The Village Journal Village Journal The Village Journal team is constantly ... 1-888-382-1222 Newspaper ... General Manager of McDonald’s

The Village Journal™

The Ultimate Community Lifestyle Magazine Vol. 4 No. 2

Oa kL e a f P L a n t a t i O nat

s h o p p i n g | d i n i n g | e n t e r t a i n m e n t | i n f o r m a t i o n

P L A N T A T I O N

the

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icia

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ublic

ation of oakleaf p

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Organizing 101:

Green Organizing Bridging the Gap,OakLeaf Plantation’s Overpass

Tax Break and Real Estate

Spotlight on Neighbors:

Bob Whitlock

Building a Firm Foundation

for OakLeafHigh School

A Productive Spring Leads

to a Busy Summer

for Local Government

theVillageJournal.com | 3

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| theVillageJournal.com4

in this issueSummer 2010

community10 Spotlight on Neighbors

Bob Whitlock: High

Altitude Dreams

10

14 A Productive Spring

Leads to a Busy

Summer for Local

Government

16 Building a Firm

Foundation for OakLeaf

High School

19 Bridging the Gap,

OakLeaf Plantation’s

Overpass

22 Controlling the Skies

real estate36 “Thank You, Mr.

President, for the

Federal Tax Credits!”

36

38 OakLeaf Plantation

Market Watch

38

T h e V i l l a g e J o u r n a l


family40 Green Organizing:

Reducing, Recycling

and Reusing

40

health & fitness42 Acupuncture in Modern

Living

travel44 The Maldives Islands

44

food48 Kids in the Kitchen

48

in every issue6 Publisher’s Letter

7 Village Journal Mailbox

9 Community Phone

Numbers

24 OakLeaf Community

Updates

28 Calendar of Events

30 Communtiy Map

32 OakLeaf Town Center

Directory

51 Snapshots

53 Register of Advertisers

coverThe OakLeaf Plantation Clock Tower at Sunset. Photo: Dana Michele Photography

theVillageJournal.com | 7 | theVillageJournal.com6

In my younger—and substantially less busy—days, summer was always a really fun time of year. It was when we took family vacations, went to the beach with friends, hung out at the pool, played flashlight tag in the neighborhood, and got to stay up late to watch a movie. Oh, to be a kid again! With all OakLeaf’s tremendous amenities at your disposal,

I hope your children and family are able to make wonderful memories and enjoy the invaluable time you spend together, all right in your own community!

Just in case flashlight tag isn’t on the agenda for your family, we’ve included an article called “Kids in the Kitchen,” which explains all the great ways to get your children involved in the preparation and cooking process right along with you. Although they may not be too helpful if broccoli is on the menu that night…!

Among the other fun reads we have for you, is our Spotlight feature. In this issue, we meet pilot and aviation instructor, Bob Whitlock, who often has a bird’s eye view of OakLeaf Plantation. We are pleased to be able to share yet another wonderful OakLeaf resident with all of our readers.

As always, thank you for your continued readership and support of The Village Journal. I hope everyone has a spectacular and safe summer!

Sincerely,

Publisher:Ryan Frankel

Editor:Channing Casey

Advertising Sales:Molly McGriff

Senior Designer:Kevin James

Photography:Dana Michele PhotographyClaudio Provenzani

Contributing Writers:Jessica CollinsDoug ConkeyAmy Galvan, APHelen KornblumKendal NorrisElena RomanoDon Shamblin

For advertising or licensing information call (352) 331-5558 or send an e-mail to [email protected]


O a k L e a f P L a n t a t i O nat

4300 N.W. 23rd Avenue, Suite 185Gainesville, Florida 32606TheVillageJournal.com

The Village Journal is published quarterly in Gainesville, Florida.

Copyright 2010, all rights reserved by Frankel Media Group. No

portion of this magazine may be reproduced without written

consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to

refuse advertising. Frankel Media Group is an independent entity,

and neither it, its agents, employees, nor its publication The

Village Journal, have any associations with OakLeaf Plantation,

its developers, employees or tenants. Printed in the USA.

©2010 Frankel Media Group.

Summer Issue | Vol. 4 No. 2

publisher’s deskTh e Vi l l a g e Jo u r n a l

Ryan Frankel,Publisher, The Village Journal Magazine

Ryan FrankelPublisher

mailboxTh e Vi l l a g e Jo u r n a l

The Village Journal team is constantly striving to improve the way we serve your community. While we are very proud of the product we deliver to our readers, we certainly recognize that there is always room for improvement.

With this in mind, we have dedicated The Village Journal Mailbox page to sharing our readers’ feedback with the community.

Your opinions matter to us. Please drop us a line or two and let us know how we are doing. Mail your comments to: [email protected] or

The Village Journal Mailbox 4300 NW 23rd Avenue, Suite 185 Gainesville, FL 32606

Dear Village Journal,

In the Spring 2010 issue, you certainly hit all the hot topics to send us all into a nice and relaxing summer. This was a great issue, packed with local interests such as your article titled “Fun in the Sun” and the showcase of “The Best Desserts in Town”.

The OakLeaf Community Calendar is a very helpful guide in informing the neighborhood on exciting neighborhood events. I always look forward to your travel section spotlights in every issue; this last one on Savannah has sparked an interest to travel there for my family’s next weekend get-away.

Keep up the articles on local interests and our community. You offer a valuable service through your journal for all of us here in OakLeaf.

Sincerely, Sally F.


Athletic Center Access Cards

Program Office: 291-1776 x 2 (By Appointment Only)

Cable Service Comcast: 813-0209

Clay County Public Works Work request for:

Street Signs/Roads: 269-6335 Street Lights: 269-6359

Clubhouse and Patio Rentals

Program Office: 406-2200, x 3 email: [email protected]

Electric Service Clay Electric Cooperative: 272-2456

Emergency Police, Ambulance, Fire: 911

Events and Activities Program Office: 406-2211 x 2

National Do Not Call Registry

1-888-382-1222

Newspaper Florida Times-Union: 359-4255 Clay Today: 264-3200

Oakleaf Athletic Association www.oakleafaa.com 904-291-4233 Email: [email protected]

OakLeaf Plantation Security Guards

904-622-6034

Phone Service

Bell South: 780-2355

Pool Information ASG: 291-1776, x 1

Post Office Orange Park Post Office:

Ridgeview office - 225 College Drive 1-800-ASK-USPS

Property Management Common Areas: 904-406-2206 x2 Individual Home & Lots: 904-225-9070 ext.111

Homes west of Chaffee Road: PMSI 904-225-9070

Homes east of Chaffee Road: Kingdom Management 904-646-2626

Public Schools Clay County District Schools:

284-6500 Oakleaf Village Elementary: 291-5458 Plantation Oaks Elementary: 214-7474 The OakLeaf School: 213-5500 Middleburg High School: 213-2100 Orange Park High School: 272-8110

Sanitation and Recycling Advanced Disposal: 737-7900

Sheriff’s Office Clay County Sheriff’s Department: 264-6512

Water and Sewer Service Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA): 665-6000

Clay County Utility Authority (CCUA): 272-5999

YMCA Dye Clay YMCA: 272-4304

Co m m u n i T y

phone numbers

Cecil Center North5640 New World Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32221

Cecil Center South Aviation Center of Excellence 13450 Lake Fretwell Street, Jacksonville, FL 32221

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Florida Coast Career Tech at Cecil Center

Florida State College at Jacksonville is a member of the Florida State College System. Florida State College at Jacksonville is not affiliated with any other public or private university or college in Florida or elsewhere.

Florida Coast Career Tech is a division of Florida State College at Jacksonville and is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the baccalaureate degree and the associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Florida State College at Jacksonville.

Coming Soon! Aviation Coating and Education Facility (ACEF) and a Commercial Vehicle Driving (CVD) Skills Range

For additional information, visit www.floridacoastcareertech.org or call (904) 779-4200.

Technical Career Training. Close to Home.

FasterGet to Work

| theVillageJournal.com10 theVillageJournal.com | 11

by Kendal Norris • Photography by Dana Michele Photography

Bob Whitlock:HIGH ALTITUDE DREAMS

OakLeaf Plantation resident Bob Whitlock knows that fulfillment of a cherished dream often follows a circuitous path. It also decidedly involves hard work, sacrifice, dedication and support from loved ones.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Bob was exposed to passenger flying at an early age. But he was truly bitten by the aviation bug in 1986 when as a teen, Top Gun soared into theaters. After graduating high school he joined the Navy and landed in boot camp in Orlando. His first deployment was on the USS Lexington, the oldest aircraft carrier at the time used as a training vessel for U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve pilots. Upon its de-commission in January 1991, Bob was sent to Norfolk, Virginia to work on the big E-2 and C-2 planes. As a plane captain, he helped get the AWACs and transport aircraft ready for missions through pre-flight inspections.

After spending two years in Norfolk, Bob went to training school in Meridien, Mississippi and transitioned into logistics;

from 1993-96 he worked on FA-18 Hornets out of Jacksonville. With seven-and-a-half years of experience in the U.S. Navy, Bob made the decision to end his military career and go into store, and later, restaurant management. Four years in the northern climes of Chicago prompted his relocation in 2000 to Jacksonville where he worked as a General Manager of McDonald’s.

