A Charming Slice of History……

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Charlie Hudson

Cauley Square is an enclave of historic homes converted into shops and restaurants on Highway 1 S (S. Dixie Highway) between Miami and Homesetad, FL

As part of my freelance career, I usually do one or two articles for our weekly local newspaper with my focus on human interest and restaurant reviews. Those two aren’t actually as dissimilar as they may seem because what I look for is the story behind the restaurant with the food in a supporting role. Although the town and surrounding area has grown considerably in the past ten years (caught in the housing bubble burst, but grown nonetheless), there are still small-town elements that are appealing to we non-city dwellers. With that said, the town is coming up on our centennial celebration (if I have any readers from places like Williamsburg, Philadelphia and Boston, you can quit snickering now), and so I’ve been out gathering stories from residents about families and places of historical interest. Again, for those of us who have strolled the streets of Paris, London, Rome, etc., a hundred years of history is a blink of an eye, but it is a fun project for me.

The other day I was sent to Cauley Square, a charming enclave of shops and restaurants set within ten acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. It’s origins began in 1903 with a railroad siding where a wealthy farmer (William Cauley) literally created a village to support shipping operations for his produce. According to the stories, it wasn’t charming back then and a series of events caused it to fall into decline until the county planned to demolish it. Mary Anne Ballard, a woman who had built her own Interior Design business, and was an advocate for the arts and history, stepped in and purchased the property. In addition to saving the original two-story stone building, she had the idea of gathering a number of the wooden houses that had been hand-built by early families and converting those into shops and a restaurant.

She did that with great success and worked to get Cauley Square declared as a Historical Site. After her death, however, financial problems loomed, and now comes a delightful development. Frances Varela, a woman who came from Honduras 42 years ago, spent her life in construction. She grew to love the area so much that she decided to buy all of Cauley Square and spent ten years making it even better than it was. There are 25 structures, mostly these old houses that are now shops, with two restaurants and a pleasant outdoor Latin Cafe. Frances made certain that the sidewalks were wide enough for wheelchairs and it is truly a lovely place to meander. I take visitors there all the time and I loved hearing how two women from completely different backgrounds were the ones who created and have kept the place going.

Cauley Square is on Highway 1 (South Dixie Highway), en route to Homestead and the Florida Keys. That’s Cauley Square at 22400 Old Dixie Highway, Tel: (305) 258-3543; www.cauleysquare.com

Searching for Women Veterans…….

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Charlie Hudson

One of many exhibits at the Women in Military Service of America Memorial

I make no secret that I think the U.S. military is a great opportunity to empower women, be it for a career or a single term of service, notwithstanding the continuing state of hostilities around the globe. That, however, is not the actual point of this post. I was not personally present, but an individual that I trust was in a meeting in the early fall of 1990 when the U.S. was working to establish the coalition that would take offensive action to recover Kuwait from the Iraqi occupation. In the course of discussing the size and composition of the U.S. Army forces that would be brought from Germany, allegedly the question was posed as to if it would be possible to have all male forces in deference to the Arab culture. The immediate response by a very high ranking officer was along the lines of, “No, women are too intergal a part of the Army to even consider that.” That declaration was accepted and the discussion continued.

For the record, that same country later contributed to help establish the Women in the Military Service of America Memorial that is on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetary. It is a lovely building with a wonderful chronology of women in the military and is a place that I highly recommend you visit when you are in Washington, D.C. One of the important aspects of the museum is their database of women who have served, or are serving in the military, but a lot of women don’t know about this. That is especially true for those women who may have served in WW II or Korea. You might also be surprised if you check into your own family history to discover female relatives who served in different capacities, and who are eligible to be entered into the database. I used a vignette from a dear friend about one of her relatives to develop a scene in my novel Irises to Ashes that dealt with women who were trained as pilots to ferry aircraft overseas in a non-combat role. While the scene was fictional, that historical aspect was accurate.

You can check into the museum through their web site of http://www.womensmemorial.org/, and please do consider adding the museum to your next trip. If you live in the Washington, D.C./Northern VA area and haven’t been, be sure to put it on your list.

Crippled Legs, Not Spirit……

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Charlie Hudson

As a stringer for our local weekly paper, I have agreed to a fairly narrow focus and human interest pieces are right up my alley. I was called on to cover a guest speaker at the Rotary Club and that was another of those occasions when I was so touched by the strength of the human spirit that I was grateful to be capturing the story. In this case, it was Nichole Rider, a woman who at age 22, was a trim, athletic college student and basketball team member who had been raised in Wyoming with a love of sports and outdoor activities. She had only a few seconds warning before the automobile accident that broke her neck and damaged her spinal cord plunged her into unconsciousness. When she finally awoke, unable to move, her parents and twin sister had spent sleepless hours not knowing if she would live.

The prognosis was grim – little more than a five percent chance that she would gain movement below her shoulders. In the months that followed, Nichole endured extraordinary pain as she battled the odds, determined to regain as much of her body as she could. The nerve damage that affected her hands was too severe to allow her to play wheelchair basketball, but wheelchair rugby was another matter. Adaptive skiing – sure, she did that, too. Although she spent many hours on the local lakes in Wyoming both growing up and after her accident, it was a trip to Miami where she became involved with Shake-a-Leg, Miami, and fell in love with sailing thanks to adaptive seating and special rigs. Nichole has not only participated in more than a dozen competitive regattas since then, but also developed sailing and kayaking clinics that she teaches. She is engaged in numerous other activites and supports causes that are too many to list here, but her inspirational story can be accessed at a shared web site of http://www.cleverpig.org/NicholeRider/

Her slide presentations are sprinkled with messages such as, “Say Yes to Life,” and when you watch her deftly manuever her wheelchair (that’s after she’s driven herself in her adapted van), you can’t help but admire her. Nichole is headed back West for a few weeks and then plans to relocate to South Florida where she has a much longer boating season.

Considering a Community Support Agriculture Arrangement…..

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Charlie Hudson

Sample of produce from Teena's Pride CSA

I’ve posted before about the richness of agriculture in this area and a couple of weeks ago I attended a luncheon to honor a woman who is one of the local pioneers in community support agriculture (CSA). She did not come from a farming family, but married into one. Tragically, her husband died young and she was left with two toddler sons and 500 acres that she had not remotely considered running. She was determined, however, to try her best and what she accomplished was pretty incredible. One of the things she did was develop a line of miniature vegetables and later expanded into Community Support Agriculture, an effort that her youngest son now operates as she has moved more into an advocacy role. Her passion is genuine and she provided the gorgeous heirloom tomatoes for the luncheon. We have a few Farmers’ Markets around and fruit and vegetable stands dot the roadsides, but I really wasn’t knowledgable about CSA.

I confess that my vegetable likes are significantly more limited than my husband’s and I am not certain that we would be able to consume the quantity of vegetables that come with the weekly box. If, like me, you are not familiar with a CSA, you buy a certain size “share” from the CSA, then receive an assortment of what they grow each week for the duration of the growing season. In some cases they deliver to individual homes, although in this case, you can either pick up from them or from a designated grocer. The farm is not too far from where we live, so that is what we will do if we decide to give it a try. The other thing is that if we don’t need a pick-up for a particular week, they will contribute our portion to Farm Share, and we appreciate the work that they do.

I’m leaning in this direction, so if any of you have tried this, please do let me know about your experience.

Healing Horse Therapy……

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Charlie Hudson

Good Hope Equestrian Training Center near Homestead, FL provides therapy for spcial needs adults, children, and wounded veterans

Whether you use the proper term of equestrian therapy or the casual term of “horse”, this is another of those alternative programs that does not always, but can have healing, or at least greatly beneficial theraputic results depending on the individual. I previously posted about the amazing Island Dolphin Care therapy program and a couple of weeks ago I went to the Good Hope Equestrain Training Center to speak with two wonderful women who are working to spread the word about the programs they conduct. Like many organizations, these programs have seen a reduction in funding levels and they are planning two fund raisers; a Family Day and concert March 31, 2012 from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m., and a golf tournament on April 14, 2012 with registration beginning at 11:00 a.m.

I met with Peggy Bass, the Executive Director, and Betty Quinn, a woman who helps find employment for special needs adults, the day that I was at the Good Hope Center. Their commitment and compassion were palpable and I was amazed at the variety of programs they offered for special needs children, adults, and wounded veterans. I haven’t been on a horse since I was a kid visiting my grandfather’s farm, but I did used to take Dustin to riding lessons. Peggy, who has personally developed several of the programs, explained the mechanics of some of the therapies and Betty talked about the positive impact she has seen in participants and family members.

