Okeechobee The Magazine Spring 2014

Plus

SPRING 2014

Bringing You the Best of Okeechobee

Maureen BudjinskiPasses the Torch

Buxton and Bass Partnership Born of Tragedies, Perseverance

John Ed Burdeshaw Okeechobee’s Longest-Serving Rotarian

Looking Back Cattle Industry of Florida

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publisherSusan Giddings

creative director

Bridgette Waldau

editorChris Felker

writers Rachel BuxtonAudra ClemonsRaye Deusinger

Angie Francalancia

photographersSharon CannonVicky NicholsSandra Pearce

contributorsMaureen Burroughs

Charles MurphyMichael Shellen

Betty Williamson

account executivesTrish GrygoDebi Large

office Manager

Patti Berglund

Okeechobee The Magazine, is published quarterly in Okeechobee, Florida. Copyright 2014, all rights reserved by OTM Publications, Inc. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising. The publisher accepts no responsibility for advertisement errors beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error within the advertisement itself. The publisher accepts no responsi-bility for submitted materials. All submitted materials sub-ject to editing.

The start of our eighth year in publication is a bit-tersweet one as we salute the founder and publisher of Okeechobee The Magazine, Maureen Budjinski, in our cover story, as she has made the difficult deci-sion to step down as publisher to care for her son, Jason. I know that you will continue to send Mau-reen your love and prayers.

As we move into the future, we have some excit-ing news to share with you. We have launched an entirely new and interactive website that will be an extension of the magazine. Beginning with this

issue, please be sure to check out www.okeechobeethemagazine.com for addi-tional event pictures and videos. Also, start looking at the end of articles for links to online exclusives. And if you haven’t already, like us on Facebook for even more Okeechobee event coverage and updates on new website content. As the year moves along, we will be introducing some new features into the magazine for you to enjoy as well.

In this issue is the story of the three families behind Buxton and Bass Funeral Home and their unique but very similar life stories that eventually united them.Also in this issue meet John Ed Burdeshaw, Okeechobee’s longest serving Rotar-ian and a man whose life has been spent giving back to others. And in our Look-ing Back feature, Okeechobee Historical Society President Betty Williamson tells us about the history of the cattle industry.

In our Behind the Business features, read about the Okeechobee KOA and its impressive facilities and one of Florida’s leading natural gas suppliers, Florida Public Utilities, that is in the process of bringing natural gas into Okeechobee.

As always, we have great coverage of our fabulous local events, including Okeechobee Main Street’s Christmas in the park and parade, the Top of the Lake Art Fest as well as the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Tournament, the Okeechobee Family Health and Safety Expo and more.

As I take on the role of publisher and owner, I look forward to hearing from all of you. I want to hear your stories and ideas and what you would like to see in future issues so that Okeechobee The Magazine can continue to bring you the best of Okeechobee. Because after all, it is Okeechobee The Magazine, your magazine.

Publisher’s Note

OTM Publications, Inc.DBA Okeechobee The Magazine

316 NW 5th StreetOkeechobee, FL 34972Phone: (863) 467-0054

www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com

president Susan Giddings

Founder

Maureen Budjinski

volume 8, number 1 | Spring 2014

Susan Giddings

The end of winter, as spring begins, we meet new faces, we see old friends.As springtime comes, and time brings change, around every corner, some unexplained.We are very fortunate, this you will see, to live in our town, of Okeechobee.Enjoy each moment, time does fly, reflect on the great times, that have now gone by.Embrace the change, that comes with spring, look forward to all that it may bring.

By: Patti Berglund

4 | Spring 2014 OKEECHOBEE THE MAGAZINE

www.OkeechobeeTheMagazine.com Spring 2014 | 5


Looking BackBy Betty Williamson

Behind the Business Florida Public Utilities Okeechobee KOA

features

departments

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COMMUNITY EVENTS

Around Okeechobee Advertiser Index

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42

columnsFishing on Lake OkeechobeeBy Capt. Michael Shellen

OHS Girls Weight Lifting Team By Charles Murphy

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Spring 2014


By Angie Francalancia

Buxton and BassPartnership Born of Tragedies, Perseverance

By Raye Deusinger

John Ed BurdeshawOkeechobee’s Longest-Serving Rotarian

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Contents

Arnold’s WildlifeVeterans Day CelebrationFountain of Life Car and Motorcycle ShowChristmas Parade and FestivalOkeechobee 600 Blood RoundupFarm City Week LuncheonCarhartt Bassmaster College Series TournamentRayovac FLW Fishing TournamentOkeechobee Family Health & Safety ExpoTop of the Lake Art FestRotary Club Walk on the Wild Side DinnerRide for the FightMartha’s House “Laugh, Love, Live” EventYounified Youth RallyChamber of Commerce Leadership

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Plus

SPRING 2014

Bringing You the Best of Okeechobee


Buxton and Bass Partnership Born of Tragedies, Perseverance

John Ed Burdeshaw Okeechobee’s Longest-Serving Rotarian

Looking Back Cattle Industry of Florida

A Passion for Family and Community



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Community Event Photos By Vicky Nichols

Arnold’s Wildlife Open House Crowds Bolster Arnold’s Wildlife Rehab Center Fundraiser

Arnold’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Okeechobee had an open house on Saturday, Nov. 16, that turned out to be a record-breaking day for the wildlife facility. While no true count was kept, organizers believe that more than 2,000 people from all over Florida attended. It was a much-needed turnout as Ar-nold’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is a non-profit organization that operates solely on the donations it receives. Part of the day’s success was due to the gen-erous help of Martin Lavander of “The Yappy Hour Show” on 107.9 FM, Rey Becerra of Billie Swamp Safari and Animal Planet’s Paul Bedard of “The Gator Boys.” Becerra, with the assistance of Bedard, put on an up-close show featur-ing venomous reptiles, which thrilled the crowds. Visit www.arnoldswildlife.org to donate and learn more about Arnold’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

African crown crane.

(Above) Steve Goyette with “Bindy.”(Below) Otter comes out to see the visitors.

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Animal Planet’s Paul Bedard of ‘The Gator Boys’ with Okeechobee Girl Scout Troop.African sulcata tortoise.Pilot Randy Opat with Dr. Melissa Kindell and sons Mason and Gavin received a complimentaryhelicopter ride for their donation to the marmosets.Bucky the whitetail deer and his cat friend.

Teri Panisset with an 8-week-old male caracal.

Sue Arnold and Martin Lavander of The Yappy Hour Show on 107.9 FM.



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Community Event Photos By Susan Giddings

Veterans Day CelebrationPatriotic Program, Crowd Mark Veterans Day

In observation of Veterans Day, the community gathered at Veterans Park in Okeechobee to honor and remember those who have offered their lives so that Americans and others can live in freedom and peace. The event was led by past American Legion Commander Dan Fennel and County Commis-sioner Bryant Culpepper. The crowd listened to song, prayers, speeches and thanks, and the keynote speaker, Sgt. Buck Thompson of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Force, gave an especially moving speech.

(L-R) Paul Hyatt, Councilman Dowling Watford, Judge Jerry Bryant, Charlie Norris, Sgt. Buck Thompson, Past Commander Dan Fennel, David Clemenson, Commander Larry Richardson, Commissioner Bryant Culpepper and Robert Langley.

Sgt. Buck Thompson,the keynote speaker. Commander Dan Fennel.

(L-R) Thomas J. Southerland,Bobby Shultz and Robert Langley.

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Sgt. Buck Thompson withCommissioner Bryant Culpepper.


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Community Event Photos By Vicky Nichols

Pastor Dave and his wife Linda Robertson with their congregation from Fountain of Life Church staged a Car and Motorcycle Show on Saturday, Nov. 23, to benefit Real Life Children’s Ranch. Along with a great selec-tion of cars and motorcycles to enjoy, the event brought in performing art-ists and evangelists from all over the world. They included Pontus J. Back (formerly of Lynyrd Skynyrd, White Snake, Molly Hatchet, Status Quo and Cinderella); John James (from the Newsboys); David Evans (from Hillsong Australia); and Edmund Nalzaro (from the Philippines), with his wife, Cathi, daughter Jerzi and son J.D.

Fountain of Life Car and Motorcycle ShowChurch Brings in Global Cast for Children’s Ranch Fundraiser

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Pastor Dave and wife Linda with Mark Mayers.Mark and Darlene May-ers of Real Life Children’s Ranch.(L-R) David Evans, J.D. Nalzarro, Jerzi Nalzarro, Edmund Nalzarro, Cathi Nalzarro and Evangelist Pontus Back.It was a great day for the show!

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2002 Harley Road King Trikeowned by Mike Tardif.

’55 Chevy 210 owned by Ron and Val Douglas.

(Below) ’38 Willys Sedan owned by Phil Swartz.

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The threads that stitch together the fabric of a lifetime often don’t reveal their entire pattern until later. Okeechobee The Magazine is a piece of that pattern in the life of its founder, Maureen Budjinski. This is Maureen’s story, told with the threads she’s stitched together from her hometown of Somerville, Mass., Palm Beach County’s western communities, and here in Okeechobee.

This is the story of a life dedicated to family and community, of a woman who found joy in serving both. Readers know her well, of course, because everybody knows Maureen. But not everyone knows the full story.




Maureen and Gary Budjinski moved in 2005 to Okeechobee, a place they frequently visited to enjoy their lifelong love of boating and fishing. Okeechobee would be a place to downsize their lives in anticipation of retirement, as well as fulfilling a special mission.

Maureen’s life always has been defined by her community in-volvement. “My sister, Jeanne, passed away from kidney disease in 1970 at the age of 17 while awaiting a transplant,” Maureen said. “After moving to Florida in 1973, I became involved in the Palm Beach County Kidney Association as a board mem-ber.”

