This week, We are honored to be able to introduce an organization to you that is dear to the heart of
Leigh Insurance Agency. Unity Outreach of St. Augustine is a non profit organization that supports woman and men being treated for breast cancer in St. Johns County. As I read the bio on their website, it broke my heart to imagine the pain and loss that this family felt loosing their loved one to breast cancer at only 31 years of age. Imagine is all I can do because I have been blessed that this is a disease that I have not had to face or have been confronted with in my family but the simple thought of it was painful to me. My experience with breast cancer is limited to (2) friends of mine. I had a co-worker/friend back in 1997 that was diagnosed and battled it for over a year and won her fight.....But, that victory was short lived as she was told only a year later that the cancer had returned. Sadly, she succumbed to her second battle. I witnessed the pain that her husband, small child and parents experienced as bystanders to this enemy that was ravaging their loved one. I witnessed her strength and will to fight, her dignity and poise as she gave in. In just last year, I lost a very dear friend that I referred to as sister to breast cancer that moved rapidly into other parts of her body. It is painful for me to think about much less write about. The grace and love that she exhibited in those last months is something that I will never forget.  As a witness to this, I completely understand the importance of support. Support such as financial aid, having someone there that can help with medication costs, services and equipment costs. Support such as having the peace of mind that you are not in this alone, you have a community of people, friends, that are there to lean on, that are there to give you hope. 

WENDY JUDEEN OWENS battled breast cancer, her family battled this awful disease by her side and on January 26, 2004 at the young age of 31 years old, she lost her battle. Broken and devastated by this loss, her family founded The Judeen Memorial Foundation for breast cancer medical services/supplies, which are not covered by insurance. If you visit their Facebook page you will see that they are always busy bringing awareness to the community and being a beacon of light and hope for so many that are in this battle. They cannot do this alone. as my mother used to say, "It takes a village"..... It takes everyone, and there is no donation of time or money that is too small when you are fighting something so much bigger than you! It moves me that WENDY JUDEEN OWENS lived a life that has led to unfathomable hope for so many others that are fighting the same fight as she. It was the celebration of the woman she was, the daughter she was, the niece, granddaughter, the friend and all around spirit of who she was that so inspired her family to carry on her memory through the founding of such a powerhouse of support for breast cancer patients and their families! It was through their own grief that they decided to be a help to those that would go through this very valley that they had found themselves in. It was through their grief that WENDY JUDEEN would live on to offer comfort, relief and hope to countless others! This is a cause worthy of fighting. This my friends, is an organization worthy of being involved in.  As I close this blog, I want to encourage each one of you that has taken the time to read this to visit the Unity Outreach website and Facebook page. I am going to provide the links below. I understand that charities come and go but I really hope that I have successfully given you a glimpse today of a disease that reeks havoc on woman AND men, and their families... A glimpse into the battle of a beautiful, vivacious young woman and the family that loved her so dearly and a glimpse into a memorial foundation that because of her life, is bringing hope to the hopeless in our community. 

https://unityoutreachstaug.org/
https://www.facebook.com/UnityOutreachStAug/​

We did not have to search long to decide who this week's business spotlight would be! The team of Realtors over at Re/Max 100 Realty have people buzzing about them! I must say that I have had the pleasure of speaking with a few of the team members there and the energy and excitement that they have is refreshing! 
I have bought and sold a few homes in the course of my life and I am here to tell you, it's a daunting experience to say the least! I remember selling my first home and being asked by my neighbor how much I was going to ask for it and being told I was out of my mind, I'd never get that. The truth of the matter was that I knew the sweat and tears that had gone into making my house a beautiful home and in my mind, that was it's worth. So, a lesson that was taught to me by a wonderful real estate agent was that the value of a home was determined on several different scales of which I had no knowledge, but she was able to do that homework for me and present me with a report that actually showed me the increase that my upgrades would yield and the comps of properties similar to mine that had sold in the area. It made perfect sense to me and in placing my trust in her to be my advocate as I sold a home that was so dear to me, I moved forward. From that point on, like I said earlier, I have purchased and sold homes through the course of my life and did not hesitate to search out a reputable Real Estate Agent to help me from the start to the finish!

