Volume 6, No. 5 December, 2010 - Fort Pierce · Volume 6, No. 5 December, 2010 Main Street Focus...

Volume 6, No. 5 December, 2010

Main Street Focus122 AE Backus Ave.Fort Pierce, FL 34950

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PAIDWEST PALM BCH FLPERMIT NO 4595

2 MAIN STREET FOCUS December 2010 December 2010 MAIN STREET FOCUS 3

by Beth Williams

Downtown Fort Pierce is Perfect for Holiday Shopping & Holiday Events

There’s a sleigh full of reasons to visit historic downtown Fort Pierce in December! Main Street Fort Pierce kicks off the holiday season with the annual Sights and Sounds festival, parade and tree-lighting ceremony on Sunday, December 5th from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. The Holiday Light Spectacular will once again thrill visitors with

over 100,000 lights synchronized to holiday music in Marina Square. If you haven’t been downtown to see this fantastic display, you don’t know what you are missing!

Our merchants are rolling out their holiday best to give shoppers everything they need during this gift giving season. One very simple way to help boost our economy and keep Fort Pierce strong is to back away from that computer (on-line shopping), and shop the great stores we have available in our own community. You can find great buys on everything from clothing to art, jewelry to candles. Local salons, florists, and restaurants are a great place to purchase gift certificates.

The wonderful collection of businesses downtown offer a wide range of choices and you’re sure to find something for everyone on your list.

At Main Street Fort Pierce we continue to work hard on behalf of the community. Our gift to you is to create as many reasons as possible for residents and visitors to feel excited about our downtown district. Events such as the annual parade and the more than 30 events hosted by Main Street throughout the year represent an investment of over $250,000 by the organization focused solely on providing free whole-some family fun downtown.

Our members, donors, and event sponsors are the foundation on which we are able to give this gift to the community. Without you we wouldn’t be able to create events such as Friday Fest which brings thou-sands of people downtown each month. Your support is vital to every-thing we do. Thank you!

If you aren’t a member, I hope you’ll join today. If you are a member, but have family or friends who aren’t, why not consider giving the gift of a Main Street membership this holiday season? It’s the gift that will give back to the entire community. Have a very happy holiday season!

President’s Message

2010 – 2011Officers, Board of Directors & Staff

Beth WilliamsPresident

Britt ReynoldsVice President

Sue DannahowerSecretary

Dave MillerTreasurer

Doris TillmanManager

Pam GilletteMarketing Manager

Mimi EwanFinance

Joan DoddsMembership

Board of Directors

Phone: 772.466.3880 • www.mainstreetfortpierce.org

Staff

Pat AlleyEddie BechtChris Craft

Brenda EavesGinger King

Dana McSweeney

Michelle Miller-MorrisWanda Sapp

Anne SatterleeEugene Sereg

Volume 6, No. 5 December 2010

Publisher Main Street Fort Pierce Inc. Editor Joanne Blandford Advertising Director Main Street Fort Pierce Inc. Graphic Design Susan M. Roberts Contributing Writers Joanne Blandford, John Culverhouse, Sue Dannahower, Dan Dannahower, Pam Gillette, Debra Magrann, Jim O’Connor, Patty Reynolds, Anne Satterlee, Doris Tillman, Jann Widmayer, Beth Williams, Camille Yates Photography John Culverhouse, Patty Reynolds

Copyright © 2010 Main Street Focus Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without prior written permission of Main Street Fort Pierce Inc., 122 AE Backus Ave., Fort Pierce, FL 34950. PHONE 772-466-3880 • FAX 772-466-3917 • [email protected].

MAIN STREET

FOCUSFORT PIERCE

New Main StreetMembersLinda Wilson Dottie Nelson


Friday, December 3: Friday Fest — 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Main Street Fort Pierce, 466-3880, mainstreetfortpierce.org.

Sunday, December 5: SightS and SoundS ChriStmaS FeStival & Parade — 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Main Street Fort Pierce, 466-3880, mainstreetfortpierce.org.

Wednesday, December 8: artWalK — 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Downtown Business Association, 224-8588, fortpiercedba.org.

Saturday, December 11: Christmas Boat Parade — for more information call the Fort Pierce City Marina at 464-1245.

Friday, December 17: Coffee with the mayor — 8:00 a.m. at Historic City Hall; call Main Street Fort Pierce for more information, 466-3880, mainstreetfortpierce.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

Art Mundo Open Studio — Wednesdays, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.; The ArtBank at 111 Orange Ave., [email protected] or artmundo.org.

Fort Pierce Bike Night — Thursdays, 6:00 to 9:30 p.m.; 2nd Street, Downtown Fort Pierce; Yellow Tail Grille & Raw Bar, 468-7071.

Ft. Pierce Farmer’s Market — Saturdays, 8:00 a.m. to Noon; Marina Square on Melody Lane; Market Manager, 940-1145.

Arts and Crafts Show & Sale — Saturdays, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; ½-mile north of downtown Fort Pierce Library; Jazz & Blues Society, 460-5299, jazzsociety.org.

DOWNTOWN FORT PIERCE LIBRARY

For information, please call 462-2787 or visit stlucieco.gov/library.

SUNRISE THEATRE

For information, please call 461-4775 or visit sunrisetheatre.com.

SUNRISE THEATRE’S BLACK BOx PERFORMANCES

For information, please call 461-4775 or visit sunrisetheatre.com.

MANATEE OBSERVATION AND EDUCATION CENTER

For information, please call 466-1600, ex. 3333 or visit manateecenter.com.

ST. LUCIE COUNTY REgIONAL HISTORY CENTER

For information, please call 462-1891 or visit stlucieco.gov/history.

