MELROSE—A statue named "Aariel" spreads its arms as it stands in the sculpture garden beside a flamboyance (flock) of flamingoes. It is a welcoming monument that symbolizes the Melrose Center's commitment to the community it cares for.

The Melrose Center – part art gallery, part restaurant cafe, part health clinic – is a nonprofit founded in 2010 by Bruce and Gwen Waite. The cafe is open five days a week from Tuesday to Saturday. 

"Our model is to look and feel like a café and a restaurant. People come in to socially connect," Bruce said. "It was in response to a need in the community. There wasn’t a place of this nature where people could come together. Over time, it’s proven to be a haven for many people."

“We have many groups, such as singers and dancers, who perform. It’s fun. We love them. There’s a lot to do here,” Gwen said. 

The first Friday of every month is a special occasion at the center. A health checkup fair kicks off in the morning, followed by an art walk later at night.

At the health checkup fair on Friday, June 7, the restaurant's dining hall welcomed patrons for free screenings for diabetes and cholesterol, plus access to a pediatrician and a general physician. The screenings were free regardless of insurance status. Bruce said more than 20 received their COVID-19 booster shots. 

"We have a lot of local artists who are also very involved in the health care stuff. They donate their time," Gwen said. 

The Melrose Art Walk is a community-wide event in which other businesses and art galleries participate.  The same artists and patients from the health checkup fair can return later for a night of live music, a bite to eat, dancing beside the stage, and a stroll through the art gallery at the other building.

The Melrose Center is strategically located in the unincorporated town of Melrose, which is at the crossroads of four counties: Clay, Putnam, Bradford, and Alachua. 

“And we’re right in the center of all four,” Bruce said. “We’re 200 yards from Clay, 200 from Bradford and 300 from Alachua. We serve all four counties.”

Bruce and Gwen are from Key West, bringing their motto: “one human family,” and an island-time appreciation for arts and culture.

The Waite family left Key West to pursue a contract to create the Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. The contract was an interesting project that led the family to travel throughout Central and South America for "butterfly operations."

"It was nifty to have 150,000 live butterflies flying around," Bruce said. 

The family fell in love with Melrose as they finished their contract. Their prior work in social services in Key West and Texas spurred an interest in the family to set up their one-stop shop. They ended up fitting right in. Melrose consists of a large population of Key West "expatriates." 

Between the wellness fair and the art walk, the Melrose Center employees have dinner together in the dining hall underneath, where the "Conch Republic Flag" of Key West is proudly displayed. 

Bruce joked Melrose is the "Northernmost Point."

The restaurant's menu blends Cuban and Greek culinary traditions to reengineer popular meals to be healthier. 

The walls are adorned with paintings and sketches. Crafts can be bought in the gift shop. One craftsman assembled a guitar made of stained glass that glows with a button press. Another crafted a lamp using found materials resembling a UFO. 

All the added items create a mosaic of the Melrose Center's close-knit community. 

“Leave the politics outside. Enjoy the music and the food. We focus on commonalities here. The things we still agree on," Bruce said. 

Catie Miller cherishes the Melrose Center, which she calls "our clubhouse." Her partner, Kirsten Engstrom, sculpted "Aariel."

"We were what you'd call 'hippies' or 'counterculture.' We've always been community-oriented and loving. We have recreated that community feeling here," Miller said. 

"Bruce and Gwen have offered a place for others to come. This is their service on this planet. They're special, special people."