Advent Christian Village 1913-2013 Centennial Book

1913 C e l e b r a t i n g 1 0 0 Y e a r s o f M i n i s t r y 2013
Advent Christian Village
at Dowling Park
“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.”
– Matthew 25:40

100 Years of Service
In the early 1900s, the fastest growing town in Florida was Dowling Park.
The north central Florida town was built by businessman Thomas Dowling
after he moved his lumber mill alongside the Suwannee River. Dowling donated
a parcel of his land to the Advent Christian denomination, and in 1913
Advent Christian Village was founded as a home for orphaned children,
as well as retired ministers and missionaries.
December 17, 2013, at the 100th Anniversary celebration, the children of
Eula Setzer Kastor, one of the original five children to live at the orphanage, cut
the cake and shared their mother’s memories of growing up in Dowling Park.
PO Box 4305 • Dowling Park, FL 32064
1-800-714-3134 • TDD 1-800-955-8771
www.acvillage.net
About the Cover: The sculpture of Jesus kneeling in prayer on The Village Church façade
illuminates what is at the heart of the mission of Advent Christian Village. This special
commemorative publication was produced by the Advent Christian Village communications
staff. Special thanks to the Village Archives for its contribution of photos and research for
this publication.
All contents © 2014, Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park. All rights reserved. No portions of this
publication may be reproduced without the express written consent of Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park.
2 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Through the decades, the community developed and grew, adapting its
methods to keep pace with the needs of a changing society. Yet throughout
the past 100 years, Advent Christian Village has remained true to its
mission, which is “to express Christ’s love by providing compassionate
care and quality comprehensive services” to those it serves.
Today, Advent Christian Village is a thriving community of nearly 800 members.
The 1,200 acre campus provides a hometown atmosphere with scenic
landscapes along the Suwannee River. Here, neighbors care
about each other, and the community is enriched by
members of all backgrounds, faiths and economic abilities.
This self-contained village has the benefits of a small city, complete with
a medical clinic, fitness center, multiple dining options, a pharmacy, its own
grocery store and retail shops. Advent Christian Village has been a pioneer
of the concept of “aging in place” and provides a continuum of care to
its members. It is one of only 15 percent of communities accredited by
CARF-CCAC, the nation’s sole accreditor of retirement communities.
There is much to celebrate as Advent Christian Village marks its centennial
anniversary. We hope you will enjoy the story of our first 100 years.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 3

The mission of Advent Christian Village is to express
Christ’s love by providing compassionate care and quality
comprehensive services for senior adults, families with
special needs, and children in a secure, supportive
residential setting and in the surrounding communities.
4 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Prelude to a Ministry
G
eography helps shape the purpose of any
locale, but what happens there is ultimately up
to God’s plan. The area in north central Florida
that encompasses Advent Christian Village at
Dowling Park is defined by three key geographical features:
pine forests, flatlands, and the Suwannee River.
The wildlife-filled forests, arable land and fish-laden river
first drew native American Indians to settle in the region.
By the time Europeans began to colonize the New World,
villages and trails of what came to be called the Timucua
(pronounced “Tee-MOO-qua”) Indians dotted southeastern
Georgia and northern Florida, including what would
become Suwannee County.
They were the largest indigenous group in the area
and consisted of about 35 chiefdoms. At the time of the
Europeans’ first contact, the territory was home to upwards
of 200,000 Timucuans.
Their relative peace was shattered in 1539. Hernando
de Soto led an army of more than 500 men through the
western parts of Timucuan territory, crossing the banks
of the Suwannee River just south of Dowling Park on his
westward trek in search of gold. By 1700, the population of
the tribe had been reduced to 1,000.
After the War of 1812 concluded, American colonists
began to move southward. The new settlers and
a growing U.S. military presence led to an increasing
number of skirmishes
with the native Indians.
In April of 1818, General
Andrew Jackson led
his army—the largest one
ever to invade Florida—
to the Old Town area to
push the Indians south of
the Suwannee River. He
By the time the Europeans colonized met the Seminoles at Fort
the New World, villages and trails of Fannin, just across the
what came to be called the Timucua Suwannee River, in what
Indians dotted southeastern Georgia is known as the “Battle of
and northern Florida.
Old Town.”
The United States purchased Florida from Spain nearly
a decade later and Florida was eventually admitted to the
Union on March 3, 1845. The pine forests, flat land and
river that had drawn native Indians, European explorers
and American pioneers to what would become known as
Dowling Park, now attracted the attention of businessmen
looking to profit from the natural resources. The story might
have ended there, but in fact, it was only beginning.
Way down upon the Suwannee River
Stephen Foster made the Suwannee River
famous with his song “Old Folks at Home”
composed in 1851. The word “Suwannee” itself is
thought by some to originate from the Timucuan word
“Suwani,” which means “Echo River,” “River of Reeds,”
“Deep Water” or possibly “Crooked Black Water.”
Another possible origin is that the word is a
corruption of the Spanish name for the river and
Spanish mission near its banks, “Rio San Juan de
Guacara,” referring to John the Apostle. It is possible, of
course, that the Spanish purposely named the river and
mission “San Juan de Guacara” based upon their hearing
of the pronunciation of the Indian word for the river.
By the late 1700s, most maps showed the river’s name
as simply “San Juan.”
Creek Indians that moved to the area in the late
1700s intermarried with runaway slaves and the few
Timucua Indians that may have remained. Their
descendants became the Seminole people and began
calling the river “San Juanee” after a corruption of the
nearby Spanish mission.
After the English moved into the area in the early
1800s, the river went through several spelling variations,
including “Sawaney River,” “Suwaney River,”
“Suwanney River,” and “Suwanee River,” before the
maps standardized on “Suwannee.”
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 5

Steamboats, such as The Belle of the Suwannee, traversed the waters
of the Suwanneee River down to the Gulf of Mexico.
Thomas Dowling
In the 1890s and early 1900s, Suwannee County—
especially Live Oak—saw tremendous growth. A railway
station in Live Oak provided some of the impetus, but
the growth was mostly driven by the efforts of people like
Thomas Dowling (1851–1911), a visionary and wealthy
Floridian. Dowling was attracted to the sprawling stands
of virgin pine timber that lined the Suwannee River basin.
He purchased extensive acreage and moved his sawmill
to Live Oak from Lake City in 1890.
An immense amount of lumber and turpentine, used
for shipbuilding, was harvested and shipped to the Gulf of
Mexico via the Suwannee River. Such was the growth in the
area that at the turn of the century, Live Oak was the fifth
largest city in Florida (after Jacksonville, Pensacola, Tampa,
and Key West).
In 1900, Dowling established another sawmill on the
west side of Suwannee County along the banks of the river.
That sawmill would operate until around 1930, and the
area that grew up around it would become known as Dowling
Park.
Thomas Dowling and Robert Dowling, his nephew,
also built the Live Oak, Perry, and Gulf Railroad (LOP&G)
through Dowling Park to transport their lumber to market.
The LOP&G reached Dowling Park in 1900 and continued
to operate rails through the community through the 1950s
(though it traded hands many times in those years.)
In 1890, there was one known family in the vicinity of
Dowling Park. Twenty years later, the 1910 Federal Census
recorded 949 people living at Dowling Park, as well as a
variety of general and grocery stores, a post office, a doctor,
four churches and buildings needed to support the lumber
and naval stores (turpentine) industry.
Dowling Park might have continued to grow as a
manufacturing center, or more likely, it would have eventually
been abandoned once the lumber operations moved
to surroundings that were more profitable. But God had
other plans for Dowling Park. In 1905, Thomas Dowling
attended a revival on the lawn of the Suwannee County
Courthouse conducted by Elder John A. Cargile, an Advent
Christian preacher from Alabama. As a result, Dowling
became a devout Christian and firm supporter of the Advent
Christian Church. His conversion would radically change
his outlook on life and alter the future of Dowling Park.
Dowling immediately built a wooden church in
Live Oak and invited Elder Cargile and field evangelist
Rev. H.V. Skipper to hold gospel meetings in the new
building. These meetings resulted in the organization of
the Second Advent Christian Church of Live Oak, precursor
to today’s First Advent Christian Church of Live Oak.
Dowling built a parsonage and financially supported the
local pastor. He also provided support for Rev. Skipper,
and gave generously to foreign missions and other causes.
Thomas Dowling had two additional dreams for Dowling
Park, the first of which was a model vacation resort.
Consequently, he developed the Dowling Park Hotel Resort
across the river from where today’s Village Square stands.
It featured two swimming pools, a bowling alley, billiards,
and a “Sportsmen’s Paradise” for fishing, hunting, and
horseback riding. Bathers enjoyed the medicinal benefits of
mineral springs. The two-story hotel boasted hot running
water and heat in each room. Additional cottages lined the
banks of the Suwannee River. This site was named Dowling
Park, while the sawmill was named East Park.
According to one account, tourists came in droves,
attracted by the hotel’s “healing” sulfur water. Many
Stacks of lumber from the Dowling Mill were shipped to Jacksonville
and points north.
6 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Some say the sawmill of the Dowling Lumber Co.
at Dowling Park was the largest sawmill in Florida
at the time. The average amount of lumber on hand
was 11,300,000 feet and the mill could produce
60,000 linear feet of lumber per day.
chose to make the prosperous boomtown their home. A
1906 newspaper ad proclaimed Dowling Park “a modern
wonder” and “the fastest growing town in Florida.”
People generally came to Dowling Park by train. A
March 5, 1905 Live Oak & Perry Railroad timetable
indicates that the train made 20 round trips between Live
Oak and Dowling Park six days a week and 18 round
trips on Sunday. It brought logs to the sawmill, took lumber
to market and delivered guests to the Dowling Park
Hotel Resort. Dowling planned to extend his railroad line
east to Jacksonville and west to St. Marks, across the state of
Florida from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.
Thomas Dowling’s conversion changed the direction of his life and
the future of what would become Dowling Park.
While the train shuttled people and lumber back and
forth from Live Oak to Dowling Park, steamboats such as
the Louisa, the David Yulee and the Belle of the Suwannee
traveled up and down the Suwannee River. At the Gulf of
Mexico, they continued on to Cedar Key, a thriving port 15
miles south of the mouth of the Suwannee River.
At the age of 54, Thomas Dowling became friends
through his church work with a 23-year-old man named
Burr Bixler. Their relationship would have long-term
implications for the Advent Christian Church in Live Oak,
throughout the denomination, and in what was to develop
in Dowling Park.
Burr Ambrey Leslie Bixler
Burr A.L. Bixler was born into a large family on a
farm near Villisca, Iowa on May 2, 1884. His parents,
Robert Allen and Helen E. Bixler, had 11 children. In
addition to being a farmer, Robert was a pioneering Advent
Christian minister.
Burr graduated from the public schools of Corning,
Iowa and attended Ames University (later Iowa State
University) to study agriculture. According to one of his sisters,
after attending college for one year, Burr told his father,
“Dad, I’ve got to be either a minister, or I’ve got to go to the
devil.” He promptly transferred to Mendota College (now
Aurora University) in Illinois to prepare for the ministry.
Bixler was described as “a handsome young man with
pink cheeks, black curly hair and gray eyes.” He was said
to be healthy, energetic, intelligent, and enthusiastic about
his destiny—namely, to try to make the world a better place
while thoroughly enjoying his place in it.
He spent the summer of 1907 as an interim pastor at the
Advent Christian Church in Lake City, Florida. He pleased
the members of this small congregation so much that they
persuaded him to stay. Burr continued his studies at nearby
Columbia College. He was 21 years of age.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 7

The Dowling Park Hotel Resort was a model resort with two swimming pools, a bowling alley, billiards,
and a “Sportsmen’s Paradise” for fishing, hunting, and horseback riding. Bathers enjoyed the medicinal
benefits of mineral springs. The 2-story hotel boasted hot, running water and heat in each room.
Persuading the young Bixler to stay was not as hard as
it might have been. He had fallen in love with Miss Janie
Brown, a music teacher in Lake City. She was the church
pianist and a Columbia College music instructor. Janie
Brown came from an eminent southern family whose ancestors
were among the earliest settlers in Florida.
On May 20, 1908, Bixler and Miss Brown married.
She was his inspiration, his helper, and a true partner. They
had four children: two daughters, Janie Vincent Bixler, and
Helen Brown Bixler; and two sons, Dr. Thomas Jenkins
Bixler and Burr A.L. Bixler, Jr.
The newlyweds moved to Dowling Park to assume the
editorship and management of the Present Truth Messenger
(PTM), an Advent Christian publication. Rev. Albert B.
Cargile, the original editor, was elderly and had become
unable to continue managing the publication.
When it became evident that the young editor and his
wife were making progress on the paper, Thomas Dowling
provided space for the PTM in a building he owned
in Live Oak at 127 E. Howard Street, a building that
remains today. With the move to Live Oak from Dowling
Park, Bixler also assumed the pastorate of the Live Oak
Advent Christian Church.
Chautauqua was an adult education movement in the U.S., highly
popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Named after
Chautauqua Lake in New York where the first was held, Chautauqua
assemblies brought entertainment and culture for the whole
community, with speakers, teachers, musicians, entertainers,
preachers and specialists of the day.
Scenes from Dowling Park at the turn of the 20th century.
Dreams of a Campground
Thomas Dowling’s second dream for Dowling Park
envisioned an educational and religious camp—similar
to the Chautauqua, New York movement of that day. He
offered a 120-acre parcel of land to the South Georgia and
Florida Conference of Advent Christian Churches to build
an Advent Christian campground at Dowling Park.
Thomas Dowling’s offer was conditioned on the premise
that the conference of churches invest $1,000 in improvements
to the property during the first year. Brother Bixler,
8 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

The tracks of the Live Oak, Perry, and Gulf Railroad (LOP&G) were uneven and made for a jerky ride. In addition
to hauling lumber, the train brought people to and from Dowling Park. After a few bumpy rides, passengers
dubbed the train “The Loping Gopher,” a name that lives on as ACV’s casual dining deli, which opened in 2008.
who was serving as the president of the South Georgia and
Florida Conference, also served on the Campground Board
of Trustees and was engaged in the planning for the campground.
By December of 1909, the board had a plan.
The January 13, 1910 PTM carried an extensive layout
of the proposed Suwannee River Campground on the
120 acres given by Thomas Dowling. It included a campus
institute, hotel and auditorium, plus 150 50-year lease lots
available for a fee of $5.00 per year. The community would
be called North Park.
he could convey all the land to the church. Burr Bixler lost a
mentor and a financial supporter for his work.
“Dad, I’ve got to be either a minister,
or I’ve got to go to the devil.”
– Rev. Burr A.L. Bixler
During 1910-1911, the Suwannee Campground Board
worked diligently to raise the $1,000 and make improvements.
Eventually, because funds were not coming in, R. L.
Dowling, nephew and business partner of Thomas Dowling,
donated $1,000 to help carry out the plan. The November
1910 conference annual meeting was held at Dowling Park
to acquaint people with the potential of the campground.
Mrs. Miriam McKinstry, author of “The World’s Great
Empires,” was the featured lecturer. Campers lodged in tents.
Meanwhile, his health now failing, Thomas Dowling
sold the lumber and railroad interests and several thousand
acres of timberland to Richard W. Sears, the retired founder
of Sears, Roebuck & Company.
Thomas Dowling died on June 13, 1911, not knowing
what the future would hold for the campground and before
Burr A.L. Bixler initially came to Florida as a young man to be an
interim pastor. Remaining in north Florida for the remainder of his life,
he would play a key role in the emergence of a new dream.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 9

Richard W. Sears
In 1908, poor health forced Richard W. Sears to retire
from active participation in his company, Sears, Roebuck &
Co., which had grown to annual sales of $40 million. He
became a Suwannee Valley tycoon in 1910 when he purchased
the holdings of the Dowling Lumber Company.
These included the LOP&G Railroad, the sawmill at Dowling
Park and several thousand acres of Florida timberland.
Sears formed the Standard Lumber Company out of the
Dowling Lumber Company and continued to operate the
Dowling Park mill until the lumber company eventually
moved its operations to other Florida locations.
Richard Sears, knowing of Thomas Dowling’s wishes to
convey land to the Advent Christian church, contributed the
full 120 acres, plus an additional 180 acres. Thus, land that
had failed to become a Christian campground had become
available for a different kind of ministry.
Sears began to promote the rail line as the “Suwannee
River Route” and formed the Suwannee River Land
Belt Company as the Land Department of the LOP&G to
market the cutover timberlands. The Suwannee River Land
Belt Company remained active in the area by selling 20-acre
tracts of cutover timberland through the Sears catalog.
Tar, Pitch and Turpentine
The pine forests in and around Suwannee County
produced more than just lumber. Tar, pitch and
turpentine were important products provided
by north Florida‘s pine forests in the late 1800s and
early 1900s.
The industry that benefited most was known as
“naval stores,” which are goods used in building and
maintaining ships. Originally, naval stores included
everything used to build a ship, including wood and
cloth, but by the end of the colonial period it meant
tar, pitch, and turpentine.
Tar is the dark, thick, sticky liquid that is produced
by burning pine branches and logs very slowly in kilns.
Seamen would paint coats of tar on riggings that held
masts and sails in place.
Pitch is produced by boiling the tar to concentrate
it. It was painted on the sides and bottoms of wooden
ships to make them watertight and to coat rigging to
help it last longer on ocean-going vessels.
To make turpentine, workers would scar longleaf
pine trees which would cause the gum, or resin, from
the trees to run (to heal the scars). The turpentiners
would attach a cup and gutters to the tree to collect the
resin, which would then be distilled to make turpentine.
Turpentine was used as a solvent in manufacturing
paint — and for many years as a medical elixer both for
topical and internal use.
A 1906 map advertises the sale of lots at Dowling Park.
Sears used the network of northern railroad agents that
he had used earlier in marketing the railroad watches that
had initially launched his successful mail order business.
In Dowling Park, the Campground Board of Trustees
had fenced the property and begun construction of one
building. On November 16, 1911 the South Georgia and
Florida Conference gave the Campground Board “permission
to dispose of the grounds and improvements to the best
advantage” since the conditions for improvement of the campground
had not been completed. George DeBeer suggested
that the campground could be used as a home for retired
ministers. He said, “I believe it will have heaven’s blessings
resting upon it. The place of 120 acres properly managed and
cultivated would keep and supply quite a number of brethren.
The place is ours, paid for, wire-fenced, no expense for
fuel, building materials are cheap, and it is close to railroad
station and church.”
10 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

