Communities

At a time when African Americans were denied entry to most public beaches in Florida, A.L. Lewis, president of the pioneering black-owned business, the Afro-American Life Insurance Company, founded the American Beach community on Amelia Island in 1935 as a haven during the Jim Crow era for first his employees and later the wider black community. We are thrilled to have distinguished scholar and Lewis’s great-granddaughter, Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, as our presenter to discuss the history and ongoing legacy of American Beach at Thoughtful Thursday at 5 pm March 21 at The Oaks, 203 Sea Marsh. Cole will take… Read More »

“Focus on 50” is a three-part presentation series examining various aspects of Amelia Island Plantation’s history. Our Thoughtful Thursday on February 22 will kick-off this in-depth look into our history with “Design with Nature,” an influential book by one of the world’s most influential landscape architects of the 20th century – Ian McHarg. McHarg’s “McHargian Analysis” process sought to balance the built environment with the natural environment. This process laid the foundations for modern design and planning techniques used by engineers, planners, designers, etc, and Amelia Island Plantation is part of that storied, influential history. Dr. Taylor Clem from UF/IFAS… Read More »

Geriatrician, family physician and pharmacist Dr. Ankur Patel will share his innovative approaches to advancing your quality of life as you age during a special edition of Thoughtful Thursday at 5 pm September 28 at The Oaks. The Nassau County Council on Aging is sponsoring this presentation, not only bringing this renowned physician here to AIP but also providing each attendee a free, signed copy of Patel’s book, “Age is Just a Number: A Geriatrician’s Secrets for Getting the Most Out of Life.” Currently rated 4.9 out of 5 stars on Amazon, “Age is Just a Number” touches on many… Read More »

Calling all readers! We’re shining a spotlight on authors at our next two Thoughtful Thursdays. First up at 5 pm August 24 is AIP’s own Capt. Pat Gordon, a pilot and storyteller who will regale us with tales from his early flying days recounted in his book “Fly the Friggin’ Airplane!” A gifted storyteller, Pat will take us through his adventures as a student of flying — from flying a biplane he named Betty to Oshkosh to delivering an F-27 turboprop to Rangoon — and the life lessons he learned along the way. Doors open at 4:30 pm to mix… Read More »

Meet the founder of Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch (AISTW) at our next Thoughtful Thursday at 5 pm June 22 at The Oaks. Mary Duffy will discuss the nesting and hatching process, the threats faced by nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings, and the work done by AISTW to support and monitor sea turtle nesting on the island. Find out what we all can do to help these endangered animals. Doors open at 4:30 pm to mix and mingle with neighbors around the Clapper Rail. Wine and Beer available for purchase. Seating in the Sunset Room for Thoughtful Thursday is… Read More »

NASA Earth Science researcher at next Thoughtful Thursday For most people, NASA conjures images of astronauts and space exploration. However, NASA also provides free and publicly available observations from space, air, sea, and land that are critical for informing policy and action to protect planet Earth. Dr. Liz Wiggins of NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia will share an eye-opening perspective of our world at our next Thoughtful Thursday at 5 pm May 25. Seating in the Sunset Room for Thoughtful Thursday is limited, and reservations are required via Eventbrite. Reservation link is is the calendar in the member dashboard.… Read More »

Amelia Island Plantation Community Association (AIPCA) members filled the Sunset Room in The Oaks Community Center April 27 to hear University of North Florida (UNF) art history professor Dr. Debra Murphy speak about Dutch master Johannes Vermeer, currently the subject of a “once in a lifetime” exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Murphy, the inaugural chair of the Department of Art and Design at UNF, provided insights into Vermeer’s life and art and shared her own experiences visiting the Rijksmuseum exhibit. She has been recognized for outstanding teaching by UNF, the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, and the Southeastern College… Read More »