She helped raise funds, along with raising awareness about or-gan donation, never realizing how important a role her mission would have later.

Maureen and Gary’s eldest son Jason was born in 1976. Matt followed four years later. Maureen considered being a good mom her greatest achievement. But Maureen was more than just a good mom to Jason and Matt — she was a good mom to her community, shepherding numerous organizations to suc-cess as a volunteer.

There was 20 years’ worth of the PTA, including the Palm Beach County Council of PTAs and the 1988 PTA of the Year Award she helped Wellington Elementary School obtain as president. She was a member of the parent advisory board at the Palm Beach County School of the Arts (now Dreyfoos SOA), from which both her sons graduated. She was on the original board of the Wellington Youth Athletic Association, the group that started youth sports for the entire western communities. And at the same time, she taught Catholic religious education for seven years at St. Rita Catholic Church in Wellington. In addi-tion, she was involved in numerous chambers of commerce in Palm Beach County and in the Wellington Rotary Club.

In the late 1990s, after years as a volunteer, Maureen was up for the position of special event manager for the American Cancer Society. She remembers the hiring manager saying, “You were PTA president. I know you can do this!” Indeed, Maureen led the staff of the Relay for Life from 1998 to 2003, organizing

“I have a wonderful and supportive husband of over 44 years and two won-derful sons that we are so proud of. But I hope my legacy will be simply as a good mom. It’s the most important job I ever had.” -Maureen Budjinski

Maureen with her son Matt and husband Gary.Photo by Rafael Pacheco

(Below) Maureen with her son Jason.Photo by Denise Fleischman.


-Maureen Budjinski


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events throughout Palm Beach Coun-ty. The Western Communities Relay for Life held in Royal Palm Beach was among the top 10 in the nation in 2002 and 2003, she recalled.

The threads of Maureen’s life picked up like a repeating pattern when she and Gary moved to Okeechobee in 2005. It was to be a retirement, but that didn’t mean Maureen would be idle. She became a volunteer for Hospice of Okeechobee, Okeechobee Main Street and picked up her long-time commit-ment to Rotary through the Rotary Club of Okeechobee where she later be-came president. Then, she started work-ing to launch Okeechobee The Maga-zine. She subsequently became a board member of the Chamber of Commerce of Okeechobee County and the original chair of Leadership Okeechobee.

“I realized what a great community it was because of its people. I wanted to

show it off,” she said. She turned to good friend Barry Manning, CEO of Wellington The Magazine. She already had the editor. Her elder son, Jason, had

been an editor at Wellington The Maga-zine and the Town-Crier newspaper, an-other sister publication of Okeechobee The Magazine. The next step for Mau-reen was to gather stories.

“A special memory for me is my first conversation over the telephone with the president of the Okeechobee Historical Society, Betty Williamson,” Maureen said. “She gave me so much information and so much time. She was so sweet! I had a kickoff in January 2007 with charter advertisers Big Lake Eye Care, Quail Creek Plantation and Raulerson Hospital along with many other people who had helped me in many ways. It was then that I finally got to meet Miss Betty. She said, ‘You must be Maureen,’ and she gave me a big hug. She and ev-eryone treated me like I was born and raised in Okeechobee. Since then Miss Betty and I have become great friends.”

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tal, was one of the charter advertisers, and has been a continuous supporter of Okeechobee The Magazine.

“It was an easy decision to partner with Maureen and Okeechobee The Maga-zine since Maureen has experience with other successful publications and a great reputation,” he said. “Raulerson Hos-pital is always interested in supporting local endeavors that help highlight our wonderful community and the services we have to offer. We really appreciate Maureen bringing such a great new tra-dition to Okeechobee and we will cer-tainly miss her.”

Okeechobee The Magazine debuted in the spring of 2007 at the Speckled Perch Festival. Maureen recalls the copies fly-ing out of her hands. Since then, Mau-reen and the staff have strived with each quarterly edition to show off everything that comprises Okeechobee. She is also extremely proud of all the talented pro-fessionals involved in the production of the magazine from graphic design, writ-ing, photography and everyone listed in the staff box with every issue. “It takes a team,” she said.

“We’ve done everything from the cattle ranchers to the arts. When I got in-volved, I realized, ‘Wow, this is such an incredible community — and so much more than fishing and cattle.’ I loved covering the arts in Okeechobee. Our creative director, Bridgette Waldau, through Okeechobee Main Street, has done such a wonderful job with bring-ing the arts here.” Maureen said, recall-ing fondly that her younger son, Matt, is the artist behind one of the downtown murals on the Century Link building.

“About a year ago, we started doing a his-tory theme. Betty Williamson and Judge William Hendry are our two historians who write the columns.”

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her children. That’s why the next piece is difficult. Maureen is stepping aside to fulfill a task she’s been planning on for nearly two decades. She has sold Okeechobee The Magazine to enable her to take care of Jason full time. Ja-son awaits a liver transplant, the result of primary sclerosing cholangitis, an au-toimmune disease that can lead to liver failure.

His case is complex. It is compounded by the fact that he also has Crohn’s dis-ease, which has already required major surgery. Although diagnosed with both in 1999, Jason was symptom-free until 2008. He’s been on the organ transplant list for about two years, but complica-tions have caused him to be hospitalized several times over the past year. As in the past, Maureen is still an Ambassador for the Life Alliance for the University of Miami, volunteering and speaking on behalf of organ donation.

Susan Giddings, a long-time friend and fellow Rotarian, has taken over as owner and publisher. Susan stepped in to help mid-year in 2013 when Maureen need-ed to spend more time helping Jason af-ter a Crohn’s-related surgery. Not only did Susan step into Okeechobee The Magazine, but she jumped into many a role in the community.

Like Maureen, Susan has a background in community involvement. She was treasurer of the Wellington Rotary for five years. She served as an executive board member and chair of the Econom-ic Development committee of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce, now the Central Palm Beach County Chamber. And she chaired or co-chaired numer-ous charity fundraisers in the western communities for the Lord’s Place and other charitable organizations.

In relocating to Okeechobee, Susan found a hometown spirit she loved. “People are truly nice to each other out here,” she said.


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Her chamber experience immediately proved invaluable when she jumped in to shepherd through the inaugural issue of the chamber’s community guide. She now sits on the board of the Chamber of Commerce of Okeechobee County. She also is a board member of Martha’s House, a nonprofit dedicated to pro-tecting victims of domestic and sexual violence.

“I knew Susan would be perfect to step in,” Maureen said. “This has been hard for me because the magazine is like my baby. But she’ll do a great job. I’m so proud of what she has accomplished and know she will be bringing you more of the best of Okeechobee.”

Maureen always will remain founding publisher of Okeechobee The Maga-zine. “I feel extremely accomplished in my life,” she said. “I have a wonderful and supportive husband of over 44 years and two wonderful sons that we are so proud of. But I hope my legacy will be simply as a good mom. It’s the most im-portant job I ever had.”

Maureen’s legacy also will live on through each edition of Okeechobee The Magazine.

Maureen and Nikki

O

Photos By Sharon Cannon Community Event

Many Okeechobeeans turned out in support of the eighth annual Okeechobee 600 Blood Roundup Nov. 16 and 17 at the Freshman Campus. More than 40 volunteers and 60 representatives of One Blood assisted donors as 484 units of blood were drawn, helping ensure sufficient blood supplies during the critical holiday period. More than 200 prizes were donated by local businesses, and every person who gave blood received a goody bag and commemorative T-shirt. The ninth annual drive is scheduled for Nov. 15-16 this year at the same location; if you’d like to help, call Raye Deusinger at (863) 467-2557.

Eighth Annual Okeechobee 600 Blood RoundupBlood Roundup Crowds Support Public Safety

(Left) Raye Deusinger and Russell Colwell.

(Above) Jim Benton relaxes while donating blood.

(Below) Judge Jerry Bryant donating vital platelets that will benefit patients with diseases such as cancer and blood disorders.

Front row (L-R): Marilyn Hadley, Dorothy Schwartz and Jol Creech. Middle row: Pat Shinn, Terry Haynes and Marie Kirchhoff. Back row: Richard Haynes, Gina Thacker, JoAnn Kane, Cindy Birdashaw, Raye Deusinger and Linda Hazellief.

(Below left): Cindy Birdashaw donated two full days emcee-ing the Blood Roundup.

(Below right): The Big Red Bus welcomes “Local Heroes Sav-ing Lives.”



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By

By Betty Williamson

Looking Back

Florida cattle had grazed the wild lands of Florida long before cattle arrived in the Wild West! I recall Judge Nelson Bailey, a retired judge of Palm Beach County and a Florida historian, stating this to a small gathering at the Edna Pearce Lockett home-stead, near Fort Basinger. This settlement is located on the Kissimmee River.

The judge held us spellbound, sitting astride a “cracker horse” (also called a “marsh-tacky”) while telling the group about the history of the Florida cracker horses and cattle in the state. He often at-tended historical events, enlightening so many about the true history of the Spanish influence all around us. My husband and I stood there fasci-nated by his history lesson on our cattle industry.

With his long, gray beard, his trusty cow dog at his side, a weathered old hat and clothes appropriate for a cowpuncher of long ago, he spoke in a strong, clear voice which we shall never forget. He referred to the “cracker” or “guinea” cattle as descendants of the first cattle brought into what is now continen-tal America. They came into Florida on galleons with Ponce de Leon in the early 1500s.

Smaller horses from a province of southern Spain were also on board the large, heavy ships, which were used as both warships and traders. They were called Andalusian horses, becoming the ancestors of the Florida “cracker” horses.

The Spaniards left their cattle and horses behind when they returned to Spain. These animals did well in the warm Southern climate, which was much like that of their native land. They were small

but tough and well-adapted to the pine/palmetto uplands and marshes filled with flourishing native grasses. Springs, sloughs and natural creeks were abundant -- another advantage. Some ranchers still prefer these reliable horses to round up their herds.