In 2001, Bob’s personal life took a happy turn when he met his future wife, Anne-Marie. “She’s simply spectacular,” Bob commented. “I can’t believe I got so lucky. She’s the most incredibly supportive partner I could ever imagine.” Anne-Marie works at VyStar Credit Union’s corporate headquarters in Jacksonville. In 2006 they were living in the Jacksonville area about six miles from OakLeaf Plantation and began researching the area for a better place to live and raise their son Caleb, now age seven. “We were vitally interested in finding a good school for our son and decided to build in the newer section of OakLeaf. We were only the second house on the block.”

community

onneighborsspotlight

It was at this time that Bob knew he needed to make a career decision. “I had always wanted to be a pilot; it was a life-long dream. So after long consideration and much discussion with Anne-Marie, I decided to go for it.” That determination required the family to make some critical sacrifices when Bob enrolled in flight school at Craig Airfield in 2007. He said, “We drained our savings, took out a loan, re-financed our house, got smaller cars and basically re-arranged our entire lives. Anne-Marie stood behind me totally in all of this. She’s truly amazing.”

Bob’s passion for flying sustained him through all the levels of training and certification necessary to become a CFI (Certified Flight Instructor), CFII (Certified Flight Instructor Instrument), MEI (Multi-Engine Instructor), IGI (Instrument Ground Instructor), and AGI (Advanced Ground Instructor). Since 2008 he has

been the Assistant Chief Pilot and Chief Instructor at Atlantic Aviation located at Herlong Airfield. He is also a Gold Seal Flight Instructor which means that at least 80% of his first-time students have passed their flight exams the first time; his percentage is in the 90s. Bob is a member of the National Association of Flight Instructors and clearly brings a passionate enjoyment to the classroom – both on the ground and in the air.

As for the intrinsic dangers of flying, Bob is a firm believer that training is the best preparation for troublesome situations. He recalled, “I once had a full electrical failure in the air. The alternator and the battery were gone, so the radio was out as well. The flaps weren’t working and the fuel gages and electrical fuel pump were non-functional. Basically half of the instruments weren’t working. But the magnetos were self-sustaining and the engine kept turning, so

community


I followed procedures to overfly the closest airfield, observed the landing pattern, looked for the light gun and landed safely.” (Easier said than done!)

Bob’s company, Atlantic Aviation, is a full-service and full-maintenance flight school that trains pilots for (among others) regional, corporate, charter, sales and demo, air ambulance, firefighting, crop dusting, and traffic reporting careers. Their new 8000 square foot administrative building expansion will feature state-of-the-art classrooms, simulators and computerized testing. A 15,000 square foot hangar will house Cessna C-172, Piper Aero, Piper Seminole, Piper Navaho and Bonanza

aircraft. Bob noted, “We’re currently looking at a completion date of October 2010 for the new facilities. It’s great to see this kind of aviation growth on this side of Jacksonville.”

One of Bob’s favorite parts of being at Atlantic Aviation is their recent involvement with the non-profit “Angel Flight” program– volunteer aircraft owners and pilots who donate aircraft, fuel and time to transport critically ill people from their homes to hospitals. Bob said, “I recently was able to fly to Miami to pick up a cancer patient and fly him to Craig Airfield for his stay at the Mayo Clinic. Airports also help out with discounts on fuel and front-row parking for these types of trips. It’s a great feeling to participate in something like that – to make a difference for people who otherwise couldn’t have afforded it.”

Another way the company is giving back to the community is through its Discover Aviation Summer Camp scheduled for two five-day programs in June and July. Bob commented, “It’s designed to spark an interest in young people – those who’ve completed the seventh grade – to explore careers in commercial airline piloting, air traffic controlling, aircraft maintenance and repair, airport management and fire and rescue crew personnel.” The program involves flight experience in training aircraft and simulators, building and launching rockets, introduction to gliders and sky diving and field trips to various airport control tower and air traffic control facilities, as well as an introduction to hot air balloons. Bob continued, “Working with The Bridge of Northeast Florida, we’ve also allocated 36 free slots for students from underprivileged areas to participate in the program.”

When Bob Whitlock isn’t being the consummate aviation professional, he and Anne-Marie play on a co-ed softball team and enjoy walking, bike-riding, swimming

and playing tennis and basketball with their son and friends. “We feel blessed to be living in the OakLeaf community where there are so many amenities to keep us exercising and enjoying outdoor activities. I also love to be out on the golf course at Eagles Landing whenever possible.”

There’s another bonus to Bob’s pilot training. He gets to fly his family to Long Island, New York this summer to visit Anne-Marie’s extended family and to Georgia to visit his retired father. Bob laughingly said, “For someone who’s always been afraid of heights and gets dizzy on a ladder, I’ve ended up with an exciting profession and a wonderful life!”

o a k l e a f P l a n T a T i o n

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community

Just as spring is a busy time for nature as it wakes from the slumber of a brutal winter, it is equally busy for state and local government as they prepare for the state legislative session and the 2010/11 budgets. Yet this process has been made difficult by the continued economic downturn and its impact on other key areas of the economy that hinder the process of projecting revenue.

State Legislators began the session in early March looking at a possible $3 Billion shortfall in projected revenue, an unemployment rate close to 12%, and the likelihood of the economic downturn lingering for another year in terms of seeing any substantial recovery. One key assumption that has been guiding the process is the banking stimulus money from last year that helps offset shortfalls in revenue. They ultimately ended up passing

a budget of just over $70 Billion. As of this writing, the budget has not yet been signed by the Governor, whose options are sign it, sign it but with line item vetoes, or veto the whole thing, which would force a special session as a budget needs to be in place by July 1st– the execution date of the state budget year.

There was a good amount of press that dominated the state session due to politics and potential legislation issues. The impacts of mid-session legislation and the Senate race had a dramatic influence on the rest of the assembly in deciding what was to move forward or be pulled back for next year. The best part of all this is that local government was very worried about the potential crippling of un-funded mandates being passed this year with the large revenue shortfall. At first look, the impacts are minimal but the analysis is still ongoing, as

the Governor has not signed many bills or the budget yet. A more complete analysis will be available later in the summer.

At the local government level, early budget workshops in January helped guide the County Manager in areas of concern and future proceedings. Unfortunately, the numbers for planning purposes have not reached planned projections. The property devaluation is worse than expected and the Property Appraisers office is finalizing these numbers. Similar to the last two years, devaluation in the County is expected to drop another 6-7%. Also, general and special revenue funds (sales and gas tax revenues that come from the state) are less than expected due to the economy impacting the level of service that departments can potentially provide. The local budget process starts earnestly in June based on the official state budget and the finalizing of planned special revenues. The local 2010/11 budgets begin the 1st of October.

In terms of transportation, there is good news to share. A lot of projects are moving forward or plan to be completed during the summer months. These projects, some small, some major, all provide critical improvements to our infrastructure. The North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (NFTPO), which is a regional body made up of local elected and appointed officials, and the Florida Department of Transportation is working hard to improve our regional infrastructure network. There will be a council of 20 members dedicated to analyzing the viability of a regional transportation authority over the course of two years. For example, this local authority

could tackle issues like a regional commuter rail for Northeast Florida. In addition, the NFTPO is looking to expand its current boundary to include all of Clay, Nassau and St. John’s counties since current boundaries cut these in half. This allows local government to leverage federal and state resources to help the entire county as a whole. If a decision is to move forward, it must go to the State Legislature, as it is the approval authority.

The Beltway has gained much needed momentum with the voiced support of the Governor with a recent visit to Clay County. A recent beltway forum had a room full of potential businesses looking to hear an update on federal environmental approvals and potential cost projections. This is a public-private partnership effort where private enterprise will build, maintain and collect the revenue with state oversight. Hopeful estimates indicate possible vendor selection at the end of this year or early next year, which means dirt could start moving shortly after that milestone. The first and most viable leg to be built starts at Blanding and goes to I-10, as it is essentially “shovel ready” and the leasat expensive of the three legs to build.

The summer looks to be equally busy as the spring since local governments prepare budgets with revised revenue estimates. Updates will follow and hopefully everyone will have a safe and fun summer. Doug Conkey, Commissioner District Two477 Houston Str, Green Cove Springs, FL [email protected] • (904) 278-4701www.claycountygov.com

by Doug ConkeyCommissioner District Two

A Productive Spring Leads to a Busy Summer for Local Government

Busy Summer forLocal Government

community


When asked why he decided to postpone a well-earned retirement, Ed replied, “It just wasn’t my thing. There are only so many times you can mow the lawn and paint or fix things up around the house. And I missed the contact with the kids and the teachers.”

There’s been plenty of such interaction for Ed in the last few months. Together with his Vice Principal Michelle Daly and other key staff, he has made the rounds of meeting most of the parents and all of the new students who’ll be attending OakLeaf High. He said, “Of each of the new schools I’ve been involved with, this one has generated the most widespread, enthusiastic support. The spirit of volunteerism in OakLeaf Plantation is truly exciting and they’ve made everyone here feel so welcome. Residents and business owners have come knocking on our door to ask what they can do to help. It’s an amazing community partnership in the making.”