A Plea Is Heard
On November 12, 1912, Burr Bixler received a heartrending
letter from Lillie Arnold, a widow of Millwood,
Georgia who was dying of tuberculosis. She asked if there
was an Advent Christian orphanage “where my sons can be
raised in the faith I love.” Brother Bixler was heartbroken
that such an orphanage did not exist, but he was able to
help find placement for the boys with a loving family. The
situation gave Bixler an inspired idea.
The Campground Board met on November 20, 1912
at the parsonage of the Live Oak Advent Christian Church.
There, Brother Bixler made a motion that was unanimously
adopted:
“Having fully demonstrated that our people are
not in sympathy with the Campground movement,
the Board recommends that the energies of our
denomination be exerted toward the establishment,
on our Dowling Park Property, of an American
Advent Christian Orphanage. In connection with
the Orphanage, we also recommend the building
of a home for our aged or “worn-out” workers
(preachers) and their wives.”
The South Georgia and Florida Conference of Churches
adopted the plan for a home and orphanage and raised several
hundred dollars to begin the ministry. The first Home
and Orphanage Board was composed of Honorable W.M.
Bennett of Dowling Park as President, Elder J. T. Butler of
Jacksonville, Elder James Lee of Gainesville, C.W. Shelton
of Dowling Park, and Brother Bixler.
The Board of Directors proposed a fundraising challenge.
“The first week in April will be Dollar Week for the
orphanage. We want every Adventist who has an interest in
the welfare of our orphans and worn out workers (ministers)
to demonstrate it by sending in their dollar.” It was to
help reach the $2,000 goal for the completion of the Home
and Orphanage building.
“Shall we let the cry of our orphans
and dying mother go unheard and
unheeded? Far from it! The Advent
Christian people will rally to their cry.”
– Rev. Burr A.L. Bixler
Another fundraising effort was the 5th Sunday Offering.
Advent Christian Churches across the US and Canada were
asked to designate 5th Sundays as a time to give toward
the Home and Orphanage and send their Sunday School
offerings to support it. Brother Bixler wrote in the PTM,
“Make each 5th Sunday of the month the greatest day yet
for our aged workers and helpless children…The 5th Sunday
prayer and offering plan will not only build and equip
the institution, but it will maintain it for all time.” This
Richard W. Sears, of Sears, Roebuck & Co., followed Dowling’s
intentions by contributing the full 120 acres, plus an additional
180 acres to the South Georgia and Florida Conference of the Advent
Christian denomination.
5th Sunday partnership with Advent Christian Churches
continues today.
Elder James Lee of Gainesville agreed to oversee construction
work at the Home and Orphanage. The goal was
to complete the children’s building by the end of the year.
In August, Brother Bixler received another letter. The
children were five Setzer siblings from Ferguson, N.C.
Their mother had died and their father was blind and
unable to care for them. The Advent Christian Church in
Lenoir was caring for the children until a permanent home
could be found. This time, Bixler’s reply was an emphatic
yes. “Shall we let the cry of our orphans and dying mother
go unheard and unheeded?” he wrote. “Far from it! The
Advent Christian people will rally to their cry.”
Stirred by his challenge, the board and denomination
moved quickly. It was agreed, on October 2, 1913
to take the Setzer children into care as soon as suitable
accommodations could be arranged. A roof was put on the
half-completed campground building, and the inside was
quickly finished.
The first floor of the 60 x 24-foot structure contained
a reception room and matron’s quarters, together
with a library, kitchen and dining room. The second floor
of the frame building had two wards for children and
five separate bedrooms, which could temporarily be used
for retirees.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 11

On December 17, 1913, the five Setzer children (left to
right), Ted, Eula, James, Rena, and Colene arrived at the
American Advent Christian Home and Orphanage.
On November 6, 1913, the board appointed three
women as a Visiting Committee to oversee the operation
of the children’s program: Mrs. Thomas Dowling of Live
Oak, Mrs. Mallory F. Horne of Jasper, and Mrs. W.M.
Bennett of Dowling Park. The board voted to incorporate
the American Advent Christian Home and Orphanage and
to formulate rules for who could be received into the home.
A Ministry Is Born
On December 17, 1913, the ministry of caring
for orphans and retirees began. The five Setzer
children, Colene, Ted, James, Eula and Rena,
arrived at the American Advent Christian
Home and Orphanage. The children ranged in age from
two to 10 years old. Miss Lizzie Fleming accompanied them
to Florida. She was their matron until she had to return
to Ohio to care for ill family members. Anna Crosby of
Millville, Florida then became their matron.
The following July, the first retiree, Elder Henry Smith
from California was admitted, followed in September by
Elder and Sister Albert Gordon, fondly known as “Grandpa
and Grandma” Gordon from Maine. Elder Gordon was
81 years old and Sister Gordon, 76. Brother Bixler wrote,
“Three of God’s worn out soldiers have found a haven
of rest in the Home Department. We need a good cow
and about 50 more hens! and two more cottages are under
construction.”
Thus, the American Advent Christian Home and
Orphanage was established as Florida’s first retirement
community. It was unique in that senior adults and orphans
lived on the same campus.
On December 14, 1914, Maude Deal (Knosher) from
Lenoir, N.C. became the sixth child to enter the Home. She
spent her childhood and teen years at the orphanage and
years later returned to Dowling Park for her retirement. She
recalled, “Each morning after breakfast, regardless of how
much we had to do, how busy we were, or what plans we
had for the day, we had morning devotions.” Etiquette was
also given attention. “Rev. Gordon Wilson would give us a
few lessons in manners: how to use a knife and fork and how
to place them when we were eating, and all the things to do
at the table,” she said. “Mrs. Wilson would take the girls ...
and teach us how to sit ... how to stand, how to walk, how
to greet people, and all of that. It meant so much to us,
especially in the years that followed.”
1910s
1912 TITANIC SINKS IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC
1913 FORD PRODUCES MODEL T
1914 PANAMA CANAL OPENSEns
1914 WORLD WAR I STARTS
1915 EINSTEIN’S THEORY OF GENERAL RELATIVITY
1918 TREATY OF VERSAILLES, WORLD WAR I ENDS
12 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

To accommodate the urgent request for a home for the five Setzer children, the board and Advent
Christian denomination acted quickly. A roof was put on the half-completed campground building,
and the children stayed with a family in their Lenoir, NC church until the building was ready.
On February 1, 1915 the Home and Orphanage was
officially incorporated by Judge Mallory Horne of Jasper.
Guidelines were published indicating that two groups of
aged Advent Christians could apply—ministers and their
dependents, and independent laity who wished to build a
creditable home on the grounds. Whatever improvements
they made on the property became the property of the
corporation at their death. No improvement could pass
down to heirs.
The dedication of the grounds and buildings occurred
Wednesday, May 12, 1915. People were invited to bring
a basket lunch and the Live Oak, Perry, & Gulf Railroad
offered a special half fare rate for the occasion.
The board authorized the construction of a home for
the aged, and a plea was made in the PTM for funds to
install a water system. At this time, water for general use
was pumped from the river.
Elder John A. Cargile visited the Home and Orphanage
and reported that the Board of Managers voted to purchase
the 240-acre farm from Brother W.M. Bennett for $5,000.
It included Brother Bennett’s house, horse and buggy, and
everything associated with his farm. Bennett moved from
Dowling Park to Dry Branch, Georgia but continued
to be chairman of the Board of Directors of the Home
and Orphanage.
As the decade came to a close, the board was busy
making plans for securing a schoolteacher, a new church
building was fast taking form, and the 40 x 60-foot Home
for the Aged building was finally under construction. The
future was looking bright.
By October 1921,
68 children called the
orphanage home. A March
8, 1922 PTM reported
that, “We have a colony
of nearly one hundred
at Dowling Park, children
and aged people
belonging to the Advent
Christian Church.” The
Home and Orphanage
A PLEA
“Our greatest need is
money so that a well
can be dug, some land
cleared, a cow purchased,
a flock of chickens
provided, the knoll on
which the building sits
beautified and the building
painted.” (3/12/1914)
was growing, which must have pleased Brother Bixler
and others who served on the board or on staff. Still,
more people meant additional resources were continually
needed to clothe, house, feed and educate the growing
number of residents.
BOARD OF MANAGERS (1916): Hon. W.M. Bennett, Chairman; Elder J.T. Butler;
William M. Dowling; O.O. Williams; Rev. Burr A.L. Bixler, Secretary-Treasurer
1916 CENSUS
21 Children
5 Retirees
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 13

“Old Buck” the ox, was indispensable. Here, he hauls
children along the Suwannee River. (circa 1915)
A PLEA
“Our immediate
material need is for a
new brick dormitory.
We now have 35 girls in
one cottage and should
not have more than 25.
To make room for our
girls we are trying out a
double deck cot. Here’s
hoping the girl on top
deck keeps her balance.”
(11/27/1924)
“We have five carpenters at work on our new 25-room,
three-story Home for the Aged. The wooden building has a
metal roof, hot and cold water, lavatories, steam heat, electric
lights, push button call bells in each room and a bathroom
on each floor. A 12 x
20-foot extension is used
for a kitchen.” The home
was state-of-the art for its
day.
In 1921, Thomas Dowling’s
dream for a campground
also came true. The
first adult campmeeting
was held under the leadership
of Elder Gordon R.
Wilson, who was serving
as resident superintendent
of the Home and Orphanage.
His wife Annie managed
the “kitchen.” Worship
services, sleeping and dining accommodations were in
tents. Gradually through the decade, the idea took hold and
a building program began. The Dowling Park church was
expanded and made into a dining hall and kitchen
for the camp. An open-air tabernacle was constructed,
followed by a men’s building, a women’s building and a
girl’s cottage. In this setting, the All-South Advent Christian
Campmeeting was held annually. These facilities
were the backdrop for the later development of youth
camping, which would become today’s Camp Suwannee.
A Christmas Tradition Is Established
In 1922, a tradition was established that continues
today. The Live Oak Rotary Club hosted a Christmas
party for the children at the Home and Orphanage. When
old-timers speak of the “Big Christmas,” they are referring
to the party in 1924. That celebration was so big that 16
pages of the PTM were filled with information about the
25 men who spearheaded the project—most of them rich,
famous, or flamboyant.
“Many of these men don’t know
anything about the doctrine of
Advent faith,” wrote Joe L. Earman, a
retired West Palm Beach newspaper
publisher who organized the event
with Circuit Judge Mallory F. Horne
of Jasper. “But they do know that
the Advents pray, that they take mighty
good care of their orphan children and try
to educate them, that they teach about God and His mercy,
also about the reward of everlasting life for those who love
and serve God. This is enough.”
1920s
1920 WOMEN GAIN THE RIGHT TO VOTE
1922 A. FLEMING DISCOVERS PENICILLIN
1923 C. BIRDSEYE INVENTS FROZEN FOOD
1923 THE TV (CATHODE-RAY TUBE) IS INVENTED
1927 LINDBERGH’S SOLO TRANSATLANTIC FLIGHT
1929 THE STOCK MARKET CRASHES
14 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

The largest census of children occurred in the 1920s, with 70 children being
cared for at the orphanage. Finding adequate housing was a constant challenge.
They decided the date for the “Big Christmas” would be
December 21. Here is how Earman described the scenario:
“It is expected that the special train from Live Oak will
reach Dowling Park promptly at 12:30 noon. The basket
dinner will be spread. The Christmas gifts will be displayed
on a 20 x 20 platform, with a bridge on one side. At 2 p.m.,
each child will walk across the bridge and be handed his or
her Christmas happiness.”
It was reported that 500 people came from the
Miami area, Palm Beach County, Philadelphia,
Lake City, Jasper, and Jacksonville.
The sponsors arrived by train, making
connections with the Seaboard
Coast Line from Jacksonville to
Live Oak, then riding the special
LOP&G train for the final 18 miles
from Live Oak to Dowling Park.
Lack of Funds Delay Building
With 70 children at the orphanage by 1923, the need for
additional space was readily apparent. That need became
even more critical on December 23, 1925, when a fire
destroyed the original children’s home. While no one was
hurt, the fire was a devastating loss.
A plea for funds to build a new home was answered by
C.W. DeLong, a young real estate magnate. DeLong, of
Coral Gables, Florida, was riding the crest of the Florida land
boom. He responded to the fire loss by pledging $30,000 to
build a “fireproof” dormitory for 50 girls. Brother Bixler
reasoned that if one Advent
Christian could build one
building, then 30,000
Advent Christians could
surely build another. Both
could be built more economically
if built simultaneously.
Gordon O. Reed
and Holice H. Duck were
commissioned to raise the
funds. They appealed to
friends of the Dowling family
to begin a fund drive
for a facility for boys to be
named in honor of Thomas and Laura Dowling.
A PLEA
“Just now we need
machine thread mostly
Number 50, both white
and black. Overalls,
sizes 6 to 16, are needed
for the boys as well as
sheets. A Victrola and
records arrived from the
Jacksonville church
much to the delight
of the children.”
(9/17/1931)
However, the early end of the Florida land boom in 1928,
a harbinger of the Great Depression that was to engulf the
entire country by 1930, dramatically challenged the Home
and Orphanage’s plans for progress. Instead, it ushered in
an era of hardship that demanded dogged perseverance and
urgent prayer at every turn.
BOARD OF MANAGERS (1920): Hon. W.M. Bennett, Chairman; Elder J.T. Butler;
William M. Dowling; O.O. Williams; Rev. Burr A.L. Bixler, Secretary-Treasurer
1922 CENSUS
60 Children
13 Retirees
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 15

DeLong Hall took years to complete due to lack of funding. In 1928, the girls moved in
anyway, despite the fact that the building lacked adequate heating, plumbing or screens.
In the meantime, the children kept coming. At the
beginning of 1927, PTM reported, “In a 10 day period,
13 children were received into the Orphanage…Seventy
children live at the Orphanage.”
Donations helped get the Dowling building (to be
named Dowling Hall) underway. The Dixie Brick Co. of
Columbus, Georgia donated a railroad carload of
bricks. Other businesses donated ten railroad carloads
of material for the building.
Then, starting in 1928, one calamity struck
after another. “The lighting (power) plant and
laundry burned to the ground (total loss). But
this did bring a blessing. The Florida Power and
Light Co. donated new electrical equiment. The
15-horsepower engine and 10 kilowatt generator
were twice the size of the one lost in the fire.”
Another fire resulted in the total loss of a
three- story house, barn and out buildings located
in Maine, but owned by the Home and Orphanage.
To make matters worse, Dowling Park experienced
a flood, which caused extensive damage. Delegates
attending the denominational General Conference
were forced to attend meetings by boat.
The flood damage was a minor calamity compared
to the economic depression that had already
begun in Florida. DeLong was unable to supply
all the needed funds to complete DeLong Hall.
In the fall, the girls moved in anyway, despite the fact that
the building lacked adequate heating, plumbing, and even
screens.
Meanwhile, Dowling Hall was “ruining because it is
open with rain pouring in through the roof and windows”
due to lack of funds to complete the building.
Children at play in front of the first children’s home, which was destroyed by fire in
the early 1920s. (circa 1915)
1930s
1930 GREAT DEPRESSION IN FULL SWING
1931 EMPIRE STATE BUILDING COMPLETED
1933 NEW DEAL ENACTED
1934 DUST BOWL IN THE MIDWEST
1935 SOCIAL SECURITY ACT PASSES
1939 WORLD WAR II BEGINS
16 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Thanks in part to the economic depression that began in Florida in the late 1920s, Dowling
Hall stood unfinished like an Old Testament monument to dashed hopes and broken dreams.
Brother Bixler declared that 1928 was the hardest year
in the Home and Orphanage’s 15-year history. Unfortunately,
things would get worse. The stock market crash of
1929 kicked the Great Depression into full force. Work on
Dowling Hall was abandoned. Finally, funds were raised
for a temporary roof, but Dowling Hall stood unfinished
like an Old Testament monument to dashed hopes and
broken dreams.
The December 1929 census reported 100 people living
at Dowling Park, but the Home and Orphanage was
beginning to experience severe financial difficulties by the
early 1930s. An added burden fell when the State Health
Department condemned the old Bennett House that had
been serving as the kitchen, the dining room and the dormitory
for the boys.
“The Orphanage is now under the direction of the
Florida State Board of Health and the State Board of
Welfare. Certain obligations have been imposed upon
us by the State,” reported Bixler in the PTM. “We must
improve the housing conditions for the boys and remove
them from the old Bennett House, move the barn and
hog lots a quarter of mile from the dormitories and
put in well water for drinking rather than using water
supplied by the sawmill, which comes directly from the
river.” There were 35 children in residence by November
of 1930, plus a number of children who were living in
homes in the surrounding community. Rev. Bixler was
certified to place children in homes and put them up
for adoption.
Now boys were crowded into DeLong Hall with girls,
on separate floors, forcing the Home and Orphanage to
limit the number of children it could serve. Still, by 1934,
Brother Bixler could report that over 400 children and 100
“superannuated” (elderly) persons had been served since the
Home opened its doors in 1913.
The camping program continued to grow. Young
People’s Institutes were held in conjunction with the adult
campmeeting. Within a few years, youth attendance merited
separate camps, and young people attended youth
camp from across the southeast, coming by bus or train
to Live Oak and from there, taking the LOP&G train to
Dowling Park.
December 1933 found 60 children and eight retirees in
care at Dowling Park. Finances continued to be a struggle.
A ten-month financial statement showed receipts of $5,456.
Cash on hand Dec. 31, 1933 was just $12.29 with notes,
accounts and salaries payable in the amount of $24,802.
The Home and Orphanage often relied on the kindness
and generosity of both friends and strangers in order
to survive. Brother Bixler solicited truck and train carloads
of food from churches in order to feed the elders and children.
As reported in the PTM, “We are happy to hear that
churches are planning to make up truckloads of supplies
for the Orphanage as the harvest season and hog killing
BOARD (1938): George R. Graham (Chairman), William Swindler, Rev. M.D. Blanchard,
I.C. Triplett, W.H. Dowling, W.B. Douglass, Rev. W.F. Jamison, Rev. C.L. Kirby, Burr A.L. Bixler
(Secretary-Treasurer)
1934 CENSUS
60 Children
10 Retirees
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 17