Elda Mae Bass of Okeechobee told me of her moth-er, Zona Durrance Bass, and aunt, Zetta Durrance Hunt, who had given a real cracker bull and five heifers to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in 1970 to begin a seed herd to preserve the cracker cattle. This herd was one of the purest of the original Spanish breed in existence. Zona Bass and Zetta Hunt were daugh-ters of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Durrance, pioneers of Basinger, Fla.

In Florida, gathering a herd of cattle was an adven-ture that most cowhands were born into. Almost all began life in the saddle, a short while after they were walking, sometimes holding onto the saddle horn in the front of their father, grandfather or trusted cowhand sitting behind them. They were allowed early to go on cattle drives, and to sleep in a camp house with the cowpunchers.

One of his first chores would be to take a gas or kerosene lantern and go into the barn before day-light to feed the horses. Of course, someone had started a fire in a wood stove, and the cook would be frying bacon and boiling coffee for breakfast. The young ones learned to enjoy this strong brew at an early age. They learned to drink water from a spring or a creek using their hat brim, cupped a special way, to dip in for a bit of water. All of these habits had to be taught, but since they learned them

History Lives On in Cattle Industry



(Above) Peter Raulerson is considered to be the first cattleman in this area,arriving in 1896 with wife Louisiana Chandler Raulerson and family.

(Below) Cracker cows, direct descendants of the first cattle broughtinto what is now America.

(Photos courtesy of Faith Raulerson Meserve)

at such a tender age, they seemed to be intuitive.

That first day they could throw their saddle on a horse was a day most do not even remember. It was encouraged and overseen by the older cowhands.

The cowboys’ day would begin early. Af-ter a hearty breakfast, they would pack their saddlebags with biscuits, baked sweet potatoes, a strip of white bacon, cut thick, and maybe a small can of peaches or fruit cocktail. Another es-sential was a little bag of coffee grounds and a tin can with a wire attached, for boiling some pond water for lunch cof-fee. This can would be used to make the strong beverage. Most of the men carried a pair of saddlebags, with these items in them.

Some of the ranches were big, so one could easily find oneself miles from the cow camp at lunch. The cowhands would stop by a natural spring or creek, splash water on their sweaty faces and scoop water up with their hat, to make a cup or two of coffee from the water. The food packed in the saddlebags would be cold by now, but the small can of fruit opened carefully with a cowman’s best friend, a pocket knife, was certainly wel-comed.

Some gathering of the cows still begins with riders astride the horses, leaving the barn before daylight on many small ranches. But there has been a change in the last half-century on the larger spreads. The men arrive early, saddle the horses back at the barn, then load them in a ranch trailer, leaving for the location to various pastures. With many miles to cover, this can put the cow crew where the cattle are, earlier.

In the pens, the cows are often sepa-rated from the calves, leading to a lot of bellowing, easily heard from a mile or more away. Sometime the work to be done is to separate some for sale, either


(Above) Typical Florida oak and “cabbage” palm hammock, shown here with a Florida white-tail deer. Cattle commonly used these ham-mocks for shelter from the hot sun in the summer and cold wind in the winter. (Photo courtesy of Frank “Sonny” Williamson Jr.)

(Left) Loading beef cattle into a truck to transport to the market or another pasture. (Photo courtesy of Charlotte Taylor)

(Below) Branding a calf: A man is shown holding the right hind leg of the animal, another branding, one man holding the head down, and perhaps the other man is preparing to cut an earmark for identification.(Photo courtesy of Jack Prescott)


at the local livestock market or to indi-viduals who need more stock. For the cattle, it is never good news when they are pushed to the pens, and they know it. At other times, there is only the need to “move” or “rotate” them, to a fresh pasture where the grass was better for grazing.

Each cowhand has on his saddle a rope for lassoing, and a slicker, in case of a downpour, tied behind; and he will al-ways have a well-used pocket knife in his pocket.

Several cow dogs run alongside the horses. They are specially trained to as-sist in the gathering, herding and part-ing of the cattle. Good cow dogs are an important part of the crew.

Talking with many cowhands, they will tell you that the work is hard, demand-ing, also at times dangerous, but after the long day they go right back to this habit-forming work and some even say they “love it!”

I do know many of the cowhands had habits that seem bad to us. But, some can understand their need for a mild tranquilizer, like a cigarette or a plug of chewing tobacco. Curse words were usually mild (nothing like today’s lan-guage) and just one at a time to show their dissatisfaction with the attitudes of the cattle … Some of the men would have a pint of whiskey to sip on before going to sleep, but none during the day.Now, on weekends, it was different. The married men would return to their fami-lies at the end of the week, while the sin-gle men often stayed in the cow camp. On Saturdays, they’d shave, shower, put on clean clothes and go for a frolic in town. A fight or two could land some of them in the jail, often to sleep the night there. Sometimes this was due to a pretty young girl choosing one instead of another, for a square dance.

Before 1919 in Okeechobee, when the

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first brick jail was constructed, their overnight cell would be a railway box-car! Their trail boss would gather the cowboys up Sunday afternoon to go back to the camp site. After a night’s sleep, they were ready for another day astride their saddle, riding into the mist of an early Florida morning.

It is truly amazing to see experienced cowpunchers gathering cattle. They can go at a full gallop and stop with a slight movement of the reins on the horse and turn so fast they look almost mechani-cal, as though orchestrated. They are true artists at their trade.

Florida’s cattle industry is now at more than 1 million head of cattle with value of $1 billion-plus. The cattle business has a positive effect on our state’s econo-my and environment. And to think that it all began in the century before the Pil-grims arrived in 1620!

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Betty Chandler Williamson is a fifth-gen-eration Floridian, and her roots in Okeechobee County go back to the time before the county was created, to the mid-1800s. She and her husband, Frank (Sonny) Williamson, Jr., a rancher celebrated their sixtieth anniversary in 2012.

Her hobbies are genealogy and local history. She has been the president of the Okeechobee His-torical Society for over ten years. Williamson compiled the seventy-five-year membership list of the First Baptist Church, beginning with the date of its founding in 1915. Williamson is the co-author of Strolling Down Country Roads, Okeechobee County, a pictorial history.


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Photos By Susan GiddingsCommunity Event

Hundreds came out for the 20th annual Farm-City Week Luncheon, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club and the Okeechobee Area Agri-Council, on Nov. 21 at the KOA. More than 400 people attended the event, which featured presentations from the 4-H and the Future Farmers of America. A special award was given to Pete Clemons for his dedicated service to agriculture. This event provides a yearly opportunity to honor the people who work day in and day out to put food on our tables.

20th Annual Farm City Week Luncheon

J.D. Mixon, Pete Clemons, Susan Clemons, Audra Clemons, Tina Clemons and Todd Clemons.

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Seated: Lavon Bass and Paul Buxton. Standing (L-R): Gail Bass,Tom Conway Jr., Tom Conway, Matt Buxton and Marilyn A. Buxton.

By Raye Deusinger O Photos by Sandra Pearce

Between 1976 and 1979, three men, in three different cities, were following paths which would eventually unite them in a fourth city and in a single business, the Buxton and Bass Okeechobee Funeral Home and Crematory. Their similar stories reflect what they each believe was guided by God. Other similarities show that each man was destined for his profession and that each was drawn to it through personal loss as well as perse-verance. Meet the Basses, the Buxtons and the Conways, three families with unique but very similar stories.

Our Okeechobee story begins in the early 1950s when a young boy from Belle Glade took on a job at LeBron Williams’ Funeral Home cutting grass to earn extra money. One day the boss invited that young boy, Lavon Bass, to go on “a call.” The satisfaction of the work created a dream in Bass, and he realized that day that fu-neral services was what he wanted to do with his life.

His journey began after his service in the United States Air Force, where he was stationed in Germany. Upon his return to the States, Bass went to mortuary school in Dallas through the G.I. Bill. He later moved to Ala-bama and began working. When he got the devastating news that his father had suffered a heart attack, Bass packed up and returned home to help his mother.

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Later, Curtiss Kickliter, who owned a funeral home in Okeechobee, called Bass seeking help to run it. Bass contin-ued working there when the business was sold to Cliff Suddreth. His job in-cluded taking the receipts to the bank, where he met his wife, Gail Moore, who had recently been widowed. They soon married, and he became the father to her two children, Van and Becky.

When Suddreth decided to sell the fu-neral home, Gail used her home as col-lateral and in 1976 they took posses-sion of it and named it the Okeechobee Funeral Home. At the time, Bass didn’t even have a Florida license to operate it, so he went to Miami-Dade Community College and became a licensed funeral director. Gail’s brother Grant Ridgeway also became a licensed funeral director

and joined the business.

“We worked long hours; it wasn’t an early success,” Bass said. Gail also helped out at the funeral home do-ing office work, transporting bodies to the airport and running flowers to the cemetery. “I believed in and supported my husband,” Gail said. “I had lost my father at an early age, then lost my husband at 30 and was left with two

Lavon Bass and Paul Buxton


little children. That experience has since helped me help other women in similar circumstances.”

Meanwhile, just 60 miles east, in West Palm Beach, Paul Buxton was also pav-ing his path in funeral services. While in high school, he worked at a funeral home and instantly felt the need and compassion to help others in what he believed was a ministry. Buxton always had the support from his wife and child-hood sweetheart, Marilyn. They both went to college at the University of South Florida and married a week after graduation in 1972. “It was a storybook romance,” said Buxton.

After college, Buxton worked in man-agement for the Florida Parole and Probation Commission in Palm Beach County but finally decided to make his move and attend mortuary school. Be-cause of his motivation, he completed a two-year course in only 10 months, driving from his home in Lake Park to Miami every day. In 1979, he graduated with the highest GPA in his class.