Vice Principal Michelle Daly echoes Ed Paulk’s observations about the high school’s reception: “I’ve never seen or heard such a buzz of positive feedback and happy anticipation before. Parents, students, teachers and administrative staff alike are looking forward to making a success of this wonderful educational facility. Our high academic aspirations will be rounded out by a full sports program through football, basketball, wrestling, cross-country and swimming, and co-ed cheerleading. We also have a strong security system in place and will be implementing a student dress code.”

A native of Puerto Rico, Michelle moved to Florida with her family in 1987 and studied foreign languages at Rollins College in Winter Park. She recalled, “I was a theater arts major initially, but after receiving a

teaching scholarship, I fell in love with the profession. I truly enjoy being with students, making a difference, and helping them make good decisions.”

Michelle later earned a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from University of North Florida and began her career teaching at Eugene Butler Middle School in Jacksonville. There she instituted a Spanish program and later taught Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses at Ridgeview High School. At the same time, she founded Ridgeview’s Spanish National Honor Society Chapter. She was also Clay County’s first World Languages teacher to earn National Board Certification. After eight years at Ridgeview High, Michelle became an Assistant Principal at Orange Park High School and implemented a Freshman Transition Program to provide incoming ninth graders with academic and social support systems. As the inaugural Vice Principal of OakLeaf High, Michelle Daly is the first Hispanic female administrator in the Clay County school system.

An OakLeaf Plantation resident, Michelle is married to Chris Daly. After retiring from the U.S. Navy, Chris became a psychology teacher at Ridgeview High. Together they have two young children, Miguel, 8 and Ana, 5 who attend OakLeaf

The much-anticipated opening of OakLeaf High School is just around the corner. The new 65-acre campus will provide a totally comprehensive education for approximately 1300 ninth, tenth and eleventh graders in its inaugural year, adding seniors in the fall of 2011. With $53 million in construction costs and another $3.5 million for everything from paper clips, textbooks and furniture to athletic gear, art materials and computers, the new facility promises to be first-class in every way. A state-of-the-art media center has even purchased the right for students in the future to download e-books on their iPods or laptops for projects and assignments.

OakLeaf High School Principal Ed Paulk was wooed out of retirement to take charge of operations, including hiring the necessary staff for the school, whose number will eventually reach between 120-130 employees. “We’ve already interviewed over 300 people and what we’ve been looking for are individuals who care about students, who are dedicated to the job and who are positive and enthusiastic in their attitude. My goal is to make OakLeaf the best high school on every level in this county and in the region. It’s been proven – and it’s my personal experience – that high expectations produce remarkable results.”

This is the third school inauguration for Ed Paulk, a native of Kingston, Tennessee and graduate of Tennessee State University. Upon moving to Florida in 1971, Ed taught at Charles E. Bennett Elementary in Green Cove Springs for three years. He then furthered his education by obtaining a Master’s in Educational Leadership from University of North Florida and becoming an assistant principal and later principal of Grove Park Elementary in Orange Park. He opened the new Ridgeview School (K-8) in 1983 and then moved to Wilkinson Junior High in Middleburg in 1993 where he was principal until 2005. Another new school he helped initiate was Lake Asbury Junior High in Green Cove Springs.

Education has always been a passion with Ed Paulk: “Certain teachers in my youth made a positive impact and inspired me to want to help others. I guess you might say it was my ‘calling’ and I’ve never looked back.” Wife Lenore, born in Louisville, Kentucky, is also a principal at Swimming Pen Creek Elementary in Doctor’s Inlet. Together they have four children and eight grandchildren, four of whom are quadruplets. The couple also has a 104-acre farm in Georgia that serves as a family getaway for fishing, hunting, hiking and plain-old relaxing.

Building a Firm Foundation for OakLeafHigh School

Buildinga Firm

Foundation

by Kendal Norris Photography by Dana Michelle Photography

Ed Paulk

Michelle Daly


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Love it or hate it, the new OakLeaf Plantation overpass has joined the party. While some residents welcome the connection the bridge brings to our dual-sided community, others grumble about the barrier it creates.

Begun in August 2009 and funded with over seven million federal stimulus dollars, work on the overpass is 55% completed according to Michael Goldman, Public Information Officer for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The road is scheduled to open for traffic on or about September 9, 2010. Final completion of the overpass, including landscaping and debris clean-up, is on target for a November finish.

When the project is completed, OakLeaf Plantation residents will no longer have access to SR 23 from Plantation Oaks Blvd. In order to gain entry onto SR 23, residents on the OakLeaf Village side of

the neighborhood will need to travel north to Argyle Forest Blvd while those on the Plantation Oaks side of the community can utilize either Argyle Forest Blvd or the southern end of OakLeaf Plantation Pkwy.

Essentially, the new overpass overcomes the division of the two halves of our community caused by SR 23, projected to be a major connective artery for Jacksonville’s future highway system. Once the overpass is in place, residents in both OakLeaf Village and Plantation Oaks will have easier, more direct access to our community amenities as well as our four neighborhood schools, all located within a mile of the overpass. Resident Apryl Blakney appreciates the connection: “the overpass offers my family a safe way to use both sides of OakLeaf Plantation and provides a safer route to and from the schools for my children. The added driving distance is worth the safety the bridge offers.”

Village Elementary. The Daly’s bought their home nearly six years ago and like to spend time together biking, swimming and participating in Cub Scouts. The family

attends St. Luke’s Catholic Church and looks forward to a yearly visit to extended family in Puerto Rico.

Led by such talented administrators, the great undertaking that is OakLeaf High School is finally here. After many years in the planning and more hard work than can be described, the community of OakLeaf Plantation has finally realized its goal of having a true “neighborhood” high school. As Principal Ed Paulk summarized, “There’s a keen sense of pride and ownership on the part of the students, parents, teachers and staff here. We’re all dedicated stakeholders in the future of our kids.”

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Jacksonville, Florida 32256

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Bridging the Gap,OakLeaf Plantation’s Overpass

by Jessica Renee Collins

© Superior Construction and Arcadis

OakLeaf High School Key DatesAugust 3rd & 4th, 8:00 am Knighthood: A Freshman Orientation

August 5th, 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. 10th Grade Orientation

August 5th, 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. 11th Grade Orientation

August 26th, time TBAOpen House

September 12th, 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. School Dedication


some getting used to. “Most of the residents who have come to me with concerns warm up to the idea once I show them a bird’s eye view of the community on a map. Getting from Point A to Point B is still possible, it just takes slightly longer.” Conkey stated that the impact of the overpass on our area’s commerce was minimal. “Thankfully, there are no small businesses within the immediate area of construction.” Conkey also relayed an additional overpass highlight: the existing traffic lights at the intersection of SR 23 and Plantation Oaks Blvd will be relocated just south of the overpass to the community entrance on OakLeaf Plantation Pkwy, greatly increasing safety there.

Overall, the benefits of the overpass outweigh the disadvantages, especially considering the bright side. Linking both sides of OakLeaf Plantation into a giant joint force while also distancing us from a major highway? Perfect deterrent to criminals seeking an easy community to thieve and leave. Not on our watch; not during our party.

For instant traffic alerts, including detours, accidents and roadwork, visit My Florida 511 at http://fl511.com. Browse the website prior to hitting the road or create an account and customize your daily travel route for automatic updates to your cell phone or inbox.

Bridgingthe Gap

Bridgingthe Gap

Although there is no fixed wall separating pedestrians and bike riders from the 35 mph traffic that will utilize the two-lane road, Michael Goldman stated that the north side of the overpass will have a raised sidewalk with plenty of width at 10’4” and a second sidewalk, measuring 6’4”, on the south side. The overpass will also have guard rails and high fencing, a reassurance to Ed Paulk, Principal of OakLeaf High School.

Because it sits directly in front of the high school, misuse of the overpass is a concern for Paulk. “The fencing should detract people from throwing objects from the bridge onto the roadway beneath,” Paulk said. Additionally, the concrete panels along the sides of the overpass have a special coating which allows for easier graffiti removal. “Even though the overpass is state property, our custodial staff will immediately handle cleaning up graffiti,” Paulk assured.

Although it is unfortunate that the ongoing overpass construction will slightly mar the opening of the new high school in August

2010, Paulk is pleased that the FDOT and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office will take proactive measures to keep school traffic flowing smoothly. “It’s not an ideal situation, but they’re working to lessen the impact.” Paulk also stated that noise from the overpass construction will not penetrate the walls of the high school, now the largest building in Clay County. Additionally, compromised safety for the students is a non-issue because there is no direct access to the overpass from school grounds.

The overpass concerns resident Jenna Riley for different reasons, “I feel as if the overpass cuts our community off from the rest of Clay County because we will no longer have easy access to SR 23. My church is in Middleburg and I do most of my grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. Now I’ll need to drive five miles out of my way to get to where I need to be. Instead of making things easier, it will actually make things more difficult for me.”

Clay County Commissioner Doug Conkey agrees that the new access pattern will take

community

Governor Charlie Christ holds a press conference at the site of the future overpass.


