Port Charlotte Sun from Port Charlotte, Florida • PW31

Friday-Thursday, January 1-8, 2016 Polk County SUN 31 Christian Spinosa is the voice of Marvel newest super hero. Although he leap buildings (or citrus trees) in a single bound, the mild-mannered 24-year- old is amazed at his new found stardom. up as a kid I never expected be the voice of a super hero, let alone the voice of a Marvel super said Spinosa. was an awesome he added comments about recording hundreds of takes for use in the animation shorts that began in May with the first comic out in June. When the Florida Department of Citrus partnered with Marvel to create Captain Citrus, Spinosa was handpicked because he sounds like an authentic Floridian.

am a fifth-generation Florida said Spinosa, a production manager for Dudley Putnam the family-owned citrus and beef cattle operation, for whom being a champion for citrus and agriculture is his roots. a great feeling knowing that going to be the voice of somebody going to schools and educating children about the importance of eating and drinking fruits and says Spinosa, juiced up about being the voice heard around the nation. the voice of a superhero has been nothing but exciting. As a boy I grew up watching the Avengers and now being an avenger as the voice of Captain Citrus as been a humbling experience. Not everyone has an opportunity to be a super hero.

OUTBACK OASIS Two young kangaroos hop with delight when they see Winter Haven artist Paul Schulz. Mastering the art of being a kangaroo whisperer, Schulz hand feeds granola bars, carrots and kangaroo chow to five-year-old Joey and two-year-old Aussie. The pair share a huge enclosure with a large bunny rabbit, giant tortoise, yellow albino bull frogs and other creatures. bottle fed them when I got them as babies and they lived inside my house. My big enough that I can have a few more, but not planning on having a says Schulz.

not going to open up Wally World. The whole idea is intimacy and Loving wildlife has created a wild life filled with adventure for the internationally recognized nature artist. I care about is stresses Schulz. everything. We live without biodiversity and it nourishes our soul.

A lot of what we interpret as beauty comes from nature including the living world. Every color, every texture, every pattern that you can imagine, you can see it. There are too many people in the world and the animals are always going to As his concern for global habitat destruction and extinction hits home, Schulz is purchasing neighboring lands to transform his property into a nature preserve. killed three subdivisions in the past decade by acquiring tract home development says Schulz, who saw his first bobcat on his Country Club Road property when he was a young boy. my intention to take something that is partially wild and protected and make it better.

This area surrounding Lake Hamilton is a wildlife corridor with a fair number of critters. The only way be around 100 years from now is if there is green Schulz has already started opening his property to nonprofit organizations who want to host fundraisers. With studios at Andy Expedition Outfitters store in downtown Winter Haven and his homes in Winter Haven and Anna Maria Island, the prolific artist fills his home with his extensive collection of artifacts, rare butterflies, geodes, fossils and artwork. Visit www.paulschulz. com to view the gallery of art for sale and for more information.

APE-Y HOLIDAYS You see many great apes in Central Florida, but 44 orangutans and chimpanzees are thriving at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula. One of 10 legitimate sanctuaries for chimpanzees and the only orangutan sanctuary in North America, the 100-acre Center is a jungle of love that teaches lessons in conservation, hope and dedication. like another world with roots in the rainforests of Borneo in Southeast Asia, home to orangutans, and West and Central Equatorial Africa, home to chimpanzees. The apes, which differ from monkeys because they do not have tails, have all been rescued or retired from the entertainment industry, medical research or are no longer wanted as pets. Remember Michael chimp, Bubbles? Now 28 years old and 180 pounds, alive and well living at the Center.

It takes $1.3 million a year to provide the proper nutrition and enrichment the apes need. The Center is operated by a small team of dedicated employees from Florida, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Mexico, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Visit www.center- forgreatapes.org and www.facebook.com/ CenterForGreatApes to donate, volunteer or for more information. YEAR FROM PAGE 30 ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED drink 100 percent Florida Orange Juice every day to help me power says Captain Citrus. packed with the Amazing 5 Great Taste, Vitamin Potassium, Folate, and no added sugar! The amazing nutrients help me make good choices.

To learn more about making good PHOTO BY CASSIE JACOBY Paul Schultz of Winter Haven and one of his kangaroos. PHOTO BY COLLEEN REED Bubbles, owned by the late Michael Jackson, with Stryker at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula..