You don't always know where the inspiration will come from. We were reading the hometown newspaper – Winona Daily News – back in Minnesota. There was an interesting column published on Christmas Day and just had to share it with you. It was written by Dr. Frank Bures, a semi-retired dematologist in town, who puts his thoughts and ideas down on paper for the edification of all. This particular column had a basic idea that fits what we believe and seemed worth sharing with you. Dr. Bures quotes from a poem by an unnamed friend. You can read the entire entry here but this is an excerpt:
I yearn for the day when we will realize that we all have the same desire and need
For a life we can live in peace and dignity, free from hunger, warfare, jealousy and greed.
Every rock and spring, every living thing is a part of God’s creation.
We are all God’s children. God loves us all, every person, every nation.
We wish everyone a joyous holiday season and a new year rich with blessings and possibilities.
What an amazing community we live in. Such kind and giving people for neighbors. Did you see the story on TV about Ian O'Connell, who works as a bartender at Sea Critters in Pass-a-Grille? He was donating all his tips at Christmas to veterans who need assistance. “I’m an accidental fundraiser,” O’Connell told Channel 8 News. “I didn’t know I was
going to be but I like helping the veterans out. I didn’t serve [the
country] and I didn’t do anything for my freedoms that I enjoy every
day ... this is just my way of giving back. ” Here's a link to the story on the Channel 8 site.
We love the movies so we couldn't help but be intrigued by the recent work on an independent film being done at the Historic Peninsula Inn in Gulfport. It's a story about a ghost and a girl's encounter with her. In the photo, are nine-year-old Abby Biddar, who plays the girl, 11-year-old Jack Champion, who plays her brother, and Chuck Russell, the filmmaker from Georgia who is directing the project. The Gabber has a delightful story about the whole thing. Mayor Sam Henderson, who tends bar at the inn, says he invited Russell to show the film at the Catherine Hickman Theater next summer when it's finished. We can't wait!
So, there's about two weeks left in the year and less than a week left before Christmas. If you've already been to some of the courses in the Eckerd Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, you already know about this. If not, listen up. If you had been a member, your membership would be about the expire. Time to renew. If you've never been a member of Eckerd OLLI (why not?), it's time you signed up. You're not getting any younger, you know. Seriously, an Eckerd OLLI membership might make you younger (well, make you feel younger). Why? Because people who are out doing things and learning things do feel younger (insert study reference instead of just making things up). Every year, OLLI offers more than 300 intellectually stimulating programs in music, theater, art, travel, culture, cooking, movies and TV, health and fitness, history, literature and writing, religion, philosophy, ethics, science, technology, Florida studies, and creating a business. Download a catalog and see what we're talking about. Do it. Now. You'll be glad you did. Merry Christmas.
You know all those Gecko events that were going on during the summer? In case you didn't notice (of course you did but not your friend), those events were fund-raisers. The Gulfport Merchants Association was collecting money so it could give back. Well, now it's time for the giving. Did you see the story in the Gulfport Patchthe other day? The money is going to a couple of most worth causes. You'll have to click over to the story to find out who. Trust us, they deserve it.
Okay, so maybe we do go on a bit about the bright young things in our midst at our local colleges but we can't help it. They're just so amazing! Exhibit A (or B or C or D, if anybody's keeping count): These eight Eckerd students who spent the summer in internships in lab coats hunched over microscopes learning about how medical research is conducted. It's the kind of work that leads to important discoveries and cures for diseases that plague mankind. It's important. What's also important is where they did these internships. In Boston. At Mass General. In Harvard Med School's research institute. They coulda been on the beach, but no ... Well done, friends, well done!
Here's what's happening in our community that's so important. We're training scores of young men and women to take care of the community. These are the recent graduates of the St. Petersburg College nursing program in their pinning ceremony. They've been through all the courses. They've been exposed to a variety of situations and circumstances that are likely to come up in their professional lives. The college says they're ready, and now they're going to take their places in our society and give it the care it needs. All the best to you, graduates!
Pardon us while we gush! The students at Eckerd College are always up to something fun! Case in point: this video just posted on the Eckerd College YouTube Channel. It's from an outing of the Eckerd College Outdoor Adventure Club, a group that's dedicated to building connections to the natural world by being out in the natural world. Jumping out of perfectly good airplanes or gliders for a thrilling float to the ground isn't the only thing club members do. You're likely as not to find them out kayaking, hiking, snorkeling, surfing, or even camping. It's not all just fun and games. They're learning about the unique ecosystems in our state. That's why Eckerd is just an asset to our community. They're turning out well-rounded citizens.
Gulfport's New Horizons Band is an asset to the community, and if you haven't heard them, you really ought to make a point of it. The video is from six years ago and it's really just snippets of the band's work but it'll give you an idea of what it's like. The video seems to be the only one anyone has posted online. Your opportunity for hearing this group is coming up at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 13 at the Catherine Hickman Theater in Gulfport.
New Horizons of Gulfport is affiliated with a national organization founded by Dr. Roy Ernst at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, as a program for retirees who want to resume playing in a band or learn an instrument for the first time. Music can be therapeutic. It can bring down high blood pressure. And that's just listening. Think what it can do for you if you're playing.
Some things just feel like they've always been that way and always ought to be that way. One of those things out at Pass-a-Grille is the tradition of ringing the bell at sunset. Though it seems as if it has been forever, actually the ritual has been going on for about two decades, so there are those around who remember before the ringing of the bell. Still, there are many for whom the sunset bell and life n Pass-a-Grille are synonymous. We noted with delight Helen J. Simon's recent feature in The Gabber about the bell and the people who look after it. Nice read.