They took me for a stroll where the 12 specially trained horses are stabled and I watched the excited interaction with a class of adults who were helping groom two of the horses. There was no mistaking the delight on the faces of the group or the patience of the staff members. It was a rewarding afternoon and if you are in a situation where a special needs child, adult, or wounded veteran requires therapy, perhaps there is an equestrian center near you that you may not be aware of.

History of Diving Museum…..

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Charlie Hudson

History of Diving Museum, Islamorada, FL

As I mentioned in my last post, the continuing wind during our company’s visit kept us out of the water. We did go down to Key Largo for lunch at Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen, then over to look at the Wyland Wall, and in to buy snorkel gear for their upcoming trip to St John. We had plenty of time and so headed to the History of Diving Museum in Islamorada. I first visited the museum when researching Islands in the Sand: A History of Artificial Reefs in the USA. The museum had only recently opened and it has been a pleasure to watch the growth.

You can read more about the background of the museum at their website of http://www.divingmuseum.org but in essence, Drs. Joe and Sally Bauer of Ohio balanced their medical careers with passion for marine biology, SCUBA diving, and the history of diving. They began collecting dive helmets and other historic equipment, books, etc., and were interested in the evolution of diving from its earliest concept. Their research took them around the world and they became well-known for the depth and precision of their research, pulling together stories that had been almost lost to time. Their collections and reputations grew internationally and they finally decided to bring all of this together in a “retirement” to South Florida. In truth, it was not remotely a retirement, but rather a new career now dedicated to bringing to public view 4,000 years of man’s efforts to exist within the ocean realm. It was an wonderful endeavor and the museum was opened in 2006 (I think). Sadly, Dr. Joseph Bauer passed away unexpectedly in 2007. His wife, Dr. Sally Bauer, coped with her grief, carried on the dream, and has crafted the museum with its unique collections into a place where everyone who dives or has any interest in marine/maritime history should visit.

We are members of the museum and take friends and relatives whenever the opportunity presents, as well as attend numerous events throughout the year. The thing that strikes most people is to see the many (and sometimes truly strange) ways in which man attempted to achieve the ability to exist underwater. Most people don’t realize the connections that date back hundreds and even thousands of years. The museum, which also has a lovely exterior mural, has aspects that children also enjoy. It is not a large museum, and no, there aren’t any spectacular shark skeletons, but it is a place where almost everyone learns something new.

A Gathering of USS Spiegel Grove Veterans……..

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Charlie Hudson

There is a fairly lengthy explanation on my web site about Gun Mounts and Groupers: Inside the USS Spiegel Grove, a new non-fiction book that will be out in November. The short version is that Don Altemus, a Miami banker and underwater photographer, kept after me until we finally sat down and worked out what seemed to be a logical approach to the book. There are two groups that have a special interest in the Spiegel Grove - those who served on her and those who embrace her today as an incredible artificial reef. Finding a way to bridge those two groups and keep a photo-heavy book at a reasonable price posed some difficulty. After much thought, the end result is a 53-page, soft cover book with 14 photos and 1 illustration. (Most of the photographs are from Don.) The book provides the essential history of the ship, the transformation into an artificial reef, and a level-by-level discussion of her as a dive destination today. In the process of writing the book, I was invited to be the guest speaker at the 2011 Spiegel Grove Reunion Association meeting in Jacksonville, Florida this past Saturday. My husband put together a video of several sections of the ship, and as it turned out, Don Altemus was able to join us.

There were approximately 50 people at the reunion; to include some who served on the Spiegel when she was first commissioned and at least one gentleman who was on the ship during her final active duty days. The men and their wives were so much fun and Don had gone to a great deal of trouble to have copies of some detailed engineering plans available. We spent most of Saturday with the plans spread out in the lounge of the hotel and a spiral-bound proof of the book so they could have some idea of what it would be like. Don and my husband were given some incredible insights into the workings of the ship from engineering and operational perspectives and I was treated to more great stories.The evening was enjoyable and after the presentation, I think that most of the attendees who had felt a pang of loss at the idea of their ship being deliberately sent to the bottom of the ocean came to see how highly regarded the Spiegel is now as an artificial reef. It was a rewarding experience for the three of us and we hope that we can sustain the relationship that we made with the group.

Attendees to the 21st Spiegel Grove Reunion came from every part of the country for the multiple day event.

A Mother Who Wouldn’t Give Up, a Child, and a Dolphin….

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Charlie Hudson

There are often situations where we face what seem to be insurmountable odds, unable to break through obstacles, and in truth, that does happen. At times, however, whether you want to call it perseverance, stubbornness, tenacity, faith, or another word, we find a way to beat those odds, to achieve a goal that others may in fact have told you was impossible.