Just as Buxton was completing his schooling, he got a call from Willard and Janet Mays in Okeechobee. They owned the building at the site of the present-day Buxton & Bass Funeral Home, where another funeral home had previously been operated. The Mays were looking for a director to manage it and had been told about Buxton, who was then interning with Howard Funer-al Home in North Palm Beach. Buxton told them he didn’t want to manage a funeral home, he wanted to own a fu-neral home. The Mays agreed, and Bux-ton became the proud owner of his very own funeral home.

Just like Bass in the beginning of his ownership, Buxton hadn’t yet been li-censed, so he was unable to run his fu-neral home solo. As a result, he hired his retired embalming professor while he finished his internship and sat for his


board and state exams. In 1980, he of-ficially opened Buxton Funeral Home in what became direct competition with Bass Funeral Home. The Buxtons by then had two young sons, Matthew (Matt) and Timothy. A year later, they welcomed their daughter, Rachel, and in another two years, their third son Philip. Marilyn, like Gail, did all she could to help her husband succeed. She, too, drove the hearse to take bodies for shipment, ran the office and transported flowers, all while handling four small children.

Over the years, Okeechobee began choosing — many liking Bass better, many liking Buxton better. Both men believed serving the public with com-passion and care was paramount. “We had a few rough years,” Gail said. “This competition was something new to us. We liked them, but this was competi-tion.”

Bass was already part of the Okeechobee community, was a 42-year member of the Lions Club, served on the City Council and was a member of Kiwanis. Buxton also became active within the community. He chaired the Red Cross for eight years, was on the board of the Rehab Center, began the crisis hotline and in 1983 founded Hospice and got land donated for the building which, on completion, was mortgage-free.

Over time, Buxton’s sons became part of the family business, helping out af-ter school and on weekends. Bass’s son, Van, also took a role in his father’s es-tablishment. Then in 2000, life changed for the Basses when Van was killed in a car accident. Maintaining the funeral home became progressively harder for the Basses. In 2003, Tom Conway, a fourth-generation funeral director from New York, bought the Bass Funeral Home.

Continuing the strange parallel, the Buxtons’ lives also changed in 2004


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when the back-to-back hurricanes hit Okeechobee, leveling their funeral home to its foundation. They imme-diately drew plans for a new building and began to build the structure that stands today. During construction, they continued to serve the community, op-erating out of three modular offices. In February 2006, they moved into their brand-new facility.

Matt, who became a licensed funeral di-rector in 1997, completing a two-year curriculum in one year, began to take a more active role in his father’s busi-ness. Matt knew at age 5, when he got his first three-piece suit, that this was his calling. He and his siblings were taught to “run flowers,” which helped teach them about the industry and which, Matt said, “started the dream of one day having my own funeral home.”

While Matt was becoming more of a main presence in his father’s business,

Tom Conway and his son Tom Jr.


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Conway and his son Tom Jr. were inte-grating into Okeechobee. Their family had been in the funeral industry since 1862, when Conway’s great-grand-mother opened a funeral business out of her stable and livery service in New York. Conway became a licensed funer-al director in 1979. In 1983, his father and brother were killed in an accident, and at 25, he assumed leadership of the family business.

In 1997, they sold that business and moved to Florida. The death of their youngest son, Quinn, in 2003 drew them back into the industry, and they bought Bass Funeral Home with Con-way and his son Tom Jr. as directors. Conway said, “Lavon Bass came back to work with us and is one of the hard-est workers we have; he came back home. It is good for him and good for us.” Raised on a farm in New York, the Conways felt immediately at home in Okeechobee and knew they wanted to keep Bass as a family-operated funeral home. Conway’s wife, Lisa, later began operating Yates Funeral Home in Fort Pierce. Conway and his wife have four daughters, Kaitlin, Kaela, Brenna and Baleigh, and two sons, Tom Jr. and Pat-rick.

The country’s economic downturn greatly hurt the Buxton family when it became impossible to convert their con-struction loan into a mortgage. Matt wanted to do what he could for his fam-ily, including his two daughters, Morgan and Dayton. He located a silent partner and built a new facility at the same time Conway bought the Buxtons’ building. In time, Matt and his family severed all ties with his silent partner and moved back to their original location, where he has begun to acquire ownership.

From the long history of dedication of three families, from the personal losses and trials endured by each, there is now a new dynamic where the Buxtons, Bass-es and Conways have found friendship


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and now work together under the same roof. “We are proudly working together rather than competing,” said Conway. Bass’s son-in-law Jim Barnhart is now also working in the business while seek-ing his funeral license.

Buxton said that he and Bass, along with Buxton’s son Matt and the Con-ways, have finally accomplished what they should have done years ago. “Be-cause we are all dedicated to the same cause, we see what we could have ac-complished sooner and now enjoy,” he said.

Now, everything needed to handle a fu-neral is available in one place. Families no longer have to choose. They get the best of what Bass and Buxton started so many years ago. The Buxtons, Basses and Conways are driven to provide the best service possible. The competition of the past has been replaced by friendship.

Tom Conway Jr. and Matt Buxton.

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“It’s worth it!”Flossie, or Flo, Bunker is always

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with her husband, Bill, to places

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she stays active. Her youth was

no exception; Flossie was a

cheerleader for many years. That

typical wear and tear on a body,

compounded by 20 years of

osteoarthritis, was slowing Flossie

down and causing her a great deal

of pain.

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Above: Flossie Bunker, double knee replacement patient. Below: Flossie reconnects with her care team: Gerry Soriano, RN, first assist, BSN; Kellie Munn, CST; Jackie Parshall, Scrub Tech; Flossie Bunker; Michelle Coleman, RN; and Jay Logan, RN.

“I was missing out,” Flossie explains. “Retirement is a wonderful thing and I wanted to be back on my own schedule to see this beautiful world that God gave us.” Her pain got worse as she aged. Flossie was very fearful of surgery and would do anything to avoid or delay it. However, when board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Benjamin Epstein told Flossie that her intense knee pain was caused as a result of bone-on-bone friction, she understood that knee replacement was the only option to relieve her pain.

THE CHOICE AND THE OUTCOME

“With my medical coverage, I could have gone to any hospital. Okeechobee is where we live and I like to do everything here. My doctors know me by name and they take great care of me,” Flossie said. So she trusted the medical professionals at Raulerson Hospital with her care. Flossie had her right knee replaced in July and her left knee replaced in November.

“It was worth it!” she explained. “I think my knees are in very good shape now. My left knee, the second procedure, is already doing as well as the other one. When I get to play with my grandchildren again, I know it was worth it.”

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“I just want to say thank you

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who took care of me. Everyone

who came into my room was

compassionate, kind, sweet

and professional too. This was

such a comfort to me because

I was scared. I was treated

very well; everyone went the

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- Flossie Bunker (double knee replacement patient)

When I get to play with my grandchildren, I know it was worth it.

The Treasure Coast Healthcare System TreasureCoastHospitals.comLawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute

Raulerson Hospital + St. Lucie Medical Center


Community Event

Carhartt BassmasterCollege Series Tournament

The Southern Division Tournament of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series took place Jan. 3 and 4 at the C. Scott Driver Park. This was a record-break-ing multiday tournament for the Carhartt Series, with 130 two-angler teams representing 42 schools competing for prizes and a chance to advance to the national championship competition. The tour-nament ended with Kyle Oliver and Hunter McKa-mey of the University of Central Florida holding on to first place with a total weight of 39lbs.12oz.

Record Number of Teams Competein Carhartt Tourney

Kyle Oliver and Hunter McKamey – tournament winners.

(Above) Nick Peet and John Larson.

(Top photo) Demetrius Thomas and Charles Conger.

(Above) Kyle Smith and Shelby Concon.

(Below) Kyle Monti and Mike Gontiko of Okeechobee.

Photos By Vicky Nichols

Rayovac FLW Fishing TournamentRecord Haul for Rayovac FLW Tournament Anglers

Rayovac FLW brought the first of three Southeast Divi-sion Tournaments to Okeechobee Jan. 9-11, hosted by the Okeechobee County Tourism Development Coun-cil and presented by Powerpole. The tournament kicked off each day at C. Scott Driver Park at 7:30 a.m., with weigh-ins at 3 p.m. The final weigh-in took place at Gil-bert Chevrolet at 4 p.m. Jan. 11, which drew a substantial crowd. Two hundred twenty-six boaters participated, and a record-breaking 116 checks were paid out to anglers.

Kathy Scott of the Okeechobee County Tourist Development Council with Tournament

Director Ron Lappin at the final weigh-in,hosted by Gilbert Chevrolet.

Waiting to roll out at daybreak.

Tim Fox with his catch.

(L-R) Jared McMillan, second-place winner; Keith Fels, first-place winner; and Randy Haynes, third-place winner.

Rex Jager won first place and a Z117 Ranger Bass Boat.

(Above) Pro-Angler Keith Fels in first place on day two.

(Below) A beautiful morning on Lake Okeechobee as the boaters line up.


Photos By Vicky NicholsCommunity Event

The seventh annual Okeechobee Family Health and Safety Expo took place Jan. 25 at the Agri-Civic Center. Local businesses, health and safety professionals and law enforcement personnel gathered together to provide a fun and informative event. Attendance was more than 2,200, and there were 130 vendor booths, with many offering free health screenings. Entertainment and lunch were pro-vided. The event was free to the public.

Okeechobee Family Health and Safety ExpoFree Health and Safety Expo Offers Screenings to Hundreds

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Lucy Gonzalez of Brennan Eye Care.Wendy Angle and Angie Cepeda of Lake Okeechobee Digestive Disease Center.Ronald McDonald entertained the children.Fernanda Cuellar and Leticia Garcia of Physical Therapy Connection.There was a great turnout for the event.

(Left) The Okeechobee Fire Department demon-strates the ‘Jaws of Life.’

