Community imagined in 2009 through 10 creative people continued

We continue today with the top 10 creative people I have covered in 2009. They use their talents to enhance an organization and improve the lives of the people around them. The final five people’s commitment to the community sets them apart from the rest and their effort is evident in making our area an even better community.

Again, they may not hold a paintbrush each day, but their imagination makes possible their mission for greatness.

Fredi Brown, Family Heritage House Museum

Fredi Brown stands proud at the front of the Family Heritage House Museum, before colorful rooms with historical significance that chronicle the history and cultural achievements of African-Americans.

Family Heritage House Museum co-founder Fredi Brown explores her favorite artifact in the collection, a traveling trunk, which is a family heirloom dating back to the 1800s.

She is as elegant as the mission she heralds, and is a rare living timeline.

The museum, located on the campus of State College of Florida, inspires children to have a respect for their ancestors, a love for learning and a passion for service.

When we visited with Brown in October, she pointed out two African-Americans. Clara Brown (1800-1885) was born a slave in Virginia, and she is reportedly the first black woman to cross the plains during the Gold Rush. She helped newly freed slaves relocate to Colorado. Brown's profits from mines and real estate grew over time and so did her philanthropy, as she never turned away anyone in need.

Charles Houston was another example. He left a post as dean at Howard University School of Law to work full-time for the NAACP in 1935. He was one of just a few black officers in World War I and was one of the most important civil rights attorneys in American history, dedicated to freeing his people from the bonds of racism.

Through its vast resources and dedication, the museum strengthens black families and empowers them to maintain historical bonds of kinship and to help in the promulgation of the culture for the benefit of the general population.

"There is so much history that is not told," said Brown, the museum's co-founder.

The Family Heritage House Museum is listed on the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom and is included on the Florida Black Heritage Trail, as designated by the Florida Department of State.

"We are celebrating our 20-year anniversary in 2010," Fredi Brown said.

This is something to be celebrated, since the institution's vision was carved out and established by the late Ernest Brown and Fredi, his wife, originally as a non-circulating library. They started adding artifacts to the collection and found a place in a trailer at the Head Start campus in 2000. It was later moved to a more visible location at the Manatee Community College campus. It is attached to the library.

If you haven’t been by the Heritage House, check out our story ”Museum chronicles African-American visionaries“ for a preview into a slice of history preserved locally through Brown’s creative efforts.

Bonni Brown, Bonni Bakes at Village of the Arts

Bonni Brown is living the life of the creator and sharing with the community her talents, whether it is baking or raising breast cancer awareness.

Bonni Brown outside her cottage in the Village of the Arts, where she runs Bonni Bakes, a very "yummy stuff" cafŽ.

I will never forget meeting Brown and feeling like we had met many times in the past; she represents a woman of great strength, courage and imagination.

Her edible art creations are served at ”Bonni Bakes,“ a cafe in the Village of the Arts.

Twice a month visitors stroll on the sidewalks, heading into galleries and cafes. Music fills the heart of the village from the side streets and an overall experience of community embraces the streets.

ArtWalks are every first Friday (from 6 to 9:30 p.m.) and Saturday (from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) of the month, and provide the community with an opportunity to meet the artists and enjoy new exhibit openings, receptions and live music.

On one Friday night in October visitors to the Village of the Arts recognized artists who participated in the breast cancer awareness exhibition held at Bonni Bakes called ”Making Strides with Artsy Undies.“

More than 50 artworks were exhibited at Bonni Bakes. These were the submission guidelines: ”Any size, shape, color, or material É training bras to Grandma’s woolen gotkas. 100% of fees donated to American Cancer Society!“

Hence the exhibition title: ”Artsy Undies.“ 

We covered the story in our feature ”It takes a village to connect the arts on ArtWalk“ and Brown had prepared organic, gourmet treats for the ”Artsy Undies“ artists and their families and friends.

What happened to all those works of art at her cafŽ?

The artists took them home, of course.

”One can be well-dressed in the garden or when they dust the house,“ Brown said.

Brown smiles a smile that makes you feel you have known her all your life. She was overjoyed by the response to the exhibition.

”It has been incredible and you never know when you do something how it will be received,“ Brown said. ”This gets people talking about breast cancer and brings it out of the darkness.“

Karen Dakin, Dakin Dairy Farms

Karen Dakin may help to run one of the only dairy farms left in Manatee County, but her heart is given to the women and children.

Karen Dakin, from left, Shelly Dakin, and Sondra Dakin shared the message of Christmas and raised money for Esther's place at "Miracle in the Maze."

In December the three Dakin sisters-in-law -- Karen, Sondra and Shelly -- left the milking of the dairy cows to their staff on Saturday and set up an event to remind people of the message of Christmas and to raise money and awareness for Harvest Tabernacle’s home for women and children: Esther’s Place.

Esther’s Place is for women and children who need a place to live. These mothers may have drug addictions and may have fallen victim to domestic abuse, or they may just need a safe, clean home to get a fresh start and learn to support themselves and their children.

