NJMonthly June 13 Forgotten Fruit (2)

June 2013 • Vol. 9 • Issue 6 Covering North Jacksonville, from Heckscher Drive, west to Dinsmore, and from the Trout River, north to the Nassau County line William F. Sheffield Regional Park opens June 1st... a long time coming Historic Revolutionary War battleground will now be preserved NJM Staff Report Hallografix, Inc. 731 Duval Station Road, Suite 107 Box 145 Jacksonville, FL 32218 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID Callahan, FL Permit No. 4 THOMAS CREEK –– The site of the southernmost battle of the Revolutionary War sits on the banks of Thomas Creek in North Jacksonville, adjacent to the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. The land had been part of a Development of Regional Impact (DRI) approved about 6 years ago as the site for more than 10,000 homes. But in a deal engineered by City Councilman Ray Holt, the land now has been purchased by the non-profit Trust for Public Land (TPL) to be preserved as a park. Step one of the carefully orchestrated deal, four years in the making, involved Trust administrators paying $7.1 million for the land in April, just before it went into foreclosure. Step two is expected to take place in June, when Trust administrators have said they’ll There also will be a geocaching activity that’s open to the public. There is no need to pre-register to participate in that. The new regional park is located on the north side of the intersection of New Berlin and Cedar Point roads. The move to transform the former dairy land began in 2001, when then-City Councilman Warren Alvarez introduced legislation to set aside $5.8 million of city money for a future purchase of the 384-acre parcel. Two years later, an additional $1.2 million of city funds were added, and the land was purchased from real estate agent William F. Sheffield in 2003 for the park, then-known as District 11 Regional Park. He died in 2009. But in the years following, it became clear that it would take at least $4 million to finish the design of the park and build the first phase. Additional funding had been set aside for design. But that ran out, about the time the property values and city budgets were shrinking by 5-10 percent each year. Money for new park projects was almost nonexistent, and plans for the park seemed destined to be put on indefinite hold. But area residents weren’t ready to give up, especially on the promised sports fields and other amenities not found in any other North Jacksonville park. So Councilman Alvarez’s successor, Ray Holt, searched for alternative ways to fund the rest of design and construction. And a year after Continued on Page 2 FREE deed the just-purchased, 846acre parcel to the City of Jacksonville when it’s paid for by the complicated pooling of these funds: • $5.3 from the federal government (generated from off-shore oil leases that are required to be used for the preservation of land) Thomas Creek Battlefield, located in our own backyard, is one • $100,000 donated by the of only three known Revolutionary War battlegrounds in Trust for Public Land Florida, according to the Florida Department of State Division of • $1.5 million from the AES Historical Resources. Cedar Bay Cogeneration “This is probably the most significant settlement fund (money set aside for park conservation land purchase in our area, from a land as part of an agreement that the power historic perspective, since the Kingsley company made as a stipulation of building a Plantation,” Councilman Holt said. plant in North Jacksonville) The Kingsley Plantation on Ft. George Island • $200,000 from the City of Jacksonville Parks was operated from 1813 until 1839 by and Recreation budget. Photo Courtesy of The Trust for Public Land This aerial photo shows William F. Sheffield Regional Park a few months before final completion. Future phases of the park will extend well past what land can be seen here. Staff Report OCEANWAY –– Twelve years ago, it was just a dream. But on June 1, William F. Sheffield Regional Park, located just east of New Berlin Elementary, will open with festivities including geocaching and a children’s sports camp with a former Jaguar. “This is definitely one of the most important projects to me that I’ve worked on over the past six years,” said Councilman Ray Holt, who has been credited with finding an imaginative way to fund the new public sports facility when sources for new city parks ran dry. “It’s been a long-time getting to this point. And it’s been frustrating to hit one roadblock after the next, especially when so many people were looking forward to the opening. I’m just thankful the right solutions were able to be found to make this dream a reality.” A ribbon-cutting ceremony will start at 9:30 a.m. on the first Saturday in June. Then the park will be put right into action, as players that are part of the Oceanway Sports Association will participate in a football camp with former Jaguar safety, Donavin Darius. Jaguar Pep Rally at Zoo! See Story on Page 4 Zephaniah Kingsley. He operated under a "task" system, which allowed slaves to work at a craft or tend their own gardens, once their specified task for the day was completed. Proceeds from the sale of produce or craft items were usually kept by the slaves. His own wife, Anna Madgigine Jai, had been purchased as a slave and was freed in 1811. She was active in plantation management and became a successful business woman owning Continued on Page 7 Forgotten Fruit feeds the community By Kandace Lankford NJM Correspondent THE CAPE –– Last fall, we shared the story of the Ward family’s mission –– Forgotten Fruit –– with our readers. The North Jacksonville community responded in a tremendous way, and as a result, Forgotten Fruit has blossomed into much more than the Wards had envisioned. The seed for Forgotten Fruit was planted one day when Chuck Ward and his daughter, Grace, were walking through their neighborhood, discussing God's plan and purpose for their lives. As they walked, they noticed that many of their neighbors had fruit trees in their yards. On many of the trees, the fruit was either sagging to the ground or falling off, as no one was harvesting it. When they returned home from their walk, Mr. Ward discussed what he and Miss Grace had observed with his wife, Melissa. Thus, Forgotten Fruit, a nonprofit fruit recovery program, was born and the Ward family took action. They began collecting unused fruit, and later, vegetables, with the permission of their neighbors and friends, and donating it to local rescue missions and others in need throughout our city. As word of their mission spread, the number of fruit donors continued to grow. “This year, we have harvested more so far than we did during all of last year,” said Melissa Ward. “We’ve already harvested over 2,600 pounds during these first few The Ward family, Melissa, Caleb, Ethan, Grace, Annalise Continued on Page 9 and Chuck , give a thumbs-up for a good fruit harvesting day.  