Pre-Baseball season activities while in Florida

When baseball fans think of their favorite pastime, they think of sitting in their home team’s stadium chowing down on a ballpark hotdog with the summer sun beating down on them. For many baseball enthusiasts, the season arrives early with preseason games taking over the state of Florida. Teams from all over the country flock to the Sunshine State during March to play ball and size other teams up before the baseball season officially begins in April. However, not every breathing moment for fanatics can be filled with baseball. Each team destination in Florida holds it’s own secret treasures for everyone to enjoy.

The Tomahawk Chop draws Braves fanatics from all over the country to Atlanta during the season. This spring Braves followers can see their heroes practice in Kissimmee. Lovers of the wilderness can check out Florida Eco Safaris, where visitors can take a coach ride through the eco-ranch to observe the many fauna and animals. Visitors also can ride horseback through the ranch with a guide to observe Florida’s seven ecosystems. The daring can see the ranch from above as they zip line through the trees at up to 20 mph. Prices can be seen at www.FloridaEcoSafaris.com. 

People who aren’t as interested in the world of wildlife can visit the Kennedy Space Center Complex, where they can see how the first man landed on the moon, see the components of a space shuttle and even meet a real astronaut.

Baltimore Orioles fans can travel to Sarasota to see their team warm up for the season. During hiatuses from baseball, Orioles travelers can have a taste of the circus aboard Big Top Tour Buses. On this bus, a professional circus performer will lead the tour of the sites and special places that dubbed Sarasota the “Home of the Big Top”. On Sundays, brunch is also available. Another fun attraction is the Golden Apple Dinner Theater, where families can watch classic performances such as Oklahoma! and Annie. The audience also receives a buffet-style dinner. Prices and show listings can be seen at www.thegoldenapple.com.

The Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins share the beautiful city of Fort Myers during spring training. Twins and Red Sox enthusiasts can enjoy some beach fun at Bonita Beach Park. It features a boardwalk and swimming holes with picnic areas and gazebos. The Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium boasts of 105 acres on the Lee Island coast. Many exotic birds reside in the Audubon Aviary, and the nature center hosts a variety of snakes, different insects and the region’s only planetarium.

The Detroit Tigers travel far south to Lakeland to enjoy some sunshine as well as warm up for the season. Kids and adults alike can explore Legoland, a theme park geared toward families as well as LEGO fanatics. Enjoy 150 acres of rides, shows and everything LEGO. Prices and hours can be seen at www.legoland.com. For a more laid-back day in Lakeland, baseball visitors can see the Fantasy of Flight tour. Over 40 rare and vintage aircrafts have been restored to flying condition. The tour also has a flight simulator.

Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals followers are able to venture to the steamy heat of Jupiter to watch their teams gear up for the season. Jupiter has bragging rights to the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, where visitors can take a tour, enjoy the tranquility of scenic waterfalls and eat dinner at the museum restaurant. An active day can be spent by taking a fishing trip through Blue Heron Fleet, which is family friendly and offers guided tours. More information can be found at www.blueheronfishing.com.

Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter worshippers can follow their beloved New York Yankees to hotspot Tampa, where white sands and warm sun attracts snowbirds. Art lovers can enjoy the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, where artists can feature all forms of their artwork. It also features an arts and crafts workshop for children. For visitors with a love of everything Italian, the Italian Club of Tampa hosts Festa Italiana, where over 35 different Italian restaurants showcase their food and where live music is played.

Lovers of the Phillies can venture to Clearwater to watch their beloved team prepare for the 2012 season. The adventurous can dive to see the Pinellas #2 Reef, where the Blackthorn and Sheridan boat wrecks can be seen. Looking at the schools of fish and eels that have made their homes in the wrecks makes this trip even more exciting. More information can be found at www.pinellascounty.org/utilities/reef/reef-locations.htm. Adults with a love for wine can join a taste tour and enjoy tasting stations, discount bottles of wine, and an array of cheeses, focaccia and flatbread pizzas. More information can be found at www.awineexperience.com.

The small town of Bradenton on the Atlantic Coast plays host to the Pittsburgh Pirates this spring season. Early risers can take a tour to watch baby loggerhead turtles as they leave their nest and make their way to the ocean for the first time. The Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium holds a variety of sea life, including rays, sharks, sea horses and eels. It also houses a giant squid and has an area where visitors can pet starfish, rays and other sea animals. Prices and events can be found at www.mote.org.