ST. LUCIE COUNTY MARINE CENTER

Please call 462-3474 for more information or visit stlucieco.gov/marine_center

A.E. BACKUS MUSEUM & gALLERY

For information, please call 465-0630 or visit backusmuseum.com.

November 3 – December 4: 29th annual Juried art exhibition “the Best of the Best” — The juried art show includes work by some of the best artists from around the state and beyond. Because of its popularity, the 29th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, formerly know as the Four County Juried Show, has expanded to include artists from beyond the region. Saturday, December 4: indian river State College Photography exhibition — This one day event will be presented on the grounds and patio of the museum. More than thirty photography students from IRSC will present their work.December 8 – January 15: eclectic holidays

— The museum will present an eclectic array of fine art, just in time for holiday gift giving including furniture, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, photography and more. Artists in the show include Bud Adams, Cindy Adams, Robbie Adams, Martin Cushman, Rebecca Brown, Colleen Nash Becht, Sue Ritter, Jean Tyson, Ty Tyson and Suzanne Varn.

HEATHCOTE BONTANICAL gARDENS

For information, please call 464-4672 or visit heathcotebotanicalgardens.org.

Saturday, December 11: a Pioneer holiday Celebration — 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Florida Art Show & Sale, Non-profit Market, free visits with Santa, and Santa Lucia Day celebration including historical re-enactments, music, pony rides and pig roast! Benefits Heathcote Botanical Gardens and the St. Lucie Historical Society. $6 adult admission, FREE for HBG Members and children. Half-price admission with donation of toy for WPSL Christmas Kids.

FORT PIERCE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAgUE

For more information, please call 370-6162, fortpiercepal.com.

Volunteers needed for Ft. Pierce Police Ath-letic League. Persons interested in teaching the fundamentals of sports, mentoring, and tutoring should contact Paul Pearson or Gabe Gonzales 460-0606. The PAL Center is located at 1401 N. 2nd Street, Fort Pierce.

FORT PIERCE JAZZ & BLUES SOCIETY

For more information, please call 460-5299 or visit jazzsociety.org.

ART MUNDO

For more information, please call 336-3999 or visit artmundo.org

CalendarDine, Shop and Enjoy Beautiful, Historic, Downtown Fort Pierce!

M a i n S t r e e t a n d d ow n tow n B u S i n e S S a S S o c i at i o n


Have you ever ventured downtown to D. Rhodes Studio of Art & Design? If you haven’t, you’ve missed out on an excel-lent source for both original artwork and for fantastic holiday gifts. The high-quality art supplies that line the shelves are only one example of the many unique and creative gifts you can find in downtown Fort Pierce this holiday season. In fact, you can easily find something appropriate for everyone on your list without the hassle of a trip to the mall, without the guessing game that comes with online shopping and without paying for shipping!

Over the past few years, the Fort Pierce downtown area has grown to include an amazing array of shops and services that can clear your shopping list in no time. In tough eco-nomic times, a gift certificate for what has become a luxury gives the recipient a guilt-free indulgence for which they’re sure to thank you. Consider giving the gift of dinner at one of the many restaurants, a trip to the day spa or even a gift card they can use to get their morning coffee fix. Other wonderful gift certificate ideas include classes, either at the local art studios or at the fabulous One Yoga Planet, where you can learn everything from basic yoga to belly dancing. And don’t forget that Sunrise Theater tickets make a won-derful stocking stuffer.

Giving gifts is always fun but so is making them! At Beads & Baubles, 203 N 2nd St., you can invite your friends to join you for a jewelry making party and each of you can create a one-of-a-kind jewelry project to give as a gift (or NOT). If you don’t think you are creative enough, you choose from 100s of pieces that are already finished. Find-ing that extra special piece for your extra special someone should be a snap. Susan, from Beads & Baubles, also has gift certificates if you just can’t decide. She is offering a very special deal, if you buy a $50 gift certificate you will get a $10 gift certificate FREE!

Visitors to downtown will discover plenty of gifts to fit under the holiday tree as well! You can outfit a home office, buy fantastic journals that any writer would love, or pick up computer accessories. Downtown businesses offer pet products, sentimental gifts and collectibles, antiques, origi-nal artwork, jewelry, home décor, hobby supplies (not only

for the artist, but also for the spinner, knitter and jewelry maker), clothing and accessories. The sky really is the limit on the type of gifts you’ll discover in an afternoon jaunt to the charming heart of Fort Pierce.

There is another added benefit to fulfilling your holiday shopping needs along Main Street: it can have an amaz-ing impact on the community. Studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally-owned busi-ness rather than a national chain, significantly more of your money is kept within the community, used to make purchases from other local businesses and service provid-ers thus continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community and helping it thrive. This concept ac-tually led to a national campaign to support local busi-nesses called the 3/50 Project. Founded by Cinda Baxter, and sporting the tag line, “Save your local economy three stores at a time,” the Project’s goal is to promote shopping in locally-owned businesses while thanking customers for the positive impact that decision has on a local economy. The idea is simple: if half of the employed U.S. popula-tion chose three locally-owned, independent businesses they would hate to lose, and spends a combined total of $50 a month with them, it will have a major impact — generating an estimated $42.6 billion of revenue annually.

So this year, when you’re ready to start crossing names off Santa’s list, consider all the benefits of shopping down-town. You won’t re-gret it!

To learn more about the 3/50 Project, please visit www.the350proj-ect.net.