North Jax Monthly • June 2013 • Page 9 Forgotten fruit Continued from Page 1 Served with Drink, Slaw, Bread & Fries Everyday! $9.99 30 Shrimp months of 2013, and for all of last year the total was 2,500 pounds. We hope that that means it’s going to be a really productive year.” When the Wards first began harvesting fruit, they started out with a simple tool –– a light-weight fruit picker, which consists of a retractable handle that extends up to eight feet, topped by a bright orange vinyl coated wire basket with prongs to pick the fruit, and several large laundry baskets, in which to store and transport the fruit. Since then, they’ve had to make some additions. “We got a dolly and we had to get a new ladder,” said Mrs. Ward. “We also put shelves in the truck to hold more so we wouldn’t have to stack the fruit on top of each other.” The Wards go to the site, collect the fruit, and load it into their truck. Then they take the fruit home, unload it, weight it, wash it – – if needed –– and then they sort and divide it. “On weeks when we have a harvest it takes several hours on the weekend, sometimes all day Saturday,” said Mrs. Ward. “After the fruit is divided, we try to deliver it immediately so that it will be really fresh.” One of their delivery sites is the City Rescue Mission, which has been serving the homeless and needy since 1946. “I cannot sing their praises enough, because the forgotten fruit that they harvest certainly provides hope and smiles to the people at City Rescue Mission, both to the people on the street and those in our drug and alcohol program,” said Penny Kievet, director of resource development at City Rescue Mission. “They’ve brought nuts, fruit and vegetables to us by the car load –– they provide sunshine to people who live in darkness.” Since Forgotten Fruit began in 2012, they have acquired many volunteers, as well as three corporate sponsors. One day when the family went to eat at one of their favorite restaurants, Hip Hop Fish and Chicken, they struck up a conversation with the owner, Adam Alaydi. Daily Lunch Oysters are Back! Special 14 Oysters $9.99 3-Piece Whiting or Trout or Liver or Gizzards or 6 Wings Served with Drink, Slaw, Bread & Fries Only $5.99 Comes with Fries, Coleslaw & Bread Fish & Chicken Combo $8.99 Call Ahead For Your Private Party! Catering & Delivery Available for Businesses Choose Any Two. All Combos Come with Fries, Coleslaw, Bread & Drink 6610 N. Main St 766-7272 • Fax 766-8203 You Can Also Cruise Through Our Drive-Thru! Happy Father’s Day! He was wowed by what he heard. going to plant a summer vegetable garden.” “I was talking to the kids, and when they They plan to donate from their own fruit told me what they were doing, I was tree and vegetable garden, in due season. amazed. If kids think this way at such a Forgotten Fruit donates to 14 different young age, imagine what they’re going to charities, and the list continues to expand. do in the future –– they’re great kids,” Mr. “We’re giving to more and more Alaydi said. “I gave them a check and told organizations –– the growth is exciting,” said them that Mrs. Ward. “It’s neat whatever it how the Lord has used takes to help this in our lives and in them, I will the lives of people we help them. I donate it to.” love what The Wards’ they’re motivation for doing.” Forgotten Fruit is their Along with faith in Jesus Christ, Hip Hop Fish and their desire to and Chicken, serve the forgotten of Forgotten our community, as a Fruit is also demonstration of God's partnering unconditional love for with Jess and all people, according to Brewster their website. Durkee Their inspiration Foundation comes from a passage and out of the Bible, Copytronics Deuteronomy 24:19-21: Information "When you harvest Systems. your grain and forget a Now that sheaf back in the field, the major don't go back and get fruit it; leave it for the harvesting foreigner, the orphan, season has and the widow so that Mr. Ward and his daughter, Grace, harvesting from a God, your God, will bless come to a close, things grapefruit tree. you in all your work. have slowed When you shake the down a little bit for Forgotten Fruit, but they olives off your trees, don't go back over the are expecting things to pick back up again branches and strip them bare –– what's left soon. is for the foreigner, the orphan, and the “We don’t know what the summer is widow. And when you cut the grapes in your going to be like –– it’s not the time for citrus vineyard, don't take every last grape –– leave fruit, but it is the time for berries, and we’ve a few for the foreigner, the orphan, and the had people contact us and tell us they were widow." going to have blueberries or strawberries to If you or someone you know would like to harvest,” said Mrs. Ward. “We’re also hoping donate fruit or vegetables to Forgotten that people will call us when they harvest Fruit, please contact them via their Facebook their gardens –– we’ll collect cucumbers, page, or at their website, tomatoes, lettuce, and other vegetables.” www.forgottenfruit.org. Volunteers are Along with collecting fruit and vegetables welcome as well –– it’s something a family from generous donors, the Wards have could do and the children could be involved decided to become involved in a more as well. personal way as well. “Forgotten Fruit has already done so “I gave Chuck his first orange tree for much more than we thought it would,” said Christmas last year, and we planted it in the Mrs. Ward. “We hope that it continues to back yard,” said Mrs. Ward. “We’re also grow.” Finding the right family doctor easier.. just got easier Mehul Parekh, MD, at Baptist Primary Care Ye ellow Bluff is pleased to welcome Alison Hitz-V Hitz-Vukich, Vukich, u MD, to the expanding practice. Dr. Hitz-Vukich is dedicated to your family’s health through ever y stage of life and ready to provide you with a medical home. 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