The Tampa Bay Rays only have to travel a few hours down the Emerald Coast to their spring training ground in Port Charlotte. This South Florida city houses the Gilchrist Park Waterfront Music Jam Session, where tourists can listen to bluegrass, jazz, country and folk music. The park is waterfront and is free on Fridays. Night owls can enjoy the Ghost Tours of Punta Gorda, where seasoned tour guides give background information on these creepy grounds that are designed to educate and entertain.

The Toronto Blue Jays have journeyed thousands of miles to visit the small town of Dunedin on the west coast of Florida for training. Blue Jay lovers are able to frequent Honeymoon Island, where there is a state park that hosts picnic areas, areas for fishing, quiet swimming spots and safe harbors. Active visitors can trek the renowned Pinellas Trail, a 15-foot-wide, 40-mile haven for walkers, skaters and bikers. It runs straight through downtown Dunedin. Along the way, travelers can get a quick bite to eat  or a cool drink from a local eatery.

Players for the Washington Nationals have traveled cross-country to the small coastal town of Viera. Nationals fans can take an afternoon to look back on the history of our men in blue at the American Police Hall of Fame. Tourists can see the set up of a crime scene, forensics lab and several interactive displays. The general public can also take a helicopter ride and use an indoor gun range. Tourists with a sweet tooth can visit Grimaldi’s Candy Factory Tour, where guests can see how their chocolate is made and sample their famous chocolate chip cookies. Located in neighboring Rockledge, reservations are required for this tour.

Whether baseball devotees are in Florida for a couple of days or for all of spring training, each host town exhibits many local activities and events to keep everyone busy and entertained when not cheering on their favorite team.

**Written for Southern Hospitality in March 2012.

Civil War Living History Weekend

A boom from a cannon. The fall of a Confederate soldier. The shouts and gunfire from the infantry. Spectators can watch these images come alive in Wilmington, N.C., at the 7^th annual Civil War Living History Weekend. The Cameron Art Museum will create a reenactment of the Battle of Forks Road on Feb. 25 and 26, complete with a ghost tour, cannon and artillery demonstrations and artisan demonstrations.

A favorite activity among visitors is watching the artillery and infantry battles. Visitors are able to see how the replicas of these arms from the 1860s work and they can also see how they are loaded and feel the booms resonate within them. Not only do guests see troops fire cannons and arms, but they become apart of their encampments, join in with campfire rituals and witness the horrors of the trenches.

One of the more unique aspects of the Living History Weekend is the emphasis of the United States Colored Troops and their impact in the fall of Wilmington. For this year’s Living History Weekend, both the 37^th US Colored Troop Infantry Battery “B” Artillery and the Ohio 5^th US Colored Troop Infantry will be on hand to demonstrate what occurred at the Battle of Forks Road.

Fallen soldiers will have the chance to come back from the dead the first night with the second Live Civil War Ghost Walk. Through special lighting and period-style costumes, the tour comes alive with characters who help tell the story of the Civil War, what life was like during the era, along with an ongoing narration by a professional storyteller who thoroughly grabs your attention. The tour is peppered with frightening moments, fun interactions and engaging acts.

Several guest speakers, including Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo and Malcolm Beech, a member of the 37th US Colored Troops Infantry, will kick off the day’s festivities with an opening ceremony that Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

Additionally, those interested in the creativity of the Civil War era can enjoy the Cameron Art Museum’s unique display of Civil War era art and drawings. Titled Civil War Drawings from the Becker Collection, this exhibit is open during the weekend and is free during the Living History weekend. Children will also be able to do crafts and create their own art and play Civil War era games.

Events begin Saturday at 9 a.m. and continue until 5 p.m. The ghost tour begins shortly after at 6:30 p.m. Festivities continue on Sunday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The entire weekend is free, making the Civil War Living History Weekend a perfect way to spend time with family and friends.

**Written for Southern Hospitality in February 2012.

Profile Deana Izzo

Deana Izzo walke out of her wooden house with a smile on her weathered face and rough hands extended out. “Hi, Gabby!” She said cheerily. “I’m so excited that you are interviewing me for your class!” Her warm demeanor doesn’t match her ratty paint-splattered sweatpants and black sweatshirt. Immediately she sits down on her porch swing and is ready to dish about her life and her greatest love: dogs.