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Political advertisement paid for and approved by Cary Pigman, Republican, for Florida House District 55.

Florida State RepresentativeCary Pigman - District 55

The Florida Legislative sessionis from March 4 through May 2.

Please come by and visit me at yourlegislative office when you

are in Tallahassee.

I am pleased that Libby Maxwell has joined my sta� in the new Okeechobee o�ce located at theChamber of Commerce building on the corner of HWY-441 and SR-70. Libby has an in-depth knowledgeof the Lake Okeechobee business and agriculture community, which serves our constituents well. My o�ces receive calls and emails from people that need help with various issues and we are happy todo our best to resolve them. I encourage you to contact our o�ces any time we may be of service to you.

Okeechobee 863-462-5019 | Tallahassee 850-717-5055Libby Maxwell

Rep. Cary Pigman

www.wm.com

www.thinkgreen.com

863-357-0824Fax: 863-357-0772

Okeechobee Land�ll, Inc. Okeechobee Land�ll, Inc.

10800 N.E. 128th Ave.Okeechobee FL, 34972

Waste Management’s Okeechobee Land�ll was honored at the Wildlife Habitat Council’s 25th Annual Symposium for its achievements in protecting and enhancing wildlife habitat. The facility earned recerti�cation of its Wildlife at Work program, which was designed by the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) to provide a structure for cooperative e�orts between management, employees and community members to create, conserve and restore wildlife habitats.

The local e�ort is part of a national Waste Management program that protects animal and plant species on more than 27,000 acres across North America. Of the Okeechobee Land�ll’s 4,100-acre property, 2,000 acres are actively managed for wildlife, and an additional 250 are unmanaged but available.

This year the site’s wildlife team created a .20-acre wildlife corridor in a mitigation area. This corridor promotes wildlife movement among three nearby habitats. In the fall of 2012, wetland and upland tree piles were created on the site. These cypress and pine tree piles form habitats for birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

“The active engagement of our volunteer groups helped earn this prestigious award,” said Teresa Chandler, Waste Manager community relations manager. “Okeechobee Land�ll engages schools, 4-H Programs and many volunteer groups to assist in enhancing the habitat.”

Waste Management’s Okeechobee Land�ll Recognized for its Wildlife Habitat Program

“Waste Management began working with WHC because our employees understand that biodiversity and preservation of wildlife are important to the environment and sustainability,” said Waste Management President and CEO David Steiner.

In 2008, the company was the �rst recipient of the organization’s William W. Howard CEO Award, recognizing the company’s e�orts in conservation, education and outreach e�orts. This year, WM won WHC’s Conservation Education Award, which recognizes corporate members with a history of striving for excellence in conservation education and outreach.

To read more about Okeechobee Land�ll’s program, please visit http://www.wm.com/wm/community/whc/index.asp

(L-R) Sr. District Manager Tony Bishop, Community Relations ManagerTeresa Chandler and Operations Manager Jason Johns .


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By Rachel Buxton O Photos by Sandra Pearce

Most people dream of the day they can retire, slow down and relin-quish the jobs and responsibilities that

defined their work life, but that’s not the case for

Okeechobee resident John Ed Burdeshaw. At 81, he’s no-

where close to slowing down.

Born and raised in Okeechobee, Burdeshaw has lived a life of giving back and helping others through his various career opportunities and participation in local organizations.

“I have always tried to give back to the community,” Burde-shaw said.

During World War II, Burdeshaw moved with his family around the state, as his father, Paul, was with the United States Army Corps of Engineers building various airports. The last one built was the Okeechobee Airport, which brought Burdeshaw back home at the age of 10.

He graduated from high school in 1950 and headed off to business school in September 1951.

While in business school, he wrote a letter to family friend Allen Markham, co-owner of the canning plant Markham Bros. & Co., saying that despite his straight A’s in school he was learning absolutely nothing and needed a change. So Markham offered Burdeshaw a job at his Melbourne can-ning plant, where he began working in 1952. He was then assigned to the Princeton, Fla., plant and eventually came to the Okeechobee plant during the summer of that same year.

His time at the plant was short-lived, however. Burdeshaw was drafted into the U.S. Army in July 1953 and attended basic training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. His train-ing was supposed to last for 16 weeks, but after just 10 he got pulled out to attend supply school in New Jersey.

John Ed BurdeshawOkeechobee’s Longest-Serving Rotarian Still Puts Service Above Self

Because of his typing skills, he was sent to the finance office to type end-of-the-year finance cards. From there, he was retained by the finance office at Fort Chaffee in Arkansas and elevated to the position of auditor because of his busi-ness experience.

By this time, the Korean War was over and soldiers were coming home, including Burdeshaw, who returned home to Okeechobee in June 1955. Once again, he had plans to attend college, but the Markham brothers from the canning plant gave him an offer he couldn’t resist. They asked him to be the sales manager for all of their canning plants in the states of Florida, Georgia and Pennsylvania.

“They offered me so much money, I had never heard of,” Burdeshaw said. “At 22 years old, kind of young to be the sales manager for seven canning plants.”

He was up for the challenge, however, and accepted the job, which would impact not only his life but the economy and life of Okeechobee as well.

That same year, Burdeshaw married his wife, Clariece, and while he was developing a family at work, he and his wife were creating one of their own. They welcomed their first child, Paul, in 1956 and then expanded their family in 1960 with their daughter, Cay.

Burdeshaw played a very active role in his children’s lives.

“When I was a kid growing up, children were seen and not heard,” he said. “I vowed I was going to talk to them, I was going to cherish them.”

He became his son’s Scoutmaster in Boy Scouts and also coached his Little League teams. He did all that he could to be a positive presence not only in his children’s lives but even the ones he coached. Rather than just playing the star play-ers, he made sure every single child played, and after every game, win or lose, he bought them each a hot dog and Coke to show he was proud of their hard work.


“I have always tried to give back to the

community”


“People notice things and care,” Burde-shaw said.

That also applied to his work life. As the sales manager for the canning plant, Burdeshaw had much responsibility and took on a leadership role. People looked up to him and relied on him.

People around town began to rely on him as well. During the off-season at the plant in 1974, a member from the hospital board approached him for help. The hospital was in desperate need of re-structuring as it was drowning in debt.

“I told him I would come over and see what’s wrong,” Burdeshaw said.

Burdeshaw eventually became the hos-pital administrator and served from 1975 to 1978. During that time, he ne-gotiated to get a new hospital built, with more doctors and more beds. He helped bring in the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) and was given permis-sion to name the hospital after his dear friend and local physician, Dr. Hiram Raulerson.

After his time at the hospital, Burde-shaw began working in the real estate and insurance fields, even starting sev-eral businesses of his own.

But even while busy with his careers, Burdeshaw was and still is today ex-tremely active within the Okeechobee community as a member of several or-ganizations.

H e h a s b e e n a m e m b e r o f t h e Okeechobee Rotary Club for 58 years, the longest of any member ever, and is the second-longest serving member of the Masonic Lodge.

He joined the organizations in 1956 and has played a leadership role in both. In 1962, he was the Worshipful Master of the Masonic Lodge, and he was Ro-tary president in 1969.

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Donna Gaiser, President of the Okeechobee Rotary Club, presents John Ed Burdeshaw with the Carl T. Durrance Award.

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He has also served as the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Okeechobee County for two terms. Later, he was a founding member of the Economic Council, an organization that serves as a vital link between the business commu-nity and the area’s governments.

Burdeshaw also took a leadership role within the judicial system as a volunteer for the Guardian Ad Litem program. He served as the voice for children in the courts, visiting and observing chil-dren in their environment and making recommendations on their behalf to the court.

“I have always had the greatest deal of respect for all the judges and judicial department,” he said. “They always fol-lowed my recommendations.”

In the late 1990s, Burdeshaw served on the Judicial Nominating Commission for the 19th Judicial Circuit. The com-mittee interviews attorneys who apply to be appointed judges on the Treasure Coast, sending recommendations to Florida’s governor.

Over the years, Burdeshaw has been rec-ognized several times for his outstand-ing humanitarian efforts.

“I have just felt like I’ve done all the things that needed to be done,” Burde-shaw said.

In 2001, he was named the Treasure Coast Division Child Advocate of the Year, and in 2005 he was presented with the Paul Harris Fellowship Award from Rotary.

Most recently, he was surprised to be presented with the Carl T. Durrance Award, created in memory of one of the founding members of the Okeechobee Rotary Club. Durrance demonstrated dedication and passion for Rotary, and each year the award is given to a mem-ber of the community who exemplifies

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extraordinary service above self, which is the Rotary motto. And this year, they chose one of their very own members for this honor.

Over the past 58 years, Burdeshaw has definitely showed he values service above self. He has played a pivotal role in the development of Okeechobee. He is always willing to lend a hand, even if it just means spending all day in the park selling food during festivals. He has used his community service efforts to help shape not only his life but also his children’s and grandchildren’s.

“I remember I would not let my grand-daughter help until she was old enough,” Burdeshaw said about working the Coke wagon in the park. “She looked forward to it with great anticipation.”

He said everything he has learned has been from his experiences and that he wants to pass that down. And now, Burdeshaw gets to pass it down to yet another generation. He has four great-grandchildren and is known as “Grand-daddy the Great” to his 4-year-old granddaughter, Anna. When he’s not volunteering or working, he is spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren teaching them about his-tory and what it means to give back.

“When you make something good, make something happen and something better because of your efforts,” he said, “that’s what life is all about.”