H I G H L I G H T S
In 1939, musical instruments and a piano were collected
and Rev. & Mrs. Gordon O. Reed began music lessons
and formed a band for the children. They called the
group the Etude Club.
Marie M. Davis began her weekly PTM column in 1940
covering Dowling Park, entitled “Old Folks at Home.”
She chronicled events at Dowling Park for over two
decades. She was so well loved that when a library
was added to Phillips Civic Center, it was named in
her memory.
By June of that same year, “The canning of our garden
produce keeps many hands busy, shelling peas, stemming
berries and completing other tasks preparing to can the
harvest. Children in a large family, like the one at Dowling
Park, are similar to those in any large family. As they ply
their tasks, the older members of the group may be heard
teaching the young how to count or say their A, B, C’s.”
“God wonderfully provides,” reported Rev. Bixler in
a March 1933 issue of PTM. “We needed potato seed. A
group of men in Live Oak supplied. We needed seed peanuts.
A generous businessman in Gainesville sent 22 bushels.
Our meat was running low. A man from Branford, Florida
sent enough to run us several weeks. God provides.”
October 1934’s urgent need by issue of the State Board
of Health was for an Aeromotor Windmill with a 73-foot
tower with 10-foot wheel and large tank to pump well water
In May 1945, the Rev. and Mrs. William C. Tiffin
became managers of the Home. Florence Bixler Tiffin
was a sister of Burr A.L. Bixler and an ordained Advent
Christian minister.
Mrs. Gordon O. (Polly) Reed was chairperson of the
Board of Directors at the time of Brother Bixler’s
death. She provided capable leadership in securing
his successor. The Rev. Fim Murra, a resident at the
Home, served as Interim Executive until the Rev.
Hugh K. Shepard, a pastor in Panama City, Florida,
and member of the Home and Orphanage Board,
succeeded Brother Bixler on June 1, 1950.
time comes. Where you cannot send a truck, we will pay
the freight.” One truck returned from South Carolina and
Georgia with seven tons of food.
“Brother Bixler went to Columbia, S.C. to bring back
our Jersey bull given by W. M. Swindler from his herd of
Jersey,” states a PTM. Live Oak schools were closed two
days this week so that the rationing program could be carried
on. The Home and Orphanage manager was appointed
rationing agent for Dowling Park [during WWII.]”
In a PTM, Brother Bixler reports, “Thursday was butchering
day and four hogs accomplished our purpose in life for
them. This lot of hogs taken to the curing plant in Live Oak
made about 100 pounds of hams, shoulders and sides per
each and about twenty-five pounds of sausage plus meat we
kept on hand for the week. The boys and girls helped ‘Pa’
Agner set out six thousand cabbage plants.”
so that water would no longer be pumped from the river for
general use. “The State Board of Health is insistent that we
get well water into our pipes at the earliest possible minute.”
By May 1935, the windmill was in operation at a cost of
$600.00. The Home and Orphanage also provided its own
lighting and electric plant. Friends in Live Oak provided a
new engine to keep the plant running.
A coupon campaign was launched to raise funds
to complete Dowling Hall. Churches sent coupons from
household products (Colgate, Octagon, Borden, and others)
that were exchanged for cash. The goal of the campaign was
3 million coupons that would be worth $15,000.
In February of 1936, work resumed on Dowling Hall.
By late July, the dining room on the first floor was in
operation and the kitchen in the basement also provided a
dining room for the children.
The 25th anniversary of the Home and Orphanage
was celebrated December 16–18, 1938. It featured a
1940s
1941 JAPAN ATTACKS PEARL HARBOR
1944 D-DAY NORMANY INVASION
1945 WORLD WAR II ENDS
1946 FIRST MEETING OF THE UNITED NATIONS
1947 DEAD SEA SCROLLS FOUND
1949 NATO IS FORMED
18 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Children and staff with bags of oranges at Christmas in the late
1940s. The 1940s were rebuilding years at the Home and Orphanage.
service in the tabernacle at Camp Suwannee. Brother Bixler
draped the open air building in sheeting in a vain attempt
to keep out the cold. Former children and staff were invited
to a barbecue dinner, and special speakers and times for
reminiscing were held. During its first 25 years, the Home
and Orphanage had served over 500 children and cared for
over 100 aged individuals.
Gradually, improvements were made to the facilities.
As funds became available, the first floor of Dowling Hall
was finished as living accommodations for younger girls.
The older girls remained on the second floor of DeLong Hall
and the boys were housed on the first floor. The basement
had been secured from the elements and became the site of
a more modern kitchen and dining facilities.
Shortly after the end of WWII, an issue of PTM noted,
“A carload of goods was received from Iowa. Brother
Burr A.L. Bixler had ordered 19 tons of hay for the stock.
Most of this was raised on the Bixler farm. The neighbors
and the Bixler relatives in Iowa managed to stow away in
the (railroad) car gifts as follows: 7 sacks of Irish potatoes,
12-half-gallon cans of tomatoes, 10 quarts of clover honey,
cabbage, carrots and popcorn.”
In April of 1940, he reported, “Last Sunday we
received four little children left motherless by the hand of
death; brought to us by a heartbroken father who realized
he could not be both father and mother to them. ‘Put them
in the Orphanage where I know they will receive good care
and be brought up right,’ was the mother’s dying request.”
In 1946, the number of orphans began to wane. This
was due primarily to two factors. The Social Security laws
enacted following the Great Depression included federal
funds for Aid to Families of Dependent Children (AFDC),
thus making it possible for needy children to stay with
their parents. Also, communicable diseases were brought
under control and fewer children were left as orphans.
As the number of children dropped, they could all
be cared for in DeLong Hall. Dowling Hall, now largely
completed, was made available for elderly residents. The
two floors of DeLong were converted into separate living
units, each with complete kitchen and dining facilities.
The Loss of a Founder
Rev. Burr Bixler’s health had been in decline for some
time, but by 1949 it was clearly failing. As the decade of
the 1940s came to a close, the founder of the American
Advent Christian Home and Orphanage had guided its
destiny for 37 years. To supporters inside and outside the
Advent Christian denomination, he was not only its founder
and chief executive, but also its chief fundraiser and spiritual
guide. To the orphans under his care, he was “Daddy
Bixler.” To the elderly ministers grateful for a retirement
haven, he was fondly addressed as “Brother Bixler.” There
were many times when the Home and Orphanage owed its
very survival to Bixler’s strong will and abiding faith. He,
more than anyone else, was the master of its fate and the
shepherd of its residents.
BOARD (1942): Mrs. Esther Reed; W.F. Jamison; Burr A.L. Bixler; W.M. Swindler; J. Walter Screws;
Rev. R.L. Crews; Rev. I.C. Triplett, W.D. Richardson
1943 CENSUS
40 Children
7 Retirees
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 19

On February 26, 1950, after hosting a statewide youth
rally at which Aurora College President Dr. T.P. Stephens
was the guest speaker, Brother Bixler suffered a massive
stroke. He died the following day. Marie M. Davis wrote
of Bixler’s funeral: “Brother Bixler’s close communion
with God gave him a notable humility in rendering an
account of his stewardship in the affairs of life. The day of
his funeral, schools and business closed while services were
conducted. The Advent Christian Church was transformed
into a bower of flowers. Six trucks were required to carry
the flowers to the cemetery.”
Uncertain Times
With the loss of Brother Bixler, many feared that the
project to which he had devoted his life would die with him,
but those who were committed to the ministry at Dowling
Park stood in the gap to ensure its survival.
Dr. and Mrs. Burr A.L. Bixler, photographed shortly before his death
in 1950.
Vision, Sacrifice, Determination,
and Faith Establish the Foundation
Advent Christian Village would not exist were
it not for the vision, the faith, and the
determination of Dr. Burr A.L. Bixler. Floods,
fires, war, and financial struggles—each could have
derailed his vision, but not one did.
For 40 years, he pastored a church, served as editor
of Present Truth Messenger, was an active member of
the Suwannee County School Board and edited and
published the Suwannee Echo—all in addition to his
role as chief executive for the Home and Orphanage.
Near the end of his life, he confided to an
assistant that his greatest pain was that he would
not be able to fulfill all the obligations he had assumed.
“See this packet?” he said, gesturing toward a stack
of envelopes some four inches thick. “These are all the
requests from persons all over the country asking me
to preach their funeral ... This is the real tragedy of
dying: I have promises I cannot keep.”
He died on February 27, 1950. What people
didn’t know until after his death was that he also
had poured the profits from his Suwannee Echo into
Home and Orphanage operations and had foregone
his meager salary when the Home’s finances were
tight—which they frequently were. Today’s Advent
Christian Village is a testament to the man who had
measured greatness in terms of giving.
Rev. Hugh Shepard (left) served as both Home and
Orphanage Executive Secretary-Treasurer and editor of
the Present Truth Messenger, beginning June 1, 1950.
Due to declining health, Rev. Shepard resigned. In 1953,
Rev. Gordon O. Reed took over both roles.
By the 1950s, there was a paved road from Live Oak
to Dowling Park, but it was not paved through the Home
and Orphanage, or to Camp Suwannee. The Home had
one telephone—it was one of the few in the area. In order
to provide access to those who needed to place a call in
the evening, it was located on the porch of the main office.
It had to be cranked to contact the operator and place a call
through Mayo. If Mayo was talking to Live Oak, the caller
at the Home had to wait
until the line was clear.
Someone asked the
Rev. Gordon O. Reed, who
at the time was the Executive
Secretary-Treasurer of
the Home and Orphanage,
if the Home got any work
out of the children. His
response provides a small
A PLEA
“The boys who do the
milking and all of us who
use the milk join in asking
YOU to help us finish
the barn. The Jersey cows
will give the milk. Won’t
you give the money?”
- 1952
20 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

glimpse into life at the orphanage. “Seven boys get up at
5 o’clock the year round, milk at least 11 cows, feed the
calves, chickens, and other stock, straighten up their rooms,
change their clothes, eat breakfast and take the bus to school
at 7:10 a.m.” Girls helped with preparing meals and household
chores.
As the population of Florida’s retirees began to grow
significantly in the 1950s, so did attention from state health
regulators. As Gordon Reed noted in a March 1954 PTM,
“The State Board of Health began administering laws regulating
homes for the aged. The inspectors have pointed out
changes that they asked us to make. These are reasonable
rules and we will do everything in our power to comply, but
they entail large expense items.”
By 1954, work had resumed to complete the upstairs
of Dowling Hall. The main kitchen and dining room for the
elderly were moved from the Home Building to Dowling
Hall. Some of the elderly residents were already living in the
first floor rooms.
Financial needs were still great, and subject to the
whims of weather. In 1948, it had been a flood that caused
damage and additional financial stress. In 1955, it was a
severe drought that cut farm and garden production, sending
grocery bills higher than usual and causing the cost of
feed for the cows to soar.
A New Era Begins
Wi t h t h e H o m e a n d O r p h a n a g e i n
financial trouble, Rev. Reed needed to travel
the denomination in order to raise funds.
He urged a Christian businessman, Mr.
Matthew Ardus (M.A.) Carter, and his wife, Myrtle, of
Waycross, Georgia to become Assistant Manager of the
Home in charge of all operations at Dowling Park. Mr.
Carter reluctantly agreed to come and help, but only for three
months. Three months came and went, and the Carters
remained in Dowling Park for the remainder of their lives.
M.A. Carter became the resident manager in 1955, and
was most responsible for saving the Home and Orphanage
from going under. Having found the institution severely in
debt, one of Carter’s first acts was to put it on a cash basis.
Dr. Travis Carter, M.A.’s son, remembered, “When my
dad went to the ‘Home,’ it was $9,000 in debt, and
that was a lot of money in 1955. He could not buy anything
in Live Oak on credit. The credit of the Home didn’t
exist. People were kind, but they just couldn’t afford to
extend credit. He finally began to say to the merchants,
‘We’ll pay cash for everything if you’ll give us a good deal.’
So he traded with those merchants that would give him a
reduced rate on groceries, animal feed, children’s clothes,
shoes and so forth, and he began to try to pay off the bills.”
Rev. Gordon O. Reed resigned as Executive Secretary-
Treasurer of the Home and Orphanage in 1957.
M.A. Carter was the first executive who was a businessman rather
than a pastor. His skills turned an economic corner for the Home and
Orphanage.
M.A. Carter agreed to take on this added responsibility
until a replacement could be found, but he did not agree
to take on the role of editor of the Present Truth Messenger.
The two roles were separate from that point on, and the
Home’s administration office moved from Live Oak to
Dowling Park.
“Mr. M.A. Carter had faith and of course
Brother Bixler had a lot of faith, but, from
what I’ve seen, Mr. Carter had the most
faith, the strongest faith of anybody I’ve
ever worked with.”
– Ina Hart, M.A. Carter’s office manager
Carter’s office manager, Ina Hart provided a keen
insight to the lasting contribution of M.A. Carter. When
asked what accounted for the success of the Home and
Orphanage, Hart’s reply was, “Faith. Mr. M.A. Carter
had faith and of course Brother Bixler had a lot of faith,
but, from what I’ve seen, Mr. Carter had the most faith,
the strongest faith of anybody I’ve ever worked with.
“I’ve seen time after time when he would go out and
gather up the time sheets and bring them to me, and I would
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 21

5th Sunday Song
This song was sung in Advent Christian churches on
5th Sundays to encourage church members to give
toward the Home and Orphanage. It was sung to
Stephen Foster’s famous tune, “Old Folks at Home.”
The Suwannee River
By Mrs. E.D. Waterhouse, Canton, Maine
Way down upon the Suwannee River
Far, far away,
There’s where our thoughts are turning ever,
There’s where the children stay.
All round the Little Park they wander
While they are young.
There many happy days they squander
Many the songs they have sung,
All the joy-bells are a ringing
Down in Dowling Park
And all the children are a singing
As happy as a lark.
There too the aged ones have gathered
Happy are they.
There only kindly words are spoken
All through the live long day.
There they can see the bees a humming
Down in the orphans home.
Let us keep the joy-bells ringing
Down in Dowling Park
Let us keep the children singing
As happy as a lark.
get ready to make the payroll checks out, and I would say,
‘Ardus, we don’t have any money,’ and he would say ‘Well,
make the checks out. It will come in.’ and it always did!”
Along with strong faith, M.A. Carter had a clear
perspective on the role of the Home and Orphanage. He
wrote, “One of our rewarding experiences is to observe the
spiritual growth of the children. Most of them come from
shattered homes where they’ve been exposed to the lurid
evils of sin-wrecked lives. Their faith in God and man has
been shattered. It is not easy to communicate to them the
essence of the Christian Faith. Thus, it was a joyful moment
J. Pomeroy Carter, son of M.A. Carter, was a student at Aurora College
and the Home and Orphanage barber, among other things, in the
summer of 1955.
when one of our boys bravely walked down the aisle of the
Live Oak church to accept Christ as his Savior. The state
institutions give shelter and food. It is the Christian Homes
that minister to the broader needs of the children.”
“I think God and most Advent Christians
are tired of doing things in a second rate
manner. I believe if we design and construct
a safe, functional and attractive building—
one all of us can be pleased with—people
will rally behind us and pay for it.”
– Pomeroy Carter, on developing a new approach
The State Board of Health had been unhappy with
the Home for the Aged, because bed-ridden elderly people
were housed on each of the three stories. In 1957, they
finally condemned the building, giving a time limit of a year
to vacate it.
Mr. Carter’s younger son, J. Pomeroy Carter, was a
student at Aurora College, and spent his summers in Dowling
Park. He was invited to attend the meeting of the Board
1950s
1950 KOREAN WAR BEGINS
1951 THE COLOR TV IS INTRODUCED
1953 DNA IS DISCOVERED
1955 DISNEYLAND OPENS IN ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA
1957 SATELLITE SPUTNIK LAUNCHES THE SPACE AGE
1959 THE SOUND OF MUSIC OPENS ON BROADWAY
22 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

The new nursing home was dedicated in 1959. A 20-bed wing was added
in 1962. On February 24, 1960, Mrs. M.A. Carter (Myrtle) died following
surgery. Later, the new nursing home would be named in her memory.
of Directors in August, where possible solutions to the
Home for the Aged crisis were discussed.
Pomeroy was amazed by some of the suggestions
offered in order to comply with the state’s demands. The
most popular suggestion was to buy one or two of the
wooden barracks that were for sale at Moody Air Force
Base near Valdosta, Georgia and use them to house the
older residents.
Pomeroy states, “Before they voted, I couldn’t help
saying, ‘I think God and most Advent Christians are tired
of doing things in a second rate manner. I believe if we
design and construct a safe, functional and attractive building—one
all of us can be pleased with—people will rally
behind us and pay for it.’ As I look back, I was a rather
brazen young college senior to offer such a suggestion to the
Board of Directors. But to my surprise, they liked the idea
and asked me to help raise funds to build it.”
From this chain of events, this strong conviction that
whatever is done in Christ’s name should be first rate
became the driving force that would lead the Home and
Orphanage into a brighter future.
As part of the capital development program, donors
could send gifts to establish rooms in the new nursing home
in honor of loved ones and to help provide aid for when the
building was finished. Capturing that vision, the community,
the denomination, and friends of the Home and Orphanage
rose to the occasion. The new building was paid for by the
time it was finished.
During the summer of 1957, the Home and Orphanage
began to change its image. To this day, Pomeroy sees
evidence of God’s hand in what was to become a major role
in the history of Advent Christian Village. It was also a turning
point for him. The chairman of the Board, Rev. John
Cargile, asked him to serve as his father’s assistant when he
completed college in December. In 1952, he had committed
his life to full-time Christian service, but still did not know
where God wanted him to serve.
Pomeroy was planning to go to seminary in Naperville,
Illinois, and had a job on the night shift lined up with a
gas company. He sincerely prayed for God to open or close
doors according to where He wanted him to serve. Within
a few days, the gas company called stating that the night
shift was no longer available. A door had closed. Just days
later, the Florida Licensing Supervisor of Children’s Institutions
contacted Pomeroy and offered him a full scholarship
to earn his Master of Social Work degree from FSU. Another
door had opened.
With that kind of confirmation, Pomeroy accepted the
job Rev. Cargile offered, providing he could go to FSU and
work part-time on weekends at the Home and Orphanage.
Jerry Lynn Harris, Pomeroy’s fiancée, had not been
to Dowling Park and they were going to be married in
August. At that time, there was no air conditioning and the
tap water smelled like sulfur. Pomeroy says, “Jerry told me,
‘Well, I have always said that if I ever married a minister,
I would go wherever he went.’ Together, we came to a sense
BOARD (1955): John A. Cargile, Chairman; W.M. Swindler, Vice-Chairman; Gordon O. Reed,
Secretary-Treasurer; George Croft, W.A. Walker, Mrs. Willie Mae Joyner, Robert N. Keepers,
Homer Padgett, A.R. Owens
1955 CENSUS
18 Children
20 Retirees
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 23

