Markland, a Hines community just off International Golf Parkway in St. Augustine, held its third annual Fall Festival on Oct. 20 on the grand front lawn of the Manor House.
Dozens of residents, families and friends enjoyed live music by Tad Jennings, delicious food by Charlie’s Diner, frosty drinks from Kona Ice, real ice cream from Bruster’s and a silent auction with proceeds benefiting the St. Francis House. Bales of hay and old clothes were available for people to stuff their own scarecrows to showcase on their front porches.
Residents and guests enjoyed an array of lawn games, face painting, balloon animals and the ever-popular Big Wheels Bouncy House. There was a Barrel Train Express for young
ones to ride. Other vendors included Grace and Charm Artisan Jewelry, Butterflies for Hope by
The Craft Chicks, Lighthouse Chiropractic, Epic Fades Barber Shop and Kimberly Holloway with Pampered Chef.
Markland’s own home builders — Providence Homes, CornerStone Homes, Dream Finders Homes and Riverside Homes — sponsored activities and booths at the event as well.
Providence Homes and Cornerstone Homes have begun building on lake-front, estate-sized
homesites in the community, and Dream Finders has started building its estate-home collection
on the recently delivered second phase. Riverside Homes has only two homes left to sell in the
community, while CalAtlantic Homes is just getting started in the community’s second phase with three homes already sold opening week.
All proceeds from the silent auction benefited the St. Francis House. Silent Auction items included Jaguars tickets and Grace and Charma jewelry, as well as items from Orangetheory Fitness, DogTown USA, Le Macaron, Bruster’s Real Ice Cream and Murabella Animal Hospital, among others.
Karen Hansel, assistant director for programs of the St. Augustine Society, the organization that oversees St. Francis Housing Crisis Center and Port in the Storm Homeless Youth Center, was available at the St. Francis House booth. Originally a soup kitchen and night shelter, the St. Francis House has been on Washington Street in St. Augustine for over 30 years. Today, St. Francis is a housing crisis center focused on helping guests find permanent housing.
Port in the Storm Homeless Youth Center, located on Arapaho Avenue, is a new subset of The St. Francis House that helps children who have been abandoned physically and/or emotionally. Find out more by visiting http://www.stfrancisshelter.org.
“We really need help providing shelter for the youth in the Port in the Storm Youth Center,” Hansel said. “Right now, we are only open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. as a day
drop-in center.”
Markland, developed by Hines, features all the amenities of a larger community at a scale that still offers a neighborhood feel and is located just one minute off I-95 and International Golf Parkway. Amenities include a resort-style pool, fully equipped fitness center, sport courts, a dock with kayak launch, walking trails, event lawns, parks, a dog park and more. Visit www.Markland.com for more information.