Every day, tens of thousands of airline passengers safely transit the skies above us. They will have interacted with the gate agents, listened to the flight attendants and their safety brief, and perhaps glanced into the cockpit before takeoff. None will have dealt with Air Traffic Control (ATC) or watched a controller in action – providing takeoff and landing clearances, guiding airplanes into busy airports in Atlanta, Chicago, New York and L.A., or helping pilots avoid hazardous weather – 24/7, 365 days a year.

Controller ShortageFollowing the mass firing of striking controllers in 1981, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) underwent a decade long influx of thousands of new air traffic controllers. Now, thirty years later, with a mandatory retirement age of fifty-six, the FAA once again faces the need to hire thousands of new controllers. Prior to 2006 there were only fifteen air traffic college-training programs across the country. Recognizing the need for more controllers, the FAA began seeking additional qualified colleges to increase the pool of eligible air traffic controller new-hires.Florida State College at Jacksonville, with existing pilot and aviation mechanic programs already in place, eagerly stepped forward to help provide area students an

avenue to enter this demanding field. In the fall of 2007 the FAA added the College to their growing roster of approved Air Traffic – Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) schools. Currently with thirty-six schools, the AT-CTI program provides the FAA with a pool of qualified graduates for advanced air traffic controller training.

Air Traffic Control TrainingFlorida State College at Jacksonville offers a two-year, Associate in Science degree in Aviation Operations, with a concentration in Air Traffic Control. The Colleges offers Aviation and ATC classes every semester – spring, summer, and fall - at the Cecil Center- Aviation Center of Excellence located on Cecil Field. Strong student interest in the field and the demanding nature of a career in air traffic control require limitations on the class enrollment. Qualifying for a seat in the program is competitive. Students must complete four pre-requisite classes before

being admitted into the AT-CTI program. They must also expect to meet rigorous FAA hiring standards for new controllers, including medical and background screenings, and should plan to graduate with adequate time to be hired prior the FAA’s new-hire age limit of thirty-one years of age.

Admissions into the AT-CTI program are limited to thirty new students per semester. Once accepted, students gain access to intensive ATC classes and hands-on training using state-of-the-art simulators replicating both the airport control tower and en route air traffic centers moving planes between cities. Taught by highly qualified Air Traffic Controllers with decades of real-world experience, these advanced classes progress in a strict sequence, so students should plan on three additional semesters to complete the program following the completion of the pre-requisite classes and their acceptance into the program.

Local PartnershipsTo help fill the pipeline of future controllers, Florida State College at Jacksonville has partnered with local public school districts – including the new Aviation Academy at Oak Leaf High School – to provide interested students the opportunity to learn about a career in ATC and gain basic skills using simulation, all while earning college credit via dual-enrollment classes. Initial classes at Oak Leaf begin this fall, with dual-enrollment classes planned for fall of 2011.

Career OutlookWith the current rate of retiring air traffic controllers, the FAA forecasts the need to hire as many as 15,000 new controllers over the next decade. All new-hire controllers must attend the FAA’s Air Traffic Control Academy in Oklahoma City, OK for a period of eight to twelve weeks before proceeding to on-the-job training at their assigned facility. Students are paid during this training

and can expect to attend classes eight hours a day, five days a week while at the Academy. Training at the assigned facility is demanding. At busier facilities such as Atlanta and New York, training can take several years to complete. However, the long term rewards can be great with the median salary for experience controllers in the range of $90,000 to $120,000 per year!

Safeguarding the Traveling PublicA career in Air Traffic Control is rewarding, but it is not for everyone. Controllers must be able to think rapidly, keep track of multiple aircraft at once, and provide quick and clear communications all while following numerous and sometimes complex FAA rules. No two days are ever the same, with weather and flight delays constantly changing the flow of air traffic and causing controllers to re-evaluate their efforts on a never-ending basis. For those with the motivation and desire to see the training through however, the rewards – both monetary and otherwise – are great. Air Traffic Controllers, while they remain out-of-sight and out-of-mind, are constantly on watch, shepherding thousands of passengers traveling safely on their

journeys in the skies far above. For additional information on Cecil Center, visit www.fscj.edu or call (904) 779-4200.

Cecil Center North5640 New World Ave.Jacksonville, FL 32221(904) 779-4200

Cecil Center South - Aviation Center of Excellence 13450 Lake Fretwell StreetJacksonville, FL 32221(904) 317-3800

Controllingthe Skies


Controllingthe Skies

Aquatic Facilitiesp o o l h o u r s

s w i m a t y o u r o w n r i s k

Swim at Your Own Risk sessions are held in the OakLeaf Village Athletic Center lap pool only and are for residents 18 years of age and older. Children are not permitted in the pool or on the

pool deck during these times.

May 31st – August 15thMonday – Friday 6:00 am – 10:00 am

Saturday 6:00 am – 10:00 amSunday 6:00 am – 11:00 am

August 16th – October 31stMonday – Friday 6:00 am – 3:00 pm

Saturday 6:00 am – 10:00 amSunday 6:00 am – 11:00 am

oakleaf Villageathletic center

May 31 – August 15 Monday – Friday : 10am - 8pm

Saturday: 10am – 8 pm Sunday: 11am - 8pm

August 16 – October 1 Monday – Friday: 3pm – 7pmSaturday: 10am – 7pmSunday: 11am – 7pm

Labor Day Hours Monday, September 6: 10am – 7pm

October 2 – October 31Saturday: 10am – 6pmSunday: 11am – 6pm

plantation oaks athletic center

May 31 – August 15 Monday – Friday : 10am - 8pm Saturday: 10am – 8 pm Sunday: 11am - 8pm

August 16 – October 1Monday – Friday: 12pm – 7pmSaturday: 10am – 7pmSunday: 11am – 7pm

Labor Day HoursMonday, September 6: 10am – 7pm

October 2 – October 31Saturday: 10am – 6pmSunday: 11am – 6pm


updatesoakleaf community

Following is the schedule for Swim at Your Own Risk:

OakLeaf Tennis

Sign ups are held every Saturday from 10am-2pm at the Phase I concession stand for all sports except Soccer.

Please check www.oakleafaa.com for continued up to date information on all sports.

www.oakleafaa.com • OAA voicemail: 291-4233

Youth Sports

Coerver 3-Day Academy Skills Training Ages 9 - 12 • August 9, 2010 • Ringhaver Park, Jacksonville

This camp is custom designed for Boys and Girls in Academy Level Programs. The curriculum is centered around intense skills development. Each session will have instruction in:

Ball Mastery, Passing & Receiving, Moves (1v.1), Speed, Finishing, and Group Attack. Each player will experience why Coerver Coaching is the World’s #1 Skills Teaching Program.

www.oakleaffc.org • [email protected]

Ladies Beginner ClinicIt is not necessary to sign up, just show up with racquet in hand! Each session includes drills,

match play and critique. There are also group sessions every morning, Monday-Friday.

Clinic Fee: $10.00 per player/per day (No Clinics on Thursday or Friday)

904-291-1776 ext. 6www.olptennis.com

Kids Clinics

June 14th - August 5thKids clinics are week-long sessions held on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

There are no afternoon clinics during the summer.

Age Group

4-5

6-7

8-10

11-13

High School group

Time

9:30 - 10am

10:00 - 10:30am

4:30 - 5:30pm

4:30 - 5:30pm

5:30 - 6:30pm

Days

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Time

9:30 - 10am | 6:30 - 8:00pm

10:00 - 10:30am

9:00 - 10:30am

7:00 - 8:00pm

6:30 to 8:00pm

Play

C-2 Team Players

New & Beginner Players

B-2 Team Players

Every other week TBD

C-1 Team Players

Soccer


updatesupdates oakleaf community

oakleaf community

We continue to issue photo identification cards at OakLeaf Plantation to our new residents as well as those who have yet to replace their old white access cards. These cards are required for the use of all community amenity areas. The following provides the information needed to obtain your photo identification access cards.

Is every person in our family required to have their own photo identification card?Every adult must present his or her own card in order to access the amenities. Should you wish to allow your children access to the Athletic Centers without an adult, and they are of the appropriate age, they will be required to have their own card.

How many cards are issued per family and how much do they cost?Two complimentary cards are issued per household. Should your family require additional cards for your household members, they are available to you at our cost of $6.00 each. Cash and checks are accepted. Please keep in mind that we currently have record of the number of persons in each household. Cards are not issued to individuals who do not currently appear in our records. Lost, damaged or stolen cards continue to be available at the current price of $25.00 per card.

How do I get my new card(s)?Cards are issued at the Plantation Oaks

Athletic Center, Monday through Saturday by appointment only. Call 291-1776 x 2 for an appointment.

What do I need to bring in order to get my new cards?Homeowners are required to bring a copy of your settlement statement (HUD-1 Form) or a copy of the Deed to your home, along with a government-issued photo ID. Tenants of rental properties are required to bring a copy of your fully-executed lease, which must be current, along with a government-issued photo ID.

If you have any questions regarding the new photo identification system,please feel free to send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 291-1776 x 2.

o a k l e a f p h o t o i d c a r d ss w i m l e s s o n sCalling all kids ages 2 and up!