Pomeroy suggested that no more apartments should
be constructed until a well-thought out Master Plan was in
place. Again, the Board agreed and suggested that he present
to them a plan for their consideration. Thus, the organization’s
first Master Development Plan was initiated.
If a night job in Illinois had remained available, J. Pomeroy Carter might
have returned to attend seminary. Instead, he stayed in Dowling Park
and led the way for the next 35 years.
of peace knowing that this is where God wanted us to be.
After that, Dad and I discussed everything. He used me as
a sounding board and leaned on me. He didn’t have a high
school education, but he was a great businessman and he
had a backbone of steel.”
In June, Pomeroy reported to the Advent Christian
General Conference about improvements at the Home and
Orphanage, such as the clearing of land for additional pasture,
remodeling of DeLong Hall—including the installation
of a central hot water heating system—and the dismantling
of the Lizzie Fleming Annex to provide space for the first
phase of the new nursing home. Churches and individuals
were encouraged to furnish memorial rooms at $350 each.
The new 22-bed nursing home was completed within
the allotted time and debt free. It was dedicated on August
9, 1959. Rates were $35 per week for those confined to bed
and $25 per week for those who were ambulatory. Later, in
1963, a new addition was added, expanding the capacity
to 44 beds.
M.A. and Pomeroy spent much time discussing how to
make the Home and Orphanage more solvent. When M.A.
Carter first arrived and examined the financial records, he
learned that there were seven elderly residents receiving
complete care without paying any monthly living expenses.
They had entered the Home under a life care contract for
which they paid $2,500 at least 15 years earlier. There were
also a similar number of retired ministers, missionaries and
spouses not expected to make monthly payments.
Fifth Sunday Offerings from Avent Christian churches
were depended upon to cover the majority of the operating
expenses for the children and elderly. These offerings
were often unstable. M.A. and Pomeroy realized something
had to be done to provide a more reliable source of income.
They decided to construct rental duplex apartments. The
new apartments were so popular they were rented as fast as
they were built.
Bringing the Joy of Bethlehem to Dowling Park
Pomeroy reflects on how Christmas was celebrated at
the Home and Orphanage: “When Mom and Dad came to
Dowling Park in 1955, Christmas was desolate. We were
used to a big family Christmas and a big church Christmas
program. We got here and it was dismal. The children spent
the holidays with whoever would take them. There were
no decorations, no gifts, and no special programs. So Dad
said, ‘If we are here next year, we are going to plan something.
We need to keep the children here and have a big
Christmas dinner and presents under the tree. I want them
to want to be here, to be afraid they’ll miss something if
they don’t stay.’
“We started having Christmas parties at Dowling
Hall. The children helped sing carols and pass out gifts
and refreshments to the senior residents. While the children
were busy entertaining, their gifts were distributed to their
houseparent’s bedroom so they could be put under the tree
after they went to sleep. The children were so excited to see
gifts just for them under the tree on Christmas morning.”
Much effort was put into making sure the children had a variety of
gifts on Christmas morning. The effort to make Christmas special for
all members continues today.
Pomeroy tells the story of one Christmas when, despite
their best efforts, not everyone was happy. The children
were asked to prepare wish lists in the fall. The lists were
distributed to the churches and individuals would send gifts
for the children to open on Christmas morning. One girl’s
list included “pretty panties.” When she opened her presents,
she received 76 pairs of panties and not much else. She
burst into tears and so did Jerry Carter. From then on, Jerry
opened all the packages ahead of time and rewrapped them
to make sure each child received a nice assortment of gifts.
24 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

“We were used to a big family Christmas.
We got here and it was dismal. So Dad
said, ‘We need to keep the children here and
have a big Christmas dinner and presents
under the tree. I want them to want to be
here, to be afraid they’ll miss something if
they don’t stay.’ ”
– Pomeroy Carter, on establishing a Christmas tradition
That effort to make Christmas meaningful continues
in the 21st century. Many staff members and volunteers
spend weeks decorating the campus in preparation for
the Tree Lighting—the annual kickoff event for the season.
The Village Church Christmas cantata draws people from
miles around to hear handbells, intergenerational choirs,
instruments, and drama join together to tell the Christmas
story with a slightly different focus each year. Numerous
parties are held throughout the season and the meaning
of Christ’s birth is underscored in the Christmas Eve
service of sacred communion. Christmas Day, every member
is invited to a complementary holiday feast. All this is
why ACV is called Advent Christmas Village during the
month of December.
The Beginnings of Bixler Memorial Church
Ina Hart became M.A. Carter’s office manager
on November 1, 1959. At that time, children and the adults
who were able attended church services at the Advent
Christian Church in Live Oak. Ina began teaching Sunday
School in Dowling Park for those who did not make the trip
to Live Oak.
“One Sunday morning I taught the class and it was on
prophesies,” she recalled, “and this little old man [Frank
Wynn] just sat and drank it in. When it was over, he came
up and said, ‘Miss Ina, would you preach for us this morning
and just keep on with what you have been talking
about? I get so hungry to hear a sermon.’ And so, I came
home and got my reference Bible and went back and held a
worship service.”
That was the beginning of what would eventually
become the Bixler Memorial Church, and Sunday worship
services have been held in Dowling Park since that date.
The Board of Directors at the March 1963 meeting
voted to proceed with the construction of a chapel. Nearly
$5,000 was in the chapel fund, but an additional $30,000
was needed.
The 225-seat Bixler Memorial Chapel, named in
memory of Village founder, Rev. Burr A.L. Bixler, was dedicated
on March 13, 1966. The Rev. Roy L. Crews was the
dedicatory speaker. More than 400 people attended the
dedication. The complete and furnished chapel had cost
approximately $75,000.
Ina Hart, pictured with Rev. Weldon Chambers at the groundbreaking
for the new church sanctuary in 1987, was M.A. Carter’s office
manager. She started holding worship services in Dowling Park in
1960, and Sunday worship services have been held in Dowling Park
since that date.
On Easter Sunday, 1969, a Sunday School program
for all ages was added. This fulfilled a dream of Ina Hart
since August 4, 1963 when the church was established.
A new educational wing and fellowship hall were added,
complete with an outdoor baptismal pool. They were
dedicated in October 1971 and greatly enhanced the growing
community’s spiritual center.
“One Sunday morning I taught the class
and it was on prophesies, and this little old
man [Frank Wynn] just sat and drank it
in. When it was over, he came up and said,
‘Miss Ina, would you preach for us this
morning and just keep on with what you
have been talking about? I get so hungry
to hear a sermon.’ And so, I came home
and got my reference Bible and went back
and held a worship service.”
– Ina Hart, on the beginnings of Bixler Memorial Chapel
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 25

Fundraising for the Bixler Memorial Chapel began in 1963. It was dedicated
on March 13, 1968 as a memorial to the Rev. Burr A.L. Bixler, Village founder.
As the Home’s population grew, so did the number of
worshippers at Bixler Chapel—to such an extent that it
eventually became necessary to hold double services each
Sunday morning. A Capital Campaign was launched to raise
$600,000 for a new church and Christian education addition.
Bixler Chapel would remain, with the new facilities
adjoining it.
“Our 31 boys and
girls are active in
high school basketball,
4-H Club,
Glee Club and
church activities.
They hold places of
leadership in these
activities.”
3/9/1961
Looking forward, the new
sanctuary, which would be
dedicated November 27, 1988,
would seat approximately 600.
A major gift from Mr. and
Mrs. P.C. Crapps, Jr. of Live
Oak helped finance the sanctuary.
A $250,000 challenge gift
from the President’s Council
assisted with the Willie Sineath
Wee Care Day Care Center and
the Ina Hart Christian Education
Complex within the facility.
A March of Progress
On March 1, 1962, Pomeroy Carter was named
Superintendent of the Home and Orphanage and M.A.
Carter became Business Manager. The Board of Directors
adopted the Comprehensive Master Plan that had been
previously submitted by Pomeroy and a new era of development
began.
Father and son made a powerful team. Almost at once,
bequests and designated gifts were received and new construction
began on a number of long-needed buildings. A
new laundry and supply building was completed, followed
by a home for the superintendent, a retirement duplex and
four efficiency apartments for staff. The Board also voted
to complete the new Nursing Home wing and build two
additional children’s cottages.
Along with the new building program came a number
of important program changes that would have long-range
significance. The condemned Home building was torn down
to create space for a new 20-bed addition to the Myrtle E.
Carter Nursing Home. Mr. W.A. Walker, a retired contractor
of Clearwater, moved to the Home temporarily to oversee
construction. The completion of the new nursing home also
brought the first full-time nurse, Norma Moore Sellers, R.N.
On April 7, 1966 Advent Christian News announced
the opening of the mobile home park (later named Park of
the Pines). The lots were 40 x 100 feet and the monthly
rental was $15.00 per month plus electricity and fuel.
That August, Pomeroy Carter reported to the Board,
“Although the growing pains have been rather acute in
recent months, I am still convinced that God is in the Home’s
1960s
1961 BERLIN WALL BUILT
1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT PASSES
1965 U.S. SENDS TROOPS TO VIETNAM
1967 FIRST SUPER BOWL PLAYED
1969 NEIL ARMSTRONG WALKS ON THE MOON
1969 ARPANET, PRECURSOR OF THE INTERNET, CREATED
26 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Phillips Civic Center was a turning point for the Home, beginning a modern era.
Phillips Dining Room provided ample space for the entire community to gather.
operation and is guiding in our planning. Let us as a
Board continue to submit our wills to His will and under
His guidance work diligently to uphold and promote the
Master’s ministry at the Advent Christian Home of Dowling
Park, Florida.”
The Lord Provides
The growth at the Home wasn’t without its challenges.
“Our bills have piled up and we’re unable to pay
them. We have had a long, hard winter and our heating bills
are tremendous. We have an unusual amount of medical
bills due to sick children,” reports a 1964 PTM. “Clothing
and school expense for twenty-nine children and seven dollars
a day for school lunches, you can see how the daily
cost of operating the Home would amaze the majority of
people. We shall be prayerfully awaiting your gifts.”
Travis Carter, who was pastor of the Live Oak A.C.
Church, recalls his father M.A.’s faith. “I remember Dad
came to prayer meeting one night and he said, ‘I want this
church to join me and pray to the Lord to send us a million
dollars.’ And I said, Dad, don’t you think that’s a little
much? We could get out of the hole with a lot less, and he
answered, ‘No, we need a million dollars,’ and so we joined
him in prayer.
Just a short time later, Mr. E.L. Phillips of Jacksonville,
left a trust to provide for his wife and then to the Home.
“I remember Dad came to prayer meeting
one night and he said, ‘I want this church to
join me and pray to the Lord to send us a
million dollars.’ And I said, Dad, don’t you
think that’s a little much? We could get out
of the hole with a lot less, and he answered,
‘No, we need a million dollars,’ and so we
joined him in prayer.”
– M.A. Carter’s son, Travis Carter
Mrs. Phillips had also planned a bequest to the Home
upon her death. She was about to provide the answer to his
father’s prayer. She told him that she did not need the
money from her husband’s trust and would like to see something
of value done with it while she was still living, so she
could enjoy the blessing. The total gift between Mr. Phillips’
trust and Mrs. Phillips’ bequest was almost a million dollars.
Pomeroy says, “I will never forget the telephone call I
received from Mrs. Phillips’ attorney. He said she wanted
me to come see her and to bring the Home’s attorney, along
with any plans we had for new buildings. I knew immediately
why God had laid on my heart the need for a master
development plan.”
BOARD (1964): Rev. John A. Cargile, Mrs. Ruth D. Howell, Rev. Roland E. Griswold, W.A. Walker,
Rev. J. Ralph Smith, Ernest Sellers, Otto Rouck, Dr. Robert L. Peterson, Bryce H. Sherrill,
Mrs. Francis A. Merritt, W. Eugene Tart, Mrs. W.K. Schwarzburg
1965 CENSUS
32 Children
70 Retirees
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 27

M.A. and Myrtle Carter
Saving the Home and Orphanage
Lays the Foundation for
Advent Christian Village
M.A. Carter may not have known how the
experiences of his early life would help him
later in Dowling Park. When he came to the
Home and Orphanage in 1955, farming played a big
part in the Home’s livelihood. Raised on a farm, he was
knowledgeable of farming techniques. He had been in
the grocery business and sold insurance, making him a
smart businessman. These talents along with a steadfast
faith in God and a healthy dose of common sense made
it possible for M.A. Carter to turn the Home around
and lay the foundation for what has become Advent
Christian Village.
It was under his guidance that the first children
from the Home and Orphanage earned their high school
diplomas. He is credited with saving the Home and
Orphanage from financial ruin and for making many
needed improvements to life in Dowling Park.
As alumnus Jim White said in presenting the “
Friend of the Children” award to M.A. Carter, “For
those times you were a houseparent when there were
no houseparents, a farmer when there was no farmer,
a cook when there was no cook, a doctor when there
was no doctor, a friend when there were no friends,
as well as for all the other things you were to us when
there was no one else.”
Mr. E.L. Phillips’ bequest was used to construct the
Phillips Dining Room and Civic Center and Mrs. Phillips’
gift was used to establish an endowment fund to maintain
the facility.
On October 24, 1965 the E.L. Phillips Civic Center was
completed and dedicated. Congressman Charles E. Bennett
of Jacksonville was the guest speaker. The building gave
the Home a new image and a central location for socializing
and special events. It included a dining room,
kitchen and serving line, conference room, post office,
library, Laundromat and other conveniences. Covered walkways
were constructed from the Myrtle E. Carter Nursing
Home to the Phillips Civic Center. It was a major building in
the master development plan and launched the modern era at
Dowling Park.
Another way the Lord provided for the Home and
Orphanage, especially in the early years, was through gifts
of food and other necessities. Benefactor Quinton Rumph
said that one of his most vivid memories as a boy was of
the wagon trips he made with his father from their farm in
Columbia County to Dowling Park. In the fall, his father,
Carnot, would go to neighboring farmers and ask for anything
they could spare for the orphans and elders at Dowling
Park. They gave things like corn meal, grits, cured meat,
flour, cane syrup, canned vegetables and fruit. Whenever he
drove his wagon to Dowling Park, it was always full.
J. Pomeroy Carter with his wife Jerry Lynn and their children, Chris,
Kerry, Craig and Kay
28 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

“We felt that if people could have some
measure of choice in what they ate, they
would be happier and more productive
in their situation.”
– Pomeroy Carter on the simple but powerful idea of giving
people the freedom of personal choice
A Philosophy of “Home”
Pomeroy Carter’s experience at college led to one
innovation almost immediately. As a student, Pomeroy had
been frustrated by the sameness of the meals served under
the college’s food service plan and by the fact that he was
never able to select the items he was to be served. One of his
first actions was to introduce the use of selective menus in
the new nursing home.
Pomeroy remembers, “It was a conscious attempt to get
away from regimentation. We felt that if people could have
some measure of choice in what they ate, they would be
happier and more productive in their situation.”
The simple yet profound idea—the freedom of personal
choice—became the centerpiece of the Home’s continuing
expansion. With the construction of various kinds of retirement
apartments, a mobile home park, and the opportunities
for people to construct private homes through the Home’s
land lease program, retirees were able to choose the kind
of living best suited to their situation and need. Pomeroy’s
insistence on this course of action was a departure from the
prevailing pattern of retirement center development.
“People wanted independence for as long as possible.
They also wanted to know they wouldn’t have to leave their
familiar surroundings if their physical condition deteriorated,”
says Pomeroy. This would lead to another innovation,
the concept of a continuum of care at the Home for
its elderly residents. This would eventually provide options
ranging from total independence to assisted living to skilled
nursing and memory care. An added benefit for couples is
H I G H L I G H T S
In 1962 Herb Wadsworth, editor of the Suwannee
Democrat, suggested the need for a Citizens Advisory
Board comprised of community leaders to keep the
community informed and to serve on development
committees. On February 27, 1962, Norman Protsman,
owner of radio station WNER in Live Oak, was elected
the first chairperson of the Citizens Advisory Board.
This group, later chaired by banker George Harmony,
and its successor, the Community Relations Board,
would spearhead subsequent capital campaigns at the
Home and Orphanage.
On April 1, 1962 John Moxley, who spent several years
of his childhood at the orphanage, joined the staff as
farm manager after graduating from college. His
emphasis was on developing the livestock: hogs, and
Angus and Hereford cattle—80 head. As PTM reported
in May 1963, “The farm provides an opportunity for the
children to learn responsibility and to achieve personal
and physical growth through their daily chores.” John
was a great model for this philosophy as he worked
with the boys on the farm.
At Herb Wadsworth’s suggestion, in 1962 the Board
voted to shorten the name from “American Advent
Christian Home and Orphanage, Inc.” to Advent
Christian Home, Inc.
The Home also purchased 43 acres to the east of the
campus from Mrs. Alice Ford on March 1, 1969.
The Home then owned 800 acres of property.
Wilson Hall was dedicated August 24, 1969 in
memory of Rev. Gordon R. Wilson. It offered ground
level handicapped accessible apartments.
Phillips Dining Room provided dining and meeting space for the entire
community. It launched the Home into the modern era.
The Home continued to add acres to its holdings and
build new apartments and land lease homes. Sizable
gifts from the likes of the Rev. Gordon Wilson Estate,
the H.L. Baumgardner Estate, and others helped to
provide financial support.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 29

Green Stamps Buy A Bus
In the late 1960s, the Home needed a bus to
transport its children and retirees, but the $20,000
price tag was too great an obstacle. Someone
suggested purchasing a bus with S&H Green Stamps.
It was a wild idea, but the community was desperate
enough to give it a try.
Notices pleading for Green Stamps went out
to Advent Christian churches and other friends nationwide.
Soon stamps came pouring in. The children and
seniors worked side by side sorting, licking and placing
more than a million stamps in place.
After calling ahead to warn them, Pomeroy
Carter delivered the stamps to an astonished staff at
the processing center in Jacksonville. The stamps filled
a pickup truck, and it took the staff an entire day to
count them. Ken Steinseifer was a new staff member
at the Home, and one of his first assignments was to
travel to Arkansas and drive the new 55-passenger
bus back to Dowling Park. It was painted green and
affectionately dubbed “the Green Stamp bus.” The
bus served faithfully, logging thousands of miles and
wearing out three engines before being retired in the
1980s. It was the bus that made trading stamp history.
that they could remain in the same community regardless
of the level of care needed by one or both.
Bringing the home-like atmosphere to the Children’s
Program, the Robert L. Keepers Children’s Cottage, was
dedicated on March 17, 1963 as a cottage for boys. The
Rev. Keepers, a board member and faithful advocate for the
Home, died before the building was dedicated.
From this point forward, the design for new cottages
in the children’s program became small group cottages that
were operated with a more family-like environment. Cottage
parents remained on duty seven days a week, with the cottage
father working full time outside the home. The housemother
prepared the cottage budget and provided training
in household management for the children.
A concerted effort was made to give the children as
“normal” a childhood as possible within a homelike atmosphere.
Yes, chores and homework were required in order
to teach responsibility, but there was also an effort to make
life happy for each child and to set them up for success. The
determination to provide a meaningful Christmas continued,
with each child receiving gifts picked specifically for
them. For Easter, they each got to shop for new clothes to
wear to church.
The children were encouraged to become involved in
extracurricular activities, like band, sports and student government.
They enjoyed riding the horses that were part of
the farm program. They participated in church activities and
most were part of the youth choir that sang at special events.
Scholarships were provided for those that intended to go on
to college. Although the youth did not live with their families,
the Home provided a big family environment where the
children received love and opportunity.
Excellence
and Innovation
In concert with physical expansion of the Home’s
facilities and a new spirit of excellence pervading the
campus, another trend emerged that would accelerate
in the years that followed and continues today.
The Advent Christian Home would not only be a center for
excellence, it would be an innovator in providing care for
orphans and the elderly. In some cases, a situation would
arise that would present an opportunity to implement a
better approach than what had been done previously.
One such instance occurred in the late 1960s. Four
siblings came to live at the Home. Their grandfather drove
them down from West Virginia, but didn’t tell them he was
1970s
1971 VCRS INTRODUCED
1974 PRESIDENT NIXON RESIGNS
1975 MICROSOFT FOUNDED
1977 STAR WARS MOVIE IS RELEASED
1979 NUCLEAR ACCIDENT AT THREE MILE ISLAND
1979 SONY INTRODUCES THE WALKMAN
30 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