At Re/Max 100 Realty, there is nothing that they are not equipped to handle! I was so impressed with their website because they have incorporated interactive tools that allows the visitor to request information that are tailor made to fit their needs, such as the value of their home. You simply plug in the information about your property and request a market analysis that will tell you exactly what the value of your home is! I will provide you with that link below.  Another great tool I discovered on their website was a form along the same lines but you fill out all of the things that you are looking for in a new home and let them find it for you!! That, my friends was the deal maker for me! I can't tell you how many hours of my life that I drove up and down streets and neighborhoods searching for that perfect home or the hours online looking at homes. Simply fill out your wish list per say, and let the team at Re/Max 100 do the searching for you! It's called the "Dream Home Finder".... I just love the sound of that! The link for this form will be provided below as well.

Stroll on over to their website and Facebook page and see for yourself that this Real Estate office is on the ball making it easier for you to buy and sell. If you happen to be in the market right now, I cannot recommend them enough! It's during these times of our lives that we need a professional that we can depend on and a friend that we can trust - You will be sure to find that and more with the awesome people at Re/Max 100 Realty in St. Augustine, FL. 

Contact Info: 
1670 US 1 S.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       St. Augustine, FL 32084
Office Phone
Main:               (904) 825-2700
Fax:                  (904) 461-9501
Toll Free:       (800) 997-9501
Website: https://www.buystaugustine.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAX100Realty​
https://www.buystaugustine.com/dream-home-finder
https://www.buystaugustine.com/free-market-analysis  

​I have had wonderful pets throughout my life and thinking back on each of them, I can honestly say that the relationships that I had with each of them are all special to me. I always purchased my pets until it was mentioned to me in 2014 to visit one of the local animal shelters before spending top dollar on my new to be pet. Well, I did just that. I searched online for a Doberman Pinscher as this was what I had my heart set on. I found one in Jacksonville, FL and recall the excitement I felt as I was driving to pick him up. They told me on the phone that he was just a puppy! I arrived and followed as I was escorted through aisle and aisle of wire compartments where the longing eyes of so many dogs were glued on me. We finally arrived at the holding place of my new Doberman puppy! I'll never forget the way he was crouch all the way in the back corner, shaking with fear, watching us as we entered his space. It was apparent at first sight that he was not a full-blooded Doberman and based on his markings and facial bone features, I knew that the dominant gene was definitely not doberman. Although, I had my heart set on a doberman Pinscher, it melted immediately into an "I really don't care anymore, this one is mine" kind of feeling. The gentleman picked him up by the scruff of his neck and asked me if this was the one and as this helpless, scared little puppy dangled in the air, I said to him, "Yes, he is exactly what I want".  I adopted a puppy that day that had been thrown away and brought BENTLEY Sir Extraordinaire home to the ranch where he would grow up running and playing in the hay fields! (Pictured below with his sweet little sister). ​I still have Bentley and found out from his veterinarian that he is a Doberman Bird Dog. He has markings of a doberman but his facial bone structure is that of a bird dog and he points! Yes, he does! He points and is the best hunter in the county! I love that he walks close to my side instinctively like a doberman and is extremely loving and loyal like a doberman but I also love to see him freeze and point when he's in hunting mode, lol!
So, now that you've heard my story, let me enlighten you as I have been enlightened, that The Humane Society is not simply in the business to save and re-home pets..... They offer vaccinations, health checkups, spay and neuter services, grooming, dog training and even have a pet food pantry. These are not all free services but are offered at low cost with programs and grants available for low income families. This is not an animal shelter but a full-service organization that you can bring your pets for much needed care!
​I wanted to share my adoption story with you because many times, it all begins there! You make the decision that you would love to have a pet and at that point, you must decide where and how you will find your new friend and pet companion. I just want to say that I cannot stress to you how happy I am that I decided to search for my pet at a place for lost and forgotten animals........ I'm all about being a change in the world by outwardly doing things that bring about a positive and choosing a pet, that for whatever reason, was being sheltered because it had no home, was a huge win, for him and for ME. I compiled a video with all the important information that you need to know about The St. Augustine Humane Society and all that they offer. You can view it on our YouTube channel at: https://youtu.be/JTQVo3INI6k
While you are there watching the video, please subscribe to our channel. Each week we post video's that offer valuable information about all of the new things we are doing at Leigh Insurance Agency and highlights of businesses and charities that are making our community a great place to live!

