Jeff Louderback's Write Perceptions

Personality profile on Dave Thomas

This is a feature Jeff wrote about Wendy's founder Dave Thomas for Ohio Magazine back in 1999. It is still one of his favorite interviews. Dave Thomas died in 2002.

Weary from a flight long delayed by inclement weather, Dave Thomas steps out of his corporate jet and minutes later arrives at the Wendy's International headquarters in the posh Columbus suburb of Dublin. Dressed in blue slacks and a crisp white shirt adorned with a hamburger-emblazoned tie, the bespectacled fast-food entrepreneur and television folk hero listens to an overview of the next day's board meeting as he descends down a staircase and into a makeshift studio where a group of children await.

Thomas, who lives with his wife Lorraine in a spacious Ft. Lauderdale mansion, is here to pose for a photograph that will publicize the release of a postage stamp designed to promote adoption, a cause that is dear to his heart. The children selected for the session are sons and daughters of Wendy's employees, and they recognize the smiling grandfather figure the moment he strides into the room.

"Is that the dude from TV, the one who eats all those hamburgers," one boy excitedly asks his mother. Thomas grins and settles into a chair as the children are draped around him. Between shots, he jokes and laughs with the youngsters - appearing much like the gentle and kindhearted figure featured in Wendy's television commercials.

"What you see is what you get. I think people like him so much because he is sincere," said Lorraine Thomas, who married Dave Thomas in 1954. "He is kind to everyone, no matter if he's known you for years of if you're someone he just met."

The 67-year-old Thomas, who successfully recovered from quadruple bypass surgery performed six days after his heart attack in 1997, is a man of many descriptions. Savvy entrepreneur. Marketing genius. Television star. Best-selling author. Role model. Not surprising for a man who believes that giving time is just as valuable as donating money, philanthropic efforts are an important part of his life. In 1992, he founded the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, one of several organizations to which he lends support. Thomas was instrumental in the United States Postal Service's initiation of the Adoption Stamp, which was unveiled in Los Angeles last month.

"The stamp will not raise funds, but it will create awareness for adoption and the tens of thousands of children who are awaiting permanent and caring homes," said Thomas, who was adopted at six weeks old. He donates the profits from his best-selling autobiography Dave's Way and his second book Well Done! to the adoption foundation. "Had I not been adopted, I could have been raised in an orphanage and missed out on so many things that had a positive influence on me."

Moments after the photo session is over, Thomas retreats to a leather chair in his office, where the smiling faces of 15 grandchildren beam from portraits on one wall and pictures of him with celebrities like President Clinton and Jack Nicklaus hang on another. The most recognizable human fast-food icon - Ronald McDonald does not count - takes a sip of diet cola and talks about a time long before he earned his first million and was recognized every place he went. His is an inspirational story about a boy who had little, except the encouragement of an loving adoptive grandmother and dreams about hamburgers and one day owning his own restaurant.

Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1932 to a mother he never knew, Thomas was adopted by a couple in Michigan when he was 6 weeks old. His adoptive mother, died when he was 5, and in the following years his adoptive father struggled to find work. They lived in dirty boarding houses and cramped trailers as Rex Thomas bounced from job to job and state to state. In 10 years, Dave Thomas says, he attended 12 schools.
Summers spent with adoptive grandmother Minnie Sinclair were the fondest memories of his childhood, Thomas recalls. A devout Christian, Sinclair raised four children alone after her husband was killed in a railroad accident. She juggled several jobs to keep a roof over her children's heads.

"Hard work is good for the soul," Thomas remembers her saying. "It keeps you from feeling sorry for yourself because you don't have time."

Saturday afternoons were Thomas' favorite time with his grandmother. They drove to downtown Kalamazoo and ate lunch at the counter of a five-and-dime store.

"I remember the swiveling chairs and the people in uniform hustling back and forth preparing and serving the food," said Thomas, who lived with Sinclair during the summer until he was 9. "Even then, I was excited by the atmosphere of a restaurant."

Grandma Sinclair, Thomas says, taught him the value of a hard day's work and the importance of quality. "Don't cut corners," she often said. That credo, according to Thomas, is why Wendy's hamburgers are square, unlike the chain's competitors. "At Wendy's, we don't cut corners," Thomas said in words spoken with pride.

Life with his adoptive father, Thomas admits, was less desirable than summers with Grandma Sinclair. Rarely did father and son eat a home-cooked meal. Mostly, they dined at restaurants where hamburgers and hot dogs were the specialties.

"My father and I didn't talk much, so I spent most of the time in restaurants observing the surroundings," Thomas said. "I remember watching families sitting together and having a good time. To me, eating out wasn't just about the food. It was a special event."

When he was 8, Thomas decided that one day he would have a restaurant where families would flock for the friendly atmosphere and the juicy hamburgers, which have long been his favorite food. To Thomas, a mouthwatering hamburger is more desirable than the tastiest lobster and the choicest filet mignon.

"Popeye wasn't my hero," Thomas recalled. "Wimpy was, because he loved hamburgers."

Thomas lived in Indiana when his father remarried a woman with three girls. His oldest stepsister had a job and "seemed to earn respect from bringing home money." So the ambitious 10-year-old boy sought work. The next two years, he had brief stints as a paperboy, a golf caddy and a pinsetter. When his family moved to Knoxville, Tennessee in 1944, Thomas found work at a grocery store.

"I delivered groceries on a bicycle, and didn't like the job much," Thomas explained. "Riding on the hilly streets of Knoxville was a challenge, and it seemed like every time I delivered groceries, it would be to an apartment house on the top of a hill and the customer would live on the fifth floor."

Thomas had worked there a month when the owner closed the store for two weeks when he left for vacation. The owner returned a week early, and summoned Thomas.

"I told him I had already made plans because I thought I would have two weeks off," Thomas said. "When I returned a week later, I saw a 'Help Wanted" sign in the window, and I knew I was fired."

The 12-year-old Thomas pounded the pavement again searching for another job. He found one at Walgreen's, where he mixed sodas and made ice cream floats. His first restaurant job was terminated three weeks later when the manager learned Thomas was 12 and not 16.

"My dad got angry when I told him about Walgreen's. He told me I would never keep a job, that he would have to support me the rest of his life," Thomas said. "From that moment, I was determined to not lose another job. I wanted to prove him wrong."

Thomas strolled down the street one more time and walked into the Regas Restaurant, owned by brothers Frank and George Regas. Again, Thomas said he was 16, and he was hired. He was assigned to the lunch counter with Bill Regas, Frank's son.

"I loved the look of the gray smock coats the white aprons, the white shirts and the ties. I felt like a professional," explained Thomas, whose title is senior chairman and spokesperson. "We didn't carry orders on trays. Instead, I learned to balance plates, cups and saucers on one arm.

The Regas brothers encouraged their employees to " work as if your job depends on every single customer, every day." Thomas followed their advice, earning the respect of his superiors and working seven days a week during the summer and weekends during the school year.

"We would always compete to see who could earn the most money from tips," said Bill Regas, who is co-owner of the Regas Restaurant and two other eateries in Knoxville. "Dave would talk about how someday he would have his own chain of restaurants. His co-workers would snicker and say, 'Sure, Dave, sure.' But he had a vision, and the confidence that he would succeed."

In 1947, when he was 15, Rex Thomas moved his family to Ft. Wayne, Ind., where Dave Thomas was hired as a bus boy at the Hobby House Restaurant. Within weeks, he was promoted to other positions and grew close to Phil Clauss, the Hobby House owner and a man who would offer Thomas the chance to earn his first million.

