Donation from local broadband provider used to purchase Walmart Gift Cards for families in need

 HIGH SPRINGS – Today, representatives from Cox Communications (Cox) presented High Springs Police Chief J. Antoine Sheppard with gift cards totaling $4,000 to support Operation Holiday Cheer. The gift cards will be distributed through the Police Department’s annual holiday-giving initiative to families in need of a little extra support this holiday season.

“Private and public partnerships are essential during community outreach. Through this relationship, we all win by giving back”, said High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard.

“In my mind, the holidays wouldn’t be complete without good food to share with family and friends,” said Aimee Pfannenstiel, Central Florida market vice president for Cox. “When we learned of the opportunity to enhance the Operation Holiday Cheer program by providing funds to also feed families in need, it was an easy yes.”

The High Springs Police Department with the help of our wonderful community has been overseeing the Holiday Cheer program annually for many years. The program works with the local schools to coordinate a list of candidates to receive items each year around the holiday season to spread Christmas magic and cheer.

Cox expanded its services into High Springs earlier this year. Currently, more than 500 homes now have access Cox’s fiber broadband network, with plans for more than 1,500 more to be connected throughout 2024.

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

Waste Pro Director of Government Affairs, Dayna Miller, and Rebecca Ipatenco from the Malcom Randall VA Center in Gainesville, FL.

GAINESVILLE, FL – Dec. 7, 2023 – Waste Pro continues its program of giving back to veterans with a recent donation of four laptops to the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida. Waste Pro’s North Florida Director of Government Affairs, Dayna Miller, was honored to deliver four new Microsoft Surface Pro laptops to Paula Cummings and Rebecca Ipatenco, two Voluntary Service Specialists at the Center for Development and Civic Engagement, part of the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System.

“This partnership with Waste Pro has been fantastic. They asked what our needs were and answered the call to help when asked,” shared Robert Coon, Voluntary Service Officer and head of the department handling corporate partnerships and events. Mr. Coon went on to share that since their facilities’ libraries have been closed, access to information has been limited. “We plan to use the computers with veterans and their caregivers to access information, share critical documents, and stay in touch with experts throughout the veteran’s medical community during treatments.”

The VA North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System is the country's largest VA health care system, with two medical centers, a 45-bed domiciliary, three large multi-specialty outpatient clinics, and nine community-based outpatient clinics spanning 40,000 square miles. In 2021, the facility network served 176,915 veterans and completed 1.9 million outpatient visits.

For more than 15 years, Waste Pro's Laptops for Veterans program has assisted veterans across the company's regional footprint. Waste Pro President/CEO Sean Jennings is thrilled that the program continues to give back, “Waste Pro is founded on a mission to care for our communities, and it is our privilege to extend a hand with these donations to those who served in the military. Many here at Waste Pro are veterans, so it’s a worthwhile partnership we hope to continue for many more years.” Funding for the laptops comes from Waste Pro employees who regularly contribute to the Laptops for Veterans program.

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

HIGH SPRINGS, FL – The seasonal Art Walk event returns to historic downtown High Springs on Saturday, Dec 16, 2023, from 12pm to 5pm featuring 15-20 local artists and makers situated on the sidewalks of downtown.   Downtown High Springs also offers many eclectic restaurants and shops showcasing High Springs’ walkable, charming small-town hospitality they have become famous for.

This seasonal event is an opportunity for local artisans and artists to demonstrate and display their talents and offer their works for sale in front of storefronts throughout the downtown area. Participating merchants will offer specials and sales during the event.  

Lanza Gallery & Art Supplies, 1 -3pm, will feature local potter Diane Hornby doing a demo about building her unique pieces of pottery. 

Artists/creators interested in showing and selling in the High Springs Artwalk Events, should send an email with a picture of their items to downtownhighsprings@gmail.com.

 For customers or media needing more information call Unique Notions, 352-318-5719 or Lanza Gallery & Art Supplies 352-474-1049. 

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com

L-R: Alachua Chamber President Mitch Glaeser, architect Paul Stresing, Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper, Tower Hill CEO Kirk La, Scherer Construction President Erik Otte, and CHW President Robert Walpole turn the dirt marking the official start of construction of Tower Hill’s new headquarters building.

ALACHUA ‒ One of Florida’s largest residential property insurers will soon be calling Alachua home. A groundbreaking ceremony took place on Tuesday, Nov. 28 for Tower Hill Insurance’s new headquarters in Alachua.

The state-of-the art 65,000 sq-ft two-story building will feature more than 25,000 sq-ft of energy efficient glass and was designed by local architectural firm Paul Stresing Associates. When completed, the facility will house 300 of the company’s 500-plus employees. Tower Hill currently has offices in Gainesville, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and Lexington, Ky, and operates in 17 states in the U.S. Anticipated construction completion is planned for spring 2025.

The soon-to-be headquarters for the 50-year-old firm will be accessed from U.S. Highway 441 at Northwest 167^th Boulevard traffic signal south of where the Alachua Publix is located. CHW serves as the project civil engineer and Scherer Construction is the project contractor.

Tower Hill Insurance was founded in 1972 by William T. Shively as a mobile home insurer based in Miami. His son, Bill Shively, now carries on the family business. Bill Shively has long had a vision of building Tower Hill’s headquarters in Alachua on the property he has owned for some 30 years.

When founded, Tower Hill offered only mobile home insurance. Today its portfolio has grown to include residential and commercial property insurers offering homeowners, rental property, condominium, and flood insurance, among others.

On hand for the groundbreaking was Tower Hill Insurance Group CEO Kirk La who spoke of the company’s vision for the property and its corporate responsibility as a member of the Alachua business community. La said that in the face of insurance woes that have plagued Florida, Tower Hill is unyielding in its commitment to the state in which it was founded.

Also present at the groundbreaking ceremony was Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper who included in his remarks that many people know the property as the former home to an ostrich farm. Joining Coerper representing the City of Alachua were Alachua Vice Mayor Dayna Miller and Commissioners Jennifer Blalock, Shirley Green Brown and Ed Potts. Also on hand was a large contingent of the Tower Hill executive team and employees.

Alachua Chamber of Commerce President Mitch Glaeser also addressed the crowd of well over 150 people about the impact of Tower Hill on the Alachua community. Glaeser likened the groundbreaking as a moment in time that in the future will be remembered as a watershed moment marking a turning point in the economic evolution of the city.

#     #     #

Email editor@

alachuatoday.com