Karen Dakin, an owner of Dakin Dairy Farms, said creating the ”Miracle in the Maze“ event at their farm was a direct download from heaven, which started pouring down on her at the beginning of November. The event was held on two consecutive Saturdays before Christmas.

”I thought that I really wanted to have an event this year and I want that event to benefit the Harvest House,“ she said. ”I was so in awe over what they do, as they restore these people who are just destitute and give them an opportunity to be functional in the world again.“

We wrote ”Away in a manger at Dakin Dairy Farms“ after covering the event and even getting lost in the corn maze while trying to locate the live nativity scene.

Dakin used her imagination to raise enough money to move in desperate women and their families to Esther’s Place by Christmas Eve, and her care and support is paving a way for these women to have a better future in the community in 2010.

Katie Tripp, Save the Manatees Organization

Katie Tripp says the manatees are coming, and we need to be ready.

Katie Tripp is a marine scientist for Save the Manatees. She is kayaking during one of Save the Manatees Club's "Do Not Disturb" kayak ecotours in Crystal River.     Photo courtesy of Richard Anderson.

She’s a visionary for the environment and uses her expertise and passion to create a more sustainable environment to help save the manatees, since last year had the highest record of reported manatees dead and injured.

The marine scientist for Save the Manatees moved to Florida on a mission to preserve what she called the ”spokes-animal“ for the area’s coastal waters: the manatee.

They are the poster children for ecology. Though manatees may weigh more than 2,000 pounds and mainly graze on seagrass, it’s a privilege to have them in area waters because they are a vital part of Florida’s coastal environment, she said.

Gov. Charlie Crist recently recognized November 2009 as Manatee Awareness Month, a tradition supported by Florida’s governors for many years.

Manatees are listed as endangered at the state, federal, and international levels.

”Manatees face the risk of extinction due to human related threats,“ the recent proclamation said.

Nov. 15 is the start of manatee season, Tripp said.

”With the cold fronts beginning, the manatees are moving in because they need the warmer water,“ she said.

Manatees tend to be more dispersed around the coastal waters, but as soon as the cold fronts begin they make their way into the rivers, springs and around power plants.

With the increase in Florida seasonal residents, matched with the migration of manatees to warmer waters, people and manatees collide. But it is always the manatee who is at risk of danger and harm.

In our feature ”Manatees need protection from the cold – and people“ we walked readers through a three-page story to help people better understand – why save the manatees?

Glen Avery, Florida Railroad Museum

His name is Glen Avery and he’s been a member of the Florida Railroad museum for 25 years. Avery’s a self-proclaimed ”trainee“ and his love for the magic of the tracks started early for him.

The train to the North Pole took folks to see Santa and friends and people could choose to sit in an outdoor train car or an inside air conditioned train car.

The Train to the North Pole also started early at 5 p.m. one Thursday evening before Christmas, boarding little ones and their parents and grandparents on a 35-minute train ride to see Santa and his helpers.

It was a week before Christmas and all through the train, children looked out the windows to see St. Nick – and the North Pole.

So as generations of families boarded the antique Christmas train at the Florida Railroad Museum and headed to the North Pole – some sitting in the open-air cars and others in air-conditioned cars – one little boy gazed out the window with a continuous, somewhat mischievous, smile.

”I want to tell Santa that I want a dirt bike,“ Jake Johnson said, ”because I can go out and do some tricks and make some money.“

He’s your typical but thoughtful 9-year-old, making sure to also keep Santa Claus’s best interest in mind.

”I’ll make him (Santa) some money, too,“ Jake said, still smiling that little crooked smile.

Glen Avery, a volunteer train conductor, said the tickets to the North Pole went on sale Oct. 14 and were completely sold out in three weeks.

”They started this event five years ago,“ he said. ”Everything has been done by volunteers. We have sold for eight days to meet Santa in the North Pole, 3,200 tickets.“

The feature we wrote ”Train to the North Pole takes folks to meet Santa“ was truly one of the most delightful stories to cover.

Avery and his volunteer team at the North Pole created such an imaginative event to really bring people back to the sparkle of the season and inspired me to write a little Christmas story of my own in my Charmed by the Creative column – ”Pixie Dust and Land of Elves.“

And remember in 2010

”To me, creativity is the gift of seeing the familiar world with new eyes, a vision that empowers us to constantly reinvent and renew our surroundings,“ said Mary Englebreit, founder of Mary Engelbreit Studios, which she has run for more than 20 years. She remains the creative visionary behind every illustration and the product it inspires.

Erica Newport is a daily reporter for The Bradenton Times. She covers art, culture and community. If you have a story that might interest Erica, please e-mail her using erica.newport@thebradentontimes.com address.  She also takes your questions related to our weekly theme days and provides advice and opinions for our readers. Please use this e-mail address for Ask Erica: ask.erica@thebradentontimes.com.