BUSINESS

Fort Walton Beach gym helps special needs athletes realize gold medal dreams at Special Olympics

When U.S. Air Force veteran Dan Schlemmer opened Black Sheep Strength and Athletic Performance with his wife Nichole in 2016, their garage barely fit the barbells, dumbbells and one squat rack they could afford. But the Schlemmers were determined to bring personal training and group classes to the Fort Walton Beach community.

• Over 7 years later, Black Sheep has expanded into a large private training facility at 685 Denton Blvd NW, offering personal training, group training, youth training and online coaching.

In 2023, the gym took on a new endeavor: training special needs athletes to compete in the Florida Special Olympics.

The catalyst was 18-year-old Emma Chestnut, one of Black Sheep’s athletes who has special needs. “We had worked with her for a good year and a half. We got her to her first powerlifting meet and she wanted to go to the Special Olympics, she wanted to qualify and she wanted to go to state,” Dan Schlemmer said.

Emma’s mother connected the gym with the regional Special Olympics chapter. Nichole took the lead on the initiative.

“My wife is the head coach of the Special Olympics program here at Black Sheep,” Dan Schlemmer said. Nichole and other coaches were certified by Special Olympics on training special needs athletes. 

Last year, around seven athletes including Emma trained at Black Sheep for powerlifting three times a week. The coaches focused on tailoring their methods to each individual, just as they would with any other member who joins at Black Sheep. 

• “A consultation here is going to tell you what the logistics are to join the gym, but we also learn about you and why you are here,” Dan Schlemmer said. This was amplified further for special needs athletes, with coordination on medical conditions and other needs.

Two athletes, Emma and 20-year-old Gabe Lee, progressed to qualify for the 2023 Special Olympics State Fall Games in Orlando, Florida in November thanks to the basics they started with earlier in the year.

“We had to teach them how to do it safely,” explained Schlemmer. “That was the number one thing. They had to have the capability to hold this bar on their back, walk it out, know the commands that are in a powerlifting meet, and then return it safely. That was probably the biggest thing that really helped them when they did their competitions because they knew all the rules from the beginning. They had a foundation.”

At the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, both Emma and Gabe won gold medals in powerlifting. But for the coaches, their achievements were much more.

• “It wasn’t a matter of if we could do it as coaches. Could we get the athlete to realize that they could do it?” said Dan Schlemmer. “I knew [Nichole] could do it too. So seeing all of it come together was special.”

Other gym members rallied around the Special Olympians as well. They would stop workouts to watch and cheer during training sessions. Some even attended competitions out of town to show support.

• Chestnut competed in two categories in the Special Olympics: Bench and Deadlift. She won the gold medal in her sub-junior category and reached all her records. Emma secured the gold medal in County, Regional, and State competitions.
• Lee competed in a Combo 3 in the Special Olympics, which consisted of Squat, Bench, and Deadlift. He won gold in his age and weight category. 

The program also fulfilled something for Nichole. “This really fed upon her desire to nurture and help people,” Dan Schlemmer said. “And there was no monetary gain from it. This was something that we wanted to do and Nichole was perfect for it.” 

Some of the athletes continue to train at Black Sheep after their Special Olympics season ends. Emma trains five days a week, while Gabe bikes to the gym each weekday afternoon, speakers blaring.

• Black Sheep Strength does not charge special needs athletes to train during Special Olympics seasons, covering coaching and facility expenses themselves. The Florida Special Olympics also provides funding for transportation, equipment, and health services like eye exams for registered athletes.

In 2024, the gym aims to expand the program to help more special needs athletes realize their potential. Schlemmer also wants his coaches to grow from the meaningful experience.

“We’re excited to do it all over again and get more people in here,” he said. “When a mother tells us that this is the best thing that her child has had in a long time or is coming to us or that they have no problem getting up early to come to the gym, that’s the thing I’m looking forward to. I want to hear more stories like that along the way from my wife’s lead, as well as my coaches that are helping.”

SCHOOL

Okaloosa School Board approves new principals at Lewis, Mary Esther Elementary

The Okaloosa County School Board has approved two new principals — Dawn Johnson at Mary Esther Elementary School and Dr. Nathaniel Chatman at Lewis School.

• The board voted on the appointments at its meeting Monday night.

Johnson has worked in the school district since 2009 when she began teaching kindergarten at Longwood Elementary School. She later taught at Florosa Elementary, where she instructed grades K-5 over a five year period.

Johnson was selected by her peers as Teacher of the Year at both Longwood and Florosa. In 2017, she was named one of the top three finalists for the district’s Teacher of the Year award.

• She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a minor in psychology from Fayetteville State University before receiving a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of West Florida in 2018.

For the past three years, Johnson has worked as assistant principal at Elliott Point Elementary School.