inging them to stay. As Pomeroy Carter recalls the experience,
“Then we had to tell them that the two boys would
have to live in one building and the two girls would have
to live in another building. I thought, ‘This is just cruel.’
Seeing how upset the children were, I knew something had
to be done, so that’s when I came up with the idea of family
cottages so siblings could stay together.”
Two new children’s cottages were dedicated on August
13, 1967, one in memory and honor of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur
Colton of DeKalb, Ill. and the other in honor of Mr. and Mrs.
W.A. Walker, of Clearwater, Fla. The Home was Florida’s
first children’s home to place boys and girls in sibling
cottages. Housemothers were replaced by houseparents to
care for no more than 12 children. The Cottages had different
halls, so doors could be closed to keep boys in one and
girls in another.
The Resident’s Council was also organized as a way
to give the members a voice in the community. The group
planned, organized and implemented many of the activities
that took place at the Village. It continues to operate under
the name Membership Council.
Meanwhile, the Friendly Neighbor News, the
community’s bi-weekly newspaper written and produced
by members, was launched. It continues today as a weekly
publication.
Due to the remote location of Dowling Park, in the
1970s the Home provided a Sweet Shop (selling conveniences
and snacks), beauty parlor, barber shop, Laundromat,
gift shop, clinic with lab and X-ray services and physical
therapy. In 1978, a bank was added to the list when
it opened for business on campus as another convenient
service to members and beyond.
The Robert L. Keepers Children’s Cottage was dedicated March 17, 1963.
It offered a more home-like atmosphere for the boys that lived there.
All of the services and amenities were made available
to all members without charging entrance fees—another
unique feature of the Home which continues today.
Land lease homes were built around the campus to provide
rental housing for those who did not qualify for rent
subsidy. The terms of the lease were 15 years or at the death
of the original lessees, whichever came first. This became a
popular option for those wishing to live in Dowling Park
and helped to alleviate the long waiting list, which had
grown to more than 250 people, often meaning a two to
three year wait for an apartment.
“Lord, I am tired.”
Despite the successful growth of the community, after
trying to lead the programs of the Home for several years
with limited staff, late one evening, Pomeroy Carter lay prostrate
at the altar of Bixler Chapel, completely exhausted.
“Lord, I just can’t continue like this! I feel
that if I can’t get some help I’m going to
have to leave. I just wish I could give this
place to you and never have to worry about
it again.”
– An exhausted Pomeroy Carter’s prayer on the floor of the
Bixler Chapel. Help would arrive with key appointments.
He says, “I prayed, ‘Lord, I just can’t continue like this!
I feel that if I can’t get some help I’m going to have to leave.
I just wish I could give this place to you and never have to
worry about it again.’ Silently, there was almost a reverberation,
‘Just give it to me and don’t worry about it again.’ So
I prayed that the Lord would strengthen my faith. I knew
that He would provide; He had promised that. I was going
to depend on Him to supply not only the financial needs
but also the people, the employee needs. Immediately, the
burden was lifted. I just had to trust Him.
“It was just a matter of months that I was in touch
with Sid and Barb Bradley. I found out that he was getting
a Master’s degree at the University of Georgia after
pastoring in Maine. I invited him to come down and see if
he would consider working with us. That was in 1969, and
Sid came and accepted my offer. He was Director of Campus
Life and Social Services, with primary responsibilities for
the Children’s Program. He also became the first fulltime
pastor of Bixler Memorial church.
“In 1972, Sid decided to go back to the University for
his Ph.D., we needed someone to fill his shoes for a while.
Sid suggested Jim Humbles. They had been roommates at
BOARD (1975): Bryce H. Sherrill, President; Aquilla Smith, 1st Vice President; Roland E. Griswold,
2nd Vice President; Loy C. Poole, Secretary-Treasurer; Larry R. Denius; William C. Nickerson, Jr.;
Travis A. Carter; William K. Hunter; W. Eugene Tart; Joseph N. Clemons; Howard M. Shelley; Ernest
A. Sellers; Adrian Shepard, Ex Officio
1975 CENSUS
23 Children
219 Retirees
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 31

The leaders who shepherded the Village through years of growth (left to right): Pomeroy Carter, Dr. Sid Bradley, Jim Humbles,
Rev. Ron Thomas and Rev. Weldon Chambers.
Berkshire Christian College. I contacted Jim, who was
Assistant Dean of Men at Aurora College. I asked him to
come check it out. He wasn’t sure if Rosemary would be
happy unless she could be involved in music and other
things. I told him that would be no problem, and they came.
“We also needed someone to head up the program
at Camp Suwannee. We learned about Ron Thomas and
invited him and Jan to come. He came and took over the
camping program. He would later be a very effective leader
within the Home and eventually be the pastor of the Village
Church. Jan used her musical talent in the church, and also
became our Director of Admissions.
“In Sid’s absence, we also needed a pastor and we got
in touch with Weldon and Faye Chambers, and they came
from Lenoir, NC. Weldon was an outstanding pastor for
many years, as well as Director of Retirement Living.
“As planned, Sid Bradley with a Ph.D. and Barb with
an R.N. returned to Dowling Park and used their vital skills
very effectively within the ministry of the Home.
“All that happened at the Home from that point on, I
attributed to God answering my prayer through these four
men and their wives and the creative programs and services
that we came up with together. That’s why the Village is
Jim and Rosemary Humbles and daughter Keri arrived in Dowling Park
in 1972. He would later become president of Advent Christian Village.
what it is today. I just know that it all came from our Father
in Heaven. He is the one to receive the praise for it.”
After years of struggles, hopes, and dreams, the 1960s
had transformed the Home, fighting back from near financial
ruin to flourishing vitality. Its population had grown
from 18 youngsters and 44 retirees at decade’s dawn to some
36 children and 133 retirees by decade’s end. Its $300,000
annual operating budget had more than tripled during the
10-year span and was now 10 times greater than it had been
in the mid-fifties when M.A. Carter had first arrived. Advent
Christian Home was now at the forefront of group child
care and elder care services.
The Partnership of Professionals,
Donors and Volunteers
North Florida Telephone Co. installed a phone system,
making it possible for residents to have phones in their
homes. Prior to this there were no phones in residences,
but a group of telephone men: Jim Rawls of Tampa, Bill
Montgomery and Randy Rushing of Jacksonville and Bob
Cannon of Live Oak found a way to provide phone service
between offices. Learning about a small town in Georgia
that was replacing their telephone equipment, Jim Rawls
appealed to those in charge and was given all the equipment.
The men called themselves the “Holiday Telephone Company”
because they worked on holidays and weekends to
repair the equipment and run the lines to all the facilities at
the Home and Orphanage. It was a battery-powered system,
and the batteries were so large that a room had to be built
onto the office to house them. Their volunteer effort added
a much-needed convenience to work at the Home.
Since medical doctors in Live Oak found it difficult
to review medical records at the nursing home, Pomeroy
appealed to the University of Florida College of Medicine
teaching physicians for help. Consequently, the Home
entered into an educational affiliation with the University.
Dr. Richard Henry, Associate Professor and Physician, was
the first to provide medical services at the Home while
supervising medical students.
Advent Christian Home was the first retirement community
in the nation to invite medical students to complete
32 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

H I G H L I G H T S
Rosemary Humbles leads the children’s choir in the 1970s. Music
remains an integral part of the worship experience at the Village.
their training in geriatric care on its campus. Dr. Henry
became the Home’s Medical Director. Captain Beth Pugh
was the Director of Nurses and greatly enhanced the Home’s
relationship with the students and Dr. Henry.
William Dowling was a nephew of Thomas Dowling.
Soon after he married, he began saving 50-cent pieces in
a quart mason jar every payday in order to support the
Home and Orphanage. Not long before he died, he shared
with Pomeroy Carter what he had done and how much his
intended gift had grown over the years. At his death, the
bequest for Dowling Park was over $300,000!
As a result of Dowling’s bequest, in 1971, Dowling
Cafeteria at Camp Suwannee was built, and in January
1973, construction began on Dowling House, a HUD
apartment building for seniors offering efficiency and onebedroom
apartments.
“God, who has made it all possible,
has instructed us to not live in the past,
but to press forward with vision, zeal,
and faith.”
– Pomeroy Carter, addressing the Advent
Christian General Conference in 1970
A $420,000 capital campaign was launched in July
1972 as part of a $2 million expansion program. A Hill
Burton Grant would supply another $420,000 in order to
build a modern 92-bed nursing home. Included in the center
would be an outpatient clinic—another first in a retirement
community in Florida.
The combined budgets for Dowling House and the
J. Ralph Smith Health Center had originally been announced
as a $2 million expansion, the largest to date in the
Home’s history. By the time the two projects were dedicated,
costs had soared to $3.5 million, largely due to inflation and
the increased costs of construction. The capital funds drive
raised some $800,000, well in excess of the goal. Combined
with a low interest FHA loan and the generosity of Mr.
Dowling, that successfully completed the campaign.
On October 13, 1974, Dowling House was dedicated
in memory of Thomas and Laura Dowling and William
Hampton Dowling. The four-story, 80-unit structure
stands on the former Dowling Hall site. With the
addition of this HUD facility, the home became the
nation’s first comprehensive retirement community to
offer low-income seniors the full availability of its
continuum of services.
1975 brought to completion the All Purpose Building
at Camp Suwannee. It holds nearly 600 people when
set up theater style and also functions as a gymnasium.
Following renovation in 2003, provided by a gift from
Quinton Rumph, it was named Rumph Pavilion, in
memory of his father Carnot S. Rumph.
The Milford A. Clark Nature Trail was charted in 1975
and opened a year later, offering a scenic way to keep
fit, walking along the Suwannee River and through
the woods.
Winter Retreat launched in 1976. The entire Advent
Christian denomination is invited to this spiritual
emphasis retreat, which continues to this day. Over
the years, noteworthy speakers and outstanding
Christian artists have participated.
The Home was chosen in 1977, as one of six organizations
in Florida as a site for the Community Care for the
Elderly Program. A comprehensive Senior Center was
developed. Support services such as adult day care,
telephone reassurance, transportation, housekeeping,
home repairs, home health care, counseling and
recreational services were offered. The goal was to help
residents safely remain in their homes longer before a
move to another level of care was necessary. This continues
to be a goal of supportive services offered
at ACV today.
In 1978, the Home was licensed to accept Charitable
Gift Annuities. Many continue to choose this option as
a way to support the ministry while receiving an income
from their gift.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 33

Dedicated in 1974, Dowling House was financed by a generous bequest from the William Dowling
Estate. This HUD facility made the Home the nation’s first comprehensive retirement community
to offer low-income elders living in HUD facilities the full availability of its continuum of services.
“I wish you could have
attended the high
school graduation
when three of our children
received special
recognition.
If you knew those
children when they
first came to the Home
and saw them marching
down the aisle, you
would have had a lump
in your throat as I had
in mine.”
–Pomeroy Carter,
June 1971
In October 1972, the Arts & Crafts group, under
the leadership of Miss Myrle Bixler, sister of Burr Bixler,
began meeting weekly in the lobby of DeLong Hall. Their
goal was to make handcrafted
items to raise funds for the
Home. The group changed
locations frequently for the
next few years, as space or
convenience dictated. Eventually,
the group took on the
project of converting a vacant
administration building to an
Arts & Crafts building, where
the first Rustic Shop opened.
When the Village Square
was completed, the Rustic
Shop took up residence and
the Twice Nice Shop began
selling gently used donated
items. Ceramics classes began
in 1983 when a group of volunteers unearthed a donated
kiln and took classes to become certified ceramicists.
In order to provide space for its larger resale items, in
2007, Twice Nice Furniture and More was opened on CR
250, just a half mile from the Village entrance. The facility
was a sorting facility and showroom for the sale of furniture
and household items.
And in 2009, a new retail gift shop was added to the
roster of ACV volunteer operations, when Riverside Gifts
opened in the Village Square. The combined benefit to ACV
from all of these volunteer ventures since 1972 is nearly
$2 million. These funds mainly go toward improvements
that are not included in the budget.
Emergency Services Improve
In April, 1973, the Suwannee River went on a rampage.
The campus was inundated and the only way to get around
was by boat. Between three inches and three feet of water
stood in 13 apartments, three houses, and two children’s
cottages and at Camp Suwannee, three to four feet of water
flowed through the grounds. Fourteen mobile homes were
moved to higher ground and furniture was moved from all
at risk buildings. All but 19 of 250 Home residents were
evacuated to area hotels or to family and friends’ homes.
Nursing home patients were either housed in a wing at the
Suwannee County hospital where they were cared for by
nursing home nurses or they went to be with relatives. Flood
damage at the Home totaled $31,388. Faithful donors rallied
to help cover the costs. As a result of that flood, measures
were taken to make it possible for the community to
endure flooding without evacuation. Since that time, there
have been no campus-wide evacuations.
In February 1978, Colton Cottage for children burned.
Thankfully, the children were at school, and staff members
were able to recover most of the furniture and children’s
clothing, but sadly, many of the children’s toys and recent
Christmas gifts were destroyed in the blaze.
The fire brought about a plan to increase fire protection
at the Home. A capital campaign was launched to pay
for a central smoke alarm system, fire hydrants and hoses,
34 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

The J. Ralph Smith Health Center was dedicated May 18, 1975—a day that was enlivened by a wheelchair
parade procession from the outmoded Myrtle Carter Nursing Home to the newly completed health center.
The building, which would later become Riverview Apartments, stands on the site of the former Delong Hall.
and for water mains to be extended throughout the campus.
A 150,000 gallon water tank was already in the works to
help serve the growing community.
By 1980, all apartments and homes had automatic
smoke detections and fire alarm systems. A fire truck was
purchased and a volunteer fire department was organized
and trained. A sheriff’s deputy was assigned to Dowling
Park as an added security measure.
In 1992, fire protection was again upgraded by a number
of improvements. The Village Volunteer Fire Department,
made up of 20 staff members, underwent testing for
certification. A new fire truck was given with an estate gift
from Marvin E. Jones. Security was improved by a new program
headed up by Village member, Carl Rogers, a retired
law enforcement officer. He took the additional courses to
become a certified reserve deputy sheriff.
The year 2002 also brought greater medical services to
the Village community when the First Response Team was
created. Trained emergency medical personnel were hired
to respond after hours. This meant prompt, professional
response for medical emergencies around the clock and
helped to reduce after-hours calls for the physician.
In 2005, Florida began to require that volunteer fire
fighters pass the Firefighter One certification. The firefighting
staff members took time out of their busy schedules to
attend 160 hours of intensive training and studied for the
grueling exam. Those passing the exam would be certified to
enter a burning building in order to fight the fire and rescue
victims. In the end, the fire team is better equipped to handle
the kinds of situations that arise in fighting fires.
H I G H L I G H T S
The Marvin E. Jones Child and Family Enrichment Center
was dedicated on October 29, 1978. It was named for
and funded through a gift from benefactor Marvin E.
Jones. It was designed as both a counseling center and
the administrative center for the residential children’s
program. It was Florida’s first children’s home to provide
an enrichment center for psychological assessment,
counseling and family therapy. Today, it is the home of
Wee Care day care center.
Other additions in the late ’70s were Highsmith
Memorial Park, in memory of Isaac Highsmith; a
240-foot cable TV tower that brought more than one
television station to Dowling Park; TV2, ACV’s closed
circuit TV station began broadcasting daily with
30 minutes of news and devotions; and Park of the
Pines mobile home park was expanded to 38 lots.
In July 1977, Wilson Hall became the first intermediate
care center in Dowling Park. It offered space for
12 individuals.
Tremendous growth and expanded services brought
about a name change for the Advent Christian Home in
1979. From that time forward, it would be to be called
Advent Christian Village.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 35

Carter House, a six-story apartment complex, was completed in
1981. The dedicatory address was given by Governor Bob Graham.
Further Enhancements
As the 70s drew to a close, plans were already underway
for a second major expansion and funds drive. It was
to meet the continuing demands for services, and to reduce
the growing waiting list for residency. The new funding
effort, a $4 million campaign, was designed to provide the
resources for a new outpatient clinic, a second midrise apartment
building—the largest apartment complex on campus
to date, the Village Square and an expanded and improved
emergency call and fire protection system.
Services at the Village continued to expand and improve.
W.C. “Bernie” Copeland of Jacksonville, Florida funded the
Copeland Clinic, a rural health clinic that was located in the
hub of the Village center. Copeland’s uncle was a resident
in the nursing home and Mr. Copeland was so impressed
with the care he received, along with the overall ministry of
the Village, that he became its most generous benefactor to
date. Copeland Clinic was dedicated on April 25, 1982 and
also opened its doors to those living in the surrounding
communities. This milestone made the Village Florida’s first
Walker Cottage became the first cottage designed with a structured
therapeutic program geared to the needs of troubled boys.
retirement center to establish a certified rural health clinic.
The Village also became Florida’s first retirement community
to employ a Physician’s Assistant in 1978.
In July 1981, Dr. Susan Allen became Advent Christian
Village’s first on-staff physician. She was the daughter
of Village member Ruth Lawton. Having a resident physician
was a great benefit at the nursing home. It also removed
the need for members in independent living to travel to see
a doctor.
The dedication of the seven specialty shops and the
Village Lodge at the Village Square took place on April 30,
1983. The celebration of the Village’s 70th anniversary was
also included in the day. Although the festivities centered
around a brand new structure, it was an 1890s atmosphere
as antique cars, vintage clothing, festive entertainment and
20¢ hotdogs and 10¢ lemonade were the order of the day.
Eight hundred people were expected for the event, but the
number swelled to more than 1,400. Attendees enjoyed
fried chicken picnic served by volunteers from Live Oak’s
civic clubs. Bob McGranahan led a group of men from
McAlpin in frying the chicken. The crowd enjoyed touring
the new facilities, with many lingering for a treat from the
Merry Morsel Café, now called the Village Café.
At the 1988 Citizen’s Advisory Board Meeting, a new
20-year Master Development Plan was unveiled by Pete
Prugh & Rocke-Hill Architectural Professors at the University
of Florida, who had developed the plan. The final result
was an amazingly insightful blueprint for the future. It was
a bold plan that would chart the course for ACV into the
21st century. Most of the new facilities built on campus
since 1988 were part of this plan.
Following is a list of enhancements from the 20-year
Master Development Plan that became reality by 2003: The
Village Church and Christian Education complex, Alumni
Memorial Circle, Good Samaritan Center, Dacier Manor,
36 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