Whether you want to just get more comfortable in the water, have the peace of mindof being “water safe” or master a stroke, we are here to help!

Group Lessons $75.00 • Semi Private $90.00 • Private Lessons $120.00

Aqua Fit Mon/Wed/Fri, 8:00-8:45am

OakLeaf Village Lap PoolAqua Fit incorporates cardio, strength and flexibility and is great for all ages and fitness levels. It is held throughout the summer every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8-8:45am at the

OakLeaf Village lap pool. Ten-session punch cards are available for $50. To sign up, either arrive early to class or contact Stacy at 310-428-0107.

a q u a a e r o b i c s


SESSION

1

2

3

4

DATE

Monday June 14th - Thursday June 24th

Monday June 28th - Thursday July 8th

Monday July 12th - Thursday July 22nd

Monday July 26th - Thursday August 5th

On-Site COmputer ServiCeS

www.fastteks.com

• All Major Brands • Troubleshooting• Virus, Spyware Removal • Training

• Wireless Networking • DSL & Cable Setup• Affordable Rates • Certified Technicians

New ClientsReceive

$25 OFFCall for details.

904-371-4449

For Your Home or Business!

Same Day, Evening & Weekend Appointments Available

C o m m u n i T y e V e n T s

To have an event listed in The Village Journal’s Calendar section, please send brief text description

(along with a color photo if possible) 60 days in advance to: [email protected]

Submitting an event does not guarantee publication.


SEPTEMBER

Family Friendly TriathlonSeptember 18th, 10am-12pmOakLeaf Village PoolThis first time event is open to family members of all ages. The triathlon will be followed by prizes and a cookout at the Oakleaf Village Pool. Call 291-1776 for more information.

ON-GOING

Boot Camp at OakLeaf - approaching our 10 month mark!!

Boot Camp is a continuing 4-week program that meets 3 times per week in Phase 1. Each session is approximately 45 minutes to 55 minutes in length. All camps will cover each fitness component: Cardio endurance, strength, agility, balance and flexibility. The camp will be run if there is rain! Recruits should bring a mat or towel for ground exercises, or be tough and be prepared to get dirty! You will also want to bring a water bottle or preferably a Gatorade to keep you hydrated. Work out gloves are recommended but not required. Due to the intensity of this workout, we recommend that you eat something 45 minutes prior to the workout. For more information contact Katie @ 509-7007 or email at [email protected] and visit www.fit4youonline.com.

calendaroakleaf community


calendaro a k l e a f c o m m u n i t y

o a k l e a f r e s i d e n T e V e n T s

OakLeaf resident events are for OakLeaf residents only.

JUNE

Schools Out Celebration at the PoolsJune 9th, 1-3pmPlantation Oaks & OakLeaf Village PoolJoin us at either pool and enjoy pizza from 1pm-3pm and water games from. Bring $1 per pizza slice (drink included) and be ready to take home some cool pool prizes. If you have any questions call 291-1776 Summer Movie Series Pool Side- Ice AgeJune 25th, 7:30pmOakLeaf Village PoolThey came... they thawed... they conquered the hearts of audiences everywhere in the coolest animated

adventure of all time! Bring your family to this exciting night swim as we watch Ice Age (rated PG). We will have the summer kitchen open for you to purchase movie snacks and ice cold drinks. There is no cost for this event but you must RSVP. Call 406-2200 x3 with any questions.

JULY

Summer Movie Series Pool Side- Ice Age, The MeltdownJuly 16th, 7:30pmOakLeaf Village PoolYour favorite sub-zero heroes are back for another incredible adventure in the super-cool animated comedy Ice Age the Meltdown!! Join us for this exciting movie and night swim as we watch Ice Age, The Meltdown (rated PG). We will have the summer kitchen open for you to purchase movie snacks and ice cold drinks. There is no cost for this event but you must RSVP. Call 406-2200

x3 with any questions.

AUGUST

National Night OutAugust 3rd, 6-8pmJoin us and get involved with the Neighborhood Watch Programs, have your children fingerprinted and get involved in making your community a better place to be. There is no cost for this event. Call 406-2200 x3 with any questions.

Summer Movie Series Pool Side Ice Age, Dawn of DinosaursAugust 13th, 7:30pmOakLeaf Village PoolJust when you thought they couldn’t get any cooler...your favorite prehistoric pals from Ice Age and Ice Age, The Meltdown are back in an all-new, ginormous animated adventure for Dawn of Dinosaurs (rated PG). Join us for this exciting movie and night swim. We will have the summer kitchen open for you to purchase movie snacks and ice cold drinks. There is no cost for this event but you must RSVP. Call 406-2200 x3 with any questions.

Out of the Pool and Back to School PartyAugust 14th, 2-4pmPlantation Oaks & OakLeaf Village PoolCome have fun before you go back to school. Get a jump start on your school supplies with a goody bag from the Amenity Staff as a thank you for a great summer. Call 291-1776 for more information.

community


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community mapo a k l e a f c o m m u n i t y

K-8 School

Firestation Office

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Firestation Office

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Town Centeroakleaf

Argyle Forest Boulevard

Walgreens

Home Depot Kohls

Retail4,800 S.F.

DressBarn Retail

8,125 S.F.

UltaCosmetics

LifewayCircuit CityLinens ‘nThings

RossDress For

Less

OfficeMax AC Moore PetsMart

Retail12,070 S.F. S

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FashionBug

FamousFootwear

Crosshill Blvd.

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Retail8,400 S.F.

Outparcel1.16 Acres

Up TheCreek

Outparcel1.41 Acres Community First

Credit Union

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Sweet &Sassy

GNC

Justice

Retail2,200 S.F.

Patches

PaneraBread

Jamba Juice

DivineDay Spa

Dr.Blankenship

D.D.S.

Retail5,025 S.F.

LaneBryant

Nine West

Peterbrooke

Retail5,902 S.F.

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Chili’s

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community


Directory:Anchor StoresTargetHome DepotKohl’s

Electronics / Supplies / CraftsAC MooreBanfieldPetsMartOffice MaxLifeWayPatches GiftsGamestop

Health & BeautyAvecina Medical ClinicBlankenship, DDSDivine Salon & Spa GNCEyes on OakleafHair Cuttery Sally BeautySupercutsSweet & SassyTiffany’s Nails & Salon Ulta Cosmetics

Apparel & AccessoriesRossFamous FootwearmauricesLane Bryant / CaciqueNine WestPayless Shoe Source Fashion Bug JusticeDotsrue21

DiningChick-fil-AChili’sPanda Express McDonalds Moe’s Southwest Grill Peterbrooke Chocolatiers Osaka Japanese SteakhousePizza Hut Orange Tree Hot Dogs Five Guys Burgers and FriesUp The CreekTropical Smoothie Café

ServicesAT&THessMobile Trac

Miscellaneous GoodsDollar TreeMattress Giant Oreck

WATSON REALTY CORP. REALTORS® OAKLEAF OFFICEPROUDLY PRESENTS ITS TOP PRODUCING AGENTSFor career information contact Don Shamblin, Vice President, Managing Broker.

Watson OakLeaf Office. 904-421-7600

We thank you, the residents of OakLeaf Plantation and Eagle Landing for your continued support and confidence in choosing our office to represent you in the sale and purchase of OakLeaf and Eagle Landing real estate. We are honored and humbled by your continued trust in our company and office as your ”Broker of Choice” in providing real estate services.

Our Watson OakLeaf Team of Sales and Broker Associates has risen above the challenges we have faced these past 3.5 years. Many of our “Team Members” are your neighbors and we have also felt the pain of our softening market values with you. Our company and office consistently outperformed our competition and during 2009 earned a market share of 22.34%. This market success is greater than our next 3 competitors combined market share.

If you are considering selling or buyer this year, I highly recommend these six real estate professionals and you can count on receiving “legendary quality of service” from the market leader.

Don Shamblin, Realtor, CRB, GRI, CDPEVice President, Managing BrokerWatson Realty Corp, OakLeaf Office

KAyA FREChETTE, REALTOR® GRI, CDPEREAL EsTATE COnsuLTAnTDirect Line: 904-874-5151 Email: [email protected] Website: WWW.MovingYou4Ward.com

Need to sell your home in this challenging market?

Looking for that Golden Opportunity to invest? Or just

looking for a change? Whatever your needs are you can

call on me to help you through the process and achieve

your goal.

Visit my website to view all the homes available in NE Florida

WWW.MOVINgyOu4WARD.COM

To Search Like a Realtor, go to www.cathybaird.listingbook.com

Certified Distressed Property Expert & Short Sale, Loss Mitigation Specialist

2008 5 Star Real Estate Agent “Best in Customer Satisfaction” by Jacksonville Home Buyer Magazine

This real estate market has

caused unbearable stress and

heartache. As a CDPE and Realtor

I can give you the expertise

necessary to save your credit,

relieve the uncertainty and most

of all, help your family.

To find out why you should Short Sale your home instead

of Foreclose go to my website or email me for a free

brochure!