By summer's end, Rex Thomas moved again. This time, his son did not leave. He rented a room at the YMCA and dropped out of school after finishing the 10th grade, choosing to work full time in the restaurant business rather than earn his high school diploma. After serving in the Army - Thomas was assistant manager of the Enlisted Men's Club at a base in Germany - he returned to the Hobby House in 1953 when he met an 18-year-old waitress named Lorraine Buskirk. He did not make a favorable early impression.

"I was working as a grill man and one day we were so busy I pushed out order after order and kept ringing the bell for her to pick up the food," Thomas said with a smile. "She was picking up the orders fast enough, in my opinion, so I kept ringing that bell over and over."

The spunky young waitress did not appreciate Thomas' approach. "I was holding two plates in my hands," she said with a laugh. "And I told him, 'Would you like me to serve this, or would you like to wear it?'"

The couple started dating and were married a year later. They have five children - Pam, Kenny, Molly, Lori and Melinda Lou (Wendy). Kenny and Wendy have successfully owned and operated Wendy's franchises.
Clauss eventually promoted Thomas to vice president of the Hobby House and a new barbeque restaurant called the Hobby Ranch House in Ft. Wayne.

In 1956, Clauss approached Thomas about someone he met at a restaurant convention, a 65-year-old man who drove a white Cadillac, had a neatly-trimmed white mustache and goatee, and walked with a gold-tipped cane. His name was Col. Harland Sanders, and he talked about his secret blend of herbs and spices, and a better way of frying chicken. Col. Sanders would sell his spices and pressure cookers to prepare the chicken in exchange for a nickel for each piece of chicken sold.

"I said to Phil, 'Why should we pay some guy who looks like a billy goat five cents a piece for chicken when we already have good chicken," Thomas explained with a grin. "It turned out that his chicken took less time to prepare, and customers wanted to see when Kentucky Fried Chicken was all about."

Clauss opened four Kentucky Fried Chicken eateries in Columbus in 1960. A year later, they were struggling to stay afloat and Clauss was $250,000 in debt with the franchises. He offered Thomas the chance to revive the restaurants, guaranteeing 40 percent ownership of the Columbus locations once he paid off the original $250,000 investment.

"Phil and Lorraine were the only people who thought I could turn those restaurants around," Thomas said. "Even Col. Sanders thought it wouldn't be a wise move. He thought I was making a big mistake."

With four young children at the time, Thomas leaped at the chance to earn more money and tackle a challenge few people that he could handle. Even Thomas sometimes wondered whether he could turn the restaurants around when he arrived in Columbus in 1962. Sales were dismal, and the eateries had no credit. Even Col. Sanders required cash-on-delivery.

"Listen to the Colonel, boy," Thomas remembers Col. Sanders saying. "As your friend, get out now while you can. Things are just too far gone here."

Thomas had no money for advertising, so he convinced his chicken supplier to fund a newspaper ad, which increased sales. He even exchanged chicken for air time at local television and radio stations. Thomas and Clauss had already devised the idea for placing the chicken in a red-and-white striped bucket with Col. Sanders image prominently displayed. To attract more attention, Thomas hired a graphic designer to create the wobbling chicken bucket sign in front of the restaurant. Col. Sanders liked the sign so much he had them installed at every Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise.

In 1968, Clauss sold the franchises to Kentucky Fried Chicken, a company Col. Sanders no longer owned, and Thomas became a millionaire at 35. He joined KFC as a regional director of operations and then joined Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips for a short stint, but owning a hamburger restaurant was still on his mind.
Thomas and a close friend, longtime Columbus automobile dealer Lee Immke, often talked about hamburgers as they lounged in a sauna at the Columbus Athletic Club. Immke, Thomas recalls, would lament over the lack of "a good hamburger" in downtown Columbus. Thomas agreed.

On Nov. 15, 1969, Wendy's Old-Fashioned Hamburgers opened its doors at Fifth and Broad Streets in a building owned by Immke. Thomas wanted a wholesome image for his restaurant, so he named it after his red-headed, freckle-faced 8-year-old daughter Melinda Lou, called Wendy by her siblings who could not pronounce her given name.

The decor matched the old-fashioned theme indicated in the restaurant's name. Tiffany glass lamps, hanging beads, turn-of-the advertising on table tops and bentwood chairs composed the atmosphere. Behind the counter, Thomas prepared a simple menu of made-to-order singles, doubles, triples along with chili, french fries and the Frosty Dairy Dessert. At the grand opening, a beaming Wendy charmed Columbus dignitaries in a blue-and-white striped dress with red-and-white striped socks. The dress, which Wendy wore when posing for the restaurant's familiar logo, now is displayed in a glass case at the original eatery, which is now a combination Wendy's and Tim Horton's restaurant and a museum stocked with photos and memorabilia about Thomas and the restaurant's intriguing history.

Initially, Thomas planned a five-location chain in the Columbus area "so my children would have a place to work during the summer." Though skeptics believes there was no room for another hamburger chain, Wendy's rapidly grew. Thomas first franchised his restaurant in 1973, and less than 10 years after the first Columbus eatery opened, Wendy's had 1,000 restaurants in operation. The number has increased to more than 5,500 today with almost 500 more locations presently under construction.

Over the years, Wendy's advertising campaigns have been as classic as the square hamburgers Thomas fashioned. "Hot 'n Juicy," the theme for the restaurant's first nationally televised commercial in 1977, propelled Wendy's name recognition, Thomas believes. Seven years later, retired manicurist Clara Peller became a folk hero when she made "Where's the Beef?" a household phrase.

Pausing for a moment as he takes a sip of diet cola, Thomas studies a certificate that is placed on his desk. It is a notice that the Guinness Book of World Records has recognized him as the founder who has made the most appearances in a television commercial as a spokesperson for his company. Thomas has taped almost 700 Wendy's advertisements - more than former Chrysler icon Lee Iacocca, popcorn pitchman Orville Redenbacher and Col. Sanders combined.

"We have a lot of fun with the commercials, though they involve long hours and lots of takes," said Thomas, whose favorite item at Wendy's is a single with mustard, pickle and onion. "People say the commercials are funny, and that's good. If you use humor, people are more likely to remember your message."

On occasion, Thomas appeared in Wendy's earliest television commercials. He did not become a recognizable spokesperson, though, until 1989. Company executives were unhappy with the advertising campaign at the time, so Thomas was asked to step in "for a few months" until a fresh campaign could be designed.

"When the commercials started airing, focus groups said they liked them because they felt like Dave was talking to them just like a father, a grandfather or a neighbor," Lynch said. "People appreciate that he's not a manufactured personality. He's Dave Thomas, not someone who is playing a role."

The originally planned short stint has turned into an 11-year gig that is still rolling along smoothly. Though he is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Thomas is quick to say, "I'm not an actor, I'm a spokesman."
Fans who do not know him often wonder if Thomas is as humorous away from the camera as he is on the television screen.

"He is funny," Lorraine Thomas said with a laugh. "But he has good writers."

Every time the likable Thomas walks into a Wendy's restaurant, customers often greet him and ask for an autograph. A recent commercial about the chain's Monterey Ranch chicken sandwich featured Thomas in an online chat room responding to a posting about the group feeling hungry. His screen name in the commercial was Dave 256.

"The number 256 is a significant piece of Wendy's folklore. It represents how many ways you can make a Wendy's hamburger. It's not Dave's online name, however," Lynch explained. "Apparently, Dave's fans thought that was his actual screen name, and they bombarded some poor guy who was actually Dave 256 with countless messages."

Thomas has earned several awards for his business leadership, and holds honorary degrees from Duke, Clemson and many other universities. Of all his feats, perhaps none is more gratifying than what he achieved in 1993, the year he earned his GED certificate. Coconut Creek High School near Ft. Lauderdale adopted Thomas as a student. He attended the senior prom with Lorraine, and the couple was named honorary king and queen. Thomas was voted "Most Likely to Succeed."