The dedication of the seven specialty shops and the Village
Lodge at the Village Square took place on April 30, 1983.
Copeland Community Center, new parking areas and a covered
walkway to The Village Church, Buck Rogers Drive,
Marvin E. Jones Boulevard, Loy Poole Landing, Dardek
Drive, expansion of water treatment and wastewater treatment
system, lighting, landscaping, additional and improved
roads, the dock at the Village Square, converting Wilson
Hall to efficiency apartments, remodeling J. Ralph Smith
Center into Riverview Apartments, new cluster apartments
and patio homes, the dock at Copeland Community Center,
Kite and Wackerlin Lodges at Camp Suwannee, Carter Village
Hall, Adams Emergency Services Station and numerous
infrastructure improvements. Remarkably few of the
planned projects were not accomplished, and those only
because needs had changed.
A Model for Florida in Youth and Aging Services
Even though the Village had a more intense focus on the
elderly, the Children’s Program was still a significant part
of the ministry of ACV in the ’80s. Dr. Sid Bradley developed
the Eagle Bend Youth Continuum, and Walker Cottage
became the first cottage designed with a structured therapeutic
program geared to the needs of troubled boys. This
“continuum of care” for troubled youth became a model
for the State of Florida. For some, Advent Christian Village
was their last chance. Many youth who had been extremely
troubled and deemed unadoptable learned self-control and
responsibility through the Eagle Bend program, resulting in
their successful adoptions.
The State began severe funding cuts in the 1980s, and
with limited resources, began sending only the most difficult
and troubled youth. They were older, more disruptive and
needed to be housed in secure facilities. Since Eagle Bend
was an open campus within a retirement community, the
Board of Directors voted to revamp the program to serve
a younger, more compatible and more responsive group.
H I G H L I G H T S
In 1980, The Board of Directors began recognizing
people whose cumulative contributions of cash,
securities, real estate, or other tangible items
exceeded $5,000. These exceptional donors are
members of the Village Builders’ Guild. People who
remember ACV in their will become part of the
Perpetual Builders’ Guild.
President Pomeroy Carter was a member of
the planning committee for the Governor’s
Conference on Aging in Florida
in 1980. He was also invited to be a
delegate to the White House Conference
on Aging in Washington, DC.
In 1981, the Village launched a $750,000 Capital
and Endowment Fund Campaign to construct an
outpatient clinic and the Village Lodge. These
facilities were part of the $4 million expansion
program.
On October 18, 1981, Carter House was dedicated in
memory of M.A. and Myrtle E. Carter. It stands on the
site of the original Myrtle E. Carter Nursing Home.
In 1983, First National Bank of Live Oak made
possible the Harmony Recreation Center through a
generous gift in memory of retired bank executive
George W. Harmony.
To meet the growing need for space, in 1984,
Phillips Dining Room was expanded to seat
300 people.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 37

H I G H L I G H T S
In June 1984, ACV leased back the Camp Suwannee
facilities that had previously been leased to and administered
by the South Georgia and Florida Conference of
Advent Christian Churches. Improvements were made
and the camp facilities were used more frequently. All
this was done just in time for Camp Suwanee’s 50th
anniversary, which was celebrated at the third annual
Picnic in the Park, a day of outdoor fun, fellowship and
food that brought friends from far and near.
October 26, 1986, Jones Cottage, a group children’s
cottage was built with a gift from Village benefactor
Marvin E. Jones. It was a five-bedroom home, reflecting
the new style of childcare of smaller family units.
ACV became an approved member of the well-respected
ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability)
in 1988. Members of ECFA must annually demonstrate
superior standards of ethics in fundraising,
efficient recordkeeping, appropriate use of
funds, and a commitment to transparency
in financial dealings.
By 1990, state funding was cut even further, and ACV was
down to two children’s cottages and 20 children.
In order to help supplement the education of Village
children, a tutorial program was instituted in cooperation
with the Suwannee County School System. Retirees and
staff members became instrumental in supplying focused
instruction three nights a week. Soon the SPRINT (acronym
derived from Specialized Remedial Individualized Teaching)
school helped the emotionally troubled or learning
disabled children who were living on campus to catch up
academically. It was specialized teaching that took them out
of the public school system for intensive learning until they
could rejoin their peers at their appropriate grade level.
Advent Christian Village took a proactive approach
to the challenges of aging by hosting a conference on
Megatrends in Aging in 1984. Government officials, a Congressman,
State Senator, and executives in the field of
aging—including ACV administrators—met for two days
in the Village Lodge Conference Room. It was an intense
brainstorming session for the purpose of determining top
priorities in the arena.
This conference was followed up by a second conference
(Megatrends II) two months later. This time, experts
on aging who were retired were invited to bring their point
of view. By the end of the two conferences they had developed
a list of written recommendations and presented it to
Florida Governor Bob Graham.
Governor Graham took the recommendations seriously
and created the Florida Committee on Aging to develop
a comprehensive plan to better serve the elderly. After
Graham left office, his successor, Governor Bob Martinez
retained the group and subsequently developed the Pepper
Commission on Aging—precursor to the Department of
Elder Affairs. ACV was credited with initiating this group.
The Florida Pepper Commission on Aging, of which
Pomeroy Carter was an appointed member, held some of its
strategic planning meetings at the Village.
International attention was drawn to ACV in May of
1986, when Pomeroy Carter was invited to present a paper
about the Village’s unique continuum of care at the Asian/
US Conference on Aging and Social Policy in Taipei, Taiwan.
As the Village was striving to expand its services to its
members, the state discontinued the Community Care for
the Elderly program. Determined to continue, Village
administrators secured a grant to establish the Dowling
Park Home & Health Program to provide similar supportive
services to frail elders, empowering them to age in place—
continue to live independently as long as possible—even
before it became a popular concept nationally.
Ministering in a
Changing World
The stage was set for superior service to a greater
number of senior adults. Completion of several
new facilities—the Village Church, Carter House,
the Village Square, and ground level apartments
permitted the Village to serve an additional 130 people,
increasing the population to more than 650, with services
available for a complete continuum of care.
Within a couple of years, J. Ralph Smith Center would
be transformed into Riverview Apartments—each featuring
one or two bedrooms and Wilson Hall would be converted
into Wilson Gardens, efficiency or one bedroom apartments.
1980s
1980 TED TURNER LAUNCHES CNN
1981 PC INTRODUCED BY IBM
1982 VIETNAM MEMORIAL OPENS
1986 SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER EXPLODES
1987 NYSE SUFFERS HUGE DROP ON “BLACK MONDAY”
1989 BERLIN WALL FALLS
38 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Advent Christian Village is “the symbol of
a loving community in a world that needs
all the love it can bring.”
– Florida Governor Bob Graham, in his dedicatory address
for Carter House, dedicated in memory of M.A. and
Myrtle E. Carter
Perhaps Dr. Sid Bradley said it best when he said in
his 1991 Executive Vice President’s report to the Board of
Directors: “The challenges and demands of the last two
years have raised doubts at times as to whether we would
master or be mastered by the incredible pace of change.
Now it may be possible to tentatively venture the belief that
we are going to survive this dizzying phase of development.
We have been blessed with resources and energy, and hopefully
a plateau is near. Perhaps for a while, we can focus
even more upon services and refinement of ministry. The
stage is almost set, so let His script unfold and the response
to human drama continue.”
With continued cutbacks in state and federal funding,
the children’s program underwent changes. Early intervention
and prevention became the focus, bringing family
counseling, workshops, conferences, parenting training and
pre-marital counseling to the forefront. The residential children’s
program would be a small component of the overall
program, as would a series of small foster care homes within
a 50-mile radius of Dowling Park that would be staffed and
monitored by the Village. The first such foster home became
reality when it was licensed in 1995.
REACH (Resources to Enable Advent Christian Homes)
Center for Children was initiated. Its initial focus was to
make the professional counseling resources of the Village
available to pastors and others who are working with families,
thereby enhancing the effectiveness of their counseling
ministries. The ultimate goal was strengthening marriages,
assisting parents and guiding young people throughout
the Advent Christian denomination. Workshops, seminars,
newsletters and a telephone hotline were the primary means
of exporting counseling services from the REACH center.
Within a year it would become evident that pastors themselves
were in need of counseling support for their personal
and family lives. In 1992, the REACH line was extended
for that purpose. Pastors were also able to come to the
Village for a time of respite from ministry when needed.
In July 1992, Craig Carter, son of Pomeroy and Jerry,
returned to live at Dowling Park for the first time since leaving
for college. Craig and his wife Vicky would soon have a
family. Craig had been working in Tampa for six years at GTE
J. Pomeroy Carter and Jerry Lynn Carter
Translating God’s Plan
Produces a Level of Excellence
Born and raised in Waycross, Georgia, Pomeroy
was the youngest son of M.A. and Myrtle Carter.
He attended Aurora University and later received
his MSW from FSU. Pomeroy is a visionary, and even as a
college student, was able to recommend a good course
of action to the Home’s Board of Directors. He joined the
staff of the Home and worked alongside his father for
several years before taking the reins as its executive.
From the beginning, Pomeroy saw his role as
the translator of God’s vision for the ministry in
Dowling Park. He and his wife Jerry Lynn took seriously
their commitment to God, to their family and to the
Village. He was a planner, and his plans made sense.
He foresaw programs for children and seniors that could
grow side by side and complement one another.
Most importantly, he was determined that what
was done in the name of Christ should be excellent.
He embraced the golden rule and came to understand
that its richest expression must always be to the whole
person physically, emotionally, mentally, socially and
spiritually. He truly has been the seeker of the vision and
keeper of the dream in Dowling Park. The impact of his
leadership lives on at Advent Christian Village.
BOARD (1985): W.C. Nickerson, Jr., Chair; W.C. Boutwell; Dr. Travis Carter; Dr. Larry Denius;
Dr. Robert Fillinger; John Moxley; Loy Poole; J. Quinton Rumph; Ernest Sellers; Bryce Sherrill;
Aquilla Smith; Eugene Tart; Rev. Clio Thomas; David Northup, Ex-Officio
1985 CENSUS
29 Children
516 Retirees
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 39

The Village Church and the Ina Hart Christian
Education Center were dedicated in November 1988
as part of the Village’s 75th Anniversary celebration.
Data Services and was ready to use his talents in a ministry
that would produce lasting results for the kingdom of
God. Craig was hired as Assistant to the President and was
responsible for Resource Development—fundraising for the
ministry of Advent Christian Village. Craig would later be
promoted to Vice President for Resource Development, and
would also be Vice President over Marketing before finally
accepting the role of President and CEO in 2008.
In 1993, the Board of Directors had not planned a new
capital campaign for the 80th anniversary of ACV. When a
Forum speaker canceled at the last minute, Pomeroy Carter
quickly filled the gap by speaking to the membership about
the progress of the projects of the 75th Anniversary Capital
Campaign. A Village member, upon hearing that there
was a shortage of funds for certain projects, asked why they
could not initiate an effort to raise the needed funds and to
build an endowment that would maintain the facilities. The
suggestion was followed and resulted in the re-bricking of
Bixler Chapel and replacing its windows with stained glass.
An innovative expansion effort at the Village called
River Woods would allow Village members age 55 and up
to purchase Village land and on it build a home that they
would own. The project ground to a halt for nearly two
years when a special permit had to be obtained. Among the
requirements were a special drainage plan, retention ponds
and protections of any endangered species and Indian burial
grounds. This resulted in unexpected costs of well over
$250,000. A colony of gopher tortoises did live on the land,
and since they were on the endangered list, the Village was
required to set aside and fence 33 acres above the flood plain
and move the tortoises to it before construction could begin.
The anchor building for the River Woods neighborhood
is Copeland Community Center, a wellness center with
exercise room, heated indoor pool and social center. In
addition to the delay from the tortoises, a four-month delay
in the delivery of steel halted construction on the building
in 1994. Two years after the groundbreaking, Copeland
Community Center and Loy Poole Landing were dedicated
on November 11, 1995.
River Woods lots went on sale in 1996. Eleven
existing homes were occupied and six homes were under
Day Care Center Brings Relief
Wee Care, a day care center for children from infants
through preschool, filled a childcare void that existed
in the area in 1984, bringing relief to parents who
work at ACV or live nearby. Licensed for 45 children,
Wee Care was initially housed in Harmony Recreation
Center. The intergenerational aspect of the
Village was a real plus, as grandparents missing their
own grandchildren found comfort by rocking babies,
reading stories and helping with refreshments at
Wee Care. When The Village Church was built, the
day care was moved to facilities built specifically for
that purpose. Wee Care is now located in the repurposed
Marvin E. Jones Child and Family Enrichment
Center. Wee Care was another first for ACV, as it was
Florida’s first retirement center to provide a day care.
40 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

H I G H L I G H T S
The Arts Come to Dowling Park
In 1988, the Live! At Dowling Park Artist Series was
created by Dick Grillo, who continues to coordinate
the series each year. ACV is Florida’s first retirement
community to initiate and host an Artist Series for its
own members as well as the surrounding communities.
The program is sponsored in part by the Florida
Department of State’s Division of Cultural Affairs, by
the Florida Arts Council and by Advocates of the Arts,
a group of local supporters. The final performance of
the very first season was the Jacksonville Symphony
Orchestra, playing to a full house in the new Village
Church. The orchestra has returned to the Dowling
Park stage six times since that inaugural year.
construction, including two model homes. Within five years,
River Woods would become a bustling neighborhood. As of
2014, there are 135 homes.
Copeland Community Center became a hub of activity
for Village members. T-shirts sporting the slogan “Get up,
Get Fit, Get Going” appeared across campus, revealing the
focus on keeping fit and active. Regular exercise at the new
center brought new strength to inactive muscles and helped
members to ward off disease and remain independent
longer. Many found relief from aches and pains in the therapeutic
waters of the pool and spa.
In 1999, Copeland Community Center initiated the
first Health Fair for the Village and surrounding communities.
Several federal and state agencies participated in the
event, bringing free screenings and health awareness to the
community. This became an annual event that is now held
in Phillips Center.
The Learning Center at Copeland Community Center
was unveiled in 2002. It was a 12-station computer lab
offering classes in the latest word processing software and
Internet usage. During its first term, 120 students chose
from 35 class options including Horticulture, Personal
Finance and Genealogy as well as computer programs and
usage. This “Unique University” was quite popular among
members and employees alike.
In 1990, Dr. Howard Smith, a board member and
specialist in management began a study that would
result in adding several additional administrative
positions. Before the end of the decade, the administrative
cabinet would include 11 members, including
the new roles of Chief of Medical Services, Vice
President of Health Related Services, Vice President
for Programs and Services, Vice President for Resource
Development, Administrator of Church Services,
Director of Communications, Vice President over
Marketing and Public Relations and Vice President for
Village Properties.
Early in 1990, Walker Place opened as ACV’s first
assisted living facility. It would be a temporary,
small-scale version that would soon be replaced by
Dacier Manor, which was already under construction.
In 1991, Advent Christian Village hosted its first North
American Advent Christian Pastor’s Conference. The
response was overwhelming. Keynote speakers were
Dr. Waylon Moore and NBA star Bobby Jones. It was
the first of many such conferences of its kind, helping
to better equip Advent Christian pastors.
The Village Forum was also organized in 1991, to meet
the needs of residents who desire to broaden their
understanding of the changing world in which they
live. It was a weekly luncheon meeting where speakers
addressed the crowd on a variety of educational,
current events topics. The Village Forum continues
now as a monthly event.
Another addition to Village life that continues
today began in the early ’90s when Market Day
was introduced. Held at the Village Square the
first Saturday of each month, it offers Villagers and
those in surrounding communities a chance to buy
or sell with a variety of vendors.
The University of Florida began sending nursing
students to ACV (in addition to its Physician
Assistant students) for their practicums in 1995.
ACV was becoming known as a destination for
medical training in Geriatrics.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 41

Good Samaritan Center, a skilled nursing facility,
and Dacier Manor, an assisted living facility, were
dedicated to the glory of God in 1991.
Exodus to Good Samaritan
In 1991, Good Samaritan Center and Dacier Manor
were completed and dedicated. In order to lessen
the stress of the move, administrator Jim Humbles
resolved that moving day would be made into
a celebration. One hundred eighteen residents
transferred from J. Ralph Smith Center, Wilson Hall
and Walker Place to their new home in a unique
parade. The residents were the celebrities of the
day—some riding in wheelchairs, others on decorated
trailers. The Village fire truck led the procession.
Also in the lineup were an area high school band,
bicycle riders and the Live Oak Shriners with
their miniature cars. When all arrived at their new
quarters, an indoor picnic was served. Residents spent
the remainder of the day familiarizing themselves
with their new accommodations, which were valued
at over $10 million.
Honoring a Longtime Leader
At the end of 1995, Pomeroy Carter retired after 35
years as chief administrator of Advent Christian Village.
During his tenure, the Village grew from 60 to over 750 onand
off-campus members. The operating budget increased
from $68,000 to over $11 million. During a service of worship
and thanksgiving honoring the retiring president, Sid
Bradley called him the “Seeker of the Vision, Keeper of the
Dream” as he described his many achievements in ministry
and leadership at ACV.
He said, “Much of the growth, stability and trendsetting
at the Village has been due to the clarity of President
Carter’s vision, but his ‘keeping of the dream’ was equally
extraordinary. Pomeroy saw a vision of programs for children
and seniors that could grow side by side. He believed
that those programs could interface and complement each
other, and that they could join together in social activities
as well as worship, and draw strength from one another.”
Noting that the ceremony was held on the 82nd birthday
of the Village, Dr. Bradley reminded the gathering that
ACV has been called the “Miracle of Dowling Park,” that a
nationally known gerontologist has called it the finest
example of a retirement center to be found anywhere, and
that State Representative Randy Mackey once referred to it
as “the jewel in the crown of North Florida.” Pomeroy was
named President Emeritus of Advent Christian Village.
1990s
1990 HUBBLE TELESCOPE LAUNCHED INTO ORBIT
1990 NELSON MANDELA FREED
1992 COLD WAR ENDS
1995 OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING
1997 SCIENTISTS CLONE SHEEP
1999 KILLING SPREE AT COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL
42 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Copeland Community Center was just one of
the major improvements and additions to
Village life in the ’90s. It was dedicated in 1995.
Continuing the Mission and Expanding Services
Jim Humbles became acting CEO until a permanent
candidate could be found, but the Board of Directors
believed that he was the perfect person for the job. After
prayerful consideration he accepted and officially took
on the role in May 1996. His tenure would be one
of continuing the ministry following the retirement of
Pomeroy Carter and significantly expanding the services
offered at the Village.
“Much of the growth, stability and
trend-setting at the Village has been due
to the clarity of President Carter’s vision,
but his ‘keeping of the dream’ was equally
extraordinary. Pomeroy saw a vision of
programs for children and seniors that
could grow side by side.”
– Sid Bradley, at a service honoring Pomeroy Carter’s
leadership of the Village
In his first annual report message as President, he noted
the extent of benevolent services rendered by the Village
to its members, “Village benevolent expenditures totaled
over $425,000 for programs and services benefitting children,
families and seniors. For example, approximately 150
elderly Village members received benevolent services consisting
of housing, meals, personal care, assisted living services,
transportation, housekeeping services and Village membership
subsidies. In addition, 145 elderly received HUD rent
subsidies from the federal government and approximately
111 Good Samaritan Center patients received Medicaid
benefits. About 375 children and families with special needs
received assistance from the Benevolent Fund. This included
foster home care, professional counseling, summer camp
scholarships, aid to single-parent families and educational
scholarships.”
A major enhancement in how ACV members are served
began in 1997 when five Service Coordinators were added
to the staff. Each Village member was assigned to a Service
Coordinator who would meet with them periodically to ascertain
need for services, to give personalized assistance and
monitoring. This would provide members with one point of
contact when needing help.
The focus would be on prevention and facilitating
health and wellness. The addition helped to make transitions
from one level of care to another much more seamless.
Discharges from hospitals go more smoothly, with support
services set up prior to release. Service Coordinators also
became a resource for family members to call on when they
have concerns.
The Village also established its own Medicarelicensed
Home Care Agency. This was another great
BOARD (1995): W.C. Nickerson, Jr., Chairman; John E. Moxley, Vice Chairman; Dr. George J.
Caranasos; Donald A. Churchhill; Margaret Lynn Duggar; Ken Erb; Dr. Robert Fillinger; Dr. Claydell
H. Horne; Judge Thomas J. Kennon; Rev. Adrian B. Shepard; Bryce H. Sherrill; Dr. Howard L. Smith;
Rev. Clio E. Thomas; Carl Vignali; Alton E. Wood; and Rev. David E. Ross, ex officio
1995 CENSUS
686 Members
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 43