Find out more about the history of the Okeechobee canning plant by logging on to okeechobeethemaga-zine.com and clicking on Online Exclusives. O


The eighth annual Top of the Lake Art Fest, sponsored by Okeechobee Main Street, drew crowds Feb. 8 and 9 at Flagler Park in downtown Okeechobee. The two-day event featured fine art and artisan crafts by local and national artists, as well as local student artists and a group of Florida Highwaymen artists. The art fest also included the second annual Top of the Lake Chalk Walk, with street-painting artists creating chalk masterpieces on Fourth Street. A Battle of the Bands on Saturday and the second annual Paws in the Park on Sunday rounded out the events. For more information about this event and a list of all the winners, go to www.okeechobeemainsteet.org

2014 Top of the Lake Art FestTop of the Lake Art Fest Pleases Both Spectators, Artists

(Above) The prestigious judge’s Choice award went to Highwaymenartist Kelvin Hair of Fort Pierce.

(Below) The work of Reneé King of Malabar, who has shown andsold her vibrant paintings for eight years at the art fest.

Okeechobee resident Coralis Lopez’s painting of a beautiful blue parrot was also chosen to be the official image for the 2015 Top of the Lake Fest.

There were lots of beautiful pottery items on dis-play by artist Trent Gibbs of Fort Pierce.

(Below) Yamie Lopez, Alicia Hillario, Lino Hill-ario and Carlos Angel Hernandez work on art projects with Chantal Lacerte.



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Battle of the Band judges Kevin Kinnaird, Toni Doyle and Raymond Noel with Sharie Turgeon.Lea Cole and Paws in the Park Best Kisser winner Athena.Laluanna Ford and Paws in the Park Best Dressed winner Oreo.Sharie Turgeon (center) with Battle of Bands first-place winner (left) Venomous Fiction (Thrash Metal Band) and second-place win-ner both days at the art fest Logan Dressel Band (Country).All dressed up for Paws in the Park.

(Above) Ken Mullen of West Palm Beach took Best of Show honors for his large chalk art portrait of Tom Waits.

(Left) Aine Mullen and Aislynn Mullen, along with six other artists, worked on their chalk art during the art fest.

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Behind the Business

efore we introduce you to a new industry in Okeechobee, allow us to give you a quick quiz:

1. What is natural gas?2. What is the difference between propane gas and natural gas?3. What are the uses of natural gas?

If you don’t readily know the answers to these questions, you will be hearing and learning a lot more soon about the “green” fuel known as natural gas, which produces 30 per-cent less environmental contamination than oil and has an

outstanding safety record.

That’s because one of Florida’s leading natural gas suppliers is expanding into the area. Florida Public Utilities, already a valuable presence here, will be bringing natural gas to Okeechobee. Last February, FPU bought the propane as-sets of Glades Gas, a company that has served Okeechobee for 84 years. In FPU’s acquisition, it also retained Glades’ employees in that field.

Known as a propane, air conditioning and appliance war-ranty company, Glades Gas, with offices also in Clewiston, now will be known as Glades Air Conditioning and Au-thorized Appliances, with the same employees, quality cus-tomer service and outstanding reputation.

FPU supplies the answers to our quiz: Like helium, natural gas is lighter than air; if a leak occurs, it simply rises and dis-perses. As a safety feature, an odorant that smells like rotten eggs is added to the gas to warn of any leak.

Natural gas is the least costly of all energy products and, of all fossil fuels, the cleanest. It is not a single gas but a mix of hydrocarbon gases, formed primarily of methane, the same gas you see burning from pipes in landfills.

Natural gas is used for heating water, homes and businesses, cooking, powering automobiles and in multiple ways by industry. Very soon, Okeechobee businesses will be using natural gas, which is less expensive than oil or even propane.

Eager to get to know Okeechobee, FPU immediately began working with the Economic Council and the Chamber of Commerce in 2013 to learn how to have the greatest impact as a business neighbor.

FPU is proud of its product, citing the fact that 90 percent of the world’s natural gas is produced in the United States or Canada, making it less expensive than other imported fuels. Because of this, many companies won’t consider a new loca-tion unless natural gas is available.

FPU Vice President Kevin Webber said that while propane

By Raye DeusingerFlorida Public Utilities

B

Kevin Webber and Dana Tindall.



is effective, it must be refined out of the ground, transported by rail or truck to its destination, then delivered to custom-ers by truck. Natural gas, however, is transported by pipeline just as it comes out of the ground. Eight miles of pipeline have already been laid in Okeechobee.

FPU was drawn to Okeechobee by its potential as an ideal location for a natural gas fueling station to serve cross-state trucking interests. The company already serves Indiantown and West Palm Beach, as well as several counties in the cen-ter of the state. “Okeechobee was a natural extension of our service territory,” said Aleida Socarras, director of sales and marketing.

FPU President Jeff Householder said: “We have an obliga-tion as a utility provider to give everybody a chance at this resource. The … low price of natural gas will be an aid in developing around the lake, and we want to be a part of that. This will bring jobs to the area.”

Because of a 30-year non-exclusive franchise agreement with

the city that allows it to bring natural gas to this area, FPU is determined to become intensely involved in community life. It is already a sponsor of the Adam Bryant Minimal Re-gatta, the Fourth of July fireworks, the Okeechobee School Teachers’ Luncheon and a Main Street function at Quail Creek, and is offering a program teaching students from el-ementary through high schools to become energy auditors so they can learn to save energy at home. Energy auditors are also available to help businesses learn how to save on energy costs.

“We want to be where our employees are involved,” said Webber, “and this community has many local charities and events, of which we look forward to being a part. We want to help this area grow … The area’s job picture will benefit by the bringing of natural gas into Okeechobee and by all the new businesses which will locate here because of it.”

Okeechobee office is located at 802 N Parrott Ave. You may also call Dana Tindall, Propane Manager at 863- 763-2115 or visit their website at www.fpuc.com/welcome. O

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Behind the BusinessOkeechobee KOA

By Audra Clemons

Lake Okeechobee. The facility offers guests, local residents and visitors a myriad of accommodations, activities, dining options and event space to choose from.

With a prime location, just feet from Lake Okeechobee, the KOA has access to fish-ing tournaments and lake activities, which are a big draw to the area. If fishing isn’t on the agenda, the KOA’s nine-hole golf course and driving range, adults-only pool and family pool, Shanty bar, Lunch Box snack bar, full-service gym, tennis courts or the scheduled activities also can keep a KOA guest satisfied day and night. Don’t have a recreational vehicle? No problem. The Okeechobee KOA also offers cabin accommodations.

With so much to choose from, and such a large facility, it is no surprise that more than 30 onsite staff are on hand to attend to guests’ needs. Two friendly faces at the Okeechobee KOA are Wendy Woodman, general manager, and Lamar Blount, the operations manager or, in his words, “Wendy’s sidekick.” On a daily basis, Wendy and Lamar answer requests and troubleshoot problems.

“She’s like Batman and I’m like Robin,” said Blount. “Whatever a guest needs, we work together to find a solution.”

Woodman has been general manager of the Okeechobee KOA for 11 seasons. She found her way into the travel and outdoor hospitality field after she and her husband left their jobs and traveled the United States together in their own RV.

“I understand the camping lifestyle and community. I’ve had my own life experi-ences within it, and I’ve shared many fun

H aving a reputation of being the biggest in the business is hardly a bad thing. The Okeechobee KOA touts this title, spanning an impressive 117 acres with 750 sites just north of

Lamar Blount and Wendy Woodman.



times in communities much like our own KOA,” Woodman said. “The KOA is more than just a campground; we’re a home away from home.”

The Okeechobee KOA offers activities year-round, and is ex-tremely popular during the winter and spring months, from November through May, running at about 80 percent of its capacity. These are the months when guests from all over the continent flee the winter weather and settle into Okeechobee, calling it their southern home.

During the summer season, when the weather is hot and the water is refreshing, the KOA pool is open for outside mem-berships. The Shanty Lounge is also available to the public, and a great location for an end-of-the-week get-together, of-fering daily happy hour and live music on Friday and Sat-urday nights. While relaxing at The Shanty, patrons have a pleasant view of the 85-acre golf course and driving range – also open to non-members.

The KOA convention center is certainly familiar to most Okeechobee locals, as it is used frequently by the community. The space can facilitate large as well as small events, and is a prime location for everything from weddings and receptions to business events and community activities.

The Okeechobee KOA supports its community, as well as guests from outside the community, through its many offer-ings, events and activities. Staff members enjoy their work; the guests enjoy their environment. In the business world, one would say it’s a win-win situation.

The Okeechobee KOA is located at 4276 U.S. Highway 441 South. For more information on the Okeechobee KOA, in-cluding rates, please visit www.okeechobeekoa.com, or call (863) 763-0231. For reservations, call (800) 562-7748 or email [email protected]. O


Photos By Susan GiddingsCommunity Event“Walk On The Wild Side Dinner” at Quail Creek

‘Walk on the Wild Side’ Dinner Benefits OHS Scholarships, Rotary’s Charities

The Rotary Club of Okeechobee had its first Walk on the Wild Side Dinner fundraising event at Quail Creek Planta-tion on Jan. 25. More than 150 people attended this fun-filled evening, which featured a “wild game dinner,” live music and a Chinese and live auction. A percentage of the money raised goes to Real Life Children’s Ranch and the balance for schol-arships for graduating Okeechobee High School students and local charitable organizations that the Rotary Club of Okeechobee supports. For more information on Rotary, visit www.okeechobeerotary.org.

Front Row (L-R): Trini Garcia, Manny Garcia and ‘Smiley’ White-head. Back Row: Sean Downing, Debi Large, Gayle Molyneaux, Lonnie Beckett, Kristy Crawford, Denise Whitehead, Donna Gaiser, Darlene Mayers and Carl Gaiser.

City Councilman Dowling Watford,Noel and Laurie Stephen.

Commissioner Frank Irby andCommissioner Joey Hoover.

Tim ‘Roscoe’ McCoinand Tom McCoin.

(Above) Alligator cupcakes.

(Below) Donna Gaiser, CommissionerRay Domer and Cindi Domer.