"I didn't feel right talking to high school and college students, encouraging them to stay in school or go back to school, when I hadn't even finished high school," said Thomas, who lives with Lorraine in a spacious Ft. Lauderdale mansion. "My road would've been easier had I stayed in school and gone to college."

As night falls over Dublin, Thomas walks through the headquarters lobby to a waiting car that will take him to his condominium for much-needed rest. In the days ahead, there are more board meetings to attend, commercials to tape, motivational speeches to deliver and adoption awareness to create. Thomas has been showered with several awards and honors, accumulated more wealth than he imagined as a boyhood dreamer and is beloved by millions of admirers. Yet the humble and cordial hamburger king does not think he is special. Nor does he feel his degree of success is unattainable for others.

"There is no reason that a dirt-poor kid like me - a kid who had a jumbled home life and dropped out of school - should have made it. But I did, at least in some ways," said Thomas, whose family has its own island at Buckeye Lake. "Within the laws of God and man, anything is possible. I truly believe people can find their niche and achieve their dreams. I can, you can. Anybody can."

Win a Cafe: Oregon couple hold essay contest to sell quaint eatery

This is a feature Jeff wrote for Bend.com in Oregon.

Born on the same day and year – November 23, 1952 - Harry and Roxana McKaig are a husband and wife who often take an adventurous route when charting their next course.

When Harry was searching for a new career, and the couple wanted to move their family from the heavy crime and frenetic pace of New Jersey, they packed their belongings and journeyed across the country to a simpler life in rural Oregon. Then, after a successful venture operating a New York hot dog stand, they bought the only restaurant in Imbler, a town of 380 situated amid the Blue Mountains along the Hell’s Canyon Scenic Byway in northeast Oregon.

Now, because of Harry’s health – he has experienced five heart attacks and one open heart surgery – the McKaigs are selling Ma & Pa’s Café. Rather than posting a for-sale sign, the couple is giving their 40-seat restaurant to the person who writes the most compelling essay. The winner receives the deed to the café with a fully paid mortgage and $50,000 in initial capital. All for an entry fee of $150 and an essay that begins with “I would like to own Ma & Pa’s Café because…” and is followed by 500 words of descriptive prose. A full description of the rules, regulations and guidelines can be found at www.winacafe.com.

“The American dream is to have your own business,” Harry McKaig said. “With this essay contest, we feel that we are giving someone an opportunity to live that dream by using their creative skills and expressing why they want to own and operate Ma & Pa’s Café.”

The contest will continue through August 1, at which time a group of four judges will review the essays over a “six to eight week time period,” Harry McKaig said. Judges will be unknown to each other, and identities are participants will be undisclosed as well since essays must include words like “I” and “we” instead of specific names.

Once all essays are received, they will be divided into two groups and narrowed down through a series of elimination rounds, much like a basketball tournament. When the finalists are determined, the McKaigs will select a winner.

“We have no control over who the finalists will be since the judges are choosing them, and their identities are unknown,” Harry McKaig explained. “The number of judges and finalists will depend on the number of entries received.”

Imagination, creativity, expression of thought, wit and positive social values are among the qualities included in the judging criteria.

“You don’t have to be a professional writer,” Roxana McKaig said. “We just want to find someone who best explains his or her reasons for wanting to own a café in Imbler.”
The McKaig’s path to Imbler started more than 3,000 miles east in New Jersey, where the couple met in elementary school.

“I was her paperboy when I was 10 years old. She didn’t like me too much, though. She always used to kick me,” Harry McKaig said with a laugh. “Then, when we were in ninth grade, I asked her to a dance. She said yes, and we’ve been together ever since.”

After serving four years in the Army, Harry worked in retail management for Texaco before the hours, the career, and the fast pace and high crime left him looking for a lifestyle change. His brother lived in LaGrande, a town of 16,000 located 12 miles from Imbler, and that is where the McKaigs settled in the early 1990s. Heart problems sent Harry into retirement for awhile, and then he decided to open a New York hot dog stand with Roxana in downtown LaGrande.

“We called it ‘Poppy’s Tastee Dogs’ and we would sell 18,000 frankfurters in only six months,” he said. “Even now, when I walk around LaGrande, people call me Poppy.”
Initially, Poppy’s consisted of a small stand, selling Sabrett’s hot dogs that were flown in from New York City. Then, the McKaigs bought a trailer with a water system and generator. Regulations, though, required them to remove the trailer from its spot at the corner of a gas station every night.

The McKaigs grew tired of the daily set up and tear down process, so when they heard that the only restaurant in Imbler was for sale, they decided to enter the restaurant business in a town where the scenery is stunning, the cost of living is low and crime is rare. With Harry’s continued heart problems, the long hours have proven to be too exhaustive for the couple. So they are searching for a new owner who is passionate about living the American dream in a one-stoplight town where customers include farmers who pull into the parking lot behind the wheel of a combine; outdoor enthusiasts who flock to the area for its rich hunting and fishing; and locals who gather at the café and the nearby country store for lively conversation.

In addition to a fully paid mortgage and $50,000, the essay contest winner will assume ownership of a café that grossed $124,000 in 2004 serving only lunch and dinner. McKaig initially offered breakfast, but then stopped.

“I don’t know how to make eggs, so I decided that we would focus on lunch and dinner,” Harry McKaig said with a laugh. “One morning, I came out to each table and said “Here’s $20 for breakfast at Denny’s.’ I think the townspeople would appreciate it if the new owner would serve breakfast.”

The McKaigs, also invested $28,000 to upgrade the café with new electrical wiring, plumbing, air conditioning, tables and countertops.

To ensure that every legal base is covered, the McKaigs consulted with a private attorney and the state attorney general’s office, which says that there is an assortment of guidelines to be met when selling a business through an essay contest. The main requirement stipulates that the contest must by one of skill, not of chance.

“Our essay contest is based on writing skills. The winning essay will be selected strictly for its words,” Harry McKaig said. "We talked to the attorney general's office, and according to what they told us we've done everything right.”

As required by the law, entry fees will be deposited into an account until the winner is selected, Harry McKaig said. Each essay must begin with,“ I would like to own Ma & Pa’s Café because…,” and can be followed with a maximum of 500 words. The essay must be sent through U.S mail, and not in person, and be accompanied by a check or money order for $150. The McKaigs reserve the right to extend the entry deadline beyond August 1 is the minimum of 2,000 entries is not reached by that time. The contest may be canceled if enough entries are not received. If so, Harry McKaig said, refunds will be given.

The McKaigs believe that the contest will generate at least the minimum number of entries, and that a new owner will realize the dream of operating his or her own business. The couple, who live in LaGrande, will remain in the area.

“We’ll be available for advice if the new owner wants it,” Harry McKaig said. “”we’re doing everything we can to make sure the winner has long-term success”

The McKaigs say they will also eat at the café, where the menu includes everything from T-bone steaks and boneless ribeyes to reuben sandwiches and flame-broiled Angus burgers.

“I may even stop in for breakfast,” Harry McKaig said with a grin. “I like eating eggs much more than I do making them.”

Fit to Travel: The Bike Trails of Orlando

This is a feature Jeff wrote for Continental Magazine, the in-flight magazine of Continental Airlines.

The serenity of natural Florida meets the bustle of suburban life on the Seminole-Wekiva Trail in Seminole County, which borders Orlando to the northeast. On the same path where the Orange Belt Railway once passed a century before, this paved trail meanders through towns, neighborhoods, parks and pastoral wooded areas, and even across a suspension bridge that passes over frenetic Interstate 4.