The Benefits of Holiday Shopping on Main Streetby Tamara Dourney


Those new to Florida or visiting at this time of year may find some of our local holiday traditions a bit different. The folks in Florida like to decorate palm trees instead of the evergreens. The kids have to get creative on where to hang their stock-ings and it is not imperative that we have hot wassail or spiked

eggnog to warm up after an evening of caroling. But even though we do things a little different, we definitely know how to celebrate the season!

One tradition we cannot do without is the annual visit from our favorite “snow bird” — Santa. After spending the rest of

Where’s Santa?by Meredith Bennett

Continued on page 10 …


the year in the North Pole, Santa enjoys a little R&R in our pleasant climate. This year Santa will be making his debut a little early by making a special appearance at Friday Fest, Friday, December 3rd. Santa will be set up to greet the kids and pass out candy canes from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in front of the library at Marina Square.

Santa’s next appearance will be at the Sights and Sounds on Second Festival on Sunday, December 5th, where Santa will make his grand entrance by fire truck at 1:30 p.m. at the corner of Orange Avenue and Second Street in Downtown Fort Pierce. Santa will be at the festival from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. So kids, make your list, check them twice and bring them to the festival to meet Santa. Following the festival is the long awaited parade. Make sure you get there early to get a good spot! The Christmas Parade begins at 4:30 p.m. and the highlight is the Santa float.

After Santa rides the streets of downtown Fort Pierce in the Christmas Parade, he will take to the waterways in the Christmas Boat Parade on December 11th. Santa will stop by the Original Tiki Bar to kick off a Christmas party before setting sail in the boat parade. The Christmas party is from 6 to 9 p.m., and every-one who brings a new toy will receive a raffle ticket for a special drawing. Starting on December 1st and running through Decem-ber 18th, the Original Tiki Bar and Cobb’s Landing will team up to be an official drop off for Toys for Tots. Please help Santa and the Marines by generously donating to their Toys for Tots drive.

Before Santa makes his all-night Christmas Eve sleigh ride he will be finding out who is naughty and nice at the Manatee Ob-servation and Education Center on Sunday, December 12th and Sunday, December 19th. Santa and the center’s mascot, Moe the Manatee, will be escorting families on a boat tour of

the Indian River Lagoon from 2 to 4 p.m. Make your reservations early for this fun and family oriented excursion and a chance to spend time with Santa during the holidays.

While you are downtown visiting Santa, check out what our wonderful town has to offer. Downtown Fort Pierce offers an array of shopping opportunities from art, bakeries, cigars, cloth-ing, hardware items, home décor, jewelry, office supplies, res-taurants, salons, specialty gifts, theatre tickets, and much more. Take the time to walk through our shops, visit our friendly merchants, eat in our restaurants, take in a show at the Sunrise Theatre and enjoy the holiday lights in Marina Square.

As Santa heads back to the North Pole, he leaves us with so many activities going on in Downtown Fort Pierce. Come visit Downtown Fort Pierce and make it part of your annual holiday traditions!

The Sunrise Theatre is excited to present their December line-up. From Doo Wop to The Nutcracker, comedian Garri-son Keillor, and the Elvis Tribute, we have something to please everyone. In addition, the New Year starts with a big bang with show business legend Howie Mandel.

The Legends of Doo Wop (Sunday, De-cember 5th at 7:00 p.m.) is a tribute ensem-ble featuring Tommy Mara of the Crests, Tony Passa of the Fascinators, Steve Horn

of the Five Sharks, and Frank Mancuso of the Imaginations.The Nutcracker is a time

honored Christmas ballet. This year the Sunrise The-atre has two performances, one by the St. Lucie Ballet (Friday, December 10th at 7:30 p.m.), the other by the

State Ballet Theatre of Russia (Sunday, De-cember 26th at 3:00 p.m.). The Nutcracker is brought to life through astonishingly beautiful dances set to Tchaikovsky’s musi-cal score. Graceful costumes and enchant-ing sets make this timeless traditional ballet a holiday event for the whole family.

True to his radio form, humorist ce-lebrity speaker Garrison Keillor shares hilarious anecdotes about growing up in the American Midwest, the people of Lake Wobegon, and “late-life fatherhood.” With a wonderful, dry sense of humor, he captivates audiences and delivers with class, charisma, and wisdom. The charming, witty, and always-entertaining writer, humorist, and celebrity speaker Garrison

Raub RobinsonOwner

[email protected]

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Celebrating Over 100 Years in Fort Pierce

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Look Who’s Coming Soon to the Sunrise Theatre!by Sue Dannahower

Continued on page 12 …

… continued from page 9


Keillor is probably best known for his widely popular radio show A Prairie Home Companion. Join us for an Evening with Garrison Keillor on Thursday, December 16th at 7:00 p.m.

Who doesn’t love Elvis? Chris Mac-Donald is captivat-ing in “Merry Christ-mas Baby” Memories of Elvis. This special holiday edition with Rock-N-Roll Hall of

Fame guest D. J. Fontana (Elvis’s original drummer) is presented on Saturday, December 18th at 8:00 p.m. Chris will pay tribute to the King of Rock-n-Roll in a truly dynamic multi-media pre-sentation complete with costumes and a high energy 15-piece concert band. The show will include production numbers and performances of some of your favorite Elvis Christmas songs and of course, those signature Elvis hits of the 1950s, The Movies.

Howie Mandel has done countless comedy specials both on cable and net-work television. He has also hosted his own syndicated talk show, the Howie Mandel Show, and continues to be a mainstay on the talk-show circuit. He frequently appears on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, per-forming his signature hidden-camera bits. While Howie has remained a constant force in show business for over 30 years, he has been thrust back in the spotlight as the host of what has become a national phenomenon Deal or No Deal. Howie will be performing at the Sunrise Theatre on Sun-day, January 2nd at 7:00 p.m.