Short Sale Specialist &Certified Distressed Property Expert

ShELBy hOLMES, REALTOR®

Direct: (904) 338-1707E-mail: [email protected]

Shelby sells “holmes”

Extensive Experience with First Time Homebuyer Programs Call Today for information on the $8,000 Tax Credit.•OakleafResident•MultiMillionDollarProducer•2008FiveStarRealEstateAgent“BestinClient Satisfaction” by Jacksonville Homebuyer Magazine Whether you are selling your home or searching for a new one, you deserve to work with someone that you can trust. I strive to provide exceptional customer service and always keep your best interest in mind.

Short Sale/Foreclosure

Specialist Call for

your FREE list of

foreclosures/short

sales.

RUDY PABUSTAN, REALTOR®

Client Satisfactionis My No. 1 Priority

Direct: (904) 421-7583 · Cell: (904) [email protected]

www.rudypabustan.com

• 2007 & 2008 Five Star Real Estate Agent“Best in Client Satisfaction”

by Jacksonville Homebuyer Magazine

• Multi-Million Dollar Producer“Silver Pinnacle and Presidents Awards”

Changes in the market are inevitable.One thing, however, that will never change is my level of commitment to service and passion to deliver my ultimate goal…client satisfaction. Thank you to all of my clients for your continued trust and the much appreciated referrals throughout the years…your greatest compliment to me!

Call for a foreclosure, short sale list of homes in OakLeaf. Need extramoney for downpayment? Need details on bond programs, Clay

County SHIP and $8,000 Tax Credit? No Problem! We makefinancing and real estate a simple easy to understand process.

CAThy BAIRD, REALTOR, CDPECell: 904-626-2696Email: [email protected]:www.cathybaird.listingbook.com


Thank you, Mr. President, for the Federal Tax Credits!”by Don Shamblin

The time is now for local real estate markets to return to a supply – demand market system without any stimulation from the Federal Government. The recent tax credits offered by the U.S. Government has surely accounted for a significant amount of the robust market we have experienced for the past year.

According to statistics from the Northeast Florida Multiple Listing Service in early May, the number of property transactions has increased (new pending sales) by 57%

compared to same year-to-date period in 2009. Closings have increased 29% above last years as well. Some other good news, the amount of current listings in OakLeaf Plantation and Eagle Landing is reduced by more than 20%, and our current Months of Inventory (supply) have been reduced from 14 months to 10 months (April 2009 vs. April 2010), which represents a 27% reduction in our supply side.

The big question is “now what happens?” Truthfully, nobody knows for sure; our

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feeling is that the market will sustain much of the momentum as we continue through our spring market. It is my belief the sales pace will lessen, but by year-end will continue our market recovery. Many believe the overall price levels will flatten-out and should show a slight increase by the 4th quarter of 2010. I am cautiously optimistic in the ability of our market to support itself. Further reduction of supply and increased demand will set the stage for the market to achieve that flat spot where values are stabilized and growth in values begin. Some neighboring communities have actually seen an increase in the “average sales price” when compared to 2009. This is a very positive sign that

buyers believe the prices have bottomed-out and poised for price gains in the near future.

Stay tuned, as the real estate market is never static and is always moving. The pendulum is ready to begin movement into a new direction. Don Shamblin, Realtor, CRB, CDPE is Vice President of Watson Realty Corp. and Man-aging Broker of the Orange Park-OakLeaf Branch Office. If you have questions, you may contact Don at [email protected]

real estate


Creekview | SongbirdSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2.5 2,166 $189,900

Whitfield | LeatherwoodSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/3.5 3,219 $189,900

Creekview | Deer ViewSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2.5 2,166 $189,900

Hearthstone | HearthstoneSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

5/4.5 3,622 $195,000

Creekview | PalmettoSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price 4/3 2,095 $197,900

Forest Brooke | Briar LaneSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/3 2,368 $202,000

Hamilton Glen | Briar ViewSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2.5 2,083 $202,000

Creekview | Deer ViewSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price 5/3.5 2,988 $204,900

OakLeaf Village | Village OaksSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/3.5 2,258 $206,000

Waverly | Waverly BluffSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

3/2 2,237 $210,000


4/2.5 2,240 $211,000

Hamilton Glen | Briar ViewSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price 3/3 2,335 $212,900

Hamilton Glen | Quiet StoneSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2.5 2,240 $215,815


4/2.5 2,202 $218,000

Hamilton Glen | Quiet StoneSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2.5 2,240 $219,990

Oakpoint | HorseshoeSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

5/3 3,600 $224,900

The Oaks | Cardinal OaksSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

5/4 2,906 $228,000

Worthington Oaks | WakeviewSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

5/3 3,843 $230,000

The Oaks | Scenic OaksSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

5/4 2,906 $240,000

Stonebrier | ThorncrestSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

6/4 3,624 $245,000

The Oaks | Cardinal OaksSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2.5 3,200 $302,500

The Oaks | OakchimeSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

5/4 3,064 $320,000


Market Watchoa kle a f Pl a n T a T i o n

Whitfield | LeatherwoodSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

3/2 1,676 $120,500

Cannons Point | Canopy OaksSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

3/2 1,472 $126,500

Piedmont | South Hall Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/3 1,713 $135,000

Litchfield | Litchfield Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

3/2 1,545 $138,000

Fall Creek | Crane HillSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

3/2 1,493 $140,000

Highland Mills | MillpondSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2 1,789 $151,000

Litchfield | Litchfield Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price 3/2 2,042 $150,000

Piedmont | ClearviewSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2 2,005 $150,000

Silverleaf | Steeple ChaseSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

3/2 1,724 $157,000

Oakpoint | Tower OaksSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2 2,157 $158,000

Stonebrier | StonewoodSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

3/2 1,668 $159,000

Hearthstone | TannerstoneSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/3 2,507 $159,900

Timberlake | Hidden ViewSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2.5 2,280 $162,500

Cannons Point | MooseheadSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

5/3 2,436 $162,900

Whitfield | Old Village Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/3 2,644 $164,500

Whitfield | LeatherwoodSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price 4/3 2,739 $165,000

Worthington Oaks | Worthington Oaks Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/3 2,591 $170,000

Natures Hammock | Wandering OaksSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2 2,294 $175,000

Natures Hammock | Wandering OaksSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

5/3 2,507 $175,000

Forest Brooke | BriarSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2 2,108 $176,000

Forest Brooke | Live OakSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/3 2,349 $180,512

Stonebrier | ThorncrestSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2 2,342 $185,000

Waverly | OatlandSq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

5/3.5 2,987 $185,000

Stonebrier | Pebblewood Sq Foot Bedroom/Bath Sold Price

4/2 2,786 $189,000

real estate

Organizing 101: Green Organizing


family

by Helen Kornblum

Nothing is as refreshing as the bright green color of spring and summer foliage. As we put away the warm clothes to make room for our bathing suits, we have the opportunity to shed some old, cold habits that are out of sync with the new season. Organizing can lead us to green living, which involves simple and sustainable behaviors that are worthwhile in any season.

“Green living” is a new buzzword but it’s rooted in basic principles. Environmentalists and organizers believe that as we assess and improve our lifestyles, we can develop behaviors that support sustainable development, both personal and

planetary. The keys to green living for most us begin with the new three R’s: reducing, recycling and reusing.

ReducingOrganizers deal with the effects of overconsumption and clutter. With sunlight streaming in through your windows, now is the time to inventory your possessions. Identify the things that you’re no longer using because they belonged to another stage of your life. Pull out all the duplicate items you have amassed over the years. Gather the odds and ends leftover from previous events, such as paper party goods that you have never used again. Line up the kitchen appliances that have been hiding in the pantry, attic, or garage. Give your wardrobe a red carpet review. Browse through your burgeoning book collection.

Don’t forget to about all the paper that surrounds you. How long has it been since you dipped into your files? Can you finally admit that all the magazines with those formerly cutting edge articles are now outdated? Are you drowning in old receipts that have no tax relevance? Are you ready to consider online bill paying, now that it has proved to be secure?

You can stem the flow of paper by resisting the urge to print e-mails and articles. Those, along with your documents, are better kept in your computer files, backed up on an external or off-site drive.

RecyclingJacksonville and its surrounding areas offer ample outlets for recycling things that you may no longer need but which still have a useful life. Donations can go to a variety of non-profit thrift stores and organizations: • Children’sHomeSociety• HavenHospice• JacksonvilleHumaneSociety• TeacherSupplyDepot• DressForSuccess• HubbardHouse• SalvationArmy

You can also join freecycle.com, an online community for giving and receiving free stuff.

Use your imagination to find good homes for miscellaneous materials. Preschool and elementary school teachers love crafting supplies, as do local church groups that make items for the elderly and homeless. Also consider the Girl Scouts Gateway Council and the Boys and Girls Club.

Books can be recycled through Chamblin BookMine and Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library, Inc. Books for Prisons of Florida collects sci-fi, westerns, sports novels, and Spanish language books. (Call 375-8198 for information about this program.)

Electronics can go to Junk Moovers Recycling, Inc. and they will come pick up your computers and electronics and recycle them.

