July 2023 | Vol. 03 | No. 02
Coaches & Mentors
Review Us on Google
Review Us on Facebook
Letter from the Publisher
Masthead
Lisa Anderson, Publisher
senior copy editor Jodi Anderson
staff advisor Chad Taylor
Art Department
media manager/photographer Joshua jacobs
contributing photographer Mark Anderson
stock photography service DepositPhotos.com
stock photography service Pexels.com
Editorial
contributing writers Appleton Museum of Arts
contributing writer Mark Anderson
contributing writer Dr. Manal Fakhoury
contributing writer Cynthia McFarland
contributing writer Cierra Ross
contributing writer Taylor Strickland
Sales Department
sales representative Stephanie Giera
Lisa Anderson Media, LLC
chief executive officer Lisa Anderson
website lisaandersonmedia.com
© Lisa Anderson Media, LLC and Locala™. All rights reserved.
Online: ISSN 2771-1056, Print: ISSN 2771-1048, May 2023, Volume 03, Issue Number 03. Locala™ is a monthly publication, which is published by Lisa Anderson Media, LLC, 2320 NE 2nd Street, Unit 5, Ocala, FL 34470. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher.
Dear Ocala,
As we celebrate the day our country declared its independence, I like to return to Anna Quindlen’s essay “A Quilt of a Country.” She writes, “Patriotism is partly taking pride in this unlikely ability to throw all of us together in a country that across its length and breadth is as different as a dozen countries, and still be able to call it by one name.” At Locala, we celebrate those differences and revel in telling stories of this “mongrel nation” from right here in our community.
I like to think that we are creating our own crazy quilt with stories of people as disparate as Amber Toole (page 7), a former educator turned fitness trainer, and Dr. Brooke Silberhorn (page 10), a chiropractor and life coach, who overcame thyroid cancer. Renee Williams (page 20) adds her own patch to the quilt with her emphasis on martial arts as a framework for life.
Speaking of creating something, check out our Q&A with Jesse James (page 25), artist and Director of The Magnolia Art Xchange. The Appleton Museum chats with multi-media artist William Schaaf (page 27), whose equine art is on exhibit through September.
And isn’t it sweet that we are home to rich cultures, such as the one Puerto Rican baker Ellie Rodriguez (page 14) is happy to share with us?
We hope that in celebrating the spirit of independence, we are also celebrating the spirit of community. As Quindlen concludes, “Like many improbable ideas, when it actually works, it’s a wonder.”
Be safe!
Jodi Anderson
Senior Copy Editor
