10 Things I Love About Gainesville

10 Things I Love About Gainesville, Gainesville, FL 10. Gator sports programs! – They make a winner out of all of us! 9. The University of Florida – And all that it brings to our community. 8. Our great climate! – Spring is my favorite and the winters are great too! 7. Gainesville is very peaceful – It’s a great place to raise family, great ...

Brown's Country Buffet

Brown's Country Buffet, Gainesville, FL     BOB BROWN and his family knew what it was like to be in the restaurant business before they ever came to Alachua and opened Brown’s Country Buffet five years ago. For 35 years, Bob worked for Morrison’s Cafeteria, moving up the ranks and to many different restaurant locations until finally relocating to Gainesville ...

Quality You Can Stand On

Quality You Can Stand On, Gainesville, FL   WHEN JOEY Galasso ventured into the flooring business he decided that providing professionalism was his top priority. That’s why his company, Professional Flooring of Gainesville, Inc., is unique…and also why his approach to flooring solutions is so successful. With many years of experience under his belt, Galasso ...

Meet Nicolette Alvarez

Meet Nicolette Alvarez, Gainesville, FL Gainesville's Newest TV personality ANYONE WATCHING WCJB TV20 lately has probably wondered about the poised, wellspoken young lady in Gainesville Ford’s commercials. She is 8-year-old Nicolette Alvarez, eldest child of dealership owner Joe Alvarez and his wife, Michelle. These commercials are her first appearance before an audience, ...

Men Who Make a Difference

Fitz Cain SERVING HIS CUSTOMERS in Alachua as an independent Allstate Agent for more than 15 years is one of our local heroes, Fitz Cain. Cain was originally a Gilcrest County boy and moved to Gainesville after high school, shortly thereafter beginning his career in insurance. He liked meeting people and providing financial services to his clients. Through continuing education ...

Come Back Pet:

Come Back Pet:, Gainesville, FL Helping Pets Find Their Way Home YOU MAY BE familiar with the National Amber Alert system that gets the word out when a child is missing. Now there’s a service that uses the same concept if your pet goes missing. For many of us, our pets are a big part of our family, providing everything from companionship to protection with unconditional ...

Pray then Play Sports:

Pray then Play Sports:, Gainesville, FL Putting Values Above Winning PRAY THEN PLAY SPORTS is changing youth sports. It’s putting values ahead of winning. The approach is catching on. The league has grown from its beginning at the First Baptist Church of High Springs in 2002 to include 16 churches and 3,500 young people. John Moss, the Pray then Play coordinator at ...

Publisher's Letter

Gainesville Today's Publishers' letter, Gainesville, FL   SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVING IS EASY; the fish are jumping and the weather is…not as bad as it could be, but thank goodness for A/C. We already had tropical storm Alberto whirl into town—dropping a tree on Lane’s truck and taking my porch screen as a souvenir—as it headed north. For cool summer ...

People Helping People

People Helping People, Gainesville, FL   ATHE RONALD MCDONALD House of Gainesville has been an organization of people helping people for nearly 25 years, providing a homeaway- from-home for the families of seriously ill or injured children being treated at local medical facilities, including Shand’s Children Hospital and the Clinics at the University of Florida Health ...

Floating Lotus Spa: A Rejuvenating Experience

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR a new place to relax and melt away the day’s stresses in Gainesville, the Floating Lotus Spa has everything you need. With six massage therapists on staff, you can have a full-body massage or simply enjoy the relief of a quick foot or neck massage. Located in Thornebrook Village, the Floating Lotus has incorporated a new technology that may change ...

Prisoner of Chronic Pain

CHRONIC PAIN AND PRISONERS OF WAR Having chronic pain is similar to being a Prisoner of War. Prisoners of War are held captive and deprived of basic needs like freedom, sleep, social contact, the ability to work, intimacy and hope. Add consistent discomfort, confusion, anxiety and depression and you also describe the life of a chronicpain patient. Then throw in unpredictable ...

MEN: Taking Charge of Your Health

FROM EARLY ON, our culture dictated that “boys don’t cry” and “real men tough it out.” So it’s not surprising that many grown men aren’t willing to talk about or address their own health issues. Studies show—what many wives and girlfriends already know—that men are more likely to put off routine checkups and ignore symptoms ...

An American Epidemic BACK PAIN

THERE ARE literally thousands of Americans finding relief from excruciating back pain. Many thought they would never live a normal life again. Simple tasks like getting out of bed, bending over, sitting or standing were extremely painful. They couldn’t concentrate on anything else because the pain had taken over their lives. Fun activities like golfing, riding a bike ...

Honoring its Founder's Vision of Making a Difference

U NIVERSITY OF FLORIDA graduate the late Marvis B. Roberts, Sr., was truly a man who made a difference in the lives of many residents of North Central Florida. Decades ago, he was inspired to create a financial institution where his friends, family and fellow employees could come together to help each other achieve their financial dreams. Today, his institution and his vision ...

LUKE SPARKS for Success

L UKE SPARKS IS ONE of those rare individuals who lights up a room by just entering. He seems to emanate energy and enthusiasm and is sure to brighten the day of those who cross his path. The spark behind this dynamic man’s infectious optimism is a credo that influences his every endeavor—“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Learning ...

Turkey Creek Auctions:

YOU’D NEVER SUSPECT it, but did you know that $1 million worth of antiques and collectibles are auctioned annually in Citra? Since Turkey Creek Auctions, Inc., came to town, antique dealers and collectors all over the world carefully monitor what’s happening in this small town just south of Gainesville. In business for over 20 years, Turkey Creek is headed up ...

Life Organizing Services

WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL GOALS? Get organized? Lose the stress? Find more time in the day? For many it’s all three. To help achieve these goals, many people are seeking out professional organizers. Professional organizers help people organize, de-stress and find more time for the things that are important in their lives. This is the goal of Life Organizing Services, LLC. ...

Air Tight Sprayfoam

A W HEN SUMMER hits Florida, it’s second nature to crank up the air conditioning. Unfortunately, the importance of proper home insulation usually becomes apparent when it’s too late to correct the problem. Homeowners quickly learn that undesirable air and moisture infiltration in a finished house increases energy consumption, which in turn leads to high utility ...

John "Butch" Jones

J OHN “BUTCH” JONES has promising ideas for the state of law enforcement in our area. But this candidate for sheriff of Alachua County can sum it all up with one concept: empowerment of the people. Jones is a 30-year veteran of the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. He is also the owner and president of Creative Counseling Services, which provides mental ...

Jay Murray

N EED TO LOOK AT the big picture, but the big picture is just too big? As in Gone With the Wind Scarlett O’Hara said, “I’ll think about it tomorrow.” Old clichés ring true. “People don’t plan to fail,” said Jay Murray, 43, a representative with Edward Jones Investment. “They fail to plan.” Whether it be financial ...

Gator Watch

AS WE TRUDGE THROUGH the heat of the summer, a Gator fan’s thoughts undoubtedly turn to the upcoming football season. But while we’re counting the days to the first kickoff, there’s another team gearing up for their opening day – the Gator soccer team. Florida soccer got its start here in Gainesville in 1995, when coach Becky Burleigh arrived to start ...