The 14-mile Seminole Wekiva Trial, which connects to the Cross Seminole Trail, is one of the most popular routes. Seminole-Wekiva is a trail that links four parks: Westmonte Park, Sanlando Park, the Seminole County Softball Complex and Sylvan Lake Park. Built on the former Orange Belt Railway — which debuted in 1888, ended in St. Petersburg and was once the longest narrow gauge railroad in the United States at 117-plus miles — Seminole-Wekiva passes by bucolic lakes and landscapes amid thriving suburbia.

There are multiple trailheads to begin your journey, and maps are available at www.co.seminole.fl.us/trails. The San Sebastian trailhead, at the southern point of Seminole-Wekiva, is an ideal starting place. Finding the trailhead – which is located 12 miles from downtown Orlando and a 15-minute drive – can be tricky. Take Interstate 4 east to the S.R. 436 exit (Altamonte Spring/Apopka) and turn left. A sign identifies where you turn right at the street that leads to the trailhead, which is tucked between a mattress store and an apartment complex. Like all of the trailheads along Seminole-Wekiva, this one is nicely maintained with ample parking, brick pavers, benches and a bridge that crosses a creek and directs you down a path that is shaded by a forested canopy with houses on both sides.

Traveling north, the trail passes by Westmonte Park a half-mile away and continues less than a mile through a tranquil wooded area before reaching Sanlando Park, a 40-acre recreational haven with tennis courts, basketball courts, racquetball courts, its own jogging trail and bathroom facilities. A quarter-mile down the trail brings you to the Seminole County Softball Complex , which serves as a full-service trailhead adorned with a small lake, immaculate softball fields and its own fitness trail with exercise stations.

About a half-mile away, Seminole-Wekiva bares its suburban teeth with the appearance of shops, restaurants and residential developments. At S.R. 434 and Markham Woods Road, a trail underpass is planned. Presently, though, users must maneuver across nine lines of traffic. When you reach S.R. 434, a sign directs you from the left-side to the right-side before embarking across the lanes of traffic. The trail is visible on the right-side adjacent to the Melting Pot Restaurant.

Once you cross the busy intersection, you enter a more serene portion of the trail. You pass churches on the left and I-4 rest stop on the right, venture through neighborhoods and even encounter semi-rural wooded areas for 5-plus miles before modern Florida returns when you reach The Shoppes at Oakmonte, where you can dine on the patio at Panera Bread and Peach Valley Cafe and marvel at a pristine lake and a pasture adorned with grazing horses and cattle.

Directly after the Shoppes, the trail veers right and wanders briefly down bustling Lake Mary Boulevard. At the International Parkway traffic light, make a left across this six-lane road and rejoin the trail on the right side. International Parkway is a peaceful four-lane side road dotted with lavish office complexes and corporate centers, such as AAA’s massive world headquarters building.

About a quarter-mile north of AAA, you will encounter one of the trail’s modern marvels – the I-4 pedestrian bridge. At this point, you can continue down the Seminole-Wekiva to complete the 14-mile one-way journey, or cross the bridge and connect to the Cross Seminole’s Crossings Trail section, which is an eight-mile round trip through commercial and residential areas.

About eight miles down the Seminole-Wekiva, The Cross Seminole Trail I-4 Overpass is a visual treat. The cable-supported suspension bridge is 14 feet wide and 1,003 feet long, and spans 373 feet over the interstate. The congestion below serves as inspiration to continue on your journey and return to a more gentle setting.

At the least, make the short jog to the bridge, turn around and return to the Seminole-Wekiva for the final four miles of what is the most rural section of the trail. International Parkway continues and leads past Colonial Town Park and its maze of restaurants and boutiques, before the trail meets the Sylvan Lake Station Junction rest stop and makes a 90-degree turn to the left.

This portion – which is three miles long - treats you to a shady forested canopy, views of the Pearl Lake overlook and a saltwater marsh overlook, connects with the Seminole Soccer Complex and Sylvan Lake Park, and ends at the Markham Trailhead, which is the northernmost point of the trail. An unpaved final mile of the trail leads you to the Wekiva River, where you will feel like you are in the midst of what Florida looked like more than a century ago.

Sidebar

Don’t have time to venture down the Seminole-Wekiva Trail? There are other fitness options that treat you to the other side of Orlando.

RDV Sportsplex in suburban Orlando is unlike most sports clubs. From the outside, it looks like a lavish arena. Inside, the home of the NBA’s Orlando Magic corporate office and practice facility also features the RDV Sportsplex Athletic Club.

A haven for health and fitness, RDV has more than 450 pieces of cardiovascular and strength training equipment; basketball, squash and racquetball courts; and an aquatic center and tennis center. The complex also includes the Ice Den, which offers two ice rinks for skating and hockey; and the Forte Salon & Spa.

RDV (www.mvpsportslcubs.com) is located in Maitland, a 15-minute drive from downtown Orlando. A day pass is available for $30.

For a peaceful stroll 10 minutes from downtown Orlando, Winter Park is an elegant and cosmopolitan town. Along Park Avenue, sidewalk cafes and trendy boutiques dot a restored red-brick street lined with decorative wrought-iron lampposts and lush greenery that exudes old-world charm.

Winter Park (www.ci.winter-park.fl.us) is the opposite of Orlando’s theme park district. The town’s residents relish the serenity of giant oaks draped in Spanish moss, and 70 parks and 17 lakes bordered by Victorian mansions. Gardenias grow next to pine trees, ospreys nest in tall cypress, and cranes and water lilies fringe the endless shorelines of its lakes. Walkers along the streets are commonplace.

For an adventure that will provide you with exercise and a glimpse of natural Florida, canoe or kayak down the Wekiva River at Wekiwa Springs State Park Nature Adventures (www.canoewekiva.com).

The Wekiva River is one of Florida's two federally designated "wild and scenic rivers," and is alive with alligators, great blue herons, Florida black bears, white-tailed deer, and river otters among other wildlife. The river’s banks are lined with centuries-old oak trees, which provide an inviting canopy from the sun.

You can embark on a two-hour self-guided tour for $12 per canoe or $15 per kayak. Longer tour options are available. Nature Adventures is located in Apopka, which is 16 miles and a 25-minute drive from downtown Orlando.

Manner's Lady seeks to lead a return to a kinder society

This is a feature Jeff wrote for News Max Magazine.

Long gone is the "Leave it to Beaver" era, when it was unheard of for children not to address their elders with "thank you, sir" and "yes, ma'am."

In a "me-first" world, where many children emulate crude characters from television shows like The Simpsons and South Park, the vivacious and charismatic Canadian—Judi Vankevich—is leading a grassroots movement to once again make politeness and common courtesy a staple of society.

"Mind your manners" is not just a phrase that she tells her three kids. Instead, the model-turned-children's entertainer helps elementary school students learn manners, and use them in everyday situations.
Many adoring children and appreciative parents know the former college basketball player as "The Manner's Lady." She has even trademarked the title.

Brimming with enthusiasm and energy that even surpasses the youngsters she entertains, Vankevich is spreading the word about good manners with several tools, including

An award-winning CD

An interactive concert she performs at schools across the United States and Canada

A fun workbook to accompany the CD called Manners Are Cool

A syndicated newspaper column entitled "Ask Judi, The Manners Lady"

A Web site (www.themannerslady.com) where visitors can recite the Good Manners Pledge, join The Manner's Club and colour downloadable cartoon characters from her songs, such as Grouchy Rouchy and Messy Bessie.

One-minute family commentaries, heard on Salem Radio Network stations

A proposed Saturday morning children's show with Disney centered around The Manner's Club theme.

These are just some of the ways Vankevich is leading a personal crusade to encourage kids to good manners. She says the key is to demonstrate an "attitude of gratitude," live by the "Golden Rule" and strive to always respect others.

