CARL MCKINNEY/Alachua County Today

Children sat on Santa's lap and brought him cookies to snack on.

HIGH SPRINGS – Lights, music and art brought an air of festivity to the town of High Springs last week.

The annual Christmas-tree lighting was held on Friday, Nov. 22 in High Springs.

The event, located near the railroad tracks, had Christmas music, lights and refreshments, started off at 6 p.m. and went until 7:30 p.m.

New mayor, Byran D. Williams, opened the lighting of the 8-foot tall Christmas tree with a short speech thanking the Chamber of Commerce.

When the lights went on, parents and children began to gravitate toward the food and drink stands, but some children were more interested in meeting Santa Claus.

“What did you bring me?” asked Lance Lounsbury, playing the part of Santa, as three children brought him cookies.  

One of the stands offering refreshments such as cookies, hot chocolate and pigs in a blanket was managed by the Coffee Clutch Cafe, who also participated in the Art Walk that was held at the same time.

Jesse Lounsbury, son of Lance, ran the table for the Coffee Clutch Cafe to help his mother, the owner of the cafe, Nancy Lounsbury.

“We got the opportunity to come out and have fun,” Jesse Lounsbury said.

Children also had an opportunity to make Christmas-tree decorations. The ornament station was laid out on the ground with paint, glue and glitter gave kids the chance to dig down deep and bring out their inner Picasso by decorating their own leaf ornaments.

The High springs Community School participated in the lighting. The school sat with their table on the back of the lot selling cookies, cupcakes and other baked goods to raise money for the school’s safety patrols.

One parent, Jackie Helton, brought her children for the first time to the event and said that the tree lighting was a great experience for her kids. She said she looks forward to coming back next year.

Volunteer DJ Michael Loveday said that the audience for this year’s lighting had grown significantly since last year.

“There are about 50 percent more people showing up,” Loveday said.

The event began to clear out around 6:30 p.m. when the art walk started, which had various businesses displaying photos, paintings and sculptures by local artists.

Each of the businesses hosting the walk offered food and wine to enjoy while browsing the art collections.

One artist, Linda Tiffany, brought out her photography from the Ponce de Leon exhibit. The retired art teacher said she used to be predominantly a painter, but since teaching children she has had to ease back into it.

“I’m finally getting back to some of my artwork again,” Tiffany said. “I’ve got some paintings going, but I didn’t have them done in time.”

Larry Behnke, a member of the Art Co-op and one of the artists on display during the art walk, said the event was great for both local artists and businesses because it gives people the opportunity to notice places that they wouldn’t usually see.

“The fun part is that there are 15 other artists around town, and in High Springs most of the businesses close at 5 p.m.,” Behnke said. “This allows them to stay open at night and people come downtown and say ‘oh I didn’t know this shop was here,’ and so this is getting the public out to see not only different artists, but different businesses in the town.”

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RONN JONES/Special to Alachua County Today

Melody Lewis, Bella Diefenderfer, Dorothy Newbern, Father Sebastian George, Lucille Gabriel, Bob Barnas, Richard Williams, Lauri Edvardson, Sue Weller, Pierre LeBrun, Bishop Felipe Estevez and Helen LeBrun gather for a photo.

HIGH SPRINGS – The High Springs Community Outreach Program, which feeds and helps to clothe hundreds of area families each month, was visited by a Florida Catholic Clergyman.

Bishop Felipe Estevez of St. Augustine came to the city to offer his blessings to the program.

His office allowed the formation of the fledgling organization, organized by St. Madeleine’s Church, when another organization closed its local office near the end of June.

Community Outreach Program director, Bella Diefenderfer, and her volunteers, received Bishop Estevez, Father Sebastian George, Pastor, St. Madeleine’s Catholic Church, members of the Knights of Columbus, Mayor Sue Weller and Commissioner Bob Barnas at their headquarters, 15 SE 1st Ave., High Springs, on Wed. Nov. 6.

“It was a great honor having Bishop Estevez come all this way to bless our program,” Diefenderfer said. “We were especially pleased to have area dignitaries, Father George and several of our most ardent supporters attend,” she said.

More than 400 families with upwards of 500 children in the High Springs area could go without food this holiday season without the help of the area residents, according to the program organizers. Around 150 families have asked for help providing Thanksgiving dinners, and around 75 have asked for help with Christmas dinners.

“Without the community’s involvement, outreach will not be able to accomplish its mission, which is to help people less fortunate,” Diefenderfer said in an earlier interview. “They need food and gifts.”

The organization feeds more than 400 families located in High Springs, Ft. White, Alachua, Hague and Newberry, and even some from Gilchrist and Union counties. Many of the families come every 30 days for food and clothing for themselves and their children, she said.

Fewer people are donating now than in previous years, Diefenderfer said. She has spent eight years with charities, and said she knows what the families need.

The program cannot fully provide all the food each family needs, but it can be a big help, she said, allowing them to last through the month. There is a lot of need and not a lot of supplies, Diefenderfer said.

The organization is also trying to provide Christmas gifts for over 200 younger children. Even a used outfit, a pair of shoes or a toy can make all the difference in the world, she said. The deadline to submit unwrapped children's gifts is Dec. 13. Anyone wishing to adopt a family for the holidays can contact Diefenderfer directly to make arrangements.

“These families are in desperate need of help from their communities,” she said in an earlier interview. “Whatever people wish to give in whatever way they give it is always very much appreciated.”  