You can sell special items on E-Bay, Craigslist and Jax4Sale.com. Many people enjoy holding yard sales, although the effort required often outweighs the profits

ReusingYou don’t have to spend a lot of money to revamp living or storage areas when you begin your spring organizing. Once you have figured out what you want to keep, choose an appropriate storage receptacle and keep the items accessible. You probably already have shoe boxes, plastic boxes, baskets, and containers that will hold your items. Pretty mugs and bowls in kitchen cabinets can become attractive and functional organizers. A standard office desk might be repurposed as a craft center, or you may you decide to buy an organizer specifically designed for one particular purpose.

Conscious ConsumptionMarketing copywriters know our spring weakness—that we have the urge to remake our lives during this season of rebirth and growth. Cast a cold eye on the sales flyers that beckon with promises of lush gardens, better relationships, and new achievements if you use their products or services. Impulse buying isn’t the pathway to success; it’s the route to clutter. You are more likely to revitalize your life through conscious awareness of your surroundings and attitudes. Deciding what you want in your life is the first step toward spring organizing. Helen Kornblum, MA, is a Professional Organizer and owner of Natural Order Organizing.

Green Organizing

Basics of Spring Organizing

•Scheduleyoursessionsonyourcalendar

•Identifytheareaforeachorganizing session

•Makealistoftasksthatneedtobedone

•Gathersupplies:boxes,trashbags,

markers,paper

•PreparelabelsormarkboxesforKeep, Relocate,Donate,Sell,Store,Toss

•Storelikeitemstogether

•Keepfrequentlyuseditemsaccessible

•Finishoneareabeforemovingon to another

•Donateorsellitemspromptly

•Enjoythechallengeofrecreating your space


health and fitness


number one priority in health care: moving away from a disease model and toward patient-centered health.

How does it work? Your practitioner will conduct a physical exam, coupled with an extensive interview in order to detect each imbalance contributing to your health problems— past, present, and future. Typically acupuncturists spend 30 to 60 minutes with patients to complete pattern diagnosis before administering treatment. Treatments are then aimed at restoring balance to your whole body in a variety of ways: diet, exercise, customized herbal medicine formulations, bodywork such as cupping and acupressure, or the use of acupuncture and electro-acupuncture.

As your body’s balance is restored, its innate self-healing mechanisms kick in, and health and healing occur naturally.

For patient safety, sterile, surgical stainless steel needles are used. Laws in states like Florida require disposable sterile needles sealed and packaged from the manufacturer, designed for single use only. After insertion, needles are immediately disposed of in biomedical waste containers. Most acupuncturists select hair-like flexible needles micro-engineered for comfort and painless insertion. Patients typically enjoy coming in to get needled— once they realize that it doesn’t hurt!

Chinese herbs are not at all what you can buy at a health food store. Because of their profound effect on the body, they require a licensed practitioner to diagnose, formulate, and prescribe. They are regulated by the FDA for safety, and your doctor of Oriental medicine is trained to protect you against known drug-herb interactions. Generally, it is safe to combine Chinese herbal medicine with prescription medications with only a few

important exceptions, so be sure to tell your doctor of Oriental medicine what your medical doctor has prescribed.

You do not need a referral from your medical doctor to get acupuncture, but do let them know. In many states like Florida, acupuncture physicians are licensed primary care providers. State licensing requirements have increased over the years with professional standards. Most acupuncturists have 6 to 8 years of formal education and internship from acupuncture colleges accredited by the Department of Education. Between 1500 to 2000 training hours are required to sit for 4 national bard exams (NCCAOM). Among the nation’s best, Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine in Gainesville, Florida, demands over 3200 hours with a curriculum unmatched by any other: Classical Five Element (5E), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Contemporary Oriental Medicine, and Contemporary Chinese Pulse Diagnosis.

If you are looking to resolve nagging health problems, prevent disease, and achieve your highest level of sustainable health, then consider acupuncture and herbal medicine. More insurance companies cover office visits, so be sure to ask. Now is the time to decide whether you want to live with health problems or address them. Acupuncture physicians are here to protect your number one investment in your quality of life: your health. ResourcesNational Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control 2009.

Amy Galvan, AP, and Alberto Galvan, LMT, AP, are board certified and licensed doctors ofOriental medicine providing primary health care services.

Let’s face it– demands of modern living take a toll on your health. More and more people find that balancing their future with something from the past actually helps. Take for example the ancient practice of acupuncture. Once practiced in the foothills of China, today it has developed into a valuable component of successful health care delivery systems in prestigious American medical centers like Duke and Stanford.

Does it surprise you that acupuncture with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the number one choice today among people seeking complementary health care? As the only complementary and alternative modality that is growing, its use by Americans has tripled in 10 years.

Doctors of Oriental medicine use acupuncture to treat and prevent a wide spectrum of conditions. In the United States, one in 10 adults and seniors use it to relieve pain, anxiety, insomnia, and head colds. It can be a safe adjunctive therapy for patients with troubles ranging from ear, nose and throat problems to neurologic, respiratory, cardiovascular, or even emotional problems such as depression. Acupuncture may be used in conjunction with herbal medicine and with more conventional medical treatments.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Conference on Acupuncture gave a boost to acupuncture by concluding that acupuncture is safe and, for some conditions, proven effective. These include reducing nausea and pain associated with chemotherapy, anesthesia or pregnancy. More evidence supports its effectiveness in treating migraines, depression, constipation, low back pain and infertility. Chinese herbal medicine has clinical efficacy in managing “diseases of modern living” such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease– without side effects. Ask around– acupuncturists treat many satisfied patients recovering from allergies, asthma, IBS, sports injuries, and more. With so many clinical applications, NIH and universities such as UF continue to fund a variety of research projects every year relating to the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture for animals and people.

What makes it so powerful is that it treats the individual, not the disease. For example, “back pain” is not treated with “back pain points.” Instead points are uniquely selected to balance each patient according to underlying pattern diagnosis. So unless you are a research study participant, this means you will never be treated with a “one size fits all” protocol. This agrees with assertions made at the 2009 National Science Foundation Summit’s determination of the

Acupuncture in Modern Living

by Amy Galvan, AP

Acupuncture inModern Living


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| theVillageJournal.com44 | theVillageJournal.com44

MaldivesIslands

Coral ReefsThe image of white sand and palms surrounded by a deep blue sea is commonly associated with the millions of islands and reefs spread throughout the equatorial tropical region. This zone, comprised of the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, has a high concentration of ancient and living corals that build calcareous formations over long geological periods. These underwater rock formations, known as atolls and reefs, are constituted by the sedimentation of coral limestone skeletons. Corals continue to build on top of coral fossil remains to keep the upper part of the atolls, the only live part of the reef, close to sea level.

Corals are a group of very primitive marine organisms with or without a calcareous skeleton derived from calcium carbonate melted in salt water. Coral polyps generally live in colonial groups of millions of individuals that build very

compact and/or branched masses. Polyps move forward, extending corallite outwards; they periodically will build a new base and can grow to become several meters high. Examples of the power of these organisms are the Great Australian Barrier, the Caribbean Islands, and the Seychelles or Indian Ocean islands. Among my favorite are the Indian Ocean’s Maldives Islands, massive groups of enormous circular coral constructions breaking the surface of the sea.

The Maldives IslandsThe Maldives archipelago consists of 1,192 coral islands, grouped in a double row of 26 natural atolls, which extend, from north to south, for more than 900km. The atolls are situated on top of a submarine plateau with a water depth ranging from 300-400m; several east-west trending deep channels separate them. They are made up exclusively of calcareous rock, gravel, and sand and are entirely produced by the activity of Corals. The Maldives are subject to monsoon winds with seasonal reversals of direction, making possible a symmetric development of the atolls. Winds also cause changes in ocean currents, which head approximately west to east in the summer and east to west in the winter. While the external islands are covered by luxuriant vegetation, the underwater landscape is extremely varied and suggestive: isolated pinnacles, canyons, extended lagoons, sandy bottoms, etc.

The Living Organisms on the ReefMany organisms live on the reef and actively contribute to its development; however, corals and algae play the most important role. Coral polyps feed by capturing animal plankton moved by currents—a critical element of reef development. Corals generally live symbiotically with plankton. Plankton feed the coral organic wastes, produce oxygen, and absorb carbon dioxide. This activity promotes limestone production, with growth and development occurring faster in shallow, clear, and warm water. This symbiosis is vital to coral success in colonizing environments in the open ocean where life and nutrients are scant. Corals living in tropical areas are generally composed of hard corals, soft corals, horned corals, and jellyfish.

The most common corals in the Maldives are fire coral, which form either very extensive branched or encrusted colonies or small colonies. Millepora is an important reef builder and is easily recognizable by its distinctive mustard-yellow color. Octocorallia is another important class of coral builder, with blue coral and soft corals being members of this class. Soft coral are quite remarkable and cover the substrate with their violet, red, yellow, and blue varieties.