After 24 years of faithful service to the Village, Jim Humbles was
named President and CEO in 1996.
benefit to the community, as medical services were available
right in the member’s home, by qualified Village
staff members. This added service enabled more members
to remain in their homes rather than transferring to the
nursing home or assisted living.
After 28 years as an integral part of the ministry in Dowling
Park, Sid and Barb Bradley moved to Charlotte, NC,
where he joined the faculty of Gordon-Conwell Theological
Seminary. He became the Associate Professor of Counseling
and Psychology and was tapped to head up the new
counseling program. His work on behalf of Advent
Christian Village and the Advent Christian denomination
continued, as he often returned to Dowling Park to hold
training seminars continued his counseling ministry through
the REACH hotline.
For the 85th Anniversary celebration, a capital campaign
was launched with a goal of raising $1,900,000
for four new buildings. Mr. Bernie Copeland chaired the
campaign and gave a challenge gift of $500,000 for Carter
Village Hall. His gift set the stage for many generous people
to join him with their support. Additional features of the
campaign were two new lodges at Camp Suwannee and an
emergency services station.
Achieving Accreditation
In December of 1998, Village administrators began
the long process of applying for accreditation with the Continuing
Care Accreditation Commission (CCAC). CCAC is
the only accreditor of retirement communities in the nation.
The intensive assessment of the governance, financial stability,
and care and services for ACV’s members proved that
it is worthy of being recognized as a quality community that
consistently strives for improvement. This
accreditation process is reviewed annually
and subsequent in depth assessments
and site visits are repeated every five
years. There are thousands of retirement
communities across the US. As of this
writing, Advent Christian Village is one
of only 253 that are accredited.
On August 31, 1998, Jones Cottage
opened as Florida’s first state-approved professional group
foster home on the campus of a retirement community. In
reviews by the Florida Department of Children and Families,
the evaluators stated, “The Village is very supportive of the
children and provides them with many extra activities. This is
truly a joint effort between Advent Christian Village and the
Department of Children and Families.” ACV oversaw two
off-campus foster care homes at this time as well.
Good Samaritan Center established the ACV Rehabilitative
Agency in May 1999. This action brought occupational,
physical and speech therapies under the umbrella of
Good Samaritan Center. Many people benefit from these
rehab therapies at GSC following surgery or serious illness.
After a period of recovery, many are able to return to their
homes and normal activities.
“I have been to a large number of
retirement communities, but I have never
been to one where the church is the focal
point on the campus. Can you imagine what
the community would be like if we did not
have this experience of worship and praise
that is offered to all of us?”
– Jim Humbles speaking at the the 2013 Winter Retreat
In his November Board report, President Humbles noted
improvements to the property, construction, and new programs
and services for members completed since 1995.
Among the improvements are two new lodges at Camp
Suwannee, new homes in River Woods, and the additions of
Lake Aquilla, Harris Overlook, Poole Gazebo and Myrtle
Smith Brook. Lights were also added throughout the campus.
Service improvements included a home care agency, new
service coordinators, coordinated housekeeping services,
44 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Lake Aquilla, with the Myrtle Smith Stream flowing into the lake and the
Jewell K. Poole Gazebo became the newest landmarks at the Village in 1998.
a director of communications, a chaplain for Good Samaritan
Center, a summer day camp program for school age
children in partnership with Suwannee County Recreation
Department, the conversion of Jones Cottage to a group
foster home, a youth minister for The Village Church and a
nurse practitioner for the medical staff.
The first decade of the new millennium started brightly,
and on May 13, 2000, symbolic ribbon cuttings marked the
completion of five new buildings. Senator Richard Mitchell
was the featured speaker. Dedication ceremonies were held
for Carter Village Hall, the new administration building
built in honor of Pomeroy and Jerry Lynn Carter; the Adams
Emergency Services Center; and Kite and Wackerlin Lodges
at Camp Suwannee. These buildings were funded from gifts
given toward the 85th Anniversary Capital Campaign. The
Camp Suwannee Pavilion was renovated and renamed the
Carnot S. Rumph Pavilion. This gift was funded by a generous
gift by Mr. & Mrs. Quinton Rumph.
At the annual Corporate Meeting, President Humbles
reported that 53% of the seniors and children living at
ACV receive financial assistance through the Benevolent
Fund. Another 300 people were assisted through Camp
Suwannee Scholarships, Wee Care Day Care and educational
scholarships.
After nearly 90 years of a residential children’s program,
the Board of Directors made a very difficult decision.
In 2001, President Humbles reported that after “careful and
prayerful consideration” about the direction of Youth and
Family Services at ACV, it became apparent that it was not
feasible to continue the foster care program. The painful
decision was necessary due to government restrictions and
changes in public policy. He continued, “The on-campus
children’s foster care program will discontinue operations
in June 2002.”
This was not the final word on the ministry to children
however. President Humbles continued, “The Village
remains committed to its mission to serve children and
families. Several programs will continue, such as college
scholarships, a summer youth camping program for needy
children, assistance to single parents and grandparents raising
grandchildren and Wee Care Day Care for employee
children.” Within the next few years, several new ministries
to children would be developed.
After noting a rapidly growing trend in families,
a forum was held for grandparents raising their grandchildren,
with both generations invited to participate. The
River Woods, Florida’s first homeownership neighborhood within a
retirement community, progressed at a rapid pace from 1998 to 2000.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 45

“The Village remains committed to its
mission to serve children and families.
Several programs will continue, such as
college scholarships, a summer youth
camping program for needy children,
assistance to single parents and grandparents
raising grandchildren, and Wee
Care Day Care for employee children.”
– Jim Humbles, in announcing the discontinuation of the
residential children’s program after nearly 90 years.
different generations attended separate tracks to provide
information and activities that were most helpful to
each. Shortly thereafter, ACV signed a contract with Elder
Options to provide services to grandparents caring for their
grandchildren in surrounding communities.
A year later, Dr. Rob Crankshaw, Vice President for
Youth & Family Services, began Leadership Development
Training for high school juniors and seniors. This
program would provide selected youth, who had shown
a propensity toward leadership, with the necessary skills
to develop into well-rounded, ethical leaders. It involves
a series of four weekends during the school year that
offer different challenges and focus on leadership skills.
One of these challenging weekends now includes the Low
Ropes Course that was restored and improved at Camp
Suwannee in 2009. At the end of the 88 hours of training,
each graduate is awarded a scholarship to the college
of their choice. To date, the program has served more than
200 students.
In 2003, the “Head Store,” which was formerly a
grocery store located just off the campus was remodeled
and made into the Lighthouse Community Youth Center.
The Youth Minister from the Village Church headed a
program to keep the center open for youth as a place to
Kite and Wackerlin Lodges expanded lodging options and enable more
than one group at a time to use Camp Suwannee.
fellowship and to hold their weekly meetings. Volunteers
from the community rallied to paint and decorate the
interior and to provide games and furnishings to make it an
enjoyable place for the youth.
Another effort to broaden ACV’s ministry to children
became a reality in 2006 when Adventure Camp was
introduced. It is a ministry to foster children and others in
“out of home” care. These children often endure abuse or
neglect and stability is foreign to them. Through this program,
the children can come to ACV for times of respite
where they are accepted, and can experience the fun atmosphere
of camp and learn important life skills. The goal is
emotional healing and experiencing Christ’s love through
the staff. This program has been even more successful than
imagined, with an undeniable positive impact on many
of the children over the years they attend. Since its inception
282 foster children have been ministered to at Advent
Christian Village.
Progressing with Purpose
As part of the 90th anniversary, a capital
campaign was launched entitled “Progressing
with Purpose.” The goal was $3.7 million and
would expand medical services and provide an
enlarged, more functional dining room and office space at
the center of the campus. A woodworking and lapidary
hobby shop would also be constructed.
The centerpiece of the campaign would be a medical
center. Within its walls would be a state of the art medical
clinic, a pharmacy, a rehab center and a dental suite. In
2004, a Think Tank of two dozen healthcare professionals
from Florida State University (FSU), AARP, management,
technology and architectural planners met to brainstorm
possibilities for building a cutting edge healthcare center at
Dowling Park. It was from this planning that the medical
center was conceived as part of the capital campaign.
The middle of the campus would be named the Village
Centre, and Phillips Civic Center would be transformed
into Phillips Center, an updated hub of daily
life. It would house Rumph Dining Room, named for
Ann & Quinton Rumph, as well as the Sawmill and
Depot rooms, which can be opened to enlarge the dining
room. That meant that for the first time, more than
one group could meet in the facility at one time. A short
order deli would become an additional dining option along
“Main Street” running through Phillips Center. Member
Services and Social Services offices were relocated to the
space that had been occupied by the clinic. Additional meeting
rooms and a computer lab would also be added.
Since construction would affect daily life for an
extended time, prior to its beginning, a “Turning Lemons
into Lemonade” party was organized. Everyone was encouraged
to wear yellow and to focus on the sunny side of life
as they learned what the renovation would entail. For over
46 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

a year, dining services operated in the former civic center
activity room, with large banquets either being postponed
or moved to Rumph Pavilion.
Lemons certainly were turned to lemonade when the
project was complete, as the entire facility became a much
more functional center of community life. A soft opening of
the Ann & Quinton Rumph Dining Room occurred on July
11, 2008. Excited members and staff came out for breakfast
to experience the new ambiance of Dining Services.
Watkins Hobby Shop provided a fully equipped woodworking
shop and a lapidary shop. Since its opening, the
members of the shop have taken on the Christmas Toy Project
as a community outreach. Members build wooden toys
or make jewelry items from the stones in the lapidary shop
and craft them into gifts for the underprivileged children of
Suwannee County. Each November, they present the toys to
the fire department for distribution. The goal is to ensure
that each child has a gift for Christmas. Each year, they have
donated approximately 500 toys for this purpose.
Challenges Continue
The compassionate ministry was not the only similarity
between the Home of the early 20th century and the
Village of the modern era. Government regulations continued
to cause financial struggles.
“This is certainly an exciting time in the
life of the Village community. New and
improved buildings can lift one’s spirit and
bring honor to God. Ultimately, however,
it will be the way these buildings are used
and maintained that will be the test of
excellence in service.”
– Jim Humbles, at the dedication of the projects completed
as part of the 90th anniversary capital campaign
In 2003, state mandated increases in nursing home staff
were not counterbalanced with state reimbursement through
Medicaid. This caused a significant financial shortfall for
ACV. President Humbles reported that because over 70% of
Good Samaritan Center residents were on Medicaid, ACV
was dependent upon its many friends to help assure quality
services and continued standards of excellence.
The second challenge was securing insurance coverage
at a reasonable price. Due to runaway litigation, most
companies covering retirement communities and nursing
homes either ceased providing coverage in Florida or drastically
increased the premiums and offered only high deductibles.
In an effort to protect ACV resources, the Board of
Directors established six limited liability companies to better
meet the operational and governance activities of ACV.
Giving Thanks for Those Who Gave
As part of a centennial celebration panel
discussion in 2013, Pomeroy Carter highlighted
the financial support provided by
generous donors.
“As the scriptures instruct, we have taken care of
widows, orphans and others who could not afford to
pay for the services offered at the Village; but God has
provided. Churches, civic groups and loving people from
all socio-economic
backgrounds have
given generously
to support this
ministry.
“There are
two men who are
representative of
the many faithful
supporters.
One is Bernie
Copeland. His
uncle was a
resident in the
Myrtle Carter
Mr. Bernie Copeland
Nursing Home.
He was so appreciative of the love and care his uncle
received that he started giving regularly, and ended up
leaving a multi-million dollar estate that is continually
helping to perpetuate services.
“The second person is Marvin Jones, whose father
was also in Myrtle Carter Nursing Home. Marvin became
so impressed with the quality of care and the spirit
of the staff that he started giving $50,000 annually
and left a million
dollar educational
endowment fund
for the Village to
administer.
“Again, God
does provide.
Consequently,
I have told our
Mr. Marvin Jones
employees that
as long as we are doing what God wants done, He will
supply our needs, not only financially, but otherwise
as well. He has proven that.”
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 47

Carter Village Hall houses the Village’s administrative
offices. It was dedicated on May 13, 2000.
State of the Art Medical Care in Dowling Park
As a result of the forethought of the 2004 think tank,
Copeland Medical Center became a modern, comprehensive
center for healthcare, equipped with the latest technology
to provide excellent care. The medical center was made
“Someone asked me recently, ‘What makes the
Village thrive as a community?’ Well, the answer
is not simple. So much quality history, so much
adventurous spirit, so much generous giving, so
much sacrificial commitment, so much earnest
prayer, and so much more have added to a place
where people genuinely care and love one another.
A sense of community can never be forced into
existence or longevity. Instead, it is a response of
the hearts of a people who long for the giving and
receiving of understanding, forgiveness and compassion.
That’s the Village I’m glad to be a part of.”
– Jim Humbles, President and CEO addressing
the Village Builders’ Guild November 2004
possible in part by a bequest from the estate of Bernie
Copeland and was named in his honor and dedicated on
November 17, 2006. It has become a great improvement for
Village members and those in the surrounding area, bringing
more comprehensive medical care to rural Dowling Park.
The Medical Center, through the Copeland Clinic,
offers comprehensive medical care including family
practice, geriatric consultations, women’s health, bone
density testing, x-ray and laboratory services, school
physicals and flu shots. Also within the medical center,
The Village Pharmacy and ACV Rehab opened at the
time of the dedication. In 2009, Morgan family Dentistry
began practicing in the dental suite. Specialists
practice at the center as well, including cardiac care,
podiatry, ophthalmology, dermatology and audiology.
With the new facility, electronic medical records
were in use from the beginning—well ahead of the
mandated timeframe. ACV became a “Meaningful
User” as defined in the HITECH Act, which resulted
in a one-time cash reward for the medical center.
Within a few years, electronic medical records
were implemented at Good Samaritan Center as
well, thus ensuring greater accuracy and efficiency in
recording and sharing medical data. This allowed staff
to spend time with residents that was formerly spent
on charting.
2000s
2000 Y2K FEARS UNREALIZED
2001 TERRORISTS STRIKE ON U.S. SOIL
2001 APPLE INTRODUCES THE IPOD
2002 AMERICAN IDOL DEBUTS
2003 IRAQ WAR BEGINS
2004 FACEBOOK LAUNCHES
48 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Copeland Medical Center was dedicated on November 17, 2006. The
Medical Center offers comprehensive medical care and dental care.
FSU College of Medicine and ACV
began a mutually beneficial partnership,
with the goal of making ACV a center
for geriatric health and medicine. Village
physician and Chief of Medical Services
Dr. Nasseer Masoodi became a faculty
member. In 2007, FSU would begin sending fourthyear
medical students to ACV for four weeks for their
Geriatric rotations. Through this and other medical training
partnerships, including nursing students, ACV has become
known as an educational center for medical students.
Continuing the effort to make life at all levels of care
more home-like, Good Samaritan Center began “home improvement”
in 2006 through a culture change. GSC received
a grant from the State of Florida’s Area Agency for Healthcare
Administration to be used to change the atmosphere of
the nursing home.
Culture change involves shifting from a medical model
that is found in most hospitals and nursing homes to
amore resident-centered environment with a stronger focus
on the psychosocial, emotional and self-esteem needs of each
person. Some of the resulting changes involve the physical
environment becoming more home-like and the staff having
a different focus in their interactions with residents. There
is now more of a neighborhood feeling and a greater sense
of belonging.
A Passing of the Torch
Jim Humbles, President and CEO retired August 31,
2008 after 36 years of service in numerous capacities at
ACV. On September 28th, a reception was held in his honor
at Rumph Dining Room. A packed room included family,
friends, Village members and colleagues from the many
agencies he had participated in over his career.
Craig Carter was appointed by the Board of Directors
as President and CEO, and began his role September 1,
2008, just as the economic recession was becoming evident.
Although much progress had been made at the Village
in the area of financial stability over the past 40 years, it
continues to be necessary to rely on God and ACV’s
generous friends to sustain its ministry. The 2008 downturn
would have a dramatic impact on Advent Christian
Village. Operating costs were increasing, investments were
dropping significantly, and at the same time the state was
making further cuts to Medicaid reimbursements. With the
housing slump, those wishing to live at the Village were unable
to sell their homes and were forced to delay the move.
Many vacancies appeared across the campus, and with the
lower census, services began to be impacted as well. The
Lord faithfully provided, as He always has. Many of ACV’s
faithful donors not only continued to give, but also
increased their level of giving to help this ministry through
the most difficult years.
BOARD (2004): W.C. Nickerson, Jr., Chair; Dr. George J. Caranasos; Jerry Carter; H. Charles Craft, III;
Donald A. Churchill; James E. Davis; Dr. Larry R. Denius; Kenneth Dodge; Margaret Lynn Duggar;
Kenneth Erb; John Fenlason; Dr. Claydell H. Horne; Judge Thomas J. Kennon, Jr.; Rev. Adrian B.
Shepard; Dr. Howard L. Smith; Carl Vignali; Rev. Ronald P. Thomas, Jr., ex officio
2005 CENSUS
878 Members
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 49