The Wall Street Journal has prepared an amazing report about the preparations for observing the anniversary of the attack that brought the United States into World War II. The man in the picture is one of only seven known Pearl Harbor survivors still living in Hawaii. His name is Dick Girocco and he was a Navy flight engineer during the attack. Today he volunteers at a local museum. You really should read this article about the preparations for the 75th anniversary reunion. Those who in Pearl Harbor on that fateful day deserve our respect and admiration.
What an amazing community we live in! We have some fine institutions of higher learning turning out graduates who are certain to become citizens dedicated to serving others. We couldn't help but be moved by two recent videos posted by Stetson University College of Law. The words of the students really tell the story. “I first came to law school because I wanted to give back to the community, and I chose Stetson in particular because I grew up in the area and I knew this was a place where I could really sink in my roots and grow," says Stetson Law student Haley Coet. “I think it’s important to be a voice for the people who are voiceless and who don’t have opportunity to be heard by our legal system.” Here's more from Stetson Law student Carolina Suazo. “I came to law school to help people. I’m one of those quintessential people who really want to use my own life in a way of service.” Watch the videos and tell us what you think.
If you've been in the community for a long time and you're accumulated stacks and stacks of old newspapers, there's a chance you could help preserve a bit of the community's history. The man in the picture is Cleveland Johnson, who bought The Weekly Challenger in 1967. Today, his daughter, Lyn Johnson, runs the paper. The Nelson Poynter Memorial Library at USF St. Petersburg has launched a project to help digitize the newspaper that has served St. Petersburg's black community for nearly 50 years. So, if you have old copies of The Weekly Challenger, the library would like to copy them digitally and give them back to you. Here's a story all about it from the Tampa Bay Times that was recently published in TWC. Copies of the paper before 2000 are what is needed. Newer ones are already available. This will become a great resource for anyone interested in the history of the black community in St. Petersburg.
In case you missed it, a few days before Thanksgiving there was this amazing community event the Tampa Bay Rays parking lot on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street across from the Trop. It was the 4th annual Fall Festival Turkey Giveaway, and more 3,000 people turned out. Some 1,500 people got free turkeys, just in time for Thanksgiving. The catalysts for this noble endeavor are attorney James Flynn, who is known as "your Southside lawyer" and community activist Jeff Copeland. The Weekly Challenger had a big story on it, along with lots of pictures. Take a look.
Now, about the video at the top of this item. Pony rides! Yes, that's right! There was as petting zoo and there were pony rides! So, in the video, James Flynn takes his daughter over so she can ride on a pony. She's adorable. You've got to watch.
There are five other videos accompanying this story in The Weekly Challenger, including interviews with James Flynn and Mayor Rick Kriseman, whose staff helped make the event happen. It's a grand example of public and private partnership. Working together for common mutual benefit of the community. Bravo to all involved.
We're entering the magical season now, and part of the excitement is the amazing collection of lighted boat parades you can enjoy at this time of the year. If you have a boat, and lights, and the inclination to do so, you can even participate. The Gabber published a very useful schedule of all the boat parades that are planned up and down the coast, and now we have it taped to the refrigerator (well, not really. It's had to tape a computer to your refrigerator). Actually, you could do that if you go get a copy of the printed version of The Gabber. In any case, you really ought to take note of the schedule and plan to go see one (or more) of these colorful, and thoroughly enjoyable events. Or not. If you want to risk being called The Humbug Emperor. Scrooge. Up to you. ;-)
The thing of it is that you've only got until Thursday to get your bid in, so you'd better take action. The man in the picture is Ron Walters, who created the dozen baskets as a fund raiser for the Circle of Friends of the St. Pete Beach Library. The baskets have themes, including World War II, Florida authors, cats, and dogs. You can get more details in the article in The Gabber, and you really should read it. But if you're are reader or you've got a reader on your Christmas list, you'd be smart to hotfoot it over to the St. Pete Beach Library and take a look at them. Each basket has several books and other nifty things, and, of course, would make great gifts. You snooze, you lose. Go now.
So, you've lived awhile and you've seen a thing or two (and you're not Farmers Insurance -- bum ba dum bum bum bum bum). Who's going to remember your stories after you're gone. Sure, the kids might but they'll probably get most of the details wrong. And, then, who's going to tell the stories after they're gone. There's only one solution. (Well, there are actually several but we're on a roll here talking about this one so stay with us, okay?) The solution is: write your memories. Your memoirs. Get the stories down on paper. Now. You probably won't use an old L.C. Smith & Brothers No. 2 like the one in the picture and you probably don't have a desk like that (maybe you do). In any case, you can tell your stories. Even if it's on a notepad. Or your iPad. Here's help on where to start. At Eckerd College's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Pat Brown is offering a class called Introduction to Memoirs in three sessions on Tuesdays. 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. November 29, December 6 and December 13, in the CEC Heron Room.
There's an exhibit you ought to see on just now at the St. Petersburg Museum of History, where they have that airplane hanging from the ceiling to mark the beginning of commercial aviation history in our city. But the exhibit we're talking about isn't about aviation. It's about the struggle of African Americans (way before the civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s) to do their bit and fight in World War II. The exhibit is on loan from the National WWII Museum but it's only there until the beginning of March. So don't delay. It's titled Fighting for the Right to Fight, and it includes a short documentary video about the Tuskegee Airmen.
So, this urgent warning pops up on your computer screen and it's warning you that your computer is infected! You've got to act right now! What do you do? Well, first you don't panic. Second you don't give anybody your personal financial information. It's a scam! Another way it works is that you get a call on your phone. The caller is warning you that your computer is infected. Right away they're trying to get your personal information.
The Pinellas Sheriff's Department was warning seniors about the sorts of scams they can fall victim to, and offering help. It was part of an effort to mark international fraud awareness week recently, which is all well and good but we suggest being alert for fraud all the time. There's really quite a lot of information about fraud on the Internet. You should check it out. Start with the story in The Gabber this week to get an overview. Here's a link to the Pinellas County Consumer Protection page. And finally, there's a video we came across that we just had to include. It's from the Federal Trade Commission's Tech Support Scams page and it gives you some insight into the scam crisis we were talking about at the beginning. Click the little box in the lower right corner of the video to make it bigger and easier to watch, Be safe out there.
It's quite remarkable when you think about it. Jim Oliver was recently honored for his 33 years of outstanding service as an educator in Pinellas County schools. There's a big write-up about it in The Weekly Challenger. You really should read it. Jim Oliver spent his career developing programs designed to reach youngsters where they are in life and in their particular situations. Examples: programs to help teach middle school kids how to refuse drugs, programs to help them avoid domestic violence, programs to teach them golf and tennis (individual sports that call for individual efforts), programs introducing students to fine arts and classical music.
They're more, of course, but you get the idea. Three decades in Pinellas schools, making things better. What's he doing now? Mentoring kids at Melrose Elementary and, get this, developing a Community Mentoring Program. The man just continues, doesn't he? Bravo, Jim Oliver.
Did you see the write-up about Cathy Salustri in The Gabber? If you're at all curious about Florida history you'd do well to get to know Cathy. She teaches some of the history sessions in the Eckerd College Osher Lifelong Institute. She's also the author of Backroads of Paradise, a fascinating volume in which she takes a modern-day tour of some of the places detailed in The WPA Guide to Florida. Scholars of the state's history know that the Works Progress Administration's Federal Writers Project kept writers such as Zora Neale Hurston, Stetson Kennedy, and Carita Doggett Corse employed during the Depression. Cathy is the arts and entertainment editor at Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. She used to write for The Gabber and once worked at the Florida Studies program at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. Cathy is working on a new book about small towns in Florida. She lives in Gulfport, one of the small towns she's likely to write about.
South St. Petersburg is on the move. Phillips Development & Realty is filing site plans today for a mixed-use project on 34th Street just north of the Ceridian complex and the St. Petersburg College Allstate Center. It is to include one- and two-bedroom apartments, shops, and restaurants. The people at Phillips have been working with Keri Melshenker, executive director of the Skyway Marina District. This is just one part of work the city has been doing to ramp up business development in our community. To Phillips, we say welcome. To Keri Melshenker and the Skyway Marina District, we say bravo! Here's a story in the Tampa Bay Business Journal with all the details.
Just so you know, the picture above really has very little to do with this item, directly at least. The reason we're including it is because the beer label has portraits of the subjects at hand -- railroad tycoons Henry Flagler and Henry Plant.
Henry Flagler built a railroad system back in the Gilded Age all the way down the east coast of Florida. He built a series of hotels, too, so the people riding on his trains would have place to stay when they came to Florida. One of the hotels he built was called the Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine. It's now the home of Flagler College. Another hotel he built was the Royal Poinciana Hotel on the shores of Lake Worth in South Florida. It was torn down during the Depression. Another was The Breakers in Palm Beach. It's still there and you can stay for $649 a night.
Henry Plant built a railroad system from Savannah across Georgia and down into Florida to Tampa, where you could get passage aboard his steamship line to Havana. Not to be outdone by his competitor, Plant built a posh hotel on the banks of the Hillsborough River called the Tampa Bay Hotel. It's now part of the University of Tampa.
All of which brings us to this: You can find out a lot more about the two Henrys in a program offered by the Eckerd College Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. It's called Frenemies: Henry Plant and Henry Flagler and it's offered 1:30 to 3 p.m. Friday, December 2 in the CEC Spoonbill Room. Cost is $10 for members and $25 for non-members.
Now, you can try out some of the Two Henrys brews either before or after attending the OLLI program (or not at all), that's up to you. Two Henrys can be found at many local bars and restaurants, and in grocery stores. The brewery itself is located in Plant City, which (of course) was named for Henry Plant. If you visit, hoist one for the two Henrys, Florida's railroad pioneers.
Back in 1947 by the side of the road near Ocala, a former stunt swimmer set up an underwater show featuring live mermaids and it grew and grew and became the famous Weeki Wachee Springs tourist attraction, one of the best known and most popular attractions in Florida. It's still open and operated now by the State of Florida. If you haven't been, you should go sometime.
But in the meantime, you should get to know more about Florida's history and culture by attending Cathy Salustri's session called U.S. 19: Mermaids, Manatees, and Watermelon Queens, a virtual journey down U.S. 19, which was, back in the day, the main route people took when they came down to Florida's west coast. Cathy, who is the Art & Entertaiment editor for Creative Loafing, knows where of she speaks. She not only holds a master's degree in Florida Studies from the University of South Florida but she has personally explored the length and breadth of the state in search of the quirkiest places. This session promises plenty of insights into the quirkiest state.
U.S. 19: Mermaids, Manatees, and Watermelon Queens will be presented from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, November 10 in the CEC Flamingo Room at Eckerd College as part of the Eckerd Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Fee is $10 for members and $25 for non-members.
Did you see Allen Buchanan's feature in The Weekly Challenger about all the community spirit at Mt, Zion Missionary Baptist Church's annual OktoberFest celebration? It was a night that communities are all about – fun and games, a wide range of clever costumes, and hot dogs, hamburgers, and ribs on the grill. If you didn't get there, take a look at the pictures. What fun!
There's nothing like digging in the dirt to give you a renewed connection with the earth. That's what our friends at Broadwater are going to be doing from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, November 5 at an undisclosed location. Here's the thing. It's open to Broadwater neighbors and friends. You have to RSVP. Get in touch with Kristen Mory by email at kristenmory@yahoo.com or call her at (727) 688-9597. "Come prepared to get your hands dirty and learn by doing," says the invitation. Bring a shovel and pruning shears. The objective is to landscape the entire front lawn of this South Broadwater home. You'll learn planting and pruning tips, tricks, and practice. You can participate in a plant swap. There'll be a garden tool raffle. This program is hosted by Helping Hands and made possible with a neighborhood grant from the City of St. Petersburg.
It warms the heart to see youngsters reading a newspaper. We couldn't help but notice the article in The Weekly Challenger by Demorris Lee, formerly of the Tampa Bay Times but now communications coordinator with the Pinellas County School Board. The paper in question was the Manatee Messenger, the student-produced newspaper at Melrose Elementary. Students in the third through fifth grades serve as reporters and photographers. The 16-page tabloid newspaper was printed in full color, which kind of cancels out the old riddle: What's black and white and read all over? Answer: a newspaper. Time was when newspapers were people's primary source of news, and although that is changing, the important role that journalists play in our democracy is just as vital as ever. Melrose is a journalism magnet school, along with John Hopkins Middle School, and Lakewood High School. Glad to see these youngsters learning these important skills in critical thinking. We say bravo!
Okay, so maybe it's not exactly like the Hollywood premiere you see in the picture. Still and all, it promises to be exciting. After all, the star of the show is right here -- the place that we live. We're talking about the Skyway Sizzle Reel. Word comes from Keri Melshenker, executive director of the Skyway Marina District, that there will be a showing of the short video at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1 in the Desoto Room at the St. Petersburg College's Allstate Center.
As far as what's in the video, you'll have to wait and see but you could make some pretty good guesses. There's lots to love about the outdoors where we live, and not just the beaches. So we'd expect to see lots of pretty shots. South St. Petersburg is a vibrant business district, so we'd expect to see shots that reflect that, too. The bridge, of course, and the marinas, naturally. We;d doubt that there are any speaking parts, though we're sure the pictures are going to say a lot. A picture is worth ... and all that.
Keri has been working with the city for quite awhile to get this video made. If you have any questions, you can email her at keri@skywaymarina.com or call her at 727-866-2696 As for us, we're just humming that old 1934 Rudy Vallee hit "You Ought To Be In Pictures." Can't help it. Go ahead. Listen below. Then it'll go round and round in your head, too.
So here's what we mean about the good-hearted people in our community. Here's a shining example if there ever was one. John Riesebeck, who owns Smokin' J's Real Texas BBQ in Gulfport, was so moved by the plight of the folks on the east coast of Florida who were hit hard by Hurricane Matthew that he decided to do something to help. He rented a truck and hauled non-perishable items over to the tiny town of Edgewater in Volusia County, and he set up his smoker and he cooked for people. But there's way more to the story than than. It involves the Gulfport Chef's Table and a lot of people who pitched in. Kudos to The Gabber for telling the story. You've got to read this. What a wonderful community we live in.
Here's another entry in the amazing National Theatre series that is part of Eckerd's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute series, this one perfectly appropriate for the season. Frankenstein comes to life before our eyes.
This is an adaptation for the stage of Mary Shelly's 1818 novel, and it is an ambitious undertaking indeed. It was quite the sensation when it premiered in 2011 in London. This is a recording of the live performance. Watch the video above. It's an interview with Danny Boyle, who directed the production. It'll give you some idea of what to expect. Yes, it's the same Danny Boyle who directed the films Slumdog Millionaire and Steve Jobs.
Okay, so here's what happens. Theater lecturer Dedee Aleccia will lead a talk about the National Theatre's production of Frankenstein from 10:30 a.m. until noon on Wednesday, October 26 at the Eckerd College CEC Spoonbill Room. Then, the actual showing of the production will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, October 28 in the Dan and Mary Miller Auditorium. There are admission charges for both the theater talk and the film, $25 each for non-members.
If you've never been to any of the Eckerd OLLI series, you owe it to yourself to go. What a community asset.
Even though it had to be delayed because of Hurricane Matthew, the first Gulfport Chef's Table turned out to be a remarkable charity event, one that is likely to be repeated next year. We say bravo! Culinary delicacies from chefs at eight Gulfport restaurants were served to more than 200 diners under the stars right there in the middle of Beach Boulevard. Diners found the food delicious, the atmosphere convivial, and the cause worthy. The event raised $8,000 for CASA, the domestic violence shelter organization. The proceeds will generate a matching gift, giving the organization $16,000. Community at its best. Read Debbie Wolfe's terrific story in The Gabber to get all the details.
Sometime near the end of 1913, a 71-year-old American journalist and fiction writer, Ambrose Bierce is believed to have gone to Mexico, joined up with Pancho Villa's army as an observer, and vanished without a trace. His disappearance remains a mystery. And thereby hangs a tale, or at least the framework for a program that promises to be intriguing. (More about Bierce in a minute.) The program is called Vanishing Acts and it's offered from 11 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, October 18, in the Eckerd College CEC Pelican Room. Cost is $10 for members and $25 for non-members.
Bierce isn't the only Missing Person the class covers. There's Spartacus. You may think Kirk Douglas is Spartacus but that's just a movie. The actual guy, the escaped slave/gladiator/hero from ancient Greek times, has quite a mystery about him. Some think he died in battle but his body was never found. Perfect for the program. Then there's Michael Rockefeller, youngest son of Nelson Rockefeller, the Vice President. Michael went missing in 1961while on an expedition to New Guinea.
Now back to Bierce. You may have heard of his short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." If not, we won't spoil it for you. It has a trick ending and it was very experimental for its time. It was borrowed numerous times, as a plot for Alfred Hitchcock Presents, as a plot for Twilight Zone, as a plot line for numerous movies. Look it up! You might enjoy it. Bierce was also a muckraking journalist who work for yellow journalism king William Randolph Hearst and successfully foiled a plot by the railroads and their crooked politicians to steal from the U.S. Treasury Department. Bierce was a fascinating guy. You're going to want to see this.
The hits just keep on coming at the Eckerd's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Remember, we were telling you about Judy Garland the other day? Well, this next offering has a Judy Garland element to it, too, though it isn't the primary focus of the program. The title tells it: George Gershwin. The plan is to cover his life and music. There's a lot of material to work with on both subjects.
Now above, you're going to hear a medley of his numbers from Girl Crazy, a Broadway musical that opened in 1930. George wrote the music. His brother Ira wrote the lyrics, and Guy Bolton and John McGowan wrote the book. You'll hear I've Got Rhythm, the song that Ethel Merman sang in her stage debut. You'll also hear Bidin' My Time and Embraceable You. We took our cue from the Eckerd OLLI catalog, which specifically mentions I've Got Rhythm.
Below, is one of George Gershwin's most famous and most popular pieces. Nothing in the catalog mentions it but we can't imagine that it wouldn't be included. Just know that as we prepared this article for publication, Rhapsody in Blue was playing in our headphones. What a powerful piece! If you're old enough to be going to Eckerd's OLLI programs, then you're probably old enough to remember the spectacle of 84 pianists dressed in blue formal attire playing this beautiful work on grand pianos for the opening of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. You can enjoy George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue below but go to the OLLI class to learn more.
George Gershwin is offered from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, October 21 in the CEC Spoonbill Room at Eckerd College. Admission is $10 for members and $25 for non-members.
Ah! Don't you just love fall in St. Petersburg? There's a bit of a crispness to the air. It's not cold but the humidity's gone for the most part and it's just a delight to be outdoors, and now the outdoor markets are starting up again, though, as The Gabber points out, Gulfport's Tuesday Fresh Market remains open year round. The young lady in the photo is Danielle Thompson, whose husband is a sponge diver in Tarpon Springs. She was offering her sponges at the Corey Avenue Market in St. Pete Beach on Saturday, October 2. The Gabber has a terrific roundup of the area's outdoor markets for you to enjoy.
This is the season for Eckerd's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, an amazing offering to the community of a series of informative and uplifting programs that are sure to expand your horizons or at least remind you of forgotten joy.
If you first encountered Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz and fell in love with her while the movie was still in the black & white part, then this program is probably for you. Song and dance man Jason Fortner is the instructor for Judy Garland: Over the Rainbow, a look at the life of Judy Garland, one of Hollywood's greatest entertainers. The program takes you from her early vaudeville days as Baby Gumm through her film success and ultimate collapse. This program is offered 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, October 14 in the CEC Spoonbill Room at Eckerd. Cost is $10 for members and $25 for non members. Go ahead, click on the movie above. It'll get you in the mood.
If beer, barbecue, and road trips are your style, then you're going to love this offering in the Eckerd OLLI lineup. It's called Brews and BBQ: Gas Stations Revisited, and it's an adventure into nostalgia. If you remember old-timey gas stations, you know what we're talking about.
Here's a description of the course: "They're easy to spot once you know what to look for: small, one-story buildings with large overhangs and a could of columns, maybe the remnants of concrete islands. Yesterday's filling stations are today's towers of takeout. Gas stations converted to restaurants are emerging all along Central Avenue, complimenting a growing craft brwery scene that has brought national attention to this revitalized area. We’ll savor local beers and learn how they are brewed from a few local brewers, and enjoy a family style barbecue lunch at a trendy spot on Central Avenue."
Now you'll have to choose because this one overlaps with the Judy Garland program. This program is offered 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, October 14. The bus leaves from the Eckerd College Gymnasium. Cost is $60 for members and $90 for non-members. Cost includes lunch and three small beers. And OLLI asked that you arrange for appropriate transportation after the tour.
Here's an uplifting item we spotted in The Weekly Challenger. Elihu Brayboy, owner of Chief's Creole Cafe in the heart of the Midtown business district, put together a celebration of the opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. Mr. B. arranged for a live broadcast of the event for local guests. The event also served to commemorate the 1968 black sanitation workers strike in St. Petersburg. In the photo, that's Abdul Karim Ali, son of community leader Joe Savage, who led the strike. The event was well covered by The Weekly Challenger. You should take a look. The event was well attended. Guests included former Gov. Charlie Crist, who said: “I would call this the day of justice. By the opening of this
incredible museum, we celebrate as Americans our proud heritage and
future.”