Chatman has 19 years of experience as an Okaloosa County educator and is a product of the Okaloosa County School District. He started his career teaching elementary students in Leon County before moving to Madison County where he taught multiple subjects at the middle school level.

In 2011, Chatman returned to Okaloosa County at Ruckel Middle School. He later served as assistant principal at Shoal River Middle School and Bob Sikes Elementary.

For the past two years, he has worked as principal at Richbourg School and Fast Track North.

• Chatman earned degrees from Florida State University, University of West Florida, Grand Canyon University and Trident University International.

REAL ESTATE

Shalimar Realtor to be inducted into ERA Hall of Fame after four decades of service

After nearly 40 years with ERA American Real Estate in Shalimar, Florida real estate agent Patricia “Pat” Williams is being inducted into the ERA National Hall of Fame in February at the company’s national conference, Fuel.

• She joins ERA American Real Estate Founder Gloria Frazier and longtime ERA American Agent Kathy Wilhelm in the ERA Hall of Fame.

She has built her legendary career in Northwest Florida real estate over four decades with ERA, selling over 1,500 properties for close to a quarter-billion dollars in sales volume.

Beyond her sales records, Williams is being recognized for her leadership, mentorship of younger agents and continual embrace of industry changes in technology and best practices over her prolific career.

“The story of Northwest Florida real estate can’t be told without the contribution of Pat Williams,” said Tony Lombardo, CEO of ERA American Real Estate. “Two years ago at Fuel, the ERA marketing team reached out to us. They were looking for a way to tell the history of the ERA brand over the last 50 years, its relevance through ups and downs in the market, and technology changes. And they approached us with an idea — how about telling that story through the lens of the experience and contribution of Pat Williams?”

• He added: “So there it was on the big stage — Pat Williams as ERA for the last 50 years. Leveraging brand resources, tools, systems, applications to be relevant across five different decades.”

Williams first started with ERA American in April 1985, when the brokerage was just four years old with about 25 agents. Company founder and broker Gloria Frazier recalled Williams coming over from a background in civil service and raising three children.

“It was time for her to get out and make a name for herself, and boy did she ever,” Frazier said. “Through the years, Pat has been a team and she’s been a single agent. When we had the Million Dollar Club back in the ‘80s, she was one of the first members.”

• The exclusive Million Dollar Club has now become ERA American’s Top Ten awards. “And there has not been a year that Pat Williams wasn’t a part of our Top Ten, and will be again for the future too,” Frazier noted.

Among Williams’ stack of accolades is the national 2018 Jim Jackson Memorial Award, given to the No. 1 ERA team for customer service. She has also ranked as a top ERA sales associate and team for annual transaction units and sales volume, maintaining her Leaders’ Circle status.

Linde Bowman, a VP with ERA American, credits Williams for not only being a top producer but also a passionate mentor for up-and-coming agents in the local market and helping guide the brokerage itself through continual industry transformation.

“I’ve seen her give deals free, no charge, to a newer agent. Why? Because that gives them a springboard to grow their business, to get confident, to be able to have a deal in the bucket,” Bowman explained. “She thinks those things help agents grow, and she’s correct. She shares her passion with others, and that makes her a very special person in the real estate industry.”

Many ERA American agents today like Zee White got their start working under Williams and learning from her mentorship before eventually getting licensed themselves. White started as Williams’ administrative assistant in the early 2000s.

• “Pat Williams assisted me with confidence as an administrative assistant to my role in obtaining my real estate license,” White recalled. “Then obtaining a position on the leadership team here at ERA American where I have been instructed to lead others.”

After about seven years working together, White purchased Williams’ business when she initially retired. But after some time off, Williams came back out of retirement and was again instantly a top 10 ERA American agent within 12 months.

“What does that tell you about Pat Williams?” White remarked. “She just couldn’t sit still. Retirement wasn’t for her. So she came back, built her business back up, and just kept running. And that inspired not only the newer agents — that inspired me. That you can retire and take a couple years off and then come back and still be back at the top of your game.”

Frazier says Williams represents the ideal blend of traits and ethics that any broker wants to see in an agent.

“Honesty, integrity, drive, great personality, loves to help other new agents get started in the business,” Frazier described. “She’ll work one-on-one with anybody. Any question that they have, she’s happy to answer, even though it doesn’t necessarily benefit her personally.”

She added that Williams has always provided constructive feedback over the decades when needed: “There’s never any harsh words involved in it. I don’t believe I’ve ever had any kind of a confrontation with Pat in all of these almost 40 years with ERA American Real Estate. She just wants to help.”

Williams will be inducted at Fuel, ERA Real Estate’s National Conference in Nashville February 20-23.

POLITICS

Rep. Maney sponsors Mental Health Reform Bill

A bill proposed in the Florida House of Representatives aims to reform the state’s mental health system.