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RIDE FOR THE FIGHT Held at the Cattlemen’s Arena

Local Rancher, a Cancer Survivor, Stages Charity Event for Stricken Families

On New Year’s Day 2014, Nano Corona, a local rancher, organized the first “Ride For The Fight,” staged at the Okeechobee Cattlemen’s Arena with the help of many in the commu-nity. Corona, a survivor of esophageal cancer, understands the toll cancer takes on the pa-tients as well as the caregivers, so he organized this event to raise money to aid Okeechobee families dealing with the stress and worries that cancer brings. Despite the rain, a big crowd turned out for the event.

(Above) NanoCorona addressesthe crowd.

(Right) Bullfighters working the bull.

(Far Right) Miss Rodeo Okeechobee Kelly Steinruck


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CENT E R S TAT E B ANK ’ S COR E VA LU E S :Local Market Driven | A Long Term Horizon | World Class Service | Relationship Banking | Faith and Family

Jamie BrammeierCustomer Service Specialist

Faveola CarrilloSr. Personal Banker

Shannon ConradSr. Customer Service Specialist

Kristy CrawfordCommercial Loan Officer/VP

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Heather HancockExecutive Assistant

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Tabitha TrentBranch Manager/VP

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Martha’s House holds Second Annual“Laugh, Love, Live” Event

‘Laugh, Love and Live’ Event Bolsters Martha’s House

The second annual “Laugh, Love and Live” comedy game show and din-ner fundraiser for Martha’s House took place Saturday, Feb. 8, at the KOA campground. CenterState Bank was the presenting sponsor for the festivi-ties, which included a “Price is Sort of Right” game show, a Polynesian dinner and music. Martha’s House is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting victims of domestic and sexual violence. For more information about Martha’s House, call (863) 763-2893. Kim Speed playing the matching game

with Jim Benton as Drew Carey.

Front Row (L-R): Cesar Jaimes, Cecilia Rodriguez,Faveola Carrillo, Tabitha Trent and Miguel Carrillo.

Back Row: Jamie Brammeier, Kerri Davis andShannon Conrad.

(L-R) Ken Keller, Elaine Keller, Eileen Nichols, Scott Nichols, Judge Jerry Bryant and Carol Bryant.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Jamie Brammeier, Faveola Carrillo and Kerri Davis displaying next challenge.Front Row (L-R): Christie Strickland, Jeannie Rhoden, Marcy Corwin and Kristy Ichimura. Back row: Earle Strick-land, Aaron Sorenson, Mike Corwin and Kalani Karratti.Jonathan Bean, Stacie Bean, Nathanael Bean, Annalise Bean, Ariana Cortez, Karen Marie Cortez, Yolanda Cortez and Wolfgang Cortez.Ron and Juanita White with Sheriff Paul May and wife, Delores.1 2

3 4



BUYER BROKER ONLY COMPANY OF FLORIDARealtor Bill F. Steg’kemper, crs, gri

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YOUNIFIED YOUTH RALLYAt Osceola Middle School

More Than 500 Celebrate ‘YOUNIFIED’

The YOUNIFIED Youth Rally of 2014 took place Jan. 11 at Osceola Middle School. Around 540 middle and high school students came to Okeechobee’s largest youth event of the year. The evening was filled with fun, food, music, prizes and motivational speakers. For more information about the YOUNIFED Youth Rally, call (863) 634-6523.

(Above) Youth speaker and author Jeffrey Dean.

(Above) American Idol alum Jason Castro.

(Below) Students get ready for the motivational speaker.

(Left) Rapper KIDD.

(Below) Volunteers provide pizzas to all the students.



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Chamber of Commerce Leadership Okeechobee

Chamber Schools Future Leaders on Local Governments

The Okeechobee Chamber of Commerce recently conducted its third and fourth leadership class sessions. The third class, on Nov. 20, featured a presentation from the South Florida Water Management District and a tour of the field stations, pumping stations and stormwater treatment areas. The fourth class was conducted Dec. 28 and focused on city and county government, the judicial system and business development. The eight-month program will prepare potential leaders of the community.

County Administrator Robbie Chartier.

Gary Ritter explains outside operations.

Kathy Scott of the Tourist Development Council.

City of OkeechobeeMayor James Kirk.

Gary Ritter greeted the class and explained about the five water management districts.

The class attended a drug court con-ducted by Judge Jerry Bryant (above).

(Left): The Leadership Class boards the Okeechobee County sheriff’s bus for the afternoon tour.



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By Capt. Michael Shellen

Spring Brings Bounty Of Panfish,Beauty, Bass – And Anglers!

Spring is always highly anticipated in Okeechobee. The warm, mild days and nights trigger a renewal of sorts. In the lake, plant life is sprouting with new growth, and the air smells as sweet and clean as freshly laundered clothes hang-ing on the line. For fishermen, spring signifies a time when they can find their favorite species of fish in relatively shallow water and catchable. Bass are responding to the warm water by feed-ing constantly after enduring a long spawning season. Panfish such as shell-cracker and bluegill have moved onto the sandy-bottomed areas of the lake in huge numbers and are grouped up fan-ning beds as they prepare to spawn on the moon phases.

As the flowers in the lake all start blooming, it becomes difficult at times to think only of the fishing; instead my mind wanders as I gaze at the beauty Mother Nature so amply provides in Lake Okeechobee. Fishing becomes much more predictable due to the stable weather and warm water conditions. Many times during the springtime, we will divide our fishing day equally among bass and panfish -- starting our morning with bass fishing, whether it is with shiners or artificial baits. Then as the sun moves higher into the sky, we will move to bedding areas where pan-fish are spawning. Early spring, shell-cracker are abundant and will bite on worms or grass shrimp. As the spring progresses, big, fat bluegill will move in to join the shellcracker and anglers from all over the United States will flock to Okeechobee to take part in some of the

FishingFishingon Lake OkeechobeeBy Capt. Michael Shellen

Fishing

863-763-4080

1993- 2013

[email protected]

«««

Prof

essi

onal

.Pri

ncip

led.

Pass

iona

te

Attorney at LawGlenn J. Sneider

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on Lake Okeechobee

best fishing anywhere. Panfish limits are generous and provide anglers with great eating and fast catching action.

A top-water bait is standard for spring fishing; we start nearly every morning by throwing our favorite floating plug, drawing strikes from feeding bass. Many a morning you can catch large num-bers of fish on top-water, other days only a few, but the strikes are vicious and always surprising. If you have never experienced a top-water strike, you are missing one of the great joys of fishing. As the top-water bite ends, we switch to a trick worm or fluke fished on light flu-orocarbon line and a very small weight to extend our catching.

Another plus for anglers who have not seen alligators in the wild before is the number of gators laying on the canal banks lazing in the sun. Photo ops are numerous, and it’s a thrill that will be shared many times and never forgotten.Lake Okeechobee and town of Okeechobee have become a desti-nation for many, and visiting here is a great addition to any bucket list. Great fishing, first-class accommodations and great places to eat make Okeechobee the place to go for your vacation.

See ya on the lake!

Capt. Michael Shellen

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OThe Okeechobee High School girls weight lifting team was well-represented in February at the state finals as three girls were able to qualify.

Coach Tyrone Smith admits he’s well pleased that Tamea Allen, Jessica Mond and Julia Weldon all qualified to com-pete in the state final Saturday, Feb. 8, at Kissimmee-Osceola High School.

Smith is no stranger to the weight room, having been a college football player and football coach. He knows the benefits a weight room can provide to an athlete and has recruited a lot of girls to give it a try. The girls admit that the added muscle helps them in their other athletic activities.

The state finals included 300 competi-tors plus coaches and fans, and the crowds were larger than the girls are used

By Charles M. Murphy, WOKC’s Voice of the Brahmans

THREE OHS GiRlS Qualify fOR STaTE WEiGHT lifTinG finalS

to. Smith said the mental part of dealing with the crowds was something he emphasized to the girls.

“It’s like at the stock market -- you have to throw your hand up to let them know you are coming up to do your lift. You have to pay attention when it’s your turn.”

Weldon said she was excited to go to state. She competes in the 110-pound weight division. Her best lifts this year were 100 pounds in the bench press and 105 in clean and jerk. She won the Brahman Award last year and said she made her goals this year by improv-ing her lifts and dropping a few pounds to get into the 110-pound division. Her parents are George and Stephanie Weldon. Allen, a sophomore, has lifted

weights for two years. She also runs track and is a cheerleader. She said weight lift-ing helps enhance her skills in the other sports. “I feel extremely blessed to have been to state this year. It was something everybody had to work for, and it’s an honor.”

“Coach Smith pushes us a lot, and he is definitely the reason I lift what I lift now. He’s the reason I’m so competitive in this sport,” she said. Her parents are Darryl and Michelle Allen.

Mond, a junior, said she decided to try the sport after her uncle, Chaka Smith, started to recruit her friends. She said she has gotten addicted to workouts and lift-ing weights and really enjoys spending time in the weight room.“I was proud of myself and was excited and overwhelmed to go to state. The sup-port system I have helped me to get this opportunity,” she explained.

Mond increased her top lifts from 120 to 150 on the bench press this year. She admits the clean and jerk is still a work in progress but said she is gaining confi-dence in that event.

“I have persevered, and it was so excit-ing at sectionals that everyone did great. I’m used to the crowds, and I continue to work hard. I hope to do my best at state,” she added. Her parents are Jesse Mond and Toenyka Starks. O

4276 US Hwy 441 So. - Okeechobee863-763-0231

come join the fun atokeechobee KOA!

Pool and Golf MembershipsDaily and Senior Golf Rates

April 1 – Nov. 1, 2014

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Tamea Allen, Jessica Mond and Julia Weldon with their coach Tyrone Smith.