Meanwhile, just across the street, the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American History Museum had three large screen TVs set up to watch the ceremony in Washington as President Obama inaugurated the new museum. The all-day celebration included the Dundu Dole African Ballet shown in the photo above. Delightful!
One thing we noticed in the great story by Lynn Taylor in The Gabber: wonderful community involvement. First of all, the happy fellow in the photo is Phil Rivenbark, head chef at Isabelle's, a fine restaurant in The Historic Peninsula Inn in Gulfport. Phil buys locally. He gets fresh veggies from Gulfport Produce and fish from Gulf Coast Seafood. Buying locally is such an important part of a vibrant community.
But there's more: Phil is joining with eight other Gulfport restaurants for a special event on Monday, October 3. Gulfport Chef's Table is a fine dining experience that will be staged along Beach Boulevard. Here's the thing: it's an event to help raise money for Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA), an organization that provides shelter and help for victims of domestic violence, a worthwhile cause indeed.
And then there's this: Veronica Champion became the owner of The Historic Peninsula Inn earlier this year and is settling in as a booster of the Gulfport community, not only in joining the team that put together the first Gulfport Chef's Table but also in noting the truth that Gulfport is a gastronome's paradise. She told The Gabber: "Someone could come to Gulfport seven days a week and not have the same
experience because there is such a variety of wonderful restaurants.”
How delightful to be part of such a fine community.
On New Year's Day in 1962, Guy Lombardo's Port O' Call Resort opened in Tierra Verde, and for a few years big-name stars performed in the nightclub. At any given time you might have seen Mel Torme, Liberace, or Frank Sinatra. Almost two decades later artist Carolyn Jackson Gruber was commissioned to paint a magnificent mural depicting not only the Lombardo era but all of the history of the island community. For years, the mural hung in the lobby of the Tierra Verde Resort and Marina, which is what Port O' Call became. Fast-forward to 2007, when the resort was being torn down and the painting was nearly lost. Debbie Wolfe has the remarkable story of its rescue, plus word on where you can view this amazing piece in person, in The Gabber.
Here's a youngster doing good in the community. He's only 9 but he has been at it for four years. His name is Alan Landers and that's him in the yellow shirt surrounded by folks who participated in a bowling fundraiser on Patriot Sunday at Ten Pin Lanes in Pasadena. The event was to raise money for the Honor Flight project that sends military veterans to the nation's capital to see the memorials for the wars in which they served.
Alan's quest began as a community service assignment from his teacher. You can get all the details in this terrific story in The Gabber. By the way, you should know that there's more to come from this young man. He's planning another fundraiser for the same Honor Flight project. It's a Superhero Fun Run on Saturday, October 8. Click the link for all the details.
Thrift Shop cashier Evelyn Kurz (left) and shopper Jane Sheppard.
If you've ever been to The Thrift Shop of Pass-a-Grille Beach Community Church, you know what a treasure it is in the community. It's a shoppers' paradise, full of an eclectic collection of castoffs that is certain to delight anyone who loves to shop, and especially anyone who loves to discover hidden treasures. If you love garage sales and flea markets, this is your place. The Gabber had an article about the shop opening this season, it's 58th year. It's a good read and if you haven't been it's a good introduction. But you should go. You can visit the Thrift Shop website here.
Our community is nothing if not creative. We've had items recently about poets and music appreciation. So, it's not surprising we read with fascination the article in The Gabber the other day about Gulfport short story writer Claire Kemp, whose work appears in a textbook on writing. Claire doesn't type. She writes her stories out in longhand on a yellow legal pad and then sends them to her sister in New Hampshire to type them. Claire's story that appeared in a writing textbook is called Keeping Company. It is online at the Chicago Tribune. You'd do yourself a favor to read it.
People in our community give back. It's just what they do. It's how they're put together. Helping people is just part and parcel of who they are. It's ingrained in every fiber of their being. So it's no wonder that folks from our Broadwater community are among people, companies, and churches all over the Tampa Bay area who are planning to join CareFest again this year. This is probably the sixth or seventh year, and it's always so rewarding because so many people get help.
Volunteers help fix up houses for people who can't do it themselves. They deliver food and clothing and in general make things better for the less fortunate in our community. The big day is Saturday, September 24, and the local folks are gathering at Lake Vista Park, though people are meeting for this event all over Tampa Bay. You can get all the information you need from the poster above.
CareFest started as an effort of Clearwater author and speaker Daniel Bernard, who founded a group called Somebody Cares Tampa Bay, an organization designed to spur residents and businesses to give for the good of the community. Here's an interesting article about him.
Our community might be breaking out all over in poetry, and wouldn't that be a lovely thing? We were talking the other day about the poetry contest the Eckerd College OLLI program is putting on. Now we see in The Gabber where they're looking for the second poet laureate of Gulfport. The first poet laureate of Gulfport is the ever-fascinating Peter Hargitai who is always a delight to hear. Peter is a retired college professor and a fixture at the Ink Tank Talks at The Blueberry Patch Retreat Center. The Hungarian-born writer came to the United States as a child when his family fled the revolution in their country. To get in a poetic frame of mind, we thought we'd share a video of Peter reading Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky. Peter's wife, Dianne, did the illustrations and made the video.