For tickets please call the Sunrise Theatre box office at (772) 461-4775.

… continued from page 11

Celebrating25 Years!

STOREWIDE25% OFF

(consignment items excluded)

124 N. 2nd StreetFort Pierce, FL 34950

772-461-0410

TD Bank is Committed To Our Community!by Pam Gillette

On September 24, 2010, Riverside Bank became TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank® expanding the TD Bank net-work in Florida to about 100 stores. Although the bank name changed, most of the faces that contributed to Riverside’s suc-cess over the past 28 years remain the same; including one of our biggest supporters of Main Street Fort Pierce, Ms. Pat Alley.

What many have discovered is that TD Bank plans to con-tinue the Riverside legacy with a valuable and much needed continuing commitment to our local community. A few months ago, I witnessed this commitment first-hand.

The Christmas tree is a tradition some believe represents their religion and others believe is simply a decoration at Christmas time. Whatever your beliefs, the Christmas tree is a special tra-dition during the holiday season because of the way it makes us feel and the spirit it gives us.

During a meeting with Main Street Fort Pierce, TD Bank marketing officials and Vice President of Business Develop-ment, Pat Alley, discovered that our community needed TD Bank’s help during this holiday season. They learned that due to budget cuts through the City of Fort Pierce we would not

have a big downtown Christmas tree this year. But thanks to a generous donation from TD Bank, the downtown roundabout will again have a Christmas tree. But they went one step further — the Sights and Sounds Festival will once again have snow. Thank you, TD Bank, and welcome to Fort Pierce!

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, forms one of the 15 largest banks in the U.S. with over $160 billion in as-sets, 23,000+ full and part-time employees and deep roots in the communities they serve dating back more than 150 years. They offer a broad array of retail, business banking and com-mercial products and services to over 6.5 million customers through their extensive network of more than 1,100 locations and 2,660 ATMs from Maine to Florida.

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, is a member of TD Bank Financial Group (TSX, NYSE: TD) of Toron-to, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America and one of the few banks in the world rated AAA by Moody’s. TD Bank, N.A., is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., and Portland, Maine. For more information, visit www.tdbank.com.

2000 2003 2005 2006 2009


Service to the community is taking on an artistic flair once again this year thanks to the Treasure Coast Art Association on Avenue A in historic downtown Fort Pierce.

The 2nd annual Artful Holiday Arts & Crafts gala includes a festival of handmade gifts, photos with holly-jolly St. Nick and a Holiday Tree auction to benefit local charities. Fine art along with other crafts will be offered for sale to the gift-giving public in an atmosphere of music of the season. Its inaugural location was the Orange Blossom Center on Okeechobee Boulevard, but this year the event moves closer to home at the landmark Arcade Building, the 1926 Spanish Colonial revival-styled structure on US 1 at Orange Avenue.

“The Arcade is fabulous,” said Jeanne Johansen, the club’s president. “We will be able to have a secure space in the com-munity area of the building.”

Last year’s event raised funds for several organizations along the Treasure Coast, among them being the Homeless Services Council, Hospice, Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Lucie County, Children’s Home Services, Zora Neale Hurston Florida Foundation (Zora Fest) and TCAA’s arts programs. The the two-day event is free to the public and is sponsored in part by Brackett Family, Ltd., the owners and restorers of the Arcade.

The Artful Tree Auction concept combines art and giving whereby an artificial tree is decorated by an artist using hand-made ornaments, decorations and baubles in harmony with its theme. The artists volunteer their time designing and making each decoration. Sponsors assist with the financial resources to

completely decorate a tree and the artist joins forces with a char-ity of their choice to receive the proceeds from the auction.

“It’s a win-win for everyone, “added Johansen. Vendors of uniquely hand-made objects and artists may rent space for $40 for the two days, Friday, December 3 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sat-urday, December 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The silent auction ends on Saturday at 3 p.m. Bring the entire family and stroll the Arcade for one-of-a-kind presents for everyone on your Christmas list.

Vendors and artists who wish to register, contact Jeanne Johansen at 772/579.1529 or Ken Hoff at 772/812.0366.

Treasure Coast Art Associates Present Annual Auction for Local Charitiesby Debra Magrann

Rene Laigo displayed her exquisite artwork and partnered with Dogs and Cats Forever, Inc.

For Pamela Carithers, Lincoln Park Main Street’s new Man-ager, taking on this role is a homecoming of sorts. “This is my opportunity to invest in the community in which I grew up,” she said. “I get most excited about working with LPMS because of the historical relevance the district and especially the Avenue D corridor has played in the history of Fort Pierce.”

Carithers was born and raised in Fort Pierce and graduated from Westwood High School as a standout athlete. She moved to Talla-hassee to attend Florida A&M University where she obtained her bachelor of science degree in computer information systems. She joined the U.S. Reserves and was deployed in 1990 to participate in Operation Desert Shield/Operation Desert Storm. After her tour of duty overseas, she entered graduate school at Florida State University for International Affairs with an emphasis on Economic Development. She participated in a graduate internship with the Florida Department of Commerce Division of Economic Devel-opment where she first became involved in Florida Main Street.

Her involvement in community development and outreach include working with the City of Talla-hassee Community Development Section; Orange County Holden Heights Redevelopment Plan; Orange County Lake Susannah Neighborhood Improvements; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers serving as community liaison for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and logistics/operations for Hurri-canes Ike and Gustav in Texas. Most recently she participated in the Pine Hills Business Redevelopment Task Force in Orlando.