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CARL MCKINNEY/Alachua County Today

Ashby Green sips on his cup of coffee during an early morning drive through a field of cattle. He and Roger West raise cattle on eight different locations throughout Alachua County, including Alachua, Newberry and Gainesville.

ALACHUA – Every cut of beef and vegetable leaf in Hitchcock’s supermarket represents countless hours of labor from 2 percent of the American population.

This week, the Florida Farm Bureau is celebrating Farm-City Week, honoring the men and women who work to supply the food lining the shelves of grocery stores.

Farmers like Roger West, who raises cattle in eight locations across the county, make up the 2 percent of Americans who feed the country.

“A lot of people don’t really realize where their food comes from and how much work it takes to reduce it and process and get it to them,” West said.

West raises around 350 cattle each year across 1,800 acres of land around Alachua County.

He works six or seven days a week, making sure his cattle are healthy, have a good weight and have a decent amount of food and water.

“From the standpoint of cattle production, it’s about 75 percent science and 25 percent art,” West said.

Better understanding of genetics and nutrition has allowed American farmers to get the same amount of beef that was being produced in the 1950s with far fewer cows, he said.

“Each cow is producing more beef through technology,” West said.

The University of Florida has been a leader in performing the research that helps farmers be more efficient with their livestock.

One of the farms West works lies between Alachua and High Springs, just off U.S. Highway 441. Jeffords Farm was named after Belle Jeffords, an active participant in the Alachua County Cattlemen’s Association. It was named after her to carry on her legacy of good stewardship and responsible land use, said Ashby Green, West’s business partner.

“This farm and the people running it are doing the right things,” he said. Jeffords Farm cooperates with the Suwannee River Water Management District to use its resources responsibly.  

Around 10 a.m. on a cool Tuesday morning, Green rolled up to the farm in a white truck, ready to talk about the life of a cattleman.

Green, a former veterinarian, looked at the weight of the livestock to make sure they are ready for winter. They are weighted on a scale of one to 10. For this time of the year, a six or seven is optimal, he said.

He walked through the fields, giving off a call to the cows. They waited until he got too close before dispersing, keeping their distance from Green.

“They have a lot of personality,” he said. “They’re very much like people.”

The biggest challenge facing farmers today is educating the consumer on how cattlemen produce beef, West said.

Farm-City Week runs from Nov. 22 to Nov. 28, and is intended to celebrate the relationship between farmers and supermarkets, honoring their contributions to the quality of life of Floridians and people across the country, according to the Florida Farm Bureau.

Every time someone buys food, whether it is local or not, it helps the market and supports farmers,   said Micanopy farmer John Newbanks.

“We should be appreciated at least three times a day when you sit down for your meals,” said farmer Green.

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ALEX HART/Alachua County Today

Jhalon Walker in front of a race to the end zone during the championship game. His team, the Newberry Panthers, defeated Alachua.

NEWBERRY – The bright lights were on and shining down on a chilly field for the championship round of the four-to-seven year old flag football league in Newberry Tuesday night, Nov. 19.

The tournament began last Thursday, with 10 teams from around Alachua County. Teams from Waldo, Newberry, Alachua, Gainesville and Bronson participated, said Damon Messina, assistant recreation director for the City of Alachua.

The second final of the doubleheader on Tuesday matched the Alachua Ninjas up with the Newberry Panthers, who would prove to be victorious, in Division One.

The atmosphere was electric as the athletes left it all out on the field, hoping to bring their team and fans the glory they came for.

Coming into the game, the star player for the Panthers was Jhalon Walker, and Newberry was counting on him to have a big game to deliver a championship. He and his fellow runners out of the Newberry backfield had to outrush a stable of playmakers on the Ninjas’ side to prevail in this one. And they were up to the task.

Newberry jumped out to a one-touchdown lead, after a close game in the beginning. Then Walker broke a run to the outside and scampered down the sideline on his way to a touchdown to extend his team’s lead even more just before the break.

Coming out in the second half, the Ninjas moved the ball with ease against the Newberry defense, relying on a running attack. However, the team was unable to punch it in for a score from just outside the goal line, and in turn, missed an opportunity to cut into the Panther’s lead.

When Newberry received the ball back, there was little more than five minutes left to play. They ran two plays and then were called for an offside penalty, giving the ball back to the Ninjas, who once again had life.

Alachua continued to mix their running attack and drive down the field to draw the game back to one score. Then, just as he had done earlier in the game, safety Jhalon Walker made a play that could have easily broken the heart of every Ninja at the Easton Newberry Sports Complex.

As the Alachua quarterback looked to hook-up with one of his receivers for a late touchdown, Walker stepped in front of the pass and made the game-sealing interception. But not only did he get the takeaway, he ran it straight up the middle all the way back to the house, and all but assured his team’s victory.

“He’s been doing that for us all year long,” Panthers coach Mike Gilliam said. “It did not surprise me one bit that he came up with a big play there in the end as well.”

With Newberry up 26-8 and the game in hand, Alachua handed the ball off to the youngest of the competitors, just 2-years-old, to finish the game. This got the crowd going right before the final whistle blew, signaling the end of the season, and the beginning of the Panthers celebration.

The teams lines up at midfield and shook hands, congratulating each other on a great season, and then Newberry prepared to receive their championship trophy and medals.

The parents and fans from Newberry cheered loudly for their champions, and the side from Alachua joined in as well, showing their support. The kids joined their coach for a team picture, and with wide smiles in victory, held their hands up to show they were number one.

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