There's a terrific feature story about Kristy Moody, the new principal at Fairmont Park Elementary School, in The Weekly Challenger. She's setting about to build a school community and is seeking the community's help in building a fine and vibrant school. "I like to know every student's name, I like to know the building, I like to know who the kids are and who their siblings are. The challenge is building that community and connecting them all together," she told The Challenger. Makes sense to us. And there's this: "Schools belong to the community. I want people to feel like this is their school. They are welcome here." Great schools are essential elements to great communities. We're looking forward to seeing great things from Kristy Moody and Fairmont Park Elementary.
A Book and a Movie project returns again to the historic Royal Theater on 22nd Street South in Midtown with a hilarious comedy hit from 2002, Barbershop, starring Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, and Anthony Anderson.
It is set in a failing barbershop on the South Side of Chicago, and features a great collection of memorable characters. One of the things we like about it is that it shows the value of community. Take a look at the preview above.
Barbershop will be shown at the historic Royal Theater on Saturday, September 10. Doors open at 2 p.m. Movie starts at 2:22 p.m. There is no admission charge.
If you've got a rhyming couplet or an epic in iambic pentameter in you yearning to be free, we've got the opportunity for you. We've been browsing the catalog for the Eckerd OLLI program and this struck us: On page 11 of the program catalog there is an announcement about the 1st Annual OLLI at Eckerd College Poetry Contest. It's open to any OLLI member and it'll be judged by OLLI Poetry Circle members. So join OLLI, send in your entry. The deadline is October 1.
(NOTE: Hope you're having an enjoyable Labor Day. We're publishing this item today instead of waiting because, as you'll see, time is of the essence and we wanted you to know about this in case you wanted to go.)
Here's the thing. There is a whole lot happening at Eckerd College that might not otherwise be apparent unless you happen to be in the know. Case in point: Beginning Wednesday and for the next four Wednesdays there'll be a program that if you play the video above and it speaks to you then you ought to be attending this program. Do it now and you'll see what we mean.
Paul Robeson singing Ol' Man River in the 1936 film Showboat isn't for everyone but it sure is a favorite of a lot of people. If you're one of them (or if you just played this, never heard it before, and want more like it) then you're probably a Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II fan. This kind of music spans generations. It's classic.
The program we're talking about is Great Lyricists and Lyrics of 20th Century Popular Music. It's part of the Eckerd OLLI program. (That stands for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and it's a program designed for people over 50 who think there's more to life than binge watching The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt or The Carmichael Show; people who yearn for something intellectually stimulating.) There's a whole catalog of interesting OLLI programs and you can download a PDF version here.
This program is a tribute to the great lyricists in popular music and Oscar Hammerstein II was one of the greatest. Some think that lyricists are often forgotten, though it's hard to imagine Oscar being one of them. The story is told of Oscar's wife, Dorothy, upon overhearing a man praising Jerome Kern for writing Ol' Man River, remarked: "Jerome Kern wrote 'dum, dum dum-dum.' My husband wrote Ol' Man River.
Now this program is not only a lecture but it's also a concert. It'll be presented by Tampa Bay composer/lyricist Joy Katzen-Guthrie, a virtuoso performer who is guaranteed to delight. You can find out more about her here. Rest assured she'll play plenty of the items from her 4,000-song repertorie.
Of course, there are a lot of other programs (on into the end of September, October, November, and December -- plus more after the first of the year), and we're going to go on talking about some of them but if you're really interested we suggest you get a copy of the catalog and browse or go to the Eckerd OLLI website and take a look around.
That song's stuck in our head now. "But ol' man river, he just keeps rollin' along."
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It's time for GeckoFest, the wacky celebration of madness that takes over Gulfport each year. This is the weekend of the big event, with activities all day Saturday on Beach Boulevard in downtown Gulfport.
There'll be live music on three stages, more than 200 food and beverages, street performers, artisans and craftsmen showing off their wares, a costume contest, and an audience participation walking parade.
It's fun for the whole family. Preceding this big weekend have already been the Gecko Ball and the Gecko Crawl. A portion of the proceeds from these events go to local charities. Watch the video above for information about the Gecko Ball and GeckoFest.
You may remember the big bike ride project back in July. The Skyway Marina District teamed up with ShiftStPete, a non-profit group of activists pushing for bicyclist and pedestrian infrastructure, to produce the event. About 50 people participated and there was a nice write-up in The Gabber. The bike ride was generally considered a great success.
Well, an email from Keri Melshenker, executive director of the district, showed up in the inbox yesterday afternoon announcing that the district is part of the new St. Petersburg Bike Wayfinding Pilot Study designed to gather people's ideas about where a bike path around the community should go, what kinds of signage would be helpful, and so forth.
Keri said the Skyway Marina District's Improvement Team had offered some ideas, including Wayfinding signs to Eckerd College, the beaches, and various parks, such as Fort Desoto, Maximo Park, Clam Bayou, and Boyd Hill Nature Preserve. There also were thoughts about solving lighting, fencing, trash, sediment deposition, and drainage issues for a Lakewood Trail Connector, and crosswalk safety issues for various places.
So, there's this online survey you can take to offer your ideas. If you click on the link, you'll be taken to the survey. Be aware, though, you'll be asked for your email address. If you put it in, you'll be able to log in and fill out the survey. You can also return to add to your answers. You also can log in anonymously but if you do you won't be able to return. There's a built-in control to limit repeated access to the survey unless you put in your email address.
The map above shows the proposed route for the bike trail. The map comes with the survey. Click on it to get a better look at it before you take the survey.