Carithers broad range of experience and knowledge in re-development and community outreach are sure to bolster the efforts and success of Lincoln Park Main Street. “I am excited about the unique possibilities this program promises with the Main Street designation, one of only two such designations to historically African American communities in the U.S.,” she said. “This is an awesome time to reconnect the community of Lincoln Park and Fort Pierce because of the major role the City and the Urban Redevelopment Department have played in the redevelopment of the Avenue D Corridor.”

Carithers says momentum has been created with recent im-provements, including the ribbon cutting of Moore’s Creek and Linear Park and the groundbreaking of the new bus termi-nal. She also notes recently completed construction such as the Jackie L. Caynon, Sr. Building, Granny’s Kitchen, Doll’s Beauty Salon and a host of other façade improvements along the corridor. “The time is now to move and continue the rede-velopment work that has begun,” she said.

The new program manager says her priorities are to increase membership and re-energize the current membership to truly get the community support and involvement for the impor-tant work ahead of the organization. An aggressive member-ship campaign will help build their base of support and provide both financial resources and volunteers to help accomplish the goals of Lincoln Park Main Street.

For more information on Lincoln Park Main Street, contact Pamela Carithers at 772-462-2481 or e-mail her at [email protected].

Lincoln Park Main Street Hires New Managerby Beth Williams


Ghosts of Fort Pierce PastBy Pam Gillette

Historic downtown Fort Pierce came alive and the ghosts come out to tell all the secrets of the long departed on Wednesday, October 27. New

characters and a choice of tours were added to make this year’s Ghosts of Fort Pierce Past Walking Tour the

biggest and best ever. Over 500 people were lead on a journey that narrated

the fascinating history and the unique charm of downtown Fort Pierce.

The annual Ghosts of Fort Pierce Past Walking Tour is a success due to the many volunteers that help with the

event. Main Street would like to thank Sue Dannahower for organizing the

volunteers and all the volunteer actors, guides and helpers for donating their time and talents to make this year’s

event such a great success.

The Ghosts of Fort Pierce Past takes place every October on the Wednesday before Halloween. If you were not able to attend this year’s event, please plan on joining us next October. You will be surprised at who may be waiting

around the next corner or lurking in the shadows of downtown Fort Pierce.

Pumpkin Walk 2010Saturday, October 23, 2010, members of our community joined in front of the Sunrise Theatre to carve pumpkins for the 1st Annual Pumpkin Carv-

ing. Kids and adults of all ages dove into the pulp of the pumpkins to create the best pumpkins they could.

photo by Alison CunninghAm photo by mAndy green photo by mAndy green

photo by mAndy green

photo by mAndy greenphoto by mAndy green

photo by mAndy green photo by Alison CunninghAm

On Wednesday, October 27, 2010, even more members of our community joined in front of the Sunrise Theatre

to celebrate at the first successful Pump-kin Walk. To celebrate, the pumpkins

were lit and set out for display, faces and finger nails were painted, there was a

children’s book signing, a performance by the Avenue D Boys Choir, a reading of the Raven, and a performance by the Pied Piper of Percussion. Several non-

profit organizations were present to educate the community about

their organizations.

On behalf of the Pumpkin Walk committee, thank you to all of the sponsors of the 1st Annual Pumpkin Walk.


The holiday season is upon us. It is the time of year that we enjoy reminiscing about the last twelve months. Residents and visi-tors to Fort Pierce have been blessed by the many treasures this city has to offer. One of those treasures is a Main Street organiza-tion that is one of the finest in the country! Main Street Fort Pierce has devoted over

twenty years of service to the downtown Fort Pierce area. This is accomplished by the Main Street Fort Pierce staff, their Board of Directors, sponsors and hundreds of volunteers who organize superior family entertainment throughout the year.

A series of events and festivities keep residents and visitors with plenty of activities to attend each month. Friday Fest, Coffee with the Mayor, the annual Sandy Shoes Festival in March, the Fourth of July festivities and fireworks, and the Reverse Raffle in August are just a few of the multiple events Main Street Fort Pierce

organizes to provide genuine entertainment for all ages. They also host trunk shows at the Backus House and Historic City Hall, as well as various other specialty exhibitions. The paramount fam-ily event every year is the Sights & Sounds on Second Street Festival which is followed by the Sights & Sounds Parade and the Fort Pierce Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. Mark the date — this year’s holiday festivities fall on December 5th. These events are just a selection from the extensive collection of events that Main Street Fort Pierce puts together for everyone to enjoy in downtown Fort Pierce! These events make our city a fun and exciting venue for people from all over to gather.

So who is at the reins of this organization? You will find Doris Tillman, Manager, and Pam Gillette, Marketing & Events Coor-dinator, at the helm. These two ladies, along with Suzanne Dan-nahower, Mimi Ewan, Joanne Blandford and a dedicated Board of Directors operate non-stop to maintain a continuous line up throughout the year. If you find this magazine enjoyable and infor-mative, it is another venture this team publishes for our delight!

In this community, you will see friends and neighbors all lending a hand to show off the great qualities of our wonder-ful city through these special events. So while you enjoy the holiday season and reflect on a great year living or visiting Fort Pierce, please say thank you to the many folks that bring you all this entertainment throughout the year!

May your holidays be blessed!

Downtown Fort Pierce Celebrates a Full and Wonderful Yearby Mayor Bob Benton

Halloween Golf Tournament – A Ghoulish Time for Allby Pam Gillette

On Saturday, October 30, 2010, the ghosts, goblins, and golfers came out to play in Main Street Fort Pierce’s Halloween Golf Tournament. The teams arrived early that morning to tee off at Fairwinds Golf Course, compete for prizes, and to have a ghoulishly good time.