In the small Florida town of Bradenton, a young Izzo never thought that her life would revolve around man’s best friend. “Really, I never thought that I would be doing this for a living. I wanted to be an accountant!” Deana said. 

Her love for dogs stem from a mutt named Stacy Izzo had when she was 17. “That thing was hell on wheels. I had to start taking her to obedience school during a time when such a thing was laughed at. However, one of the trainers told be about crate training dogs and what a help that can be. After crate training [Stacy], there was a huge difference in her behavior. She was still hell on wheels, but a better version, at least,” Izzo said in all one breath. 

She continues to go on about how much she enjoyed the training after several months of training Stacy at the obedience school one of the dog instructors asked her if she would have liked to be hired on as an assistant. “She told me I had a knack with dogs and that I should expand on that,” Izzo said.

Thirty years later, Izzo and her husband, Mark, own the Happy Tails boarding kennel and training center and Izzo now is the area coordinator all puppy walkers for the Guide Dog Foundation in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Mark Izzo chimed in: “This woman is unbelievably good with animals. Aside from our kennel we have three dogs of our own and several cats, all of which she bonds with on a close level.” 

Izzo was weeks shy of taking her CPA exam when she saw her life’s calling. “I was inside the accounting firm I was clerking for at the time when I saw two guide dog puppies and their trainers walk by outside the window. Immediately I thought’ I want to do that,’” she said. 

Instead of taking her CPA exam, Izzo applied to work for the Foundation. Starting off, she housed and trained adult dogs and some puppies. 

Eventually, she worked her way up to a coordinator in Florida. “Later, the Foundation asked me if I wanted to be the main coordinator for them in Georgia. At this point I had been married to Mark for only a couple of years and we thought, ‘Why not?’ That was eight years ago,” Deana said. 

Brittany Nolan is a puppy raiser for the Guide Dog Foundation and currently is working with her second dog.

“Deana is one of the most helpful people when it comes to questions about how to raise a puppy,” she explained. “If you have a question or you are concerned about you puppy and need advice, Deana will email you or call you within hours to see what’s going on [with your dog].”

As Izzo walks around the kennel to take the dogs out to the bathroom she continues to chatter happily about the life she has chosen. With a smile she said, “This is probably the least glamorous job. When I am not cleaning up after dogs or training them, I am holed up in the house answering emails and doing paperwork.” 

She continued, “My days start very early and they usually don’t end until pretty late.”

With about 150 dogs under her supervision at the University of Georgia alone, Izzo still makes the time to get to know them all and their walkers’ names. 

“It’s important to know who has what dog and how they are doing,” Izzo said. It’s up to her to make sure all of the puppies are being trained properly and not being treated as a pet, which is quite a responsibility.

However, Izzo is not all work and no play. During her free time, her favorite thing to do is shoot pool and relax with her husband. 

“We don’t get out much, but when we do it’s nice to just go out and get a beer and not talk about the dogs,” Mark Izzo said. 

Deana Izzo added, “That’s pretty hard to do, though.”

When asked about the future, Izzo said she can’t imagine doing anything else but working for the foundation and running her kennel. 

“It’s become my life. I love it and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Jet-Setting Students; the Experience Outweighs the Cost

Beautiful scenery, exotic cultures, intricate history. These are just a few words to describe the experiences of traveling to another country. Many students at the University of Georgia are fortunate enough to visit another country through study abroad. Not only do students become intimate with another country in the world, but they also complete several hours of schooling. 

While this may sound like a win-win situation, many families think that spending several thousand dollars to send their child to a foreign land is not possible. Most middle class families have been hit by the recession that has plagued the United States for the past few years and have had to cut back on some luxuries. However, from personal experience, studying abroad is worth every single penny that is converted into a Euro, colon, pound or any other currency.

Senior Mandy Lancour got to skydive over the Great Barrier Reef, play with kangaroos and koala bears, visit the Sydney Opera House, and play with penguins during her Maymester in Australia in 2009. For Maymester in 2010, she traveled to South Africa where she was able to ride an elephant, cage dive with sharks, see the preparation of the 2010 World Cup and go to orphanages where running water is a small blessing. 

