There’s a true story about a time when Bert Thornton visited a Waffle House in Gulfport, Mississippi, and noticed a lackadaisical mood among the employees. In the middle of serving lunch to a packed house, Bert, a former Georgia Tech football player, called a timeout.

Sometimes the creative dreams people set out to accomplish in their lifetimes don’t quite pan out as expected. But those with perseverance find other outlets, and sometimes it takes until retirement for one of those endeavors to find the right audience. 

One of the things I enjoy most about writing these stories is discovering how connected our community really is.

I first met Bobby Switzer at a menu tasting at Jackson’s Steak House a couple of years ago. Maria Goldberg introduced him to the guests as the event was wrapping up. He was the point person for an upcoming new event in Pensacola called Foiling Week. Anything happening on the water captures my interest and Foiling was beginning to appear as a recreational sport more and more often. And it’s a different kind of sport.

I love menu tastings: smaller portions, more variety. It’s the epicurean experience featuring the best creations from the resident chefs. I kind of wish every fine dining restaurant would offer “The Experience,” so I don’t have to make tough decisions.

It’s the early 2000s, and the Back Door Poets are hosting a poetry reading at Van Gogh’s coffee shop. Seating is couches from thrift shops or donated. Folk art hangs on the walls. Punk rockers, nerds, geeks, hippies, vegans, and other cast-asides of society gather to share stories and camaraderie, and outside they share beers and cigarettes. Many of the patrons walked around the corner from a house known as the 309 Punkhouse.

Lexi Angeles’ shop on West Cervantes Street creates a space for vintage lovers and local vendors to grow together.

Pensacola has a long history of people who have been successful in their business endeavors and have reinvested in the community in important ways. Not necessarily seeking recognition, their involvement in lending time, talent, and treasure to the arts, health and wellness, and support for those needing a helping hand through local programs raises the overall well-being and appeal of their hometown. These philanthropists see their largess as an opportunity to leave their community a better place long after they are gone.