Copeland Medical Center, a state-of-the-art medical facility, serves
Dowling Park and the surrounding communities. The Medical Center
houses the Copeland Clinic, ACV Outpatient Rehab, The Village
Pharmacy and the Dental Clinic.
Of course, ACV was also wrapping up a significant
con-struction project. On October 3, the following new or
expanded facilities were dedicated: Edwin L. & Catherine
R. Phillips Center, J. Ralph Smith Center renovations, Ann
& Quinton Rumph Dining Room and the James W. &
Marie C. Watkins Woodworking and Lapidary Shop. These
represented the successful completion of the 90th anniversary
capital campaign.
“This is certainly an exciting time in the life of the
Village community. New and improved buildings can lift
one’s spirit and bring honor to God,” said Jim Humbles,
who as president oversaw the development of the facilities.
“Ultimately, however, it will be the way these buildings
are used and maintained that will be the test of excellence
in service.”
Another challenge occurred in April 2009, when the
Suwannee River rose to its highest level since the flood
of 1973. Experts predicted that it would match the one
hundred year flood, which would have significantly impacted
Village structures. The entire community rallied together
to guard against the onslaught. Staff members put in untold
man hours to carry out the plan of the emergency team.
ACV was spared, however, as the waters crested nearly a
foot below predictions.
It was determined that years of drought had impacted
the aquifer so that the flood waters simply filled the void
instead of rising to predicted heights. At a community meeting
following the incident, Craig Carter expressed his praise
to God and his appreciation for the many employees, volunteers
and partnering agencies that had helped the Village get
through the crisis relatively unscathed. He stated, “It sometimes
takes situations like this to show the true nature of a
community, and ACV has certainly shown its true colors in
the way everyone pulled together to help one another.”
The 95th Anniversary Capital Campaign was announced
in 2009 with a goal of $630,000. Its purpose would be to
renovate Copeland Community Center, Bixler Chapel and
to upgrade TV2.
Perhaps the best enhancement to emergency services at
ACV, and a long-awaited answer to prayer became reality
in October 2010, when a paid Suwannee County Fire/
EMS station opened in the Adams Emergency Services
Station on campus. Where response time had been an
The renovated Copeland Community Center helps the Village fulfill its goal of promoting member health and wellness.
50 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

James W. & Marie C. Watkins Woodworking & Lapidary Shop.
average of 25 minutes, it was now cut dramatically. The new
station did not alter ACV’s response to emergency calls
on campus. The volunteer firefighting team continues to
respond 24 hours a day. The primary change is that when
emergency transport is necessary, valuable minutes are
saved. Additionally, ACV is a landing site for the life flight
helicopter, allowing fast transport to trauma centers at
greater distances for both Village members and those in the
surrounding community.
The Lopin’ Gopher Deli was named for Dowling’s LOP&G railroad. It has
become a favorite dining venue for many.
Jim and Rosemary Humbles
Quiet and Effective Leadership
Delivers New Services and Growth
Jim Humbles’ credo has been, “Never be satisfied;
keep striving for improvement.” It is a credo that
served him well, as he brought many innovative
programs and services to ACV. During his 36 years of
leadership, both the physical landscape of the Village,
as well as the range of services changed dramatically.
Because of his quiet manner, it is possible to miss
Jim’s many accomplishments, his aptitude and his
determination to make the world a better place.
In 2002, Jim received the prestigious Florida
Association of Homes for the Aging Executive of the
Year Award. Inscribed on the plaque are the words,
“In recognition of three decades of exemplary service
and dedication to the retirees, children and staff at
Advent Christian Village, and in appreciation for your
continuous efforts to develop innovative programs
and services that serve as models for retirement
communities throughout Florida.”
Jim’s impact on the Village extends well beyond
the physical structures he oversaw during his tenure. As
President and CEO, he spearheaded many advancements
and innovations to services as well, including Service
Coordinators, the ACV Rehab Department and ACV
Home Care Agency. Under Jim’s leadership, ACV earned
accreditation by CARF-CCAC, the nation’s only accrediting
body for continuing care retirement communities.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 51

H I G H L I G H T S
In 1999, Jim and Rosemary Humbles began the seasonal
tradition of the President’s Christmas Tea. They invited
members to the dining room for an elegant reception
where they greeted each member of the community.
The first Monday in May 2000, members and friends of
ACV surrounded Carter Village Hall. The circle brought
administrators, employees and members together as
a unified body, acknowledging God as head of Advent
Christian Village and praying for His continued blessing.
In 2001, ACV was a recipient of the Local Historical
Grant program of the State of Florida. Armed with
those resources and a member who had experience in
the proper archiving of photographs and documents,
the Village Archives was formed. Professional museum
computer software was purchased and photos were
digitized, then stored in fireproof files. This has been
a tremendous help in documenting and researching
Village history.
Under Dick Grillo’s direction, the Live! at Dowling Park
Artist Series was a “best practices” feature workshop
at the annual Florida Council on Aging Convention
in September 2002. It was recognized as being an
exceptional addition to the quality of life for those living
in a rural retirement community.
The final phase of River Woods opened in 2003, with
40 new home sites. With the sale of these lots, the
neighborhood of 155 single-family homes would
be complete. Amazing development had taken place
in this section of the campus over the last decade.
Homeownership in a retirement community continues
to be extremely rare.
In 2005, a choir of grandparents and grandchildren
from the Village Church traveled to the University of
South Florida in Tampa to sing at a conference for
grandparents who are raising their grandchildren,
sponsored by the Florida State Kinship Center. The
choir included President Emeritus Pomeroy Carter, his
wife, Jerry and seven of their grandchildren. Dick Grillo
wrote two of the songs they sang.
Craig A. Carter began his role as President and CEO in 2008.
In 2011, CARF-CCAC returned for an intensive onsite
survey. The surveyors visited the campus to verify ACV’s
compliance with over 1,200 standards of excellence. Advent
Christian Village was in compliance with all but two of the
standards, for a greater than 99.2% success rate. The two
criteria not met were due to the fact that the survey does
not take into account ACV’s benevolent ministry. President
Carter stated, “For that reason, I am pleased that we did not
achieve a 100% success rate.”
In November 2012, ACV had a unique opportunity to
participate in a cultural exchange, as 55 Japanese Social
Work students visited the campus. Most of the students did
not speak English, but group leaders served as interpreters.
The purpose of the visit was to learn about ACV as a retirement
community and in particular, how the Social Services
staff operates within it. The language barrier proved to be
inconsequential, as this visit was enjoyed by all. In fact, the
group has returned again since that initial visit.
President Carter reported to the 2012 Board of Directors
that the economic difficulties facing our nation and
state continue to negatively impact the ministries of ACV.
God has provided for our needs in amazing ways. One such
way was when he recognized that the Good Samaritan Center
needed a facelift. The renovation would take $1 million.
No funds were available, but he asked key staff members
52 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Phillips Center is the hub of Village life. Housed inside are dining options, the Lopin’ Gopher
Deli, named for the LOP&G railroad and the Ann and Quinton Rumph Dining Room.
to begin making plans anyway. Within a few weeks, he
received word that a bond would have to be refinanced
because the company no longer wished to hold it. When the
bond was refinanced, with the same payment for the same
period of time, somehow the Village would save $1 million.
Craig quickly picked up the phone and put the renovation
in process. God had proven Himself as the provider of needs
once again.
Celebrating a Century
of Ministry
Advent Christian Village’s 100th birthday was a
first for any retirement comunity in Florida. The
occasion warranted not just a single day, but a
year-long celebration. Therefore, the community
celebrated throughout the year leading up to the actual anniversary,
through a series of events, the highlights of which
included trails, trees and treasures.
The trail is the Village Heritage Trail, a new walking
trail given in memory of Zelene Carter Inman (daughter of
former ACV Superintendent M.A. Carter) by her extended
family. Signs mark the locations of significant buildings
from the early days of Advent Christian Village and describe
how they served the ministry. Photos of each building are
displayed on their corresponding signs and a guidebook is
available which gives additional details about each location.
To symbolize the life of ACV, 100 trees were added
around the community and a future canopy road was planted
along Buck Rogers Drive to commemorate the anniversary.
The trees were a gift from ACV member Jewell Barrington
and her children, in memory of her husband Jimmy.
Perhaps the highlight of the anniversary year occurred
in May, with the reprise of Treasures of the Suwannee—the
musical stage production of the history of ACV, which was
originally presented in 1999. There were appearances by the
first white residents of Dowling Park, Reuben and Rebecca
Charles, wealthy businessmen Thomas Dowling and Richard
Sears—founder of Sears, Roebuck and Co.—as well as
many ACV leaders from the first half of the 20th century.
Perhaps the appearance triggering the largest reaction
was that of Old Buck, the ox, who was ACV’s earliest
version of a shuttle bus and farm hand. Incredibly lifelike,
complete with horns and a tail, the ox was constructed by
ACV members. Old Buck “pulled” a wagonload of children
from one side of the church to the other while the cast sang
an entertaining song about him. After the performance,
the crowd was invited to the dining room to enjoy some
old-fashioned treats. Over 1,100 people attended the two
presentations of the production.
The anniversary was recognized in other ways as
well. In March, Dr. Sid Bradley and Rev. Ron Thomas returned
to the Village as speakers for the biennial Winter
Retreat, which also focused on the 100-year partnership
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 53

H I G H L I G H T S
The Village was chosen by faculty members of
the University of Florida for a study by the Center for
Gerontological Studies and the College of Nursing.
Dr. Claydell Horne, current member of the Board of
Directors oversaw the research. The study examined
how sleep affects a person’s mood and ability to do
activities during the day. One hundred participants
wore hi-tech watches and kept logs of personal data.
After two weeks results were analyzed and tabulated
and presented to researchers and then participants.
Because many Village members missed being able
to “play in the dirt,” the Community Garden was
developed in 2005. It consisted of 42 plots, complete
with irrigation and eventually, a gardener’s shed. The
Garden Club, as they are called, grows vegetables and
flowers. Today, the garden also includes a hydroponic
section, where lettuce and other vegetables are grown
in water. The venture has been so successful that
vegetables from the garden are sometimes used at
the dining room. Those growing flowers have adopted
the staff, preparing bouquets weekly and delivering
them to Village offices.
In 2006, the county re-routed County Road 136, which
had been the main road through the Village, and the
Village added a curve at the entrance and four speed
bump type crosswalks at the Village Centre. The one
mile of the former County Road 136 that ran through
the campus became a private road named Dowling Park
Drive. This brought the desired result of reduced speed
and less traffic through the Village.
Old Buck was a real ox that served many purposes in Dowling Park
in the earliest days. This lifelike replica was constructed by Village
members for the Treasures of the Suwannee production.
between ACV and the Advent Christian denomination. On
Sunday evening, they were joined by former presidents
Pomeroy Carter and Jim Humbles in a panel discussion of
the history and philosophy of the Village, as well as remembrances
from their years of service.
An alumni reunion was also part of the centennial
celebration. Those who had been raised in the children’s
program were invited to return for a weekend of reminiscing
and reconnecting. At a community-wide gathering, alumni
shared their memories of growing up in Dowling Park and
a photo slideshow made the memories come to life. Alumni
came from as far away as California for the event.
Village members also contributed their time and talents
toward the celebration. The Rustic Shop published a centennial
cookbook of recipes from current and past Villagers,
along with highlights of Village history. A centennial edition
of Village Voices was presented. It is a book of memories of
Not only was the Village’s accreditation with CARF-CCAC
renewed for five years in 2006,
but Consumer Reports also ranked
Good Samaritan Center as one of the
top 10% of nursing homes in Florida.
In 2009, ACV launched two new communications tools:
Village Streams, an e-newsletter that provides helpful
information to families about the issues of aging, and
a Facebook page that keeps people up to date on the
events and ongoing ministry of ACV.
The singers reenact going to church and singing the
Old Time Hymns in the early 1900s
54 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

memories of her years in Dowling Park and cut the celebratory
cake. Over 300 people enjoyed the festivities.
More than 1,100 people attended two presentations of the “Treasures
of the Suwannee”, a musical stage production of the history of Dowling
Park and Advent Christian Village.
days gone by in Dowling Park and was written by members
and staff.
On Founder’s Day, December 17, 2013, a grand celebration
was held in Rumph Dining Room, which was beautifully
adorned in the Village’s colors: green, gold and white.
Items from the centennial time capsule were on display, a
jazz band played classic favorites through the decades, and
a fitting feast was served. President Craig Carter shared
photos of highlights of Village history. Former President
Jim Humbles spoke of the contribution the Village staff
has made through its history. President Emeritus Pomeroy
Carter shared how generous benefactors have ensured
ACV’s survival. Former staff members returned for the
celebration and the children of Eula Setzer, one of the
original five children of the orphanage, shared their mother’s
A scene from Treasures of the Suwannee. Lily Arnold was the dying
widow who wrote to Brother Bixler asking about an orphanage for her
boys. Her letter was the inspiration for the Home & Orphanage ministry.
Looking Ahead
To remain relevant in ministry and capable of fulfilling
its mission of serving senior adults, families and children,
ACV has relied upon divine guidance brought about
through prayerful planning. With the dramatic improvements
the Village had undergone throughout the second half
of the 20th century, the community evolved into one that is
able to provide the quality, comprehensive services that will
meet the needs of the community for years to come. Those
who came before have laid a firm foundation for ACV’s
second century of ministry.
A Firm Foundation
for the Future
In preparation for the future, Village leadership
evaluated ACV’s current standing, and recognized with
thanksgiving that God’s hand of blessing has remained
on Advent Christian Village throughout its history.
Seeing that the community is well equipped in the area of
services, they prayerfully contemplated the course for the
future. It became apparent that a new master development
plan must focus on expanding ACV’s ability to serve a growing
population, mainly through additional and enhanced
housing options.
In celebration of ACV’s 100th birthday and in preparation
for its next century of service, the Village Board of
Directors adopted a new 10-year Master Development Plan.
The projects in the new plan are intended to grow the population
of the community and augment existing services while
continuing to enhance the hometown feeling that is so often
described by visitors to Advent Christian Village. The new
housing options that are part of the plan are designed in
clusters to encourage neighborhood interaction. Under the
leadership of President Craig Carter, Village officials have
listened to the concerns of the community and the desires of
prospective members and have responded accordingly. The
result is a development plan that will better position ACV
for ministry into its second century of service.
Taylor Commons
Named in memory of Frank and Jessie Taylor, this new
neighborhood of “row-style” apartments will offer updated
housing options and a facelift to ACV’s main street. Included
in the neighborhood will be the Lawrence House, given
by ACV members Arthur and Ann Lawrence. This two-story
independent living apartment building will consist of eight
two-bedroom/two-bath apartments with larger kitchens
and open concept living space. Two phases of “row house”
style independent living apartments and a gathering place
called Cleo’s Meeting House, in memory of Cleo Smith
Montgomery, will also be added to Taylor Commons.
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 55

An artist’s rendering of Lawrence House on Taylor Commons. The
new neighborhood is a part of ACV’s updated housing options.
Condominiums
A new home ownership option at ACV will bring
modern condominiums located close to Copeland Community
Center. The plan is for 10 single-story units. The
homeowner will have minimal maintenance responsibilities,
as they participate in a homeowner’s association that will
provide all exterior and systems maintenance.
The Taylor Commons modern row-house apartments will be built
across from the Village Square.
Manufactured Housing Development
A new mobile home neighborhood will accommodate
larger and more modern mobile homes. The homes will be
situated in clusters to enhance the neighborhood feeling.
The plan allows space for between 100 and 120 manufactured
homes, over the course of three phases. A community
center given by Barbara Hoffmann and Harold Garner will
be the anchor building for this neighborhood.
New Assisted Living Facility
Additional assisted living units will be on a separate site
from Dacier Manor. The project will include four buildings,
each housing up to 12 residents, to be built in four phases as
demand dictates. These will become home to assisted living
members who are more self-sufficient.
Also part of the 100th Anniversary Capital Campaign is
a new ceramics shop and a wing of a county library that is
planned on campus will showcase Village history and house
its archives. The ceramics shop will be named in memory
of former Village member Mrs. Marion Polk by her family.
The archives wing will be named in memory of Miss Shirley
Brooks. Also included in the capital campaign is the renovation
and expansion of the classrooms and offices at the
Village Church.
Conclusion...But Not
Nearly the End
It is impossible to cover all that has happened at
Advent Christian Village. It has been home to literally
thousands of senior adults and children and has ministered
to and served countless others. As Florida’s first
retirement community, ACV has often been an innovator
in the field of services to senior adults and children. It has
adapted its methods to meet the needs of a changing world,
but it has never wavered in its mission. Advent Christian
Village is first and foremost a ministry with a divine calling
to express Christ’s love to those it serves by providing
a quality home, excellent services and compassionate care.
As we conclude this publication, we have much to
celebrate. Until Christ returns, however, there is much more
to accomplish. May God continue to use and to bless the
ministry of Advent Christian Village.
2011 CENSUS
836 Members
BOARD (2011): W.C. Nickerson, Jr.; Chair, Ben Bowen; Kerry Bush; Dr. George J. Caranasos; Donald
A. Churchill; H. Charles Craft, III; James E. Davis; Rev. Dwight S. Dean; Dr. Larry R. Denius; John
Fenlason; Rev. Jim Lee; Dr. Jacqueline Lloyd; Dr. Claydell H. Horne; Judge Thomas J. Kennon, Jr.;
Steve Ross; Molly Spearman; Rev. Ronald P. Thomas, Jr., ex-officio
56 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

The Values We Cherish
Compassion
Honesty
Excellence
Respect for the Dignity of the Individual
Integrity
Support (Advocacy)
Held Accountable/Being Trusted
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 57

A History of Firsts
100 Years of Innovations in Retirement Living and Elder Care.
ACV was the First Retirement Community:
c in the state of Florida.
c in the United States to offer all its services and its continuum of care to low income seniors living in
HUD facilities.
c in Florida to establish a certified Rural Health Clinic on campus. (Now a state-of-the-art Medical
Center, providing medical care, a pharmacy, outpatient rehab and dental care for its members and
the surrounding community.)
c in Florida to employ a Physician’s Assistant.
c in the nation to become officially affiliated with a state university college of medicine for the
education of medical students.
c in Florida providing a continuum of care organized on a payment-for-services basis.
c in Florida to offer a Community Care for the Elderly program in a rural location, making it
possible for members to “age in place.”
c in Florida to provide a children’s day care center for its employees and the surrounding community.
c In Florida to offer an intergenerational environment, caring for seniors and children on the
same campus.
c and children’s home in Florida to house boys and girls in sibling cottages.
c in Florida to initiate and host an annual Artist Series for its own members and for the
surrounding communities.
All this was accomplished without ever charging entrance fees to its members. Advent Christian Village
strives to proactively meet the needs of those it serves and carries out what it does as a ministry.
58 Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service

Leaders of the Village
Superintendents & Presidents: 100 Years of Leadership
Dr. Burr A.L. Bixler Rev. Hugh K. Shepherd Rev. Gordon O. Reed
1913–1950 1950–1953 1953–1957
M.A. Carter J. Pomeroy Carter James L. Humbles
1957–1962 1962–1995 1995–2008
Craig A. Carter
2008–present
Advent Christian Village at Dowling Park v 100 Years of Service 59

PO Box 4305 • Dowling Park, FL 32064
1-800-714-3134 • TDD 1-800-955-8771
www.acvillage.net