Her mother, Diane Lancour, said: “Mandy has not only kept her grades up with the HOPE Scholarship, but she is also a Merit Scholar. The money we saved from tuition and other costs went to those opportunities.” 

Ever since going overseas, Mandy has had many doors opened for her. “I currently work for Study Abroad South Pacific in their office. Last semester they offered me a teaching assistant job for Spring 2012 in Australia. I am now graduating in December and will be paid to travel back there. I am really excited about it,” she said.

Each family has been hit by the recession in one way or another. Hardest hit are many middle class families with kids. Michelle Kirkpatrick, a mother of four from Valdosta, Ga.,, sent her twin daughters to Spain in 2011. Kathryn left for the spring session in Valencia and Kristin followed in her footsteps for the same program that summer. 

However, Michelle believes that the money was well spent. “I definitely do not think study abroad was a waste of money in our particular case. The girls are both pursuing degrees in Spanish, so the exposure to the language and culture were a direct benefit to their study,” she said.

For many students, a trip across seas is worth a used car or a nice diamond ring. According to the UGA en Valencia website, a summer session costs $5600, which doesn’t include the extra excursions, souvenirs and going out to eat. For a spring session, it is $7900. A fall session with UGA Costa Rica is $7500 and a summer session in Costa Rica is $3050. A Maymester in Australia is $2,995 and a summer session in South Africa is $4,500. With tuition, it’s several hundred dollars more, depending on how many hours are taken. Fortunately, students with the HOPE Scholarship are able to have that covered.

“Certainly sending two students abroad in the same year was a challenge and a sacrifice for our family, but one we felt was worth it. The Hope Scholarship helped considerably. And we used frequent flyer miles for Kristin’s airfare. The airline ticket for Kathryn was a better deal with the UGA group. It also helped that they did not go at the same time,” Michelle Kirkpatrick said.

There are also other scholarships that students can apply for, such as the Michael F. & Mary E. Adams Study Abroad Scholarship, the Elizabeth Suzanne Schaefer Scholarship and the IEW (International Education Week) Study Abroad Scholarship.

What many people do not realize is that studying abroad is far cheaper than sending your child backpacking through Europe after college or taking an exotic vacation for the same time spent with a program. With student discounts and accommodations made with the university, students actually get a lot more bang for their buck. Included in many of the programs are the costs of food and hotels for the first weekend of arrival to the other country. 

Permanent residences are also included for the duration of the program, as well as most food and at least one weekend trip. Considering students are abroad from four weeks to three months, the prices are much lower than individually spending travel fare hopping from city to city, eating out every day and staying in a crowded hostel that lacks air-conditioning. Senior Danny Brinkley spent the summer of 2011 in Valencia, the same program as Kristin.

“I was able to convince my parents to let me [go to Spain] by raising my own spending money and by showing them spending this much time in Europe for that [price] does not come around often. I won them over pretty easily,” Brinkley said.

Those who have gone abroad argue that the experience of another culture in a foreign land is something that is very much worth spending the money over. As much as we try to understand and be apart of other cultures in our American classrooms, nothing will stick and resound better than an understanding and personal encounter with the culture itself. For example, the celebration of St. John’s day in America would be ceremonialized by a handful of Catholics going to mass. In Valencia, Noche de San Juan becomes a large festival on the beach, which includes bonfires as far as the eye can see. Many rare openings can also arise from studying abroad.

Brittany Nolan, who spent winter break her junior year studying abroad in Nicaragua in 2010, agreed by saying, “I was able to witness a C-section [for my class]. Actually being there was way different than reading it out of a book or watching it on T.V.”

Unless a student is on an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy”, the chance of seeing a C-section as an undergrad does not come along often.

While most students going afar will not receive a job directly from their time spent in another country, putting a study abroad program on a resume adds a touch of diversity that many employers find alluring. Many people who are hiring are more likely to choose a candidate that is bilingual or that have personal knowledge of other cultures. 

Kristin Kirkpatrick is majoring in both Spanish and advertising. Her two months spent in Valencia has honed her Spanish language skills, which she hopes will eventually aid her in getting a job. 

“I hope that since I know Spanish, companies will see that I have more to offer and be willing to hire me,” she stated. Her twin Kathryn feels the same way. “With my [public relations] major and my [Spanish] minor, I believe that a firm will choose me over another person who doesn’t have a background in Spanish,” she said.