Parents bemoaning ill-mannered children is nothing new. But many sociology experts believe that manners are on the decline, losing favour to a world more concerned with digital cable, lifelike computer games and the Internet than politeness.

Technology is not only making communication faster, it's changing the way the world communicates. As a result, many experts say, today's children—the first raised online—are missing manners.

"The tenor of the times has dictated to parents that manners are not as important as they used to be," said Frank Vitro, a psychology professor at Texas Woman's University and an expert in children's social skills. "Parents are more focused on fostering assertiveness and self-confidence in children. That's a very important dimension that needs to be nurtured in a child, but certainly not at the expense of also developing proper social skills and proper etiquette and manners."

The decline of good manners and common courtesy, Vankevich believes, started in the turbulent '60s and continued into the rebellious '70s.

"Children of the '60s and '70s are the parents of the '80s, '90s and today," Vankevich explained. "Good manners are not passed from one generation to the next like they once were.
"I don't think children mean to be rude," Vankevich said. "Most of them want to do the right thing. They just need to be shown how."

Raised in Canada and one of five children in her family, Vankevich was a Parisian model after graduating from high school, played basketball at Trinity Western University in British Columbia and earned a master's degree in law and government from Regent University in Virginia Beach.

Married to a filmmaker husband, she opened a modeling school when they lived in Virginia Beach. It was then that the idea for educating children about manners was born.

"I was teaching … teenagers at the modeling school," Vankevich explained. "One day I was talking to (former Miss America and 700 Club co-host) Terry Meeuwsen, and she suggested that I teach manners and character to children."

The Manners Lady empire started in 1995, when Vankevich taught manners to her daughter Alexi, and held meetings for children and parents in her living room. It wasn't long before word spread and she was asked to address school assemblies in the area.

Now living with her family in British Columbia, Vankevich visits schools across the United States and Canada performing her interactive concert, Being Cool with the Golden Rule, which is often followed by Manners Club party for families later that night or the three-session Manners Club course, where children learn "the value of living with respect, by the Golden Rule and living with a "thankful heart" through role playing exercises and music.

Her CD, titled "Everybody Needs Good Manners," features catchy and rhythmic rock and rap tunes like the Golden Rule Rap, Goodness Gracious Gratitude, Bad Manners Monsters, Obey Your Mom and Dad, and R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Conversation and stories, such as Princess Spoon instructing listeners how to set the table, is sprinkled in.

In 2002, the CD earned the Covenant Award for the Best Children's Album and Best Children's Song of the Year from the Canadian Gospel Music Association. The songs are not Gospel music, but they promote principles that people of all faiths embrace, such as the Golden Rule—treating others as you would like to be treated.

"Good manners help everyone get along better, whether it means saying, 'Thank you' when someone does something for you, saying, 'Please' when you ask for a bottle of ketchup at the table, or teaching your children to say, 'I'm sorry' when they do something unkind," Vankevich added. "And good manners give our children the social skills they need to lead productive and happy lives as adults."

The Manners Lady Show includes songs from Vankevich's CD and role playing skits featuring students in the audience. For example, at one concert, 7-year-old Jacqueline Dugas introduced her mother to Britney Spears.

"Mom, this is Britney Spears," the little girl said, her cheeks smeared with blue sparkles and her hair pulled into pigtails. "Um, Britney, this is my mom."

Spears (played by Jacqueline's best friend, Alexi) sticks out her hand as a group of neighborhood kids intently watch the mock introduction.

"Nothing is more attractive than someone with good manners," says Jacqueline's mother, Caroline Dugas. Watching Vankevich in action, she says she might enroll her two daughters in the class full time.

"It does seem like manners have gone by the wayside, replaced by computer skills," Ms. Dugas said. "Kids today talk back to you, won't sit still, and just don't listen. It's like they won't behave unless they know they are going to be entertained or rewarded."

Stacy Calton knows first-hand about the lack of manners exhibited by many children today. The 28-year-old Calton is a music teacher at Utica Elementary School in Utica, Ohio.

"I remember what it was like when I was in elementary school. We were expected to treat parents, teachers and other elders with respect," Calton said. "That is not how it is now. In the six years that I've been a teacher, it has gotten worse. That is why Judi's program is so important and so greatly needed."
Calton has played Vankevich's CD and taught her songs in her K-6 music classes.

"As a music teacher, I want my students to look at the message of the songs as well as the rhythm and the beat," Calton said. "Judi's songs are good tunes with good messages."

"Honor" is a key word in Vankevich's message—on her CD and during her performance. Honor your parents by coming when they call you—or "right away without delay," as one of her songs suggests. Honor your friends by looking them in the eye when you thank them for the birthday gift—and have an "attitude of gratitude."

Gratitude and thankfulness are among the traits Vankevich learned from her parents when she was growing up. On her CD and during her concerts, she tells the story of when she was in high school and abruptly asked her father for money as she was rushing out the door.

"When my five children were going to high school, it seemed they always needed $5 for this and another $5 for that," recalled Burt Johnston, Vankevich's father. "I remember one day she was in a hurry and said she needed some money. I told her that I would do anything for her, and I would give her the money, but reminded her to ask in a gracious way and show that she appreciates it."

The brief moment is forever etched in Vankevich's mind.

"Those are words that I have never forgotten," Vankevich said. "And it is one of the most important things anyone can remember—be grateful and thankful for what you have and what others do for you."

Respecting parents, family members, elders and authority figures; shaking hands firmly and looking the person in the eye; and making others feel important by including them and being kind to them are among the lessons that Vankevich teaches. The Good Manner's Pledge, which is listed on her web site, also promotes saying sorry and asking for forgiveness when you do something wrong, respecting other people's property, and making a habit of saying, 'Please,' 'Thank you,' and You're welcome.'"

Additional books and CDs, more tours at schools in the United States and Canada, and a television show are all part of Vankevich's plans to expand the number of children she reaches with her message of good manners. It is both a career and a labor of love.

"I thought I would change the world through politics after getting my degree in law and government," Vankevich said. "Now I see that I can influence society by reaching the next generation and helping them learn skills and develop traits that will make them better people, and the world a nicer place."

The origins of aphrodisiacs

This is a feature Jeff wrote for a lifestyle magazine in Miami.

In their quest for creating a tantalizing feast for the senses, cultures from around the world have immersed themselves in foods of love since ancient times.

Legend says that Casanova ate more than 50 raw oysters every morning – in a bathtub with the woman he was romancing - to boost his libido. Bean soup was so renowned for its erotic qualities that it was banned from the Convent of St. Jerome in the 17th century. To ancient Teutons and Romans, the bean was a stimulant and its flower symbolized sexual pleasure. Pomegranates have been associated with fertility rites, and in some countries pomegranate seeds are thrown instead of rice at the end of wedding ceremonies.

Named after Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love and beauty who sprang forth from the sea on an oyster shell, aphrodisiacs are defined as foods, drinks or scents thought to cause or increase sexual desire or sexual response. Studies have shown that many foods possess chemical components that elevate mood, and even create the sensation of falling in love.

Inspired by his passion for Feng Shui and an ancient Middle Eastern philosophy that emphasizes enlightenment through the five senses, Tim Hogle built a restaurant that has helped legitimize aphrodisiac cuisine.

Since it opened in 1988, Tantra Restaurant and Lounge has attracted A-list celebrities, international jetsetters and curious palates with its acclaimed aphrodisiac cuisine, sensual new age music, fragrant incense and jasmine-scented candles. The restaurant’s exotic décor includes a live grass floor that is replaced weekly, softly illuminated marble water wall, a fiber optic starlit ceiling, and a copper and mahogany bar.