After a morning of serious golfing competition, the Sea-coast Team of Matt Abbot, Tyler Gorman, Joe Mazur and Paul McMahon took First Place. Second Place went to the Becht Team – Eddie Becht, Joe DeRoss, Mike Huber and Tess Huber. Third Place went to Seacoast Team 2 – Ru-bert Barfield, Bill Henly, George Pacheco and Tom Wilkin-son. Other prizes given included “Closest to the Pin” – Rich Cushing, “Longest Drive” – Billy Padrick, and the “Putting Contest” was won by Erik Wile.

Main Street Fort Pierce would like to thank our Haunting Host Sponsor – Seacoast National Bank for their support of

this year’s tournament. We would also like to thank the yearly corporate sponsors – Southern Eagle Distributing, the St. Lucie News Tribune and all of the Tombstone Sponsors – All About You, Anita Prentice, Betty Ann Florist, Bill Knight In-surance, Boomer’s BBQ, Camille Ogden / Dermatech, C&A Sod, Conkling& Lewis Construction Inc., Colleen Nash Becht, East Coast Lumber, Fort Pierce Sunrise Kiwanis, Golden Corral, Janie Hinkle, Nis Air, Post Insurance, Roy’s Liquor, Bobby Knowles, St. Lucie Eye Associates, Sunrise Theatre, TD Bank, TLC Experts, Wada Wash, Wal-Mart, and Waste Pro who made the golf course look like a graveyard.

Due to the support of Seacoast National Bank and all the sponsors, team players, volunteers and supporters, the Halloween Golf Tournament was a wonderful success. Main Street Fort Pierce is looking forward to next year’s event…so golfers beware!

Third Place Team Seacoast National Bank 2 – Rubert Barfiels,

Bill Henly, Grorge Pacheco and Tom Wilkinson

First Place Team Seacoast National Bank 1 – Matt Abbot, Tyler Gorman, Joe Mazur and Paul McMahon

Second Place Team Becht – Joe DeRoss, Mike Huber,

Tess Huber and Eddie Becht

Pastor Shirley GroomSunday Worship Services

8:30 and 11:00 a.m.9:45 a.m. Sunday School

11 a.m. Service Broadcast on WPSL 1590 AM

Preschool with extended day careMom’s Morning Out

616 Orange Ave., Ft. Pierce, FL 34950www.fumc-online.com • [email protected]

Phone 772-464-0440 Fax 772-464-6525

First United Methodist Church


Recipe Corners

Stuffed Rib RoastThis is one of my traditional Christmas dinner recipes.

Use the pan dripping to make rich gravy. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and baby green beans.

4 pound bone in rib roast8 slices stale bread Milk5 Tablespoons butter, melted1 onion, finely minced½ cup mushrooms, chopped1 egg, beaten2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped½ teaspoon dried tarragon Salt and Pepper1 cup beef broth1 cup white wine1 bay leaf

Preheat oven to 325°. Rinse roast with cool water. Cut pockets be-tween the ribs in the roast. Lightly salt and pepper each pocket.

Put bread slices in blender until finely chopped. Place bread in bowl. Add a small amount of milk and let stand a few minutes. Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in small saucepan. Add onions, sauté 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender. Squeeze liquid from bread. Combine bread, onion, mushrooms, eggs, parsley, and sea-sonings in mixing bowl. Mix well.

Fill the roast pockets with the stuffing mixture. Use a skewer to shut if neces-sary. Rub outside of roast with salt and pepper. Turn into large roasting pan.

In small bowl, combine butter, broth, wine, and bay leaf. Pour mixture over the roast and cover. Bake in 350E oven for 2 ½ hours, basing with pan juices every 15 minutes. When done remove the roast from the pan and let set 15 minutes. Thicken pan juices and serve with the roast.

Make gravy from scrapings from bottom of pan, 1-½ teaspoons of Better Than Broth – Beef Base*, 1 cup water. Thicken with flour and cornstarch. Serves: 6-8.

Note: “Better Than Bouillon” is a line of soup bases — concentrated pastes higher in quality than bouillon cubes or canned/boxed broth. Though not nearly as good as homemade broths, the ones I tried more than live up to their name. They can be purchased locally at Publix & Winn Dixie and are available in nine flavors, including chicken, beef, vegetable, seafood, mushroom, turkey, and ham.

by Sue Dannahower


Trying to find the perfect Christmas gift for loved ones this year? Why not consider framing something special like granddad’s high school graduation certificate or any of a number of other meaningful mementos that come to mind: a marriage certificate, a photocopy of the family tree from grandmother’s family Bible or dad’s Army photo?

At Picture Perfect Frame Shop & Gallery in historic downtown Fort Pierce, Loretta Northrop has specialized in quality framing of unique keepsakes, art and paintings since 1985.

“I’ve framed everything from dead frogs to a Christening dress to a WWII Nazi flag from Nuremburg,” said Northrop. Not one to run from a challenge, she has even encased a large diamond-back snake. “You learn along the way — correct displaying and how to preserve pieces of artwork.”

She has a wide inventory that includes hometown artists like Scott Woodward whose renown extends beyond the Treasure Coast. Of spe-cial interest are a trio of Helen Terry artworks, each in a different style and medium. Terry is a long-time area artist whose influence touched many youth growing up in Fort Pierce. She is known for a collection of Biblical portraits that hang in the Community United Methodist Church of Fort Pierce.

