sold them through an international agency.” The Battery was being sold all over the country. Jeremy started writing his next movie and it took awhile to finish. “I had been in this very long term relationship in Connecticut.” He continued, “I started writing this script about what it’s like to be in a long term relationship and what happens when one person sacrifices a part of who they are for the other person. It all started with this image of a couch in front of a door. I write so slow because I don’t start with a plot, I start with an inspiration that grabs me. I took that image and the idea of long term commitment and turned it into a monster movie with romance.” The world premier of Something Else was at the Tribeca Film Festival this past April. “It was incredible and surreal. And now I’m back at the bar. It’s a weird, humbling up and down with this business.” Something Else would end up costing quite a bit more money to make than The Battery. Coincidentally, at the first festival in Amsterdam, they met Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead while touring with a movie called The Resolution. Gardner said, “They had made it for $20,000 and they seemed to have their shit together. We saw them again at a film festival in Brazil and became very close with them.” Over the next few years, Gardner was an actor in several of their movies that he has never auditioned for. He laughed because of going through all the auditions earlier and getting nothing, he was now getting parts avoiding the audition process all together. Benson and Moorhead read the script for Something Else and loved it. They couldn’t make it though, because it was clearly Gardner’s passion. Benson and Moorhead had decided to form their own production company and they wanted Something Else to be the first movie under their new banner. They got the money and fought for Gardner and Stella to have final cut rights. “They know how weird we are and if the investors could veto an idea, it wouldn’t be our movie anymore. And the only thing that makes a movie about a guy and a monster and his romance-sadness interesting, is if there’s an ethereal voice behind it,” Gardner said. With investors to consider, it changes things. It makes you question everything. “It’s hard to make character driven ‘think pieces’ even if they have monsters or zombies. Once your start to get up in the budget range, then it’s scarier to make,” he said. “When it’s a $6000 movie, who cares if it’s really a think piece.” He laughed. Something Else has been sold, but details haven’t been released. During those few months after Tribeca, requests for film festivals starting coming in. Now they are better prepared with a spreadsheet of all the festivals, contacts, places they’ve been, places they want to go to, etc. With more cooks in the kitchen this time, there are more people advising them on which festivals to go to, which ones to avoid. It was Justin and Aaron that suggested they go to NIFFF. “It’s been going for a long time and has a very good reputation. It’s one of the most amazing film festivals as you look out across this glacial lake at the Alps with other filmmakers and having breakfast, lunch and dinner served to you everyday,” Gardner said. “I created a piece of artwork that the regulars and so many nice people bought, giving me just enough money to go over there so I didn’t have to worry about missing bills, which was pretty humbling and crazy. And it really filled me with a lot of anxiety to come back behind the bar again serving after standing on a stage hamming it up and being the center of attention.” Gardner and Stella have festivals coming up in September and October. He was bummed to talk about turning down trips to Vienna and Portugal simply because they can’t afford to be out of work for that long. Gardner thoughtfully said, “How much of my heart do I take out of writing and put more of my head in and try to craft something that will have a far wider audience just so I can take advantage of the contacts I’ve made and lessons I’ve learned? Do I be stubborn and make these small, personal movies while working a day job or take a crack at writing something that’s a little more mainstream? How do I craft something of quality that has a broad appeal? It’s like a puzzle.” We sat, he took a drink of his Cheerwine and said, “But you know, I’m a bartender, I work at the brewery. Joe and everyone here has been extremely supportive since I’ve started. Joe will support people following their dreams. That’s why I was gone for six months last year, while shooting the movie. That’s why they named a beer after me called, Where’s Jeremy because everyone kept asking where I was.” Something Else will be released first quarter of 2020 on demand and in select cities, Orlando being one of them. “And now I put my head down and start writing again,” Gardner said.

“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