863-467-1570 Fax 888-875-1570

Front row (L-R): Viridiana Allen, Wayne Cunningham and Taylor Marie. Back row: Charles Murphy, Merrilee Berglund, Francisco “Paco” Sangabriel, Billy Dean and Ken Keller.

Okeechobee’sONLY

HometownRadio Stations

The Staff


AROUND OkeechobeeOkeechobee Main Street Mixers

Okeechobee Main Street members held mixers at their businesses: (top) Cassells and McCall (middle) Raulerson Hospital and (bottom) Bridgette Waldau Studio of Art and Fawn’s Art Studio.

Gilbert Chevrolet holds Pro Night Chevy Pro Night was staged at Gilbert Chevrolet on Sat-urday, Feb. 1. The event gave people an opportunity to get autographs and photos with FLW Pro Anglers, experience a Chevy boat simulator and play an FLW casting game. There were many giveaways during the event; prizes included a fishing trip on Lake Okeechobee with a pro. Photo courtesy of Sandra Pearce Photography.

The Chamber of Com-merce of Okeechobee County Leadership Class conducted a quarter auction on Jan. 24 at the Civic Center. One part of the leadership program provides for the group to develop a project that will benefit the commu-nity in some manner.

Pictured: Janice Kelley, Antoinette Rodriguez, and Donna Johnson at their J & D Designs table.

The Buckhead Ridge Volunteer Fire Department staged its 20th annual Catfish Festival Fundraiser on Jan. 25. Money raised from this event will help the Volunteer Fire Department purchase much-needed equipment.

Pictured: Schools Superintendent Scott Bass, County Com-missioner Tim Stanley, Property Appraiser Lori Ward and Fire Chief John Wilkinson. (Unnamed participant holds plaque.)

Buckhead Ridge Fire DepartmentHolds Catfish Festival

Chamber of Commerce of Okeechobee County Leadership Class holds Quarter Auction

Florida Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting

A dinner hosted by the Williamson Cattle Co. at the Camp House set the stage for the Florida Cattlemen’s Association annual meeting in Okeechobee on Dec. 5. Members en-joyed networking with their friends over the fine supper.

Pictured: Florida Cattlemen’s Association board members Matt Pearce, Ken Griner, Ned Waters and Matt Warren.

Chamber of Commerceof Okeechobee County

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremonies

Economic Council of OkeechobeeCARE Award

1. Pregnancy Center 2. Blessings Boutique3. 2nd Street Pizza4. Bridgette Waldau Studio of Art and Fawn’s Studio 5. Little Caesars Pizza6. Tin Fish Restaurant 7. Geechee Mon’s BBQ

1 2 3

4 5

6 7


On Jan. 16, Okeechobee Main Street hosted a reception to introduce ‘La Florida: 500 Years in the Place of Flowers.’ Okeechobee celebrated Viva Florida 500 at the Okeechobee Historical Courthouse by hosting this seven-week art exhibit by Florida photographer John Moran. Greg Thogersen and J.D. Mixon of UBS Financial Services sponsored the recep-tion.

Pictured (L-R) Greg Thogersen; OKMS Executive Direc-tor Sharie Turgeon; OKMS Arts and Culture Chairwoman Bridgette Waldau; OKMS President Maureen Burroughs; and J.D. Mixon.

Okeechobee Main Street Hosts Art Reception

The Economic Council of Okeechobee presents its Commu-nity Award Recognizing Enhancement, or CARE Award, to The Hampton Inn Okeechobee located at 1200 State Road 70 East in Okeechobee.

Pictured below (L-R) are Jon Geitner, Tara Minton Rowley, General Manager Jennifer Lineberry, Christa Luna, Paula Younger, Jennifer Williamson, and Todd Clemons. Photo courtesy of Sandra Pearce Photography.


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Flower Petals ................................. 75

Gilbert Chevrolet ............................ 99Gilbert Ford ................................... 13Glades AC ....................................... 39Golden Corral .................................. 79

Hampton Inn .................................. 60Heartland Discount Pharmacy......... 41Highland Pest Control ..................... 83Home Front Electric ....................... 19

ICS Computers ............................... 85Inkwell Tattoos ............................... 67Indian River State College ............... 37

Jeanette’s Interiors ......................... 38Jill Holcomb ................................... 85

KOA ................................................ 94

Lake Okeechobee Digestive Disease Center 77Lakeshore Marine .......................... 92Lakeshore Medical .......................... 38Law Office of Gerald Lefebvre ........... 27Law Office of Glenn J. Sneider ........... 92

Marcum & Associates .................... 7Mary Kay ......................................... 75Mims Veterinary............................... 78Mixon Real Estate Group .................. 76Morgan’s Furniture ........................... 27Morgan Stanley ............................... 31Murray Insurance ........................... 28

New Vision Eye Center ...................... 69nutmeg’s café ................................. 57

Okeechobee Charters ...................... 57Okeechobee Claws & Paws ............... 37Okeechobee Dodge Chrysler Jeep ..... 82Okeechobee Fishing Headquarters 87Okeechobee Health Care ................ 16Okeechobee Medical Reserve Corp. 15Okeechobee Realty ........................ 57Okeechobee Texaco ......................... 93

Parrott Island Grill ........................ 41Pier II Resort ................................. 75Peace Lutheran School ................... 75Platinum Performance Builders ..... 86

14K Gold Store ............................. 57211 Helpline ................................. 461 Stop Party Shop ............................. 81

A & D Pool Supplies ......................... 67A & G Concrete Pools ....................... 89Alan Jay Toyota ............................... 56American Drilling Services............. 67Anderson Realty ........................... 83

Badcock Furniture........................... 49Bass Electric ..................................... 32Bella Rose Day Spa ......................... 77Berger Clinic .................................... 62Big Lake Eye Care ............................. 3Brennan Eye Care ............................. 44Bridgette Waldau Studio of Art ....... 26Brown Cow Sweetery..................... 47Buxton & Bass Funeral Homes ..... 67Buyer Brokerage Co. of Okeechobee 81Bruce Homer Insurance .................... 19

Carpenter Insurance ........................ 62Cary Pigman ................................... 55CenterState Bank ............................ 79Chico’s Burrito Shack ...................... 75Coldwell Banker/Berger Real Estate 48Cowtown Café ............................. 76Crossroads ....................................... 98CPA Tax Solutions ............................ 62Cruiseone ...................................... 85Custom Sights and Sounds .............. 89

D4 Powersports ............................. 41Dairy Queen .................................... 66Doctor Joe Water Treatment ........... 93Dolly Hand Cultural Arts Center .... 83Domer’s .......................................... 15Drs. Clinic Family Health Care......... 60Duran Jewelry ............................... 81

Echols Plumbing ............................ 67Edward Jones Investments ........... 89Entegra Roof Tile ........................... 33Everglades Farm Equipment .......... 5Everglades Pediatric Dentistry ........ 63Evie’s More Than Hair ...................... 81

Family Health & Wellness ............... 25Fawn’s Studio ................................ 38Florida Eye Institute ...................... 78

List of AdvertisersPritchards & Assoc. ...................... 57Pueblo Viejo VI Restaurant .............. 19

Quail Creek Plantation ................... 9Quality Air Conditioning ................. 6Quality Lawn Care ......................... 48

Raulerson Hospital ........................... 2Raulerson Hospital ..................... 50, 51Raulerson Hospital ............ Back CoverRosato Plastic Surgery Center .......... 29Royals Furniture ............................ 45Rustic Now Furniture and Emporium 28

Salon Safari .................................. 49Sanders Dermatology ..................... 11Sandra Pearce Photography ............ 81Schuler, Halvorson, Weisser & Zoeller 10Skull Hill Steel ................................ 39Slide On By Party Rental .................. 48St. Lucie Batteries & Tires .............. 46Staffords Salon .............................. 38State Farm Insurance ....................... 48

TD Bank ........................................... 47Tammy Platt ................................... 57Teez 2 Pleez ................................... 75Tin Fish Restaurant .......................... 44Toni’s Chic Boutique ........................ 15 Total Roadside Services ...................74Treasure Coast Food Bank ............... 32Trinidad Garcia, M.D. ....................... 71

UBS Financial .................................. 17USA Mobile Drug Testing ................ 21

Visiting Nursing Association ........ 91

Waste Management ..................... 55Wemmer Family Orthodontics ........ 45Williamson Cattle Company ........... 39WOKC 100.9 FM ............................. 95Wolfgang Jewelers ....................... 95Women’s Health ............................ 90Worley Construction ........................ 32

Yetti Outfitters, Inc. ....................... 73

Zippy’s Wings ................................. 89

Do you have an oldfamily recipe with a

great story? We want to know.

Email us at [email protected]


1933 2013

YEARS

Inventory • Service Lounge • Free WiFiShowroom • Connection Center • Kids Play Area

SALESMon-Fri 8:30 AM-7:00 PMSaturday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM

SERVICE & PARTSMon-Fri 7:30 AM-5:30 PMSaturday 8:00 AM-4:00 PMMon-Fri 7:30 AM-5:30 PM

(863) 763-31543550 Highway 441 South • Okeechobee

GilbertChevrolet.com

Return to the activities you love. Learn more about the joint healing experience by reading a local patient testimonial in the center spread of this magazine. For more information, call Consult-A-Nurse® at: 1.844.JOINTS1

Here... for me.

When it hurts to do nothing, it’s time to do something.Do you need joint replacement surgery? • Do your knees or hips grind or cause pain when you move?

• Does the pain keep you from lying or sitting comfortably?

• Is your joint pain constant (chronic)?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you may have worn out one or more joints due to an active life.

We can change this. The orthopedic experts of the Treasure Coast Healthcare System will work with you to develop a personalized plan to give you lasting relief.

Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart InstituteRaulerson HospitalSt. Lucie Medical Center

Documents

Okeechobee The Magazine Spring 2014