The main coral builders are the hard corals with more than 52 different genera recorded in the Maldives. Among these,

Acropora is the most important class in coral construction; it’s extremely common in shallow water, grows quickly, and can colonize a very large area. Nonetheless, it’s very fragile and is generally the first to disappear in degraded environmental conditions brought on by high temperature, changes in salinity, clearness of water, etc. Another important Maldivian coral are the Porites, characterized by smooth-surfaced colonies that can be massive in shallow

by Elena Romano • Photos by Claudio Provenzani

The Maldives Islands:A Unique Geological and Ecological Habitat


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water or with overlapped sub-horizontal layers in deeper waters. They grow very slowly (2-4mm/yr) but are very resistant to the power of the water and environmental changes. Zoantharia which include black coral and sea anemones, completely lack a hard skeleton.

Algae are vital contributors to the conservation of reef habitat and represent the main food source for herbivorous fish

such as surgeonfish and parrotfish. By eating algae, which generally cover dead coral surfaces, fish prevent the expansion of algae. Concurrently, they grind up parts of the reef, thereby transforming the limestone into loose sand. There are many other reef organisms: mollusks, with their calcareous shells, such as gastropods and bivalves, contribute to the formation of sandbars and beaches; sponges, with their variety of shapes and colors, also include bryozoans, starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and foraminifera. Foraminifera are very important in the production of sediment because after death their shells accumulate as mud.

Each of these organisms has developed its own mechanism by which to survive over others; thus many coral colonies are damaged by the development of other species. Some sponges overlie other species, helped by algae, bore through the dead parts of corals, making them fragile and not very resistant to the waves. Parrotfish bite off hard coral with their beaklike dental plates and transform it into loose carbonate sand. Starfish, is sadly famous for the damage it can also do. Feeding on coral polyps, widespread concentrations of this starfish destroy all corals as they move to shallow water zones. The effects are terrible: one individual can kill from 6 to 10 cubic meters of corals a year. Starfish have been identified in the Maldives since 1963, with the first reports of damage occurring 10 years later.Along with these environmental forces, human beings contribute to the destruction of the reef by the use of anchors, by the creation of navigation passages, and by the discharge of organic waste.

The Frailty of This HabitatCoral reefs are directly or indirectly threatened by human activity; they are also very sensitive to environmental changes. By 2030, scientists predict, over 50 percent of the world’s coral reefs will be destroyed. This warning has already come true in the Indian Ocean: in 1998 the Maldives Islands were devastated by El Niño; waters within the atolls reached temperatures of four to five degrees above average, leading to coral bleaching and the subsequent death of over 90 percent of the Acropora species.

Coral bleaching is how corals respond to environmental stress; such stress is mainly induced by increased or reduced water temperatures, but also triggered by high irradiance, changes in water chemistry, increased sedimentation, or changes of current direction. Coral’s first reaction to environmental stress is to expel their algae. Without their symbiotic algae, coral tissues become colorless, revealing their white calcium carbonate skeletons; hence the term “bleached.” If the source of stress lasts only a few days, chances are that corals will return quickly to their normal state. Nonetheless, there is a risk that, even if the cause of stress is removed, once bleaching has begun coral will continue to expel algae. This extended expulsion occurs particularly if stressors last several days.

In such cases, it can take weeks or months before the concentration of algae will return to normal levels (assuming that the coral colony survives). If not, dead coral quickly becomes the target of destructive fish (especially parrotfish) and crumbles away in a few weeks, raising the barrier level and producing new material for island formation. Even today, the Maldivian coral reefs have not fully regained their former

health; indeed, many are still completely bare. However, some islands recovered very well and many species of corals show again an extraordinary variety of colors.

Elena Romano is a marine geologist. She works as a researcher on sedimentological, geochemical, and environmental aspects of sea bottom sediments for the Italian marine Research Institute of the Ministry of Environment. She has also collaborated with several Italian scuba magazines and has organized the first seven editions of the international underwater photo contest “Diaframma Sub.” She also works with the DIR Italia website, is a long-time supporter of Global Underwater Explorers (GUE), www.gue.com, and is a frequent contributor to their quarterly journal Quest.

MaldivesIslands

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food


Many of us have fond memories of watching and/or helping a parent or grandparent make Saturday evening supper or Sunday afternoon dinner. Then we enjoyed it in a leisurely way surrounded by a bunch of relatives. So it’s not easy to pinpoint when the family ritual of eating meals together started to diminish, if not disappear from many homes. Certainly with the phenomena of two working parents, longer commute times, and highly-scheduled school and extra-curricular activities, it’s become harder to consistently gather the troops for a communal breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Something that might help reverse this trend is to promote cooking with kids and get them interested in making healthy food choices. Chef and early education teacher Shari Ostovar says, “Cooking is a fun, hands-on way to introduce children to a whole world of knowledge. Math, science, literature, health and nutrition and kitchen safety are all involved, and every recipe is a potential teaching lesson. It’s about making connections, following directions, measuring, observing solids and liquids and following step-by-step instructions.”

For nearly a year, Shari offered cooking classes to children from age two-and-a-half to five, with parents in attendance. “First of all, the kitchen is the home’s hub, the center of activity. Kids not only learn cooking skills, but they get to spend quality time with a parent or parents in an engaging way. If more than one child is involved, then there’s the opportunity to learn cooperation as well-- how to take turns and share materials.”

A study by Penn State University found that children who practice the culinary arts are also helping to develop their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, teamwork, health and nutrition, literacy and self-confidence. In addition, they are expanding their creativity, along with their taste and cultural horizons through experimenting with various ethnic foods.

Cooking with children can be an integrative experience. “When my oldest daughter expressed a keen interest in cooking at the age of three, I would take her berry-picking in season and to the farmer’s market to pick out fresh fruits and vegetables,” Shari explained. “When we brought them home, prepared, cooked and ate them, she could see the complete cycle.” Shari added that another very valuable resource is the local library, where hundreds of children’s cookbooks are available. “The ideas and opportunities for creativity in the kitchen are virtually limitless.”

Here are some basic tips that make this cooperative process flow smoothly. First of all, sharing the kitchen with children means:

•Designatingaworkstationwithadequate surface area and sturdy, non-skid seating •Buildinginextratimeforfood preparation and cleaning up afterward

•Choosingrecipesthatareage-appropriate and taking a step-by-step approach •Havingallingredients,utensilsandtools readily at hand before starting •Choosinghealthysnackstohavearound for kids to nibble on while they’re engaged in cooking activities: fresh fruits, veggies with dip, smoothies, yogurt •Encouragingcleaningaspartofthe process as they go along •Optional:Designatingaconsistent“help with cooking” night of the week

As far as individual meals are concerned, even young children/toddlers can be involved with breakfast by cracking eggs, stirring batters, pouring liquids, rinsing and straining, and using plastic utensils to chop soft fruits or vegetables for cereals and omelets. They can also help with lunch by spreading peanut butter/jam on bread, washing raw vegetables and making toast with bread, pita or bagels. Dinner participation can involve help with layering casseroles or washing and mixing ingredients for salads.

KIDSIN THE

KITCHEN

Kids in the Kitchenby Kendal Norris


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Amy & Chris Shaheen,Brianne Roussin

Whitney, William, Davette, & Maurice Wellmaker

Liz & Sam Akiky

Carol, Carrie, & Abby McEuen

Camp OakLeaf

March 19, 2010

Jacob Heisler

Chris & Jayden HeislerAaron NguyenJosh & Lucas Lozano

Tracy Shelton, Jim Reagan, & Julie McDonald,Krista & Chris Artis, Regi & Ann MayDylan Vickers

With adequate instruction, pre-teens in the kitchen are more than able to roll dough, grate cheese, peel potatoes, melt butter or chocolate in the microwave, boil pasta or eggs, fry a hamburger, frost cakes, use a juicer and make grilled cheese and tuna melts.

Don’t forget that safety considerations are paramount for both young children and pre-teens. Here are some important tips to keep in mind (according to Williams & Sonoma.com):

•Adultsupervisionofallkitchenactivities •Demonstrationofproperuseofutensils, tools and small appliances

•Handyfire-extinguisherandfirst-aidkit (and knowledge of how to put out a grease fire– never use water!) •Properuseofhandmittsandpotholders •Sturdy,non-slipchairs/stools •Eliminationofdistractionssuchasloud noises, pets and T.V. •Washingofhandsbeforetouchingfood and taking extra care with meats and raw eggs •Useofnon-skidcuttingboardsorplacing a wet towel under smooth boards •Establishaslowpaceandanswer questions simply and clearly •Keepkitchenascleanaspossible,but expect some spill accidents, especially with younger children. Put on the “patience” cap before starting!

Encouraging kids to learn cooking from an early age also promotes healthier eating choices. The more educated they become about reading labels, understanding about calories, nutrients, and vitamins, the more likely they are to choose healthier foods and cook and eat more balanced meals. It’s just as easy to broil, grill, roast or steam a piece of fish as it is to dip it in fattening batter and fry it. Hummus on whole wheat pita for a snack hands-down beats potato chips and a soda. Stocking up on groceries and ingredients that are good and varied sources of protein, carbohydrates and non-saturated fats is important. Being a role model by eating healthy oneself and limiting access to fast food, sugary drinks and low-nutrient snacks around the house is also essential.

So head to the kitchen with children in tow, and make cooking a collective family adventure that’s fun, educational and delicious!

KIDSIN THE

KITCHEN

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