This is a great opportunity to contribute your ideas about a bike path for South St. Petersburg so we urge you to participate. And thank you to Keri and the Skyway Marina District for pursuing this worthwhile endeavor.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Eckerd College is such an extraordinary asset to our community. It's an educational program designed for people 50 and older and is open to all adult learners. Each year OLLI provides an astonishing array of intellectually stimulating classes, groups, local and international trips, and special events for our community. You owe it to yourself to participate. You can download a PDF of the Fall Catalog.
We'll discuss some of the other offerings later but here's a stunning program you won't want to miss, and we're excited to tell you about it. On Friday, September 30, as part of the OLLI at the Theatre series, an outstanding recording of the UK's National Theatre production of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge will be presented in the Miller Auditorium.
Arthur Miller's powerful play is set in Brooklyn in the 1950s and deals with the family of longshoreman Eddie Carbone, who harbors his illegal immigrant Sicilian cousins in his home. It's a story as topical today as in the decade in which it was set. Conflict arises when one of the cousins falls for Eddie's beautiful niece. The NT production stars Mark Strong, who was so memorable in The Imitation Game and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. It won a best director award for Ivo van Hove.
At the top of this page, we've included a trailer for the NT Live production (the same one we'll see at the OLLI presentation. Also on this page is a BBC interview with Strong that we thought would provide more insight into the production.
Oh, we almost forgot to mention that on the preceding Wednesday, September 26, as part of the Theatre Talk Series, Julie Empric will give a talk, Justice and the Immigrant in America: An Enduring Challenge at 10:30 a.m. in the Eckerd College CED Spoonbill Room. Julie teaches literature at Eckerd College. The cost is $10 for members and $25 for non-members, another illustration of why becoming a member is helpful.
Director Monica Kile and her staff have put together a dizzying array of offerings for the Fall -- from art to zydeco, as they say in the catalog. The Autumn schedule runs from September through December, so we're coming upon it rapidly. That's why we wanted to get this out there so you can plan to attend these amazing programs.
Most programs are during the week and during the day, making them accessible for retirees or those with flexible schedules. However, some offerings are in the evenings or on weekends. As we mentioned above, some programs are open to the public but OLLI members receive significant discounts so it's advantageous to become a member. Visit the OLLI website to learn more.
We noticed this delightful video on the Eckerd College YouTube channel. It says a lot about the kind of community that exists on this great campus in South St. Petersburg. Listen to what some of the students say about Eckerd.
"Eckerd students are different. Different from all over the U.S., all over the world, and with different kinds of interests but at the core they all share some basic characteristics. Eckerd students are creative, independent, friendly, and open."
"The Eckerd experience starts with a sense of community that is created from Day 1."
"Eckerd here is definitely a family. You don't just see it on the brochure, they actually live it. You can feel it as soon as you get here."
If you haven't seen this film (or even if you have), you owe to yourself to see this showing. Not only is it a really fine film but it also has several ramification for our community. Watch the trailer to get an idea of what it's about. You'll see why we think you ought to go see it on its own merits.
Here's why you should go see it from a community standpoint.
1) It's the first movie being offered in a new program to start showing movies again at the historic Royal Theater on 22nd Street South in Midtown. The program, A Book and a Movie, is sponsored by Deuces Live in partnership with Keep St. Pete Lit and Federation of Families of Florida with the cooperation of the Boys and Girls Club.
2) It's a movie based on a book by Florida author Eva Marie Everson. It's moving. It's wholesome. It's free. It's Saturday afternoon. Doors open at 2 p.m. Movie starts at 2:22 (get it?).
This is the beginning of this project and it needs to be a success because it stands to contribute a lot to the well-being of the community. You can read all about it in this article by Veatrice Farrell in The Weekly Challenger. Take a look at that article because it has a list of some of the other movies that will be in the series.
From left, Andrew Golub, Jeff Copeland, Tammara Anderson, Lisa Wheeler-Brown, James Flynn, and Corey Edwards.
Now here's a fine example of giving back. Over the years, attorney James Flynn has built a successful practice under the banner of "Your Southside Lawyer". In 2014, according to an article by Frank Drouzas in The Weeky Challenger, Flynn provided the resources for a free shuttle service for residents 55 or older who need to get around town. Jeff Copeland, found of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Pinellas County chapter, set it all up, and has an idea about how the give-back effort could be expanded. He told The Weekly Challenger: "If every successful business owner would put money back into the community, it would go a long way toward sustainability."
Principal Johnny Crawford accepts donation for Lakewood Elementary.
This is the sort of activity that helps build community. We were pleased to see the report in The Weekly Challenger about the Greater Pinellas Point Civic Association’s generous donations to two schools in our community — Maximo Elementary and Lakewood Elementary. What a great way to start the new school year. Both individuals and local business contributed. Word is the organization plans to keep on giving to help these schools. We say bravo!
Principal LaKisha Falana accepts donation for Maximo Elementary.
Expect to see lots of change at Gulfport Montessori Elementary this school year. The facility has a new principal, Jeff Hathaway, and nearly a whole new staff. “There are some great families and some great kids here,” he told The Gabber. He said he doesn’t believe the D grade the school has had the last few years indicates what’s really going on at the school. “I
don’t think that grade reflects this community or this building or the
population that’s here at all.” The campus has been spruced up, including a new garden, painting and power washing, new landscaping, and picnic tables for parents and kids. There's a new computer lab, a reorganized library/media center, and a new space for the PTA. There's lots more to the transformation. Read the article. Can't wait to see the results!