Deena Hoagland is an amazing woman that I had the privilege to recently meet. Deena and her husband, Peter, head the small staff of Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo, Florida, but their facility is not the place to simply go and frolic with dolphins. Recreational/educational swims with dolphins are available in Key Largo at Dolphins Plus and Dolphin Cove, but Island Dolphin Care provides extraordinary therapy that focuses on special needs children, wounded veterans, and selected other special needs adults.

This remarkable story is provided on their site at www.islandfdolphincare.org, but in essence Deena and Peter’s son, Joe, was born with a heart defect and required multiple surgeries as an infant and toddler. At age three, he suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. Docotors recommended the family move from the high altitude of Colorado and therapists did what they could for the young boy with minimal results. The medical community basically told the Hoaglands that their son wasn’t likely to ever see much progress. It was their second move in Florida to Key Largo when Deena thought that perhaps aquatic therapy could help, yet even that option didn’t seem available. She contacted everyone she could think of and finally one day, she and Joe were able to come in for a swim at Dolphins Plus after the day’s activities had ended. There was no intent for a dolphin interaction, yet Fonzie, one of the Atlantic bottle-nosed dolphins, couldn’t resist at least a little play. Their son’s response to Fonzie gave Deena hope that she could use this initial spark to encourage Joe to achieve small, then greater movements in order to “play” with the dolphin.

Within a year Joe had made remarkable progress, enough to bring attention to Deena’s efforts. By now Deena was convinced of the value of dolphin interaction therapy, but she did not stop with the satisfaction of their son achieving what therapists had said was impossible. She began to tirelessly promote the concept, overcoming skeptcism and the inevitable financial hurdles to initiate therapies in a small way that showed consistent success. Not with every child, of course, but with many. Within a few years, Peter was able to join with her and fully establish the not-for-profit organization as it is today. They have now helped thousands of families as children with autism, cancer, developmental delays, and other needs have experienced breakthroughs in the man-made lagoon where the staff works with the six dolphins. It is an inspiring story that is well worth reading about.

Some Awesome Women and a Cool Green Turtle….

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Charlie Hudson

I had the great pleasure of joining Kim Chesure of FM 103.1 and Terry Albury of the Green Turtle Inn in Islamorada for Tuesday’s Girls’ Night Out. The weekly show is live from the Green Turtle Inn and as a plus to just having a good time with several guests, it was our first experience at the iconic restaurant that was opened in 1947. When you consider how often restaurants come and go being in business for more than sixty years says something, even with changing hands upon occasion. This is one of those places where you have laid-back Keys combined with white tablecloths and an atmosphere that draws you in when you step through the door onto the plank flooring. The U-shaped bar is a focal point of the main room and it was easy to see why people filled it for both drinking and dining.

The menu is selective and if what we had is typical, I know we’ll be back for more. And by the way, I admit that I had never considered the idea of “tater bites for grownup”, but if you take those little goodies, flavor them up with garlic, parmesan cheese, and I’m not sure which other spices, you do get a taste that is not like when you were a kid. As tempted as we were by the concept of lobster lasagna, my husband hadn’t had veal Osso Bucco in ages and he couldn’t pass that up. I decided on the “Flight” of three dishes paired with three wines; a special that they have during Girls’ Night Out. We didn’t indulge in dessert, although the description of the Chocolate Decadence Mousse Cake was intriguing and I’m sure their Key Lime Pie is excellent.

Now about those awesome women – in addition to Kim and Terry, I mean. On the way down to the Green Turtle Inn, my husband and I ran by Island Dolphin Care, an incredible facility in Key Largo that provides therapy for children, wounded veterans, and others. This unique dolphin-human interaction is a result of the determination of Deena Hoagland, supported by her husband, Peter, after they had attempted numerous traditional therapies for their young son Joe who was partially paralyzed. Deena’s remarkable vision has now helped thousands of people and I’ll talk more about her and Island Dolphin Care in my next post.

Denise Nedimyer, one of the Directors for the Coral Restoration Foundation, was another guest on the show and we chattered away before and after our times with the headphones and mike. I’ll also explain more about Denise and their program in another post.

There were other guests as well, but I got rather caught up in the hub-bub as I often do, and missed some segments of the show. And that was even before I had a glass of wine! It was a terrific night and I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of it.