Her battle against cancer is the rally cry for many of her fans and former students who are now professional artists and have assisted in fundraising to pay for her treatments. The outpouring from the community was im-mediate: funds collected to assist with chemotherapy for her breast cancer has crossed the $10,000 mark, but the need is still great.

“Drawing attention to her work for sale here may give her some added help,” said Picture Perfect owner Loretta Northrop. Terry’s three framed pieces are “River Gathering,” a biblical scene of three women drawing water; “Cat with Beads,” a whimsical look into the eyes of a seductive feline and “Eyes ‘n Glass,” an oil pastel of a ‘window to the soul’.

An expert in conservation and preservation, Northrop’s staff is trained in museum-quality matting and framing using regular, museum or anti-reflective glass and all work is done onsite. With a career that spans 35 years, Northrop learned the tricks of the trade at Professional Picture Framing industry meetings. Originally from Wilmington, NC, she began custom framing in the ‘70s. Her uncle is a master potter and she sold his pieces. She also carried the works of artisans throughout the southeast.

Her first job in Florida was in Port Salerno, then she and her husband moved to Fort Pierce where they were a team selling real estate.

She returned to fram-ing when the market soured and worked in Vero Beach at Frank’s Hang Up. She eventually bought the business and grew the inven-tory. She relocated to Okeechobee Blvd. and was wooed to historic downtown about 12 years ago by Main Street Manager, Doris Tillman.

“My husband was working at the city marina as a dockmaster and down-town was a good move for me,” said Northrop, where she enjoys more foot traffic and more activity. She is happy with the fact that the Downtown Business Association keeps things going and promotes Art Walk.

Her gift inventory includes leather purses, organic soaps, woven art, glass blown pieces, pottery and ready-made frames, posters, litho-graphs and etchings. She continually is adding new artists, some from out of state art shows and many represented in her shop are unique to Florida — only found at Picture Perfect. She estimates that there are between 60 to 75 artists represented there.

Just in time for gift-giving is her special 25th anniversary sale where everything in the store is discounted 25% excluding originals and commissioned pieces. Picture Perfect is located at 124 N. 2nd Street. Hours are Tues. – Fri., 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Sat., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday. Phone: 772-461-0410.

Picture Perfect Celebrates its Silver Anniversaryby Debra Magrann

East Coast Lumber, established in

1902 and the oldest business on the

Treasure Coast, has joined in a new

alliance with another well-established

company to better service the downtown customers. East

Coast Lumber’s Fort Pierce store has affiliated itself with

Ace Hardware, effective November 1st, 2010. As you pass

through downtown you will undoubtedly notice the new ad-

ditional of the Ace Hardware sign displayed on the exterior

wall of East Coast Lumber.

While East Coast Lumber has always offered an array of

hardware, the affiliation with Ace Hardware will now allow

customers to easily purchase any product in the Ace Hardware

inventory without the inconvenience of leaving downtown.

The company’s new product line includes tools, house-

hold goods, painting and plumbing supplies, outdoor grills

and even a lawn and garden center. This is exciting news for

downtown! No more driving an extra 10 to 15 miles out of

your way! No more inconvenient parking! Everything you

want or need for home improvement or home repairs are now

right here, at East Coast Lumber!

East Coast Lumber is presently owned by two cousins,

Allen and Don Osteen, who joined in partnership in 1988.

The company was the inception of four individuals, one of

whom was the Osteen’s Great-Grandfather, George F. Pad-

dison. The company is presently managed by Don Osteen,

Jr. There can be no doubt that this is strictly a ‘family owned

and operated’ corporation.

East Coast Lumber was originated and still operates on

the values that founded the company and have kept it run-

ning successfully over all these years: customer service, hon-

esty and respect in every sale. Per Don Osteen Sr., “The

company has always prided itself in our service aspect and

what we’re doing now is broadening the product line to en-

hance and serve the community.”

So don’t just drive by, stop in and take a moment to familiar-

ize yourself with East Coast Lumber’s new inventory as well

as their existing lines; say hello to the store manager, Don Os-

teen, Jr. and take pride in Historic Downtown Fort Pierce. For

although over 100 years have passed, some things remain the

same; an Osteen is still at the helm at East Coast Lumber!

East Coast Lumber — the New Face of Convenienceby Karen Bickerton

Allen Osteen and Don Osteen

Among the many artworks for sale are three originals by Helen Terry.


Become a Member of Main Street Fort Pierce!1. Call Main Street Fort Pierce at 772.466.3880, or2. Visit our website at www.mainstreetfortpierce.org, or3. Stop by the Main Street Fort Pierce office

at 122 A.E. Backus Avenue in Fort Pierce.


Problem solving created the successful River Rock soap prod-ucts produced by Priscilla Madden, who along with her hus-band, Jim, are long time vendors at the Downtown Farmers’ Market of Fort Pierce. The couple specializes in soaps and lo-tions. Priscilla used her knowledge of chemistry to solve her sensitive skin problem by making her own soaps and lotions, instead of endlessly searching for a product that wouldn’t pro-duce an allergic reaction. “I took a scientific approach to soap making by charting out the properties of oils and butters. I sell at the Farmers’ Market because I use organic fruits, vegetables and oils in my products,” said Madden.

According to Madden, “There were about 15 vendors when we first came to the Market in 1999. The Market has grown and now instead of grass, there are pavers. We work side by side with other vendors who help each other every week.”

Madden’s business has grown since she’s been a Market ven-dor. Businesses, like guest houses and boutique hotels, now use her soaps exclusively. “Our retail and wholesale customers asked us to make lotions and scrubs and other products using the same wonderful ingredients we use in making our soaps. The products we make today are a direct result from sugges-tions made by our Farmer’s Market customers.”