• The legislation, sponsored by State Rep. Patt Maney, was introduced Monday in the House Children, Families and Seniors Subcommittee. According to a statement from Maney’s office, the bill seeks to “substantively improve” mental health services in Florida delivered under the Baker and Marchman acts.

PCB CFS 24-01 would reform standards for involuntary mental health treatment services, broaden the definition of licensed medical practitioners qualified to provide care, and refine the responsibilities of county courts in a collaborative effort to reduce recidivism, improve access to care, and increase efficiency of service delivery. 

Among other improvements, the proposed legislation will:

• Align differing processes/criteria/standards under Baker Act (BA) and Marchman Act (MA),
• Allow law enforcement discretion whether to initiate an involuntary mental health evaluation,
• Allow physician assistants and APRNs to practice in psychiatric settings for physical healthcare within their scope of practice,
• Revise standards for testimony to ease court’s receipt of additional information, such as allowing testimony via telecommunications and providing new opportunities for family testimony,
• Allow remote hearings for individuals eligible for involuntary exams after “Incompetent to Proceed” commitment,
• Require only one petition rather than the current two petition process,
• Allow a longer period for MA extension petitions to be filed,
• Allow court more authority to determine type of involuntary services ordered,
• Eliminate requirement to appoint guardian advocates under MA,
• Provide a process for sworn reports for individuals determined unrestorable to speed the process of civil commitment,
• Require data analysis to be posted to DCF’s website.

Maney, a former Okaloosa County judge, said in the statement that there are “disconnects in services delivered and results” in Florida’s mental health system that the bill aims to address.

“This has been a top priority of mine since my days on the bench in Okaloosa,” said State Representative Patt Maney – HD4. “This legislation is going to tighten down the bolts and help us ensure those who need it most are receiving the care they need to get back on the right foot, once and for all.”

Legislative Session began Tuesday, January 9 and is expected to end Friday, March 8, 2024. 

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COASTAL RESOURCES

Get ready for the Emerald Coast Open with the Lionfish Pre-Tournament Kick-off Party

Excitement is building for this year’s Emerald Coast Open (ECO), the world’s largest lionfish tournament that removes the invasive species from the Gulf of Mexico. 

• But first, the public can attend a kickoff party Friday, Feb. 2, from 6-10 p.m at the Island Resort on Okaloosa Island.

The family-friendly event features free food like gourmet lionfish tastings, live music and giveaways. Attendees can also meet divers, charter captains, sponsors and organizers, according to Alex Fogg, Okaloosa Coastal Resource Manager.

“It’s going to be a lot of the same activities at the pre-tournament event that we’ve had in the past — food and drink — as well as live music and maybe a bit of smack talk between the participants,” Fogg said.

As the tournament has continued to grow since coming to Okaloosa County in 2019, the tournament needed a larger venue to accommodate the growth and have more space. Weather has also been a factor in years past.

• “With this pre-tournament kickoff occurring in late January, early February, the weather can be a little bit chilly. So we wanted to move it to an indoor venue, and the Island Resort has been a huge supporter of the event in the past,” Fogg said.

“ECO is such an amazing annual event built around this invaluable initiative,” said Jackie Blue, Director of Sales & Marketing at The Island Resort. “The Island Resort is honored to be a sponsor again this year and excited to host the Pre-tournament kick-off party for the first time. We look forward to seeing everyone at the Island on February 2nd.”

ECO will have big numbers to beat from its 2023 tournament, which set records for most lionfish caught during the pre-tournament, main tournament and overall, plus the largest lionfish.

“There’s a lot of big numbers for us to tackle this year, so we’re hoping we have some favorable weather to get some folks out there to go harvesting, and put some fish on the board,” Fogg said.

In 2023, ECO had 144 participants who removed 19,560 lionfish in two days (24,699 including the pre-tournament) and gave away $55,000 in cash and $40,000 in gear. Momentum continues building this year with more corporate interest.

• “We’re getting to a point now where we’re having larger companies and groups wanting to be a part of the Emerald Coast Open, which makes our job a heck of a lot easier as far as organizing the event,” Fogg said. “It allows us to have a lot more money to be able to give away to the participants.” 

All donations go straight to diver prizes, unlike other tournaments. 

“No money is retained by the tournament itself. So that’s one of the perks of this tournament compared to a lot of other tournaments out there,” added Fogg. “This is 100% for the divers who are in the water doing all the work.”

The pre-tournament runs Feb. 1-May 16. The main tournament is May 17-18, followed by the Lionfish Festival on May 18-19. Lionfish caught during the pre-tournament must be donated to count, then get processed by Dewey Destin’s Seafood for festival tastings. Divers earn raffle tickets to claim over $60,000 in prizes.

Registration and more information is available at https://emeraldcoastopen.com/.