​ 
Great View and Good Eat’s! I have to say that I really enjoy meeting people and going to new places when it’s time to blog about them but my visit to the St. Augustine Fish Camp was one for the books! When we arrived, the first thing I noticed was the valet parking booth… Of course, as luck would have it, a spot opened right in front of the restaurant and we snagged it! It was a gorgeous evening, not quite dark so the pink and purple colors of the setting sun danced across the water. We did not even think about making a reservation and was told very politely that there would be a wait. I really did not mind because I had already checked out the seating on the back deck and a very nice seating area on the dock and thought how nice it would be to sit and watch the sun set. We were told that we’d get a text when it was our turn to be seated and that there was an area set up outside that we could order drinks! To be honest, I can’t tell you how long we waited but I will go as far as to say that it wasn’t long enough because we were relaxing with the absolute best view. The atmosphere inside was very comfortable and relaxing. They have TVs in the bar area if you choose to be seated there but I noted that the layout of the restaurant was perfect in that we were not distracted by the televisions or loud conversations. The entire staff that attended to my date and I were all extremely polite and helpful.
Now, let’s get down to the meat and potatoes of this blog…. The food! I had a very hard time making a decision because there were so many wonderful choices but finally decided to start with the Fried Gator Tail with Datil Pepper Aioli. THIS could have very easily been my entree’! It was cooked to perfection and although I snooped a look at all the other plates passing by me (they ALL looked amazing), I was happy with my decision. For dinner, I chose the Fish Camp Shrimp & Grits and my date chose the Blackened Mahi. I cannot stress enough to you the presentation of each dinner plate as well as the mouth-watering tastiness that both of us experienced! Upon leaving St. Augustine Fish Camp, we had already decided on coming back and what dish we would be trying on our next visit!  I learned that they have 7 locations between St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville. You can visit their website at www.thefishcamps.com to get the addresses and telephone numbers of each and check out their menu or find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/staugustinefishcamp/.
Leigh Insurance Agency selected St. Augustine Fish Camp as our business highlight this week because the area is buzzing about this new restaurant, what a great addition it is to our community and the 4-star dining experience you are afforded as their patron! I can attest firsthand that the buzz is well warranted and your friends here at Leigh Insurance would like for you to join us in welcoming them to the great city of St. Augustine!

This week’s business spotlight is on a team of photography professionals that just happen to be family! Morrell Management Group was a vision of it’s owner Cyndi Morrell. Her entrepreneurial spirit and education in business management and entrepreneurship has led her down a road of several business establishments over the years that grew into reputable organizations. She had a love for photography and always considered it a hobby but wanted to morph that hobby into a business. As she was developing the new business plan, integrating her daughter and son in-law into this plan was imperative because they we’re both professional landscape and architectural photographers and her son in-law is a licensed drone pilot as well. Her youngest son had just attained his bachelor’s in business and would come board as the business manager while still pursuing his career as a Physicians Assistant. She would eventually bring on her youngest daughter as the make-up and hair artist for business head shots. Morrell Management officially opened in August of 2019 and it did not take very long before word of mouth had the business booming!
Cyndi’s role is exclusively the real estate photographer and drone pilot for northeast Florida and we are happy to say that she is currently working on a part time basis here at Leigh Insurance Agency as our Marketing Manager. We are experiencing firsthand her skills in photography and videography! She recently had the opportunity to work with her 17-year-old grandson who is currently training in photography and videography and she tells us that her goal is to one day have him on the Morrell Management team! He shot an advertising video for the business that you will be able to see on our YouTube Channel! His grandmother beams that he is a natural and the video is her proof, lol.  ​Check out the video below!