When Madden served on the Market’s Board of Directors, she worked to make the transition from a seasonal to a year round market. According to Madden, Fort Pierce has “the best market in the most beautiful setting.” “It’s a draw to the downtown area in Ft Pierce,” she said. “Many times we hear how people hadn’t been to Fort Pierce in quite some time but

they heard about the market so they came. Once they are here they try the restaurants, the shops and soon they real-ize just how nice downtown Fort Pierce really is.”

Contact Priscilla and Jim at River Rock Bath & Body Prod-ucts, www.riverrockinc1.com or come to the Farmers’ Market, every Saturday, 8 a.m. until noon.

Fort Pierce Farmer’s Market Vendor of the MonthBy Linda Hudson, Chair - Downtown Fort Pierce Farmer’s Market

After retiring from teaching at the Indian River Community College in 1995, Charles Croghan, a native of Fort Pierce, began his volunteer ca-reer. Since 1996, he has volunteered with the Manatee Observation & Education Center and this April, will receive his golden butterfly for volun-teering over 1,000 hours. Since the center was only open seven months

per year at that time, Charles also committed his time and knowledge of this area to the St. Lucie County Historical Mu-seum (now St. Lucie Regional Center) and the Seven Gables House Visitor’s Center. Charles believes “if you are retired and have nothing to do, volunteer; you will be useful, healthy minded, and alive.”

In 2005, Charles, with the help of Telling Your Sto-ry, Inc., published his memoirs titled Memory Believes. In this book, Charles tells of his experi-ences growing up in Fort Pierce in the 30s and 40s including stories and memories from the downtown area. This book also includes his experiences away from Fort Pierce including his army days in World War II, expanding his education and the changes that occurred in Fort Pierce prior to his return.

Upon his return, Charles brought his wife, Posey to live in Fort Pierce. They met aboard a ship on the Great Lakes where Charles was a bus boy and Posey, originally from Indiana, was a ship nurse. Charles has shared his love of Fort Pierce with Posey, and their love for the city continues to grow. Charles continues to volunteer his time with all three organizations. With every visitor that stops by, Charles is happy to share his experiences growing up in Fort Pierce and how the city has changed. Visi-tors from around the world are enthralled by this local advocate. With his dedication to downtown Fort Pierce, then and now, Charles Croghan is this month’s Main Street Downtown Hero.

Downtown Hero – Charles Croghanby Brandi LLanas

Manatee Center Volunteers (from left to right) George Springer, Charles Croghan,

Dorothy Scotto, and Rochelle Lambert at an Earth Day Celebration.

Charles Croghan


Changing Weather Rolls Inby Dan Dannahower

Cooler weather has finally arrived on the Treasure Coast. The first week of November saw the arrival of our first strong cold front bringing gusty winds and much cooler conditions with lows in the 40’s in some areas. For many residents and visitors the cooler temps are a welcome reprieve from the record heat we had this summer. Numerous records were broken this summer with the heat index reaching over 120 degrees on some days and 20 year highs beaten on several occasions. I think we are ready for some cooler days and more temperate conditions.

Although the timing and frequency of cold fronts rolling through south Florida varies from year to year the general pat-tern is pretty well fixed. Fronts moving down from the north are stronger than in the summer and have enough energy to push past us and even down into the Bahamas. Depending on the overall weather conditions in the continental US for the next 4 or 5 months these fronts may come through every

few weeks or as often as every 4 or 5 days. They bring clouds, windy conditions and usually much cooler air behind them. Our resulting winter weather is a mix of cold front condi-tions separated by clear, cool, low wind days with absolutely beautiful conditions.

The arrival of a strong cold front inevitably results in a day or two of conditions that make outdoor activities somewhat chal-lenging. A good example is the recent front that came through the first week of November, right when the Southern Kingfish Association National Finals were being held here. High winds resulting in rough sea conditions caused the tournament to be cut short by one day in the interest of safety. Despite the weath-er, the tournament was a great success with a number of on and off water activities and many large fish caught and weighed in. This is a huge tournament with prizes that run in the tens of thousands and a major boost to the economy of Fort Pierce.

Call or Stop by for our FREE BARGAINS LIST!

Fort Pierce411 North U.S. 1772-461-3250

Hutchinson Island221 S. Ocean Drive

772-461-1324

Port St. Lucie7202 South U.S. 1

772-878-3200

www.HoytCMurphy.com

You can see all the action and results at fishska.com.Bottom line: for the next several months we will have a mix

of cold front weather followed by beautiful conditions. For rec-reation on the water check the weather and if it’s not good just wait a day or two. Ocean and river boating may be unsuitable some days but will be favorable following the front. Fishing will be on and off as the changing pressure, temperature and

wind conditions cause the bite to go from hot to nil to hot again. For picnicking, beach going, golfing and many other outdoor activities the same applies. Many great days are ahead for any outdoor venture, just keep an eye on the forecast and plan your activities accordingly.

Have a great winter season and enjoy the temperate days that are coming to the Treasure Coast!


Location,Location,Location!

This little piece of real estate can be your best investment!

Advertise your business on the Main Street Dining page!

Reach friends & neighbors, the business community, residents & visitors.

And support Main Street Fort Pierce as we support you!

Call 466-3880 to place your ad today.

Volume 6, No. 5 December, 2010 - Fort Pierce · Volume 6, No. 5 December, 2010 Main Street Focus...

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Transcript of Volume 6, No. 5 December, 2010 - Fort Pierce · Volume 6, No. 5 December, 2010 Main Street Focus...