While most parents can agree that study is something extremely exciting, many have a hard time relating to their children’s desire to go to another country. 

Diane Lancour shared, “The college I went to didn’t really have programs [for study abroad], like UGA does. For Mandy to be able to experience that is something amazing.” 

Landing the Hole-In-One: Working Golf with Bryan Harris

For Bryan Harris, the world of golf has always been close to his heart. Starting from a very young age, he has understood the intensity of the sport and how the game could change for any player within a stroke or two.

“You can be really good at golf and good at managing the club and still not know exactly where [the ball] is going to land,” Harris said. “It is an extremely mental sport.”

Working with Jackson-Spalding, a small public relations firm based in Athens, Ga., has allowed Harris to take on projects with both the business and athletic sides of golf.

“At the first [public relations] firm I worked for didn’t write about sports at all. When I interviewed with Jackson-Spalding, I told them I had a background with golf and they were very interested [in me], since they were talking to the Athens Regional Foundation. They were putting on a golf event. I was hired on March first and had exactly one and a half months to prepare for this tournament,” he said.

For seven years, Bryan Harris has been managing Jackson-Spalding’s sports clientele. Sitting in his cramped office, he has new golf products scattered on his desk as well as files for potential clients. Several pictures of golf courses and a family photo hang on his walls, solidify the importance of family and golf in his life.

It was only natural for Harris to work in an environment where golf was involved. His mother was an LPGA National golf professional and taught the sport for many years. His father also played the sport for leisure, which bonded the family to golf further.

“I played football, baseball and golf in high school. The offers I got for football scholarships were for very small schools, so I went with a golf scholarship,” Harris said.

Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Ala., seemed like the perfect school for Harris to pursue his love of golf since their team was nationally ranked. However, after one year of school at Huntingdon, he transferred to the University of Georgia.

“I just didn’t like going to a school with only 800 kids. I wanted to go to a big school,” he said frankly.

One of Harris’ favorite aspects of working with Jackson-Spalding is the new gear that clients ask the firm to support. Harris shows off a new grip for clubs that will be displayed at the PGA show and a new pair of golf cleats while sitting at is desk.

“Pure Grips will tested out this season, which is huge for us,” Harris says. “These new golf shoes are called True Linkswear. They are minimalistic and weigh only 11 ounces. It is the new, hot brand of golf shoes,” he continues.

Harris has also worked with ProType Tour Series Putters, which caught the eye of Golf Digest.

He says, “Getting these products noticed is what puts them on the map. For example, Golf Digest will allow these products or companies to get noticed and then they become name brands.”

In one day alone Harris has dealings with five or six clients. Projects with these clients can last from a couple of weeks to several months, depending on how big the client’s name is. Harris admitted he has to be very organized when it comes to managing each project.

“I make a master calendar starting in January so I can make sure that each project gets worked on in a timely manner. We have big clients, so we have to be like entrepreneurs, to a degree,” Harris said.

Harris says any time spent on the golf course is a great day. He would trade any day with any golfer since their job is to be on the green for hours.

“I would love to have been Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus when they were the best of the best. For even the most seasoned golfer, it’s hard to have complete control [on where the ball will land], but they did. It would be amazing to be in their shoes at that point in time,” he said.

When it comes to expanding clientele with Jackson-Spalding, Harris says he would love to work within the baseball world.

“I haven’t had the chance to work with baseball clients and I think that would be a lot of fun. I just love sports, in general,” he said.

During the days when he is off, Harris can be seen at a Gwinnett Braves games with his wife and two young children. “I played baseball in high school, so it is a sport I really enjoy to watch,” he says.

When it comes to mixing work with pleasure, Harris says the best part of his job is going to events to watch the golf rounds. Without hesitation, he said that his favorite event to plan is the Stadion Classic.

“It’s like cheating!” He laughed. “I’m getting paid to be at the golf course and not in the office. It doesn’t get any better than that. The downside is I don’t see my family much during that week,” he added with slight sheepishness.

The love of golf has not passed down to his children quite yet. “They are only two and four, so they don’t really know what golf is,” he said  laughing. “They just love running around on the course. But we still have time to turn them into golf lovers.”

For Bryan Harris, father, golf lover and entrepreneur, the sun on the green can only get brighter.