Though Hogle encountered naysayers who told him the concept would not last, his place immediately attracted A-list celebrities and Miami Beach’s beautiful crowd alike from the beginning – and the trend continues seven years later.

Long before Hogle entertained thoughts of opening a restaurant, he earned a dental degree at Ohio State and headed for a warmer climate – which originally was Gainesville, Fla., where he worked at a dental practice in the late 1970s. Within a year, he moved further south – to Miami Beach – and has been there since. It was in Miami Beach where Hogle experienced his first taste of celebrity dentistry.

“In the mid-80s, during the days of Miami Vice, I became friends with Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas,” Hogle said. “Don asked if I was interesting in serving as the official set dentist for the show. I treated actors and also created dental make-up props for the show.”

The entrepreneur’s first restaurant was South Beach’s first sushi bar – Toni’s Sushi, which debuted in 1986. He also was involved in a Mexican restaurant that opened on Pennsylvania Avenue, but when his silent partner chose to leave the venture, Hogle faced a decision – sell the location or open a different concept.

“I have studied Feng Shui for decades, and at the time I was designing my apartment using elements of Feng Shui,” Hogle explained. “Customers of the Mexican restaurant encouraged me to open another concept there rather than move on, so I decided to emphasize the Tantra theme.”

Hogle was one of the first restaurateurs in South Florida to center his concept on aphrodisiac cuisine. It was a natural fit, be believes, since the ancient Tibetan/Indian art of Tantra emphasizes the heightening of all five senses - and the only two endeavors in which a person uses all five senses simultaneously in eating food and making love.

Marketing experts and fellow restaurateurs advised Hogle to scrap the idea of aphrodisiac cuisine when he developed his initial business plan.

“They (advisors) thought it was too controversial and too gimmicky,” Hogle said. “And since it was designed as a high-end restaurant, there was concern (from advisors) that the aphrodisiac approach would not attract enough volume of guests who would be willing to pay the prices on the menu.”

Hogle ignored their warnings, believing that aphrodisiac cuisine was the perfect culinary element to accompany an ambience where each of the senses are heightened even before the food arrives at the table.

Aphrodisiac cuisine, Hogle explains, results in a combination of sensual reactions - such as the visual satisfaction of the food, the fragrant stimulation of their pleasing smells and oral gratification from the savory dishes – which lead to a state of euphoria conducive to sexual expression.

In ancient times, there was a distinction between substances that increased fertility versus those that simply increased the sex drive. Nutrition was a vital factor then since food was not as readily available as it is today. Undernourishment reduces fertility and creates a loss of libido.

There was not always agreement upon what foods were actually aphrodisiacs or anaphrodisiacs, which decrease potency. Anise, basil, carrots, salvia, gladiolus roots, orchid bulbs, pistachio nuts, arugula, sage, turnips and river snails were among the list of items that the ancients considered aphrodisiacs.

Interestingly, these food substances were first identified and documented by ancient Greeks like Pliny and Dioscordes in first century AD, and later by Paul of Aegina from the seventh century.

“Originally, food was not spiced for taste, but for medicinal purposes and virility,” he said. “Food is a medicine. It is life affirming. It is a lifestyle – a feeling. That is what the restaurant is all about – stimulating all of your senses through the ambiance, the atmosphere and the cuisine.”

Tantra has drawn international attention for its Feng Shui elements like the live grass floor, and for its reputation as a favorite destination for A-list celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Janet Jackson and Usher. They flock here for the atmosphere, the World’s Most Expensive Martini, and the lavish and private VIP room, where the infamous hammock hangs above the tables. Yet the restaurant is also renowned as the “cradle of chefs.”

Since Michael Jacobs crafted the initial menu of aphrodisiac cuisine, Tantra has developed the reputation as a haven for young, creative chefs in Miami. They have garnered awards at Tantra and now occupy the helm at premier restaurants in the United States. Jacobs, for example, was named one of the nation's "rising stars" by Restaurants and Institutions. His successor, Michelle Bernstein, is now the executive chef of Azul and is a Food Network personality. Willis Loughhead, who was nominated for a Beard Foundation National Award, is now an executive chef at the Ritz-Carlton in Coconut Grove.

Tantra's newest executive chef, Sandee Birdsong, worked as a personal chef for 15 years, specializing in dishes inspired by Southern herbs and spices, before joining Tantra. She continues Hogle’s commitment to enhancing the senses with aphrodisiac cuisine.

Birdsong, who was raised in Georgia on St. Simon’s Island, developed an interest for cooking – southern style – at an early age from her family, who operated a restaurant that specialized in southern food.

“My grandmother and mother taught me the importance of herbs and spices in cooking,” Birdsong said. “They are the ones who inspired me to become a chef.”

At Tantra, Birdsong has incorporated her personal approach to using herbs, spices and ingredients known for their erotic stimulation.

Chocolate, for example, contains theobroma, known as "the fruit of the gods." It was consumed by Aztec nobility to ensure fertility. When the Spanish conquered the Aztecs, they brought it home to Spain where it became famous as an aphrodisiac. Spanish women drank chocolate beverages secretly.

Used as a sweetener long before sugar, honey was the nectar of Aphrodite. Its connection with romance includes its role in wedding ceremonies in many cultures. This is where the term “honeymoon” was derived from. Honey and ginger were prescribed to cure impotence by the Arabian physician Avicenna.

Called ahuacatl (testicle) by the ancient Aztecs, the avocado was taken to Europe by the Spanish conquistadors. Avocados' fame as a sexual stimulant spread so fast that European Catholic priests forbade the fruit to their parishioners.

Leeks were thought to have aphrodisiac powers by the ancient Greeks and Romans, so much that the Emperor Nero is said to have eaten leek soup every day. Radishes were considered a divine aphrodisiac by Egyptian Pharaohs. Like the oyster, caviar is high in zinc, which stimulates the production of testosterone and is thought to improve male sexual performance. Asparagus was served to 19th century bridegrooms because of alleged aphrodisiac qualities and Middle Eastern sheiks had asparagus recipes for "reviving the enthusiasm of the exhausted lover."

Tantra’s menu features flavors and textures that span the globe, and each dish is created with aphrodisiac elements.

The Tantra Love Apple, boasting a sliced ripe Homestead tomato layered with Laura Chenel goat cheese, basil oil, and Cypress Grove Bermuda Triangle garnished with fresh pomegranate seeds, is an ideal starter. So is the Tantra Plate, a unique blend of the most potent aphrodisiacs such as Pacific oysters, tender poached jumbo shrimp, thin sliced Japanese calamari salad, succulent sweet soy grilled eel, twin flash fried Lobster wontons, a large stone crab claw, and a spicy roll of sushi tuna and wakame seaweed with wasabi kiwi sorbet.

Among the main courses are the Chilled Maine Lobster Napoleon, which features steamed then chilled Maine Lobster layered with sliced mango and fresh avocado, a baby green salad, with a black truffle and fresh herb vinaigrette; Pan-seared Hawaiian Ahi Tuna and Foie Gras, resting on stewed Beluga lentils, sauteed spinach, fine diced Asian pear and a truffled Foie Gras sauce; Grilled New England Free Range Filet Mignon with Cuban Coffee Sauce and Toasted Organic Chicken Breast, which is stuffed with winter truffles, Robert Piere cheese and morel mushrooms served with fresh sautéed spinach and tomato timbale finished with a vanilla cream spinach sauce.

“We use only the finest ingredients. Many of our vegetables and meats are organic. So are the herbs and spices,” Birdsong explained. “That is an important component of giving each guest a sensory experience.”

Even the spirits at Tantra have an aphrodisiac twist. The signature cocktail is The World’s Most Expensive Martini. 3 Vodka, White Cranberry Juice, Guarana Syrup, and Inniskillin Cabernet Franc are the ingredients that compose what may be the world’s finest cocktail – at least for martini connoisseurs. The cost? $25. The reason? Inniskillin grapes are exceptional. They are naturally frozen on the vine and hand picked only during the pinnacle of winter in Canada.

The Tantric Kiss, (Vodka, Pineapple, Cranberry and a splash of Peach Schnapps), 25th Hour (Tantra Energy Drink, Orange Vodka and fresh Orange juice), Blissful Chocolate (Vanilla with Godiva White or Dark Chocolate Liqueur), Pure Ecstasy (Vodka laced with Chambord and Pineapple), Sensual Pucker (Dekuyper Sour Apple, Vodka, Midori, Pineapple juice and a Granny Smith Apple slice) and Sixth Sense (Bacardi Limon Rum, Bailey’s, DeKuyper Creme de Banana, Malibu Coconut Rum and Pineapple juice) are among Tantra’s menu of martinis centered around the aphrodisiac theme.

“From the moment you walk in, Tantra is all about sharpening the senses,” Birdsong said. “The décor and ambience heightens the senses. Then the cuisine fulfills the complete Tantra experience.”

Hogle has also created a series of innovative events, like the Monday Night Party, which has grown into Miami’s highest attended regular gala on that evening. Hogle developed the idea to generate traffic on what was once Tantra’s slowest night. The party was crafted into what it is today by his wife, former model and current Tantra entertainment director, Irina Korneeva. Hogle met the Russia native – who has a degree in aeronautical engineering and is a former competitive chess player in Moscow – at the restaurant. They share the same birthday – October 7 – and the same passion for the true meaning of Tantra.

“The only time human beings use all of their senses at the same time is they are consuming food or making love,” said Hogle, who still practices dentistry on a limited schedule for undisclosed celebrities. “Many people think that the Tantra philosophy is just about enhancing your sexual experiences. It’s actually about attaining self-realization. Once your senses are heightened, you can reach that feeling.”

Dr. Thomas Dorsey brings golf and life lessons to children of inner-city Orlando

This is a feature about Dr. Thomas Dorsey's inner-city golf program written by Jeff for Golf Life Orlando.

It’s Friday night, and a steady stream of children file into the Callahan Center. A few blocks away, the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons are clashing at the T.D. Waterhouse Center. Yet at Callahan, a community center located in the predominantly African-American neighborhood of Parramore, basketball is not the subject of discussion. Ranging in age from 6-18, these children are hear to learn lessons of golf and life. The teacher is a gregarious bear of a man - a grandfatherly figure who walks with a black cane, talks with an affable yet authoritative voice, and whose salt-and-pepper hair hints of his 62 years.

Six years before the World Golf Foundation started First Tee to promote character development and life-enhancing values for economically disadvantaged children through golf, Dr. Thomas Dorsey created the Orlando Minority Youth Golf Association to accomplish a similar objective. Dorsey - who is African-American, graduated from Jones High School in Orlando and has operated a private dentistry practice here since 1975 - has devoted his spare time to introducing the game of golf to inner-city minority children since founding the non-profit organization in cooperation with the City of Orlando in 1991.

“Golf is a vehicle that everyone should be able to drive,” Dorsey said. “Golf is not an inexpensive game, though. Many urban minority families cannot afford the cost of clubs and greens fees, so their children are not exposed to the game.

“Through programs like ours, and First Tee, children who otherwise would not have the opportunity to play are learning the game and developing their abilities,” Dorsey added. “We’re not about producing future PGA and LPGA stars. What we strive to do is teach these children a game they can play the rest of their lives and provide them with life skills that will make them better people.”

More than 1,000 children have attended the program in 15 years, Dorsey estimates. They learn the rules, history and etiquette of the game; receive instruction on the fundamentals and play at high-profile courses in Central Florida. The program, which is mostly held on weekends and runs from January through November, includes a lecture on golf and life skills at the Callahan Center on Friday nights followed by training on Saturdays and actual play on Sundays at selected courses like Boggy Creek and Dubsdread.

Several of Dorsey’s students have played high school and college golf, a rarity even today for African-Americans. Ten years ago, when Tiger Woods burst onto the PGA Tour, it was thought that his presence would stimulate interest in the sport among minority children. Yet a decade later, Woods is still the only African-American golfer on the tour. First Tee has 450,000 participants, of which 44 percent are white, 27 percent are black and 10 percent are Hispanic.

Study the gallery at a PGA or LPGA event, and look at the people on golf courses across the United States, and it is evident that golf is still a game mostly played by whites. Dorsey believes that, by planting seeds today, more minorities will become interested in golf tomorrow.

“I made up my mind that I would start this program and introduce golf to as many minority children as possible,” he added. “Golf is a sport that teaches you integrity, self-discipline and respect, all of which you can apply to the game and to the different situations you face in life.”

Growing up in Orlando, Dorsey didn’t play golf. Junior programs for minorities didn’t exist. He wasn’t introduced to the game until 1970, when he was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, which is located north of Chicago. A high school friend was the recreation director for a nearby VA hospital and encouraged Dorsey to give golf a try, which he did and became hooked.

A year later, after completing his Naval commitment, Dorsey moved to Miami and served as the chief dentist for a neighborhood family health center. He met Doyle Banks, who Dorsey calls his golf mentor, at a driving range.

“I was intently focused on practicing when Doyle approached me and said, ‘You know, you could be a good golfer one day. You just need two things,’” Dorsey said with a smile. “I said, ‘Yeah, what are those?’ He said, ‘You need instruction, and you need to hit a lot of balls.’”

Intrigued, Dorsey asked Banks if he knew of anyone who taught golf lessons. Banks replied that he did.

“I could tell that he needed dental work, so I proposed a trade. I would fix his teeth if he would teach me golf,” Dorsey said. “He agreed, and we had the first lesson right away. He told me to forget everything I had read about the game. He said he would teach me everything I needed to know.”

The trade, and the friendship, remained strong through the years. When Dorsey founded the OMYGA, Banks helped. The technique Dorsey uses to instruct his students the golf swing is the same one Banks used to teach him. Dorsey calls it the Banks/Dorsey Method. Banks – who taught air conditioning and auto mechanics at a community college, and was an ordained minister, musician and horse trainer – died in 1997.

“He never told me how old he was. I asked him one time, and he told me that he wasn’t born, he just appeared,” Dorsey said. “The lessons he taught me about golf and life shaped who I am today. He gave me the inspiration to pass on my knowledge to these children.”

The OMYGA is fueled by the support of many organizations. The City of Orlando offers use of the Callahan Center, funds the play at Dubsdread and provides equipment like clubs and balls. The Tavistock Corp. also supplies equipment and for the last three years has hosted students at the Tavistock Cup. Walt Disney World Resort conducts clinics for the students, hosts the annual OMYGA Junior Golf Championships at one of its premier courses, and invites children to the PGA Tour’s Funai Classic every October. Numerous club pros have spoken to the students. Courses such as Orange County National, Dubsdread, Boggy Creek and Zellwood Station have given the children a place to play.

Though the OMYGA is operated with the assistance of multiple entities, one man is responsible for creating the organization, attracting the students and coordinating the elements to make it a success. A two-time club champion at Cypress Creek whose personal best score is a two under-par 70 at Sabal Point in Longwood, Dorsey chose to stop playing the game when he started teaching. Whether he is talking about characteristics like honesty and respect on a Friday night or offering instruction at a course on Saturday and Sunday, the charismatic dentist is unconditionally dedicated to impacting his students’ lives through the program.

“I remember one time when we were leaving Callahan and going to Boggy Creek,” said Ken Harris, who has been an OMYGA instructor since 2000. “All the kids and the equipment were loaded in Doc’s Suburban, but the vehicle wouldn’t start. Someone in the parking lot gave us a jump, but it still kept backfiring and sputtering.

“Doc decided to take the Suburban back to his house and take his van to Boggy Creek instead. Before we got there, though, it stalled again and we had to get another jump,” Harris added. “When he pulled into the driveway, it started raining, and everyone figured that was it for the day. Doc told everyone to take the equipment and load into the van. When we finally got to Boggy Creek, the sun started to shine and we had a great session.

“No matter what obstacle arises, Doc is committed to this program and these children.” Harris said. “This is his destiny. Certain people are meant to do certain things, and Doc is meant to have a positive influence on children through golf.”

Renaa Biggers is the mother of two children who are longtime OMYGA students. Robbie Biggers, her 18-year-old son, is a former Dr. Phillips High School standout who is now a freshman at South Carolina State University, where he earned a golf scholarship. Honesty Biggers, her 17-year-old daughter, is a senior at Dr. Phillips, where she plays golf and has received interest from colleges as well.

“What these children learn from Dr. Dorsey will remain with them long after they leave the program,” Renaa Biggers said. “He uses golf as a tool to teach them a sport, and give them knowledge that will help them succeed in whatever they decide to do with their lives.”

Camille Lee is another student whose life was changed by Dorsey. Lee was part of the OMYGA’s first class in 1991. There were four children, and they played in an open field at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. Lee became a four-year letterwinner and two-time team player of the year at Dr. Phillips High School. Then she became the first African-American player in the women’s golf program at Wake Forest University.

“I had never held a golf club or even though about playing golf until that first class with Doc,” said Lee, who is now 26 and an account planner for a sports marketing firm in Raleigh, N.C. “I didn’t even touch the ball for the first few swings. Doc told us to be patient, and I grew to like golf so much that I quit playing soccer and track to concentrate on the game.

“Doc is like a second father,” added Lee, whose brother, Brandon Lee, was also part of the first OMYGA class and now attends Cornell University. “He opened a world to me that I otherwise wouldn’t have experienced.”

Professional Athletes and Foundations

This is a feature written by Jeff that appeared in OverTime Magazine, a national magazine for and about professional athletes.

It started with a single event and then spiraled into such a frenzy of requests and opportunities that Washington Redskins wide receiver Antwaan Randle El and his brother, Curtis Randle El, decided to form The El Foundation.

“During the holiday season in 2002, Antwaan’s rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, we wanted to give away turkeys to families in need in Pittsburgh,” says Curtis, 29, who is a year older than Antwaan. The two played together at Indiana University. Curtis was a cornerback and Antwaan was quarterback. “We weren’t sure how to organize our idea. At first, we thought about buying frozen turkeys and handing them out from the back of a truck. We eventually partnered with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and distributed bags of groceries and food to 350 people.”

The event became an annual one, just like the golf tournament in Pittsburgh that Antwaan spearheaded in the spring of 2003 and “Randle El Warms Up Washington,” a drive where 300 coats are given to underprivileged children in Washington D.C. Randle El, who was a second round draft pick of the Steelers in 2002, signed a free agent contract with the Redskins in 2006. The Randle El brothers created The El Foundation last December to help underprivileged children.

The Randle El are not alone in their initiative to start a foundation. They are part of an expansive number of professional athletes who have established formal non-profit organizations to help their favorite causes.

Across professional sports, leagues, teams and agents are encouraging athletes to become philanthropists as a way to bolster their image and give back to their community. Many of these athletes are newcomers to the world of philanthropy and are not familiar with the intricacies and time commitments required to effectively and legally operate a foundation, Stephanie Sandler says.

“Finding professional guidance should be your first step when you are considering starting a foundation,” says Sandler, who is CEO of The Giving Back Fund (www.givingback.org), a non-profit organization that helps professional athletes and celebrities manage charitable foundations. “Most people are not aware of the work that goes into the daily operation of a foundation, and the expertise that is required.”
Many professional athletes want to create a legacy of giving, and many see a foundation as a way to accomplish this ambition. Yet the reality of running a foundation is significantly more difficult than hatching the idea to start one. There are mounds of paperwork and complex non-profit tax codes. Foundations must meet numerous legal requirements. For example, state and federal laws require that organizations with tax-exempt status must register with the government and file detailed financial records.
“Everyone who starts a foundation has a big heart, but to have maximum impact it is important to surround yourself with professionals who have a strong track record and experience in operating charities,” says Curtis, who played one season in the Arena Football League before retiring from football to earn his master’s degree and enter the financial services industry. “Before we started our foundation, Antwaan and I used our own money. It was a wise decision to create an entity where all the money and ideas flow through.”

“We still donate a percentage of our personal income, but starting the foundation has opened doors to receive donations from individuals and corporations,” Curtis says. “When Antwaan appears at a speaking engagement, he requests that the client make a donation to the foundation in lieu of a speaking fee.”

Athletes have multiple options to consider when contemplating the formation of a philanthropic organization. You can work with an organization like The Giving Back Fund, as the Randle Els do. You can also hire your own staff to handle day-to-day operations of a foundation. You may prefer to take a different route than a private foundation. You can establish a public charity or a donor advised fund, for example.

“A private foundation gives you more control, but have additional rules to follow and fees to pay, and you are the primary contributor,” says Barb Culver, president of The Resonate Companies (www.resonatecompanies.com), a client-centered legacy planning and financial planning firm. “With a public charity, you lose some of direct control because your board has a fiduciary responsibility, but it costs less to create because there are fewer taxes and you don’t have to use as much of your own money.
“With a donor-advised fund, you make donations to the organization that is managing the fund, and advise them how they money should be distributed,” Culver adds. “You don’t have the same control as a private foundation with a donor-advised fund, but there is no overhead and much less paperwork.”
So which option should you choose? Consider your purpose for getting involved in philanthropy, Culver suggests.

“Some people create a perpetual foundation that will last long term, even after you are gone, related to issues that will unfortunately always be around, like underprivileged children and families, and battered women,” Culver says. “Other people want to devote as many resources as possible to find a cure for a disease. Their objective is for the foundation to no longer be needed because the disease is eradicated.

“It’s critical that you understand what is possible, and what you would like to accomplish, when thinking about getting involved in philanthropy,” Culver says. “Before I recommend a direction, I have preliminary meetings to learn what your objectives are and what you know is possible, and then I educate you about what is available.”

Philanthropists enjoy an array of tax benefits. A private family foundation qualifies as a non-profit organization, and making contributions allows you to take advantage of income tax deductions. Many athletes find that the emotional rewards are even more beneficial.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling and his wife, Shonda, started the Curt and Shonda Schilling Foundation as entity for Curt’s Pitch for ALS (www.curtspitch.org) and the Shade Foundation of America (www.shadefoundation.org), and for donations they make to other organizations.

“You shouldn’t get involved with philanthropy for financial reasons,” Curt Schilling says. “It should stem from a true desire to have a positive impact on an organization, an issue or a medical condition that truly matters to you.”

The Schillings formed Curt’s Pitch for ALS in 1993 to improve the quality of life of individuals living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. A survivor of skin cancer and melanoma, Shonda Schilling created The Shade Foundation of America when her husband pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks. The organization is dedicated to educating children and adults about skin cancer prevention and detection.

“There are lots of professional athletes who want to get involved in philanthropy, but don’t know where to start. If they are informed about what is out there and how to approach it the right way, I think they will get involved,” Shonda Schilling says. “When we leave this world, we don’t get to take anything with us. It is most important what we leave behind – how we touch other people’s lives while we’re here.”